Open headers + flashing SES light?
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On The Tree
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 123
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From: Las Vegas, NV
Open headers + flashing SES light? I installed my pacesetter headers this weekend and drove over to an exhaust shop that is currently fabricating my true dual system this morning. Well about halfway over there I noticed it was sputtering and missing around 2200 rpms on up to around 3000. It was also having a hard time finding it's idle. After that I started getting a flashing SES light. I've already had it tuned to not look for EGR, AIR and the rear o2's since I won't be installing cats. Why would the SES light be flashing? Did I foul up my plugs or fry my front o2 sensors? Any other suggestions would be helpful
11 Second Club
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 179
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From: Bridgeport OH
Originally Posted by TheSloth
I installed my pacesetter headers this weekend and drove over to an exhaust shop that is currently fabricating my true dual system this morning. Well about halfway over there I noticed it was sputtering and missing around 2200 rpms on up to around 3000. It was also having a hard time finding it's idle. After that I started getting a flashing SES light. I've already had it tuned to not look for EGR, AIR and the rear o2's since I won't be installing cats. Why would the SES light be flashing? Did I foul up my plugs or fry my front o2 sensors? Any other suggestions would be helpful
The light is flashing because there is a misfire/s. Hence the sputtering, missing. What I can think of is the spark plug wire/s are not on well enough/pinched. Did you change plugs when you did the headers?
TECH Addict
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,417
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From: Waldwick, NJ
When I was working on my car (changing plugs and wires) my brother was unaware of me working on it, and moved it into the street. When I got back I was like WTF is my car doing in the street, especially with cylinders #1 and 2 unplugged 
Well my brother told me he moved my car into the street and it ran real crappy, sputtering and all this crazy ****.....
So now that I am done rambling, check your plug wires
Well my brother told me he moved my car into the street and it ran real crappy, sputtering and all this crazy ****.....
So now that I am done rambling, check your plug wires
could definetly be a wire off or a forgoten sensor? when the lights flashing it means its hapining right then not just a code set once that limp mode will compensate for , pull the code if the wires are ok and go from there. coulld even be a cracked plug. most misfires the car will compensate for and have a steady light.
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TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Marysville, OH
It could be that you were getting mixed signals from your O2's. They may have been reading a lean condition b/c of the open headers. Therefore dumping more fuel causing a rich condition which may be why it was missing and not running right. Maybe just clear the codes put exhaust on and see if the problem is still there.
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When that SES "FLASHES" it means you will do damage to some component in the emissions system if you don't get it fixed. When the SES comes on without flashing it just means you have an emissions problem that should be checked, but is not critical enough to cause damage. Your friends at the EPA put that little SES lite in there for you.
