NOTE:
Some of ATS customers car/truck repair fixes below that they
have done on their own vehicles using ATS automotive common
fixes and wiring diagrams with online technical help 7 days
a week (ATS works because of you).
Hi
Rich,
As
per your advice, I took the BOLD decision to take the computer
apart and tried it with out the piggy computer, no spark...
put it all back together and rechecked the coil voltage only
had 0.6v So I checked the fuses under the dash and it only
showed 10 amps not 15 amps as per your wiring diagram. I secured
the fuse connections and when I backed out to check the voltage
again at the coil, BINGO!!!!...I have 12 volts and had my
son turn it over and it fired up!!! Just imagine how much
I saved in this engine problem and I am now more thrilled
to have your service!
I
hope I won't need to use your services again but I was stuck
and needed some help and you were very prompt and helpful.
I am relieved that I have you on my side and I don't have
to rely on our forum and waiting for a response. I left a
link to your website so I am sure you will see more business
especially from guys who wanted to modify their engines for
performance.
Thanks!
Robb
H. dated April 23.08 from Minnesota USA about his 2002 Civic
Si with high performance turbo charged engine. He had it soup
up with a piggy back computer but quit 2 weeks after installing
it.
I
replaced the Mass sensor and reset the code as you recommended.
She is now running perfectly!!! It is very satisfying to finally
have this success. Thank you so much for your help!
Kyle
C. dated March 18.08 from Idaho USA about his 2000 Mercedes
Benz ML320 which is has an erratic idle and won't run past
35 mph. The dealer wanted $250 just to scan the codes.
I had a friend to "just happened" to be in a junk
yard on Sunday I picked up an instrument cluster for a 94
Nissan ( I have a 91). After a careful dissection all the
way down to the temperature gauge, I did an R & R with
the gauge from the 94, and with baited breath, started it
up. IT ALL WORKS!--THE THERMOSTAT OPENS AT AROUND 85C, THE
COOLING FAN COMES ON, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WORKS!!!!
I would be in a quandary now otherwise--There were so many
puzzling things about the car (wrong wire colors, no electrical
continuity where there should be, etc.) So this is a very
happy ending to a long journey.
Thanks
for all your help!
Bruce
R. from California USA dated Mar.10.2008 on his Nissan Sentra
with problems of lights flashing and gages not working in
the dash panel.
Finally
a success!!! A wire was loose at the EEC relay and the relay
itself was bad. Your detailed wiring diagram and assistance
really works!
Thanks,
Deron
F. dated March 03.2008
from New Jersey USA
on his Ford Explorer
truck that won't start
due to no fuel at the
injectors after replacing
the fuel pump and engine
computer.
It
is now Dec. 20.07 and
I am happy to report
that we have solved
the problem. Following
our last e-mail, I took
your advice and drove
for a couple days with
a fuel pressure gauge
in the window of the
vehicle. Whenever the
problem showed up, it
seemed there was a temporary
interruption in fuel
pressure, and the pressure
would drop below 60
p.s.i., to about 56
or 57 p.s.i., and then
it would recover. Still
believing deep down
we were dealing with
a fuel problem, we changed
the fuel pump, and found
a badly clogged intake
screen on the old pump.
The clog appeared to
be sand, dirt, sludge,
corruption!. At any
rate the truck is running
very well now and has
been for 200 + kilometres.
Success!!
Thank
you for your attention
and help, and we will
talk to you next time.
Darren
H. from Grande Prairie,
Alberta, CANADA on his
98 GM pick up truck
with vortec engine having
intermittent hesitation.
RICHARD...you
should have been here to see the smile on the wife's face
when for the first time in months; she could signal when turning!
The
A/C lower fan speeds
are working again! We
no longer have to use
a
pencil to shift the
console transmission
lever out of park! The
anti-lock brakes
aren't pulsating and
as a family we fill
like we are no longer
living in fear that
the next intersection
will reveal a not so
understanding police
officer!
A
thousand Thankyou's
Richard for nailing
the source of this puzzling
problem
down and pointing me
in the right direction
as to the successful
repair!
