Got a Quick, Technical Question?

vet5 · May 2004

I have a 2003 Lesabre w/13,000 miles on it. The cruise control will hold for 45 minutes or so, then drop off 3 MPH or so and hold at the new, slower speed. Does not happen every time. Thanks.

imidazol97 · May 2004

It's under warranty at 13K. Let the dealer diagnose the problem.
There's a Buick discussion and a couple of Bonneville discussions here.

vet5 · May 2004

Obviously.....that is where I'm headed. Was just looking for opinions beforehand. Thanks.

jlflemmons · May 2004

Sometimes the tach used in the instrument cluster has a jumper option for 4cyl or 6cyl. I have seen where the jumper would be loose, or just not making good contact, and the tach would get really flakey, falling to below 0 or jumping to 4000rpm on idle.

One thing that sometimes will prove this is to firmly hit the dash above the tach with you hand and watch for the malfunction.

Saw this on a 79 Olds Calais and drove folks nuts until the problem was found. Soldered the jumper down and the problem never came back.

mjmarket · May 2004

My 1998 SL2 has a loud spring {twang} noise comming from the rear of the car . I looked up all the SB and it seems that the strut springs rotate and make contact and rub . I turned the springs put teflon spacers between them and they still make noise when I go over a bump. The only time it stops is when it rains.Could it be a sway bar or something else?? Mike

bulletproof · May 2004

Hi, I really don't drive very often and I find my battery always dying after not driving for a while, I was wondering if there was any device or some way to prevent this from happening?

3745 · May 2004

You say the noise stops when it rains? Many years ago we used to spray brake fluid on all under car rubber bushes and fittings to lubricate them and stop them from squeaking. Maybe a few shots of brake fluid from a squeeze bottle with a nozzle will help? Take care not to get the brake fluid on your car body paint though.

wayshwing · May 2004

Whenever I start my Trooper, there is a LOUD squealing noise, just like a slipping belt, somewhere in the engine, for about 15-20 seconds. The it goes away.
I've been told that its the timing belt, but I'm not sure.
Anyone else have this experience?

glaroya@yahoo.com

alcan · May 2004

If your car's parked outside, there are solar powered trickle chargers available which sit on the dash and plug into the cigarette lighter socket.

mjmarket · May 2004

Thanks I'll try it Mike

alcan · May 2004

Which engine? Serpentine belt or multiple V belts?

Mr_Shiftright · May 2004

nah, timing belts only slip once and then you're done!

Could be drive belts or idler pulley or bad alternator bearing.

One quick thing you can do is spray just a little WD-40 on the belts before you start it up cold and see (hear) what happens. Or even rub a bar of soap on the belts inner side, with the engine off of course--LOL!

ashong · May 2004

I have 1978 Mercedes Benz the motor still runs when I shut off the engine. Could you please tell what the problem might be.
Thanks

tropicalmonte · May 2004

Any idea why I am experiencing excessive wear on front wheel bearings ? I have gone through 3 sets of wheel bearings (hub assembly) since my car reached 100k and they are averaging 4-5k of life per replacement. Front end parts seem to be fine, I've also replaced all brake parts as process of elimination i.e. calipers, rotors, pads, even replaced rims and tires after first two hub assy set replacement so there seems to be nothing left to attribute the premature expiration to. I dont drive that hard on them so that should'nt be an issue. The only thing I can figure is perhaps the hub assy I am purchasing at a local discount auto store (rhymes with "worries") are poor quality and arent lasting as long as OEM's might. The "specialist" at the store assures me that they have received no reports of others having problems with them and there have been no recalls on the part but I'm growing weary of returing them (under warranty) and having to keep replacing them. I get the feeling they think I'm doing something fishy to cause them to wear down with only 5000 miles on them and I'm getting the cold shoulder with each return visit. Please help !!!!

sell93gle · May 2004

I have a 93 nissan altima gle . i,m replacing pos& neg batt cables,the pos cable is all wrapped up with the whole harness . does anyone have a harness kit?

crankshaft · May 2004

i have replaced the hub bearings on my ford.i believe i purchased them from the same chain as you did.i have had no problems.i am wondering if you are properly tightening the hub nut to specs with a torque wrench.

