About the Maintenance and Repair Message Board

gus

You know, I'm not that familiar with Jeeps and their modern engines. Perhaps one of our other Town Hall readers has some expertise in this area?

joannejohnson

Hi it is me again. I have taken the Breeze in to the shop again because it left me stranded in a parking lot at 2 in the morning. Again they offered me no reason as to why it spontaneously refuses to start. I think that it is probably just posessed.

It has started to develop another problem. Sometimes it is very hard to get it in and out of gear. It is an automatic, so I don't see why this should be a problem at all. When I take it out of park to go into reverse or drive, it is like the thing is trying leap into the next dimension. It also sometimes forgets to stop when I put it into Park when i do get somewhere. Any body got any ideas?

This car only has 40K miles on it. I can't understand why it has so many problems.

guitarzan

What do you mean it forgets to stop? This is unclear to me. As far as the "leaping", is the idle set really high? Or the shift jerk the car severely? Both?

joannejohnson

I mean that i put it in park and it does not stop moving forward. No the idle is not high. It sits at about 700. The jerk feels like it would if the engine mounts were broken, but three different shops have told me the mounts were fine.

C13

If you're using 'Park' as a brake, you should plan on changing transmissions with every oil change; maybe with every fill-up.

When you get your new trans installed, use the *brakes* to stop the car and don't put it in 'Park' until it is completely stopped and you are ready to 'Park' it. That, in fact, is what the word 'Park' refers to. Braking is the job of the 'brakes'.

Driving instruction would be a wise investment, provided that you're willing to learn, and to overcome old habits.

C13

Upon rereading, that sounded rather harsh. My apologies.

Try reading it without the quotes and asterisks.

joannejohnson

I do stop before I put it in Park. I know that Park is not a brake, thank you for the advise though. However after I have stopped, and put the car into Park, it continues to roll forward as if I were still in drive. Please, I am not stupid, I know how to drive. I just need a little help understanding my engine. Thank you.

gus

It doesn't really sound like an engine problem. Do you have a hard time starting it if it's in park? Does it start in neutral, and not park? If this is the case, your shift linkage may be worn, or there may be something loose between the shifter and the lever on the transmission that the linkage engages.

C13

If I sound harsh, let me assure you that I speak to you as I would to a friend or family member. I have no doubt that you're an intelligent person, but you described your situation inaccurately and I made the mistake of respecting your word rather than assuming that you must have meant something else.

If you use loose descriptions like that to your service advisor, he/she won't know what you mean either. Now it's been established that what your car does is roll forward after you've shifted into 'park'; "as if I were still in 'drive'" you say. Does that mean that if you were to step on the gas while it's in 'park', it would accelerate? That would mean that 'park' is not engaging. Or is it just that the car is can still roll - is subject to gravity - is not held in place as if by a parking brake?

I'm not picking nits for no reason. You won't be able to make progress with your mechanic until you can describe what is actually happening. First you have to observe what's actually happening.

Lyn St. James wrote an excellent book about auto maintenance for women. I'd look for it or for other such books at your local megabook store. I think that it will help a lot with your understanding of these kinds of problems and how to describe things to your mechanic.

hywy

Hi I was wondering if anyone could tell me how to research and find the original serial number for my engine block and engine head?
I have an "87 Dodge Raider Jeep with a Mitsubishi engine and tranny...?

