Jan 10, 2008 09:26 pm It's your flux capacitor. I just know it.
Sounds like the map sensor to me. Or could be mis-gapped plugs. What kind of car is it? Is it a Jeep by chance? I can tell ya all about Jeeps.
what's wrong with my car?
Posted on Jan 10, 2008 09:23 pm
fortymile
Member Since: Jan 18, 2003
the starter technically works. but it doesn't catch right away. when it does catch, the engine dies right away. i can keep it going if i depress the gas pedal just a little bit so the rpms go up, but the sound of the engine is very rough, and as soon as i release my foot, the engine dies again. also, today there was a slight, quick, almost-crackling sound when i engaged the starter. i wouldn't call it that 'clicking' sort of thing that you get when the battery is dead. it was higher pitched and faster. when i tried again, the sound was gone and the starter just wouldn't catch the engine again for about 4 seconds.
the battery meter shows adequate juice.
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Jan 10, 2008 09:26 pm It's your flux capacitor. I just know it.
Sounds like the map sensor to me. Or could be mis-gapped plugs. What kind of car is it? Is it a Jeep by chance? I can tell ya all about Jeeps.
Jan 10, 2008 09:43 pm Yeah, could be the solenoid too.. I guess I was trying to avoid that blow.
Jan 10, 2008 09:46 pm it is actually a jeep wrangler, yes. i dont know much about cars, so if you have an idea, please be verbose :)
Jan 10, 2008 09:54 pm Then I'm guessing it's the map sensor. All my life I've had Jeeps and they always tend to do that after about 130,000 miles, especially the straight 6 models.
www.thepartsbin.com/repsi...or~reparts.html
But keep in mind, it could be the solenoid too. Have you run key diagnostics yet? If not, do this and post what you find
1-Turn the ignition key On - Off - On - Off - On within 5 seconds
2-Count the number of times the check engine lamp on the dash flashes on and off.
The number of flashes represents the trouble code. There is a slight pause between the flashes representing the first and second digits of the code. Longer pauses separate individual two digit trouble codes. So post the induvidual numbers and I can prolly tell you exactly whats wrong with it.
Edit: And don't forget to tell me which model/generation it is. i.e. TJ, ZJ, WJ, etc. You can find out what model it is by looking on the sticker on the engine or fan shield. (it'll be the first 2 letters)
Jan 11, 2008 01:51 am i will do this, yes. when you say on /off, i assume you mean turning the key just part way to activate the electrical system, yes? not full start...
Jan 11, 2008 01:55 am Yeah, exactly. I was going to put that there, but I figured you already knew. Shoot the info to me and we'll get ya moving again.
Jan 11, 2008 02:09 am i just tried it. nothing happened. i went on off on off. then i tried on off on off on.
in the first case, the engine light never came back on once i was back to 'off.' in the second case, when the power was up, it simply held steady then went off.
Jan 11, 2008 02:48 am You have to do it 5 times and back to the on position.... I should have been more specific on that. My bad. What year is it?? Chrysler disabled this option after 2002-2003.
If its a model made after 2002-2003, take it to auto zone or pep boys and have them hook the computer diagnostic tool up to it. It's free, and it tells you everything from vacuum leaks, to voltage issues and everything in between.... basically everything other than if your wheels have fallen off or you've blown a valve seal, lol.
Jan 11, 2008 03:02 am its 2000. i dont know what you mean by five times. can you explain more?
Jan 11, 2008 03:16 am on-off-on-off-on-off-on-off-on
Jan 11, 2008 03:32 am Quote:
My vote: solenoid.
That was the first thing that came to mind for me.
Jan 11, 2008 04:08 am oh **** i didnt do that. i will do that either later or tomorrow and report back
Jan 11, 2008 05:06 am Chrysler starters of that period don't use a solenoid to engage the starter with the flywheel. They use a threaded Bendix drive shaft which spins the starter gear out on a screw shaft when the starter starts spinning, and spins it the opposite direction when the motor starts and the starter quits. There is a solenoid but it is an electrical contactor only.
It sounds like either the starter gear (or maybe the flywheel) is missing a few teeth or they are wearing smooth, or the Bendix shaft is stripping its threads.
As far as the engine not idling, i have no clue.
Jan 11, 2008 07:33 am couple bad coils maybe...check the plugs for oil and wear on the plug wires.
could just be bad plugs too...
if there is no SES light on the autozone probably won't be able to help you... they use their cheapest code reader which does not do diagnostics. I ended up buying my own for $180 to trouble shoot a similar problem...which turned out to be a bad plug.
when you say 'catch the engine' you mean the engine won't start or the starter is just spinning on it's own without turning the engine over?
Jan 11, 2008 08:58 am Yikes! Wrong forum dude! That's Click and Clack not Tic and Tak!
Have you noticed any folks with turbins under it lately?
On the surface you have described two very different problems. The noises that occur when trying to turn the thing over sound like a starter that is not engaging correctly,however the fact that it will start but run extreamly rough sounds like engine. In these new fandangled automobiles there's a pleathera of things that could cause the thing to not start. I managed a shop for a few years. I just don't guess any more. Great way to incrementaly replace the whole vehicle.
Jan 11, 2008 10:35 am I picture an automotive forum somewhere, and a bunch of mechanics are trying to help a guy mix down with Cubase.
Jan 11, 2008 10:40 am solenoid was my first thought, then timing was another...also, have you run seafoam or anything on the chance you have condensation in your gas? That's not uncommon in these colder states this time of year...not sure about LA (isn't that where you are now?)
plugs and wires are always a good thing to replace now and then, but from what you say I wouldn't think that is the issue...