3745 · May 2004

The only thing left that might be causing excessive wear of the hub bearings could be rims that are not putting the weight of the car directly under the bearing. A situation like this can be caused by spacers fitted between the hub and rim or, replacement rims that are offset with reference to the OEM rims. Make sure your replacement rims have the same depth as the OEM rims measured from the inside of the rim to the mounting surface that goes onto the hub.

Mr_Shiftright · May 2004

Is this Benz a diesel or gas engine?

tropicalmonte · May 2004

Thanks guys, I will pay closer attention to the torque applied this time but almost certain it was correct ... excuse my ignorance but how would incorrect torque cause them to fail prematurely ?

... the rims I spoke of, ARE IN FACT OEM's ... replaced them with identical factory insatlled originals and since the problems occurred before replacement (twice) and continue after they were installed, I'm pretty confident this isn't the problem ... where do I send the gratuitous pizza and beer for all of the money you guys have saved me in the past? I'm about to buy a 95 Cutlass Supreme Convertible so Im sure I will be asking for more help when the needs arise.

swschrad · May 2004

have a great holiday!

holenone79 · May 2004

I hear a high pitched whine when accelerating from a stop. It is an automatic. Is this normal in the civics with a vtec engine, because my daughters lx does not have this. Both cars are 2004's. Has anybody else experienced this?

edle777 · May 2004

Hello, I entered this in the Corolla forum but got no responses.

What's the typical life of an alternator belt? I needed mine replaced due to severe cracking. The car is 5 yrs old and only has about 34K miles on it.

Should an alternator belt typically last longer than this???

leesun · June 2004

My son is contemplating purchase of a 1989 Ford Mustang LX with a L4-140 2.3L SOHC engine as his first car.

The owner, over the past year, replaced the water-pump, thermostat, hoses, belts and had a new core put in the radiator. The engine now has a blown head gasket, so I am thinking this could be a good project for he and I to work on together. I have reasonably good mechanical skills and have the tools we'll need, I think.

My questions are:

Is this a project we can do by ourselves in our home's garage, or does it require specific tools and equipment that we're not likely to have?

My assumption is that when we remove the head, we should take it to a head-shop for checking, have it resurfaced, and if necessary, have the
valves ground, etc. Are there any other things we should be aware of?

What should we expect to pay for new gasket kits, bolts, etc. from an after-market parts store like Checker, AutoZone, etc.?

Is there a good place to get these materials by mail-order or online source that has really good prices?

I've also heard that these engines are prone to blowing head gaskets. Is that true? If so, what is the cause, and is there a fix for this?

Is there anything else we should check while into this project? Like, change engine oil and filter in case any coolant got into the crankcase when the gasket blew, or any other things not mentioned
above?

Thanks for any advice and suggestions you can provide.

Lee

akangl · June 2004

It depends on lots of things, weather, miles, age. I would say that's not unusual. I've had to replace belts every year before due to the severe cold here in Alaska. I've replaced a belt only to have it break a week later. We just recently replaced the belt on my husband's truck, its 5 years old and had 15k on it, but the belt was in bad need of replacement. Belts are a minor part of car maintanace, I wouldn't worry about it. It doesn't signal a problem with your car, its just a belt.

swschrad · June 2004

because you are going to have to pull the crankshaft bearings and gage the crank to see if you have major engine damage. yup, the water dilution of oil will kill an engine real quick by washing the lube out of the moving parts in the lower engine.

