How in the WORLD does that correlate to anything??



Take care,

George

 

"search would be of help" google possibly, lots of free reading out here

Sorry jagv8, I couldn't resist!



An idiot light is a warning light (normally, but not necessarily, in an automobile) that replaces a much more useful gauge. Technically the term does not apply to warning lights that do not replace gauges, so a 'doors open' light is NOT an 'idiot light'.
The term arose at about the same time that car manufacturers started replacing gauges with lights - in the late 1960s. Younger people who haven't driven old cars probably don't remember the days when cars came with full instrumentation - my car has a temperature gauge, a fuel gauge, a speedometer, an oil pressure gauge and an ammeter, and some cars had more. By the 1970s, the ammeter was replaced by a battery warning light, the oil pressure gauge by an oil warning light, and the temperature gauge by a temperature warning light on the vast majority of cars. All a modern car comes with is a speedometer, a fuel gauge and, on performance models, a tachometer (rev counter). Everything else is a light.
To those used to the older style of full instrumentation, replacing them with mere warning lights was insulting (thus the term) and also gave less information to the driver. If you know how to read them, gauges can indicate a problem way before things get bad enough to trigger a warning light.
The problem is, of course, that most people don't know how to read gauges and aren't ever going to learn -- quite a few drivers clearly have trouble with the basics of driving, let alone having time to look down and monitor a bunch of different readings and remember them so that they can watch for variation. Marking a safe zone on the gauge helped, but even then most people don't notice.
Gauges are also much more complicated items than warning lights, much more prone to failure, and use up a lot of room - space desired by car interior designers for both larger and easier to read primary instruments such as the speedometer, and for more switches, knobs, dials and cupholders. They also cost more, and that's a problem for the very cost conscious automotive industry.
Nowadays, the only cars that come with anything close to full instrumentation are performance cars - and even then, that's because buyers in this market segment like complexity.
Idiot lights may not do their job. I had a car whose engine was totally ruined by the absence of oil - the drain plug wasn't properly replaced after an oil change - but the 'low oil' light never came on, even after the engine was severely damaged.
The check engine light on modern cars is technically not an 'idiot light' in the true sense, since it does not replace a gauge - it instead is a generic warning that the engine control unit has detected a fault somewhere. It's combined with a second reading, the fault code, that describes what went wrong - unfortunately, auto manufacturers, wishing for a 'no user serviceable parts inside' car, don't let the owner find this out.

 

So it isn't even an "idiot" light by whoever claims that the above is its definition.

I can't quite see a row of gauges, marked P, B, C, U and some numbers for all the codes. But maybe the whole satnav screen (if you have one) filled with the details of a code (which one when there are several?) and the possible causes. A future car could easily have the storage for this stuff and the cost would not be prohibitive. Yeah, I'm warming to it. Maybe.

 

The mid 2000's era Cadillacs have a built in code reader in their dash. It's a secret menu sort of like the engineering test mode is on the S-Type, but it shows you all the codes either current or stored.

Starts with GM specific codes, Then OBDII codes etc. Doesn't give you much of a definition or let you erase them (I think that's illegal).

The Federal OBDII laws simply state that all cars made post 1996 MUST comply with these rules and store codes in this manner etc. It also specifies the check engine light, BUT it doesn't specify that that is the ONLY thing they can have aboard. The manufacturers have chosen for the most part to not offer the driver more info.

The Mercedes cars flash the fuel warning light when you have a pending evap system large leak code (to get you to tighten the gas cap before it throws a check engine light).

I dont think the average consumer who just drives their car, isn't an entusiast who spends his spare time on forums about their car, and doesn't work on their own car really cares.

For the rest of us, there are aftermarket solutions. Look at the scangauge II for one....

Take care,

George

 

It began with the terrible smogs and the perceived need to stop causing death etc, with a need not to put car prices up by an inordinate amount - which that time's technology would have done had they mandated much more than codes+light. The freeze frame data (so readily ignored & cleared!) was carefully chosen to allow fault diagnosis.

By now they could just about have a hand that tightens the gas cap. But then you'd need codes for the hand........

 

Scan gauge is a good tool and shows all kinds of stuff while your driving and checksa and clears codes. It hooks up easily in the obdii port and blendmount i think even makes nice mounts for them too.

 

I never imagined my slang would have stirred quite the proverbial hornet's nest among car enthusiasts.

I do see your point, and I think you see mine. The MIL is insufficient for those wanting to do more than get from A to B with their car. But, is just fine for 90% of the population who would either take it in to be serviced paying whatever was asked or simply continue driving until something breaks. To your point, there are plenty of tools available for those of us who are more enthusiastic about our cars. I will be buying one soon...

 

did this job over the weekend on 03 S type. The lower valve was a nightmare due to a huge wiring harness that would barely budge. I never got it all the way out but wanted to share with everyone that I took off the old ring and replaced the new one with the valve not all the way out of the manifold cylinder just in case someone runs into the same problem. The top valve went very smooth and has plenty of clearance.

 

Taking the cabin air filter holder and shroud out make a WORLD of difference in doing this job. It all comes off with 7 nuts and you can maneuver it all out of there. Made the job an absolute breeze to do with PLENTY of room for my big mits to get in there and take everything out as needed without much hassle at all.

