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I wouldn't bother unless you have reason to believe there's a bunch of gunk.
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Apr 24, 2015 22:46
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Sadi posted:So I have an intermittent starting problem. 97 Honda Civic 5 speed. When it works everything is normal. When it doesn't start you hear the starter solenoid click but the starter doesn't turn. Using a trouble light I see the starter has power, the solenoid sees power but the bridge from the solenoid to the starter does not get energized when the car will not start. I have tried connecting that bridge to 12V and the starter turns. The kicker though is that when the clutch is pressed and the solenoid clicks, I can jump the starter motor so that it spins but it is rotating freely with no engagement. If it ends up being the starter, it's a very easy job. There are some videos on youtube that help.
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Apr 25, 2015 01:36
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VelociBacon posted:Hit that poo poo with something hard a few times and try starting it again. If it starts, replace your starter because the solenoid is probably shot. Should be a do-it-yourself repair and a remanufactured starter is pretty cheap. I've always had luck with getting someone to crank it over for me while you whack the solenoid housing with the handle of a hammer. If it starts cranking after you hit it, it just needs a new starter.
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Apr 25, 2015 04:59
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2013 Chevrolet Equinox LS w/ 25k miles My dashboard controls for the radio and a/c have stopped functioning, whilst the radio and a/c systems themselves are perfectly fine. I can change everything on the radio from my steering wheel, but I don't have a/c controls and it being stuck at 2/10 after sitting in 85-90F heat all day is a real downer. The button to engage hazard lights on the dash works perfectly fine, as do the controls for the locks on the dash as well, so it's not every single control there that is failing - just anything to do with the radio and a/c. It's covered by the manufacturer's warranty since it's still under 36k miles but if it's something simple (I am a total novice when it comes to maintenance) I'd rather not jump through the hoops.
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Apr 25, 2015 20:01
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Kumbamontu posted:2013 Chevrolet Equinox LS w/ 25k miles Always go for the warranty just so it's on the record that you had this problem.
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Apr 25, 2015 20:32
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Is it possible for a car battery to be completely drained to the point you cannot jump start it? I left my Scion TC off for the winter, and it appears the battery is completely dead. When I turn the ignition there is no sound. I tried boosting it, but for the love of me, it won't start. I have tried two different "donor" cars to boost. Besides connecting the positives to the positives, and negatives to the car frame of the dead car, is there something else I should be doing? Would it make a difference if I ran the donor car for a bit prior to trying to boost the dead one? Does the car matter? Would a pickup truck have a better chance at boosting it? lol internet. fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Apr 26, 2015 |
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Apr 26, 2015 00:13
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lol internet. posted:Is it possible for a car battery to be completely drained to the point you cannot jump start it? one of the negatives is connected to the live battery, correct? Not acting like I know much, but one time I tried jumping a dodge truck with my civic and it wouldn't work. Then another truck came along and it jumped it fine. Maybe my battery wasn't strong enough? I don't know. I've had trouble jumping batteries before, though...and sometimes I'll let the live car run (while it's connected to the dead battery with cables) for a few minutes and then try, and that seems to help.
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Apr 26, 2015 00:42
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lol internet. posted:Is it possible for a car battery to be completely drained to the point you cannot jump start it? Yes. The alternator needs a small amount of current to function, so if the battery is drained enough the alternator won't generate any power. If your battery is that flat it's a good bet you're going to need a new one.
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Apr 26, 2015 00:52
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Geoj posted:Yes. The alternator needs a small amount of current to function, so if the battery is drained enough the alternator won't generate any power. nwin posted:one of the negatives is connected to the live battery, correct? Live battery is connected, the dead battery is not connected, it's connected to the chasis of the car.
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Apr 26, 2015 02:14
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lol internet. posted:It just sat through the winter without being turned on much. Found your problem. It might be salvageable. If sitting for long periods of time is something you're expecting, buy a battery tender. It's a trickle charger and will keep a battery topped off if you're not going to be driving it. If it saves you from buying ONE battery it'll have paid for itself 2-3x over.
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Apr 26, 2015 02:49
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Counterpoint: I let a then-three-year-old battery sit for two years when my car had a dead motor, threw it on a trickle charger overnight, and have been using it since. Sometimes batteries can surprise you.