I would be assuming that if you MUST have this car, that you are going to put a running junkyard engine into it. warning, if you don't match the engine model and year and application up exactly right, be sure you get the computer module that was on that engine with it. the modules are standard, the programming for each engine/transmission combo is specific.

myself, hearing of a blown head gasket is enough to keep walking. sounds like the old owner is from the "throw enough parts at it, and eventually you fix the issue," and he diddled around with overheating long enough so that the real cause -- leaky, then blown head gasket -- has had a real good shot at blowing the engine. put every possible part in EXCEPT a head gasket. guess we know why he's selling it.

this thing's old enough anyway that it probably needs a ring job, so we're talking about having everything machined in a shop, full disassembly, get all new running parts inside the block (several hundred dollars or so) plus a new oil pump and screen Just Because You Can, a hundred bucks worth of gaskets, on and on. gut feeling is you're into $1000-1500 doing all your own labor, including the machine shop charges, on the engine alone. it might not be salvageable either, some used blocks just won't dress up before you exceed the maximum rebore specs.

run, don't walk, away from this one. the mill is a doorstop.

swschrad · June 2004

gates has always recommended replacing belts after 4 years. I'm sure it is purely a coincidence that gates makes good belts. IMHO that's valid for V-belts, and not necessarily so for serpentine belts. if you see chunking of more than two ribs next to each other anyplace on a belt, or chunks larger than a running inch in length, or fraying at the edges or on the back, it's time for a belt. a few little cracks in ribs helps 'em run cooler, but those will spread in time, so you have to inspect every season change or so.

mcrae127 · June 2004

Recently my Cherokee has started to run erratically when in reverse to the point the vehicle has difficulty backing up. Once in drive it smooths out and runs fine until around 65 mph, at that point the engine starts missing. It will maintain speed but the miss continues unless I drop speed or go into passing gear. As time has gone on, it seems the speed at which this starts is getting slower. Has anyone experienced something similar and do they have suggestions as to what to do?

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

This is the kind of problem that can drive you crazy.

Given that this happens in reverse, when there is no load on the engine particularly, I would suspect the fuel filter which I believe sits inside your Cherokee's gas tank.

The only glitch that gives me doubts is that your car (you say) performs well in passing gear, which somewhat contradicts a fuel starvation problem.

In a way, your symptoms don't quite make sense, but you should be the best person to report them accurately.

Another suspicion I have is your engine's distributor.

swschrad · June 2004

which is load on the engine. I'd get on the soapbox and say ignition wires and/or plugs should be checked and replaced as needed here (like shotgun the things and be done with it.) you could try cleaning the road dust and spray off the wires and distributor cap first, but the HV stuff is my first suspect.

there have been a load of posts about a year back about goo coming off the inside of jeep gas tanks gumming the fuel systems up from about that era, and it could mean replacement of the gas tank. so I can see where shifty is coming from. I'd still like to pull a couple plugs and look 'em over good myself, see how the wear is, and go from there.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

Sure, plugs and wires are simple but I seem to recall that those Jeeps have this little "bow-tie" filter that attaches to the fuel pump, which is inside the gss tank.

Reverse really shouldn't have much load on the engine, since a low gear doesn't strain the engine at all---like the lowest gear on a mountain bike is the easiest to pedal.

so my reasoning was that ignition systems usually require a load to show up. There's really no reason why a plug should not fire in reverse gear but fire in first gear.

Now a downshift into passing gear decreases the load on the engine/ignition but the higher revs should consume more fuel, which makes me wonder why the engine doesn't miss on downshifting.

This contradiction in turn makes me suspect the distributor, which can act somewhat randomly.

I've seen this kind of problem on the Jeep 6 cylinders, and they can be devils to diagnose, absolute devils!

Hope you get lucky on this one.

I'd go from "simple to complex". So plugs, wires, external fuel filter (not the gas tank one), maybe some very nasty injector cleaner (or done with a machine through the intake manifold) then to distributor (you can check it with a light and also check it for tightness and moisture), then maybe we have to drop the tank if none of the above works. And if THAT doesn' do it on top of all the other things, then you are in the Jeep Hell I spoke of, a Land of Mystery and Anguish. Let's not even talk about that, it's probably simpler than that!

alcan · June 2004

When in reverse, the engine/transmission torque in the opposite direction than when in a forward range. I'd start by looking for anything that could cause a wiring harness strain or chafe, especially to items such as crank sensor, etc. I'd also take a hard look at the routing of the harness to the ECM, and I'd definitely have a look at the mounts.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

I just got the shivers when you mentioned that possibility. That'd be a bear to find...you'd need to be able to discern when the engine lifts, how far, and what it is tugging on in an intermittent situation!

