Got a Quick, Technical Question?

alcan

Easiest to test by observing the signal pattern with an oscilliscope, but if you don't have access to a scope then test it this way:

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor
TESTING

http://www.autozone.com/images/cds/gif/large/0900823d80170ba4.gif

1. Disconnect the CKP sensor harness. Connect an LED test light between battery ground and CKP harness terminal A.
2. With the ignition ON and the engine off, verify that the test light illuminates.
3. If not as specified, repair or replace the fuse and/or wiring.
4. Carefully connect the test light between CKP harness terminal A and B. Verify that the test light illuminates.
5. If not as specified, repair the CKP harness ground circuit (terminal .
6. Turn the ignition OFF and disconnect the test light.
7. Next, connect suitable jumper wires between the CKP sensor and CKP sensor harness. Connect a duty cycle meter to the jumper wire corresponding to CKP terminal C and battery ground.
8. Crank the engine and verify that the duty cycle signal is between 40-60%.
9. If it is not as specified, the CKP sensor may be faulty.
10. Next, connect a AC volt meter to the jumper wire corresponding to CKP terminal C and battery ground.
11. Crank the engine and verify that the AC voltage signal is at least 10.0 volts.
12. If not as specified the CKP sensor may be faulty.

user777

i'd conclude the same thing i guess with that outcome. maybe if you could locate a schematic online for the fan circuit. perhaps the fan control / temp sensing is independant of that used for the indication on the dash (which you indicate appears nominal).

alcan

"perhaps the fan control / temp sensing is independant of that used for the indication on the dash"

It is. The coolant temp sensor is usually a 3 wire sensor which inputs data to the engine control module. The temp sending unit is usually a single wire sender used for temp gauge/temp light operation.

alcan

96 Riviera has 3 relays for the cooling fans. #1 is in the rear centre of the engine compartment, 2 and 3 are in the right front underhood relay centre

etcbeatty

Interior lights on my E150 Conv Can were on continuously due to a failed door switch. I pulled a fuse on my van (looking for the interior light fuse - wrong fuse) and did not get it properly reinserted. The next day my wife took the van in to the Ford Dealership (for the interior light switch on a door - but she noted that the airbag light was also on now). Estimate was $200. The dealer called her later and said it would be nearly $800 to fix the airbag. I called the shop supervisor that evening to say I had pulled a fuse and I was concerned that caused the airbag light (there was no light before I pulled the fuse). He said the problem was with the airbag monitor and that wouldn't be caused by a fuse. When I got the van back I checked; the fuse I pulled was the airbag monitor. I called again, they said the failed part was the crash detector (not the airbag monitor) and that it contained a "fusable link" thay may have been blown when I pulled the fuse. Amazingly, the failed parts were not available when we picked up the car.

Would the airbag light come on when the airbag monitor fuse is pulled? Would an experienced tech replace a crash detector without first checking the monitor? Am I getting taken for a ride?

alcan

"Would the airbag light come on when the airbag monitor fuse is pulled?

Yes.

"Would an experienced tech replace a crash detector without first checking the monitor?"

Probably not.

"Am I getting taken for a ride?"

Probably not. I sometimes get customers in who "just did a bit of checking" and inadvertantly caused major damage. The invoice is usually significantly more than if they'd just brought it to me to repair it in the first place instead of screwing around with systems they have no knowledge of and no troubleshooting flowcharts to repair it properly.

Mr_Shiftright

There is probably a little spring clip (looks like the letter C) holding the door handle on. You might be able to take a tiny screwdriver and a flashlight and see it and pry it out...if not, there is a simple tool you can buy to pop these clips off.

Yeah, you probably do need to take the door panel off and you'd probably find a broken or loose metal rod that comes from the door handle and works the door lock open. Sometimes there are clips that connect the rod to the lock and these fall off....

panama

Engine service light comes on and stays on. When put on OBD II computer analyzer, it comes up as engine running lean. When I take it to a repair shop, they change out upstream 02 sensor, and everything is ok again for about 5,000 miles. This last time it only lasted 2,100 miles. I have taken it to different good repair shops, with same results. I don't want to take it now to shop untill I get some feedback from some of you smart guys out there. The car has 103,000 miles and seems to run perfect untill 100 miles after light comes on then it doesn't idle or run good. I replaced plugs with the correct ones and they will get black with soot in 20 minutes.

