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Often a battery will fail so badly that the alternator can't produce enough juice to keep the engine + accessories running as well as fill the gaping black hole that is the battery itself. Or your alternator is hosed. Get a multimeter if you want to be certain.
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Jun 14, 2015 19:55
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The more I think about it, that battery may have been dying for a while. Sometimes it would be slow to start, like hearing the starter "skipping" so to speak. Good news is swapping an alternator isn't too hard from what I saw so it's a job I can do at home. Which maintenance book do you all suggest I grab? I'm sick of paying someone else to do work I can do myself and I'm about due to replace my rotors and brake pads.
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Jun 14, 2015 20:32
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Here's a very stupid question for you. Trying to diagnose a minor fuel evap leak, step 1 is to replace the gas cap. There are 2 cheap ones from my local auto parts store, one is $9, one is $11, that are listed as compatible. The difference is what looks to be a button:  Any idea what that button is?
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Jun 14, 2015 21:04
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Chuu posted:Here's a very stupid question for you. Trying to diagnose a minor fuel evap leak, step 1 is to replace the gas cap. There are 2 cheap ones from my local auto parts store, one is $9, one is $11, that are listed as compatible. The difference is what looks to be a button: Probably a pressure release. In hot weather, it can be more difficult to remove the cap. Push the button, it vents vapor, cap turns easier.
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Jun 14, 2015 21:40
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2009 Kia Rio5. Drum rear brakes. There's a squeaking noise coming from what sounds like the rear drivers side wheel after driving for a bit. It speeds up as the wheel rotates faster, and stops under braking. I replaced the rear drums and shoes already, hoping that might fix it but no luck. Any ideas? Edit: Also when it starts, it gets worse when turning (left if I remember correctly).
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Jun 15, 2015 00:00
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Either you have a bent backing plate rubbing against the rim of the drum or you have a blown rear wheel bearing.
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Jun 15, 2015 01:08
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I've got a Frankenstein Datsun 510 that I'm wrenching on, and I'm having a bear of a time trying to figure out a sensor-to-gauge issue. Quick rundown: Car: 1971 Datsun 510 Power plant: SR20DET Instrument Cluster: R33/RB25DET Yes, I've got a skyline gauge cluster in my 510 that's pulling signals from the SR20DET motor. I've already swapped out most of the sensors that the gauge pulls from (oil pressure, water temp, speed sensor) so the gauge actually reads correctly on most of the gauge faces. The only one I'm having a problem with is the boost sensor, which takes a signal from a MAP-like sensor that only feeds the gauge; it doesn't send anything to the RB25 ECU. I've got the sensor, and I believe I've got it wired appropriately, but I'm having very weird issues with it. When the gauge is powered and hooked up to the boost sensor, I get nothing at the gauge. Nothing at all. My volt meter reads correct voltage from the sensor (2.5v+). When the gauge is powered and I take a 1.5v AA battery and connect to the gauge input, I get a signal at the gauge. When the gauge is powered and I take a controllable voltage regulator and directly inject between 0 and 5 volts, I can control the needle at the gauge. HOWEVER. I took a random sensor (in this case, a pressure sensor) that takes in 5v and outputs between 0.5 and 4.5v. My volt meter reads correct voltage from the sensor. So... When the gauge is powered and I take the output of the sensor into the input of the gauge, I get nothing. When the gauge is NOT powered and I take the output of the sensor into the input of the gauge, I get a correct reading! This tells me that when the gauge is powered, I have some kind of increased resistance at the gauge that the signal source cannot overcome. Bud oddly, when the gauge is NOT powered and I hook up the boost sensor (which we've already established provides a correct voltage output (2.5v), I don't get any reading from the sensor. This is the strangest electrical puzzle. Anybody have any ideas? For info, the gauge takes a 12v+ and a ground, and it also takes a (+) signal and a (-) signal. In the case of the two successful tests above (AA battery and voltage regulator output), the gauge works whether I connect the negative end of the power source to the (-) signal input or not.
