SES flickers as soon as key is turned on

[challengermike]

I just bought this car as a project and it runs very rich(black smoke pours out the tail pipe) .What does it mean when the ses light flickers at a fast rate as soon as the key is turn on. I have yet to hook a scan tool up but I am thinking a ground problem or the ecm.

 

[mikestertwo]

I just bought this car as a project and it runs very rich(black smoke pours out the tail pipe) .What does it mean when the ses light flickers at a fast rate as soon as the key is turn on. I have yet to hook a scan tool up but I am thinking a ground problem or the ecm.

There is an error reading the CAL pak in the computer. Try reseating the chip and see what happens. It's running rich because it is in "limp home" mode. What chip is in the computer?

 

[TurboBob]

yeah, weak fingers in the ECM chip socket (the larger chip), or a bad chip. (or perhaps a bad ecm, but this is less likely)


Bob

 

[TurboWh1]

I’ve experienced something similar to this before. You can swap the ECM with a known good one to start. Are you getting malfunction codes as well? Check the pins in the harness that leads to the ECM. If you have a T-top car or a water leak you can get corrosion on the pins or they become loose and slide back in the connector. Bad connection or no connection is no good

 

[TurboWh1]

check the connection at the battery cable as well. Sounds like your loosing power to the ECM. Could be combination of power and ground

 

[challengermike]

I think its a turbo tweek chip. I will check all that stuff Wednesday night. It is a hardtop but the side windows are out and as far as I know the car was outside, it could of got water on the computer.

 

[TurboWh1]

Good luck finding the issue!!!

 

[Nick Micale]

More than likely you have a chip socket or ECM issue?

This morning I installed a new chip I received from Eric yesterday, it was flashing and would not start the GN I just converted to e-85.

I installed another of his chips, and it did not flash or start the car?

Then I put the new chip in a different ECM, and the car started.

Make sure you kill power to the ECM when changing the chip.

You can also try this, kill power to the ECM and remove the chip, then start the car.

Yes, a GN will start and run w/o a chip, just ask one of my customers who removed the chip thinking it would theft-proof the car, and sure enough, it was stolen

I am not that smart, but I follow the factory/dealership original method of trouble shooting which is to change parts starting with simple things, and go from there.

After 30 years, and thousands of GN across the driveway, I have accumulated a large pile of spare parts, and a little bit of knowledge about these temperamental cars!

 

[challengermike]

It is a problem with the chip connection. When I pulled the prom out the contact strips on the computer were all green and 1 rotted off. I cleaned them the best I could and the car fired up and ran smoothly. The check engine is on steady now, but not rich and runs smoothly. So I will have to replace then ecm.