The Red '96 Z26 (78K Miles)

[heavywoody]

Even if it was a CA car, that wouldn't affect the cluster; that's purely an emissions thing.

I've swapped clusters numerous times (taken out and modified mainly), and the battery always stayed connected. I never had a problem with the SES light coming on.

Was the replacement cluster from a 96?

[2.2H8TA]

I just thought maybe, if it was from a California car, maybe the cluster would have some different kind of electronic/sensors or something like that possibly. It was just a thought.
Yes as far as I know the replacement is from a 96. I asked before I bought it, and it was also listed as a 96 Z26 cluster on here. The person I bought it off said she got a carfax when she bought the car. Also the date codes on the back of both clusters are identical.
I'm correct that if I disconnect the battery and clear the codes, if there REALLY IS something wrong, the light will come back as soon as I start it back up, right?
How do I go about clearing the codes, how long do I have to have the battery disconnected for?
Oh and I just drove it in the dark, and all the back lighting works! I was worried they might not.

[2.2H8TA]

The car the cluster came from was not a CA car. Now I gotta get this thing checked out, I'll update when I know what the deal is, and if anyone else has any advice, please let me know. Car still runs fine, even with the light on, but it's really bothering me!

[heavywoody]

It's probably an O2 sensor or EGR; you can get it scanned for free at Autozone/Advance Auto Parts...

[2.2H8TA]

I'm going back out in a little bit, and I'll take it to one of those places to get it scanned then. They are like a block away from each other so I'll choose which one via coin toss or something LOL. Thanks for telling me that, I did not know they offered that.

[2.2H8TA]

Just got it scanned at autozone. It's the EGR valve. Price for the part there is like 89 bucks. I'm gonna see if getting it cleaned will help first, and I'm not gonna buy the autozone/duralast part if cleaning it doesn't work. Can someone tell me where the EGR valve is located, and what it's purpose is? The car still runs like it did before, but what will this do if I keep running it like this? Anything?

[heavywoody]

It's located behind the throttle body, on the driver side, next to the coil packs. If you look in the picture below, it's the round object in the bottom edge of the pic.

All it affects is your emissions, and quite honestly the sensor probably fine, but the port that takes the exhaust gas back into the intake from the EGR is probably clogged with carbon buildup. It will mainly just cause the light to come on and won't affect drivability much at all.

[Money pit Beretta]

Wow those 96's must cost less, my 95 EGR cost me 190 bucks for a good one. I agree with Geoff, the port can and will get clogged. Damn hard to clean them out too. That stuff is not something you want in your engine. It's as hard as a rock.

That would be a total pain on a 3100. I did it on a 3.1L and had the TB off. That was a direct port, the 3100 has an offset tube. It would almost be better to take the upper off. You are going to have to use a shop vac and suck the chunks out from the EGR side. And if you could get a finger into the upper you could take the TB off and plug the hole. That way the shop vac could get more pulling power and you wouldn't have to take the upper off.

[Money pit Beretta]

Oh man on review(going to look at the one I have) of the 3100 upper, that is going to be harder than I thought. I was thinking of the 3400 upper. The 3400 would be much more easy. Still a bit hard but.....
Ok, Now I'm starting to think your best bet is to have another upper(a clean one that is). Find one at the JY or I have both the upper and the lower that I want to get rid of. My upper is open but not clean, make sure the one you have is blocked before you go after another or buy mine for the cost of shipping.

[2.2H8TA]

I may just be interested in that MPB. All you want is the cost of shipping? Can't really go wrong there. The $89 egr was a duralast brand, and I'm not gonna buy that because I hear duralast brand stuff is total crap. I was on rockauto earlier, and it's like $130 for a good one, your right. I don't know what I'm gonna do here, I don't really have much money to be fixing all this right now, it sucks. I wanna get this 3100 out of there really bad too, but again, lack of extra money really puts that on the back burner.
At least I have a working ODO now, and I just filled the tank, so I can finally see what kind of fuel mileage this thing is getting. You think it will suffer much with this problem?

[Money pit Beretta]

Yeah you get what you pay for.
Oh yeah just shipping, who the hell would want those things? Ben won't port them and there is always the 3400 intake swap. Hell I don't even like to look at them now.
Someone may chime in on a way to clean the port without taking the upper off.
No you MPGs won't be bad at all. There is not going to be much of a change after you get it fixed.

[DTMAce]

You can clean it without taking the upper off. You need to remove the EGR and the throttle body assembly. I used a simple piece of stiff wire with a flat loop on one end and a drill. Just need to be able to catch the crud as it comes out the hole in the intake body, which is why you remove the throttle body.

[2.2H8TA]

Yeah, I was just watching a how-to thing on youtube, and I really don't see whats that hard about it. It seems like it's fairly easy to get to with the intake off and everything. Is it true that the MAP sensor is used for EGR flow monitoring or something like that? Heres the one video I was watching that says that at the 1:35 mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYtYSgglJoY
I'm just wondering this because I really do believe the MAP sensor on my car is going too. The other videos were just cleaning instructions, one used a drill and a piece of wire, kinda like ace said, and the other, I think just used some cleaner.
I'm gonna try and get this done soon, and I'll obviously clean the TB, along with the MAP. In the one video, the guy had actual MAP sensor cleaner, and he cleaned the EGR out using Throttle/Carb cleaner. Is all this info on point? If not let me know.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Now I'm going to drive it. LOL

[Money pit Beretta]

The MAP would be an indirect controler(part of the total sum), it's the computer that controls flow. EGR is flowing only at cruise.
Yes feel free to use TB or carb cleaner on the port. Wow MAP cleaner, didn't know they made it. Far out..guess I better get some.
Oh man I was tired on that post. Yeah the 3.1 was easy, but the stuff was like a rock. I had to knock it out with a screwdriver. I think with the changes they made that no longer happens.

[2.2H8TA]

Just had to refuel for the first time sense the first fill-up with a working ODO. I averaged 19.6 MPG driving about 95% in the city. About what I expected. I just wish I could drive on the highway more, and get 25+, with the gas prices rising again. I always run the mid-grade gas, and I payed $3.99 a gal. earlier. Next fuel up will most likely be over $4.00. SUCKS!
I didn't fill it up today, just threw like 12 bucks in. Probably fill it back up Tuesday to take advantage of the price, before it gets EVEN HIGHER!