walt66

I submitted this problem in Topic 6, Checking the Repair History, but maybe it should be here also
as I note a great deal of activity in Topic #4 site: In nov 98 I purchased a 97 Buick Park Ave with one previous registered owner besides the orig dealer. It was mfg in Nov 96, sold th 1st
registered owner in Jan 98 by the Buick dealer with approx 700 mi on odometer, traded to another deler for a different make Van with approx 11,200 mi in Oct 98. The owner is known to me and I know
the reason for so many miles in 10 months. I purchased it from the 2nd dealer in Nov 98 with
approx 11,700 mi on odometer.
The complaint: The front suspension seems to be inadequate for the front veh weight. The ride on smooth roads is quiet, smooth,m and very comfort-
able, but on rough or wavy roads, it seems to bottom-out and have too much of the up/down motion
like the old weak shock action. It does not continue to bounce when I do the static test of pressing down on the front fenders. The front end above-ground clearance seems too low and bottom with little effort. On street intersections/abrupt
driveway entrances, etc, that have ditching for drainage, if pronounced,must be taken at an angle
vy slowly.
Three Dealers have test driven it and said that's
just Buick Park Ave, that its not bad enough to do
anything under warranty.
Is this a mfg problem or just me? My previous car was a Lincoln Town Car with 140,000 on it at trade in. The Park ave is truly a fine auto with great
gas mileage on that 6 cyl. Comfort is super but if this front suspension action is typical of Buicks
this is my last one.
Buicks, this is my last one.

C13

Others here will know more about it than I but I'll take a shot.

For one thing, you could test drive one or two other Centurys at a dealership where you want to get the work done. If you're upfront and tell them that you want to know if your car is working the way it's supposed to (as opposed to pretending that you want to buy one) I think the dealer ought to indulge you. Take it on roads that you're very familiar with.

I wouldn't doubt either possibility: that the Buick's front end is sprung too softly, or that the springs have sagged at 11,700mi. In either case there are stiffer springs available.

If the current styling is the same as yours you could measure the front ground clearance of some new ones, measuring from the same exact spot on each, and compare it with yours.

Are the front tires the stock size? Is their pressure right?

gus

All good questions! Your shocks may pass the static test, but maybe you should think about getting different shocks anyhow, if the problem is that bothersome. Sometimes stock parts are not as good as they could or should be!

pblevine

Gus,
I am writing to you here because you have frozen the "Waxes, Polishes, Finishes" topic. What a shame! Yes, there were lots of arguments, but so what? At least a lot of people learned a lot from that topic. And Chris Parrish did an extermly good job. Let's not go blandly into that good night!

shiner

Gus, I must agree with pblevine. The "Waxes ..." topic is one of the fastest growing and most informative topics in this forum. There have been some heated arguements, but only the personal attacks are causing problems. A general disagreement can often spark a conversation that uncovers a wealth of information. Would we have had so many members performing their own "Collonite vs. Zaino" tests if not for the previous disagreements in this topic?

gus

Thank you both for your concern. Let me just explain why I froze Topic 8.

My first course of action when I see a personal attack, or something wrong going on is to ignore it and hope it doesn't happen again. I did this about a month ago, when I saw a personal attack come out of the blue.

My next course of action is to say something. I did this when I saw another personal attack. In fact, I asked the people in Topic 8 to refrain from personal attacks, and I even encouraged the people/person with objections to try to do a comparison test of the various waxes and polishes.

The most recent course of events was not a head-to-head confrontation, it was a two-on-one confrontation. When sides are forming, and when a dogpile seems likely, people need to cool off. This is why I froze the topic.

I'm fine with people taking sides over various waxes and polishes, but that's not what I saw going on. When a new user comes in and comments that he just walked in on WWIII, what am I going to do, say "oh, that's just what we do here in this topic!" If it's painfully obvious that something is amiss, then I need to take action.

The topic will be unfrozen and discussion will proceed, hopefully without the acrimony that seemed to be developing. There are 381 posts in that topic. You should find plenty of advice on what kind of clay to use, how thinly to spread it, how thinly to spread your wax or polish, how much of each to use, how long to let your polish sit, what kind of towel to use, how hard to rub, etc. You see, there's plenty to pick up, even with the topic frozen. My hope is that there will be plenty more of that sort of information to be found in the future.

Gus
Conference Host

jerry16

Go to the "what is a sports car topic" where we are currently argueing pushrod vs OHC engines. All of the arguements have good points and there are no personal attacks. If you want to attack the person on the other end of the computer don't bother coming into this topic. If you want to see good, intelligent debate, feel free to join us. There is a lot to be learned on this site, so let's all be civil to each other. Remember, the hosts don't know EVERYTHING about every car, and neither do any of us.

