What is wrong with my car??

[Sirrahsim]

We're moving sometime in the next 6 weeks.... We just need this stinking car to get us through till we are put into temporary quarters but noooooooo way, it decides that it wants to act up NOW :mad: :mad:

It doesn’t want to turn over, but if we keep pressing the gas while trying to start, it will start after about 30-45 seconds. Yesterday we had to get a jumpstart after being inside for less than 5 minutes :(

I'm hoping that it is something quick and inexpensive to fix, but you know how that goes :rolleyes: Any ideas? I'm calling the auto hobby shop this afternoon because they are MUCH cheaper and just as licensed as the main car garage on base.

I need a hug :rolleyes:

[BC_MoM]

I'm not a mechanic, nor do I have any knowledge about cars... but... (((HUGS)))!! :D

[moosmom]

I'm not a mechanic either, but it sounds like it has something to do with the fuel pump.

[Vette]

I need a hug

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v472/VettesPetz/Smiles/hug.gif wish granted ;)


my dad says it sounds like the fule-pump or the carburetor.

[Lady's Human]

It sounds like a bad battery or alternator (hence the need for a jump start) causing a weak spark (Trouble starting). I'm assuming from previous posts that it is a carbuerated engine (due to the age) as opposed to fuel injected.

[Sirrahsim]

It's a 92, I'm not sure if that is considered old or not :p
I will be taking it in to the shop later today or tomorrow and will mention what you guys have said.

[Catty1]

Is it fuel injected?

If so, get some good injector cleaner (STP, Quaker State, Pennzoil), and add it to a FULL tank of gas.

My car gets reluctant to start if I skip a dose (every other fillup).

Just a thought.

[Lady's Human]

A 92? Okay, it's fuel injected.

That means an electric fuel pump, and all the inherent issues that go with it.

On a fuel injected car, a bad battery can cause many, many things, but the battery and alternator are easy checks.

[Sirrahsim]

Ok, I'll have hubby take it in to have them check it out... Everytime that I have taken the car in, the estimates have been higher than when my husband takes it :D We took the car in twice for the same thing just to get estimates for both of us and his was remarkably lower :p

[Lady's Human]

Yeah, amazing, ain't it?

LOH took her car into the local ford dealer to get it inspected. At the time, the car had 35K miles on it, and was in excellent condition. No noises, squeaks, rattles, etc.

They told her it had bad front suspension end links, and it would cost almost $200 to repair. I was in OK at the time, she was in a dealership with 2 kids under 5 y/o with her, and they're talking suspension problems. Long story short, she had them fix it. There was NOTHING wrong with the car. I will never spend another dime at that dealership, even though they have had cars on the lot I would have liked to check out.

Smart dealership...............a $200 repair cost them thousands in business.

I guarantee if I had taken the car in they would have just put the inspection sticker on it and sent me on my way.

[Jessika]

Thats exactly why we fix things ourselves. And we have a mechanic friend we trust who helps us out for free. We just buy meat to BBQ :D

On my 92 Lumina I can't even begin to count how many times we've had to replace the alternator in that thing... Chevy's are notorious for that apparently :D

[Sirrahsim]

We went ahead and took it to the big garage because it ended up being cheaper. Turns out that the battery is just nearing the end of its life so they are replacing it for us. One shop would charge $81 total and the other was charging $85 total so we are paying the $85 because it is closer and more convenient. I'm SO glad that it wasn't something more expensive!!

[Lady's Human]

Jessika,

Yeah, mid '80s to mid '90s GM products had alternators with open bearings. The placement in some cars also gave the alternators heat issues. Both problems result in the bearings having a such shorter lifespan then would normally be expected.

[Randy_K]

Just a wrap up: The most important clue was the need to have the car jump started only after a few minutes after shutting the car off. All cars these days are fuel injected (a computer-controlled system that delivers the fuel in measured amounts to each individual cylinder) but for the injection system to work while starting the car the battery has to deliver at least 10.5 volts while running that incredibly power-hungry starter too. A weak battery just can't do all of this at once!

[davidpizzica]

Yeah, amazing, ain't it?

LOH took her car into the local ford dealer to get it inspected. At the time, the car had 35K miles on it, and was in excellent condition. No noises, squeaks, rattles, etc.

They told her it had bad front suspension end links, and it would cost almost $200 to repair. I was in OK at the time, she was in a dealership with 2 kids under 5 y/o with her, and they're talking suspension problems. Long story short, she had them fix it. There was NOTHING wrong with the car. I will never spend another dime at that dealership, even though they have had cars on the lot I would have liked to check out.

Smart dealership...............a $200 repair cost them thousands in business.

I guarantee if I had taken the car in they would have just put the inspection sticker on it and sent me on my way.
You're right, LH. Those dealerships LOVE to take advantage of women in those situations. I think if a woman comes in, those mechanics start to see dollar signs in front of their eyes!

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

I'm SO glad that it wasn't something more expensive!!

Haha, that brings back some "sweet" old memories!! When we were returning to Belgium after 2 years in the USA, we had to replace ALL 4 tires just 2 weeks before we were selling the car! Some idiot had stabbed them all four with a knife :eek:

[smokey the elder]

Fortunately, my Toyota dealership doesn't try to pull that, especially since I diagnosed bad calipers that they didn't pick up on until I insisted they do a road test, a month after I told them the brakes were acting up and they said they were fine.

