Question for the car guys
 

I just bought an older truck to have for winter but I went to start it this morning and the battery was dead. Took the battery up to Autozone and they said it checked out fine but it was completely drained when I brought it in. I did not have the alternator tested yet but the dash gauge shows it is charging good. What else could it be or should I not trust the gauge on the truck? Could something be sucking the juice from the battery as it sits? If so how do I find it?

Electrical problems, kill it with fire.

You prolly left a light on somewheres

This.

First make sure the glove box light isn't stuck on though.
Posted via Mobile Device

get a test light, turn the vehicle off, test all the fuses for power on the side that should not be powered. Found a parasitic drain in my civic this way, ended up just pulling the fuse since the power locks didn't work anyways.

Also, cold weather is hell on batteries, drive the shit out of it and make sure that's its really charged nicely.

http://www.wikihow.com/Find-a-Parasitic-Battery-Drain <- that way uses a multimeter. I did it with a test light.

Rep +1 kind sir. :thumb:

If you don't drive much, you can put it on a trickle charger to keep the battery up.

Just make sure it’s a “smart” charger, regular chargers can run a battery dry with constant charging cycle.

well done, young jedi

get some 30 weight ball bearings and some Prestone.

what? no c4 explosives for the white house? yer slippin' man :D

Check the fetzer valve

What the hell you need ball bearings for?

ball bearings is where its at these days. It's all ball bearings

Hey! It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

It does sound like you've got something draining the juice while she sits.

Can you get me the year and make of the vehicle? I may be able to tell you the most likely suspect.

How old is the pickup?

How old is the battery? If the battery is over 4 years old I'd replace it anyway. If you want it for winter, you need it to crank hard.

Probably a power drain somewhere. If there is an aftermarket radio, it could potentially be hooked to constant power instead of keyed power. Some of the mid 90s Chevy's had a light under the hood come on when you opened the hood, that or the glovebox could be the problem. If not, I'd check the fuses like hometeam said.

its something with the wiring. what you got, 320, 321?

whatever it takes

The test light suggestion is great, as well as the meter to find the problem.

Also, a real quick indicator on an older vehicle, if you touch the battery cable to the battery post with every thing turned off, you shouldn't get a spark. If you do, something is pulling juice.

Don't want to create a separate thread, so I'm piggybacking off of this one...

Is it very difficult to change brake pads? I need to replace mine and was thinking of doing it myself. Any specific "fancy" tools I would need? Or is it a fairly simple process?

I have a Honda Ridgeline, so you experts know what you're working with

Simple. It took me longer to jack up my car and take the wheels off than it did to actually replace the pads.

It's a 92 GMC 1500. It does have an after market stereo so I was gonna start there. Then I was gonna maybe look at the wiring for the hitch.

check the radio, glove box light (the switch like to fall out of its holder on those things) and the underhood light.

the trailer wiring shouldn't be it unless its wired for a powered trailer. like an rv. something that needs power


trailer lights only work if the vehicle lights are being used.

get a test light and go to town on the thing.

also check the battery terminals.

if all else fails grab a BFH(big ****ing hammer)

Discs all around I assume? Super simple, you can find directions specific to your vehicle on the internet, hell there’s probably video instructions YouTube.
To do the job right though you need to also remove the discs and have them “turned” by your local O’Reilly, Auto Zone or whatever parts house will turn brakes. That’s because you don’t want to put fresh pads on grooved up discs, your pads won’t last nearly as long and you’ll be doing this again wishing you had done it right the first time.

and those ****ers will squeak forever if the rotors aren't turned

Yep, check under the good for the stereo wire and a fused-link. Check with a multi-meter or a sensitive test light.

If that's good, start checking the fuse box, (after checking all the lights and switches).

This. I know first hand unfortunately.

How long did the truck sit around with out being started? If it was several months, it's not uncommon for batteries to go flat. We use a CTEK charger unit if a car has to sit around the shop for awhile. Check out the CTEK MULTI US 7000.