Denise22

Hi, Gus
I hope you can help me with a seemingly minor repair problem. I just bought a 1998 Toyota Corolla this past September. Now, in mid-winter,
with the snow and ice we have had here in the Northeast, my windshield wipers desperately need changing.

I went to a local auto parts store and bought replacement wiper blades according to what the maintenance card in the store indicated would fit my car. When I tried to change them, however, I
couldn't figure out how -- I couldn't figure out
if the clips that run on each side of the blade could be released in some way, or if I had to pry
the clips apart with a screwdriver as I did with my former car (which was a Subaru). I don't want to damage the wiper arms or the clips by doing that every time I have to change the blades.

I figured I would find some instructions in my owner's manual as to how to change the wiper blades, but I had no such luck. All the owner's manual says in relation to the wipers is how to operate them inside the car. Wonderful -- I think
I can figure that out. I don't want to spend
a ton of money on a repair manual (like Chilton's)
for a basic repair job like this one; likewise I REALLY don't want to take the car to the dealership and be laughed out of the service department for asking how to change the stupid windshield wiper blades. I checked Toyota's website for service-related questions, and there is every issue addressed, like changing the oil (which IS in the owner's manual), except this one.

If you can help me with this problem, or if you can refer me to someone who can, I would be grateful, not to mention having vastly improved visibility. Thanks.

C13

I can relate, though I can't give you specific answers. I've had many hours of vexation changing blades on various cars. All I can do is state obvious things. It's not sarcastic, honest. It's just that sometimes there isn't much to work with.

I think all you can do is examine the old ones and ascertain whether they're identical to the new ones. See how they go on and how they come off. Take off the old ones and reinstall them just for practice.

If the new ones are a little different, they're going to go on a little different from the way the old ones came off. I usually buy mine from the parts dept at the dealers' in the hope that there will be minimal variation from the last set.

Usually it takes awhile to study, understand, try the new ones on, realize you're wrong, try again, etc.

You might try going to the dealer for another set and checking to see if they're exactly the same. You can keep that set and use them eventually, or you can put them on and keep the Anco's or whatever they are. Try installing them in the parking lot of the dealer, so you can go back in if you have trouble and say "Man, what is the DEAL with these things?"

gus

Corolla wiper inserts are a little tricky sometimes. If you get the factory inserts, as C13 suggests, they will have instructions on the back of the package. Make sure you get only the inserts, though. These are the rubber pieces that fit into the wipers. They look like pieces of black licorice. When you remove them, you need to tug the fat end of the insert fairly firmly to get it loose from the blade "housing". Once you do that, you'll need to remove the two metal ribs that hold the insert rigid, and put them in the new insert. Finally, slide the insert back into the wiper holder, and make sure the insert "clicks" into place. As I said, this is pretty much explained on the wiper insert package.

Toyota makes a number of different insert styles, and designates them with a letter. There are "A" inserts, "B" inserts, etc. Make sure the inserts you remove match the ones you get from the dealer.

Good luck.

Denise22

Hi, C13 and Gus,
Thanks to both of you for your advice with my windshield wiper problem. I guess I'm off to the dealership to buy some replacement inserts. I'll check in the ol' owners manual for the style letter designation I need, and I'll know what to look and ask for from your descriptions. And I'll put in a little practice time installing them.

I'm pretty happy with this car, and I'm impressed with Toyota's quality overall, but I never would have thought that merely changing the windshield wiper blades would turn out to be a major operation. I bet changing the oil is easier.
If car manufacturers and designers read this forum, I hope they take the hint to make changing windshield wiper blades less vexing for us all.