[Jessika]

You're right, LH. Those dealerships LOVE to take advantage of women in those situations. I think if a woman comes in, those mechanics start to see dollar signs in front of their eyes!
Until they try to pull their stuff on the wrong woman, such as myself, that knows enough about cars to know what does and doesn't need to be fixed, lol.

I'm the son my dad never had. :o

[moosmom]

Why is it whenever they see a woman coming they feel they can take advantage of them? I always go to my high school friend to runs an auto repair place. He's never ripped me off.

Glad it was nothing serious.

[Catty1]

When I and other students were doing our driving lessons in the classroom phase in hight school - the instructor insisted we all learn the basics of how a car works - starter, engine, cylinders, carburetor (back then) - just the basic system.

He said, especially for us women, if we can even talk a little bit about what we THINK might be wrong, it can save us from being ripped off...as the mechanic has no idea what ELSE we might know. ;)

If it keeps stalling and needing boosting, you could say something as simple as "I hope the alternator isn't going! That's a pretty penny!"

Say something simple like that as if you say the word every day! I think it might make a difference.

Also - some colleges run mechanic classes for women - even just the bookwork kind. Can't hurt!

[Jessika]

Why is it whenever they see a woman coming they feel they can take advantage of them? I always go to my high school friend to runs an auto repair place. He's never ripped me off.

Glad it was nothing serious.
Because on average (and this is a SWEEPING generalization I am aware) women don't know a lot about cars, so when they are told "hey you need a new air filter and oil filter and wipers and wiper fluid and a transmission flush" chances are likely they will go along because they don't know otherwise, lol. I can't tell you how many female friends I have that don't even know how to check their oil or have ever even popped their own hood! I had one friend, and I swear this, she did not know you were SUPPOSED to change your oil (one of the most basic car maintenance needs!!) and she ended up blowing her engine.

I know this applies to some guys too and by saying all guys know about cars is a stereotype as well, but when a male mechanic has a female come in, he is going to assume she knows nothing and try to get more money. It sucks, and is wrong, but... thats why we all have a trusting male friend do it for us or to get a second opinion from :D

[signorelli21]

yep, as a general rule, most repair shops will sell you whatever they think they can get away with. a shop i worked at had a guy bring in his truck for an inspection and i was standing there when the service writer called to tell him it needed 4 tires, the guy on the phone was like, um, i put brand new tires on it last week, did you even look at my truck?

basically stay away from jiffy lube places in general, i know way to many retards that worked at those places and heard some pretty bad stories. as well as had to help them fix things that they had no buisness trying to repair ( used to work next to one), just always make them show you what is wrong and explain how/why it needs replaced. as far as fluid intervals, all of them are in your owners manual.

[Cataholic]

Hmmm....I don't find that this happens to me, and I can't say I know much of anything about cars. I go to a Honda Dealership (<gasp>), and I don't feel they take advantage of me. In fact, they replaced my something or other, a $1500 repair, out of warranty, not by much, and called it dealer loyalty. I feel better taking my Honda to a Honda dealer. I don't feel they are so pressured to perform unnecessary repairs. I guess it might be a matter of opinion as to what repairs are necessary, and which are not. Dealerships/car repair places, etc., might always reccommend on the liberal side, so as not to take chances.

I think people tend to take advantage of people that let themselves be taken advantage of! :o

[caseysmom]

I have a local Honda dealer I also love. I have written a few letters regarding things I wasn't happy about and they have rectified them for me.

[Jessika]

yep, as a general rule, most repair shops will sell you whatever they think they can get away with. a shop i worked at had a guy bring in his truck for an inspection and i was standing there when the service writer called to tell him it needed 4 tires, the guy on the phone was like, um, i put brand new tires on it last week, did you even look at my truck?

basically stay away from jiffy lube places in general, i know way to many retards that worked at those places and heard some pretty bad stories. as well as had to help them fix things that they had no buisness trying to repair ( used to work next to one), just always make them show you what is wrong and explain how/why it needs replaced. as far as fluid intervals, all of them are in your owners manual.
Oh DEFINITELY stay FAR FAR away from Jiffylube, everyone!! They will charge you for repairs they never even do! I forget which news company, but someone did an undercover story at some local Jiffylubes in their area, and you would be amazed at how much money they charged them for repairs that never even happened!! I will try to dig up the video for you guys

Here is a link to the story:
http://www.nbc4.tv/news/9879404/detail.html?rss=la&psp=news

there is a link to view the video on the page, too

Well it seems this is an update to the original undercover story, but you still get the idea :)

[signorelli21]

i'm sorry i didn't want to sound biased towards honda and say anything vehicle specific, but honda dealerships don't really count, as do toyota, lol.

the reason is because honda makes some of ( from an engineering standpoint) the best cars in the world, they also have extremely good buisness practices and like you said, they have no need to try and rip you off, because a satisfied customer is a return customer.

for the record i build custom turbocharger setups for honda's so i am slightly opinionated and love them very much :)