alcan

Take it to a repair shop with a competent tech who can find out why it's running lean instead of throwing O2 sensors at it. If the O2 sensor reports that the engine's running lean, the engine probably is running lean. Weak fuel pump, restricted fuel filter, intake manifold vacuum leak, etc, etc, etc, the usual stuff.

shelley2

I have a mk 4 escort 1990,I am wondering why engine keeps stalling at junctions, and engine runs unevenly just before it does this, also it doesn't do it all the time, think it may be the hoses collapsing or a split accelerator diaphragm. Any ideas? The mixture is set on rich at the moment.

eric29

Anything special that people use to take them off without scratching them?

Mr_Shiftright

There's a hard plastic insert/liner that you're supposed to put into an oversize socket wrench. Tire shops use these (or SHOULD!)

zingerzoo

After searching the code p0171 it seems it has to do with my MAS Flow sensor. Is this the same as the air filter and if not where is it located. Also does any one what the p1320 code is? 2000 Nissan Max

alcan

P "O" codes are generic for all OBD II vehicles.

P0171 = Fuel Trim System Lean (Bank 1)

The O2 sensor has indicated a lean air/fuel mixture and the engine control computer has tried to compensate by adding fuel (richened the mixture) to it's limit. Start by looking for whatever's causing the lean mixture; vacuum leak, restricted fuel filter, weak fuel pump, the usual suspects.

P "1" codes are manufacturer specific. Can't help you on that one.

twadwis

while test driving a pontiac sillouette (03,35,000 miles)the salesman asked me to do a hard stop in slush, thinking I would be impressed...the stop was fine but there was a loud noise, crunchy/thumpy, which I have never heard before and he said was normal for ABS. My other vehicles with ABS...ford truck and subaru have never made any noises.......so what should I think?

chucko

I just purchased a 1982 Cadillac Eldorado. It needs new head gaskets. It is also dumping fuel into the oil pan. Does anyone know what is most likely to cause this. I'm in the process of changing the gaskets. I would like to fix the fuel problem at the same time. Thanks,Chuck,O

pagevls

I am trying to replace a license plate light on a 1999 Toyota Avalon. I have the replacement lights, and have taken the cover off the trunk lid. But I can't see how you get the old light out. Pulling on it doesn't seem to work, and I can't see anything to twist. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, pagevls

Mr_Shiftright

The ABS only works under certain conditions, and will work harder under a panic stop. So in regular driving with your other cars, you wouldn't necessarily hear anything.

Of course I can't hear the noise you are describing, but the way you describe it sounds about right...the ABS pulses your brakes on and off many times in a short period of time. It is reading wheel lock and backs off every so slightly as soon as it senses that the wheel is no longer rotating.

moffie

help i've been smelling strong gas fumes when driving my 98 dodge caravan the last three or four times i started it i noticed it spinned alittle before cranking. today it did the same thing then i drove about 22 miles on the parkway when i got off and stopped it stalled and won't start just keeps spinning but won't kick over.no more gas smell.HELP

mkaake

We have a 1994 Dodge Shadow that we just sold to my brother-in-law and the 3rd gear is sticking. Can someone tell us why this would be happening? It's only when it's cold.

Thanks!

cjaskot

My 93 nissan sentra ran like a top until a few days ago.. I am only the 2nd owner, and have only 78k orignal miles.. seemed like overnight I started to have an engine misfire.. I do work at an auto dealership and the techs are helping a bit.. prior I have had a new alternator (for another issue); have had new plugs, ign. wires, cap, rotor but there is absolutely no spark in cyl. #2.. however the plug is wet (with gas, techs say that is a good sign); when pulling plug 1, 3 or 4 of course the car almost stops running (normal I suppose); however when pulling plug 2 there is no change (hence no spark) I really cant consider other options at this time except trying to repair the baby.. (and I love the car); could it be the actual distributor? should I consider getting one from Nissan.. or maybe it jumped timing a bit?? The car now is running on 3 cylinders.. but I really wish someone can give other suggestions for diagnosing.. HELP... FAST!

Mr_Shiftright

Has anyone done a compression test? I don't think a spark plug wet with gas is necessarily a good sign actually. Has anyone run a diagnostic and pulled codes of any sort?

moffie

found out it was the fuel pump $435. parts and labor

Mr_Shiftright

Hmmm...bad fuel pump but wet spark plugs??....well....okay if that's what they say....

