Can Autozone or Advance check the codes on our trucks?

 

yes, and you can check the codes for a CEL by turning the key on, off, on, off, on (but dont start it) and it will give you a code in the odometer. It will be PXXXX and when its done it reads P DONE then goes back to normal.

 

Exactly right. I've done it many times on my 01. I think all of us have the electronic odometer and that is where it shows up. Sure beats paying somebody to check codes for you.

 

Thanks guys. Check engine light is back on this morning. Reset the computer earlier this week and it went off for a couple of days but is back on.

 

OK. Checked the codes at lunch. P1281: Engine too cold. Is this something to worry about? Changed to a 180 Tstat about 6 months ago and this is the first time the CEL came on and it has been over 100 degrees everyday here for about 3 weeks. We are experiencing a cold spell this week though it has only been around 90 to 95.

 

A lot of people have that problem when they change to a 180 t-stat. best thing to do is to go back to the stock t-stat.

 

Same problem I had when I went to the 180. Had to go back to the 195 to prevent the CEL.

 

Not to dis anyone, but like I've said I'm not a big fan at all
on the 180° stat. The engineers use the 195 for a good reason.
JM2¢

 

i understand you to say you've had a 180 t-stat in for 6 months without a CEL and now out of the blue, while its still 90-95 degrees you got a code.

what does you engine temperature gauge say ?

i'd guess one of two problems. either failure of temperature sensor on intake manifold telling pcm that the engine is not warmed up. or t-stat beginning to fail and opening up a little too soon, not allowing engine temperature to get up to some mysterious "target temperature" as expected by pcm. this second problem could be weak spring, failing t-stat sensor, scale buildup in t-stat.

someone wrote about how there must be logic within the pcm that sets the "target temperature" based on ambient temperature, as measured by IAT or something else. They lived somewhere up where its cold, and in the dead of winter their truck never even got warm, and the CEL didn't come on.

 

Temp guage is reading probably around 170 to 180+/-. After I installed the 180 I noticed the guage didnt go as high as it did with the 195. That is what I couldn't understand is why it took 6 months for the CEL to come on. I guess it should have come on right after I installed it that is why I am thinking there is something else causing the code.