engine light blinks @ 3500-4000k in 5th gear

[shavers55]

I have a 98 RS eclipse. I bought it from this guy for around 3k. Well from what he told me that that ive noticed is that he had a turbo in it which it took it out along with the intercooler. My problem is or rather my question is that when im driving i notice that my check engine lights starts flashing when im around 3500-4k rpms in 5th gear my check engine light starts blinkin. when i back off it goes away. I tried doing the "keydance" nothing responds and ive also took it to autozone to get it read no codes. what is causing the problem. Ive tried to count the flashes but this happens when im driving and honestly im not trying to have my eyes off the road while im driving. could all this be from the guy not setting the car back to non-turbo settings?.....thanks for all the help

 

[Abe'sGST]

If there is no evidence of it being turbo before I wouldn't believe him. That being said, I would first start of with checking plugs, wires, coil, and timing.

 

[shavers55]

i can sort of tell there was a turbo in it...theres after market downpipes in it and also you can tell where the turbo was sitting in it....would my wires and associated parts cause the light to trip in that band range and gear?....

 

[Abe'sGST]

any pics of the engine bay? There is a possibility, you will have to check all the wires you think are out of place. If your car was turbo at a point, I'm afraid whoever worked on it messed up and now your stuck with their work.

 

[shavers55]

No pic as of yet..i will take some when i i get home..and thats what i figured that he did some shoddy work and i have to go back and correct the problems...well atleast try..thats expected when you buy a used car though so im not complaining about it just want know whats causing it....also you might be able to lend some help in this question also.....when i shift the shifter doesnt feel as fluent as it should. feels kind of "gritty" almost like im grinding the gears but not quite. I have the clutch pressed all the way down and i follow the pattern.( to the left and up for 1st straight back for2nd..) so on and so forth. what could be the problem with that.

 

[Abe'sGST]

No pic as of yet..i will take some when i i get home..and thats what i figured that he did some shoddy work and i have to go back and correct the problems...well atleast try..thats expected when you buy a used car though so im not complaining about it just want know whats causing it....also you might be able to lend some help in this question also.....when i shift the shifter doesnt feel as fluent as it should. feels kind of "gritty" almost like im grinding the gears but not quite. I have the clutch pressed all the way down and i follow the pattern.( to the left and up for 1st straight back for2nd..) so on and so forth. what could be the problem with that.

Is there a lot of play in the pedal before you start "feeling" the clutch? Is your clutch master cylinder filled up all the way?

 

[shavers55]

no and yes, i was thinking about replacing both the master and the slave cylinders. i doubt they have been replaced since the car is a 98 and like i said before the previous owner looks like he did some shoddy maintenance on it. my only problem to that is i really dont have the time for one...im not even sure how long it will take..and i dont know what im doing..

 

[Abe'sGST]

I don't think it would hurt to bleed out your clutch. Have a buddy help you out with that.

 

[shavers55]

alright ill try that also, i did some research..something about me looking for and seeing if the clutch cables or shifter cables or something like that is either loose or to tight and trying to tighten or loosen them.

 

[Abe'sGST]

Go with the easy stuff first, bleed the clutch. See if it helps it any. Then you can also chek your shifter cable and check it's condition.

 

[shavers55]

sounds like a plan to me

 

[4g63t]

Just a thought. I know some of the 98 ecu's are flashable. And i know you can set the check engine light to do different things. Such as knock or shift light. Usually when the check engine light flashes quick it is set for knock. Maybe ask the guy that you bought it from if he has flashed the ecu. If it was turbo then he would need something to control the larger injectors that he would have had to use. So this would explain it.

 

[sparky1987]

As far as an engine light blinking normally the means there is a catalyst damaging misfire. See if you can get a scanner that will do live feed data and have someone drive around with you and see what its doing.

 

[shavers55]

what exactly is setting your check engine light for knock?..i have never heard of this but i have nerver heard of a lot things just wondering i am going to ask him though

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Just a thought. I know some of the 98 ecu's are flashable. And i know you can set the check engine light to do different things. Such as knock or shift light. Usually when the check engine light flashes quick it is set for knock. Maybe ask the guy that you bought it from if he has flashed the ecu. If it was turbo then he would need something to control the larger injectors that he would have had to use. So this would explain it.

Let's try not to confuse everyone, m'kay? Totally different ECU.