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Apr 26, 2015 02:53
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Would one of these work? http://www.amazon.ca/Black-Decker-B...=battery+tender http://www.amazon.ca/Battery-Tender...=battery+tender They're the cheapest ones I found.
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Apr 26, 2015 03:26
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Yes. If you were in the US I would suggest the $10 Harbor Freight trickle charger. You don't need a really high-end unit to keep a battery topped off.
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Apr 26, 2015 03:38
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Geoj posted:Yes. They are constantly putting out coupons for this one as well. I picked up a few a couple years back for $3.something each with coupons just to keep them around, although I have a pair of the desulfating chargers I use pretty regularly. The "desulfating" thing might be a gimmick (or maybe there is something to it) but they seem to work pretty well.
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Apr 26, 2015 04:46
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Honestly I've had plenty of occasions with older lovely cars where I just say gently caress it and jump a car right to the battery terminals and it's been fine, just have watched to see if the battery holds charge. I have to say I'd be trying to jump the car this way before buying a trickle charger.
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Apr 26, 2015 04:53
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I'm not a fan AT ALL of connecting the negative (jumper) cable to the dead battery - remember, batteries do produce hydrogen while charging, and the negative is the last to be connected (and the first to be disconnected). You're always safer connecting it to something sturdy - engine block, alternator mount, even a shock tower mount. I had a family member have a battery explode in his face while disconnecting a battery after jumping, that was enough to scare me (he kept his vision thankfully, he closed his eyes just as he disconnected the cable). But try connecting the cables, starting the donor car, and letting it run for a bit. Preferably a little above idle (1200-1500 RPM). If you haven't at least started to get lights and some kind of dash function by then, try a trickle charger. If that doesn't do it, get a new battery. Kumbamontu posted:2013 Chevrolet Equinox LS w/ 25k miles I'd try disconnecting the battery for a minute (negative cable), then reconnecting it. Still acting up? Off to the dealer to get the body control module reprogrammed/replaced. Get one of the insulated side terminal battery wrenches from Wal-Mart or AutoZone - your battery has side post terminals, and trust me when I say it's an.. enlightening.. event when you drop the wrench across both terminals. Also uh, have fun finding the battery - a quick google suggests it's mounted under the engine computer, so it's probably under a plastic cover. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 08:19 on Apr 26, 2015 |
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Apr 26, 2015 08:14
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One my 8th gen civic fleet (08 EX, manual, DARK RED, otherwise known as Rhonda Burgundy) sat for around a month in my garage. Weather has been very humid and weird here in MI, and being sealed in the garage may have produced a little extra surface rust on rotors/etc. Anyways, the reason it sat was I bought a new car, and I just finished slapping a pile of new parts on Rhonda in preparation to sell it. I replaced front pads/and rotors, in addition to clutch hydraulics and some other stuff that I had the parts for. I took it for a test drive yesterday, and everything ran great! However, when I parked it after 15 minutes or so, I heard a loud "heat" pinging sound from the back of the car. I checked the rear wheels and the right passenger side (note, I have not touched the rear brakes since I bought the car) was the source of the pinging sound. There was black dusty poo poo on the wheel, which was also unusual. My assumption at that point was that the caliper stuck on that wheel, probably related to surface corrosion and sitting a month. I waited 15 minutes, and touched the other side rear brake rotor. Cold. Touched the the one that had been pinging, still very warm. I want to drive the car for the next few days while I work on my other civic. How can I test that these brakes aren't sticking/going to stick again?
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Apr 26, 2015 14:52
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I have a Nissan Altima 2003, I'm wondering if this is compatible with it. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/jvc-cd-built-in-bluetooth-car-stereo-receiver-black-silver/3945024.p?id=1219094699444&skuId=3945024
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Apr 26, 2015 18:07
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Spopling posted:I have a Nissan Altima 2003, It depends what you mean...if you mean will it function as a stereo, yes. If you mean "will it fit"...maybe. IIRC you've got a funky shaped factory stereo, but there's probably an adapter that'll make it fit. I don't know if you have steering wheel controls, which will probably require an adapter.
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Apr 26, 2015 22:20
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Spopling posted:I have a Nissan Altima 2003, Also, for god's sake, if you don't absolutely know it will work, just go to Crutchfield.com and get a kit for your specific car.