Bob
B. from Texas,USA about his wife's 2000 Buick Regal
Attention
INDEPENDENT garage owners (big or small), car lot owners including
companies that handle car and truck (under 1 ton) fleet maintenance
good upto 2006 models.
Business
Testimonial for ATS:
My
name is Chris Banks... we are an Auto Electrical and Mechanical
repair workshop from Christchurch, New Zealand and we have
been using ATS for hard to obtain and sometimes unavailable
wiring and technical information in our area.
However
with the prompt e-mail service from ATS we can now obtain
fast and reliable repair plans and diagnostic solutions, which
in return has saved us both time and costs in repairing many
different vehicle types of vehicle.
We
are now using ATS as a very valuable and reliable source of
automotive repair information and would have no hesitation
in recommending them to any garage large or small.
Chris
Banks,
Vantage
Automotive and Auto Electrical Ltd.
Christchurch,
New Zealand (his email was endorsed dated Sept.24.07)
(Rates
as low as $10 per vehicle until it is fixed...reserve your
spot today, membership is limited!)
I just wanted to thank you for your assistance last time.
After searching for the crank shaft sensor I found out that
it was its connector had an intermittent disruption. Once
I corrected it, the problem was solved.
Thank you for this wonderful service,
Attentively,
Dennis E. dated Aug.5.07 on his 1999 4 cyl. engine Suzuki
Baleno (Esteem) that quit in stop lights intermittently.
Richard, Sorry it's been so long since I've contacted you.
We've been dealing with some family problems. My nephew replaced
the torque converter clutch selenoid on the truck and that
fixed the problem. Thanks for your help and I'm sure I'll
be in touch again.
Lamar S. dated Jun.22.07 on his 1998 Chevy truck which bogged
down when the gas is stepped on (also has spongy brakes).
The
replacement power window motor arrived today from the wreckers
in Nepean. I installed it in the door and crossed my fingers.
The window finally worked.
Thank-you
for your help!
Paul
S. dated May 16.07 from Ontario Canada on his 1997 Ford Escort
with stuck rear power windows!
Last Friday I did take things apart to find the bad wire.
It was the computer "grounding wire" (dk blue/violet)
that was bad. Just to the side of the radiator and @ the bottom
of the radiator the wire harness was heavily taped and protected
but what was happening was water and or salt water (winter
roads) was getting into the harness and because the harness
was taped so well the water would pool up inside the harness
and because my "grounding wire" had some sort of
an insulation flaw/nick on it the wire rotted out though the
insulation around the wire seemed almost completely intact
(this one wasn't from chaffing). Luckily the insulation was
discolered in that area (maybe stretched) or I would have
never found it.
Replaced wire, all seems OK. No more service engine light.
Thanks for the wiring diagram and your help.
Robert
M. from Ma.USA dated May14.07 on his 2001 Chrysler Town&
Country with a code 1491 and the dealer wanted $700 just for
parts (excluding labor). He did it himself by fixing the wires
and saved about $500 in labor cost alone.
Just wanted to
thank you for your prompt service in helping me get our car noise problem fixed
finally. The new strut supports were definitely the problem as per your instruction.
My wife is so happy that the chitty chitty clunk clunk car is no longer, and
when mama is happy, everybody is happy.
Thanks,
Robert E. joined
ATS Jan.16.2007 from Illinois, USA regarding his 97 Toyota Avalon that was making
front end noise despite replacing the front struts.
RICHARD...you should have been here to see the smile on the
wife's face
when for the first time in months; she could signal when turning!
The A/C lower fan speeds are working again! We no longer have
to use a
pencil to shift the console transmission lever out of park!
The anti-lock brakes
aren't pulsating and as a family we fill like we are no longer
living in fear that
the next intersection will reveal a not so understanding police
officer!
A
thousand Thankyou's
Richard for nailing the source of this puzzling problem
down and pointing me in the right direction as to the successful
repair!
Bob B. dated December 19/06 from Texas,USA about his wife's
2000 Buick Regal with
multiple problems and had brought the car to different shops
in the last 2 months
but could not fix the problem.
