Car troubles
My car’s been ultra noisy lately, and really low power, and the garage couldn’t take it in to be looked at last night. Howeeeeever, the groupwise (email) admin here at work is a car nut in a family of car nuts, and he just so happened to have the software and plug to diagnose my car, here at work, today. I just met him today, through Trase (thanks sweetie, I owe ya big!). This is what he said’s wrong with my car:
Okay, the following items need to be addressed in order of importance; critical items first
Transmission – Flywheel sounds loose, possibly damaging end of crankshaft and clutch plate. Possibly broken pressure plate, debris causing noise.
Engine – Sounds like cat converter is clogged, causing upstream gaskets to fail. Have replaced with new cat or test pipe.
Engine – Detonation/misfires detect on Cylinders 3 & 4. Needs to replace plugs and fuel filter. Possibly plugs wires, distributor cap & rotor.
Fuel tank – possible harness ground wire issue causing gas gauge to read erratically. Drop tank and have harness inspected and repaired.
I’d like to keep this car functioning until I can afford my next masterpiece. Would any of you lovely people be able to assist me in handling a couple of these things? Or at least offer some excellent advice on getting some of the vitals accomplished? Reply or email or call.
Gratefully,
A Repentent Former GM Buyer.
about car repair
As for the Cat, since MI no longer does emissions tests, just poke a broom handle through it. You’ll get better flow in no time :)
Is the transmission manual or automatic?
Plugs, wires, cap and rotor all told will probably be the least expensive of the things to fix, and if the distributor is easy to see, then they’re relatively easy to change, also. On my MR2 the distributor is like upside down in a blind hole, so that sucks, but on say, a Mustang it is right up in front on top. So there’s that.
Ignore the gas guage and just use the trip odometer to keep track of the miles since your last fill up. Does the idiot light still work there? I had a burned out dashboard light once and I just used the odometer and the idiot light to keep me from running out of gas.
If it really is the flywheel, that will be the big expensive job. And the one you would be least able to do at home, as you’d have to pull the engine and transmission.
Hmm, hope this helps some?
It definitely helps a little, thanks :) It’s a manual S-10 pickup.
The “test pipe” he’s referring to is essentially the same thing you’re suggesting – cut out the cat, clamp a pipe on either end, and be done with it. It’s also probably one of the things I’d not want to do alone.
I could probably pick up the parts on my own fairly easy for the plugs/wires/etc, but again, as it isn’t something I’ve replaced before, I’d want a buddy under the hood. For instance, I know you have to “gap the plugs”, and that the number should probably be in my repair book, and that you can get a gapper, but how you actually select the height, I don’t know. And see, it’s possible I’m so clueless there that I’m being erroneous there. *chuckle*
As far as the flywheel goes, aw c’mon, can’t I just give it a good kick back into place? ;)
On mine, the distributor cap is really quite easy to get to (96 Blazer is *roughly* the same build as an S10), and the plugs/wires/etc should be pretty easy. I’ve got a repair book for it I picked up at Meijer’s (not a Chiltons, but it has the basics) that I’d be happy to lend you if you want. It covers some S10s, too- I’ll have to have a look at it in a bit and tell you exactly what models it’s for.
ah, okay. Yeah, I’ve put a “test pipe” like that on a few of my cars in the past. It always does the trick. The spark plugs themselves are easy to gap, actually. setting the gap involves taking the gap measuring tool, and poking it’s little prongs between the anode and the cathode on the spark plug. Then, you just give it a little bendy bendy if it’s not right.
I will confess though, it IS always easier (and more fun too!) if you’ve got a friend/buddy/helper when you’re working in the garage. When I’m out at my folks house, if I’m by myself, our kitty is my helper. She sits right in the wheelwell with me and watches whatever I’m doing. If I’m laying on the floor with my head underneath… she’ll sit on my chest and fall asleep. :)
I can talk to my dad, but he’s reallytired lately, so I don’t know what he is really able to trake on right now. Mayhaps e-mail The Todd and The Jason?
It sounds fine to me. Just keep driving it as usual.