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  • johnny_rottenjohnny_rotten Member Posts: 12
    With a 99 3.8 liter, you might want to check your intake manifold gasket, 3.1,3.4,and 3.8 notorious about that.
  • johnny_rottenjohnny_rotten Member Posts: 12
    which pulley are you replacing, if it's the actual pulley on the tensioner assembly itself, shouldn't be any need to actually pull the assembly off. Just pull the belt off, and if I remember the pulley is held on to the assembly with a 15 or 14mm bolt.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Don't have manuals for your vehicle (nor know your vehicle), but I would suspect the owners manual tells you how to do that. There are usually two adjustments for each light on any car. One adjustment moves it up and down, the other adjustment moves it right and left. Adjustments used to be made via the front of the light, but with the newer plastic lamp bezels you open the hood and access it from the back or top of the bezel.

    The best way to adjust this is at night (find the adjustments in the daytime), with your car pulled up about 15-20 feet away from a garage door. That way you see the impact on the light when you turn each adjustment.

    If you have a plastic bezel and it's getting foggy from sun ultraviolet waves and road debris hitting it...they do make a polishing kit which you can buy at autoparts chains. I've found them only partially useful, and have just replaced the bezels when they get too bad.
  • janiebeejaniebee Member Posts: 4
    Hi:
    I have a 2000 honda accord 4 cyl automatic, with 99k.
    This week, my local gas station mechanic replaced the timing belt, balancer belt, and water pump, (routine maintenance- not due to a problem). When I start the car, I hear a high pitched whine. By the way, I asked for honda parts, and he said he was giving me a honda water
    pump and a "gates" belt. I showed him the noise, and he said "bring it back if it doesn't go away in a few weeks".
    What do you think?
  • samoyed4samoyed4 Member Posts: 3
    1995 chevy Camero
    6 cylinder
    automatic
    74,000

    had dead battery. replaced battery and cables. battery gauge and oil gauge move down when driving. Battery goes to half or just below. Gauges are good when the car first starts up. battery gauge really dips when I push driver seat buttons. One button( foward and back recently quit working) Diagnostic test said everything was fine.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    When they did a diagnostic test, did they check your alternator output?

    BTW, do you have a Samoyed?....I used to breed them 30 years ago.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    sounds like the alternator.
  • esommeresommer Member Posts: 24
    The tapping occurs at idle too and goes up and down with RPM's.
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Wild guess, is you did 'something' to the valve line.

    You might try listening on the valve cover/s to see if it seems to be coming from there. Get a wooded dowel rod, place it on the valve cover, put your thumb on the top of the rod, stick the end of your thumb into your ear. Move it around to locate the area of loudest tic.

    This trick gives you a tool almost as good as buying a mechanic's steatscope (sp).

    Be carefull you don't get the dowel rod into a belt, pulley, or fan!!
  • johnny_rottenjohnny_rotten Member Posts: 12
    I agree with bolivar, you can even use a long screwdriver. Listen around on the valve cover, I suspect it's a valve tapping as little. May just need some adjusting.
  • johnny_rottenjohnny_rotten Member Posts: 12
    Does the car run fine other than the noise? I would definatly say if it doesn't go away take it back, but if it does go away shouldn't be problem. He could have got a little coolant or something of that nature on the belt causing it to whine. If it was just a little on the belt no problem, it will go away. Also, something to think about, it may not be the timing belt, could be a fan belt or another belt, you might want to check those too.
  • samoyed4samoyed4 Member Posts: 3
    well dad said they did but I still feel like it is the alternator. And yes I have Samoyeds. Best dogs ever. Is there a way I can test the alternator myself before taking it back to the shop?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    You cannot test this yourself, they need to test it under electrical load.

    Don't know what 'shop' you took it to, however you might want to consider taking it to one of the autoparts chains (pepboys, autozone, etc). They have battery/alternator testers which will connect to your car, and test your electrical system underload and with the engine running. This is a free service.
  • samoyed4samoyed4 Member Posts: 3
    great thank you! I will do that.
  • gator07gator07 Member Posts: 5
    I have a 93 Ford Bronco with a 302, Automatic Transmission, with about 111,000. When I drive the truck for an hour and a half or around 90 miles or so, it seems to not get any gas. The truck start cuttin out and backfiring. If I let it cool down it will run again and then do the samething. What could this be?? I am no great mechanic so be easy on me with tech. terms.
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    When you say it "doesn't get any gas" ..... I assume you don't actually know that it is not getting gas, and not getting gas is the problem.