It was the cam sensor and the truck not only does not stall
anymore but it seems to
shift smoother as well!
You are the man and I will tell my friends about your excellent
service!
Paul O. dated December 8/06 from NH USA on his 2001 F250 7.3L
diesel engine which
was having difficult intermittent stalling and has gone to
Ford dealership and has changed
2 relays but the fix only lasted 2 weeks.
Thanks for the diagram and I can follow that! I was an electronics
tech in the Marines.
Jets are a lot easier than autos. It was getting bad so that
I had to jump the car 90%
of the time so I went and bought a battery. My battery checked
bad. I have not driven
it enough to tell if it made a difference yet.
I really do appreciate your help.
Thanks,
Loyd S.dated Nov.17/06 from Arkansas USA about his 2000 Lincoln
LS that has a lot of
electrical problem and stalling.
I got all the diagrams. This is exactly what I was looking
for. I am going to check the
wiring first (thanks for the wiring diagram) before trying
to find an ABS/TCS control
unit replacement. I will let you know what I find.
What a great service you are providing. I will let others
know about your website and business.
Thanks for your help,
Frank Boger dated Nov.8/06 from Florida USA regarding his
2002 Honda Odessey that needed
an ABS control unit which he wants to buy outside of Honda
(very expensive) but needed a
wiring diagram so he can verify it.
Many thanks for the new set of drawings for this truck! I
will use them to try to figure
out why the ECM will not send data to the connector. The truck
appears to run perfectly
after tracing the ground wires based on your diagram. The
problem must be in the wires
leading to the data plug.
Again thanks for your excellent service!
John Doe (name withheld for security) dated Oct.23/06 from
US Diplomatic Mission Overseas
whose 2002 GM Truck won't start after more than 6 months in
storage and could not get,
any garage to fix his truck.
I am done with the Monte Carlo. It was the ECM. Your 'tap'
test convinced me. I tried a
used replacement (they are better than new ones). All is fine.
Thought I would pass this
along: I was told from another source, that if one has electrical
shorting problems with the
IAC solenoid (as I did) that the reccomended procedure is
to replace the ECM as well. My
hunch all along was that those bare wires I found in the engine
harness were going to be
part of the problem.
Thanks again,
Ken W. dated October 7/06 from California USA about his Monte
Carlo that won't idle
properly and stall all the time.
Just got my computer fixed have been off line for 5 days,
I replaced the ignition coil on
Tuesday .. Bingo problem solved! I just read your last e mail
about your final fix, yes it
was right ...I never seen a coil change timing, the giveaway
was the engine was breaking
up like a bad set of points and popping through the tbi and
sometimes out the exhaust..
just started that Monday....coil bench tested OK but I knew
better ... back to basics not
computers...thanks for all your help and support .
Tony P. dated October 6/06 from New Jersey, USA about his
S10 that won't start after
replacing a lot of parts.
I have 0.08 volt at the ecm (engine computer) and 1.2 volts
at the map sensor terminals
and obviously the wire has a short! I cheated and replaced
the wire and now it works fine
with no codes with the same voltage end to end! I will chase
the harness in the next week
or so and find the culprit to prevent further damage to others.
Thanks for your help... Your email and wiring diagram really
helped!
David W. from Atlanta Georgia USA dated Oct.1 2006 on his
1999 Chevy Astro with fault,
codes P0304 (misfirings) and P0107 (map sensor fault).
It looks like another successful diagnosis! I have only tried
to start the car one morning so far, but it started much better
and sounded much better. I'm still not sure why it originally
appeared to be flooding - it had severe stumbling and a very
strong gas smell - but that is now all gone!
Some of the details - My fuel pressure was in the correct
range and I had used throttle body cleaner (not carb cleaner)
to clean the throttle body. I also removed the MAP sensor
during cleaning so it would get damaged. I had no codes and
the TPS seemed to be working OK. I tried cooling and then
heating the IAC valve and mixed results reproducing and correcting
the problem. I bought a new IAC valve anyway. I noticed that
the distance that the pintle sticks out on the new valve was
much less than the valve I took out. The old valve was way
over the limit of 1.125 inches. I put the new valve in and
it worked much better. Looking now at the old valve, I see
that the pintle is on a threaded shaft that I could have screwed
back in.
