CAI + moisture = check engine light??? - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

nc~lude · 12-22-2002, 04:14 PM

i found a 98 SE 5spd that I want to buy. The guy told me that the check engine light comes on sometimes due to getting moisture in the cold air intake. Im wondering if a little moisture in the intake would cause the light to come on...b/c if not, then there may be something else wrong with the car causing it to come on. What else could it be? How can I find out? Thanks, John

mrdirty · 12-22-2002, 07:11 PM

Take it to Nissan and have a full diagnostic run on it, that could be anything.

If the guy has a problem w/ that then back away slowly...

If he's really sure, and you've made up your mind tell him that you'll take the car but only under the condition that he pays for the diagnostic and anything over $XXX he either fixes, reduces the price or eats the cost of inspection...

kandyflip445 · 12-22-2002, 08:04 PM

There is NO WAY the dealer can determine that a DTC is caused by water getting into the CAI by only looking at the light coming on. Get someone to pull the codes for you and see what they mean. If you have a FSM then you should be able to pinpoint it...but since it isn't you car. Ask to take it for a test drive and take it to a shop and have them check it out.

mrdirty · 12-22-2002, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kandyflip445
There is NO WAY the dealer can determine that a DTC is caused by water getting into the CAI by only looking at the light coming on. Get someone to pull the codes for you and see what they mean. If you have a FSM then you should be able to pinpoint it...but since it isn't you car. Ask to take it for a test drive and take it to a shop and have them check it out.

I'm confused, you're actually telling this guy not to get the car checked? Riiiiight....excellent advice.

Who said anything about checking lights? I'm pretty sure a Nissan tech is a little more knowledgeable then even u my friend, let alone the common tuner; and chances are he's a new owner therefore doesn't have a FSM.

What's with all these friggin' flames lately from people who either didn't read the post their flaming or just don't care???

BTW: Diagnostic means a bit more than looking at flashing lights.

nc~lude · 12-23-2002, 09:25 AM

I am new to 240's, I sold my prelude because I've wanted a 240 for years...just never had enough money.
I take it an FSM is a manual with the codes in it?
I'm gonna call the guy and question him some more about it. I'll see if he just assumed it was moisture, or if he took it to a dealer and had them look at it. It's a 98 with 75,000 miles on it, so I doubt there's anything seriously wrong with it. I want this car but before I drive 8 hours to get it, I want to know a little more on this subject, so I'll call him. Thanks guys

nc~lude · 12-23-2002, 09:39 AM

I called him and he said he never had it checked out but that it started once he put the CAI on. He said the light comes on when it's raining and once it dries up outside, it goes off. Any thoughts??? I can't get it checked unless the lights on, so theoretically it would have to be raining for me to get it checked.

Kreator · 12-23-2002, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrdirty
[B]I'm confused, you're actually telling this guy not to get the car checked? Riiiiight....excellent advice.

Ummm i think he is advising him not to spend $80 on a 5 minute job. The nissan tech will tell you exactly what the manual would tell corresponds to that engine code. He then will tell you how much it will cost to fix it, but the $80 will be already gone.

Back to the topic though. I've heard people having weird stuff with the CAIs, but i think it all went away once the ecu was reset. Ask the guy if he tried resetting the ECU and if not tell him to do it and see if it goes away.... if it doesn't, i would pass it up. From personal experience, my escort check entgine light keeps popping up from time to time. It responds differently to things i do (like changing leaky radiator, leaking heater etc) but it always comes back no matter what i do. I tried reading the code, but it wouldn't give me any. It's been doing that for a year and i still have no clue wtf is wrong with it.

kandyflip445 · 12-23-2002, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kreator
Ummm i think he is advising him not to spend $80 on a 5 minute job. The nissan tech will tell you exactly what the manual would tell corresponds to that engine code. He then will tell you how much it will cost to fix it, but the $80 will be already gone.

Exactly.

kandyflip445 · 12-23-2002, 09:08 PM

Oh and by dealer I meant the sales person. Should have clarified that a little more. The factory service tech WOULD know a great deal about it. I was talking about some person at a used car dealership. Most of the ones here aren't that great.

Oh and when you diagnose a car the one of the first things you do is check for DTC's. The DTC can be looked up in the FSM and you can do pinpoint test to DIAGNOSE the problem and hopefully find the cause. But you are right that the tech would be able to do this better. Like I DID say in my post take it for a test drive and have them check it out. Cause I figured he wouldn't have a FSM or the time to do it. I also DID read the post. Kinda sounded like you didn't read mine to thouroughly.

