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BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there?
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: ragdall Date: 20 May 10 - 02:02 AM I may be wrong but surely a 1978 Fairmont will have carburettors rather than electronically controlled fuel injection, so the diagnosis process may be rather different from the OP's Honda. You're right. My car will be getting a carburetor transplant, Friday. It'll cost my entire pension for this month. Not sure about putting a new carb into a 32 year old car. I hope it won't reject it? rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: JohnInKansas Date: 19 May 10 - 11:42 PM The information available from the computers has varied a lot from one vehicle to the next. Whether the mechanic who plugs in to read the information will know what it means probably (in most places) varies a lot more. Most of the diagnostic stuff does prove helpful for "standard failures," but for anything "intermittent" the codes are mostly useless, and GM at least gave multiple warnings about not believing the computer under many circumstances - or at least they did a few years back. There are lots of other reasonably common failure points that could contribute to the problem at hand; but like for computer problems, many are quite difficult to diagnose without "hands on" the machinery. There are too many likely "solutions" to know which ONE is right. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 19 May 10 - 06:34 PM That seems plausible John - but - I cannot say for a Honda, but the equivalent sensor on 7 and 9 Volvos (which they called the "Lambda sensor") if faulty would have given a code readout. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: JohnInKansas Date: 19 May 10 - 01:19 PM The problem does suggest a fuel mixture error. A component critical to fuel mixture that is somewhat prone to failure is the "oxygen sensor" that detects unburned fuel in the exhaust gas to tell the computer to make the mix leaner. (More air - less fuel.) Many recent vehicles have two oxy sensors, with one near the actual engine exhaust point and a second one nearer the catalytic converter outlet. Since a richer mixture is needed for cold starting, the oxy sensor is likely to pick up an excess of fuel during starting. As the engine warms up and the mixture is "leaned" the excess has to be burned off, so the sensor actually lags the actual exhaust gas state as the mix leans, if a fully rich mixture was used for the cold start. Residual "excess" on the sensor, when you try to start a warm engine, may make the computer think the mix is too rich, so it provides a very lean mix to the engine, with insufficient fuel for the restart. If the engine runs long enough to "purge" the oxy sensor so that it gives a correct reading for the current state of the engine, the mix will be right for starting. If the engine didn't run long enough to clean up the excess from the last cold start, the mix will be too lean for re-starting. A good sensor should clean up very quickly, but one that's been in service for a while may have a much slower response. Even a sensor that's gone completely "dead" probably won't prevent starting under most conditions, and a dead or dying sensor is usually seen just as a degraded performance while the engine is running. The sensor also can be "killed" rather quickly by fuel contaminated with anything that doesn't "burn out" quickly, with even small amounts of leaded fuel being a most common cause before it was mostly eliminated from the market. Some aftermarket "fuel additives" still available can have very negative effects. Exhaust system leaks, or clogging, can significantly affect how quickly the sensor cleans up, and how closely it follows actual mix conditions. Exhaust line problems that persist for too long can actually cause permanent sensor failure. An inefficient (worn out) catalytic converter might allow the secondary oxy sensor to call for leaner mix. Some engine computers from around the era of the vehicle in question did not record an error that directly indicates oxy sensor failure, although I can't say whether that's the case with the specific vehicle involved. The diagnostic test for sensor condition is a simple resistance (any VOM/multimeter) check, but resistance values have to be matched to actual sensor temperature and you'd need specs for the specific sensor on the vehicle. This is only one of many possibilities; but it's one commonly mis-diagnosed and ignored around the time that the vehicle in question was new. (New oxy sensor - $20, "carburetor rebuild" or mixture control module replace - $400, hence a bit of bias in what the mechanic tried first) John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 19 May 10 - 02:11 AM I'm itching to find out the answer when it is discovered - and at present everything points to some sort of enrichment device (not "choke" - those only exist on carburettor engines). But it could be an electronic control (part of or attached to the Engine Control Unit - many have one or a set of resistors to control signal voltages which cowboys can tamper with to provide more fuel if they have turned up the wastegate on a turbo - a disgression in this case but a fault with such a resistor COULD be the problem) fault, or a sensor fault providing the wrong signal to the ECU, or it could be an associated device (like the "radio suppression relay, which is not actually a radio suppression relay, on 7 and 9 series Volvos) or it could be something like the ancillary injector rail pressure (on early V6 Volvos with mechanically controlled injection there were three different injector rails, one for cold start, one for normal running and one for in between). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: mousethief Date: 19 May 10 - 01:38 AM Also you never said that if the vehicle did start up at one of the "middle points" was there a bang or sudden acceleration (hydrostatic lock on the injectors). No it does not. If it does start in the middle points (sometimes after I've cranked it three or four 5-10 second cranks separated by 10-20 seconds waiting) it sounds like normal. A quick test would be to have a friend attempt to start the car while you placed your hand over the air intake and removed it after a few revolutions or until the car started. This test would indicate a black box interface with both the injectors and the spark unit, as the pumping motion of the piston movement would suck in more fuel if your hand is acting like an old fashioned throttle plate. I don't understand what this means. I'm a car lightweight. I haven't worked on a car since my 1967 Mustang and it was much simpler, and had a carburetor. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Bobert Date: 18 May 10 - 09:50 PM Well, Claymore, ol' buddy... That's exactly what I said except in fuel injection lingo... They don't have chokes... They have cold start valves that inject more fuel into cold engines... Same principle as a choke... I think it's faulty and shutting off too soon and that tyhe engine isn't warmed sufficiently before it shuts off... That's why it won't restart when it is just slightly warmed up... It thinks the engine is fully warmed up when it isn't and therefore is stravin' the engine when it's only slightly warmed up... That's my call... What the hell you up to, Claymore??? I played a private party in yer neck of the woods this past weekend... Didn't see you there... b~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Claymore Date: 18 May 10 - 08:40 PM I have read all of the above and still think its part of the automatic choke system which unfortunately is part of the engines black box (very expensive). To insure its not your wires, simply observe your engine at dusk. If its a wiring problem, the sparks will light up from the point of origin (hole in wire, bad radio resister on spark wire etc to the top of your head gasket. However such a hole in a wire etc. would only affect the performance of the engine, especially during idling and not starting. In addition if it was some form of electrical problem, the injectors would still be letting in gas which you could smell at the exhasut pipe after some of the cranking you describe. Also you never said that if the vehicle did start up at one of the "middle points" was there a bang or sudden acceleration (hydrostatic lock on the injectors). Once you have eliminated the elecrical possiblity then the only other case is the throttling of fuel as the third part, lack of O2 would only be cause by a super dirty air filter or an old fashioned throttle plate. A quick test would be to have a friend attempt to start the car while you placed your hand over the air intake and removed it after a few revolutions or until the car started. This test would indicate a black box interface with both the injectors and the spark unit, as the pumping motion of the piston movement would suck in more fuel if your hand is acting like an old fashioned throttle plate. If there is a spark she should fire right up, but at the end of the day you still have a black box problem, which might be solved at the local junk yard. Incidently some of the folks in a junk yard are the best mechanics in the business, and might be persuaded to wire it up for pin money |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: skarpi Date: 18 May 10 - 08:50 AM here is one: have you put meter on the battery while the car is still running ???? the question is does it charge the battery while its running ... if not mostly likely its some thing connected with the altenator .. but the best way is to get it to someone who have computer to connect to the car .. and find out where the failure is . all the best Skarpi |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: GUEST Date: 18 May 10 - 04:32 AM Heard an interesting tale once, whose moral I forget but it was aimed at fixers of obscure faults. Seems that in the days before domestic freezers, this guy went to the store every Sunday lunchtime to buy ice cream for dessert, but the car would only start for the trip home if he bought vanilla. Any other flavour, and the engine would turn over but not fire. This happened consistently, week after week. Now, the vanilla ice cream was kept at the front of the freezer, with the other sorts at the back. Turned out that the extra time taken to locate a non-vanilla variety was just long enough to allow a fuel vapour lock to form in the partly warmed engine... Which may or may not be relevant in this case.