Still, your idea does connect the two seemingly disparate situations....going in reverse creates a problem and downshifting cures it...in both cases you get engine motion.

Diagnosing engine mounts isn't too hard. Lift the hood, start the engine, foot on brake, put it in reverse, and depress the gas with brake FIRMLY applied...and peek through or around the hood and see if the engine jumps up to say hello every time you touch the gas.

ucanski · June 2004

Symptoms: Car quit driving home. Fuel tank registers empty, however tank was filled in the morning - so not likely out of gas. Try to start car and it just turns over. Any clues?

swschrad · June 2004

the fuel pump and the level sender might be on the same circuit, so a blown fuse to the fuel pump might be possible. a bad fuel regulator could also be a no-start, but I wouldn't expect that to leave a no-gas indication on the level meter. I don't know if GM uses an intertial fuel shutoff switch to protect against fuel spraying around in case of an accident like Ford does, but if you have one, reset it as well.

getting to the basics, you have to have fuel, air, and spark to run an engine. if it dies suddenly, fuel and spark are the most likely culprits. fuel could be interrupted by the computer, a relay to the fuel pump, the fuse, bum wiring, a dead fuel pump (if you never reach the bottom third of your gas tank, you are much, much less likely to ever replace a fuel pump.. fuel cools 'em, and they need to stay covered.) spark could be interrupted by the computer, any of a dozen sensors, a bad coil or coils, potentially no fuel delivery if this is interlocked with a pressure sensor, or voltage too low to run the computer properly. if battery voltage drops below 10-1/2 volts when cranking, all bets are off on whether anything is going to work correctly.

just pushing the test port Schrader valve on the fuel rail and getting a spray of fuel under pressure isn't really a good test of having fuel, because it has to be within a range of pressure for the computer to utilize the fuel accurately in a modern engine.

no, if you can't switch fuses of the same size around and get started, I'd say it's time for a tow and a mechanic with diagnostic equipment to look at it.

greg3815 · June 2004

hey i have a 2000 blk chevy cavalier my stupid sister lefth the windows down when it rained an now the horn dont work what can i do 2 get tha fixed is there a relay or fuse or anything i know the horn aint unplug an the fuse is ok so what do i do

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

Hmmm...you might have to pull the wheel off and clean the area where the horn button contacts metal, or the "ground". Different car wheels come off different ways so this could get a little complicated. Some require a puller.

Hey guys, isn't there a spray that he could try just as a longshot?

3745 · June 2004

Look out for the airbag! You'll first have to disable it. That model Cavalier steering wheel needs a puller to get it off. If a lot of water got onto the steering wheel, chances are that the airbag has also been damaged.

swschrad · June 2004

I shy away from any area that has orange zip-cord type wiring in a car for that very reason. I have heard different tales of how you deactivate the thing in different cars. I don't want to learn how on my car. that's one area I'll leave to somebody with shop insurance that would have to replace the steenkin' thing on their dime, not mine.

Kirstie_H · June 2004

but here goes -
Have you ever heard of Web sites that evaluate photos of your damaged car and help you get repair quotes, such as dingit.com? Please contact jfallon@edmunds.com if you know anything and/or have an opinion about these services.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

Yep, you guys are right. No messing with airbags....take it to a shop!

mammers · June 2004

Every time I use the heater or air conditioner in my 2000 Grand Caravan, a bad odor comes out of the vents. (Please note that I've owned the car since new without any problems, except this one, which began about six months ago.) I brought the car back to the dealer to fix the problem, but I think all they did was to spray some type of disinfectant into the front exterior intake vents. This seemed to correct the problem, but approximately six weeks later the problem returned. My guess is that the air conditioner condensate drain tube is clogged, but I don't know where to find it. Any suggestions?

swschrad · June 2004

which is the big flat box into which all the a/c tubing goes. it will be on the bottom, likely near the center or the back. once you get it poked clear (warning! don't get a real stiff chunk of steel and ram it in there until all the refrigerant comes out, that's over $1000 in damage!,) spray it full of lysol, and flush it with clean water. there is some goop that collected from outside air, like cottonwood seeds and road stickies and stuff, that will continue to plug it until it's flushed out.

