Automotive Forums  Where Car Enthusiasts Go to Discuss Cars Online

your car came with a small owners manual in the glove compartment...  that will describe some of the things that need to be done...

that is the best place to start...

some cars come with a maintenance record booklet in the glove box also.. you can keep track of when repairs were done.. by date and mileage...  

it might help if you post info about your car...

make model year...

if you don't know that info...

go to carfax .com..  you can put your 17 digit vin number in and it will tell you make.. model.. year.. engine size..  

I have a 1999 Chevy Tahoe, I don't know what is wrong with it, it doesn't want to start but will if you use a little starting fluid. I have replace the fuel pressure regulator and it still does it. What else could it be??  

Did you ever find out what the problem was?? I am having simular problems with my 99 tahoe. Would appricate any help you could offer!!!  

print this chart....




with a scan tool......   find the live data section of your scan tool...   start with the first sensor displayed on the scan tool...  write that sensors readings on  the proper line of the chart..

then the next scan tools sensor reading...     then compare...


you might also want to operate the motor in the dark... see if you have any electrical discharge visible from the various ignition parts..

have you changed the cap ... rotor.. ignition coil...

the parts that will make cars hard to start hot is the coolant temp sensor ..  this can only be observed with a scan tool... the engine coolant temp sensors have failed on others... and the connectors have also failed.. this throws off the fuel injection system..



hard to start and starts with starting fluid could also point right at the Ignition coil...   it may be leaking high voltage to frame of the coil...  it could also be shorting out internally.. if there are dust patterns or white dots..  replace the coil...  



there are coil output testers available for about 8 bucks...   but coils only start at 22 to 45 for that model..  it takes a lot of spark to start the engine.. not so much to keep it running..
the coil has to be able to throw a 3/4" bright blue spark.. if you only get an Orange spark..  that is only 3/8 long.. replace the coil... the bulb type spark testers are worthless for this.. as any voltage will light them up..   you need to know how much it will put out..




so.. use care... remove the distributer cap and rotor.. inspect them for excessive carbon dust scattered.. and the center button in the cap burned away...    warning..    when installing the screws... use CARE.. back the screws up until they drop.. then turn them in.. do not try to cut new threads... you will end up buying a new distributer.. they are plastic...



 

HI, I HAVE A 2001 CHEVY CAMARO 5.7L. LAST WEEK THE BATTERY WAS DEAD... WOULD NOT TAKE A JUMP, TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE & IT TESTED GOOD. NOTICED I HAD A BAD CONNECTION TO THE BATTERY. GOT A NEW TERMINAL AND FIXED THAT PROBLEM. THEN IT WOULD TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET THE CAR TO START & WHEN IT FINALLY DID MOST OF THE GUAGES DIDN'T WORK ( RPM,GAS,TEMP & I THINK SOME OTHERS)THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK GAUGES LIGHT AND SERVICE VEHICLE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE CAR RAN LIKE CRAP. WE PUT THE OBD2 DIAGNOSTIC TESTER ON IT AND IT COULDN'T FIND ANY OF THE READINGS OF THE THINGS FOR THE GUAGES THAT WEREN'T WORKING. MY MECHANIC SEEMS TO THINK THAT THE PCM MIGHT BE THE PROBLEM.. HE SAID HE WAS GONNA DO SOME RESEARCH AND GET BACK TO ME. NO WORD YET. NOW I CANNOT GET THE CAR STARTED AT ALL. IT JUST CRANKS AND CRANKS AND CRANKS. BEFORE I STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE ONLY CODE IT PULLED WAS FOR THE KNOCK SENSOR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.. CAN ANYONE PLEASE HELP ME????  

I have a 98 Chevy Lumina.  I recently had someone change the oil and they put 5.5 quarts of oil in it, and it's only supposed to hold 4.5.  I usually just put 5 quarts in and have had no problems.  Anyways, I drove it for about 60 miles before draining the extra quart out.  Do you think I have done any damage to my motor?  

Hi,

I have an oil pressure problem, I got a warning on my dash about oil pressure and that I should stop the motor together with a tappet noise, so I did.

After speaking to some people I was told that it's most probably the oil pumo that's needs replacing. I replaced the oil pump and the warning sign and tappet noise went away.

Unfortunately, after 2 weeks of problem free driving both the warning and tappet noise is back, don't know what the problem could be.

Please help  

first... it the oil pressure light is on... stop the engine..    stop driving the car.. or truck..    

without knowing more about your car...  like what kind it is..

verification of the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge oil pressure testing kit...

this kit is available at harbor freight for 20 bucks..



