no check engine light means cant smog
 

so I have a 1990 rx7 gtu n/a that I tried to smog today
everything seems to be stock on the car. all emission components seem to be there
went to a star smog station, thinking they would at least put it in the machine and let me know if it didn't pass -since i've been hearing that normally rx7 have hard tie passing
but he went to the car -turned the key and came back to tell me he couldn't do it because--------the check engine light didnt turn on-----
yeah I can go and pay 150 bucks to get it passed the "special way" from a friend that knows where to go----but I still want to figure out why the engine light doesnt come on
1st thing ima do is take off the idiotlight and check the bulb....but not sure what to do after that if the light bulb is ok....the clock works good and other lights seem to work ok
any suggestions would help...

There is Green check connector near the lead coil. There is only an Orange wire in this connector. When this Orange wire is grounded and the key is turned to on it would cause the check engine light to show any codes. You could pull the plug to a sensor such as the TPS or boost sensor etc and try to force the unit to display the code.

thank you.....i took out the idiotlight...and it seems like half of the light bulbs don't work...i tood out a working light bulb and put it on the engine light and it turned on........now im thinking of buying more light bulbs so that all of them can work....but not sure if auto-parts will have them or if i should find a donor idiot light
on other note....i went back to smog and still my car didn't pass....they told me that i need a new catalytic--sucks for me

You don't need a donor car to find the bulbs.

So I can get them at pepboys
or AutoZone. Or should I try radio shack ??