The Garage

[Primer43]

Whenever I slow down, usually from higher speeds, my steering wheel shakes somewhat rapidly back and forth.

 

The car slows down fine, just a little jerky.

 

Like I said, this is only when going fast, then slowing down quickly.

 

is there anything I can do about it? I have an '05 Grand Prix, btw.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

 

[stretch.]

what's the warranty like?

 

If it's valid get it checked out and they shouldn't be able to charge you,

 

Other than that, the only thing I can think of is it saps power from the power steering pump

[lurchseesu420]

I have a 73 VW Super Beetle. It has a Solex 34 Pict 1 barrel carb. My problem is that it won't idle. I don't know much about about carb adjustment so any help is appreciated. I mostly need info on the various idle screws and such. And while we're talking about about adjustments. Anyone know how to do valve adjustments?

[-slash]

My brother has a pretty good condition 84' Mazda 929, interior is immaculate and the body is in great shape. However it has a cracked head, so its pretty useless right now. Don't ask me why he didn't get it checked before he bought it anyway he paid about $800 for it so is there anything worthwhile that can be done. Obviously it needs a new engine, right? Crushing it for scrap would probably only net him 200 bucks at most so this is why he doesn't know what to do. Right now he's riding around in a almost defective Mitsubishi Colt that cost him 200 dollars so you can imagine the problems it has.

 

Would it be worth getting a new motor for the 929? Is this kind of process costly?

I'd f*ck it off. It's only a 929 that cost $800, you'd spend more than that getting it back on the road and running.

 

 

Whenever I slow down, usually from higher speeds, my steering wheel shakes somewhat rapidly back and forth.

 

When was your last tyre balance and wheel alignment? If it's been a while I'd get those looked at.

[Soldier]

Whenever I slow down, usually from higher speeds, my steering wheel shakes somewhat rapidly back and forth.

 

The car slows down fine, just a little jerky.

 

Like I said, this is only when going fast, then slowing down quickly.

 

is there anything I can do about it? I have an '05 Grand Prix, btw.

 

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like a warped rotor.

[The-King]

 

Whenever I slow down, usually from higher speeds, my steering wheel shakes somewhat rapidly back and forth

Like soldier said, it might be a warped rotor or the rotor may have deep grooves. I say get a brake inspection, most shops do inspections fairly cheap, but if it is the rotor I suggest buying new ones for both wheels, because refinishes only prolong the life for so long, and if it's already worn down too much then replacement would be the only real choice. Could be the brake pads as well, they could be worn down unevenly due to a warped/damaged rotor.

 

If the brakes aren't the problem get the power steering system checked out, the booster might have a leak which is sapping from the power steering, punctured diaphragm or another such problem.

Edited November 20, 2007 by The-King

[Black-hawk]

So I was driving my mom's Megane, was going at about 30mph through the city. Everything seemed cool and all, but all of a sudden I hear a loud thud and a sound as if something fell of the car.

 

I started to brake since I wanted to check out what the hell just happened, only thing is, the brakes failed and I had no means to stop the car, which was a rather scary experience, good thing it was 10pm and no cars were around. Downshifting was fun though.

 

Now since this morning I've noticed that while braking a strange vibration was going through the brake pedal, as if something's shaking or something. Any ideas? Dad says it might the braking hose thing or whatever it's called.

 

We're gonna get it serviced tomorrow, only I'm just wondering what might've happened and WHY. It's not like I drive like a total dumb ass.

 

Also, it snowed today.

Edited November 25, 2007 by Black-hawk

[Primer43]

Thanks for the responses. I think I should get it checked out, I just hope a rotor isn't too much money, if thats the problem.

 

You mentioned power steering. When I turn the wheel sometimes, it sound whiny. Can't really explain the sound. Usually when I first start the car.

[stretch.]

More likely than not your power steering is being powered by your engine power, on a cold start if you listen closely you'll hear the engine note dip if you do it on idling power, it shouldn't be much to worry about.

 

Try it again on a warm start and see if it does the same.

[Mega]

So I was driving my mom's Megane, was going at about 30mph through the city. Everything seemed cool and all, but all of a sudden I hear a loud thud and a sound as if something fell of the car.

 

I started to brake since I wanted to check out what the hell just happened, only thing is, the brakes failed and I had no means to stop the car, which was a rather scary experience, good thing it was 10pm and no cars were around. Downshifting was fun though.

 

Now since this morning I've noticed that while braking a strange vibration was going through the brake pedal, as if something's shaking or something. Any ideas? Dad says it might the braking hose thing or whatever it's called.

 

We're gonna get it serviced tomorrow, only I'm just wondering what might've happened and WHY. It's not like I drive like a total dumb ass.

 

Also, it snowed today.

Brake DISC? FELL?

