Got a Quick, Technical Question?

toomanyfumes

1995 Ford Thunderbird. 4.6 V8, 71,000 miles. Original Owner. It's missing badly at higher RPM's (3500 and above.) Plugs have about 20,000 on them, air filter 23,000. Fuel filter replaced last year, along with a fuel line. The fuel pump is humming, though, and my mechanic said it might be going. My other thought was spark plug wires. Any ideas?

kiawah

Clue #1..... Fuel pump humming (not getting the fuel line up to pressure)
Clue #2......Miss at high RPM (which is at maximum fuel consumption)

I'd be betting on the fuel delivery system

edouble1

Thanks for all your input. Ultimately, when the new belt shreaded, I realized when I installed the new one, that everything was out of alignment. End result. the crankshaft pully was damaged. The mechanic was so sorry that it failed, after he had just repaired so much, he replaced it for free, ultimately less than an AC problem.

Now, I did the front break pads with no problem. When I attempt to change the rear, the pads fit into the pad holder, but I can not lower the calliper over them. It's as if they are too thick. Went to Kragen, and Autozone, and I ended up with the same result from both. I assume that they would be pretty much standard, seeing that a lexus ES300, is basiclly a Toyota Camary. Any thoughts?

Again, thanks for all your help.

edouble1

Another quick note on the rear brakes. I did press in the calliper piston before attempting to lower the calliper over the pads. Seems like the outside pad is what is keeping the calliper from lowering.

burdawg

You need to turn the pistons on the rears to get them back in the caliper. This is due to the fact that the rear brakes are also the parking or emergency brake. If you look at the end of the piston you will probably see some shallow holes that a special tool fits into to turn them back in. You can get universal tools at most auto parts stores.

bolivar

I agree with the previous poster, you will have to screw in the rear pistons, with a special tool, or some people can manage with the jaws of pliers.

bolivar

Are the plug wires original? At 17 years they are due to be refreshed.

edouble1

I already got the pistons flush with the calliper. does'nt help on the outside of the calliper, though.

toomanyfumes

Yeah the plug wires are original. I'm kinda hoping it's them which I can do myself as opposed to having the tank dropped and the fuel pump replaced. It does sound like it might be the pump; at least if I have to have it done I won't have to listen to it buzzing anymore.

ladyvanessa

Hello! I have a 2000 Chrysler Cirrus and it has been a very good reliable car. I recently had the check engine light come on so I went to autozone and had a free readout. This is what came back:

Troubleshooting P1494
OEM Brand: Chrysler

Definition :

Evap Leak Detection pump pressure switch condition

Explination:

ECM detected the leak detection pump switch did not change after the solenoid was energized

Probably Causes:

1. Leak detection pump defective
2. open or shorted circuit condion
3. solenoid defective

This is driving me crazy because my car still drives fine and its holiday time and im broke! I really dont want my car to turn into a heap. My husband unplugged the battery cables and reset the light but then it came back on. So we know there is a problem. We took it to the shop and they wont accept the autozone readout and want us to shell out a ton for a diagnostic. Any ideas on what the heck could be causing this? Like I said the car is driving fine, it has always cut out once and a while when I try to accelerate.. but other than that no change. Thanks so much!!

Vanessa

user777

These may be helpful to you:
http://www.search-autoparts.com/searchautoparts/data/articlestandard//motorage/1- 02005/149558/article.pdf
http://www.forum.chryslerminivan.net/showthread.php?t=6219
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Chrysler-Repair-807/2000-Jeep-Grand-Cherokee.htm

There is a system which recovers gasoline vapors and returns them to the tank. Possibly the pump that reclaims these vapors isn't running with the vehicle on, or one of the vacuum lines has come off, or the pressure switch is faulty.

My hope for you is there is obviously a vacuum hose which has fallen off somewhere. I don't know if you have the time or inclination to trace this down. Maybe someone else can be more helpful.

Good luck.

lmacmil

Tried to rotate the tires on my son's Matrix today. Could not remove the wheels on one side. Apparently corrosion (galvanic?) has "bonded" the alloy wheels to the rotor face. No amount of pulling, tugging or rubber mallet whacking could break them loose. I dripped a little Liquid Wrench into the gap but it didn't help. Don't have access to a hoist so my leverage on the inside of the wheel was limited.

We've done this a couple times before without a problem. He did a brake job last summer and the lug nuts were way overtorqued which probably adds to the problem. Will anything work other than brute force? I don't want to damage the wheel so I was afraid to pry on it. I did try lifting the tire from underneath but that didn't work either.

ray80

Be careful with this, but try loosening the lug nuts (just a bit), then drive fowoard slowly, brake, drive backward slowly, brake. Just might be enough to break the bond. DO NO GO CRAZY with it though

lmacmil

I did lower the car with the lug nuts backed off 1 turn and that didn't work but I didn't try driving it. I was afraid of damaging the studs when the wheel broke loose. It sounds like you are suggesting keeping them screwed on all the way but at something less than specified torque (maybe finger tight?)

denver0707

FRIEND PUT IN NEW CHEAP CAMPION PLUGS, 3 MONTHS LATER CAR WON'T START. MECHANIC SAYS CHEAP PLUGS CAUSED PROBLEM. HE SAYS I NEED A= NEW BATTERY, PLUGS AND WIRES? HOW DID THIS ALL HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME? MECHANIC'S COST WAS $900.00 NOW DOWN TO $450.00

FOR REPLACING ALL THREE. COST OF BATTERY IS APPRX. $128.00. PLUGS $12-$30, WIRES $85.00.

