Car Problems!!!

[aces1980]

Ok So i was driving to work and all of a sudden i start to hear this hissssing sound everytime i gave it gas. I was thinking that maybe one of the belts was lose but no, maybe the battery is going dead but no lights are not dim at all. And now it just will not even start with jumper cables. Any suggestions before i go and pay $100 at the Honda Dealership so that they can tell me what is wrong? And then charge me an arm and a leg for the work...

[mellowboy]

Probably a bad altenator? Does it crank? Maybe your timing slipped off? Anyways i'm still thinkin about your offer. so we're still on for Saturday?? Let me know man.

[GScivic7]

yah pull the alt and have it checked. One thing to be aware of is that even if your alt is putting out 14.4 volts, it might not be putting out any amps, so it won't charge your battery at all. This was the problem with mine and I had to take it to 3 different places. Napa and CarQuest both said it was good, but my battery still wasn't getting charged even after a full recharge and driving the car for a while. When I took it to Schucks the guy explained it to me and said that on the machine that once he gives it a load that the needle should stay up around 14 volts, but once there is a load the needle dropped.

[4-Door Flunky]

Even if your alternator has troubles, if you've got jumper cables hooked up, it should start.
When you hook up the cables, does the engine actually turn over? Rrr rrr rrr? Or when you turn the key, do you hear nothing?
As for the hissing noise, mine does that if the rubber thing connecting the cold air pipe to the throttle body has come off. It sounds and runs great when air is bypassing the air filter! Sucking that air and dirt straight into the engine isn't a good idea, though.
When my alternator went out, it had no trouble starting and running, until the battery went completely dead. Once a battery is completely dead, it won't even start if you try to push start it, because the computer needs at least a little bit of juice to run the fuel pump and other stuff.
So, what kind of sound do you hear when you hook up the cables and turn the key?
Flunky

[aces1980]

Originally posted by 4-Door Flunky
Even if your alternator has troubles, if you've got jumper cables hooked up, it should start.
When you hook up the cables, does the engine actually turn over? Rrr rrr rrr? Or when you turn the key, do you hear nothing?
As for the hissing noise, mine does that if the rubber thing connecting the cold air pipe to the throttle body has come off. It sounds and runs great when air is bypassing the air filter! Sucking that air and dirt straight into the engine isn't a good idea, though.
When my alternator went out, it had no trouble starting and running, until the battery went completely dead. Once a battery is completely dead, it won't even start if you try to push start it, because the computer needs at least a little bit of juice to run the fuel pump and other stuff.
So, what kind of sound do you hear when you hook up the cables and turn the key?
Flunky

i turn the key and all i hear are clicks. I have tried to jump start and even push start it but nothing. Yeah i connected that rubber thing too.

[aces1980]

Originally posted by mellowboy
Probably a bad altenator? Does it crank? Maybe your timing slipped off? Anyways i'm still thinkin about your offer. so we're still on for Saturday?? Let me know man.

Hey it all depends if i can get the car fixed. I'll let u know but i hope that i can get it running asap.

[4-Door Flunky]

If you are turning the key and all you hear are clicks, your starter solenoid is dead.
I don't know if you can buy just a starter solenoid, you might have to replace the whole starter.
That's all it is. Whip your starter off of there, take it down the parts house, and buy another one.
You'll be back on the street in an hour and a half.
Flunky

[4-Door Flunky]

Hmmm...I just re-read your part about it not starting when you push start it. If your battery has any juice at all in it, it should start when you push-start it.
Make sure your battery has juice before you push-start. Charge it up, put a buddy's battery in there, whatever it takes. If it doesn't start from pushing, you have other troubles than just a starter solenoid.
Flunky

[mellowboy]

Originally posted by aces1980


Hey it all depends if i can get the car fixed. I'll let u know but i hope that i can get it running asap.

all good.

[4-Door Flunky]

There's one more sure sign of a bad starter solenoid. Make sure you have a good battery/hooked up to cables. One person twists and holds the key, like he's starting it.
Another person taps on the solenoid. I use the bottom end of my torque wrench, and I use it like a pool cue. One tap on the solenoid, and it might start right up if someone's holding the key and there's juice.
Flunky

[aces1980]

Originally posted by 4-Door Flunky
If you are turning the key and all you hear are clicks, your starter solenoid is dead.
I don't know if you can buy just a starter solenoid, you might have to replace the whole starter.
That's all it is. Whip your starter off of there, take it down the parts house, and buy another one.
You'll be back on the street in an hour and a half.
Flunky

hey for the hell of it we tried to push start it and it did start this time but it dies if my foot is not on the gas pedal. I also noticed that my speedometer was not working when we had it on. I also tried to the starter i had a new laying around that i had just bought cause i was going to do a tune-up on it. So i just got done changing that, I also did spark plugs, wires, oil change for the hell of it, new valve cover gasket, fuel filter. I have talked to the people at autozone and they told me that it is probably the alt. It's a bitch to take out according to him i have to remove the drive shaft, is this true? My buddy just noticed that the pivot bolt is pretty stripped, what do u recommmend i use to take it off?

Please more info if available.

[4-Door Flunky]

Taking the alternator off isn't hard. Once it has been disconnected from the bracket, it's a bitch because there's not much room to move it around to get it out of the engine bay. I can't remember if I stuck mine in from the top, or got underneath to put in place.
Yes, I know there are 30,000 possible sexual innuendos in that sentence.
If you have stripped the head off of a bolt, you can use vice grips. I also like using WD-40 or penetrating oil on the threads, although I try to keep the slick stuff off the head of the bolt I'm trying to get out.
My alternator at Autozone cost me $100. And there's a core charge, so take your old one in.
Flunky
PS-Once you get it disconnected, keep playing with it until you find the way to get it out of there. It only took me an hour to get mine off, and I didn't even have decent tools. I'll bet you get it off of there in 30 minutes.

[aces1980]

Originally posted by 4-Door Flunky
Taking the alternator off isn't hard. Once it has been disconnected from the bracket, it's a bitch because there's not much room to move it around to get it out of the engine bay. I can't remember if I stuck mine in from the top, or got underneath to put in place.
Yes, I know there are 30,000 possible sexual innuendos in that sentence.
If you have stripped the head off of a bolt, you can use vice grips. I also like using WD-40 or penetrating oil on the threads, although I try to keep the slick stuff off the head of the bolt I'm trying to get out.
My alternator at Autozone cost me $100. And there's a core charge, so take your old one in.
Flunky
PS-Once you get it disconnected, keep playing with it until you find the way to get it out of there. It only took me an hour to get mine off, and I didn't even have decent tools. I'll bet you get it off of there in 30 minutes.

What if i took the whole bracket off. As for the bolt will the vice grips really help. Yeah the alternator that they have for my car is only $90 + $55 core charge. Well let me get back to work i have get my car back tonight.

[gunnmen01]

easiest way is out the bottom, and pop out the axle, i replaced mine at work in about an hour...replace that stripped bolt if you can and dont forget a new belt....


gunnmen01

[4-Door Flunky]

Use the vice grips only if you have already totally mangled the head of the bolt.
Flunky
Otherwise, look for a six-sided socket. That's better than a wrench, better than a twelve-sided socket. Look in your socket, and make sure it's got a hex-shape in there.