error codes

For a 1990 century can someone tell me what error codes 26 27 28 means?

Searching the Buick forum would likely provide you with the information as well, but you can also find the codes here. (http://autorepair.about.com/library/ts/obd-i/bl-dtcs-73.htm?once=true&;)

-Rod

All three are a quad driver module circuit fault. Specifically:

26 quad-driver module (computer) circuit #1 fault
27 quad-driver module (computer) 2nd gear circuit
28 quad-driver module (computer) circuit #2 fault

All three are a quad driver module circuit fault. Specifically:

26 quad-driver module (computer) circuit #1 fault
27 quad-driver module (computer) 2nd gear circuit
28 quad-driver module (computer) circuit #2 fault

Any way you could explain those errors? And on a side note, is there any recommendations as to some error code reading equipement? Its quite nifty to hook up a computer to tell you whats wrong with your car.

Are you just looking to connect to the Buick mentioned above, or do you want to be able to monitor pretty much anything on the road today? Do you want something that can monitor various parameters real time (datastream)? Pre-1996 import cars get expensive to support, post-1996 is pretty common and inexpensive (all cars and light trucks should follow the OBD-II protocol). Pre-1996 each manufacturer was allowed to use their own protocol, and there was very limited compatibility between manufacturers.

There are a lot of options in scan tools and code readers with varying costs - handhelds, professional grade, commercial grade, PDA-based, laptop-based, etc.

-Rod

Are you just looking to connect to the Buick mentioned above, or do you want to be able to monitor pretty much anything on the road today? Do you want something that can monitor various parameters real time (datastream)? Pre-1996 import cars get expensive to support, post-1996 is pretty common and inexpensive (all cars and light trucks should follow the OBD-II protocol). Pre-1996 each manufacturer was allowed to use their own protocol, and there was very limited compatibility between manufacturers.

There are a lot of options in scan tools and code readers with varying costs - handhelds, professional grade, commercial grade, PDA-based, laptop-based, etc.

-Rod

Well the vehicles in my family range from 1969 and up to 1994. Its all old cars but they run well. Except for this buick. It has transmission trouble I think. It Idles funny. If it had a tach I know I could see it moving up and down. Its an automatic and I know automatics (somehow) are given a slight amount of gas, thats why when your in drive stopped, and let off the brake the car inches foreward. When at a stop with this buick, you can feel a tug and then a release, tug release tug release. And then it stops for a moment. Then continues. Its in sync with when its in park or neutral and idles. Then engine increases and decreases for a few seconds and then idles normal for a few seconds. It really doesn't die too often. It is rather hard to start though. Its fuel injected but without giving it gas it won't start very well. It required a few seconds of revving then engine to get it going or else it will start, stumble, and die.

Sounds a bit like you have a vacuum leak. Does this Buick have the 2.5L 4-cylinder or the V6?

As for a scan tool to suit your needs, it sounds like everything you have would be pre-OBD-II which makes things more difficult. Of course something older than 1981 is unlikely to have any built-in diagnostics. But for the vehicles you have, unless they are all domestics or all a single brand, it could get expensive to try to equip a scan tool to work with them all. Many of the early diagnostic systems have a way of pulling codes (no datastream though) using a jumper wire and Check Engine light, multimeter, or screwdriver and watching an LED on the ECM.

-Rod

Sounds a bit like you have a vacuum leak. Does this Buick have the 2.5L 4-cylinder or the V6?

As for a scan tool to suit your needs, it sounds like everything you have would be pre-OBD-II which makes things more difficult. Of course something older than 1981 is unlikely to have any built-in diagnostics. But for the vehicles you have, unless they are all domestics or all a single brand, it could get expensive to try to equip a scan tool to work with them all. Many of the early diagnostic systems have a way of pulling codes (no datastream though) using a jumper wire and Check Engine light, multimeter, or screwdriver and watching an LED on the ECM.

-Rod
the buick is a v6. i assumed it was the transmission causing this trouble.

Even though you have quad driver faults, I'd still suggest you start by checking for vacuum leaks.

We used to see quad driver faults quite often but I don't remember that we regularly found them to be causing driveability issues. My memory that far back isn't great though.

-Rod