New Record.. Owned Car for 24 hours and "check engine" light already.

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Ok..it's iniation time here. I just got the Diablo from Cats (97.5 Roadster )...drove it all day yesterday...no problem. Started it up this morning and the "check engine" light on the right bank came and stayed on. The car idles and feels fine, revs smooth and sounds ok (no real feel for the car yet ) Power seems fine. Could be a sensor of some sort.

I know there is a way of running a sensor check on the car but don't know how.( don't know anything about a Diablo ) I don't have any books yet as they were forgotton.

Help me love the bull and not stray back to the horse

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

You need to find out why the engine light is on.

Put the key in ignition and turn it from position 0 to 1 (Do not turn on car) three times. The check engine light will blink. According to how many blinks will give you the reason. Once you have that, post the amount. Since you dont have books, we can help you through this.

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Wow...thanks for the info. I did as you said, the R of the check engine light blinked 18 times. (checked 4 times ) The Windshield washer light and the oil light were also illuminated at the same time. No flashing, just illuminated.

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

That's your Lamda sensor. There are two on the right and two on the left. (right is referenced to front of car) One is located right on the catalytic converter, the other is between the two converters in the pipe, both sides. If you don't have a stock exhaust the one in between the two cats might have been removed along with the cat itself. Easy to replace.

Incidently it won't hurt to drive the car like that.

 

for the future:

Number Of Flashes Error Indication
1 Lambda sensor inactive
2 Lambda sensor detected weak fuel mixture
3 Lambda sensor detected rich fuel mixture
4 Timing sensor
5 Engine speed and TDC sensor
6 Engine speed and timing sensor signal wrong sequence
7 Air pressure sensor
8 Battery voltage
9 Coolant temperature sensor
10 Not used
11 Intake air temperature sensor
12 Throttle potentiometer
13 CAN communication link failure
14 Not used
15 Not used
16 Not used
17 Catalyst system efficiency
18 Lambda sensor efficiency
19 Misfire detected
20 Misfire detected
21 Carbon filter washing solenoid valve
22 OBDII system failure
23 OBDII system failure

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Wow...I love you guys!

Ok, the exhaust is stock but was told the cats were removed. They too were forgotten. I understand from my previous research that the exhaust is under the wing panel...under a silver carbon fiber cover. Is there an easy way to tell you what's there?

The car was fully checked out with a report before it was shipped (cats had it performed...it was done throughly ) no mention of sensor problems.

Should I look for leads to a computer box or somthing?

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

you might want to check if its the O2 sensors by switching them and see if the other Check Engine light comes on. If it does, you have a bad sensor. The fix is easy and cheap ($50)

 

Did you open the engine cover and take a look at the engine? If not maybe the car is just flexing its muscles and shouting "look at me!" wanting you to open the cover and gawp in amazement!

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Ok, silly question....do the leads go to some box "exposed" in the engine bay? I am very familiar with a TR engine bay but don't even know what wires are what in the Diablo. I wanted to ease into the learning curve slowly. (ha ha yeah right ! ) I don't even know how to remove the carbon fiber panels or the wing yet ! I tried looking through the grill at the back....can only see the exhaust.

I will say this, with your advice, my mind is really at ease as it really is something reletively simple...not engine... grind... grind..boom ( Oh boy, I hope I didn't jinx myself )


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

hey ! we've already done it a few times now. I guess....I was too big for her

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

It would be unusual to have a stock exhaust with cats removed. In any case you should still have two left.

No computer box. These are threaded into the pipe and cats with a dissconect wire. Should be able to just unthread them and pull the wire apart.

The wing panel is held in place with a bolt on each side. Then it slides out. The exhaust cover is a pain to get out. You might not need to. I can't remeber if you have access to the sensors without removing.

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

OK, I will roll up my sleeves and take it apart. I will keep y'all informed on what I find and will do Topcarbon's swap test. ...like swapping coils on a TR

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

If you can get under your car, look for the exhaust pipes coming from the engine. You should see the sensor ports with the sensors.
The engine cover is easy. There are two bolts to remove the top panel. Slide the panel off. This will expose the muffler shield. THen, there are three bolts on top and two bolts per side that will need to be unscrewed. Lift the cover off and there is your muffler and cats.