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Jun 15, 2015 01:53
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Slavvy posted:Either you have a bent backing plate rubbing against the rim of the drum or you have a blown rear wheel bearing. I had the front drivers wheel bearing go a couple weeks ago, however it sounded way different, more of a grinding sound. I never thought of a bent backing plate though, that would make sense. I'll take it apart after work tomorrow if I have time and check both out though, thanks!
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Jun 15, 2015 02:13
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Spazz posted:The more I think about it, that battery may have been dying for a while. Sometimes it would be slow to start, like hearing the starter "skipping" so to speak. Good news is swapping an alternator isn't too hard from what I saw so it's a job I can do at home. Which maintenance book do you all suggest I grab? I'm sick of paying someone else to do work I can do myself and I'm about due to replace my rotors and brake pads. Honestly, everything on the '98+ Ranger is hilariously well documented on at least one forum or YouTube video somewhere. I never bought a manual. The few times I needed more than the general internet had to offer, I used Autozone's free online manuals. Most everything on that truck is pretty drat basic and easy to work on, so you won't have much trouble if you have any mechanical aptitude at all. Not accounting for rust, of course. As an aside, how are your battery cables? Mine were in awful shape and if I hadn't been so loving cheap / lazy, they really should have been replaced. I just kept making do with aftermarket terminals on the crusty old cable.
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Jun 15, 2015 03:38
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A question about the DMV(California). I bought a new car and forgot to show the DMV that I had proof of insurance for that car. They fined me $15 which I paid, and I emailed them a copy of the document I needed (proof of insurance from AAA). Now what? That was last monday. On the letter it said the field offices and the customer service aren't able to field any questions.
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Jun 15, 2015 07:01
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IOwnCalculus posted:As an aside, how are your battery cables? Mine were in awful shape and if I hadn't been so loving cheap / lazy, they really should have been replaced. I just kept making do with aftermarket terminals on the crusty old cable. Yeah, I was able to find a video on how to swap the alternator in and it looks easy, but I think the battery was the root of the issue. The cables aren't in the worst shape, and I used a wire brush to scrub off any gunk that was built up on them when I put in the new battery. I'm probably going to put on new rotors + pads at the end of the summer. Any suggestion on what type of rotors to buy? Is it worth spending an extra $20 on a more expensive one for any reason, or is the cheapest worth it?
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Jun 15, 2015 13:50
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jovial_cynic posted:This is the strangest electrical puzzle. Anybody have any ideas? Just looking at the electrical concepts and not knowing anything about these gauges specifically: There's more to signal than voltage. It seems like your sensor can't provide enough current to drive the gauge. See if you can't current-limit your voltage regulator to see if that's the problem. Alternatively, there may be a grounding or biasing issue when the gauge is powered such that its "0V" reference is actually higher, so the sensor's value never exceeds that. This would likely mean the gauge is busted. Could the power be hooked up wrong/backwards?
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Jun 15, 2015 15:25
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Is there a car audio thread anywhere? I looked in here and in IYG and couldn't see one. I'm wanting to replace this CD-only unit the PO put in.
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Jun 15, 2015 17:36
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22 Eargesplitten posted:Is there a car audio thread anywhere? I looked in here and in IYG and couldn't see one. I'm wanting to replace this CD-only unit the PO put in.
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Jun 15, 2015 18:14
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RillAkBea posted:If PO put it in properly, it should be as easy as taking it out and playing a rousing game of match the colored wires. Having just done this myself, can confirm. Get the head unit you want, the appropriate cable harness should already be present since the PO installed an aftermarket unit it sounds like, so really you just need to remove and replace. The biggest problem I had with mine is that the '06 Forester with manual climate controls has some sort of twisted nightmare of tension wires attached to the climate control knobs. Removing them was such a pain and putting them back on wasn't going to be any easier, so instead I just worked around the whole loving console as it hang from the awful painful mess. It was less than ideal, but in pretty much any other vehicle it should be much easier. If you buy from Crutchfield they'll give you instructions for installation on your particular vehicle, to make things even easier. Solanumai fucked around with this message at 18:45 on Jun 15, 2015 |
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Jun 15, 2015 18:43
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babyeatingpsychopath posted:Just looking at the electrical concepts and not knowing anything about these gauges specifically: I don't think there's a reference issue, because the voltage regulator can be actuated 0 to 5v and I can see immediate change on the gauge. Even the 1.5v AA battery causes the gauge to respond in the expected manner. The boost sensor reads 2.5v at the volt meter, and the other sensor I'm fiddling with is sending 1.5v to the volt meter, both of which are at or higher than what my other voltage sources are providing. The range appears to be correct, so I think you may be right regarding the low current issue. As for power hookup to the gauge, it's a built-in boost gauge that's part of a larger set of instruments, so as far as the power to the specific gauge goes, it's not really possible for that one to go backwards on me. Shorted across a bad solder, maybe, but not backwards. And again - my other voltage sources make the gauge behave in an expected manner. So... if we narrow the scope of the problem to be a low current issue, and we're seeing this problem from two sensors that appear to be outputting a correct amount of voltage to the volt meter, what's a typical cause of increased resistance to a gauge? I suppose I can take the gauge out of the cluster and try to wire it directly to the sensor instead of using the path that the instrument cluster comes with. Any other common causes for this kind of issue?
