i'm new to this board. i have a 97 eclipse rs. mods include intake, a2.5inch drop and a system...just starting. just recently my check engine light has came on. i brought it to the shop that my roommate works at and he hooked the thing to check the codes and it wouldn't communicate. we unplugged the battery and the light shut off for a few days, then it came back on. my roommate then checked it again and told me that it was throwing codes 12, 31, and 55. as far as i could find 12 has to do with the airflow sensor and i don't know what the other two are. we took off the intake and sprayed carb cleaner into the intake manifold. the light went off for a few days, but came back on again yesterday. obviously i don't know a whole lot about my car(i'm learning slowly :P ) and my roommates both drive honda's and are against dsm's so they aren't making any special efforts to help me. i was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what it may be and how i might fix it. i don't have any money to take it to a shop, so hopefully someone can tell me that it's just a little prob. thx in advance for any advice. :-)

You can find what the error codes mean from the links at the top of the page - in the Info&Specs link under PCM error codes - http://www.2gnt.com/nuke/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=8

12 & 55 are normal start and end codes. 31 means you've got a problem with the EVAP system. There are quite a few reasons for this particular code. Your gas cap may need replacing. The EVAP canister may be cracked. The EVAP solenoid may need replacing. One of the vac/fume lines may be clogged or disconnected. The rolover valve may need replacing.

Try doing an advanced search in the Performance and General forums for "EVAP" or "CEL 31" or "EVAP 31" or something like that. I'm sure you'll come up with a TON of information about it. It seems to be a fairly common problem on our cars.

Welcome to the board. Good luck.


95 Eclipse RS : 5 speed
Jeep TB writeup - http://www.dimensia.com:81/jimbo/JeepTBfor2gnt.html

i dunno if you can do it being a 97 (i think you can) but if you get a CEL, try the key dance. you turn the key to acc then turn the key foward to on, back to acc, back to on, back to acc, then back to on. so its on, acc, on, acc, on in less than 5 seconds.here leave it in the on position (dont start or have the car started) and wait. the CEL light will start flahing out the code for you. it will flash the first digit, then pause, then flash the second digit. if there are multiple codes, it will give a long pause then give you the next code. so say you are reading the codes you got, it would flash once, pause, then twice, longer pause, flash 3 times, pause, flash once, long pause, ect. code 12 means PCM has been disconnected within the last 50 start or key turns. basically, it means you disconnected your battery...not a prob. and code 55 means end of code/no probs...if you do the key dance (and your CEL is not on) then that means you have no trouble codes and you should get just a code 55. and as soon as you find out what the prob is, fix it. you cant really make the code go away. if you reset the computer (disconnect the battery) youll erase it, but it comes right back on. better to just fix your prob. hope this helps :-) and welcome!

hey a new female to the board...
please dont hog this one down, welcome to the board!!!

Another Denver local... Sweet! I live Downtown and I know that FasterGS lives around here and BoostedGS lives down in the springs. All of us Denver ppl should have a meet.
-Chris b.

Yeah there are a few of us around here. Actually BoostedGS lives in Highlands Ranch now, but works in the springs :wary RMDSM meets at the Hamburger stand at 6th and Union (Couple blocks south of 6th actually, Saturdays around 6pm)

Unfortunetely I don't have any specific information for you, but if you need help trying to figure out whats up I am more than happy to help.

thanks for all your help and welcomes. i'm going to try replacing some of the vac lines, i got this advice from another board too so hopefully that'll work. if it doesn't i'll definatly come back for more help. thanks again :)