One more begging for help question...

My "service engine soon" light comes on when I'm on a trip that is over an hour or so. Then in a day or two tops it goes off. There is no noticeable change in the way the car drives or handles either. Last time I had the light it was a sensor but it STAYED on. Any ideas? The only thing I can think of is an O2 sensor but I think that it would stay on. And I've heard too that the light is supposed to stay on through a few cycles. Thanks for your help...

just wanted to thank everyone for looking but not helping.

The O2 sensor comes on and then will go off. At Autozone they will plug in a scanner (obd-II I presume) and tell you what code you are getting. My pickup is the O2 sensor. And It just has a SLOW response. No big deal. Good luck.

Your O2 sensor would make the engine light go on, but the light would stay on. An O2 sensor fault sets a hard code that will not clear itself. You need to find out what the code is for sure. The powertrain control module (PCM) recieves inputs from these sensors at certain times only. If there is a fault or voltage variation outside of the spec limits it will turn the light on, but if the next time it recieves the input from the said sensor and sees the voltage is ok now, it will turn the light off. Only certain sensors will do this. You need the code. :banghead:

I had a problem exactly like that with my 1997 Taurus GL and it turned out that I had to replace the Camshaft Position Synchronizer and the Camshaft Position Sensor. It cost me close to $200 due to the Synchronizer being a dealer part. Our problem continued for almost a year (yeah we were in a big hurry to get it replaced. Lazy me.) until it all finally collapsed. With us, it would go on for a day or three and then out for a monoth or so and then come back on. If the O2 Sensor is good to go, I'd go after the CPS and the CP Sensor.