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Jun 15, 2015 18:56
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I'm actually still at the point of deciding between a new, modern head, a stock head that came with a tape deck, and one of those things you put in line with the antenna to basically give yourself an aux input on a FM station, but in a way that overrides even looking for the actual FM signal. I have a traditional FM transmitter, but almost all of the stations are taken, and the ones that aren't are getting heavy interference.
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Jun 15, 2015 19:00
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For whatever it might be worth to you I got this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MRYHOQU/ It has: AM/FM radio CD player Bluetooth streaming USB input (for iPod/Phone/USB drive filled with MP3s) Aux input External Mic for hands-free calling AND the display shows track title and artist The only gripe I have in over a week of moderate hands-on experience with it is that the play/pause button isn't as obvious as I'd like it to be. All the others (volume, next/previous track, answer/hang up phone) are in great spots that I can hit without looking. There might be more expensive stuff out there but that's really as feature rich as I'd ever need in a head unit and I only barely broke $100. The kicker is that there are even cheaper units that for-go the BT and USB and just have a regular old AM/FM w/ Aux input and they're almost half the price. I think you can find something less convoluted than an FM transmitter.
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Jun 15, 2015 19:24
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There is a Car Audio Megathread in case you want to sort through more info.
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Jun 15, 2015 19:44
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22 Eargesplitten posted:I'm actually still at the point of deciding between a new, modern head, a stock head that came with a tape deck, and one of those things you put in line with the antenna to basically give yourself an aux input on a FM station, but in a way that overrides even looking for the actual FM signal. I have a traditional FM transmitter, but almost all of the stations are taken, and the ones that aren't are getting heavy interference. Unless you have a kicking rad tape collection you can probably find a modern head to suit your needs and price range. I have an AUX/USB/FM only head that cost about $50.
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Jun 15, 2015 19:47
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IOwnCalculus posted:There is a Car Audio Megathread in case you want to sort through more info. Awesome, thanks. Like I said, I looked in IYG and AI and couldn't find it. I don't have a kicking rad tape collection, but I do have an old cassette adapter.
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Jun 15, 2015 21:18
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I'm replacing the brakes on all four corners of my new to me truck (1991 Toyota Pickup) and was wondering about painting them. I'm doing the front calipers and rear drums, right now they're bare from the factory metal. Is it required to paint them so they don't rust or are they coated already?
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Jun 16, 2015 00:46
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The caliper is most likely not coated and the drum may or may not have anti-rust shipping oil (which you should be cleaning off with brake cleaner anyway as it soaks into the shoes and makes the brakes less effective), but the only parts that rust will be non-working surfaces; the rotors and drums will get swept clean each time you apply the brakes. (This also means paint would get scraped off those parts so you'll get overnight surface rust regardless.) Paint them if you like the way they look, but it's hardly critical. Also: I'd mask off the face of the drum where the wheel butts up against it around the lugs, paint on there could cause the wheel to sit slightly off vertical like if there was rust buildup there. Super minor nitpicking, but there you go.