Maybe you should give Roy a call to get some info from him about the status on cats and sensors.

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Ok, went under the car and behind the rear wheels...got a great look. I could see right up her dress...I mean underneath the silver exhaust cover.

Are there pre-cats and cats like on a TR?

This is what I found. Out of the manafold, on each side is a cat behind the each rear wheel. This then goes directly to the muffler. One tube from the driver side cat to the passenger side of the muffler, one tube from the passenger side cat to the driver side of the muffler.

On the before mentioned cats, there are 2 O2 sensors each plus a thermocoupler on each. One O2 sensor is on the manafold side while the other O2 sensor is on muffler side of the cat. The thermocouples are just after the second O2 sensor (muffler side )

Where the pipes snake to the muffler(direclty under silver exhaust cover ), there were no dangling wires that I could see.

Are all the cats in place ? Or, should there be a total of 4?

The muffler itself is a rectangular stainless steel box. It is not polished or brushed but is not tarnished. It has flat ribs 1" wide spaced about every 5" or so. Out of the muffler is the pipe tips connected with a small rectangular steel clamp (2 bolts each ) ...exiting out the back.


Oh yeah, all four 02 sensors are plugged in and as are the thermocouples.
Thanks again !!!

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

sounds stock

you could take a picture

 

Dear Lamborghinisti,

Are there 4 cats or 2? Under the silver cover is just the muffler and pipes. Should there be 2 more cats under there as well?

Correction:

There is one sensor in the cat behind the rear wheel plus a thermocouple. The second sensor is in the pipe just behind said cat.

To swap them to see the check engine light change....do I swap 2 for the 2 or cat sensors first then pipe sensors second.

I'm sorry if this is getting old, the configuration is just soooo new to me.

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

QUOTE]

its going to be a matter of process through elimination. Change one thing at a time and test. remember, you dont have one 12 cylender engine, but two sixes. Everything is two.

Do you have to say Lambornisti? Its annoying.

Sorry...I didn't know it would offend. I guess I'm new to THIS board.

On topic....

I really do appreciate the advice ! I will try as you suggest and report back.


Shamile

Freeze..Miami Vice !

(no, I'm not giving that up )

 

You can also buy a AutoXRay OBD2 reader (make sure you buy the one that resets lights) at your local Autozone and plug it in (the connector is under dash, next to where your right knee would be if you were sitting in drivers seat). This will tell you what all your engine codes are and your 02 readings....you can also reset your check engine lights since sometimes they are temperamental (if you are mechanically challenged, get a mechanic or someone who has used one before to show you how...that what I did and its not a big deal). 9/10 times your check engine lights have to do with ommissions and/or 02 sensors..mass airflow sensors. Good Luck and Enjoy!

 

If the car runs fine just DRIVE IT!

Next time you get an oil change have it looked into if it bothers you
enough to care.

 

I'm ok with it now. It's just that I'm sooo new to Lambo...that the check engine light really freaked me out. No check engine lights in a TR....all by feel. I just don't know the feel of the Big D yet.


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

i wouldnt recomend driving an extended period without diagnosing the problem. An extended period with a too lean, or too rich problem can have adverse effects on your engine.
You have a $150K car, not a honda, I would treat it as such.

 

No no, I won't leave it till the next oil change. I'm just relieved that it's something simple and that I can do myself. I will get on it tomorrow. I have to buy a O2 socket with the slit for the wires.

The problem for me is a total lack of familiarity with the car.

Hey Baky, I like that suggestion...will follow up on it.


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

presumably a car from a dealer as prominent as Roy Cats has some form of warranty on it ?

 

Yes, it has Roy's famous 48 hours full cash refund return policy.

Roy/Kevin paid for a full go-over of the car and test drive for me. I really can't ask for anything more. I have absolutely no blame for Cats or even remorse.

It's just one of those things that happen. I know problems will arrise, I would have at least liked to get past the first date ...before the "I'm pregnant ! "

Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !