So, my wife's car wasn't running so well...

[no1tovote4]

We brought her car in to the dealership, it is still under warranty. They found about 2 gallons worth of bird seed in the air filter system. The mice in our garage were getting into her bird seed, they would then carry it into the car and deposit it in the air filtration system....

Mice are seriously dangerous creatures!

 

[fuzzykitten99]

We brought her car in to the dealership, it is still under warranty. They found about 2 gallons worth of bird seed in the air filter system. The mice in our garage were getting into her bird seed, they would then carry it into the car and deposit it in the air filtration system....

Mice are seriously dangerous creatures!

at least you were able to find the problem. My car seems to be posessed. for the last 4 weeks, it has this issue with starting every so often. We put a new battery in, which was needed anyway, since the one in it was the 5yo manufacturer one. We put new spark plugs and wires in it, which needed to be done anyway, because the car is at 115k, catilydic converter was just replaced (not starting related though) and we have brought it to 2 different shops, and NEITHER can find the starting problem. Though both have said it might be the fuel pump, but it isn't coming up on the computer readings. The car does not have any codes come up at all, so both shops think the pump may be starting to go out, but it would only show up if it was malfunctioning at the time of the reading. Of course, it starts up just fine when its in their hands! It's not like it won't start at all, it does, but after about 5-7 minutes. Argh... We do have a ghost in the house, so maybe he's f-ing around with the car just to mess with me and Tim.

 

[Mr. P]

at least you were able to find the problem. My car seems to be posessed. for the last 4 weeks, it has this issue with starting every so often. We put a new battery in, which was needed anyway, since the one in it was the 5yo manufacturer one. We put new spark plugs and wires in it, which needed to be done anyway, because the car is at 115k, catilydic converter was just replaced (not starting related though) and we have brought it to 2 different shops, and NEITHER can find the starting problem. Though both have said it might be the fuel pump, but it isn't coming up on the computer readings. The car does not have any codes come up at all, so both shops think the pump may be starting to go out, but it would only show up if it was malfunctioning at the time of the reading. Of course, it starts up just fine when its in their hands! It's not like it won't start at all, it does, but after about 5-7 minutes. Argh... We do have a ghost in the house, so maybe he's f-ing around with the car just to mess with me and Tim.

Fuel pump or the electronic distributor, is my guess. Need more info. though.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

Fuel pump or the electronic distributor, is my guess. Need more info. though.

that's the thing, we just got it back tonight, and they showed us all the stuff they did, was basically going through it with a fine tooth comb. They didn't charge us, other than for the in-depth computer scan labor which was only $30 because they have had it in before for this same issue, and thought it wouldn't be fair to charge the full $100 as they may have overlooked something previously. I like how honest and fair this shop is-they will always get my business.

They even cleared the car's computer, as a precaution, took it for a test drive, then scanned it again. Nothing came up at all.

 

[Mr. P]

that's the thing, we just got it back tonight, and they showed us all the stuff they did, was basically going through it with a fine tooth comb. They didn't charge us, other than for the in-depth computer scan labor which was only $30 because they have had it in before for this same issue, and thought it wouldn't be fair to charge the full $100 as they may have overlooked something previously. I like how honest and fair this shop is-they will always get my business.

They even cleared the car's computer, as a precaution, took it for a test drive, then scanned it again. Nothing came up at all.

A weak electronic distributor will not come up on the computer codes.
Nor will a fuel pump, as far as I know.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

A weak electronic distributor will not come up on the computer codes.
Nor will a fuel pump, as far as I know.

that's what they said, but Andy's (the place i just took it to) said they don't want to replace the fuel pump, which would run us about $500 total, then have that still not solve the problem. As far as the electronic distributor, i can't seem to find that in our Haynes manual for the car. would it be called something else? The car is a 00 Impala, if that helps you.

 

[Mr. P]

that's what they said, but Andy's (the place i just took it to) said they don't want to replace the fuel pump, which would run us about $500 total, then have that still not solve the problem. As far as the electronic distributor, i can't seem to find that in our Haynes manual for the car. would it be called something else? The car is a 00 Impala, if that helps you.

Haynes SUX...

But it has to be hooked-up to a Diagnostic machine..do you have a Tune-up-clinic up there?
$40-50 to check it.

I’m betting that’s the problem (electronic distributor)..GM 00 yr. Replace it.
Starts sometimes just fine and other time 2-3 minutes, right?

 

[fuzzykitten99]

Haynes SUX...

But it has to be hooked-up to a Diagnostic machine..do you have a Tune-up-clinic up there?
$40-50 to check it.

I’m betting that’s the problem (electronic distributor)..GM 00 yr. Replace it.
Starts sometimes just fine and other time 2-3 minutes, right?

right, usually starts fine, then randomly every so often, it takes a few minutes, almost like it is either getting no fuel or something electronic is malfunctioning.

no tune-up-clinic (that's a shop/store right? never heard of it)

where would the elect distributor be, or should I go check a chilton's from the library? Tim could do it himself, if he knew where it was and it isn't complicated, like he has to remove a ton of stuff to get to it. Temp's are averaging about 15-30 deg F here, so if it will take a while, we may as well have Andy's do it as our garage isn't heated.

 

[Mr. P]

right, usually starts fine, then randomly every so often, it takes a few minutes, almost like it is either getting no fuel or something electronic is malfunctioning.

no tune-up-clinic (that's a shop/store right? never heard of it)

where would the elect distributor be, or should I go check a chilton's from the library? Tim could do it himself, if he knew where it was and it isn't complicated, like he has to remove a ton of stuff to get to it. Temp's are averaging about 15-30 deg F here, so if it will take a while, we may as well have Andy's do it as our garage isn't heated.

It is the top of the distributor. If it's a GM it's probably a flat piece, easy to remove and replace.
Mine, on a Buick 1991, was $70 for the part.

Haynes does lack in many things, but even they show you where it is.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

It is the top of the distributor. If it's a GM it's probably a flat piece, easy to remove and replace.
Mine, on a Buick 1991, was $70 for the part.

Haynes does lack in many things, but even they show you where it is.

unfortunately, i can't seem to find anything in the index or troubleshooting, or any of the chapters even saying 'distributor'
would the part maybe be the same as ignition module? that part has numbers 1-6(for each cylinder of course), connecting the module to the spark plug wires then to the spark plugs.

 

[Mr. P]

unfortunately, i can't seem to find anything in the index or troubleshooting, or any of the chapters even saying 'distributor'
would the part maybe be the same as ignition module? that part has numbers 1-6(for each cylinder of course), connecting the module to the spark plug wires then to the spark plugs.

They may be calling it the "ignition module". It does have the wires running from it (on the side of it)to the plugs.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

They may be calling it the "ignition module". It does have the wires running from it (on the side of it)to the plugs.

ok, that clears that up. they did an ohm test (think thats what it was called) on that both running the car and engine off, and it comes up as fully functional. Unless the problem is intermittent...

so it must be the fuel pump. the thing is, i don't want to spend the money getting that replaced, and it still has the problem.

funny thing is, that is what we suspected to begin with. But since the fuel pressure regulator had gone out and was also leaking, we were told that should fix the problem. That problem was the reason the cat converter died-fuel leaked on/into it as well as the ox sensor, so fuel was running rich which that didn't help matters. We might have avoided that repair had Tim told me he saw a puddle under the car way back in June. But he didn't bother to find out what it was. He said he assumed it was just condensation from the a/c or rainwater from the car, and assumed the fuel smell that he and I smelled in the garage, was from the 2 gas cans for the lawnmower and trimmer.

 

[Mr. P]

ok, that clears that up. they did an ohm test (think thats what it was called) on that both running the car and engine off, and it comes up as fully functional. Unless the problem is intermittent...

so it must be the fuel pump. the thing is, i don't want to spend the money getting that replaced, and it still has the problem.

funny thing is, that is what we suspected to begin with. But since the fuel pressure regulator had gone out and was also leaking, we were told that should fix the problem. That problem was the reason the cat converter died-fuel leaked on/into it as well as the ox sensor, so fuel was running rich which that didn't help matters. We might have avoided that repair had Tim told me he saw a puddle under the car way back in June. But he didn't bother to find out what it was. He said he assumed it was just condensation from the a/c or rainwater from the car, and assumed the fuel smell that he and I smelled in the garage, was from the 2 gas cans for the lawnmower and trimmer.

I don’t know about the ohm test telling you much. The only way I know of to check proper distributor voltage and operation is by connecting to an electrical system analyses machine. A good automotive electrical shop should have one. Keep in mind that
you can have a functional distributor that has a weak module. The machine will identify that. Also, the module is all you may have to replace, not the entire distributor. Good luck.

 

[Shattered]

At 115k miles, why not stop guessing, and just get a new car?

 

[dmp]

My coworker's stratus was doing the same thing +/-...replaced the starter, and now it works fine.


Speaking of animals in cars, though...

http://streamlinemotorsports.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album36/wrx_bees.jpg

 

[Shattered]

My coworker's stratus was doing the same thing +/-...replaced the starter, and now it works fine.


Speaking of animals in cars, though...

http://streamlinemotorsports.com/v-web/gallery/albums/album36/wrx_bees.jpg

Oooh. That's bad.

Gross, too.

<i>**shudders**</i>

 

[fuzzykitten99]

At 115k miles, why not stop guessing, and just get a new car?

um, because that costs money we don't have...down payment, having to look for a car (which i really don't want to do in the middle of winter), get financing AGAIN, and be in debt for 5 more years. We only have 2.5 years left on the car loan, and right now, we owe $2000 more than the car is worth as a trade in, and i really don't want to give up this car because I love the car. I don't want to have to get used to a different car all over again. Rather than have to pay out several thousand for a down payment, as well as roll over what we still owe after trading the car in, making the debt higher, etc. I would rather fix whatever problem we have, because we would be in debt forever with car payments if we panicked at the first sign of any type of car trouble or when the mileage got past 100k. Car parts fail. That's why they have mechanics. IF it is the fuel pump, that will run about $500. That's better than $2000+ we would have to dish out for a down payment on a different car.

115k miles nothing on a car-we bought it at 75k and this is the first time in 2.5 years we've owned the car, that we have had any problems at all.

i had a grand am for about a year that had over 200k when i sold it to my dad's co-worker 5 years ago (and i bought it w/185k for $800) who hasn't had to replace anything on it yet, and now its up to nearly 300k.