Thanks. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Bobert Date: 17 May 10 - 09:05 PM Ain' the ECM, mouser... Don't waste yer time replacin' it... Glad it fixed yer Taurus tho, Oldster... Bet the ECM didn't fix the leak in yer tranny, tho... lol... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: olddude Date: 17 May 10 - 07:02 PM on my 1994 taurus, exact same problem. it was the main computer board. got one from the junk yard. fix the problem |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: skarpi Date: 17 May 10 - 09:50 AM sound like two things , altenator or the starter .... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 16 May 10 - 08:05 PM Ahhh ... and now the truth is revealed:
DUDE - (or BAGD depending on your tuning.)
ALWAYS - replace plugs, wire, distribulator ... when the "beep code" "pig tail" "dot pattern" .... (you HAVE purchased manufactor's manual $220 US)...find someone with the same automobile in your neighborhood ... and begin the "ol' military mechanic" swapping out of parts until it works...Works for "computer repair."
DUDE - Why post THIS hear? 90 percent of these Mudcat posters can't tune an insturment...much less a car...some might consider a high pitched flute a piccolo in retreat. (Joke Doppler effect)
Consider a bicycle.
Sincerely, But keep the tires inflated and th chain well lubricated. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: JohnInKansas Date: 16 May 10 - 05:37 PM But like with a diesel, running out of fuel can destroy the injectors, or in the case of manifold injection, the injection pump. The fuel is the only lubricant in the injection pump, which will keep running dry if the supply runs out. This frequently scores the itty-bitties inside and makes things "work funny." (Sorry 'bout them technical terms, but they're the ones used by the best techs I know.) John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Phot Date: 16 May 10 - 04:32 PM Not in a fuel injected engine 3legs! ;~) Wassail!! Chris |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Bonzo3legs Date: 16 May 10 - 04:17 PM Could it be dirt in the carb moving about and blocking the jets? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: JohnInKansas Date: 16 May 10 - 01:34 PM I see somewhere up above: So Catspaw, Do you have a lot of experience with a faulty crank position sensor??? Relative to Spaw, did you mean "cranky position sensor?" Anecdotal comment, probably with very little applicability to the current question. The only instance I've seen where the same symptom was found consistently was eventually traced to "operator error." The driver was in the habit of "topping off" every time fuel was added (not recommended), and habitually kept a "full tank" (not a bad habit). The problem was that every time he "topped off" the carbon canister intended to capture evaporation from the fuel tank got saturated with fuel. Once the engine is up to running temp, it sucks air back through the canister to clear the fumes; but on a short run the can stayed wet. This affected the mixture when a "warm restart" was attempted, and made it very difficult to start. This driver had lots of other things "lacking maintenance" that contributed to the problem; and it was, of course, not the same breed as the one in question here. The point is just that simple things can bite you unexpectedly. Finding a shop that can read the error codes that the vehicle provides is generally a very good idea. A problem with relying on the guy with the latest diagnostic tools is that most of the computers (in that era, at least) were deliberately rigged to "ignore" intermittent errors, and in some cases the data indicating what happened gets "erased" if the error doesn't repeat the next time the engine starts "normally." Since there almost always are "other errors" that could mean something, this can lead to lots of expensive replacement of good parts, if the person doing the work doesn't know when to ignore the computer. My 1995 Chevy Service Manual (different vehicle, same era) has an extensive section on when to NOT USE THE DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM, with additional warnings throughout. I have not found a "dealer service agency" that appears to have read those sections. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 16 May 10 - 01:17 PM I wish I was a regular attender at Upper Cruch. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Leadfingers Date: 16 May 10 - 01:14 PM I am a regular attendee at the Upper Chruch of Typo ! Maybe Similar would look better ! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: mousethief Date: 16 May 10 - 11:09 AM Neighbour of mine had a siialr problem I think , though with a different Maker ! No need to drag religion into it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Bobert Date: 16 May 10 - 09:52 AM Forget the cracked plug wires... Ain't it... Not that they might not be arching anyway but yer condition ain't wires or it would get worse on rainy days with the engine a running temp... As for manual chockes??? That really can't be done these days with fool injected engines... B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Leadfingers Date: 16 May 10 - 07:34 AM Neighbour of mine had a siialr problem I think , though with a different Maker ! Finally traced it to a Current limiting resistor that went High Resistance when it got hot ! He was crawling round the engine with a Circuit Map for about six weeks ! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 16 May 10 - 04:15 AM Italian tuneup means thrashing the heck out of the engine for a while to get it as hot as it's ever going to get, and breathing lots of air too. Now the fact that the engine is apparently up to normal working temperature when the fault occurs, rather than merely "not cold" tends to militate against the otherwise convincing theory above of a three-position enrichment process skipping its middle setting. How far are the shops? I may be wrong but surely a 1978 Fairmont will have carburettors rather than electronically controlled fuel injection, so the diagnosis process may be rather different from the OP's Honda. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: ragdall Date: 16 May 10 - 03:06 AM mousethief, I've been having a similar problem with my 1978 Ford Fairmont. It does start eventually when it's warm, but I'm afraid the next time I go somewhere it will totally refuse and I'll be stranded until it's dead cold again. rags |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: LadyJean Date: 15 May 10 - 11:30 PM I had a similar problem with my Elantra. It came from a faulty water pump. I found this out after the second engine fire. After which I also had to have the car towed. I have been our lady of perpetual car trouble since I moved to my current address. A friend of mine says it's pixies, my mechanic is inclined to agree. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: mousethief Date: 15 May 10 - 09:32 PM Italian tuneup means letting the motor run? The temp gauge reads about 1/3 of the way between C and H. It never gets above that once it warms up to that point. It's not the warmth of the engine (coolant and oil) but something else, it seems. A buddy on another forum suggested there are hairline cracks in the sparkplug wires that are closed when the wires are cold, open when the wires are partly warm because the metal expands faster than the casing, thus opening the cracks, and then are closed again when it gets up to full temp because the casing bits then expand enough to close up the cracks. Doesn't sound right to me. Thanks, by the way, to everybody for their helpfulness and theories. Maybe I should try to find a local friend who has a Honda and see where they take theirs. But I think we're rare among my friends in owning a Honda (which is odd considering how popular they are and therefore what % of the public must own one). Time to make some new friends, maybe. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 May 10 - 06:39 PM I just love backyarders........ Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 15 May 10 - 06:36 PM I wonder if it might be the air mass meter. They are usually available from scrapyards and swappable without effort. The fact that the fault vanishes after an Italian tuneup makes me suspect not, but it is worth checking. How far are the shops, and what is the temp gauge reading when you get there? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Gurney Date: 15 May 10 - 06:10 PM Yes, My Mitsi had three sensors in the intake. Never did find out which was the culprit. The whole motor was riddled with sensors. A specialist might know what they sensed and when and why, but us punters wouldn't. Especially a dinosaur like me. I was GOOD with SU carbs, points ignition, tappets.... stuff before cars became so reliable. And had rare-earth filters in the exhaust system. And computers, which may or may not be working properly. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 15 May 10 - 05:28 PM A little Googling and as I suspected Giok, the 1996 Civics were fuel injection. No choke, therefore. ECU controlled enrichment. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: GUEST,John MacKenzie Date: 15 May 10 - 02:37 PM Dump the auto choke and fit a manual one. If you stop the engine before it's properly warmed up, and the auto choke fully off, then you get symptoms like you describe. Like Chris said, warm it up, or suffer the consequences. Remember this, over-fuelling washes the oil off the bores, and your rings wear out quicker. (Among other things) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Amos Date: 15 May 10 - 01:51 PM Actually with Spaw it's usually a need for a crank position censor... A |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 May 10 - 01:51 PM Actually Swanno, I only had to replace one and that was about 35 years ago. I was in a Shoot 'N Scoot buying a pack of Camels when I heard a scream from the dairy case and realized my crank had escaped my shorts without my knowledge and was happily boning this sugar blonde with a fine ass who was buying a yogurt. It gave me no warning of where it was or when it left my shorts but I was pretty pleased overall. Fear of future arrest forced me to replace it a month and 28 escapes later. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: catspaw49 Date: 15 May 10 - 01:19 PM Truthfully mouse, the best are generally out on their own rather than a dealership. They are well trained and experienced techs who value their ability to do the job right more than a dealer values them. Some dealerships are excellent and some private shops are lousy so either way the trick is to find one that is actually good. Honda and Nissan generally have better dealer shops than the rest but a dealership is never cheap. A good independent will be a bit less but they have no one to blame but themselves if they can't find the problem. Even with all the diagnostics on board availability, there can be problems that will mystify the best. Sometimes the result of all their hard work is zero and then they stumble onto it. At least they were stumbling in the right alley! Sometimes they need to see the problem happen and diagnose it then and some cars seem to be like us.....they get better when they're at the doctor's office. Twisting wrenches is about an 18th class profession......until you have a significant problem. Doctors get a lot more respect and its true they have more formal education. But there are only two models of the human body and they haven't changed much over the years plus they can speak and tell the doctor where it hurts. Your car would like to do that too but you need to find the guy who speaks the language of that particular series/brand/model/etc. and has the ability and tools to have a conversation with your Honda. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Dave Swan Date: 15 May 10 - 01:14 PM So Catspaw, Do you have a lot of experience with a faulty crank position sensor??? Just asking as a friend... D |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: mousethief Date: 15 May 10 - 11:56 AM It's not a question of who does the work indicated on the printout -- there was no work indicated on the printout. They had it for a week and couldn't find the root of the problem. I have to imagine they have the same or better diagnostic tools than any independent shop. No black coughing smoke. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Ed T Date: 15 May 10 - 09:17 AM Would it be logical to get a computer check from the dealer, then assess if you want them to do the work or an independant? I suspect there would not be a big difference in the diagnostic test? Similar cars often have similar problems, that the dealer mechanics know about, and an independant may have to do alot of parts testing to zero in on the issue. Additionally, in some models some original sensor and ignition related parts do a better job than the generic replacement. I recall owning a 85 dodge turbo and trying generic oxygen sensors and then having to replace it with an original. The dealer mechanic told me privately that for that engine, original mattered...while in some it does not matter as much. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 15 May 10 - 04:19 AM Without hearing/seeing it perform....and withou reading its "pig tail" read out
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Bonzo3legs Date: 15 May 10 - 04:09 AM My 1998 Honda Civic has a different problem - a clatter in the exhaust system. The heat guard has been removed so it's not that, maybe I'll have to replace the exhaust - however it still has a cassette player which, with an adapter is great for using with my Sansa Clip flac player! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: mousethief Date: 15 May 10 - 01:57 AM Interesting, Gurney! If anybody would have the right diagnostic tools to work on this particular car, wouldn't the dealer? I expected they would know wtf they were doing. As far as I can see there's only one other independent in town. I hate going to a new mechanic, you never know if they're legit or rip-offs. I went to that mechanic for over 10 years (since we moved to this town) and they were always forthright about what I needed, what I should have but can do without for a time, etc. And they used genuine Honda oil filters which confused the guy at the dealership because he was under the impression that only dealers use those. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Gurney Date: 15 May 10 - 12:36 AM My last Mitzi had a similar problem, it ran perfectly cold or hot, but warm it would stall all the time when you took your foot off the accelerator. Frightening when approaching a road island or changing down for overtaking. You got suddenly less effective brakes, no power steering assistance. It was fuel injected with a manual gearbox. I gave up and took it to an auto electrician. He fixed it, not cheaply. Claimed to have replaced something called the Stepper Motor, an expensive item that acts as an automatic choke on F.I. motors. It has three settings, cold-warm-hot, and was jumping the middle setting. Hope this helps. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Phot Date: 14 May 10 - 09:21 PM Sorry, just re-read your inital post. Doing such short trips will not allow the engine to reach its proper working temprature, and will be running rich all of the time (If it had carbs you would have the choke on), hence after a good run up the freeway, or main roads, the engine gets up to normal working temprature and starts without problem, also once the engine is warm, give it a damm good blast! Take it almost up to the red line on the rev counter every once in a while, modern engines are designed to rev, so don't be afaid to try a little bit of lead foot now and again! (I do not condone breaking the speed limit, but there's no law against acceleration! In the UK!). Wassail!! Chris |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: gnu Date: 14 May 10 - 08:59 PM Kendall..."In the old cars...." Indeed. You could fix them, for the most part, whereas nowadays ya can't do do squat even with with a full toolbox unless it contains a credit card. "Planned dependence?" I can't even wind my windows down manually on my new truck. Try to buy a new truck with a manual window crank... bastards! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Phot Date: 14 May 10 - 08:57 PM Sounds like it could be the airflow meter between the filter box and the inlet manifold. Dealers in the UK will hook a car up to the workshop computer for around $60, which will give all the fault codes. But fixing stuff cost much more! My Skoda (20 valve 1.8 litre turbo)had a misfire which took 3 days, 2 computers and 2 mechanics to cure, caused by a signal amplifier between the ECU and the (Individual) coils. Give me a simple V8 on carbs anytime! Wassail!! Chris |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Richard Bridge Date: 14 May 10 - 08:43 PM On the 7 and 9 series 4 cylinder Volvos those symptoms are almost always either one of the fuel pump relays or the radio suppression relay. On a Honda, I concur, you need a computer tech. You also need a lawyer to deal with that main stealer! |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: catspaw49 Date: 14 May 10 - 08:10 PM Go see a qualified shop with the right diagnostic tools and the training and know-how to use them. While Bobertz may be right, let me help out to explain........On computer F.I. it very well might be a cold start valve but guess what? It could also be a baro sensor, crank position sensor, MAF sensor, or the ECM itself. Too many possibilities and far too expensive parts to simply throw parts at the problem. I also sold test equipment for Sun Electric Corporation, one of the first and best manufacturers of oscilloscope testing equipment and even in Kendall's "good old days" it was best to "test, don't guess." I routinely saw coils that would "bite" you but would not reliably run the engine. BTW.....a coil for that car retails at about 75 or so and can be bought for less than 50 plus labor to change it. Look around for a good independent shop and avoid dealers like the plague. Spaw |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: katlaughing Date: 14 May 10 - 07:55 PM I remember one time we couldn't figure out why our fairly new, one year old, Ford Escort kept dying going up hill, even small inclines. We finally traced to an *upteenth* fuel filter, in the back, under everything. It had clogged up and the pump just could the circulation past that point back up to the engine unless it was on flat roads. I guess you could say our car had a case of edema brought on by clogged arteries, sorta.:-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: Bobert Date: 14 May 10 - 07:52 PM Cold start solinoid (sp), perhaps, is shot... It provides extra gas to the engine when the engine is stone cold... I think that the little driving you do at 20 mph is enough to warm the engine just enough for it to not kick in with the extra fuel on the restart... If the engine is sufficiently warm then it isn't needed but until that temp is up to the middle of the guage, which with the little driving you are doing, iy prolly isn't, I think that is it... B~ (Motorhead) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Car problem - any mechanics out there? From: kendall Date: 14 May 10 - 07:23 PM $250 for a coil? Man, did you get screwed! I don't work on anything that has fuel injection and a room full of computers and relays. They require thousands of dollars in test equipment. In the old cars if you want to check the coil you simply grab the wire, turn the engine over and if you get knocked on your ass it is not the coil. |