Real Men might try taking the two halves of the evap housing off, and clean the fins with soapy water and a hose. those Real Men would then have to seal the housing up again, and hopefully wouldn't have put weight on the assembly in the process, also getting a real good chance of breaking the tubing or coil and blowing a bunch of dead presidents for experts to fix up after them.

you wouldn't believe the amount of crud that settles into that wet-finned coil. one of my pet peeves is that there isn't a filter ahead of the evap to catch that slop. it might have something to do with having to take my 76 buick's system apart and scrubbing out the evap with a brush in the sink to get any air flow through it.

then again, it might not...

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

Man, that would be a job on a modern car. Isn't there a way to blow hot air through the vents after you've used the a/c? That might clear out the moisture so it doesn't get foul.

flcaravan203 · June 2004

2003 Caravan with 15,000.

Check engine light came on Friday morning. Then, the temperature guage started jumping up and down, one second it was normal, the next it was near the red mark. Took it to the dealership. They said the temp sensor was bad. They replaced it but it still had the problem.

Now for the strange part. I started to drive it home and the RPM s were jumping up and down. I had to push hard on the brake at the first red light to keep the van from lurching forward. Most of the warning lights also flashed on and off. I started from the red light and the van jolted back and forth and I could barely excellerate. Barely got it back to the dealership. It's there now but they aren't even sure what the problem is.

3745 · June 2004

I've heard about rectifier diodes in the alternator going short circuit and putting an alternating voltage onto the dc output. This causes the computer to do funny things. Set a multimeter to ac volts and see if there is any ac on the output of the alternator.

montanarocks · June 2004

My 99 Montana has recently developped a problem which stumps my mechanic. The automatic load levelling system seems to have stopped working. I can no longer hear the compressor engage after I start the engine. It appears that the shock on the left side has been inflated or whatever it is that happens to shocks to its very maximum, raising the rear end of the van and is not releasing. This causes severe thumping and bumping and makes for a very rough ride. Mechanic can release the shock manually (I do not know how he does that!) but then, a few days later, the same thing happens. Has anyone run into a similar problem and what can be done to fix it?

In the meantime I've learned how to release the pressure on the shock (pull a little cap thingie and the car drops about 8 inches). Still would very much appreciate hearing if any others have problems with the automatic levelling system .

swschrad · June 2004

bummer. too new to be likely to be a head gasket failure on the temps, but they should sniff the radiator with an exhaust gas analyzer anyway.

the whole package appears to have one thing in common: the engine computer. I'd clean the connector up, tighten the grounds up, replace the fuse, and try again. if that didn't do it, I'd try flashing the thing. they're going to be reluctant to change it out, electrical stuff can't go back on the shelf, but that's a strong, strong suspicion I have.

swschrad · June 2004

at least you have an air shock and/or valve system that is shot, along with a compressor, at most you have multiple failures extant or a gnat's width from happening.

air suspension systems are a very common complaint, and the cost to fix these things, assuming they can get parts, is in the thousands.

most folks roll back to a standard suspension, at slightly reduced cost.

there's a reason I didn't buy the pearl-white explorer on the lot... it had automatic air suspension. you take the labels off the parts, and they are all stamped MONEY PIT EXTREMO.

it would cost less to have some specialty shop make your air system over as a hopping car

Mr_Shiftright · June 2004

Well maybe with a good diagnostic he'll get lucky. Could be just a sensor or check valve of some sort (I don't know this particular system). Obviously we know the compressor works!

ab2hp · June 2004

speedometer problem

Sir,
I have a Honda Civic92 DX, 2 door Hatch back. Some times at Idling speedometer needle points 100km/Hr and returns to 0. most of the times it does not show the actual reading instead shows 0 km/hr. after a bump on the road needle again picks up.
I changed the speed sensor but problem still remains the same. The dealer said I have to change entire system at a minimum cost of C$ 750+Labour [ or more ]. Is this a typical problem? I can tackle at local garage?

Need your suggestion.

-Hewlett
Brampton Canada

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