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Jun 16, 2015 01:11
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Arriviste posted:Update on Red Dwarf: Spoke with the owner of the garage and he kindly walked me through the diagnosis. Juice goes in but doesn't go out of the starter, basically. Battery tests fine now and once they get it running they'll check it out again. Starter has to be ordered and they hope to have it finished in time for me to drive to teach class Monday night. Follow-up on Red Dwarf (1995 Nissan XE pickup): Starter replacement complete and everything works just great. Thanks for the input, folks. 
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Jun 16, 2015 04:25
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2010 Hyundai Elantra GLS in case it matters. Wanting to check the freon level and I have one of those little 10-20$ kits that come with the gauge and attached bottle. The bottle is long gone, i just have the attachment/gauge. Am I going to hurt myself or the car using the gauge (on the low pressure port) without a bottle on it?
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Jun 16, 2015 15:12
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Dollas posted:2010 Hyundai Elantra GLS in case it matters. It's not going to tell you much of anything useful. See my AC thread for information: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3616944&userid=0&perpage=40&pagenumber=1
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Jun 16, 2015 15:29
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Enourmo posted:The caliper is most likely not coated and the drum may or may not have anti-rust shipping oil (which you should be cleaning off with brake cleaner anyway as it soaks into the shoes and makes the brakes less effective), but the only parts that rust will be non-working surfaces; the rotors and drums will get swept clean each time you apply the brakes. (This also means paint would get scraped off those parts so you'll get overnight surface rust regardless.) Any recommendations on what type of paint to use on the hubs? I'd prefer something I can brush on, if possible.
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Jun 16, 2015 17:18
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What is the latest ELM327 bluetooth odbII clone that actually works? I lost the one I got a couple of years ago that someone recommended here. There are so many clones out there on amazon I'd rather not get one that's poo poo.
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Jun 16, 2015 17:45
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2008 Subaru Forester, about 40k miles (no it's not for sale). This is my wife's car, so I don't know all the details of when it happened or what she was doing, but the Check Engine Light came on and the cruise control started blinking yesterday. We brought it to AutoZone and they pulled P0028 "Intake Valve Control Solenoid Circuit Range/Perf. B2" We had them clear the code last night, and it hasn't come back yet. Doing some research, this could be many things, and the OBD sites list the following causes: Low engine oil level or contaminated oil Clogged oil system Malfunctioning control solenoid Malfunctioning camshaft actuator Timing chain/belt loose or incorrectly adjusted Malfunctioning ECM/PCM We haven't checked the oil level yet, but there's no evidence of leaking anywhere that she typically parks. However, January was her last oil change, so she's going to go in for that (we live in an apartment...can't DIY easily). I have read that oil will burn off over time...is that accurate, or just a sign of other problems? There's no smell of burnt oil when the car runs, so if it is burning off it's going at a very slow rate. Aside from that, other research has indicated that if the oil level isn't low, then either the oil pressure switch or the valve control solenoid are probably faulty. And actually, several places list the switch as a more likely culprit, and for as cheap as it is I would probably hit that first. First, which is bank 1 and which is bank 2? Second, does this sound like a reasonable next step? I've seen many people just say to clean the solenoid or the switch with brake cleaner... Both the switch and the solenoid look dead simple to replace. Is that correct? Would I have to drain the oil first, or are these parts above the nominal oil fill level?
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Jun 16, 2015 18:12
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devmd01 posted:What is the latest ELM327 bluetooth odbII clone that actually works? I lost the one I got a couple of years ago that someone recommended here. There are so many clones out there on amazon I'd rather not get one that's poo poo. I bought this one. http://www.amazon.com/BAFX-Products-Bluetooth-diagnostics-Android/dp/B005NLQAHS/ref=sr_1_1
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Jun 16, 2015 18:28
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spog posted:Any recommendations on what type of paint to use on the hubs? Do you mean calipers/drums? You really shouldn't paint the hubs... Lately I've taken to using spray-on bedliner out of a rattle can. Flat black and much more resilient than most paint.
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Jun 16, 2015 18:36
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Geoj posted:Do you mean calipers/drums? You really shouldn't paint the hubs... I used bbq paint. If I were to do it again, I'd use a lot of bbq paint.
