Engine code 16 and the cure that ruled the world!

From the archives: 2013

Awhile ago I started to chronicle my ongoing 1994 Miata project.  One of the early issues I had was a mysterious and misunderstood CEL (Check Engine Light) that coded out to 16.   I had a lot of of issues tracking it down. Mechanics told me it was many things and that if I had OBDII they could find it easily….  No crap! Me too! If I could just plug into a diagnostic machine.

But the 1994 Miata is OBDI and they do not have the coveted diagnostic port.

For a review of just what the heck The Maker is talking about see my previous posts here:

What the heck is Engine code 16?

and Here:

Code 16 part Deux!

and Here:

My car has lost it’s friggin mind!!!

This then is the update and I hope the finale of the CEL 16!  Why did I wait so long to tell the world?  The worst of the CEL 16 issues seemed to happen when it was hot outside.  I almost never had the issue in cold weather.   I had tried many things chronicled in the posts above (hint… check them out).     I fixed this early this year but I had to wait until summer acted without mercy as usual.

The very last item I replaced was the first thing I thought it was.  Rather than trust my gut, being a noob, I trusted mechanics, forums, and opinions of others.  Turns out they were all wrong.  I finally replaced the O2 sensor and voila my CEL 16 issue had disappeared.   I wanted to wait until summer had a chance to raise the dead code again but so far it has not surfaced even once.

I have spent a decent amount of time and money replacing and checking things on my Miata and I do not regret any of it.  I have never been a mechanic.  One thing I can say is I have done and learned a lot doing everything I can myself.  This has been the best tutorial I could have asked for.  Buy it, diagnose it, fix it!  I do not foresee a day when I will not own a Miata after all this.

Now that the CEL business is gone, let’s get back to the fun stuff and see what we can do to this thing!!!  Start your ENGINES!!!!!!!!!!!