FOR MY DAUGHTER SHE IS A POOR SINGLE MAMMA!

Mr_Shiftright

Nothing wrong with Champion plugs if they are the right ones for the car. If they aren't the right ones, then yeah, they can foul.

So the questions to ask are:

Are the plugs the correct ones for the car (size, heat range, etc.)?

If so, what is wrong with them? Are they badly fouled? Show me.

How were the spark plug wires tested? With an ohm meter? Were they observed to be leaking or cracked? Show me.

Was the battery "load tested"?

Personally I'd just put in new plugs, go buy a battery yourself at Kragen after they test your old one for you for free, and as for the plug wires, start your engine at night, open the hood, and look for spark leakage.

OR, if the mechanic answers all the above questions satisfactorily, have him do the work but bargain on his prices. They seem high to me.

kaxelsen

How do I look for spark plug leakage? I'm the "poor single mamma" in question.

kiawah

Go out where it is pitch black and no lights, open the hood and start the engine. See if you see any sparking occuring, either around the sparkplugs, any of the wires, or the distributor.

Careful that you keep any loose clothing and/or hair away from the turning belts and pulleys that you won't be able to see (because it is dark out). If your vehicle has a hood light that comes on when you open it, you'll need to turn unplug it. Try to find a setting where none of your lights are on either, like Daytime Running Lights. My old suburban of that era would turn the DRL off if you put the parking brake on.

0patience

Mr shiftright and kiawah gave you great advice and I second what they said.

Thought I would mention that a lot of NAPA, Schucks and Autozone stores will install the battery when you purchase it. Ask at a parts store to load test your battery (I don't know of any the do not do this for free) and see what the condition of your battery is.

scherzbit

Truck has been starting hard in the morning last few days, but then this morning the oil pressure gauge pegged out and the oil filter o-ring blew out and I lost all the oil. I replaced and refilled, but same problem. I also pulled of the housing that the filter screws into, but I can't see any problems there. Anyone know what's happening? Thanks.

Mr_Shiftright

You may have forgotten to remove the first seal from the old oil filter and you are running with two seals. This is sometimes hard to spot.

Otherwise, you have a defective oil pressure relief valve, which seems to be stuck shut. On most engines you can access it externally but I don't know where it is on your car, sorry.

gandhi

The hood release latch -plastic lever inside the van broke while opening the hood. How to open the hood? How to get parts orr the plastic hood release latch? Can use expert advice. Thanks

0patience

Sometimes you can get the end of the cable with a pair of vice grips and pull it.

The other option is that you might be able to go from underneath the vehicle with a coat hanger and gently snake it up to the cable and pull the cable with the coat hanger.

Mr_Shiftright

You can usually find the end of the cable where the handle broke off and clamp it with vice-grips and pull on it.

The new part is either a dealer item or the wrecking yard.

afmedic

I have a 2005 VW Jetta with 55,000 miles and an automatic transmission that I need to change the rear pads and rotors on. My question is, do I need to disconnect the emergency brake cable before compressing the calipers with the tool. If so, is disconnecting the cable relatively easy or relatively more complicated?

scherzbit

Anyone know where the oil pressure relief valve is on a 2001 Sonoma? Is it accessible externally?

gandhi

Thanks. I can feel the end of the cable with my finger . I will have to remove the plastic enclosure and get a good grip with my locking pliers. Hopefully that will work.

gandhi

I will do just that. Thanks

user777

are you collecting URLs to service manuals and documentation?

http://www.camrymanuals.com/

Mr_Shiftright

Not as a rule because other members here have been right on the ball with providing this information.
:P

rcastaneda

I have a 2003 nizzan 350z
v6 3.5 liter I think.
automatic
35000 miles
can somebody tell me how to go about changing the belts on the engine.
I am referring to the belts that spin the waterpump, ac, etc... thank you.
I really want to do the replacement myself.

spencer626

I've got a 1999 Mazda 626 LX V6 , automatic with 74,000 miles on it. I was driving it one morning and it just died. Electrical seems fine; lights and gauges all work, and it turns over. I pulled a spark plug (the left front one) and it was just SOAKED in oil. None of the others were. I am wondering if this is a blown valve cover gasket or a piston ring or what??? I can't afford to take it to the shop for diagnosis...please help!!

kiawah

This would NOT be a good time to go cheap on the diagnostic fees. Get it to a good quality shop, you are potentially looking at some major engine work. Make sure you know the value of the vehicle in running good condition (the value that you would get AFTER you fix it up), and the value that you'd get now IF you could sell it as is.