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Apr 26, 2015 22:44
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PaintVagrant posted:One my 8th gen civic fleet (08 EX, manual, DARK RED, otherwise known as Rhonda Burgundy) sat for around a month in my garage. Weather has been very humid and weird here in MI, and being sealed in the garage may have produced a little extra surface rust on rotors/etc. update: Took the caliper off, realized one of the slide pins on the bracket had seized. The dust boot had a small tear in it which probably allowed most of the captured grease to escape over the years. Replaced the dust boot for $1.20, regreased everything, reinstalled. Now I have to bleed the brakes because at one point I had opened the bleed valve to try to get the piston back in the caliper. Hopefully a quick bleed and I will be good to go. $1.20 and 7 hours of my life, lol.
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Apr 26, 2015 23:00
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Safety Dance posted:Also, for god's sake, if you don't absolutely know it will work, just go to Crutchfield.com and get a kit for your specific car. Godholio posted:It depends what you mean...if you mean will it function as a stereo, yes. If you mean "will it fit"...maybe. IIRC you've got a funky shaped factory stereo, but there's probably an adapter that'll make it fit. I don't know if you have steering wheel controls, which will probably require an adapter. Thanks for the replies, im sure its obvious by now i'm a complete dumbass when it come to cars. I went to Best Buy and low and behold they knew nothing about anything and couldn't help me but I did find out I would need to drop way more then juust 118.99. My mission here is to give myself an AUX Input. This is what my dash looks like:  I've seen version of this where the AUX input was at the bottom right across from the volume is. Like this,  Is there anyway I can make it as simple as adding that piece? Also I'm open to suggestions of the cheapest way to just get an AUX input in my car without having to pay an arm and a leg. Spopling fucked around with this message at 00:06 on Apr 27, 2015 |
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Apr 27, 2015 00:03
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You would have to find the factory stereo with the AUX input. Other options include an aftermarket stereo (you can get AUX-in, USB and/or bluetooth on all but the most basic head units today, probably cost under $120 if you do the installation yourself) or else you could buy an FM modulator, which splices into the antenna cable and directly injects the signal into a FM frequency (also requires a set of manufacturer-specific antenna cable adapters.)
Geoj fucked around with this message at 00:50 on Apr 27, 2015 |
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Apr 27, 2015 00:48
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Easiest thing to do would be to find a Nissan Altima head unit for a similar year with an aux input, e.g. on ebay (I checked, couldn't find one in under five minutes). Approx cost: $100 (or $250 on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Nissan-2002-2...nissan+aux+jack) Second easiest thing: Click on this, and enter 2002 Nissan Altima. http://www.crutchfield.com/car/outfitmycar/car.aspx . Then buy this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_070XR4120/Dual-XR4120.html?tp=5684 . With the right harness and all the equipment to make it look
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Apr 27, 2015 00:55
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some texas redneck posted:I'm not a fan AT ALL of connecting the negative (jumper) cable to the dead battery - remember, batteries do produce hydrogen while charging, and the negative is the last to be connected (and the first to be disconnected). You're always safer connecting it to something sturdy - engine block, alternator mount, even a shock tower mount. I had a family member have a battery explode in his face while disconnecting a battery after jumping, that was enough to scare me (he kept his vision thankfully, he closed his eyes just as he disconnected the cable). Yep, I've singed my hair from a small hydrogen blowup when jumping a car about 15 years ago. I was wearing eye protection, so no lasting damage, but making a little fireball isn't a thing of legend, it actually happens to people. It was a sphincter-tightening experience.
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Apr 27, 2015 04:08
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FWIW I've never seen loving explosions while jumping a car to the terminals. Maybe I will soon.
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Apr 27, 2015 09:27
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98 Civic EX, 248,000 miles. My wife has some weird connection with this car. She'll detect something is wrong waaay before I can. She's been driving this thing since it had 40k miles, still original clutch. She's complaining about the brakes, they have been vibrating for the past 10 days or so and seems to have gotten a little worse, but now she's saying "something's wrong, it's dangerous to drive". We just did the rotors/pads back in November and the calipers last May. The front shocks/springs were also replaced last summer. The rotors were under warranty from advance auto, so I exchanged those this morning and put the new ones on. The vibration had gone but something still feels a little funny, but it brakes strong. When I was putting it back together, I re-greased the caliper pins and noticed they felt like they were moving freely but only when being pushed in, they didn't have much "spring" back, if that makes sense. Is that a big deal? Could this be an indicator that the front control arms (or bushings, etc.) are due for replacement? Since I've now ruled out the rotors, I'm just not sure where to look next before giving up and bringing it to our shop.
