Hello, I am a new member.
I have a 82 Ta with a 305 quadrajet engine.
I just got this car no long ago and it's hasn't been driven much yet.
Today was thew first semi long drive for about a half hour of "test" driving with alot of pedel to the metal tests and general cruising.
It seems to run decent after warmed up, but it wants to dies a couple times after warming up for several minutes, thats one problem.

The other is more serious, after about 20 minutes of decent hard driving the check engine light came on, the oil pressure was at 40 , alt at about 15 volts, and the temp was near 210.
Will the check engine light come on with a high engine temp?

What causes the light to come on?
I took off the panels to remove the computer and i droped it out of the dash but i couldn't see any place to connect a jump wire to check for codes .
Now what ?

 

You don't jump the wires on the computer. Look at the bottom dash to the right of the steering wheel. You will see a small rectangle panel. Pop it off and you will see a grid of terminals. Use a small length of wire to jump the 2 outside terminals on the top row. Then turn the key to the ON position. The check engine light will flash codes. A code will be a series of quick flashes, with spaces between the codes. Example: FLASH-FLASH-FLASH, FLASH-FLASH....would be code 32. Hope this helps.

 

Well that makes a big difference, I didn't know where the diagnostic box was at i thought it was on the end of the computer box, thanks.

I also thought it would actually flash the words "code 32 " as an example.

So i have to count the amount of flashes and the pause spaces, bummer.

Is it possible to get a check engine light from a over heat situation of the engine?

Thanks 85cmroz28

 

this is the ALDL connector,

http://images1.snapfish.com/346%3A%3...5%3A%3C7ot1lsi

to pull the codes start with the key off & put a jumper wire or paper clip between A & B in the ALDL & then turn the key to the run position but don't start the motor.
now count the flashes from SES light.
you should get something like this, flash,.. flash flash, it should do it 3 times total, thats a code 12, you want to see code 12, if you don't get a code 12 then something is wrong.
after it flashes code 12 3 times there will be a little pause & it will start flashing the next code.

write down all codes you get, after it has flashed all stored codes it will start over with code 12 again, that means you are done pulling codes.

your car won't kick a code for overheating, although overheating can cause other codes to set.

 

I pulled the codes today and got a code 15.

I noticed awhile back when i was checking things under the hood that the temp sensor on the thermostat was like dry rotted and cracked at the top and the wires were also, I plugged them back down into the switch and taped everything up, but it could not be getting a good contact or is loose.
This could be my problem right ?

I figure i can get a new sensor but can i buy new ends for the wires ?

 

Yes, that seems like your problem.
Code 15 means "Low temperature indicated at engine coolant temp sensor".

Replace the connector and possibly wire and clean the sensor terminal well. That should do it.

Hope this helps.
Lou

 

FWIW - The '82 and '83 thirdgens had a different connector style that was prone to leaking and shorting out the CTS. If you've got the $$, I'd buy a new CTS but make sure it comes with the newer style connector. Cost is ~$20 IIRC.

 

Is it possible to just buy the connector for now ?

who sells that any parts store ? autozone etc.

 

GM Coolant Temp Sensor, w/ Connector

The partsamerica.com lists a CTS w/connector for $7.99. Don't know if thats a typo or not. Autozone should have the same thing.

As far as getting the connector only - look at the pins on your CTS or on the ends of the wires. If they're rectangular you're SOL unless you can find one at a junk yard.

 

if it is the old style coolant sensor, you won't find a new pigtail for it & anything you find at a wrecking yard for the old style sensors will be junk too.
if you have the newer style sensor don't even worry about trying to replace just the connector, odds are you will going back to get a new coolant sensor anyway. replace the sensor & pigtail at the same time. use the full lenght of wire that comes with the new harness & trim your old harness to match, make sure you don't cut your old harness too short.

8492bird posted a link to what you need to fix it right.

 

Thats great, thanks for the pic, that sure helps.

Mine is totally different than that one. I believe the wires on mine now are round, I retaped them several days ago because the plastic was already gone and was taped poorly.

I went to autozone and they didn't have a clue of what i wanted and said they ddin't have one.

Today i did some more test driving because i played with the choke adjustments and the light never came on this time.
I think i adjusted the choke decent but i may have turned up the idle a little too much, made an adjustment again will test again tomorrow.

 

you have the old style coolant sensor, what 8492bird posted is the newer style which is what you want.

the coolant sensor is important, with it not reading right your ECM will think you motor is either hotter or colder than what it really is & make adjustments to the fuel mixture accordingly.

it doesn't surprise me that autozone doesn't have a clue, they seldom ever do

 

The light hasn't come back on now for the second day, does that mean everything is ok, and the ecm is telling the carb good information and not running too rich and wasting gas ?

I really don't have the money right now to change out the sensor so can i wait till the light starts coming on again and then buy the sensor?

 

if its not giving you a problem you can leave it for now, but don't forget that you do need to replace it when you can.

 

Thanks alot , you all have been a great help.

 

yeah definitely replace it when you can, the early style like you have are all junk by now at this age, corrosion bad, kills them, the one on RS auto is the later style, in which i have never ever seen on an early 80s 305

they were round style early on, the junk style

but can be converted to the rectangle one

uncommon to hear of an 82 with the EST/ESC system all still intact and running, outside of inspection/testing required areas anyways, i come across one here once in a while still hough, like my 84 caprice with LG4 out here, but it had problems running so i removed the computer and harness and swapped on non computer carb and HEI real quick, my 82 t/a is stripped of the EST system too




good luck

 

Got a ?, i have an 84, when you go to get codes, you dont need a special tool or nothing?

 

just a jumper wire of some kind, a paper clip works great.

 

It wont sort anything out will it? Also where do you find these codes. Like in a book or something?

 

as long as you jumper only A to B in the ALDL with the key off & then turn the key to the run position your fine.

once you pull codes you can get them from a repair manual or do a search on here to find what they mean & where to look.

 

Cool, my ses light isnt on but i figure it doesnt hurt to pull up the codes, practice anyway.