Tonight I took the formula ( '90 LO3) for its first run in about six months, and wanted to post the results. First off, a huge thanks to everyone here. Its been quite a project, seems like every part of the car you can think of needed work, and thanks to all of you, I've learned how to take care of a lot of them (brakes, steering, suspension, interior, some engine...).

Anyway, tonight showed me that I've still got a bit of work ahead of me. First of, as the beast chugged to life, it was obvious that six months of leaky valve seals were making their grand debut in streams of white smoke from the tailpipes until it warmed up. Second, from ignition the SES light was on, later showing a code 12, speed reference pulse. I'll triple check that tomorrow, but it seems that I get the normal 12s to tell me its in diagnostic mode, another 12 for the trouble code, and then the twelves for end diagnostic mode. But I'll make sure anyway. Anyway, here's a few questions about that: 1) is it possible for the SES to come on, but due to something other than the numbered error codes (i.e. could all the 12s be the diagnostic flags, and none of them mean code 12?), and 2) what does a speed reference pulse error mean? What are symptoms of that, and what does fixing it entail?

I should probably mention that it's a stock LO3, no catalytic converter, K&N, functional cowl assembly. Nothing wild. Six months a go, I put fresh plugs, cap rotor, etc. They probably haven't seen more than two miles yet.

That said, I also noted a fairly lumpy idle, sometimes at about 500 rpms, sometimes just shy of one grand. I suspect a vacuum leak, but that's sort of a guess.

I need to pass California smog before I can get it registered, so of course I need to get rid of all the SES business, and I bet that with the idle and all, its not running well enough to pass. As always, I'd really appreciate your input on what to do next, and thanks again for all the help so far!

 

...so what'd it run????

 

I think the code 12 that it first flashes is telling you its in diagnotic mode. It should do that everytime you check your codes.

 

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The title's meant to be taken with a touch of irony - far from any high performance jaunt at the track, this was the first time in half a year that my car was driven, and I really expected it wouldn't even turn on. The "first run" title really just seemed to grab an audience more than a more specific "boring low speed test drive around town to see what I still have to fix". Sorry if I got your hopes up.

As for code 12, if all the twelves just mean diagnostic mode, then why do I get a SES light? Can the SES light come on, but not give a code telling why?