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Apr 27, 2015 14:09
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The Mandingo posted:My father-in-law died a few weeks ago and I have his 2000 Lexus RX 300 sitting in my garage airing out from all the cigarettes he smoked in it. We're going to try and sell it and I'm trying to decide how much work to put into it before we do. It has about 134,000 miles on it, before I drove it back home I had to put 3 quarts of oil in it since it was very low. He was not much for keeping up with maintenance. Slight update to this. The RX has been sitting in my garage, airing out the cigarette smell, since we got it back home. I'd go out and start it every 3-4 days to keep the battery charged, but I could tell that it was on its way out. On the weekend before last it completely died. Starter would click and interior electronics and lights would come on, dimly, and then not at all. I pulled the Diehard battery and ran to the nearest Sears store. It was almost closing time, so the mechanic kept the battery overnight to charge and let me know if it was bad or not. Went back the following Monday and it was dead - but had some warranty left, so I paid $60 for a prorated replacement. Got it back home and put it in the RX and of course everything reset, including the CEL. Before we drove it home my wife's grandpa hooked up his ODB reader and pulled the codes and reset the CEL. Similar issues - ran like crap, clearly could hear a misfire under the hood. After it ran for a while the CEL came back on and it went to running better. After replacing the battery it did a similar thing - I just slowly drove it around the block and let it run for a while for the codes to show up - and the engine started running better. Then the smell of burning oil. I turned the car off, popped the hood, and saw a little bit of smoke coming from the rear of the motor. Not sure where it came from, but it smelled like burning oil not coolant. Thoughts on where I should start? Safe to drive to the mechanic's shop (20 miles away) or should I arrange a tow?
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Apr 27, 2015 16:57
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Asking this in the AI/BFC thread but I think it's more apt here: Question: How bad are 'driven by the general manager' cars. As far as I can tell, they are essentially lease returns, but no doubt they are used for test drives, etc, so sort of dealer demos as well. There is a 2014 Q50 Hybrid AWD Sport that I'm looking at with about 4,500km on it, at about $12k off MSRP. Seems like a good deal but those 4,500km could have been absolutely brutal for all I know, and I have no idea about proper break-in, etc. I'm not sure if it's worth the risk or not.
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Apr 27, 2015 21:25
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I'm looking at a 1970 Impala that's missing the ignition lock cylinder, they lost the keys and took out the cylinder with the intention of replacing it then never did. Since the original cylinder is already out, the new one should basically just snap in and be ready to go, right? As long as they didn't destroy anything by taking it out that is
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Apr 27, 2015 23:01
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TKIY posted:Asking this in the AI/BFC thread but I think it's more apt here: I worked at a dealership, so I have some insight here. The answer to your question is: it depends on the general manager. Typically, we put our GM and sales managers into the top of the line biggest SUV we had. They wouldn't baby them, but they weren't off-roading either. The most work that the GM driven cars get is probably hauling golf clubs to the country club. You're right, likely not given a proper break-in, but who says the average car owner would do that anyway? You can look at it as a lease-return with less miles (or kilometers in your case).
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Apr 27, 2015 23:26
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SD-455 posted:I'm looking at a 1970 Impala that's missing the ignition lock cylinder, they lost the keys and took out the cylinder with the intention of replacing it then never did. Since the original cylinder is already out, the new one should basically just snap in and be ready to go, right? As long as they didn't destroy anything by taking it out that is Is it still in the dash in '70? If so, it just plugs in, sticks through from the back, and there's a trim ring that secures it from the front.