You want to be careful to make the right decision on whether to throw a bunch of money in to it to fix it up.....versus unloading as is. If the car has been in great condition up until this time, and you intend to keep it a long time, it may make sense to do a major engine job (if that is what is determined you need).

On the other hand, it is almost a ten year old car.

Get a good quality diagnosis, and then make your repair decision taking into account all of the factors.

cbrockers

2002 Duramax 4x4 2500
At 45 deg F it takes about 13 miles flat land driving to achieve normal engine temperature. Is this normal?

Mr_Shiftright

Sounds like your thermostat is stuck open.

6920joyride

I own a 1994 Ford explorer 4by4, a while back I noticed, Pink oily foam in radiator and overflow ???? I just drained my radiator but it is impossible to get all that grease out any suggestions to what it may be or what to do? I cant afford a machanic either lol Thanks

kiawah

If you have oil in your radiator, then you have a serious problem that is usually from one of two places. You will need to get this fixed quickly, or can ruin your engine and/or transmission.

Most common cause of this, is a blown head gasket. It allows oil and burnt combustion from the cylinder to be forced into the cooling. It also means that coolant water can leak back into the internals of the engine, and the water will ruin the metal surfaces.

Secondly and less common, is that you could have a bad radiator. The radiator main purpose is to cool the water coolant, but it also has a small chamber on the side where transmission fluid is cooled. These are separate. You might have a leak between these chambers, which would ruin your transmission.

Either way, oil in your radiator is an indicator of a problem with major consequences. Get it fixed fast.

Mr_Shiftright

I'm going to go with bad radiator as the first cause, and head gasket behind that. The pinkness of the goop suggests automatic transmission fluid rather than engine oil.

You'll need to have the radiator rebuilt, or if you can't afford it, get one from a wrecker that looks really clean inside and out.

kiawah

Ahh, you're right. In haste, I read right over that clue. Good catch.

bolivar

And this is one of the few cases where an automatic transmission 'flush' is called for. You want to get the coolant out of that auto tranny also, or it will crap out soon.

imidazol97

Many years ago someone I knew had a fairly new car that developed a transmission fluid/coolant leak. They had to have the transmission rebuilt because the coolant affects the seals and clutch materials.

I don't know if that's true now and I don't want to worry someone needlessly. BUT it's a question I would ask about.

Mr_Shiftright

Yes and in MY haste I forgot to tell him to flush the transmission as well.

Also, turn the key to "OFF" and leave it there and call a tow truck.
:P

jth1014fun

I am replacing a broken timing belt for a disabled friend of mine. Can anyone tell me how the timing marks should be line up on the cam and crank gears on a 1998 Dodge Neon 2.0 DOHC engine. Thank you!!!

imidazol97

Transmission failed due to coolant in oil

Shifty,
Does the trans flush do enough or does it need to be opened and parts replaced? Or would that be on a case-by-case basis?

I'd sure tow the thing to the dealer for repair; I wouldn't drive it another inch.

Mr_Shiftright

Coolant is harmful to some parts but not others. I guess it is really a case by case. Certainly I'd drop the trans oil pan, clean it out, and change the filter and have a look around. It rather depends on how gummed up it is. It takes a while for the coolant and fluids to congeal like that and maybe not too much coolant made it all the way back there. You could pull the stick and see how it looks in there.

I'd never tear it apart without first trying a flush and test drive. Even two flushes.

I've never personally seen a transmission that got wiped out because of this, but I'm sure it's possible. I have seen engine bearings damaged by prolonged exposure to coolant, though.

In the link you posted, it sounds like the problem did not get detected by the owner until some time had passed.

0patience

Most often, the coolant contamination isn't too signifigant, because while you are running, the pressure of the transmission fluid is more than the pressure in the cooling system, so most of the transfer of fluid is trans fluid to coolant.

Now, once the vehicle is shut off, the cooling system pressure will push some coolant into the transmission.

Did you find a lot of coolant in the transmission?

Coolant damages a lot of steel/metal parts, so at the minimum, you will want to flush the transmission and drop the pan and check for any signs of damage.
Generally, the transmissions fair pretty well, in my experience.

Unless you drove a hundred miles with it like that.

altonfoster

I have no brake lights on my car. Checked fuses and they are fine. Car is a '90 Lincoln Town Car v8 5.0 Auto transmission. I think it is the brake light switch but I don't know what it looks like or where it is.

6920joyride

Is there any thing specificly I could or should use to flush it with ? And is it ok to leave the radiator dry for a day or two?

Mr_Shiftright

No, you "flush it" by just dropping the old fluid and adding new ATF fluid & filter & gasket as specified by your manufacturer. I absolutely don't recommend additives in an automatic transmission.

You can leave the radiator dry as long as you don't drive of course. It's got a crack in it somewhere, so it's toast anyway.

If you drop the transmission pan and it's really gunked up in there, you might have to have it professionally flushed out then.

kiawah

The brake light switch is up under the dash. Look at the linkage for the brake pedal, you'll see an electrical switch that detects the position of the brake pedal.