Beginning
in 1996, all Corvettes, (along with every other passenger vehicle) have been
equipped with an on-board diagnostic system, unaffectionately known as OBD
II. In a significant departure from the previous system (OBD I), the second-generation
system includes capabilities to monitor engine misfire and catalytic converter
function. It also includes a much lower tolerance for operating conditions
that fall
outside
a predefined window of acceptability. As might be expected, high performance
engine modifications frequently result in operational parameters that cause
the system to become disoriented and irritable. When this occurs, a Malfunction
Indicator Light (MIL) on the instrument panel is illuminated. (MIL is the official
OBD II designation for the "Service Engine Soon" or "Check Engine"
light.)
C5
Corvettes turn in impressive quarter-mile times in bone stock condition. A little
tuning makes a good thing even better, and gaining access to the information
locked in the PCM makes efforts to maximize performance considerably easier.