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Apr 28, 2015 00:42
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The Mandingo posted:I worked at a dealership, so I have some insight here. The answer to your question is: it depends on the general manager. Typically, we put our GM and sales managers into the top of the line biggest SUV we had. They wouldn't baby them, but they weren't off-roading either. The most work that the GM driven cars get is probably hauling golf clubs to the country club. You're right, likely not given a proper break-in, but who says the average car owner would do that anyway? You can look at it as a lease-return with less miles (or kilometers in your case). Yeah it's the uncertainty that's holding me back. It's a pretty stellar little package and very affordable with the discounts, but I don't want to regret it down the road. I generally wouldn't buy a lease return for the same reason.
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Apr 28, 2015 00:45
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Raluek posted:Is it still in the dash in '70? If so, it just plugs in, sticks through from the back, and there's a trim ring that secures it from the front. In 70 it was in the column. I put one in a 73 ranchero and remember it just popping it in the empty whole but that was a long time ago and not sure if I had to do anything else
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Apr 28, 2015 00:55
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Raluek posted:Is it still in the dash in '70? If so, it just plugs in, sticks through from the back, and there's a trim ring that secures it from the front. Yea 70 had it in the column with the lock, Im pretty sure. Should only need to replace the cylinder with the matching key if the old one has been removed. I think 68 was the last year for the dash mounted ignition switch.
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Apr 28, 2015 01:07
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Fart Pipe posted:Yea 70 had it in the column with the lock, Im pretty sure. Should only need to replace the cylinder with the matching key if the old one has been removed. I think 68 was the last year for the dash mounted ignition switch. Alright, good to know. I've never worked on the column ones, so I can't be much help. I'd imagine you'd just have to pull the plastic off the column and then there should be some sort of catch that lets you install or remove the lock cylinder, but that's just conjecture. Hopefully someone who knows those newer ones will be able to clear it up.
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Apr 28, 2015 01:32
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Stupid question here: Been driving my "new" van (86 GMC Safari) around a few days, I've notice in addition to the usual warning symbols on the control panel there is also this:  I know its the choke symbol but I've got no clue what its function is on my van since to my knowledge it doesn't have any choke you could operate. The owner's manual says nothing about it. Any ideas what purpose it would serve?
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Apr 28, 2015 01:36
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The engine bay and drivetrain has always been kind of a black box to me. I perform the rituals as mandated by the holy user's manual, satisfy it with blood sacrifice, and speak over it the curse words of power. But I don't really get more than the absolute basics of what goes where and which part does what. I don't have a spare car to make mistakes on, what should I read?
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Apr 28, 2015 03:06
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22 Eargesplitten posted:The engine bay and drivetrain has always been kind of a black box to me. I perform the rituals as mandated by the holy user's manual, satisfy it with blood sacrifice, and speak over it the curse words of power. But I don't really get more than the absolute basics of what goes where and which part does what. I don't have a spare car to make mistakes on, what should I read? Try Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It's not exactly a technical how-to, but it's a great summary of the best and worst involved in working on/understanding your own machine. It can get a little bit verbose sometimes, but stick with it and I guarantee you'll want to go crawl underneath your car and figure everything out. Along with that grab the factory service manual for whatever car you want to start working on. These two books will give you many nights and beers spent in a garage.
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Apr 28, 2015 03:24
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Ok, got a (possibly stupid) question here: 2005 VW Jetta, 2.0L engine, auto trans, old body style As I was pulling into the gym today, my CEL came on and started flashing, and the engine started rumbling slightly. Immediately turned it off (since any shaking from the engine bay = bad), waited 10 minutes while mildly freaking out and checking the web for any info. Turned it back on afterwards, still the same. Google popped up that it could be a misfire that could lead to my cat converter roasting completely. Went inside to the gym, planning on getting someone else to come look at it after I got out and possibly getting a tow back home. When I did get out, I turned it on, and the rumbling was gone. The CEL stayed on though, but it wasn't flashing, just solid. I think it might have had something to do with driving over a puddle (it was raining), but I have no idea as this is the first time I've had this happen. With a solid CEL, how safe is it to say, take it to the local auto parts shop to get the OBD codes pulled so I can take it to my mechanic (nearest Auto Zone is ~3 minutes away). Or should I just let my mechanic know and have it towed straight to his shop from my house? I'd rather not have my car blow up or anything since we've had it for 10 years now and it's only failed us once (timing belt about a year ago). 
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Apr 28, 2015 03:32
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