Automotive Technicians Technical Discussion and Fixes for Jan 24, 2004

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	Help Request	Answers
	1989 Audi 200 Turbo Qu 2.2L alternator VIN: WAVGC5444K Hello Guys, I would like to thank this network and all the techs who have assisted me many times by using the Fix archives on simple and challenging automotive problems. Maybe someone can help me on this one, this car three weeks ago came in with alternator ...	View
	1997 BMW 328i 2.8L coolant VIN: WBACD4325V car came in with blown radiator.replaced radiator refilled with coolant using method in alldata.refill suplemental reservoir with air bleed cracked. coolant was spitting out of integrated tank and lower hose staying cold and top hose hot. replaced thermostat a...	View
	1996 Chevrolet K1500 Suburban 5.7L Cuts out, Stall VIN: 3GNFK16R5T Hello everyone! Got a stumper here. It's a 96 K1500 Suburban with an intermittent cutting out condition. Every 100 miles or so, it will either cut out while driving or on decel (one time when starting, it just cranked over but would not start). Here's the kick...	View
	1996 Chevrolet Cavalier 2.2L engine VIN: 1G1JC5243T I had a new ecm installed at a local dealership. on the way back to the shop it felt like the car lost power. It had a code p1629. the next day would not start. the dealer tells me the code is in the body control module not the ecm. my mitchel on demand says I...	View
	1996 Chevrolet Tahoe LS 5.7L 2-3 shift VIN: 1GNEK13R0T Test drive vehicle flaers up only on 2-3 shift. Vehicle came in with service soon light on. TPS codes still in memory po 121,122. Verified voltage varying up and down. REPLACED VCM tps now did not vary but still have shift problem. Recorded pressures as above ...	View
	1996 Dodge Grand Caravan SE 3.3L No Start VIN: 1B4GP44R8T Van came to us from another shop. Computor was replaced for a no spark prob. Said it would run on 4 cylinders with 1 coil driver wire disconnected before computor was replaced. Since replacement backfires out the intake. Found # 6 cyl had no compression, intak...	View
	1992 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6L Pass compement VIN: 2FACP72WXN Hi all, Hope you can help me with this Crown vic. I mantain a fleet of 12 of them rangeing from 1992 to 1997 and this one has got the best of me! We get poor heat from this car no mater what we do! We just got out of a sub zero cold snap and just can not get ...	View
	1997 Ford F-250 7.3L Poor Fuel Economy, power loss/rpm drop VIN: 1FTHF25F3V Hello everyone! The best way to make this problem appear, is to idle the truck in the shop, then rev engine to 1500rpm. After about 10-15 seconds the rpm drops 500rpm. The engine even sounds different, louder, like it's being worked. The vehicle even sometimes...	View
	1991 Lincoln Continental 3.8L No Start VIN: 1LNCM974MY This vehicle was towed to our shop with a no-start condition. It has no spark, no fuel pressure, no injector pulse. We have powers & grounds to integrated relay module, tried known good relay module -- still no-start.Initially we were not getting signal from p...	View
	1991 Mitsubishi Mighty Max 2.4L No Start, NO MIL VIN: JA7FL24W9M Hello all, I have this pickup that the customer says he was driving along and it died. Would not restart.I checked timing belt and timing.It is good.Plugs look good.I confirmed good fuel pressure while cranking.The main relay is functioning.All systems are rec...	View
	1997 Mitsubishi 3000GT 3.0L Poor Idle Quality, Misfire, MIL Lamp on VIN: 1A3AM44H0V Hi Guys , This car came back with a po300 and notice that all of the rear plugs do not change the rpm that much when power balance. Checked cam timing ok/ compression ok/ checked for vacumn leak cant find any .Possible heads machined and intake wont set flat??... Trouble codes: P0300	View
	1991 Pontiac Grand Prix SE 3.1L Starting VIN: WE45TY6789 91 gp 3.1 v6 starts right up in cold runs perfect...20mins later stalls and then no start...i can hear fuel pump cycle but no start...1 or 2 hours later starts right up prefect runs perfect...thanks in advance to all responses...	View
	1992 Pontiac Grand Am SE 3.3L No Start Vehicle was towed in after sitting for 2 weeks and was driven to the location. It was driven to that locale. Primary tests were to check for fuel, spark and injector pulse. Great spark, no pulse or fuel pressure. Relay was deffective and changed to achieve goo...	View
	1999 Saturn SC1 1.9L Steering VIN: 1G8ZN1283X Hi techs: We have this saturn that has a steering problem. Only on snow covered roads this cars steering becomes almost uncontrolable and the car starts to weave back and forth across the road. It will act up and than turn back to normal. Sometimes it does it ...	View
	1998 Subaru Impreza L 2.2L rear drive wheels VIN: JF1GF4353W hello subaru gurus. I have this customers vehicle that I have maintained for 4 years. I install 4 new snow tires for this vehicle in the fall. After the first snow fall, she complained about that the new tires were no good and she like the other brand better....	View
