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Malfunction(Engine Light) on after changing coolant

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Old Jan 10, 2004 | 03:34 PM
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Default Malfunction(Engine Light) on after changing coolant

I have 98 accord lx and engine light is on ever since I opened and closed the radiator cap. It's secured but still getting that light.

I can't believe that i've got a another stupid light came on again!!

i've had srs light and matenance light on, now it's all been taken care of. BUTBUTBUT I get this malfunction light.... what am I supposed to do????
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Old Jan 10, 2004 | 08:35 PM
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Did you open the bleeder valve as you filled it with collant? There is an air bleeder valve on the top of the engine near where the thermostate is. Open it and pour in the coolant untill you see a good steady flow of coolant coming out of the valve, then close the valve and cap it off.
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 09:07 AM
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Air in the coolant can cause strange things, but I don't think it'll cause a check-engine light.

Go to AutoZoned & have them hook up their code reader. Get the actual code number, not just the guy's description of what's wrong.
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 09:52 AM
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I went to autozone and got two of P1457 (something about canisper(?) leak) ... does it do anything with Coolant?
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 10:00 AM
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man, unhook your battery for 10 seconds, hook it back up,and see if the light is still on, if not take it to autozone and have them blow the code out with their scanner. you might have to slap those guys around there kinda reluctant to help a non paying customer.
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 11:58 AM
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P1457 is a leak in the EVAP-charcoal canister system. The Helm manual has about 5 pages of things to check. There's the canister underneath the car, a 3-way valve, a couple solenoid valves, a filter, & a bunch of vacuum tubing.

Look for a solenoid valve on top of your intake manifold. Check for torn or disconnected vacuum hoses. It doesn't have anything to do with coolant, but maybe something got pulled off near the thermostat???

I got that same code last year, the guy told me I needed to learn how to tighten the gas cap... In my case it was a solenoid valve under the car. You'll need a MityVac & a couple jumper wires to check that stuff. I'll try to remember to look that up & summarize it. But you'll be much better off by getting yourself a Helm manual. (Public library??)

You can clear the code by pulling the #13 fuse in your right doorjamb. That way you don't need your radio code...

While I waited for the part, I cleared the code. It didn't come back for a couple days, so there's something about that system that doesn't record an error until it happens a few times.
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 03:46 PM
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Thanks for your help...I'll see what I can do...
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 04:23 PM
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Your car isn't over heating is it?
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Old Jan 12, 2004 | 04:31 PM
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no...it's absolutely fine...there seems to be nothing wrong with engine...or anything else...
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Old Jan 13, 2004 | 07:00 AM
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P1457 won't make the car run bad at all. It just means the EVAP canister & the related system of hoses & valves isn't airtight.

Check this stuff in this order. As soon as you find something that doesn't behave like it should, fix or replace it. Then hope it was the only thing wrong with the system...

Some background for the electrical troubleshooting:
All the solenoid valves have constant +12v supply from the main relay. When the ECM wants to energize a valve, it closes the ground side of it's circuit. If the +12v supply is broken, then the ECM can't energize the valve. If the wire to the ECM is shorted to ground, then the valve is energized even when the ECM doesn't want it to be.

EVAP Purge Control valve - between intake manifold & valve cover.
Valve should be normally closed, so it will hold vacuum when it's not energized. Ground is supplied by pin A6 of the ECM to open the valve. So jumper pin A6 to ground, turn on the ignition, and check again - this time it should NOT hold vacuum.

EVAP 2-way valve - underneath the car roughly under the left-rear seat.
It's a little can with 3 hose barbs & a solenoid valve attached to it. Leave the connection on top, disconnect both on the side, attach MityVac to lower one. Normally open, when the solenoid valve is energized, it should hold vacuum.

EVAP Vent Shut valve - attached to the charcoal canister underneath the car.
Normaly open - when ECM closes pin A4 to ground, it should hold vacuum.

EVAP Charcoal Canister - the big can under the car, about under the left-rear seat.
Leak test: Connect all the hoses together, plug the Vent Shut valve, connect the MityVac. Pump vacuum while watching the fuel tank pressure (FTP) sensor. You can read FTP sensor voltage with a scan tool, or use a voltmeter between pins A29 & C18 at the ECM. Pump down to 1.5v & it should hold that vacuum for at least 20 seconds.

EVAP 2-way valve vacuum & pressure test.
If you get this far you'll want the manual for a good picture of how to connect the hoses. Keep pumping the vacuum pump & it should stabilize between 6 & 16 mm Hg of vacuum. Then pump pressure, it should stabilize at 8 mm Hg or more of pressure.

Then there's a test of the ORVR Vent Shut valve, which is located on top of the gas tank. You check vacuum & pressure at a couple hoses alongside the fuel filler pipe. If the valve is bad you drop the gas tank to replace it...
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