Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Duratec Performance installed ru-3350 and check engine light is on

i recentley installed the ru-3350 filter with the maf adapter and the check engine light went on, now i hvae not yet installed a heat sheild and i am wondering if that could be the problem, there was a sensor going into the air box and i drilled a hole into my rubber acordian tube and put that sensor into the tube since i no longer have the air box, and i am wondering if anyone has any ideas as to why the check engine light is on whether its because i have not yet installed a heat sheild or something else, i would greatly appreciate your feedback because i am going crazy here trying to figure it out

What's the code? Take it to Autozone and get the code number (not just the employee's "determination" of the code) and post it here.

If I had to guess off the top of my head, check the connections to anything you may have disconnected during install. I accidentally forgot to plug my MAF back in after I installed my filter, and ran into a CEL and stalling after about 5 minutes of driving. Plugged in the MAF, cleared the ECU, and all was better.

what do you mean by clearing the ecu and how would i do that, what exaclty would i acheive by doing so?

The CEL is indicative of an error code stored by the computer. A scanner can tell you what the code is. Autozone employees will scan codes for free.

Codes are listed here.

Edit: this won't work on a '95. What year is your vehicle?

so i dont quite get whta i say to the autozone guys when i go in the store? tell them the check engine light is on? or what? and what exactly do you mean by clearing the ecu and do i need to do that to possibly get the check engine light to go off?

Yes, tell them you have a CEL and they'll scan it. Clearing the ECU basically means pulling power to the computer so that any stored error codes are erased. The computer stores these codes even after you've corrected the problem and the CEL will remain on. For some error codes, the computer runs the car in a "limp" mode which can be detremental to performance and shorten the life of components. It is probable that your car is in limp mode now.

The only two ways to clear the code are through disconnecting power to the computer or by using a code scanner. Keep in mind that clearing the ECU without correcting the problem will only cause the CEL to come on again when the system detects there is still something wrong.

so once i go to autozone, they scan it and i fix the problem, i have to clear the ecu for the check engine light to go off? or will the light go off once the problem is fixed?

You go to the counter at Autozone or Advance Auto and tell them you have the Check Engine Light on and ask them to scan it for you (it is a free service). After they scan it, make sure you get the code from them (and post it here). They might just tell you what to do to get rid of the code (usually buy some part from them) but get the code and post it here. They will probably erase the code too after that. If they don't, we can show you how to later. But for now, go get it scanned (unless yours is a 1995, then there is a way to scan it with a paper clip). So what year is your car?

i haver a 1998, so once i get it scanned, i get the code and come back here or should i follow their instructions to see if they can help me