If your car isn t feeling jerky or strange when the check engine light comes on the first thing you should check is the gas cap. You wont need to start the engine completely.

Chevrolet Spark Engine Warning Light

Pull the start rope to test spark.

Check engine spark. Occasional misfires may pass unnoticed but a steady misfire is hard to miss. Remove spark plug wire or ignition coil. You will need to pop the hood open.

The spark tester connects between the spark plug and spark plug wire to troubleshoot dirty spark plug connections defective points and bad cables or connections. A flashing check engine light and a p0301 to p0312 diagnostic trouble code dtc is a surefire indication that one or more cylinders are misfiring. The cap is a crucial part of a car s fuel delivery system.

Remove that large engine cover and find the spark plugs. The engine usually feels rough lacks power and uses more gas than usual. It notably prevents gasoline fumes from leaving.

Press the metal end of the spark tester into the boot then place the rubber female end over the spark plug. If you have a newer car you will most lily have an ignition coil on top of. Troubleshoot dirty spark plug connections defective points bad cables or connections.

Pull over tighten it and take a look at the cap to see if it has. Use this ignition spark tester to check the condition of the ignition system at each cylinder. A loose fuel cap is one of the most common reasons why the check engine light turns on.

A few pulls to get the engine turned over is all you need to see the spark in the spark tester window. It s not recommended to drive with the check engine light flashing or on. Connect screwdriver to.

The problem is most likely a misfire combustion or a faulty engine sensor problem. This might help when you are diagnosing a no start condition or an engine misfire. A flashing check engine light means that you need to pull over immediately as your vehicle has a serious issue that could cause severe engine damage.

This video shows you how to check your car s engine ignition spark. Sometimes a misfire may feel like a vibration. How to check for spark with a screwdriver locate spark plug.

Quick video on how to check for spark plug fire in any small engine or any engine for that matter. Generally a flashing cel indicates that the engine is misfiring which can damage your engine or catalytic converter. A flashing check engine light means that the problem is occuring at the moment and it s most likely a more serious problem like a misfire.