Take my advice and take the five minutes the take it out, you'll thank yourself.

 

Just got my green o-rings from the dealer (Chicago area). $10 each, no bag, just loose. Kind of makes me wonder about what the dealer sold me. Do they buy they in bulk? lol Hope they work.

 

HHmmmmm thats interesting.

$10.00 ea., I am glad I don't live in the windy city!

 

Actually when I went to buy mine back a few months ago, I ran into the same situation at the dealer...about $10 each with no bag.

 

Wow Jerry, $10ea!? I guess some places just charge more now. It pays to call the parts department ahead of time and ask guys! From $4 to $20 for 2.

 

For LS owners that have arrived here like I did:

Our set up is a little different - pop off the wipers, remove the plastic cowl cover retainers - unplug the washer line where there's an inline straight rubber connector near the right strut tower. No need to even remove the strut tower brace, if you don't want - I just removed the top valve out the top, and the bottom valve out the bottom...BUT...just for the heck of it, I then removed the brace, and it DID make it easier - that way, I could put both valves back in from the top. O-rings were a gyp - $9.00 apiece at my Lincoln dealer - I checked, and it was the same cost at a Ford dealer.

The big problem with getting the bottom valve out is a wiring harness that's in the way. It's attached to a steel retainer that is inserted into another plastic wiring harness retainer. I had to pry up on that steel piece and pop it out of the plastic part, and also unbolt the wiring harness from the right strut tower. It sounds harder than it is, and once that was done, I could move the wiring harness out of the way. For removal of the valve, I moved the harness UP, and easily pulled the valve out through the bottom. Once I took the strut tower brace off, I had easy access from the top, and pushed the wiring harness DOWN out of my way, and inserted both valves form the top. After inserting and bolting in the bottom valve, I plugged in the electrical connector - it was a little awkward, and the connector on the valve points in a semi-downward direction; it would have been easier and better to have inserted the valve with it rotated so the connector was more accessible, and then rotated it into the proper position and bolted it in (that's what I did with the top valve!). After I inserted and connected the bottom valve, I re-inserted the steel wiring harness retainer into the plastic piece, but didn't press it down all the way so it locked in...just in case I need to pull it out/move it again. Top valve was a piece of cake.

No burning oil smell this morning - so far, so good.

 

I have a 03 X-type. Yes they are expensive to maintain if your taking them to the dealer for every problem and there are some things the novice shouldn't do, BUT check this out.

My 06 PT cruser 2.4L gas, Recommended service for timing belt @ 90k
ESTIMATE,NON DEALER
remove mtr mount
remove water pump
replace water pump(because there expensive to replace)
Labor $654.07 @$80.00/Hr
Parts(pump,belt) 399.00 (kit)
coolant 23.00
Haz disposal $15.00 (comes with HOAT coolant)
TX $30.16
Total: $1,122.00

Checked REPAIR PAL $1,100.00
I didn't even call the dealer
Plus&wires @30,000 plus "o"rings (intake)
It gets MAX 22mpg town
No ABS so it's real fun in the snow
What the hell was I thinking!

 

I finally replaced both seals. It is a small area to work in! The wiring harness that sits right behind the valves gives no room to remove the bottom valve so I ended up having to pry the nylon screw out of the small frame.

The 8mm works best for the bottom bolt of the bottom valve. My small ratchet worked great on the other bolts, even though it was right against the rear wiring harness. I am glad I had a magnetic extension because my socket came off the ratchet twice and fell into the engine compartment my large hand could not get to. :-)

To get to each connector for disconnect, I had to slightly turn the valves so the connector faced upwards. My bottom valve had a broken wire, which is causing my P1549 error code. This happened no doubt from when my spark plugs had been changed.

No oil came out when I pulled the valves, which popped out easily from the hole. I guess the seals weren't sealing very well. Both valves had to be turned so they would clear the small opening and be pulled out from the top.

I still have to get back in there to remove, splice, solder, and insulate another connector, but at least I know what is involved for me.

I have a strong suspicion that the non-working valve is adding to the poorer gas mileage (from 28 mpg to 26 mpg), along with switching to the 5W030 High mileage oil.

 

I came so close to removing the cabin air filter holder like totalimmortal363 said. Next time I will because I saw leaves my big hands couldn't get to. I don't think I could have put the seal on the bottom valve without entirely removing it. There simply does not seem like enough room because of that wiring harness.

 

Congrats on doing the IMT O-ring job yourself. I did ours in January 2010, and with my huge hands I had the same problems you did with tool access and attempting to create enough working room to complete the job. I did not remove the cabin air filter housing, but I did loosen the bolts enough to be able to shift it around in place by a couple of inches. That gave me just enough working room to be able to remove and re-install the lower IMT valve. It's a step well worth taking based upon the additional working room you gain....

 

03-X-Type 2.5L
I put in the IMT "o" rings Saterday and the rake boost line,On the 2.5, It's easy the lowrer one scraps a little on the cover but if your careful. I cleaned the surfaces good first then popped them in. The brake boost line was a no-brainer. The old one held vac.but was white crystally, I think the "O" ring on top w/ chinese fingers is suspect also but I haven't ordered them yet. Well see! Cleared the code and now I wait, 02 reading look good.

 

am doing my o'rings,this is a great forum,well done.