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- Dec 12, 2022
No fucking clue for the fuel pump or fuel filter, oil filter wasn't long ago
Car Thread - VROOM VROOM
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- Apr 19, 2021
Fuel pumps going out on cars that are in the 20 year range is pretty common and could very well be the source of crank but no start since the crank position sensor was already replaced. That's my wager.
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kiwifarms.net
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- Apr 7, 2022
Ok 1 more question. Got a chem test to check for exhaust in coolant. Instructions say to test at radiator neck with radiator cap off and 2 to 3 inches of air space in order to suck up the air. My vehicle's radiator cap is along a horizontal hose, and I dont think its possible to stick the tester in with any air space. If I siphon off some coolant it will just fill right back up as it circulates. I have an expansion tank/reservior where hot coolant gets dumped. The test should be accurate there too, right? As long as everything is to temp and circulated well?
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2022
I'll clarify, to my knowledge, they messed with the sensor. And it was working so they gave it back. Could be either
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2019
For some reason I couldn't reply to your original reply to me, but I honestly can't quite make heads or tails with what you've told me. Nothing wrong with how you explained it, just my brain being dumb.
The temperatures you mentioned sound normal, and the changes sound like normal thermostat operation. It gets hot and opens, the radiator does its job, and it closes again, rinse and repeat. The job of a thermostat is actually to keep the engine *hot* not cold. The hotter an engine runs the more efficient it is, so the thermostat tries to keep the temperature hot, obviously without overheating.
I actually haven't done a chemical test myself, but I'd wager that anywhere you can put the tester will work, as long as you have coolant present. You may need to suck a bit of coolant out to get the air gap, but the expansion tank should be fine. Many more modern cars (and some older, it really depends) than mine don't have the radiator cap on the radiator itself - it's on the tank. Here is fine.
Thinking about it now, if it's pushing coolant out of the radiator cap, that is a sign of overpressure. The radiator cap is what pressurizes the cooling system in the first place, and it is designed to vent excess pressure to wherever. If you have coolant weeping out, then it could be over-pressuring the system slightly. Everything you've told me points to a small head gasket leak - I can't really think of anything else it could be. EDIT: Or a bad radiator cap. Try this first.
Just out of curiosity, what car is it, and what engine does it have? I wonder if they're particularly known for head gasket issues.
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- Joined
- Apr 15, 2022
I've never had to use a chemical test for head gasket failures, but I also have only had a couple of them that weren't catastrophic (fire rings blowing out in high output or race engines). For me coolant system overpressure (you have to verify that the cap is working correctly) and a leakdown test was always enough.
If the expansion tank is fed by a hose that isn't coming from the cap itself (an unpressurized tank) it could wind up with some exhaust gasses in it eventually, but if it isn't a high point in the system, it may never see them. The cap in the radiator hose will be a high point in the system so it should be possible to get some air space below it without any harm, just not a lot. Just watch the temp gauge.
- Joined
- Apr 15, 2022
Awesome. If it weren't for the computerized bullshit, cramped engine bays and SBC you have to deal with on those they'd be on my list for a daily driver candidate. They aren't even expensive, unlike a CTS-V, but that's for a reason I guess. Gotta love supercharger whine and a fast luxury car. Today's twin turbo luxury cars have even more torque and power, but they sound like crap in comparison and look like crap too.
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2021
I would love the wagon e55 but those are super rare and expensive. The only person I know that has one is a YouTuber named LegitStreetCars. Except his has a big whipple supercharger
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2021
Well it seems good things don't last. For all the Ford Maverick lovers, Ford is increasing the price of the little truck and changing the lineup hierarchy. The hybrid is no longer the cheapest option and is getting a price increase for 2024. No longer is the little Maverick's entry price under 25000 USD and the hybrid will start at 26000+ USD. Though it's not like it matters as dealers marked them up anyway. Now they'll be marked up even more with the higher msrp.
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2022
Extremely fucking sad. I've been thinking on one in the future. Sigh. Wanted one either in yellow or that area 51 sand blue.
On the plus side, my XG350 should start getting repaired today
! I'll call on wendsday for a update, but I'm excited. Finally, I will have my luxury beater back baby!
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2021
It's probably a blessing in disguise to keep your trusty xg350.Extremely fucking sad. I've been thinking on one in the future. Sigh. Wanted one either in yellow or that area 51 sand blue.
On the plus side, my XG350 should start getting repaired today
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2018
Rolls Royce, Gina Lollobrigida.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2013
I had a brake bulb replaced in my car today.
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2022
Probably so. Speaking of... it's back baby! It was the crankshaft sensor. They replaced another one since they were in there, but only charged me for one, because I stood my ground at the start I think. Thing is quiet as a mouse now, runs lovely, and oh the SPEED. That 3.5 liter after over a week of my brother being on vacation and loaning me his Civic, reminds me why I love 6 cylinder engines, so smooth and powerful. I just have to get back used to the gas bill lol. I'll be investing in a ob2 scanner now that I have your guys suggestions
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kiwifarms.net
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- Apr 7, 2022
@Doggo idk I just saw your reply, and now I cant reply, ha. My vehicle is a 2000 Dodge 4.7l, not known for gasket issues. New radiator cap was put on a couple weeks ago.