Description of U.S. General 98949

For use on diesel and gasoline engines of domestic and imported cars, trucks, tractors, and stationary engines.

Brass adapters attach to the flexible gauge hose for hard-to-reach spots
Easy to read gauge, 0-100 PSI
Hose dimensions: 1/4" I.D. x 66" long
Brass fittings: 1/4"-18 NPT male x 1/8"-18 NPT male, 1/8"-27 NPT male/female 90° elbow, 1/8"-28 BSPT male x 1/8"-27 NPT female 90° elbow, M8 x 1 male x 1/8"- 27 NPT female straight, M10 x 1 male x 1/8"-27 NPT female straight, M12 x 1.5 male x 1/8"-27 NPT female straight, M14 x 1.5 male x 1/8"-27 NPT female straight, 1/4"-18 NPT male x 1/8"- 27 NPT female, 3/8"-18 NPT male x 1/8"-27 NPT female, 1/8"-27 NPT female x 1/8"-27 NPT female, 1/8"-27 NPT male to male 2" long nipple  

Thanks Wayne,

To give you more info on the car, it's a 2001 VW Golf 4 1.6i.

To ask another question, could it be a bearing knock? I'm not sure
whether a bearing knock would go away for 2 weeks and come back again.
Also, when changing the oil pump,the sump was removed and there were no iron
filings.

Thanks again.  

yes... thats what i am worried about..

i am also worried that the head is damaged as the cams ride directly on the aluminum cam bores...  without the proper amounts of oil... the aluminum melts and transfers metal to the steel cam journals and wipe out more of the head...

i know several people who have had to change the engine oil pumps on these...  many without problems after .. a few with them...

install a new oil pump... it seems to be chain driven....  some brands that i looked at seem to come with the pick up tube.. others don't show it in the picture...

there is a spring loaded pressure relief valve inside the pump that can get hung open with debris.. or the spring can break..  the oil pump picks up unfiltered oil... so any debris can get stuck in the pump and can in the relief valve piston...

after an oil pump change...  i normally disable the ignition and  with 2 quarts of very thin motor oil.. i have the oil filter off.. i crank the engine for usually 5 to 8 seconds...  until the oil starts flowing from the oil filter mounting area.. i then. screw a new oil filter on and top off the oil.. and start the motor watching the pressure gauge or the light... if i don't get pressure in 10 seconds.. i shut it off.. but the cranking with the filter off and the ignition disabled usually is enough to prime the motor properly..

with a filter on..  the pump has a hard time pulling oil up as its dry...  priming the pump with oil is also a good idea...

please.. spend the time and properly clean the inside of the oil pan...    oil pans are available in the aftermarket for some applications...  

General question...

Can an old oil filter cause an oil pressure problem as well?  

it has....  where the filter element/media has broken up.. gotten lodged into the oil passages...

this usually happens with engines that are started and the RPMs raised way above what the normal fast idle would be..


ever seen somebody rev an ice cold motor????

some filters are better than others...  some filters actually have a metal cage this element is in to prevent this...

which ones?  no way to tell other than getting an oil filter cutter and cutting open a few brands of the model that fit your car..

chances of the oil filter breaking up on your car.???  slim...  hundreds of millions to one.. even a billion to one.. but it does happen

i  know people have problems with Vw oil pumps...





clogged oil filters do happen...

one tip...  if you can disable the ignition system and can verify that it will NOT START when you crank the engine..

you can ..  i have done it.. crank the engine with the oil filter off..   examine the oil flow from the filter area... do you get a large flow or a just a trickle...      the flow should be significant ... even for 5 seconds of cranking..   don t crank it for more than 5 or 6 seconds...   please verify the oil level before starting with a new filter after this test..  

Hi,

I changed the oil filter and did an oil change, didn't make a difference until I was told by an mechanic to start and stop the engine continuously until the tappet sound went away. I am glad it worked coz that would mean that I don't have a bearing knock but can't for the life of me understand why that was necessary, the car idled for between 5 to 10 minutes with no change in the noise.

Thanks for your help.  

It could be your MAF sensor. Is the check engine light on? Let somebody do diagnostics on the car and make sure you fix the problem before it gets worse.

check our website to find more information regarding possible causes. or email us so we can have a technician send your a reply to the exact cause

www.sbcautocenter.com  

is it recommended of washing right away the engine while in 24 hours running with out cooling-down the engine? Is there any effect to my engine in the long run?