SERVICE ENGINE SOON light

I've got a 97 GMC Suburban w/139k miles on it. Just getting home from
a trip today when on the way home, the orange 'service engine soon'
light came on towards the left side of my dash.

I checked the fluids, all guages look fine and no engine noise with
the engine running fine. I had a GM product once where when this
light came on, as I recall there was a reset button on my EGR valve
that reset the warning light.

Guess I'm hoping to hear from those with some experience with this
light and maybe some advice other than taking it to my dealer (since
our particular local dealer REALLY hands it to you when you take
service work in there.

TIA for any advice.

Chris

Could be carbon in your EGR, but run the codes on it and that will direct
you.

"cover" <coverlandNOSPAM914 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

I've got a 97 GMC Suburban w/139k miles on it. Just getting home from
a trip today when on the way home, the orange 'service engine soon'
light came on towards the left side of my dash.

I checked the fluids, all guages look fine and no engine noise with
the engine running fine. I had a GM product once where when this
light came on, as I recall there was a reset button on my EGR valve
that reset the warning light.

Guess I'm hoping to hear from those with some experience with this
light and maybe some advice other than taking it to my dealer (since
our particular local dealer REALLY hands it to you when you take
service work in there.

TIA for any advice.

Chris

sounds like you need to find a good independant garage

No reset button, get the problem fixed and a scanner must be used to erase
the code.
"cover" <coverlandNOSPAM914 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

I've got a 97 GMC Suburban w/139k miles on it. Just getting home from
a trip today when on the way home, the orange 'service engine soon'
light came on towards the left side of my dash.

I checked the fluids, all guages look fine and no engine noise with
the engine running fine. I had a GM product once where when this
light came on, as I recall there was a reset button on my EGR valve
that reset the warning light.

Guess I'm hoping to hear from those with some experience with this
light and maybe some advice other than taking it to my dealer (since
our particular local dealer REALLY hands it to you when you take
service work in there.

TIA for any advice.

Chris

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The 97 GMCs have a good scanner setup. Go to the nearest Car parts
store like Auto Zone, and they will scan it for free. What usually goes
wrong at that mileage is the O2 sensors go bad. There are up to 4 of
them on that year depending on whether you have a Vortec engine or not.
If it is a Vortec, it will say it on the engine plastic cover in the
center top of the engine. Vortecs have a dual exhaust setup, with 2
catalytic converters. They have 4 oxygen sensors, 2 before the two
converters, and 2 after. The after ones are heated electrically to
respond faster when cold. The heating coils burn out, and it sets a
code. You won't be able to tell any difference when it is running. The
rear O2 sensors are just a check on how the emissions are working. The
sensors are mounted on top of the exhaust pipe, and a bit of a pain to
do, but not too bad as long as the pipes are cold. They cost about $49
at a discount house, so check around before you buy. The dealer will
rip you about $200. I had to use a box end wrench with a dead blow
plastic hammer to get mine off. They go back in easy with some anti
seize compound on the threads, only don't get any on the sensor itself.
Be careful of the wire routing so it is in the original clips, and
don't break them.

On 6 Mar 2006 08:32:23 -0800, "fastcarface" <mike.umina (AT) gmail (DOT) com>
wrote:

The 97 GMCs have a good scanner setup. Go to the nearest Car parts
store like Auto Zone, and they will scan it for free. What usually goes
wrong at that mileage is the O2 sensors go bad. There are up to 4 of
them on that year depending on whether you have a Vortec engine or not.
If it is a Vortec, it will say it on the engine plastic cover in the
center top of the engine. Vortecs have a dual exhaust setup, with 2
catalytic converters. They have 4 oxygen sensors, 2 before the two
converters, and 2 after. The after ones are heated electrically to
respond faster when cold. The heating coils burn out, and it sets a
code. You won't be able to tell any difference when it is running. The
rear O2 sensors are just a check on how the emissions are working. The
sensors are mounted on top of the exhaust pipe, and a bit of a pain to
do, but not too bad as long as the pipes are cold. They cost about $49
at a discount house, so check around before you buy. The dealer will
rip you about $200. I had to use a box end wrench with a dead blow
plastic hammer to get mine off. They go back in easy with some anti
seize compound on the threads, only don't get any on the sensor itself.
Be careful of the wire routing so it is in the original clips, and
don't break them.

With the weather being cool, is this something I can put off until
spring? Engine seems to be running just fine at present.

No you really need to know the code, autozone will scan it free then post
back the code.
"cover" <coverlandNOSPAM914 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote

On 6 Mar 2006 08:32:23 -0800, "fastcarface" <mike.umina (AT) gmail (DOT) com
wrote:

The 97 GMCs have a good scanner setup. Go to the nearest Car parts
store like Auto Zone, and they will scan it for free. What usually goes
wrong at that mileage is the O2 sensors go bad. There are up to 4 of
them on that year depending on whether you have a Vortec engine or not.
If it is a Vortec, it will say it on the engine plastic cover in the
center top of the engine. Vortecs have a dual exhaust setup, with 2
catalytic converters. They have 4 oxygen sensors, 2 before the two
converters, and 2 after. The after ones are heated electrically to
respond faster when cold. The heating coils burn out, and it sets a
code. You won't be able to tell any difference when it is running. The
rear O2 sensors are just a check on how the emissions are working. The
sensors are mounted on top of the exhaust pipe, and a bit of a pain to
do, but not too bad as long as the pipes are cold. They cost about $49
at a discount house, so check around before you buy. The dealer will
rip you about $200. I had to use a box end wrench with a dead blow
plastic hammer to get mine off. They go back in easy with some anti
seize compound on the threads, only don't get any on the sensor itself.
Be careful of the wire routing so it is in the original clips, and
don't break them.

With the weather being cool, is this something I can put off until
spring? Engine seems to be running just fine at present.

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On Mon, 6 Mar 2006 08:07:23 -0500, "Shep" <djsljsrn (AT) capital (DOT) net>
wrote:

No reset button, get the problem fixed and a scanner must be used to erase
the code.

Not true, while you can use a scanner to read and reset code. It will
clear itself from memeory after about 50 start and runs and the light
will go out too as soon as it is repaired and there is no new error
code being set. The light comes one when a code is set during a run
cycle not because of a past fault recorded in its memory A new fault
has to be detected to cause it to light come on even if it is a repeat
of a past one, it is still considered new if it is redetected during a
run cycle.

As far as changing the O2 sensors, warm the truck up a little bit
first, not enough so you burn yourself but just a min or two. I
couldn't get my sensor out for anything, was at the point where it was
getting ready to round off. Fired the truck up for a min or so and was
able to get it out a lot easier, just need that exhaust to expand a
little for you.

======
======

"cover" <coverlandNOSPAM914 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote in message
With the weather being cool, is this something I can put off until
spring? Engine seems to be running just fine at present.
=======

=======
Shep wrote:

No you really need to know the code, autozone will scan it free then post
back the code.

=======
=======
Shep,
why can't he put it off till spring?
Why does he "really need to know the code"?

Just Curious.


And.....I disagree.
If the OP's statements are all FACT....then put er off till spring if
you want.


~:~
MarshMonster
~:~