Actually I have done the block leak test several times now and finally got a faint positive yesterday at the cap and the expansion tank....BUT after freaking out about the issue all day and reading up, I think I contaminated the test fluid tube via testing that it works properly by sucking up exhaust straight from the tail pipe and not rinsing it well enough, letting some carbon deposits stay. I found out by testing the air in my livingroom with the same faint positive results, ha. I even called around to see if a mechanic would do a gasket sealer application for me if I brought him the bottle before realizing. Didnt do it yet and now I think it might not be the head gasket. No more coolant cap streaks, but air keeps getting in the system. I think it was air in the system that caused the coolant to leak from the cap the 1st time, it ran a bit hot in stopped highway traffic in 110 degree heat.... I have burped the radiator a few times now and small amounts of bubbles come out. Takes like a week but more air gets in there from somewhere. I hear it in the dash when it starts seeping in. didnt realize thats what that noise was... No coolant loss, I have no idea what is up. Repeating block leak tests again today with a much better understanding of how the test actually works and a fresh un contaminated tube. If THAT is positive then its still head gasket related, but I actually think it may come out fine. Idk.
Actually I have done the block leak test several times now and finally got a faint positive yesterday at the cap and the expansion tank....BUT after freaking out about the issue all day and reading up, I think I contaminated the test fluid tube via testing that it works properly by sucking up exhaust straight from the tail pipe and not rinsing it well enough, letting some carbon deposits stay. I found out by testing the air in my livingroom with the same faint positive results, ha. I even called around to see if a mechanic would do a gasket sealer application for me if I brought him the bottle before realizing. Didnt do it yet and now I think it might not be the head gasket. No more coolant cap streaks, but air keeps getting in the system. I think it was air in the system that caused the coolant to leak from the cap the 1st time, it ran a bit hot in stopped highway traffic in 110 degree heat.... I have burped the radiator a few times now and small amounts of bubbles come out. Takes like a week but more air gets in there from somewhere. I hear it in the dash when it starts seeping in. didnt realize thats what that noise was... No coolant loss, I have no idea what is up. Repeating block leak tests again today with a much better understanding of how the test actually works and a fresh un contaminated tube. If THAT is positive then its still head gasket related, but I actually think it may come out fine. Idk.
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- Joined
- Mar 27, 2019
Good stuff! A bad crankshaft position sensor will definitely cause a crank no start, because the computer needs to know where the engine is in its rotation in order to fire the spark plugs at the right time. If it doesn't get a signal from the sensor, it won't fire the spark plugs and thus won't start.
I'm borrowing a car at the moment as mine is having issues when towing a trailer, and I'm about to tow a trailer for a 2,000km round trip starting early in the week, and I already miss the 3.8L boat anchor of a Buick 3800 in my car. It's not overly powerful but it does have a whole load of torque. Maybe even more than the car I'm borrowing, which is a 2.5L turbo diesel with a 5 speed auto box. It's a Nissan Navara which I don't think the US got. It's probably what you'd call a midsize pickup truck, but it's just a ute to me. In any case, I miss the smooth power of my boat anchor V6.
It sounds like if you do have a head gasket leak, it's slight. You should really find out where your coolant is going though. Try pulling the spark plugs and seeing if one or more has any crusty deposits on it, or is cleaner than the others. I can't remember how to check for head gasket failure in spark plugs, but if one or some are obviously different from the rest, then that *could* indicate an issue. If you have (or have access to) an endoscope camera, check for steam cleaning inside the cylinders. This will tell you if that cylinder has been consuming coolant. You should see a reasonable amount of carbon on the tops of the pistons. Obviously not caked in the stuff, but it shouldn't be squeaky clean either. This sounds like a real prick of an issue. Check to see if it's leaking or consuming coolant anywhere; if you park in a garage or on concrete, check to see if there are any drops of coolant anywhere. Endoscope cameras aren't expensive, just buy off eBay or Amazon. The ones that connect to a PC are so cheap it's almost not worth *not* having one. These are a bit of a pain to use in my experience, despite using a laptop. Spend a bit more and go for a standalone unit. They're not expensive.
Let us know how you go. Good luck!
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2022
Actually just had one of four of my brake bulbs burn out yesterday lol. Yes there's two per light fixture, very redundant because old luxury car. Glad you got yours replaced!
Glad you explained why that was happening. Its working well now, though i wont say its fixed because thats just bad luck, and ive payed for it.