[The-King]

Vibration? Maybe the rotor's damaged, or the pads, but since you said that it sounded like something fell off I'm presuming that either something broke or came loose and smacked the body causing the loud sound.

 

If a brake hose/line came loose you would lose all power to one or all of the brakes, depending on the location so I doubt that's the problem. Maybe a caliper came loose, or a pad fell off. Of course there also could have been a problem with the master cylinder.

 

The only real advice I can give is to get it serviced and don't drive too much until you do so. The problem could only become serious when the brakes get hot, so avoid excessive and hard braking.

 

Let us know what was wrong

[Black-hawk]

First of all I'd like to apologize for my basic knowledge of vehicle part names, yes it was the brake pad that fell out. Also, the hose line is connected to every single brake pad (well that's what I understood from what the mechanic told me) and the braking fluid just oozed out from that lonely part of the hose with no brake pad, making the brakes unresponsive.

 

Oh yeah, it cost 25 Euro to get everything fixed.

 

Btw he also tried to explain something about Renaults having odd braking systems or something.

 

So let's educate Black-hawk with some pictures:

This is a brake pad, yes?

This is a braking disc, correct?

 

Now can someone please help me out and visually show where both are located, or even better, how a wheel is actually set up? I'm failing at Google Image Search.

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2007 by Black-hawk

[-slash]

To be basic about it, you have your axle. And on the end of the axle you have your wheel studs, which is where the nuts screw on to hold the wheel on. The brake rotor goes over them so obviously the studs protrude out for the wheel to go on.

 

The brake caliper then goes over the rotor on one side, and inside the caliper is the brake pads, one on each side, so as it can clamp onto the rotor when you brake. The wheel then goes over the top of all this.

 

MSPaint Powah:

 

 

And to anyone who wants to nitpick at that explanation, I'm trying to make it reasonably simple, k.

 

 

[lurchseesu420]

 

To be basic about it, you have your axle. And on the end of the axle you have your wheel studs, which is where the nuts screw on to hold the wheel on. The brake rotor goes over them so obviously the studs protrude out for the wheel to go on.

 

The brake caliper then goes over the rotor on one side, and inside the caliper is the brake pads, one on each side, so as it can clamp onto the rotor when you brake. The wheel then goes over the top of all this.

 

MSPaint Powah:

 

 

And to anyone who wants to nitpick at that explanation, I'm trying to make it reasonably simple, k.

if i wanted to nitpick I could point out that some cars don't have studs. My VW, as well as most German cars and some Swedish cars (don't know about french cars though), have lug bolts instead of studs and lug nuts. Most cars like this have a big-ass nut to hold the disk or drum on (which makes brake work a bitch.

[Tellmenotherone]

Avito, also, in the prep catagory, if the metal is older, after cleaning and before the sanding primer, self etching primer works great to help the rest of the paint stick, some of the older steel was harder then newer metal and paint sometimes has a problem actually sticking to it. we found that out on the pre 50 street rods here

Edited January 13, 2008 by Tellmenotherone

[Black-hawk]

Well it finally happened, my Megane died. While I was driving it today, retarded amounts of white smoke started coming out of the exhaust pipe, lots of smoke from the engine, it would stall randomly and only start after 50 or so tries, when the planets aligned or something. Also, the panel showed that me engine was on fire. It barely moved, no matter how hard I mashed the accelerator. I have no idea how I managed to find a repair shop in close proximity, since after I took it there, the mechanics said that basically they'll have to take the engine apart and see what's wrong. And that costs. A lot. And I'm only a student.

 

 

Someone please tell me how to avoid extra charges, which the mechanics can come up with, seeing as I have no knowledge of engines and stuff.

 

Or am I boned?

 

And yes I know, avoid French cars like the plague. Guess I'll have to stick with public transport, ugh.

 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2008 by Black-hawk

[Mega]

Possibly cylinder head gasket. If it's the case it's not worth being repaired.

[Black-hawk]

... so what would you recommend I do with the car? I mean it obviously can't drive, I have no idea where to put it and stuff. I'm scared.

 

[kevin2006rhs]

When the head gasket goes on the engine, it takes a top end rebuild to change. It sounds like its either a cracked head or a head gasket. Either way, you are boned or totally boned. In all honesty, it would be more beneficial to buy a new car and sell yours.

[-slash]

Normally it takes more than a busted head gasket to completely f*ck a cars progress though. I've seen people drive around on busted head gaskets for months, even win drift days with them.

 

 

But yeah for what the car is you're f*cked either way.

[Black-hawk]

Well just got off the phone with the shop.

 

So the run-down is that somehow all my coolant is getting into my exhaust pipe which in result creates a pretty wall of white smoke. The shop said that the, pardon my lack of vehicular terms knowledge, middle head/gasket whatever needs to be replaced. So that will get rid of the engine constantly overheating, constant loss of coolant and the white smoke coming from both ends. Basically my main problems.

 

They quoted me at ±1500LT, which is ±440 Euro or ±600 Bux.

 

So I'm not really sure what's up now. Is it a short-term fix that will only blow up in my face in the near future? Also, I need to make a 320km trip with that car. :V

Edited January 30, 2008 by Black-hawk

[Suction Testicle Man]

I suppose that means the head gasket is cracked/eroded and leaked - so they're pretty much talking an engine rebuild. Bloody good price for one too. I should have come in here earlier - if those were your 3 main problems before I could have told you what was up.

 

In short, how much is the car worth on the market? It's up to you if you reckon it's worth that amount in repair. If you ask them to service it too you should be able to get 320km out of it easily. Also, what's the mileage/kmage? High mileage + Renault = (lots of problems).

 

A new head gasket that's installed properly should last you a good bit of time, plus it's virtually the #1 serious failure with old engines, so whatever is at #2 with your Renault will be your #1 for a while.

 

Also, little explanation for your pleasure:

 

 

Where the cylinders are is obvious above, but the little holes around them are where the fluid flows. The gasket is a thin strip of layered steel or copper that will be squished between the main engine block and the head of the engine, creating a tight seal for good compression. Over time these can crack/erode/whatever - and your problem at the moment is there's probably a leak between a cylinder compartment and one of the fluid holes. The antifreeze fluid is leaking into one of the combustion chambers, turning to steam, and being pushed out of the exhaust pipe as thick white smoke. This is where your antifreeze is disappearing into, which means your car is running low on antifreeze and overheating.

[Black-hawk]

You've pretty much nailed it. Thanks alot for the explanation. At least I know what's going on now. Also, the Frenchie-mobile is currently at 150,000km which is 93,000 miles. Such models go around for ±2k Euro here.

 

#2 problem is a busted heater which barely blows cold air on the highest/hottest mode, I hate it, because it's -14 celcius here.

 

 

Oh and, I've bought like 50 liters of antifreeze this week, now I know how to make pretty white walls of smoke teehee

Edited January 30, 2008 by Black-hawk

[Suction Testicle Man]

They go for that much with that many miles? If it's worth that much compared to the repair, I'd attempt to repair yourself and then sell. Then you can buy a new car with the repair money you didn't spend as well as your old car's sale money.

[Mega]

They go for that much with that many miles? If it's worth that much compared to the repair, I'd attempt to repair yourself and then sell. Then you can buy a new car with the repair money you didn't spend as well as your old car's sale money.

i don't think Peter is able to do something like this, objectively speaking.

[Black-hawk]

They go for that much with that many miles? If it's worth that much compared to the repair, I'd attempt to repair yourself and then sell. Then you can buy a new car with the repair money you didn't spend as well as your old car's sale money.

i don't think Peter is able to do something like this, objectively speaking.

Har har very funny. But yeah, my Dad's also a mechanic so he can fix this stuff, only he's away until summer so whatever.

 

I'll update this post later with pics and stuff. Bbl.

[Picolini]

My front right caliper was just about ready to fall off a while back, and it vibrated under braking like hell.

 

I was actually speeding around 70mph to cut a car off in the right lane when all the sudden the car I was coming up on in front of me slowed down to about 50mph... holy sh*t was I scared, I was probably about 2 inches from ramming into the guy, luckily I slowed down just in time... scared the sh*t out of me. Felt like my brake was about to rip off the whole time... wheew, that sh*t was scary. Stupidly, I did know about the bad brakes before all of this... I'd suggest figure out whats wrong asap and fix it. Brake problems are never good.

[TommyVercetti.]

I put this in it's own topic by mistake so I'll put it here then.

 

Ok. I got a 1999 Yukon Denali, under 50k mi. For the last 3 days my truck has been dying and then I'd put it on park and start it back up right away. Today I started it up with no problem and then half way out of the driveway it died again. I tried to start it again and it was a very weak attempt and then a big ol Fail. Now theres is absoloutely no power in my truck. None at all. I couldn't even lock the truck with the remote door locks. I opened the hood and all the connections looks fine and the battery terminals are connected and clean...

 

Dead Battery?

[stretch.]

Tommy: Alternator most likely,

 

Picolini: Warped brake disk? Or if it's has drums, maybe the drum shoe is slipping.

[Cran.]

My engine seems to have a dead spot where there's barely any power or torque, at about 2-2.5k rpm, but after that, the power suddenly comes in. It's a '85 Nissan Bluebird with a CA20S (Carburettor)

 

Now question, it's going in for a service/tune next week, and would a tune fix this problem?

 

If it means anything at all, the engine was apparently reconditioned 5-10 years ago.