Check Engine Light...

[Egon Spengler]

I had the battery out this weekend and did a ton of other work to my car as well. I changed the battery during the week last week and the bolt holding the wedge in snapped, so this weekend I modded the wedge, but to do so I had the battery out of the car. Will having the battery out of the car throw the check engine light? I had been told this by the dealer when I first bought my car. They said the check engine light was on because they had the battery out of the car and that it would shut off around 200 miles. Sure enough, it did! Could this be why my check engine light is on? I did some other stuff to my car as well, but I am hoping none of that threw the light.

[Blackened300a]

What else did you do to your car? Changing the fuel filter sometimes causes a light.

[Egon Spengler]

-Cleaned the MAF and IAC with MAF cleaner
-Fuel Filter
-Oil Change
-Poured a pint of seafoam into a full tank of gas.
-I did a new PCV valve but it was making a horrible chatter, so I put the old one back in. (If it isn't broken, don't fix it I guess!)

All censors that were unplugged are plugged back in.

What else did you do to your car? Changing the fuel filter sometimes causes a light.

[Egon Spengler]

The car was idling rough and after doing all this, the car runs better than ever, so I don't know why it is throwing a light! haha

My guess was the battery, but you think it might be the fuel filter as well? Why does that make it throw a light???

[Blackened300a]

My guess was the battery, but you think it might be the fuel filter as well? Why does that make it throw a light???

Lack of fuel pressure for a little while til the filter fills and the system pumps back up. Its very common and would bet it was the fuel filter not the battery.

[fastblackmerc]

take the car to a FLAPS and let them check the code and clear it.

[Egon Spengler]

I have driven the car about 100 miles and the light is still on... How long does it take to build the pressure back up???

Lack of fuel pressure for a little while til the filter fills and the system pumps back up. Its very common and would bet it was the fuel filter not the battery.

[Egon Spengler]

I will have to do that and see what happens.

Thanks guys!

take the car to a FLAPS and let them check the code and clear it.

[Blackened300a]

I have driven the car about 100 miles and the light is still on... How long does it take to build the pressure back up???

It goes out after a certain amount of ignition cycles if nothing is wrong. You may want it looked at then. Did you plug the MAF back in and made sure everything is back together and tight?

[Egon Spengler]

Post #3... All censors were plugged back in.

I looked over everything to make sure everything was good to go. I noticed the fuel filter was making a funn sound the first couple of start ups, but yesterday and today it sounded fine. That made me nervous, but it went away and I am guessing it was the fuel system pressurizing. Hopefully the light will go off on its own, but I will take it to the auto zone down the street if it continues tomorrow.

Like I said, the car has never run better, so I don't like that light being on with her running so well! haha..


It goes out after a certain amount of ignition cycles if nothing is wrong. You may want it looked at then. Did you plug the MAF back in and made sure everything is back together and tight?

[1stMerc]

After changing the fuel filter did you turn the ignition on and off 5 time before you cranked ? After i changed to the larger fuel filter i cycled the ignition and didn't get a light, It popped up the following morning when i fired it up to go to work. I was able to clear it with my Scangauge II and it never came back.

[Egon Spengler]

I cycled it a couple times and then started it a few times and the noise went away. I will have to have either a FLAPS, or my friend clear it.

After changing the fuel filter did you turn the ignition on and off 5 time before you cranked ? After i changed to the larger fuel filter i cycled the ignition and didn't get a light, It popped up the following morning when i fired it up to go to work. I was able to clear it with my Scangauge II and it never came back.

[Egon Spengler]

FYI... Light shut off around 200 miles from when I worked on it! I guess I will never know if it was the battery being out or if it was the fuel filter!!!

[CBT]

FYI... Light shut off around 200 miles from when I worked on it! I guess I will never know if it was the battery being out or if it was the fuel filter!!!
And now we will never know either, thanks butthead.

[Egon Spengler]

I really want to say it was the battery, because when I bought the car the battery had been taken out and it took 200 miles to shut off and the same thing happened this time! The guy says that it takes 200 miles for the car to do a self diagnostic on the system and will the shut the light off. That is my guess. It could have been both the fuel filter and the battery, but the fuel system got its pressure back and the fuel pump sounded normal, but the light was still on... SO THERE!

Love Tom

[justbob]

Dear Tom,

I have had my battery out more times than you have changed underwear since Christmas. Never once did that throw a code. I have read countless threads of guys changing their fuel filters and getting codes from not priming the lines enough. That is all.

Love, Bob.

[FordNut]

I vote fuel filter. My battery has been removed dozens of times and never set the CEL. When the fuel filter is replaced you're supposed to turn the key on & off several times without starting the car so fuel gets pumped into the system. If you replace the filter and just start the car, it sees an error because the engine is running with no/low fuel pressure. The error light is set to let you know there was a problem. It goes out on its own because the problem didn't recur.

[Egon Spengler]

Fine... then it is the fuel filter!

Dear Mitch, if you're holding this letter you already know. The house has been boarded up. The doors. The windows. Everything. We're at the Comfort Inn. Room 112. I love you. Frank

[CBT]

Fine... then it is the fuel filter!

Dear Mitch, if you're holding this letter you already know. The house has been boarded up. The doors. The windows. Everything. We're at the Comfort Inn. Room 112. I love you. Frank

Dear Frank,

It was the battery.

Snootchies,
Mitch