Thanks again,
Bruce B. from New Jersey USA dated Sept.27,2006 on his 1997
Jeep Grand Cherokee with severe hesitation.
Good news! I took the bottom plate off of the trany and found
the location of the solenoids. I
removed the module that are mounted on and found the bad one.
Actually the solder joint where the wire
connected to the solenoid was loose and not making a connection.
I resoldered that connection being
careful to avoid getting the solenoid hot. The parts store
wanted $283 for a new solenoid that would have
to be ordered.
I replaced the transmission fluid filter and gasket on the
pan while I was at it. That solved the
problem and it runs like a top!
That was a good experience and a real pleasure working with
you.
Thanks again!
Robert Ottmann from Colorado, USA.
Sat. Sept 9, 06 on his 93 Mazda MX3 that is in limp mode (won't
come out of 2nd gear)
it took a bit to get the truck running the problem was I goofed
on one of the plug wires.
I thought I checked them and rechecked them but I guess I
didn't and just over tried.
Your diagrams really helped and saved me a lot of money on
this problem.
Thanks!
Darren S. from Ontario Canada dated August 29 2006 on his
1994 Grand Cherokee that would not start
I removed and cleaned the ground wire as you requested. Then
I went through all
the fuses to replace any that were blown. I replaced the 40
amp in the fuse block
under the hood. It didn't blow, so I put the air cleaner back
on. I then went
to try the headlight switch and it worked, for a moment. I
started to see some
smoke coming from under the dash by the fuseblock. I pulled
off the drivers side
kick panel and floor mat. The main wiring harness that goes
to the fuse block was
melting and sparking against the body. All told, 10 wires
were melted and broken.
This must have been going on for a long time. I can't remember
the last time the
emergency flashers worked. Well, I repaired the wires, tied
up the harness and
everything works! Thank you for your help.
Over the last 3 months I've talked to three different mechanics.
Not one of them
wanted to try to find and fix this problem. Needless to say,
this was looking a
little hopeless and probably very expensive.
Thank you for responding so quickly to my emails. Your answers
to my questions
were clear and easy to follow. Your obvious knowledge and
experience, gave me all
the encourgement and confidence I needed to run this problem
down.
Thanks again!
Kevin A. dated June 30 2006 from USA on his 2002 Chevy Express
Van
Just want to let you know I checked the voltage on the cam
sensor as per your instructions
and I had low readings of about 3-4 volts. I ended up changing
it and the car works great!
When I took the car for a long test drive, the "check engine
light" for the sensor didn't
show up. Thanks for your help because I would have not known
to look for the rear crank sensor
and you saved me lots of coin on just this first repair!
Thank you muchly,
Darren S. from Ontario, Canada dated June 2nd 06 on his 1996
Dodge Intrepid with intermittent no starts.
Checked power to the
distributor wires and it had voltage. I replaced the distributor
as
per your suggestion and the problem is fixed I just saved
tons of money and time by not
taking it to a garage and I want to thank you for all your
help.
I will keep in touch.
Marcus S. dated April
12/06 from Oklahoma, USA on his 1996 F150 which was quitting
intermittently with codes P0320 and P1409 despite changing
some parts before joining ATS.
Don't know for sure but I think we may have it! I found the
power & ground source for the,
right side OS heater and then connected the other leads. At
first I got a #172 code but I
disconnected the battery and reconnected then went for a drive
. The check engine light
didn't come on . When I returned home I ran another code test
and everything came up
111 (normal). I never thought I could fixed these problems
but I am really grateful for your help!
Thanks,
Jerry G. dated April 11/06 from Colorado, USA on his 1994
Ford Ranger that he bought dirt
cheap from the car dealership but has lots of trouble like
codes P0172 and P0176.
