All Part Groups Making Noise Happens always Always
Q: just wanted to know how to cahnge the fan belt. i am getting a noise like the belt may be old when i start and run my car i guessing its the belt but if you know of something else it may be please do tell
A: i take it you have a serpentine belt for your car... look for a pulley that just has an arm, and a wheel on it. (its not a p/s pump, a/c, alt. etc. just a wheel!) there will be a 3/8, or 1/2in square hole in it. put a ratchet in there and pull up or down. only one way will release the belt. then just pull off the old one, and put on the new one. make sure you put in on in the same path as the old one. there should be a sticker on your hood, or on the body by the raditor that will explain all of this too!
Electrical / Lighting Systems Other Happens sometimes Always
Q: Battery gets discharged and lights go bright and dim ,is there a separate voltage regulator or is it internal in the alternater
A: The voltage regulator is inside alternator. A new one should cost you around 125 bucks. I prefer to buy a new one, and not get one from a junkyard. I have had problems with junkyard alternators before, so save the hassle and just change it once and be done with it. Also if you have your alternator checked, and it is ok the try upgrading your ground wire. Also you can upgrade power wire from alternator to battery all for less than 40 bucks. This is using good wire.
Electrical / Lighting Systems Malfunction When turning Always
Q: Everytime I click the the turning signal light to the right, it blinks at a faster rate than if I were to turn to the left.
(It's a '96 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS)
I checked the fuses, and replaced and checked most of the light bulbs, and it still happens to the car.
What is the possible cure for this sort of problem? thanks!!!!
Thomas
astropopsf@yahoo.com
A: One of the bulbs on the "fast clicking side" of the car has burned out.... Ed
Q: When I accelerate and reach about 60 mph my car starts to vibrate.
The whole car seems to shake until I reach about 70 mph and it stops. If I would let off of the gas and let the car slow down to anywhere in between 60 and 70 mph and then accelerate it would vibrate again.
Do you have any idea what this could be and how I could fix it??? Thanks,
Brad
A: Have your wheels balanced. If the problem persists, have the wheel bearings and steering linkages inspected.
Q: I just replaced the plugs plugwires and coil and my check engine light has been coming on. The car stalls both at idle and low/high speed driving. No other distinctive symptoms but it does feel like a total loss of power. I had it hooked up for a diagnostic test i think it was an ODB II and the code was p0352. Before I changed the coil there were two codes 351 and 352 any ideas. I had the head rebuilt 6mths ago and just had the trans rebuilt too. Got 144k original miles.
A: replace your oxegen senser it should stop
Any questions BryanX45@hotmail.com
Electrical / Lighting Systems Other Happens always Not applicable
Q: The battery ran dead. We tried jumping it, but no success. We had to pull the battery and after charging, it started.
A fuse was broken. Windows, air... nothing would work. We found the fuse and replaced it.
Everything works now EXCEPT for the radio/cd player. And the "radio" fuse is fine.....
Where else do I look?
A: Some of the radio/cd systems have their own additional fuse at the back of them..... you may have to take it out and check..... Ed
Ignition System Malfunction Not applicable Not applicable
Q: car has no spark. is there any way to test the crank angle sensor. The coil pack has power going to it through the wires. Also how do tell if the power transistor is good. And do those cors have any type of relays or modules that could be bad.
A: Even though the coil has power going to it it still might be bad. Check the coil for continuity. Also I hate to tell you that the computer may have gone out. You might also check the ignition module if it's not a part of the computer which I'm afraid it is on that car.
Chassis / Suspension & Steering Malfunction When driving When warm
Q: The steering became really hard to turn. we thought the power steering belt broke, but when we went to change it, it wasn't broke but loose. we put the belt back on but it jumps off when the car is cranked. I was told that the tension is probably strip but my question, is there suppose to be a belt around the tension. the power steering belt is on around the alternator but there is no belt around the tension. Could you email me a diagram of this engine? It's a 1.8 engine four cylinder.
A: Check the bearings in the power steering pump and see if the pulley is bent by spinning it.
Q: As I accelerate the car tends to chug, almost like I was feathering the clutch. The more gas I give the more it tends to chug. Almost becomes a continual chug as the turbo gage reaches 12 psi. This happens when the engine is cold, tends to happen less as the engine is warmed up.
A: Sounds like the throttle position sensor is bad.
All Part Groups Making Noise Happens always Always
Q: there is a sound that the car makes that is very loud, almost like a hard vibrating noise. one of my family members said that it could be my oil pump and i need to find out on how about getting one.
Q: When I start my car and rev it, white smoke comes out of the tail pipe, but only when i rev it when i first start it, not when i'm going down the road. is it my head gasket?
A: No! Everything collects condensation at some point and if your vehicle is not overheating or using coolant you don't have anything to worry about. Your engine is just burning off the moisture that has collected inside overnight.
Q: When I pull up to a stop the RPM's will often - but not always - drop to 0, and the car will stall.
It appears to happen more often once the car is warm. Turning on the AC makes the problem worse.
A: The idle air control motor system should react and stop this...... Ed
All Part Groups Malfunction When driving When warm
Q: On the highway, I felt a loss of power. I turned off the A/C and power resumed. I gave it gas and it reacted normally.
I turned on the A/C again, and this time the car shut down, sputtering to a stop - regardless of my giving it gas. It wouldn't start until about a half an hour later.
Waiting at the stop light, it began to act up and I coasted to a sputtering stop.
The next day, I took it barely one block when the car sputtered and died. The automatic seatbelts barely went forward. Moreover, the engine seemed hotter than normal. Trying to turn the engine over resulted in a few clicks and the panel lights all went on.
1. Could it be the PCM?
2. If so, would it be hard for me to replace it in this car or should a mechanic do it?
Thank you for your help.
A: Sounds like the battery going dead to me... Iis the charging system okay???... Ed
Drive Train / Driveline Malfunction When driving Always
Q: Hello. I have a 91' Eclipse GS Turbo, FWD, w/ an automatic trans. I'm having problems with my car shifting to the highest gear when I'm driving at highway speeds. The first 3 gears operate normally however, during the shifting transition from 3rd to 4th, the trans. Seems to slip into neutral. My reverse gear shudders but it's functional. I checked the trans. Fluid and it was a brown color. It was 2 years since the last transmission fluid exchange so I thought I would need to have the transmission flushed and fluid exchange to resolve this problem, so I did. That didn't work. About a day after that I had that done, the transmission actually engaged in 4th gear. That whole day the transmission was operating normally, even at highway conditions. Unfortunutely, the problem came back the next day. Since then, the transmission will shift to 4th gear sometimes but never does most of the time. Considering this happened, I know that all of my gears aren't burnt and shot. I thought it might be an electrical problem so I looked up information on "Mitchell on Demand"(automotive computer software program.) From there, I came across a component of my trans. called 'pulse generators'. What is this and how does it work? If this component is faulty on my car, is there any relation to my trans. malfuctioning? Or could it be possible that I have a vacuum leak? Please reply to me at my e-mail address at Fdeguz78@hotmail.com. I would appreciate your suggestion(s). Thanks.
A: Pulse generators are part of the shifting and COULD be part of the proble. Usually it is the overdrive unit that burns first. Ed
Q: i think its the head gasket but is there any way to tell if the heads cracked
A: while the cylinder head is off you can send it to a machine shop to have it magna-fluxed,you used to be able to buy some stuff at NAPA to do the same thing but i do not think it works as well,If I was going to the trouble of replacing the gasket i would spend a few bucks and have it checked correctly.
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