	1999 Subaru Legacy Limited 30th Anniversary 2.5L speedometer VIN: 4S3BG6859X Vehicle came in with the speedometer working intermittently. We found three magnetic Sensors in the trans so all three were scoped. When the speedo quit signals were coming From all the sensors. The speedo shop informed us that the Subaru dealer carries the ci...	View
	1992 Toyota Corolla 1.6L Starter VIN: JDA2123512 Hello fellow techs, this 92 alltrac came in with a no cranking problem, voltage test, and circuit testing indicates worn contacts in starter (a common problem for all Toyotas of this particular vintage). The problem I am having is locating the starter unit on ...	View
	1993 Toyota Camry 2.2L brake/tail lamp VIN: 4TISK12E1P Original complaint was for no tail lights with headlights on (rear sidemarkers were ok). Checked lamp failure sensor and discovered no power from the sensor to the tail lights. After replacing sensor: tailghts illuminate with headlights (as they should), the h...	View
	1997 Toyota 4Runner SR5 3.4L Unknown VIN: JT3HN86R5V Hi and thanks for checking this one out! This is my vehicle and for some reason I think they are the hardest to diagnose! I have been dealing with a severe vibration for a long time that I can't seem to repair. I am on the sesond set of tires. They have been b...	View
	1996 Volkswagen Jetta GL 2.0L Extended Crank When VIN: 3VWRA81H4Y This vehicle came to us with an extended crank on the first start of the day a few months ago, when the temperture here was still warm. At that time, we replaced the RPM sensor, which was out of specification. As the temperture cooled it came back with the sam... Trouble codes: P0439 (camshaft sensor code)	View
	1996 Volkswagen Jetta GL 2.0L transmission VIN: 3VWRA81H9T Hello techs, I have a 96 jetta that does not upshift when in drive. I have 2 codes. 00638 engine/trans. elect. conn. 2 -no signal, and 00518 throttle position sensor-signal outside tolerences. I cannot erase these codes. Even without starting car up, codes are...	View

Fixes & Summaries for All Makes and Models

	Fix/Summary	Answers
	1992 Acura Integra LS 1.8L Lights on chime VIN: JH4DA9355N Well you clever guys -- SEveral of you mentioned the driver's door switch, which is exactly what is was! Way to go guys. Rather than clean the teenie tiny area in there where the switch grounds to body, I have simply ordered a new switch. ~$10. Thanks agai...	6
	1982 Cadillac Seville 4.1L pass side tail lite on VIN: 1G6AS6985C Three replies were right on ...the vehicle has 2 directional relays...one for each side located in the left rear fender well behind the trim panel...I switched the relays just to see if the left tail lamp would come on...after 9 days the left directional came ...	11
	1989 Chevrolet C1500 Cheyenne 6.2L Drive Belt VIN: 2GTEC19C7K James [...]. hit the nail on the head. The alternator was a year old and for some reason the pulley was too far in. I added a washer behind the pulley and viola, belt ran much better. Thanks for all who took time to respond. John	3
	1997 Chevrolet S10 2.2L No Start VIN: 1GCCS1442V thanks to all who replied. i just could not belive that a timeing chain could be the culpret, did not feel any slop in crank pulley on inital inspection. plus never heard of one going out on a 2.2l. anouther tech said 'i never did one eather untill i did my fi...	15
	1997 Chevrolet K3500 6.5L Hesitation, Stall VIN: F8VF022595 I recieved 2 replies, one for lift pump [I didn't include that it was replaced 2 months ago when problem first arose]. Second one was for bad grounds at battery, rechecked with no luck. Returned truck and customer drove for two weeks, acted up twice. Pulled co...	3
	2001 Chevrolet Cavalier 2.2L Engine Temp VIN: 1G1JC12411 Thanks for the input guys the heater hoses stayed hot enough so we knew that it was not a stopped up heater core, but that was worth checking,and we verified the fans did not stay on all the time they cycled like they were suppose to. after Deke [...] reply...	7
	1993 Dodge Caravan 3.3L Surge, Cuts out, Stall VIN: 2B4GH55ROP Thanks for the input guys. I swapped out the Cam Sensor only to have the vehicle do the same thing. None of the wires were corroded or chaved anywhere near the battery, left side harness, or on any of the grounds. Seemed weird that it started when the PCM was ...	9
	1997 Dodge B2500 5.2L Misfire, MIL Lamp on VIN: 2B6HB21Y9V I would like to thank all that help with this van. I had changed the cap and rotor, with the plugs and wires. I had some one that had problems with the cap. I R&R number 6-8 injectors and cleaned the screens and swopted the injectors. I didn't see anything in ... Trouble codes: P0308.	12
	1991 Ford Explorer XL 4.0L No Start VIN: 1FMDU34X1M Thanks for the input,found a large connecter that was not plugged in all the way right beside the heater box.It was very hard to get to go together but once it was together started right up Trouble codes: 118 (open ect), 122 (tps below min), 113 (act open), 341 (open octane indicater).	8