91civic

My 91 civic hatch won't shift---if I put it in drive, it stays in first. If I put it in 2nd, it stays in second. 3rd and 4th are nothing, like neutral. Could this be an external, shift solenoid type problem, or are we looking at an internal issue? I find it strange that the transmission works (sort-of) for two gears, but not the other two. Please help--I can't keep driving around in second gear. :sick:

mattc76

This is a great free automotive resource.

http://www.cdxetextbook.com

It contains heaps of information, pictures and videos.

tiny_bubbles

i have a 1999 odyessy my rear automatic door wont work. is this something i can fix? also the sliding door light is on on the dash and it makes a loud warning sound very anoying.

user777

yes. take a pencil eraser and clean the contacts on the door pillar so they are free of oxidation. make sure the contacts on the door itself which are spring loaded return to position after manually pushing them in.

make sure the top and bottom tracks are clear of any items.

go to the Honda Odyssey Problems and Solutions forum, and do a search for door relearn. there is a procedure for resetting the door opening / closing system which may ultimately help you.

good luck.

highroller

I just took my Nissan Titan 06 out for my regular weekend driving through the open streets when i accidently pushed my truck up to 5000 rpm going up-hill. I have exactly 800 miles on it right now. It has seen some good heavy open throttle. The manual says not to go over 4000 rpm for the first 1200 miles. I got two quick questions to be exact. 1) Will going over 4000 rpm several times hurt the pistons or engine? 2) Can excessive open throttle "fry" the pistons? How can one determine how excessive the driving is?

High

1racefan

I didn't know whether to post this here, or under the Cold Weather Issues topic....but here goes.

My wife has an '02 Elantra with 70K miles on it. Oil has been changed every 3,500 miles, timing belt, and drive belts were replaced at 60K, and the auto tranny gets flushed every 30K. Car runs like a top, and delivers upwards of 39mpg on the hwy.

Saturday afternoon about 3:30, I started the car up to run an errand. It was a cold start (outside temperature was @50, but it had gotten down into the 20s the night before. When I first started it in the driveway, I heard a tapping noise coming from under the hood (on the passenger's side). I then backed the car out of the driveway, put it in drive, and accelerated slowly. The tapping noise continued for the first 15 yards, and then went way completely. I drove the car about 20 miles after that, and everything was normal. I then let it sit overnight on Saturday, and did a cold start on it yesterday morning and drove it, and there were no strange noises at all. The side I heard the noise coming from under the hood is the side of the engine that the belts are on. I had just washed the car before I heard the noise on Saturday...so I don't know if water had gotten under the hood and played any role in this???? Any ideas as to what this might be?

imidazol97

If the tapping noise was the same as the motor's speed hitting every second turn it might have been a hydraulic lifter that had been compressed when the car stopped and leaked down. It refilled with oil after the motor was running a minute or so.

It might have been ice on a belt but that would have been flaked off or beaten off in a couple of revolutions of the belt.

If it happens again I'd start looking for the source and if it might be lifters maybe it's time for an oil additive to clean out lifters just before an oil change. I have used Rislone by adding it about 300 miles before an oil change at half strength and repeating each oil change for a couple more.

1racefan

Thanks for your response. I guess if there is an engine problem, the 100K powertrain warranty would cover that....it would just have to get to the point where it is happening consistently so the dealer can replicate it.
I will try the Rislone in the meantime.

shredder67

My wife's Escape has a battery light that stays on for a few minutes after she starts the car. The battery gives 12.5 volts when the car is off and about 14 volts when the car is running. I've had the battery checked at the parts store and they confirmed that the battery is still good. Any hints on where I should look next for my diagnosis?

Mr_Shiftright

Alternator or slipping alternator belt.

Mr_Shiftright

I doubt you can hurt anything on a modern engine; in fact I think full throttle operation in mid-range RPM is probably as good a way as any (although controversial given conventional wisdom) to break in an engine. This is how I'm breaking in my new engine.

However, having said that, excessive red-lining would not be wise...this is not the same at full throttle operation in midrange.

I don't think 5,000 rpm is redline on your truck anyway.

highroller

Glad you said that, i just wasnt sure if doing 5000 plus rpm going on a quick, small uphill or incline was a good thing because i believe it puts some load.

i was thinking of red lining it a couple of times after i hit about 1000-1200 miles but unsure of how much of it i should do. Im at the point where my pre break-in period is almost up=about 400 miles to go, and now feel like doing the upper rpms(5000-6000rpms) to get the most of it later on.