Thanks again to both of you.

guitarzan

Denise, I'm sure the designs are intentional with wipers. Remember, if they are hard to get off by hand, they will NEVER fly off accidentally.

bambuti

I'm new to this conference and I'd like to get some opinions of a minor problem with my 1997 Chevy Cavalier with a manual transmission. When it is cold, I notice a slight rattling from the rear end of the car. It sounds as if it is coming from the rear axle. During warmer weather, or after the car warms up, the rattling is not really noticeable. It's not very loud and it's not really rhythmic. It tends to come from bumps in the road. I'm wondering if it could be the struts or something else. My car is still under warranty and I'd like to get it taken care of before the warranty runs out. If it's one of those little noises that cars get after awhile, I'm not really worried about it. However, the car has less than 27,000 mi. on it. Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

gerry

I have just read the long term review of the 1997 Camry. I am perplexed that in 25,000 miles, only one service call to the dealership resulted in $51.66 maintenance costs. Were there no other oil changes made? If so why weren't these costs considered 'maintenance' costs?
As an assistance service manager at a Toyota dealership, it bothered me to here how my fellow associates somehow dropped the ball in keeping you informed regarding your visit to Keyes Toyota.
Thanks for this format to talk to you.

gus

bambuti--could be exhaust related (just a guess). If you have a warranty, why not just take it in to the dealership. Let them find out if it's one of those "little noises" that cars make with age.

debi

I need to find out where to get a workshop manual for a Mitsubishi Pajero NF 1989 turbo diesel. Can anyone help? They don't seem to make one.

gus

I assume that, since you say they don't seem to make this manual, that you have tried the dealer. If not, make that your first stop. If you have, I don't know where to steer you--the public library, perhaps.

debi

Gus, thanks for the response. I've checked Haynes manuals and one other that I can't remember at the moment. I believe the dealer has a manual that sells for about $300 (for mechanics)but it's a bit pricey. Just looking for info on changing the timing chain on a 2.5 litre turbo diesel. Apparently supposed to be done every 80,000 kms. Any ideas on where to go from here? Thanks.

gus

Sorry, no ideas off hand. Anyone else have some ideas?

Mr_Shiftright

Yes, get a copy of Road and Track or Hemmings Motor News and look for large autobooks distributors ads like Classic Motorbooks or Motorbooks International. If they don't have it, it doesn't exist. A really nice dealer would photocopy the relevant page or two for you, presuming they had such an esoteric book in stock.

debi

Thanks Gus, Thanks Mr Shiftright,
I'll see what I can find. Appreciate your replies. See ya.

s_cole00

bambuti - my '85 Cavalier wagon had an obnoxious rattle that I finally traced to the emergency brake cable that was riding on the rear axle. A piece of rubber hose and a tie-wrap cured it. Interestingly,the rattle was coming up the cable to the brake lever between the seats and then to the dash. It sounded like something in the dash so it was hard to trace.

ernest

I have an 1986 Dodge B150 Conversion Van with a 318 cid engine, 5.2 liter. It
has automatic trans. and 96,000 miles The transmission was replaced about two years
ago.
I have developed an extreme, vibration which starts about 40 mph while accelerating (it
goes away when decelerating) and varies in intensity on up to 60 mph. I have had the tires
balanced twice, the second time, they were out of balance again after only about a week.
The mechanic stated that one wheel had a wobble in it; but I don't think this is my
problem, since that wheel was originally up front and I experienced no shimmy in the
steering wheel before or after the vibration started. Now, that wheel is on the rear and the
location of the vibration seems unchanged. It seems to be coming from the rear, more so
than the front wheels and even vibrates the side windows.
I thought it might be the transmission because just before it started, I was stopped and/or
creeping along slowly and heard a loud rattlely clanging from underneath the van. I took
it to a transmission specialist; but,he didn't think it was the transmission and thought that it
might be the rear end - universal joints. Does it sound to you like the universal joints could
be causing a horrible vibration which only starts at about 40mph and goes away when
decelerating. I would appreciate any advice on this problem and how to proceed. Thanks

gus

Your symptom is not uncommon for bad/frozen universal joints. Don't be confused by what your mechanic told you, though. Universal joints are not in the rear end (you do own a RWD van, don't you). Universal joints are in the driveshaft, which links the transmission to the rear end. What your mechanic was possibly telling you was that your rear u-joints are making the noise.

You may be able to replace the u-joints, or you may have to replace the whole driveshaft. Most u-joints can be replaced. I can't give you cost estimate. Good luck.

wel

P.S. Would skipping oil change at 10,000 cause any real problem to engine if in fact the change was not done? Local oil distributor tells me no.

guitarzan

All I know is that having one 10,000 oil change should not cause a significant amount of sludge to build up. Those Toyota engines have the best tolerances of any, bar Honda.