	1998 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer 5.4L Stays in 4X4 at all times VIN: 1FMPU18L4W Thanks to all who replied especially Phillip, David [...]., and Larry. It was the shift motor. I don't usually work on transfer cases or transmissions so it was a bit intimidating with the GEM, relays, and motor assembly. I am a one man shop so it is so good to ha...	6
	1999 Ford Windstar 3.8L MIL Lamp on, dies VIN: 2FMZA54XXB hi all, got this one fixed. most replies had to do with special tools needed to deree the cam sensor, but a couple pointed out that the vehicle will still run without the cam sensor plugged in. since the dieing was sudden, not like fuel, and the code had to do... Trouble codes: P0340, P1131.	9
	1964 GMC c60 327CID Mechanical VIN: 6525712223 thanks to all who replied. I contacted local suppliers for gaskets and seal . Hard parts came from a local junkman with 2 used units for parts.	13
	1999 GMC C3500 Sierra SL 7.4L exhaust valve VIN: 1GDKC34JIY I recieved 4 replies almost immediatly to the noise problem. A couple of email replies confimed what we were thinking, that the problem was in the valve guide its self. We haven't pulled the head to have the guide replaced yet, but have confimed the problem. I...	4
	1985 Honda Accord 1.8L Cuts out, no power WOT VIN: JHN1123654 Thank you to everyone the replied. The problem was the fuel pump. We disconnected the fuel hose from the carburetor and checked for fuel volume and it was low. Replaced fuel pump and the problem was fixed. Thanks to everyone the replied.	18
	1996 Infiniti J30 3.0L knock sensor VIN: JJNKAY21D7 found location.thanks for help knock sensor located under intake manifold.	8
	1996 Lexus GS300 3.0L Misfire, MIL Lamp on VIN: JT8BD42S6T thanks to all that try to help!!! i end up taking the car to the dealer. (they kept the car for about 2 weeks ) the first thing they did was replacing the spark plug wires (i did that 3 times) after they replace the spark plug wires i was told it didnt help. f... Trouble codes: P0300.	7
	1994 Mazda B4000 SE 4.0L No Start, Poor Fuel Economy, MIL Lamp on VIN: 4F4DR17X2R The fix on this vehicle was the PCM. I run tests on all the grounds and sensors and found all to be ok. Sent the PCM to a company called DirectAuto.Com in Calif.. They rerpaired it and sent it back within 3 days for a fraction of a new one. Thanks to all who r...	6
	2000 Mercedes-Benz ML320 3.2L head lights VIN: 4JGAB54E0Y HI Group, I am sorry for the delay closing this help request. Thanks very much to Fred [...] California. Yes, i have checked voltage at pin 4 of the k22 relay and Ok. I have Found no voltage to pin contact on S4 switch. I believe the ign switch was bad. Unfortu...	3
	1990 Nissan Pulsar NX 1.6L Surge VIN: JN1GN34S7L Thanks for the responses. A couple of you mentioned checking the mass air flow meter and all ground connections. Unfortunately the engine has blown in his other car. So I will be replacing that before I can try the repairs mentioned!! Thanks Again, Chris!! Trouble codes: 33 (o2 sensor circut).	4
	1992 Nissan Maxima SE 3.0L Poor Idle Quality, Hesitation, Surge VIN: JN1HJO1S4N Thanks for all the input - we tested the o2 snsor & it was great, cleaned the mass air flow sensor, replaced the fuel filter, road tested many times & never had it act up. sent it home so we will see what happens.	14
	1993 Nissan Quest GXE 3.0L Excessive Emissions VIN: 4N2DN11W1P If two heads are better than one how about ten,s of thousands!!Thanks people of IATN! The van only failed for NOX but can you believe the main culprit was a dead O2 sensor!!! I don,t know how it could pass HC & CO!! I guess the CAT did a good job without a goo...	12
	2003 Nissan Altima 2.5L Stall VIN: 1N4AL11DX3 Found clock spring faulty causing code 1564, found loose connecton in a 10 way connector at left front strut. Thanks for all the help. Trouble codes: 1564 (Steeering wheel sw).	1
	1992 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme S 3.1L Poor Idle Quality VIN: 1G3WH14T9N sorry for the delay in closing this car but the problem kept reoccuring every 4 to 5 days. thanks to all with the quick replies and some were almost on the money. we ended up putting a computer in car. kept car for 3 days and everything was fine. car came back...	13
	1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme S 3.1L No Start VIN: 1G3WH54T4P Sorry it has taken so long for me to close this post. It's been rather busy for us in the shop. Well the fix was to replace the ECM and she started right up. Thanks for all the help.	15
	1993 Pontiac Firebird 5.7L brake lights/L turn signals thank you to everyone who gave me some ideas to check my lighting problem. it ended up being the brake lamp/park lamp sockets. i didnt replace them just resoldered a good ground on all for sockets and they work good now. thanks for the ideas.	10
	1979 Volkswagen Beetle 1.6L Suspension VIN: 1582039562 Special thanks to Louie. With his instructions I was able raise the rear of this beetle without much problem. Thanks to everybody that responded!!! Chris.	9

(Also Available: All, Asian, Chrysler, European, Ford, GM.)