LMAO

So I figured out it was just the light in the glove box so thanks to everyone for the help. However the damn thing has a pinging I hear when driving it now. I took it to Aamco because I thought it was the transmission but they are telling me it is the engine. They are stating it needs to be replaced.

I really want a second opinion because I don't hear this noise if I am just sitting revving the engine. I only hear it when it is going down the road in gear. I could be wrong but I just don't see it being the engine. Anyone on here have a good, slightly inexpensive, mechanic out in West Omaha they know of? And I guess it doesn't necessarily need to be in West Omaha either. The closer to home just makes it easier to get and drop off.

My car isn't a fan of weather changes. Wednesday night it randomly started making a scraping type noise coming from the pulley area, maybe towards the crankshaft area. It's not extremely loud. But was loud enough to hear it with the windows up. I've been trying to get ahold of a auto shop, and my personal mechanic, but it seems everybody has taken the entire weekend off. Anybody have any idea what it might be?

Never trust AAMCO. With my old caddy, the transmission solenoid was going out so it wouldn't shift sometimes. At the time, I was almost 100% sure that's what it was (and I didn't want to do it myself) so I had my wife take it to them just to verify the issue. Those ****s gave me a whole host of reasons why the tranny needed to be replaced. They even told me one of the codes that the car was throwing off was a "transmission slip code" which made me laugh and then get really pissed off at them. I had checked the codes (car had a self diagnostic mode which was awesome) before it went there so I knew exactly what codes it was throwing and what they meant.

Ended up buying a new car and had a mechanically inclined friend who thought he could make some loot off of putting a little bit of work into the caddy. He changed the solenoid like I recommended and banged on the catalytic converter for a few minutes and all of the codes dropped off. He ended up getting a grand for himself and paid me the 2 grand I wanted for the car.

tl;dr **** AAMCO. Never trust anything they say.

It needs more antifreeze.

a pinging noise? definitely get a second opinion.

I'd try some higher octane gas first. R & G Auto at 75th & Pacific or Auto Services of Omaha at 43rd & L are the only mechanics that I'd recommend to anyone in Omaha.

A pinging noise sometimes indicate the spark timing is off. Get a code scan at az.

Its probably too old to just scan and find out the timing. Just have someone unhook the brown and black wire (iirc its a 93 Chevy pu) that's either under the glove box or in the harness going through the firewall, and then set the timing with a light.
Posted via Mobile Device

this is a good idea too. Run some BK44 through it and clean the out the fuel injection system too (I'm assuming it's not so old that it's not fuel injected) and then run some quality high octane gas through it.

Also hit with some lucas upper cylinder lubricant, make sure its not lifter ticking or something. Make sure the oil is full.

Well the pinging turned out to be a cracked head. I have been working on it this weekend and had another question. The intake gasket I have got doesn't have one of the ports cut out and neither did the one I pulled out. What would the reasoning be behind having a port that doesn't get any flow through it?

Let me know how many secret service show up at your door. I've always been curious just how many agents they send out to check threats like this.

Here is a picture of the gasket I was talking about. The one on the left you see has a port blocked at the top of the picture. Anyone know why they do this?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7408/1...50421a70_z.jpg

if the original one was blocked it HAS to be blocked. otherwise the truck will always overheat

its to keep the antifreeze in the intake longer so the thermostat will open, at least that's my thinking

Thanks.

Got this thing all back together and for the life of me I can't figure out where the hell this plug goes? I have had one of my friends look as well and he can't seem to find anything either. Anyone got a clue what it might go to?

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3759/1...06f56c23_z.jpg

it goes with the other end of it

oil sending unit.

it should be almost under the edge of the distributor. well as long as you put the adapter back in the port in the block behind the intake

trucks don't have fetzer valves.

Only one way to know for sure. Place your lips around it and have your buddy crank over the engine. Suck hard to remove any obstructions in the hose and to start the fluids flowing. Use your taste buds to determine what's coming out. Don't swallow.

