Sunfire Gt Check Engine Light

ok i got a problem... i cleaned my engine the other day and i took off the whole air system from the filter to the engine. i also took off the iginition coils to clean them... i put everything back after cleaning and then started my car and now i'm getting a check engine sign.. and for a brief moment i had a check gauges sign.. what can i do to fix this.. i have gone over every wire and bolt that i took apart and check for connectivity

ignition coils on a GT? do you have sparkplug wires?

the ignition system on the GT is hidden (no sparkplug wires on a GT motor), you only see it when you change the plugs, in fact, to clean it you would have had to expose the plugs.

The light could be from a misfire from a wet wire or short somewhere. your best be is to blow out each connection again with pressurized air and try again.

ok i got a problem... i cleaned my engine the other day and i took off the whole air system from the filter to the engine. i also took off the iginition coils to clean them... i put everything back after cleaning and then started my car and now i'm getting a check engine sign.. and for a brief moment i had a check gauges sign.. what can i do to fix this.. i have gone over every wire and bolt that i took apart and check for connectivity

Let everything dry completely , then disconnect the neg terminal on the battery for 10-15 minutes. This should clear the codes and turn off the SES light. If the light still comes on, get the codes read to find out what the problem is.

Thank you for your input i really appreciate the help you guys have given me.

I do have coils in the system because i did have to expose the plugs to get to the coils. There was also something that i forgot to mention that might affect the diagnosis. When i first put everything back i forgot to put the wires back that go on the air intake pipe (i hope you know what they are). and i drove the car like that for about 20-30 kms. when i went over everything to make sure that i didn't forget anything i noticed the unplugged wire.. the car runs better now (but dies out very rarely while trying to pick up in first gear > 5spd) maybe i need to replace the plugs all together? I'll try that 15 minutes of unplugging the neg connection and check to see if it works out. thank you again I appreciate it...

There were also a couple of elec problems i was having. The fan blower only works on full and when i change te fan selection to windshield.. the AC turns on and can feel the compressor turning on. is that normal? also it is very hard to shift from first to second while starting off. i'm not a rookie stick driver and i can't seem to find why the shifter gets stuck on first and then when i force it out its really hard to push into second. and I stand on the cluch when i try to do this so it can't be that. the cluch is good otherwise anyone know what it might be?

Ok, the coil pack in the engine cover is weather sealed (or supposed to be), so you should be safe there, since you really don't have "wires" per say. But, the springs that connect to the plugs should be free of moisture before being installed, as they to form a seal.

don't do the 15 minutes thing, the computer has a backup memory storage just in case of a dead battery, lasts for a while, longer than 15 minutes for sure. besides, if you drive it thee times (start up, and drive for like 30 minutes) the computer SHOULD give an "all clear" signal and remove the light on its own, according to Haynes.

If you have auto parts stores in your area (Canada I'm guessing from the Kilometers) and they can read the codes, they can also reset the codes for you, most do it for free. Best to get the current codes and see what the actual problem is anyway, it may be that a sensor failed right after you washed the motor.

Also if you put the HVAC knob to the picture of JUST the windshield, that's the defrost and it will run the AC compressor to get rid of the moisture on the windshield. simply put in on the picture of the windshield and the guys feet to have the compressor shut off.

ok will do.. thank you.. hey what kind of sunfire do you have? i want to see if you have mods done to it? this is my first sunfire GT 97 with 123000km so if theres any heads up on what general problems to expect. if you have pictures.. mail them to [email protected] please.. thanks

I have the best year Sunfire EVER!!! 1995 2.3L Quad4.

I replaced the stock LO Quad that was in it with a HO version. Ported HO intake, Port and polish on the head as well as being flowed to match the 086, Ported Exhaust manifold, upgraded to 92 HO cams, and valves. I have the new motor chipped for optimal settings. My build sheet states 235HP at the crank.

For the future, I'm working on the funds for a custom header and full 2.5" exhaust, new racing motor mounts, and a complete suspension/brake upgrade. I'm also setting aside the cash for the body kit, and lighter rims.

I live between a road course and a Drag strip, so I would like to use the car to attend races, as well as I drive it to work daily. Oh and with the race motor, I get 36MPG with the cruise set.

There were also a couple of elec problems i was having. The fan blower only works on full and when i change te fan selection to windshield.. know what it might be?

The fan blower problem is the blower resistor that fits inside the blower housing under the dash on the passenger side. Do a search on "fan blower" , you'll find posts by many people (includung me) who had this problem, with detailed instructions to fix it.

don't do the 15 minutes thing, the computer has a backup memory storage just in case of a dead battery, lasts for a while, longer than 15 minutes for sure. besides, if you drive it thee times (start up, and drive for like 30 minutes) the computer SHOULD give an "all clear" signal and remove the light on its own, according to Haynes.



I'm going to disagree with part of what you say. I have a 97 Blazer that I've disconnected the battery for 5-10 minutes on numerous occassions and this turned the light off.
Either way, it doesn't hurt to try on a 97 Sunfire (vehicle in question),and if the light is still on today, there's more problems than a wet connection.

However, I do agree that starting cycles will also reset the light if the problem has cleared itself,and driving the vehicle for long periods can also reset the light (In this case, a wet connection dries up and after driving in excess of 15 minutes the light goes off-I've also had this happen on a 2000 Buick, I also had a ice clogged injector,SES light came on, then cleared itself after 5 minutes of driving)

true on the disconnect the battery thing, but it's longer than 15 minutes. I think if you do it overnight it will be long enough. IIRC Haynes said for a minimum of 30 minutes, due to the memory protection feature in the OBDII computers. Now, it may very well be only 15 minutes, and Haynes is telling you a longer time to make sure of it being reset, IDK, but leaving the battey unhooked while you sleep wont hurt anything. Also, taking the car for a drive to the local parts store to get the codes read may just solve the problem right there, I know its happened to me a few times (LOL)

I was trying to say that the best solution to this would be to get the codes read to ensure that nothing is wrong, and then get them reset at the same time. no need to unhook the battery, just to get the code as soon as the computer goes out of loop when you start it again.