Jan 11, 2008 12:44 pm Quote:
I picture an automotive forum somewhere, and a bunch of mechanics are trying to help a guy mix down with Cubase.
Bwahaha....
Install ASIOFORALL and you'll be driving in no time.
Jan 11, 2008 04:04 pm I did stumble across an automotive forum that was nothing but powertrain control module hackers (aka the cars 'computer')... yeah it was automotive... but talk about oozing dorkyness... :)
Jan 11, 2008 04:15 pm Quote:
I picture an automotive forum somewhere, and a bunch of mechanics are trying to help a guy mix down with Cubase.
hahaha
well most of this thread is going over my head. i know very little about cars. ill get it towed today. there's a garage right around the corner. the main issue that is bothering me is that the engine doesn't stay on and it's very rough.
Jan 11, 2008 04:17 pm and that is exactly what makes me think timing or condensation in the gas...dump some Seafoam in there and try it a while later...Seafoam and thing like it kinda work like floor dry for your gas...and clean out injectors and such...
Jan 11, 2008 04:50 pm It's important to keep your gas tank as full as possible during cold weather. More gas in the tank means less air in there, and less air leaves less room for condensation.
That'll be $40. :-)
Jan 11, 2008 05:45 pm it hasn't been too cold here. the problem emerged suddenly, too. and right now its 75 degrees here. whatever happened, it was instant. car working one hour, not working the next.
garage is right next door. i'm takin' it over there tomorrow.
Jan 12, 2008 01:17 am The solenoid is causing the starter problem of it not engaging. but the MAP sensor is more then likely the culprit of the the engine not running steady.
You can also blame the O2 sensor as well.
Jan 12, 2008 03:25 am what is a map sensor?
today the engine engaged right away. the engine still won't stay running, though.
Jan 12, 2008 03:59 am It's a manifold absolute pressure sensor; used to monitor the difference in pressure between the intake manifold at outside atmosphere. It also regulates vacuum lines, and dables a bit in how your electronic fuel injection works also.
here's a picture of the ones I had to replace on all the Jeeps I've owned, located in the engine compartment, under the dash on the drivers side:
And glnflwrs is right as well, that year Jeep uses their old/new bendix starting system, which has been known in some cases to act like a bastardo and do what you're describing.
Jan 12, 2008 05:55 am k, ill let the pros handle this. i dont even know what an intake manifold is.
Jan 12, 2008 01:51 pm The first thing most of the machanics working for me would do is hit it with a hammer or like heavy blunt object. Probabably obvious that I never mentioned any of my recording manfunctions to them.
Jan 12, 2008 04:50 pm damn it! all dffor naught! drove it over to the garage, almost got into an accident on the way. this is because i was coasting up to an intersection. to prevent it from stalling out, i put my left foot on the brake and was riding the brake lightly while giving it gas. suddenly the student driver in front of me stopped, so i quickly pressed the brake without disengaging the clutch. lurch lurch stall. then i get it to the shop (right around the corner from me) and start it up, and it doesn't stall now that it's warm. guy says 'well, that'll be 40 bucks.'
so i tell him i'll bring it back at least for the oil change when he opens again on tuesday and will report further developments, as i still think something will need to be done. i was able to point out the dips in the engine sound, the audible tendency to almost stall out (if it would only continue as it had been, that's when it would die). probably not something a person who's unfamiliar with my vehicle would hear, and he appeared to notice it when i said it.
as i was leaving the lot, the thing stalled again. i considered calling him back over and saying 'see?' but he has no time to do anything today anyway.
he said the key diagnostic won't work on my model. that was for chryslers before the year 2000 by some degree. and pep boys (another garage) tells me their diagnostic--not the repair, just the computerized diagnosis--is 100 bucks.
dang!
Jan 12, 2008 08:02 pm Damn, I can buy the same diagnostic tool they use and make that kind of money? I'm in the wrong business. I can buy the thing for around $600.00 and have it paid for in a single day.
Sorry forty, I had to. Its utterly foolish that that something that takes the guy 15 minutes or less to do cost that much money.
Jan 12, 2008 09:15 pm no kidding. noize i would buy it if i were you! sounds like a good way to make money haha
i think the local garage i am going to go to might not charge for the diagnosis. pep boys does. screw them
Jan 12, 2008 09:23 pm oh crap... this thing has a distributer... check that to make sure it isn't cracked... if it gets moisture in there it'll behave this way...
You can follow the spark plug cables to it... it's a roundish thing usually in the back of the engine (on top)... the distributer cap may be clipped on or held on with screws... label the plug wires so you can put them on in the right order if you remove them :)
there are contacts inside the cap (one for each sparkplug) check to see if they are corroded... cracked distributer caps is very common... as it's a fairly 'brute force oriented' device...
Jan 12, 2008 09:36 pm Zek, that sounds about right. Good check.
Quote:
I'm in the wrong business.
Yoop. I'd be doing it too, if I wasn't allergic to work. The automotive program at my college tempted me for just a second. As an employee, I'd get free tuition.
Uh, na.
Jan 15, 2008 08:56 am Woah there gentlemen!
All diagnostic instruments are not created equal! We had one at the shop that was maybe around $300. Many times it came up with something synanamous with "It's Broken". Often times as not it was about as good as a paper weight. A good dealership will have instruments that will point right to the problem.
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