Blinking Check Engine Light

[stylesj]

Hi, I am not sure if this is a redunant post it is similar to the previous post on the check engine light. I have a 99 Escort SE with 91100 miles. I just drove from Salt Lake to Denver today. Before I left I replaced the Air Filter and had Oil Changed and everything looked at by my good friends at Jiffy Lube. Everything they checked looked good. As I was entering Denver, There is a very large increase in elevation and the grade of the road is steep, well I kind of pushed my car harder then I should have and when I got to the top of one of the larger hills/inclines, (Those familar with Denver on I-70 right before the Eisenhour (sp?) tunnel) my check engine light came on and started to blink. I have never seen it do that before and I have had this Escort for 5 years and have seen the Check Engine light many times before but never blinking always steady on. So I had my passenger look at the book and it stated an engine misfire and suggest to maintain steady speed and be careful of fast accel and/or fast decl. Well as I continued driving it went away but as I speed up and slowed down it would come back on again. Eventually getting into Denver there was another large hill on I-70 (Don't remember the name of it. Frontier or Foothill maybe?) but my car would not go faster then 30mph. So I had my blinkers on and made it up. Then it would go again. As I excited the free way close to my destination I stopped at a light and the car was sputtering and I thought it was going to die but fortunately I made it safely to my destination. After it first came on the light would blink and go away and then come back. I think that if I let it sit it will go away but when I go home it will come back. This is the hardest my car has been driven in awhile. Also I do not remember the last time I had a tune up. Any suggestions as to what could be a potential fix, solution and/or cost for repairs??? Any help would be appreciated!
Thank you from a weary traveler!

[A. Souphound]

The heavy engine load conditions you described will generally make bad plugs or sparkplug wiring show-up. I suggest you start there.

[stylesj]

Ok thanks for the tip. I took my car this morning to the local Autozone and they pulled the code. P0302 Cylinder 2 misfire was the code pulled. I then did as you suggested and replaced the plugs and wires. Did a test run and the car performed like normal. There did not seem to be any stutter or sputtering. But my Check Engine light is still on. I wanted to clear the light and then see if it would come back on. I disconnected the battery and reconnected it (that usually cleared it in the past) but the light stayed on. Any ideas on what to do from here to clear the light. The Autozone people said they cant clear codes. Should I take it back to get the codes re-pulled?? Thanks again for all your help!

[A. Souphound]

Originally Posted by stylesj

Ok thanks for the tip. I took my car this morning to the local Autozone and they pulled the code. P0302 Cylinder 2 misfire was the code pulled. I then did as you suggested and replaced the plugs and wires. Did a test run and the car performed like normal. There did not seem to be any stutter or sputtering. But my Check Engine light is still on. I wanted to clear the light and then see if it would come back on. I disconnected the battery and reconnected it (that usually cleared it in the past) but the light stayed on. Any ideas on what to do from here to clear the light. The Autozone people said they cant clear codes. Should I take it back to get the codes re-pulled?? Thanks again for all your help!

Continous Memory Codes: These codes are retained in memory for 40 warm-up cycles. To clear the codes to confirm repair, perform the code reading procedure again, and when the codes start to appear release the 'test' button or disconnect the scanner. Stopping the test during code transmission will erase the Continuous Memory.

Be sure and tell them you replaced plugs and wires etc. and want to confirm the repair. It sounds like you may also have to instruct them on clearing codes.

[fishing1000]

If the battery cable is disconnected for 10 minutes or so, will the trouble code get reset?

[A. Souphound]

Originally Posted by fishing1000

If the battery cable is disconnected for 10 minutes or so, will the trouble code get reset?

They may well be cleared however, my diagnostic manual suggests the method I describe above for the EEC-V generation (1996 - )computer. The reason given is all of the driveability data the computer 'learned' and stored about the vehicle will be lost, and will have to be re-learned. The re-learning process may take from 20 to 80 cold starts. During the re-learning process driveablity of the vehicle most likely will be affected.
The EEC-IV computer (1984-1996) could be cleared by removing the (-)battery cable.

[stylesj]

OK guys I'm back, Well yesterday as I began my Drive back to Salt Lake from Denver. I had to go up this same stretch of hills. Was very easy on the car and made it a ways before the engine began to misfire again. The engine light began to blink and then stayed on. I pulled over and sat for about 10mins. Hoping that would maybe rest the car and reset the engine. I drove to the next exit to see how it would do. No go. I turned around and made it back to Denver. So now I am stuck here for another day or so. This time I am taking it to the shop as I know it will get fixed right. My question for you guys here at the boards is, Any ideas on what it could be? The car seems to be driving better this time then it did before. It was much easier to drive it back. I think that the new plugs and wires helped but something else needs replacing. Any ideas so I do not get hood-winked by any mechanics??? Once again thank you for all of your help!

[chevyn0va1]

Originally Posted by stylesj

OK guys I'm back, Well yesterday as I began my Drive back to Salt Lake from Denver. I had to go up this same stretch of hills. Was very easy on the car and made it a ways before the engine began to misfire again. The engine light began to blink and then stayed on. I pulled over and sat for about 10mins. Hoping that would maybe rest the car and reset the engine. I drove to the next exit to see how it would do. No go. I turned around and made it back to Denver. So now I am stuck here for another day or so. This time I am taking it to the shop as I know it will get fixed right. My question for you guys here at the boards is, Any ideas on what it could be? The car seems to be driving better this time then it did before. It was much easier to drive it back. I think that the new plugs and wires helped but something else needs replacing. Any ideas so I do not get hood-winked by any mechanics??? Once again thank you for all of your help!

coil pack? plug wires shorting against something? cam sensor?
Does it idle like crap when its problematic? If so (carefully) try to pull the #2 plug wire and see if it runs normal when it is removed. That could isolate to that cylinder

[A. Souphound]

Originally Posted by stylesj

OK guys I'm back, Well yesterday as I began my Drive back to Salt Lake from Denver. I had to go up this same stretch of hills. Was very easy on the car and made it a ways before the engine began to misfire again. The engine light began to blink and then stayed on. I pulled over and sat for about 10mins. Hoping that would maybe rest the car and reset the engine. I drove to the next exit to see how it would do. No go. I turned around and made it back to Denver. So now I am stuck here for another day or so. This time I am taking it to the shop as I know it will get fixed right. My question for you guys here at the boards is, Any ideas on what it could be? The car seems to be driving better this time then it did before. It was much easier to drive it back. I think that the new plugs and wires helped but something else needs replacing. Any ideas so I do not get hood-winked by any mechanics??? Once again thank you for all of your help!

#2 coil, #2 Fuel Injector/wiring would be my first two guesses.