Thanks once again. I was hoping this plug was my issue because I still can't get the truck to start and stay running. If I give it gas it will start and run until I let off the gas. When it is running it is running super rough (shaking the vehicle rough) and I have black smoke coming out the exhaust. I have checked everything I know to check at this point. Doesn't sound like that is going to fix my issue.

sounds like the map sensor vacuum hose is unhooked or plugged at the throttle body.
or a ground is loose or wires pinched that have an injector hung open.


the map sensor is that square box in the upper left of your picture just above the egr valve that is missing the vacuum hose.

are you sure you have the firing order right?

hey I just saw I was right here. wow. good guess

I was wondering about the plug wires being out of order.

ive been dealing with a bunch of cars the last week that a nationwide gas station (its in a supermarket parking lot) had a dumbass tanker driver roll in and dump the whole tanker into the unleaded tank.

on Saturday night, right before a 58 degree sunday that everyone knew Monday was going to be 0 degrees. everyone in a place with much rural areas is moving on a day like that, town was crazy.


yeah its costing them tons of money in rental cars and repairs.

follow the #1 wire to the dist and its 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2.

7th grade shop teacher made sure I would never forget that

Firing order is on top of the manifold. I have double and triple checked. All is good.

pull the coil wire and have someone crank it while watching the spray of the injectors, the should pulse somewhat. flow fluctuates. you should see it "fire". should also fan out.
check and make sure there is vacuum to the map sensor, the port on the throttle body plugs up with carbon.

tug on the grounds make sure the crimp didn't break connection when loosening or tightening.

there should also have been a ground IIRC on the back of the passenger head, make sure you got it back bolted down. not the ground strap to the body either, computer ground the breaks out of the harness.

check those and let me know if you need more suggestions of what to check next.

and 1357 and 2468 right?

In that picture I did have the hose off of the egr valve but it was on when I was trying to start it. There is also a hose going from the map sensor to the back of the carb. I am done ****ing with it tonight but I will check to see if it is plugged possibly.

Yeah I almost missed that when putting it back together but I did get it. It is a cable on the back of the passenger head just as you described.

oh I wouldn't be worried about not hooking up the EGR hose at all LOL. they run better with it closed.

I used to just block that line off.


its just flooding for some reason. could only be a couple things

a black wire, thin? maybe two into one eyelet?

not the thick strap...

its not 180 out on the distributor is it?

ive seen them run if its off exactly 180 degrees, just like you are describing. flooding wont stay running...

This part is intriguing because before I had it all put together I checked my distributor when I thought I had the first cylinder at TDC and it looked like I had it 180 degrees out of whack so I flipped them around thinking I just screwed up the first time. Maybe I was wrong and I need to flip them back. I will give it a try and find out.

easy to do.

I would just wire it 180 to see then pull the dist and do it right if it makes it run.

Let me start by saying I love all you car guys on here. You have helped me a few times to fix things.

Now on to my problem that I am wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to do. I have a 2011 Nissan Murano LE. The headlight went out and to remove the old one you have this U shaped metal clip that the ends of the U hook under this rabbit ear looking pieces of plastic. Well one of the sides of the pieces of plastic snapped off and I can't seem to find the piece. It is a horrible design with the plastic and was just wondering if anyone had any ideas. According to the dealership I would have to replace the entire headlight housing which is $900 and I am not into taking ass poundings. I found a picture online of a similar light housing (not exactly but you will get the idea) but they were smart and made it out of metal. Thanks oh wise car guys.

http://i1054.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1366571210

Junk yard or pull the old one out and use it as a pattern to fabricate a new one out of metal. From the pick, fabricating wouldn't look to be that hard with a vise, drill and dremel tool. You could probably go to the hardware store and buy a "L" bracket if you don't have any scrap lying around and use that as a base. I don't see the point of the saw tooth across the top, other than to rake your knuckles.

Get yourself a curtain rod bracket, the ones for the cheap rods that you'd hang a sheer from or something... like this:

http://www.idealtruevalue.com/servle...FQqJaQodsCwAnQ


drill a hole in the side without the wings and screw it down...

take a piece of wire and wrap it around the clips to keep them from slipping out your bracket.