But it's all good.

BTW: I'm training to be an auto tech...

BEISSEN · 12-25-2002, 12:09 PM

I have CAI and never once has my light cut on in te rain.I have not hd a problem with my car when i installed the cold air or the short ram.But if he can drop the price a lil for you go for it if you really wqant it or get a warrenty where if you are not satisfied you can return it to them in 30 days i got that when i first got my 97.When yo get it jst read the code that comes out and look it up or ask omeone here I have chiltons with all the codes in it for the 93-98 240SX but i will be gone again in jan until md april or so but they havethe codes up here on faqs i belive if not goto 20sx.org nad rea them there.

12-22-2002, 04:14 PM	#1
nc~lude Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 39 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	CAI + moisture = check engine light??? i found a 98 SE 5spd that I want to buy. The guy told me that the check engine light comes on sometimes due to getting moisture in the cold air intake. Im wondering if a little moisture in the intake would cause the light to come on...b/c if not, then there may be something else wrong with the car causing it to come on. What else could it be? How can I find out? Thanks, John

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12-22-2002, 07:11 PM	#2
mrdirty Zilvia Addict Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Thunder Bay Ontario Age: 47 Posts: 650 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Take it to Nissan and have a full diagnostic run on it, that could be anything. If the guy has a problem w/ that then back away slowly... If he's really sure, and you've made up your mind tell him that you'll take the car but only under the condition that he pays for the diagnostic and anything over $XXX he either fixes, reduces the price or eats the cost of inspection...

12-22-2002, 08:04 PM	#3
kandyflip445 Post Whore! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arden, NC Age: 40 Posts: 4,460 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: kandyflip445 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	There is NO WAY the dealer can determine that a DTC is caused by water getting into the CAI by only looking at the light coming on. Get someone to pull the codes for you and see what they mean. If you have a FSM then you should be able to pinpoint it...but since it isn't you car. Ask to take it for a test drive and take it to a shop and have them check it out.

12-23-2002, 09:25 AM	#5
nc~lude Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 39 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I am new to 240's, I sold my prelude because I've wanted a 240 for years...just never had enough money. I take it an FSM is a manual with the codes in it? I'm gonna call the guy and question him some more about it. I'll see if he just assumed it was moisture, or if he took it to a dealer and had them look at it. It's a 98 with 75,000 miles on it, so I doubt there's anything seriously wrong with it. I want this car but before I drive 8 hours to get it, I want to know a little more on this subject, so I'll call him. Thanks guys

12-23-2002, 09:39 AM	#6
nc~lude Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 39 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I called him and he said he never had it checked out but that it started once he put the CAI on. He said the light comes on when it's raining and once it dries up outside, it goes off. Any thoughts??? I can't get it checked unless the lights on, so theoretically it would have to be raining for me to get it checked.

12-23-2002, 09:08 PM	#9
kandyflip445 Post Whore! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arden, NC Age: 40 Posts: 4,460 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: kandyflip445 Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Oh and by dealer I meant the sales person. Should have clarified that a little more. The factory service tech WOULD know a great deal about it. I was talking about some person at a used car dealership. Most of the ones here aren't that great. Oh and when you diagnose a car the one of the first things you do is check for DTC's. The DTC can be looked up in the FSM and you can do pinpoint test to DIAGNOSE the problem and hopefully find the cause. But you are right that the tech would be able to do this better. Like I DID say in my post take it for a test drive and have them check it out. Cause I figured he wouldn't have a FSM or the time to do it. I also DID read the post. Kinda sounded like you didn't read mine to thouroughly. But it's all good. BTW: I'm training to be an auto tech...

12-25-2002, 12:09 PM	#10
BEISSEN Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Woodbridge,VA Age: 42 Posts: 1,028 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I have CAI and never once has my light cut on in te rain.I have not hd a problem with my car when i installed the cold air or the short ram.But if he can drop the price a lil for you go for it if you really wqant it or get a warrenty where if you are not satisfied you can return it to them in 30 days i got that when i first got my 97.When yo get it jst read the code that comes out and look it up or ask omeone here I have chiltons with all the codes in it for the 93-98 240SX but i will be gone again in jan until md april or so but they havethe codes up here on faqs i belive if not goto 20sx.org nad rea them there.