I need help! My car will run on for a hour or so and then it will be choked out and die by no fuel....meaning a signal was being sent to do so.....well i did the paper clip rig and counted the flashes and i got a code 12 which is 12. No reference pulses to Electronic Control Module (ECM). WTF does that mean and how can i fix it!?!? please help!
-Troy

 

It means there are no trouble codes stored in the computer. Are you sure you counted right? You do know that each code will flash 3 times, right?


What? What does it do when it dies? Can you start it back up? Do you smell anything? Any sounds? The computer doesnt send a signal to the injectors and say "Ok, thats enough guys, time for a break". More details please.

 

it feels like it runs out of gas....started back up in like 30 seconds....lasted about 10 min.....did it again....30 secondds.....another 30 secnds and up agian...no smell...no sounds just shuts the fuel pump off. oh yeah i did hte code read and it flashed 12 over and over and over....it did it 3 times a piece.

 

check the fuel filter? strange. It sounds like what happened whenever i pulled a fuses out of my two tbi's and my fuel pump ( i was changing the fuel filter, had to get the pressure out)

 

The distributor pick-up coil sends a signal to the ignition module which then sends this info to the computer.If you dont get a signal from the pick-up...ecm cant find a reference signal and shuts down.Something to consider especially if you havent replaced it yet,and engine has some mileage.If you decide to replace the pick up do the module as well.AC DELCO parts only..

 

I dont agree with that, but thats a whole different topic ....

Check your fuel pressure also.

 

Actually, a '12' CAN be a code. If the SES lamp is on, and no other codes are in RMA, the '12' IS the stored error code. That means that during normal operation, reference pulses were missed when expected. If the SES is not on while running, and the only code displayed is '12" the problem may be different.

That's fairly consistent with the symptoms, too. Running for a period until warmed, complete ignition failure until cooled, then restart and running again until it's warmed.

Just as as jstrdn90rs advised, the pickup coil and reluctor are suspect. The HEI switching module is suspect, and even the ignition coil is suspect.

 

Thanks...now i just have to figure out how to check all that stuff!

 

I have a 1994 chevy s-10 4cy automatic transmission, when I drive it for 30 minutes the transmission slips out of gear. I can cut the engine off and start it up again and it drives for a little bit longer then slips out of gear. I can continue to do this this for a couple of times then it has to sit for a long period of time. The fluid is clean and no signs of burning. I put the code reader on it twice and it comes up code 12. I talked to our mechanic at work and he says there is nothing wrong with the truck (ok) it has to be the gear shifter allowing it to slip. I am no mechanic but I don't think he is either. any ideas on what maybe the issue

 

I have the same problem did you ever figure it out

 

Did you figure it out my Camaro does the exact same thing same code and all

 

 

Matthews1...My 1994 Cadillac Deville & a 1984 Chevy C-10 I purchased for my oldest son for his 17th Birthday had similar issues. The Cadillac had this issue after I did a transmission filter change. Then I realized I had refilled it with the wrong fluid type. The only universal ATF fluid that seems to work with all of my vehicles and previous vehicles has been " Valvoline Maxlife ATF Synthetic" and 1/4 bottle of Lucas Transmission Stop Leak. The C-10 I purchased was doing the same thing, but I had noticed when I had inspected it. That behind the seat the previous owner was using Dex IV, so him selling it to me for $750, because "it needs a new transmission" was no problem. After I had it towed home. I went to Walmart and purchased the above cocktail and have had no problem since out of the C-10's tranny. Just food for thought. Ps...I used the Lucas because I figured with my infinite wisdom it probably contained additives that might be needed, that may not be present in the right amounts in the non-dealer brands. here are the previous and some of the still owned vehicles the cocktail worked with: 1994 Lexus 400, 1994 Cadillac Deville, 1986 Olds Cutlass, 1979 Pontiac FireBird, 1986 Pontiac Fiero, 1992 Camaro RS, 2002 Monte Carlo SS, 1997 GMC Z71, 1984 Chevy C-10, 2006 Dodge Charger 3.5, 1982 Cadillac Eldorado, 1986 Chevy S-10,and 1974 & 1977 Olds Delta 88. All of these vehicles I have used Valvoline Maxlife ATF Synthetic & Lucas Transmission Stop Leak without any transmission issues. Of course they never had any issues to begin with except for the little metal shavings in pan.

 

What does this have to do with the original old post ?

 

We've had some guests in this old thread that don't have third gens. I guess that's because there is a dearth of information on ODBC 1 error code 12. The problem seems to be that error code 12 is the first code in the computer memory, and if there's nothing wrong, that's the code that will be displayed by default. People search on error code 12 and see lots of posts and articles saying it doesn't mean anything. But if something is wrong with the ignition/distributor, it will show error code 12, and that explanation comes up far less in search results. I spent a lot of time ignoring the code because the internet told me to.

Digging through this thread really helped me. I was having very similar symptoms. I could idle my Firebird for an hour in my driveway, but if I drove it for a mile, it would die. I could come back 6 hours later and it would start right up again. The problem slowly got worse until I couldn't drive around the block before it would die. I was going back to the basics - Fuel, Air, and Spark. One of those was being cut off after the car warmed up and was under load. I tried cleaning and refurbishing my injectors and replacing the fuel filter. Next up on my list was the fuel pump, but before I tackled that big job, this thread pointed me to Spark. The error code should have pointed me in that direction in the first place, but I was too thickheaded.

Anyway, I replaced the ignition coil today and the Trans Am is back, baby! It was really easy to replace the ignition coil, but it's not a very hard job to replace the distributor pickup coil and the reluctor either.

Thanks so much to Vader and jstrdn90rs for pointing me in the right direction.