"Typical of leased cars"? They have stinkin records of VERY expensive maintenance, and are telling you it may have been abused? That sounds to me like the record they have are NOT for your car. Attorney time.

The only possibility I can imagine is that someone put some foreign matter into the oil. Which, since you are not the first owner, is possible.

For the type of oil to cause sludge, it would have to be really lousy oil. From a Lexus dealer? Don't think so.

C13

What evidence of "sludge" do they have? Just the smoke? As far as I know sludge has nothing to do with smoke.

I'm a mechanical dilletatnte, but I believe that blue smoke (oil) will result only from leaky rings or valves, and that white or gray smoke (coolant) will result only from coolant getting into the combustion chamber.

Sludge, by itself, is a minor problem. You just flush the engine or if necessary, drop the pan and clean it, reinstall it, and THEN flush the engine. Sludge can do some damage though, because it is acid. It can corrode some of the metals.

I'd be VERY skeptical that the maintenance schedule you describe could have produced enough sludge to do damage, unless the previous lessees used the car only for VERY short trips, so that the sludge (which forms in all engines with all oils, even if they were recently changed) never had a chance to burn off.

I hope you'll keep us posted. I'm curious to see how this works out.

ernest

Gus, You nailed it. It was the u-joints. I had the front & rear u-joints replaced with lubricatable fittings, and the van runs smooth as a "whatever"; total cost - $85, which I thought was pretty reasonable. Thanks for your advice.

gus

Good to hear!

pebald

1989 ford crown vic, 5.0L police/tow package
what are the water temperature specs?
What is acceptable?

jorriola

Do you know of any websites that offer incidence of repair information for autos? Maybe a rating system based on incidence of repair.

Thanks,

John

widgen

I own a 99 silverado with the 270 horse 5300 engine. Bought it with 5200 miles on it, driven by the service manager(they informed me). Purchased the truck in February 99 and have only put 2500 miles on it. A warning light came on today telling me to check the oil level. And damn if she isn't 1 quart low on oil. No sign of it leaking oil. Did I buy a lemon? Has anyone heard of a new Chev Silverado burning oil? Is this something that can be addressed easily by a machanic? She of cource is still under warrenty. Help!

gus

Take it in and get it looked at. If it's under warranty, you shouldn't have anything to worry about, right? It seems unlikely to me that your truck, at so few miles, would have a burning oil problem already (unless piston rings aren't seating correctly). Take it in. See what they say, and tell us what happens! Good luck!

C13

We've talked about my mysterious vibration in a '95 Civic before. It's OK if you don't recall. Here's a new development:

Long ago I did the wheel bearing test, where you jack up each wheel in turn, place your hands on the tire as if it were a steering wheel, and try to rock it to check for play. I never detected any, so I figured it probably wasn't bearings.

But the other day, driving very slowly in a parking lot, I noticed that there is a definite low-frequency, continuous groan when lock is applied, either side; not when the wheels are aiming straight ahead.

So maybe it's bearings after all?

There also seems to be a lot more play in the steering than I remember feeling before, on center at speeds of 75 - 85. I generally avoid high speeds for that reason, but I've been trying to look for symptoms, to provide clues.

This could be 2 or 3 separate problems. The symptoms so far are:
1. play in the steering at speed,
2. low-freq, not very loud, sound when steering lock is applied, and
3. the original shudder, which feels kind of like cowl shake or rippled pavement or flat-spotted tires.

The car has 64K gentle miles and no collisions. New set of tires 5K miles ago.

gus

The groan sounds steering pump or steering rack related, rather than bearing related. Are you familiar with that sort of groan, and does it seem like that one? And the shudder doesn't occur with brakes on (in other words, it doesn't seem like warped rotors)?

C13

Nope. Haven't warped the rotors yet. It doesn't happen under braking.

It occurs at all speeds above 20 / 30, but becomes more noticeable at higher speeds.

