What would cause an emission light to come on?

[Shannon]

Hi all. I have an 86 Ford Ranger and the emission light is on. My husband asked some people at Auto Zone, and they mentioned something about the gas cap.

I was wondering what you all thought.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[BlackBII]

It's just a reminder to inspect your emissions components, it's not really connected to any of them.

Quote from AllanD

The Emmissions is actually an emissions maintainanc reminder.

It is in no way connected to any emissions component.

It is simply a light turned on by a timer that's mounted above the glove box opening.

The unit is called "Infered Mileage Sensor"

There is a reset button, but the reset is like the function buttons on a factlry clock it's a conductive rubber puch that completes a circuit on the internal circuit board.
Unfortunatly over time exposure to air hardens and oxidizes the rubber and the contacts and they won't conduct anymore and thus cannot reset the unit.

I actually took mine apart and shorted the circuit points wiht a pece of copper the the f'er stillwouldn't reset.

My solution? I remobed the internal circuit board and tossed it in the trash.
then I reinstalled the housing and reconnected the wire to it...

Why? because otherwise the dangling wire interferes with opening and closing the glovebox.

AD

 

[Shannon]

Thank you BlackBII and AllanD!

So, nothing would have prompted this light to come on then? It's kind of a glitch?

Exactly, what is "emissions?" Obviously, I know nothing about vehicles.

 

[BlackBII]

Correct, nothing prompted the light to come on, aside from a timer.

"Emissions" could have many definitions...first one that comes to mind is what is emitted from the engine in terms of harmful gasses..

In this case, it's referring to components like the EGR system, Charcoal canister, Air Pump, Catalytic converter...

There are many things that help an engine and it's "emissions", or, the amount of harmful gas that is emitted from the exhaust

 

[Shannon]

Correct, nothing prompted the light to come on, aside from a timer.

"Emissions" could have many definitions...first one that comes to mind is what is emitted from the engine in terms of harmful gasses..

In this case, it's referring to components like the EGR system, Charcoal canister, Air Pump, Catalytic converter...

There are many things that help an engine and it's "emissions", or, the amount of harmful gas that is emitted from the exhaust

Thanks!

Could "old" gas be a problem? I know that sounds like a DUH question, but...... I have had this truck for going on 6 years now, and recently acquired another vehicle leaving this one neglected and hardly driven.

When I say, "neglected" I mean that I hardly drive it, BUT before I do, I make sure all fluids are where they need to be.

It gets driven maybe once every 2 weeks. I know, I know, it is horrible on a vehicle to let it sit. I should be ashamed because that truck has been SO good to me. I just love that truck, and I know that I should drive it more often.....

 

[BlackBII]

Thanks!

Could "old" gas be a problem? I know that sounds like a DUH question, but...... I have had this truck for going on 6 years now, and recently acquired another vehicle leaving this one neglected and hardly driven.

When I say, "neglected" I mean that I hardly drive it, BUT before I do, I make sure all fluids are where they need to be.

It gets driven maybe once every 2 weeks. I know, I know, it is horrible on a vehicle to let it sit. I should be ashamed because that truck has been SO good to me. I just love that truck, and I know that I should drive it more often.....

How old is this gas?

Good to hear that you love the truck.

 

[Shannon]

How old is this gas?

Good to hear that you love the truck.

Hahahaaa. It's about a 1 to 1 1/2 months.

 

[piotrsko]

actually the timer is set to go off approximately every 60,000 miles or about 2,000 operating hours. it was put there by ford to get people in to service the vehicle: O2 sensor, egr, filters, wheel bearings, fan belts, timing belt etc.

except for the fact that it would probably violate cali emissions testing, I'd just ignore it, or find the box and disconnect it.