SES Light Blinking????

[rida125]

ok so like the title says the Service Engine Soon light has come on and blinks, here are some more details, the car is spewing out thick white smoke that smells nasty. Also the car does not go above 2000 RPMs, it just like bogs out at that. and it just dies. So what is the problem?

[cherrington17]

white smoke = burning coolant.

SES = i don't know.

possible LIMG or head gasket. Ask nate about it... hes like an expert now.

[Nate's Alero]

white smoke = burning coolant.

SES = i don't know.

possible LIMG or head gasket. Ask nate about it... hes like an expert now.

I guess i am.

DO NOT DRIVE THE CAR AT ALL YOU RISK MUCH WORSE DAMAGE!!! DON'T EVEN START IT!! LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS

SES Blink means catalyst destroying misfire

Headgasket... sorry to tell ya bud... so you gotta do the LIMG in the process


you mechanically inclined at all? i could walk you through it

[Gr1m]

you have a clogged cat, dont drive the car until you hack the pipe off before the cat

[Nate's Alero]

you have a clogged cat, dont drive the car until you hack the pipe off before the cat

don't think THICK white smoke is a clogged cat.. i think no smoke and runs like garbage is a clogged cat

[IRONDOG442]

a blinking SES light is a general misfire not specific to a cat, it may or may not be the cat, probably isnt, the misfire could be cause by coolant pouring into the combustion chamber causing a misfire.


1. headgasket repair will probably solve the misfire and smoking issue.

[Nate's Alero]

a blinking SES light is a general misfire not specific to a cat, it may or may not be the cat, probably isnt, the misfire could be cause by coolant pouring into the combustion chamber causing a misfire.


1. headgasket repair will probably solve the misfire and smoking issue.

yeah, i'm guessing...


you losing coolant at all? take off your oil cap and get us pics

[[ion] C2]

you have a clogged cat
lol, no

[alerored04]

The blinking SES is a misfire. White smoke is burning coolant. Logic says head gasket. Best way to test that is a compression check.

[Ttop191]

The blinking SES is a misfire. White smoke is burning coolant. Logic says head gasket. Best way to test that is a compression check.

thx, you made it perfect


or attach a vacuum gauge to HVAC port, watch for vibration..

needle is steady, do a compression test

[Redog]

SES light on - fix me soon

SES blinking - AHHHHHHHHHHH STOP DRIVING ME AND GET ME FIXED :eek:

[AleroB888]

Could also be only the LIM gaskets

[Nate's Alero]

Could also be only the LIM gaskets

how could LIM gaskets cause white smoke to POUR from the exhaust.. LIM gaskets dont pick up coolant... and are not connected to the intake (the coolant passages anyway) at all

[AleroB888]

how could LIM gaskets cause white smoke to POUR from the exhaust.. LIM gaskets dont pick up coolant... and are not connected to the intake (the coolant passages anyway) at all

It did on mine, at the track. And it also had an injector stick open....

[Redog]

how could LIM gaskets cause white smoke to POUR from the exhaust.. LIM gaskets dont pick up coolant... and are not connected to the intake (the coolant passages anyway) at all


OK so LIMG does not have any contact with coolant, but yet it's the coolant that eats away at them and causes them to rot? Coolant doesn't leak out of the LIMG area down the head and pool on the tranny or worse inside the engine to the oil?

Nate, come on now, use your head BEFORE you post

The really bad news is that the SES light started blinking on my buddy's 3100 Malibu right when the block cracked, but I bet according the Nate, that isn't going to happen to a 3400 becasue it's 2 totally different blocks :rolleyes:

[AZFire316]

Usually, blinking SES=multi cyl misfire. Most cars MIL's blink if more than one cyl is misfiring.