I do recall the noise that other cars in need of wheel bearings have made, and it doesn't seem exactly the same. I remember those other cars as making a more growly noise, with a sort of purring (modulating) characteristic. This noise is more like a continuous low note with no modulation. Like a low "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm" as opposed to a low "Hmnmnmnmnmnmnmnmnm".

This noise is also equally loud either way the steering wheel is turned. It's not as loud as I remember wheel bearings being, though sound insulation could be a factor there.

There's a dealer I could try. I just want to have a reasonable idea what I'm lookin at before I bring it in.

gus

Try the dealer, see what they say. I'd guess that it's steering rack related, since you get it when you turn. I'd guess that if it were wheel bearings, you'd get it regardless of whether or not you're going straight or turning. Please tell us how it goes, and what the eventual outcome is! Good luck!

donking

Attention VW Cabrio Buyers.....
Bought a 1999 VW Cabrio GLS (new A-4 body), at
108 miles CHECK ENGINE LIGHT came on, took to
dealer (they said they fixed it).... CHECK ENGINE
LIGHT back on at 479 miles... took to dealer (they
said they fixed it).... CHECK ENGINE LIGHT back on
at 538 miles (dealer kept cat one week, said was fixed)...... back
on at 918 miles.. took to dealer (kept two days),
dealer said it was fixed... WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR... DRIVING OUT OF THE DEALERS LOT.... CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN.... STILL ON DEALER LOT AFTER THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED....... WHAT DO YOU THINK????? ANY ADVICE...

app1nag

A few months back I installed a radiator for a 1989 Dodge Caravan 4 cyl non-turbo engine. I installed it and everything seemed fine. The coolant level remained constant and the temperature level never exceeded normal level.

However, a few weeks ago I noticed that I was low on coolant and added some. I've been checking every day since then and I need to add
coolant practically daily. I do not see any leaks nor is there ever any coolant on the ground under the vehicle. The car runs cool enough when I am moving but when I stop (at a traffic light, for example) the temperature starts to climb. Once I get moving again the needle moves back to an acceptable temperature range. When I arrive at my
destination and exit the vehicle I can smell a strong odor of coolant from the engine compartment. The hoses and radiator cap are extremely hot and there is a lot of pressure built up.

I've tried numerous things to correct the situation such as:

1) replacing the radiator cap with a 'pressure- release' cap...whenever I park the car and release the pressure by lifting up the little
handle on the cap, coolant flows in to the overflow bottle and it is actually boiling hot.

2) flushed the entire system, and added fresh coolant/water mix.

3) replaced the thermostat.

4) verified the fan and water pump are functioning.

I'm stumped and was wondering what could possibly cause the vehicle to run so hot while losing coolant daily? And why am I not seeing any
coolant on the driveway?? Could the coolant be evaporating due to the intense heat? Would a cooler thermostat help? Could there be something
wrong with the radiator? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks!

ernest

Here is a puzzle for all you mechanical wizards. I have an 86 Dodge van with a 318 cid, 5.2 liter V8. On Saturday, I noticed fuel dripping from the fuel pump. I couldn't get it into the shop until Mon., so I drove it all week-end (it didn't leak when running), parked it uphill so it wouldn't leak and generally went about business as usual. On Monday, my mechanic replaced the fuel pump, after which
the engine would turn off but not start. I went to the shop and tried to start it but couldn't. The carb. was dry so I conscluded and later we confirmed that no gas was pumping out of the pump. They contended that my gas tank was empty. I said impossible and showed them my gas ticket where I had filled it 100 miles previously. He insisted, so I agreed to let him put in 4 gallons the next day. I later called and he said that was the problem. It started right up. I picked up the van, went directly to a gas station and filled it up. It took 2.5 gallons. If it had been empty as they thought, it would have taken 15+ gallons. So, what caused it not to start after the pump was put in? I contend that opening the gas cap relieved some sort of pressure block. Or, the assistant hooked up the hoses incorrectly and discovered it the next day, corrected it, and used the gas as some feeble reason. But if anyone has any solutions to this puzzling situation, I would like to hear them.