This may sound a bit confusing but, if i wanted to get a quicker more efficient blast up to 6000 rpm or near redline(redline on my truck is from 7k-8k rpm) for example, is it better to floor it when the stop light goes green or take off gently when its green light and let the needle come down once and then floor it? Thanks.

High

Mr_Shiftright

I'm not a big fan of jarring a car from rest to maximum throttle. It wastes gas and stresses the driveline to no good purpose.

highroller

I agree with your point of view about the sudden full blast from rest. Well this weekend my group and i will be street racing and might see some Dodge Ram's hopefully . Usually we go full blast off the start and maybe just maybe go over red line just for a little bit. The track is just a straightaway about only 100 yards or a little more.

I would just like to know how much red lining do you consider to be excessive?

High

Mr_Shiftright

You mean redlining on a new engine? That I wouldn't recommend. Redlining on a broken in engine?---well,they don't call it a redline for nothin'---besides, many engines do not produce maximum power at extreme redline...it might be better to shift in the "orange" or in the very first part of the red. You'd have to experiment at the track with your time slips to know what the sweet spot is for your car.

highroller

Haha, i just got back from my daily break-in method, and i found out that i cant red line it yet. My max was about 5100 rpm. Go figure. i didnt try to push it off the stop, just pushed it gently and then wait and floored it. I see why new engines that havent been broken in yet cant be redlined. Also, there was a cop in a SUV truck behind me. I was certain there wasnt any around but oh well i didnt get a ticket . Well, i think this thing is ready for the racing next sunday. Im assuming the race track will help break my engine in faster.

One last question Mr_Shiftright since you've been much of a help, i've been usually doing quick bursts of throttle and just letting go of the pedal to drop off about 10mph or so, and then accelerate gently again. I've also done some high rpm and braking but mostly just letting the foot off the pedal to decel. I believe the braking after the hard accel is more efficient in terms of breaking in an engine but can only letting the foot off the gas to drop off several mph's after several wide open throttles be okay as well?

High

drej

Ther's a shifter cable thAT I REPLACE IN MY 91 (AUTOMATIC CAR) THAT MAY BE THE CULPRIT? (MAYBE RAISE THE CAR SAFELY , BLOCK IT AND HAVE SOMEONE VIEW THE LINKAGE THRU THE SHIFT POINTS? d~

Mr_Shiftright

I think just lifting off the throttle after a run up to higher rpm is a good way to balance all the wear points inside the engine. I don't think braking hard after acceleration does as much good.

And I don't think you should be racing with a brand new engine, unless I misunderstood you. When at the track, mistakes are made, shifts are missed, etc. and then you could be in trouble.

drej

my 95 truck developed an electrical problem (Worse of all problems sometimes)... the Backing lights (Nright white) blink in the rear with the turnsignal (So I put tape over them so as not to distract divers behind me. In addition the right rear turn signal (when applied) blinks both the left and right (with the backing lights) as if I applied the emergency flashers (less the idiot light). So I have to be care full making a right signal. Also when hitting the brakes the rear backing lights go on. Any ideas? D~

wobryan

I have a quick question about my 94 ford escort. I was on the interstate drivein and my car cut off. It is a stick shift so I put it in neutral and tried to start it. No luck :confuse: . I turns over but does not start. I have no idea what it is. Does anyone have any suggestions.

Mr_Shiftright

Did it spit and sputter or just shut off like someone removed the key and threw it out the window?

wobryan

it was like someone removed the key ~ even now, i can turn the key and the engine will turn over, but it won't start. the engine is a little quieter than it was when it was working...

thanks!

crankshaft

broken timing belt??????

Mr_Shiftright

Always a possibility...another "sudden death" is ignition failure of some sort...usually a fuel problem isn't so sudden.

wobryan

Is there a way that I can check it or test it myself?

Mr_Shiftright

Maybe one of the techs can help. I don't know anything about your particular car so hesitate to offer advice. In very broad terms, first thing you do is test for spark at the spark plugs; also I think you still have a distributor/rotor type of ignition, so you can check for a broken timing belt by seeing if the rotor spins as you crank the engine.