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Jun 17, 2015 01:58
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1997 Ford Ranger XLT Supercab 4.0L V6 4x4 (most of that is probably irrelevant) The climate control on my truck is not working. The blower pushes air just fine, the AC blows cold but only barely, and the knobs all seem to turn properly. The engine temperature is fine and there's plenty of clean coolant where it's supposed to be. But no matter where the temperature dial is set, the air blowing from the vents is the same temperature as the outside air; unless, like I said, I put it to AC or MAX AC and then it's a little colder than outside. Replacing the control unit under the radio receiver looks fairly straightforward (assuming I can find a replacement part, presumably from a junkyard), and I plan on replacing the head unit with an aftermarket receiver / CD player soon anyway. However, if it's the heater core I'll need to basically remove everything in front of the steering wheel (and probably the steering wheel, too) to get at it. Is there a way to test what could be causing this problem? Please tell me it's something stupidly simple like a blown fuse. It's not a huge problem right now, but in a few months the weather is going to get cold and I want heat inside my truck.
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Jun 17, 2015 02:16
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If it were a newer Jeep, I'd vote "blend doors" and wish you godspeed and a long weekend so you can rip half your dash out.
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Jun 17, 2015 03:06
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Uthor posted:I bought this one. I have this one too and it's perfect for Torque
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Jun 17, 2015 03:24
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I have a motorscooter registration question for California: My girlfriend bought a vintage (1965ish? I don't know the exact year) vespa scooter some years before we met. The fella she bought it from had said he registered it as PNO before the sale, but this was not the case, and as near as I can tell it has not been registered since 2007. She bought it in 2013, and to transfer the title would have cost around 800+ so she let it sit in her garage until now, where it sits in our backyard shed. I'd love to get it running again, and to decide from there whether to sell or use the thing, but the lack of registration is a big hurdle that I want to handle before starting anything else. I have a mechanic friend who said I can wait until the CA DMV forgets about the scooter or fix it and sell it out of state, but I haven't been able to find any evidence of the first ever happening, and the latter is not a step I'm eager to take. My advice was to register it and sue the guy for the cost, but she's not into that, and I figure it's past the statute of limitations here anyway. How can I get this registered clean again so we can have either a fun little scooter or another couple grand in our bank account?
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Jun 17, 2015 03:37
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How long does it take roughly for the registration of a new car to go through in CA? I got my vehicle about two weeks ago and naturally the dealer handled the paperwork. However I haven't received the plates/title/registration and the insurance company emailed me saying that they weren't able to look up the car via the DMV.
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Jun 17, 2015 04:27
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I have an '07 Dodge Charger 3.5L with about 90,000 miles on it that's been acting up lately. It started about two weeks ago when I was coming out of a restaurant with some take-out. Car wouldn't start. All my auxiliary power worked, radio, headlights, interior lights, dashboard, A/C, but turning the key just gave me a click and a sound that I can't put into text, but it wouldn't start. Dad comes by, gives me a jump, and I'm good for about a week until it happened again. Got another jump, and was good again until today. Old man came through, gave me another jump (after a guy in his Challenger tried to jump me and failed) and we took it down to Advanced Auto, where I had bought a new battery less than a year ago. They tested it and it was actually over charged. If the battery is fine, and the starter is okay, does that pretty much narrow it down to the alternator? Or is there something else I can do to truly figure out why it's acting up? Thanks guys. Edit: the mechanic that usually helps me out came by today and said it wasn't the alternator because the car didn't shut off when I had it running and he pulled off the negative terminal. Advanced Auto won't replace the battery because it's not "bad" by their tests, though it seems to be leaving me up poo poo creek about once a week. Time to take it to a garage and see what happens? I imagine it'd be difficult to diagnose without being able to replicate the problem. This poo poo just happens randomly. Santheb fucked around with this message at 17:02 on Jun 17, 2015 |
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Jun 17, 2015 05:57
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Quick and easy stupid question: Should I bother with soldered inline splices for cabin electronics or should I just go with cheap crimps?
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Jun 17, 2015 14:20
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RillAkBea posted:Quick and easy stupid question: GO with slightly more expensive crimps with the heat-shrink already on them. Just because they've got plastic around them doesn't mean the plastic is heat-shrink.
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Jun 17, 2015 15:22
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