    Back firing would not be a symptom that you would expect if it wasn't getting any gas. Back firing could be caused by a number of things like (but not limited to):
    - intake valves aren't shutting completely, so when the spark ignites the mixture it backfires up thru the intake manifold.
    - timing is off, so instead of the valves being shut when the sparkplug ignites, the plug is firing at the wrong time and the valves are still open.
    - too much gas mixture, which is unable to be burnt correctly.
    - some bad ignition parts, which are not firing the plugs consistently when they should, dumping unburnt gas mixture into the exhaust manifold.
    -etc

    The clue that it only does it after an hour and half (or I'm guessing might be heat related when it is very hot) would mean something, I'm just mentally fried right now and can't think what that might be.
  • gator07gator07 Member Posts: 5
    Yes, everything you have said is correct. This problem I beleive is totally heat related. This truck runs great any other time. Just when it get to whatever temperature this is after running this long, it cuts out. I dont even know how to trouble shoot it because of the time it takes to make the truck act up.
  • mudkickermudkicker Member Posts: 1
    has anyone replaced the alternator, does the engine need to be pulled, this a tight spot.
    2002 ford escape v-6 auto
    50,000 miles
  • crankshaftcrankshaft Member Posts: 105
    I know if the timing belt is manually tensioned and it is too tight it will make noise.It is cogged and too tight is no good.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    Someone named crankshaft should know :P I just replaced the timing belts on my motorcycle this weekend, and the manual said the same thing. If you hear a high pitched whine, or "singing', the belt is overtightend. The mechanic is probably hoping the belt loosens up enough to get quiet.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • donna412donna412 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2002 Mazda Miata that was running great then would not start and the engine had no compression, the repair shop said it was my timing belt, then it was ok, they ended up rebuilding the heads, replacing the water pump, and then replacing the cam sensor I have been told that the cam sensor was the problem all along, that the Miata is coded for this defective part I now have a large repair bill for everything they did that I did not need. Is there really a problem with the cam sensor. Thanks
  • burdawgburdawg Member Posts: 1,524
    "the engine had no compression, the repair shop said it was my timing belt, then it was ok". I don't understand. Did they change the timing belt and it was repaired, but later needed more work?
  • okko1okko1 Member Posts: 327
    sounds like the timing chain to me. ;)
  • gator07gator07 Member Posts: 5
    Well, I guess I'll start replaceing that timing chain. ;) It seams that this little problem has everybody stump. This is my third blog page and I cant find anyone thats had this problem. So timing chain sounds good to me. Thanks for the hint
  • donna412donna412 Member Posts: 3
    No when the car first went to the shop they said it was the timing belt, then they called and said the timing was set right the belt was ok, they would have to look into it further, which ended up in them rebuilding the heads due to "carbon buildup" the car only has 65 K miles on it. After that it still did not work, they then replace the cam sensor and it now works but after 2 K plus in repair bills
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well they obviously blew it and their explanation (if we are indeed getting the whole story) is rather lame, at least from what has been presented. I think, based on what you've told us, you should ask for a refund for mis-diagnosis and if they waver, try Small Claims court. Such incompetence should not be rewarded seems to me.
  • 0patience0patience Member Posts: 1,712
    No when the car first went to the shop they said it was the timing belt, then they called and said the timing was set right the belt was ok, they would have to look into it further, which ended up in them rebuilding the heads due to "carbon buildup" the car only has 65 K miles on it.
    None of this makes any sense.

    What EXACTLY is the compression on the engine?

    If the engine has no compression, then they should have done a leak down test to determine where the compression was going.........FIRST!
    How did they determine that the timing was correct?

    They pulled the head and did the valves and reinstalled it and you still have no compression?

    I gotta tell you, it doesn't sound like the shop knows what they are doing, unless I am missing part of the story.
  • crankshaftcrankshaft Member Posts: 105
    These belts are tough and they aren't going to loosen soon.They are better off being slightly loose than too tight.I have heard of people who have even snapped their camshafts having the timing belt too tight.
  • donna412donna412 Member Posts: 3
    That's what I'm trying to determine, in FL I can dispute the repairs if I have reason. From the bill I received he checked and found the timing belt in place, but 30 psi compression, he supposedly did a leak down and found a leak in the exhaust valves hence came the heads and valves being replaced along with the waterpump, timing belt, thermostat, idler and tensioner pulleys and springs, and then the car still wouldn't start he found a code P0340 for the cam sensor and replaced it, from what I have been able to gather had he checked the cam sensor to start with all the other work would not have been neccessary it that be the case then I will disbute the bill just trying to do my homework to determine if I've been taken to the cleaner's or not.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well it's too late now to know. Cylinder leakdown tests can produce printed charts as proof and a heavily carbonized or burned up cylinder head should be obvious even to the untrained eye. But without any evidence, it's a "he said I said" kind of case.

    But again the story is strange. If just one cylinder had 30 psi compression, and the rest tested out, the car would have started, and he should have known that. If th 30 psi was in all cylinders, well then the car would not have started.