Never heard of a Navara, must be a Euro thing. Yeah, I like V6's. They're gas hogs, but they feel smooth as fuck on the ride and can pull hard. My car can tug 1000 pounds, I can get a tiny camper if I really wanted lol.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2019
Apparently they were known in the US as the Nissan Frontier. I was also wrong about the power and torque figures. Despite being significantly smaller, it has almost as much power, and *more* torque than the 3800. After trip report? It towed the trailer empty like it wasn't there, and when laden with stuff (along with stuff in the tray and inside) it was also pretty good. It went into limp mode once because I let the cruise control go full throttle up a large hill, and sustained high revs and load caused it to shit itself. It scared the shit out of me because the sudden and almost complete loss of power whilst going uphill was like hitting a brick wall. It also locked itself into third gear. Luckily there was a petrol station (or servo as we call it down here) at the top of the hill where I could pull in and see what was going on.
I have an OBD II ELM tool, and the code was for exhaust gas temperature, which makes sense. I cleared the codes and went easier on it and it never happened again, despite some even longer hills. But I let the car slow down to sometimes significantly below the speed limit, and let it catch up at the top of the hill. I was watching various engine stats the whole time on my phone with the ELM tool, and boy that is handy. I had it reading out calculated engine load (which is a more useful figure than just RPM. It shows how much load the engine is actually under. That's how I know it was going full throttle up hills on cruise, because this gauge was pegged.), as well as coolant temp, boost (also a useful figure of engine load), fuel economy and one or two other things. I can't remember what.
You don't get full access to every last thing on the car, but for basic stuff, the tools are great. Pairs to your phone over Bluetooth, and it was cheap. My friend gave me mine because when he ordered one, two showed up. It's useless on my car, but useful on almost everything else, so I keep it in the car for if I ever have a reason to look at someone else's car.
I'll stop babbling on, but it was a fun trip. I hadn't left my state since before COVID was even a thing, and I was getting some serious cabin fever. I already miss Sydney.
But yeah, for a 2.5L engine, it's impressively powerful. It was adequate to tow my load, and judging by the dump run we did, the whole rig (car, trailer, and junk) weighed nearly 3 tons. That's a big ask for such a small engine, but bugger me if it actually did a good job of it.
EDIT: I also had an incident on the way home, only a couple hours from home, where I had people honking their horns behind me. I didn't know why until someone pulled up beside me in roadworks and said that the gate was open! I had to pull over in front of an entrance gate to the worksite, and the fucking cage gate had managed to open itself and was swinging around like a battering ram. A tip for preventing this, that I didn't think of until the trailer guy suggested it (I called him and asked if I could drop it off on my way through), and he said put a padlock on the latch so it can't bounce up and open. I will be doing this for all cage trailers I use in the future, which I have another job coming up in the next few days. I need to get the last of my stuff out of storage, and I'll be borrowing the storage place's cage trailer to do it. I will definitely be padlocking the gate shut so this never happens again.
P.S. Six cylinders don't have to be bad on fuel. The nice thing is that you can drive them gently, and still keep up in traffic. My car runs on LPG (propane basically) and that uses more fuel per kilometer; about 30% more. The car is dual fuel, so it runs on either standard petrol or gas. But even on gas, I'm seeing 9L/100km, so 26mpg. On petrol it can be as low as 7.5L/100km, or 31mpg. It could do even better on highways, but either way, for a 3.8L V6 that is in no way technologically advanced (it's a very simple engine with basic, no frills engine management), it *can* give good fuel mileage if you drive it right. Use the low down torque to your advantage. The advantage to LPG is that it's sometimes half the price of petrol, so if your car has the gear, it's very economical.
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The Cock Carousel
kiwifarms.net
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2021
I am in need for another car. I driven beaters my entire life and I would like something newer if not brand new since the used market in my area is still dogshit.
I was thinking about getting a '23 Elantra or Verssa since their prices is lower than a lot of used cars I looked at, but after researching them I keep seeing horror stories about their engines. My knowledge in cars and car sales is terrible, I was planning on buying either of those cars and drive them for about 4-5 years, hope their resale value is still good and trade it in for something better. I might just budget more and buy a Civic and keep it longer. My mom bought a brand new 2004 Civic and it lasted 300k+ before it blew a head gasket from hitting a deer. It also handled great on winter roads.
I was looking at used cars for about over a year and nothing interested me. I am very terrible at making these kinds of decisions.
I was thinking about getting a '23 Elantra or Verssa since their prices is lower than a lot of used cars I looked at, but after researching them I keep seeing horror stories about their engines. My knowledge in cars and car sales is terrible, I was planning on buying either of those cars and drive them for about 4-5 years, hope their resale value is still good and trade it in for something better. I might just budget more and buy a Civic and keep it longer. My mom bought a brand new 2004 Civic and it lasted 300k+ before it blew a head gasket from hitting a deer. It also handled great on winter roads.
I was looking at used cars for about over a year and nothing interested me. I am very terrible at making these kinds of decisions.