SES light, flashing?

**666ws6** · 08-10-2008, 08:32 AM

I'm the middle of tuning (W/ Black Bear Performance... Justin's great!) and I'm getting some misfire codes which trip the SES light. But when I drive, it flashes sometimes, and then is steady at others. Never saw that before??? What does the flashing mean?

**wultdat** · 08-10-2008, 09:19 AM

I believe the flashing means it's detecting a misfire.

**axxdet** · 08-10-2008, 09:53 AM

I was getting on it one day and it got right up to 6g and the SES light started to flash and the car didn't shift yet (A4) so I backed off b/c I thought of as a waring it did it for about a 10sec afterwards an then stoped it happened to me twice same situation...then one time the SES light flashed in my 6er b/c of a emssions error...the coil pack went out so it was only running on 4...

**sunsetorangess** · 08-10-2008, 11:00 AM

Flashing = Misfire
J

**666ws6** · 08-10-2008, 01:38 PM

OK, so it means I'm miss firing right at that moment right? Cuz I couldn't feel anything strange in the engine or pedal.

**sunsetorangess** · 08-10-2008, 03:20 PM

well it means that the computer detected it in the driving cycle, reset the code and see if it comes back.
Sometimes you wont even feel a miss unless you get on it.
I ran my car at the track and got horrible times although the car felt good, come to find out i was only running on 7 cylinders with no lights.
J

**666ws6** · 08-10-2008, 04:05 PM

I have Autotap, but never was too in depth with the program. The code history should tell me which cylinder right?

**sunsetorangess** · 08-10-2008, 04:31 PM

I honestly dont know i dont think it will if its a random misfire. Pull the codes and post them up.
J

**axxdet** · 08-10-2008, 05:12 PM

so other than the light theres no way of knowing if you're not running on all 8

**scotthd** · 08-10-2008, 05:18 PM

flashing means multiple cylinder misfire

**axxdet** · 08-10-2008, 05:21 PM

so that's timing ? bad spark plugs?

**scotthd** · 08-10-2008, 06:52 PM

could be either does the light stay on if so take it to a auto prts store most check for free and will tell you at least one of them and pull that plug and check but you more than likely chould change the plugs mine just did that not to long ago first it was cylinder 5 only then multiple so I changed plugs and wires got a good price on a package through ws6 store ngk55 and 8.5mm msd wires.. havent had that problem since.. just be forewarned if you have not changed your plugs yet it is not easy but not too bad with a universal and a little patience I found the best tool for this was a stanly ratchet I can only find at wal mart it has a sliding handle for extra leverage and a universal pivot head

**0rion** · 08-10-2008, 07:11 PM

I notice you have a cam and stall......very common to get misfires after those mods. Some get them just from the stall. I didn't have the issue until I put the cam in. Those tables will need to be desensitized with a tuner. Does your stall unlock randomly? That's another by product of p0300 usually. I ended up turning my misfires completely off.

**SteveC** · 08-11-2008, 05:42 AM

Originally Posted by sunsetorangess

well it means that the computer detected it in the driving cycle, reset the code and see if it comes back.

I do not believe you can "reset" a flashing SES light. It will keep the fatal code until it is corrected, THEN you can reset it.

SteveC

**konigandy6** · 08-11-2008, 06:06 AM

In most cases on a misfire code, it will just read the misfire code and not which cylinder is the culpret. Check all spark plugs and wires. Are your cats still on? If so, you may have a plugged converter.

**666ws6** · 08-11-2008, 06:33 AM

I haven't changed anything on the car but installed a new tune (a new PCM), then the codes started showing up for misfires... so I'm sure it's something with that. I'm still working the tune but was wondering about the flashing.

**axxdet** · 08-11-2008, 06:43 AM

how long are cats good for typicaly

**konigandy6** · 08-11-2008, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by axxdet

how long are cats good for typicaly

Well cats SHOULD be good for a long time, but the Fbody is notorious for getting plugged. If you live in a state with no emmissions laws, rip them off and either get the secondary o2 sensors tuned out, or get simulators to plug to them. I guess the only saving grace is that the converters have an 8 year 80k mile warranty.

**konigandy6** · 08-11-2008, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by 666ws6

I haven't changed anything on the car but installed a new tune (a new PCM), then the codes started showing up for misfires... so I'm sure it's something with that. I'm still working the tune but was wondering about the flashing.

All the flashing means is a misfire. The diagnostics are up to you to find the actuall problem.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

**SteveC** · 08-11-2008, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by 666ws6

I haven't changed anything on the car but installed a new tune (a new PCM), then the codes started showing up for misfires... so I'm sure it's something with that. I'm still working the tune but was wondering about the flashing.

I believe I might know what the problem is, when you replace the PCM with another unit, you have to run a crank position system variation learn procedure, or a DTC P1336 code is thrown, this causes a flashing SES light.

SteveC