 

[4g63t]

Let's try not to confuse everyone, m'kay? Totally different ECU.

Ok didn’t relies the ecu was different. My Bad.

 

[jtmcinder]

Let's try not to confuse everyone, m'kay? Totally different ECU.

If this is an RS with a turbo added, then it could well have a different ECU than the original. My first guess reading this thread was "knock light mod" and I'm not giving up on it yet.

 

[importracr317]

If this is an RS with a turbo added, then it could well have a different ECU than the original. My first guess reading this thread was "knock light mod" and I'm not giving up on it yet.

This.

OP, you can't ever really know what the previous owner did or didn't do with 100% accuracy.

 

[shavers55]

previous owner told me that he dropped a turbo in the car but took it out to sell, i can really only go by word of mouth,, BUT, it does look like there were aftermarket downpipes added, plus a shoddy attempt at a short ram airfilter..i called the guy and left a voicemail asking if he could just email me what heas done to the car mechanically and otherwise because i was trying to do some maintenance to it....just like every honest person who sells a car and has just gotten over on somebody know call back nor email...cant be to mad at the guy i bought the car

 

[96Esiemc13g2008]

qoute:sparky1987
As far as an engine light blinking normally the means there is a catalyst damaging misfire. See if you can get a scanner that will do live feed data and have someone drive around with you and see what its doing.

Check engine light flashing is a result of a Type A misfire, aka Cat damaging misfires. Being a Tech, stratch any thought outside of your engine components. I personnaly have had the same issue with my 420a 96 Talon. If your headgasket is leaking, which is 98% of 420a motors are, look on the back side of your engine between your axle and block. Youll see your crank sensor and look for oil inside the connector. if so spray it out with brake clean and buy some di-eletric grease to help the connection. If that isnt the issue, i would definently get that parts list for the previous owner to really see what he's change that could be the the cause. hope this help you

 

[shavers55]

alright i have noticed also that i have an oil leak. it only seems to leak either while im driving (which i cant tell because im driving) or after ive parked the car. Came home from work and was just lookin up under the hood and i noticed that i was dripping oil. Put some moving paper up under the leak so i could tell if it was dripping thru out the night.(it wasnt) only seems to leak while driving. It does seem to be coming from under the engine somewhere. im not to inclined on auto mechancis so i can really give you a just part for your reference. but i did buy a haynes manual so ill try and check out what you just told me to look for

 

[Abe'sGST]

alright i have noticed also that i have an oil leak. it only seems to leak either while im driving (which i cant tell because im driving) or after ive parked the car. Came home from work and was just lookin up under the hood and i noticed that i was dripping oil. Put some moving paper up under the leak so i could tell if it was dripping thru out the night.(it wasnt) only seems to leak while driving. It does seem to be coming from under the engine somewhere. im not to inclined on auto mechancis so i can really give you a just part for your reference. but i did buy a haynes manual so ill try and check out what you just told me to look for

Jack your car up and with some brake cleaner, spray all the areas covered with oil. Turn it on and look under the car to see where the leak is coming from. If you can take some piks it would help.

qoute:sparky1987
As far as an engine light blinking normally the means there is a catalyst damaging misfire. See if you can get a scanner that will do live feed data and have someone drive around with you and see what its doing.

Check engine light flashing is a result of a Type A misfire, aka Cat damaging misfires. Being a Tech, stratch any thought outside of your engine components. I personnaly have had the same issue with my 420a 96 Talon. If your headgasket is leaking, which is 98% of 420a motors are, look on the back side of your engine between your axle and block. Youll see your crank sensor and look for oil inside the connector. if so spray it out with brake clean and buy some di-eletric grease to help the connection. If that isnt the issue, i would definently get that parts list for the previous owner to really see what he's change that could be the the cause. hope this help you

+2

 

[shavers55]

i will be sure to do that when i off from work and get home, ive pretty much made up my mind and just told myself that im going to be replacing a lot of parts a little at a time...that guy has yet to return my phone calls or emails and i doubt he will. thank you guys for ## help and advice

 

[96Esiemc13g2008]

sounds good, let us know what you find out.

 

[4g63t]

If this is an RS with a turbo added, then it could well have a different ECU than the original. My first guess reading this thread was "knock light mod" and I'm not giving up on it yet.

Good to know Iowans think alike.