    I'd certainly ask to see, or talk to, the shop that did the machine work. It would be interesting to know if the cylinder head were even off the car at some point.
  • 0patience0patience Member Posts: 1,712
    I hate to say it, but I agree that it is unfortunate that you are kind of stuck now.
    Was any trouble codes checked before the head replacement was done?

    I have to ask though, what was the concern when it went to the shop?
    That will determine what should have been the correct course of diagnosis.

    With out knowing what the original problem was, it is hard to say what they should have done and what they shouldn't have done.
  • crazydavecrazydave Member Posts: 2
    I have a 94 Buick Reagel 3800 V6 Automatic w/150,000 miles on it. My car was running really rough so I replaced the spark plugs and wires, PCV valve, fuel filter, changed the trans fluid and filter and changer the oil. I also had the tires balanced and rotated. Now the car seems to be bucking, while driving, at 2,000 RPM. Could this be the timing chain? Somebody, not a mechanic, told me the timing chain needs to be replaced at 100,000 mi.. Is this true?
    Thanks, Dave
  • tostigetostige Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1987 Dodge Ram van that I just replaced the voltage regulator and battery in, and now the power windows will not work.The fuse is good. What could be the problem?
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Use a voltmeter and check for voltage on the switches.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    Gonna rotate the tires on my 2007 Mitsu Outlander tomorrow. My question is, is it still standard practice to rotate tires in a X pattern? (right front to rear left, etc.) I've always just gone from right front to right rear on my T-Bird, but it has directional rims that mount to one side of the vehicle only. Thanks in advance for any replies.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • 0patience0patience Member Posts: 1,712
    With radials, it has been the practice to rotate front to rear on the same side.
    Otherwise, if you wish to put one from the left to the right, you should dismount them and put them on the rim in the same rotation it was in.
  • toomanyfumestoomanyfumes Member Posts: 1,019
    That's what I thought, I'll just go front to rear on the same side. Thanks.
    2012 Mustang Premium, 2013 Lincoln MKX Elite, 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander.
  • ronsmith38ronsmith38 Member Posts: 228
    Problem with 2000 Olds Silhouette minivan with 88k miles.
    I have a vibration driving above 40 mph. It seems like a pavement vibration with a frequency about that of the off the road indicators if one goes too far right (but not that pronounced). I have replaced all tires with a front end alignment, all four hubs, and tie rod ends. The problem is worse on left turn curves, going up hills, and with heavier loads (three or more passengers). Has anyone else seen this?
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    You should follow the rotation pattern indicated in your manual. It is not always front to back.
  • anubis2anubis2 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 c240 Benz with 112,000 miles. The dealer service dept. tells me I need to change ths spark plugs, and it will cost me $550.00 to do it. Is that a reasonable price to change the spark plugs on this car?. It seems kinda high to me.
  • loganmaverickloganmaverick Member Posts: 1
    Plymoth Akklaim 1990
    4 cyclinder 2.0\
    Auto
    95,000

    Problem Car SOMETIMES wont start unless i give it alittle gas, it also sometimes starts and the cd player will not work or my turn signals. Gas mileage is starting to drop alot......10 miles or less to a gallon I used to get around 25 or more.

    I am getting a tune in a week or 2 but any cheaper or better ideas?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'd check for a clogged catalytic converter.

    Also worn out oxygen sensor.

    Perhaps a tune will work everything out. Your symptoms could be multiple problems. it's often a serious of little things rather than one big one that causes stuff like this to happen, especially on an older car like yours.

    So yeah, get the basic tune up out of the way and see what goes from there.
  • kim123kim123 Member Posts: 2
    I need the timing specs for a 93 toyota camery
  • kim123kim123 Member Posts: 2
    the car runs but rough we changed the belt water pump and did a tune up and oil change. We think we might have the timing mark off because we couldn't find the book
  • kiawahkiawah Member Posts: 3,666
    Check your email 'kim123@carspace.com', which you can get to from the mailbox link upper right corner.

    Sent you some help.

    Good luck
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    Bad CV joint/s?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    But, but, but, but..... It's a MB, it's supposed to cost at least 5 times what any other car would cost for a repair or maintenance.
  • ronsmith38ronsmith38 Member Posts: 228
    Thanks. I'll have them (CV Joints) checked.
  • stevenelwellstevenelwell Member Posts: 1
    i have a 99 gmc jimmy. it is 20 degrees and i have no heat. could you tell me where the thermostat is and how much anti freeze should be in th reservoir. thank you
  • martin_mortensmartin_mortens Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Honda Prelude automatic Trans. with the V-tek engine. On one corner of the oil pan there is a hole that I thought at first was a missing oil pan bolt but turns out to be an opening between the oil pan bolts. I don't know what the hole is for but I have oil leaking from it. The hole is shown in the drawing in the repair manual but not labeled (wish I could attach a picture). Does anybody know what the hole is for and what leaking oil from it would indicate?">
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