Culprit found. I was able to raise the dash up so I could
see what's going on with the wiring.
Your diagram is fairly accurate, except for the high speed
relay used in this case and the
fact that for some reason the power is switched through the
resistor and the relay with a
constant, heavy wire (#10) ground on the motor in all conditions.
Turns out the fan motor
is bad which is odd with only 24,000 miles but there is no
continuity between power and
ground terminals so will fix same when I can move enough stuff
to get it out of the housing.
Great fun.
Glad to have found your service in any case will recommend
you to other shade tree mechanics.
Jerry N. dated April 7/06 from Oregon, USA on his 1997 Ford
engine used for motorhome that
has intermittent heater motor problem.
I cleaned it and took it for a road test. The car runs great!
The code is gone! I must say
that I am impressed with this service. I was ready to go and
get a new part but I never
thought to clean it as you suggested. (I just saved money
for not buying the sensor).
You are the man!!!Thanks again,
Ben L. dated March 18/2005 from Nevada, USA on his Buick Park
Avenue that was hesitating.
My problem on my Ford Mustang ended up being electrical and
I am thankful for all your
wiring diagrams you supplied which were legible and colour
coded making my trouble
shooting that much easier. I was able to fix my car quickly.
I have also fixed for a number
of other issues the problems on 1996 Dodge Ram, all with great
success!
Peter Torok from Musselmans Lake, ON Canada dated March 10/06
giving testimony on
his fuel problem on the 86 Mustang and abs problem on his
96 Dodge Ram.
It turned out to be 8 bad coils! The Ford dealer mechanic
confirmed to me that only
the Lincoln and Jaguar have this problem. I took the broken
car and ordered the
parts from AutoZone.
Now it runs grrrrrrreaaaatt!!!
Your advise really helped me.
John Roller dated Feb.24/06 from Florida USA on his 2000 Lincoln
LS V8 that had a
severe hesitation when warmed up together with a code P0300
(random misfire).
The night I took my car back from Firestone; the engine was
still trembling heavily. The
next day, I cleaned the mass sensor as you had advised. For
three days now the car
hasn't had a problem!!!
I appreciate your help very much!
Feel free to post this reply on your website if you like.
Many thanks,
Michael Belu dated Feb.23.06 from Australia on his 1997 Mercedes
Benz C230 which was
losing power and hesitating intermittently. With this problem
solved, he can now drive this
car without fear (he was forced to park it because of this
problem).
___________________________________
Rich:
I checked the fuel pressure and found that it was max 28 psi.
I replaced the fuel pump
and it started right up. When I originally tested the fuel
pressure by guessing I knew I
had plenty of pressure but I did not realize that it needed
to be over 60 psi. Anyway thanks
for your assistance, you really helped me out.
Thanks!
Kevin G. dated Feb.21/06 from CA, USA on his 1997 Chevy Tahoe
that has these
symptoms: no start and no codes.
Yes it is working........I have to put some more work into
it, and I will leave the advice
giving to you......I'm going to make a list of thing that
needs to be checked on that car,
and consult with you about them...well until then knowledgeable
friend....thanks again!
David P. dated Feb.22,2006 from North Carolina, USA on his
Infinity Q45 with 4.5L V8
engine that has hesitation and long cranks.
This is David's email
on Feb.4/2006:
Hey Rich,
I'm just writing to say thank you in advance. I will let you
know the results we get from
your advice..regardless of the out come ( which i'm confident
in what you say ).. you
have given me more info on my car than anyone by far.....the
last 3 months have been
hell trying to find that part, by the way, the dealership
knows exactly the part I need
now, but they dont sell it by itself. I wiil have to buy the
distributor, because thats where
the part is located...anyway thanks for the very detailed
info...And i will be recommending
your site to others with car trouble......
It has been well worth it for me already!!!!!!!!!!
Richard: After many hours of frustration thinking that my
engine is a junk, the Suzuki is
alive again! I am not exactly certain of the problem but I
did correct a marginal ground
to battery connection and the Crankshaft position sensor gave
a different resistance
reading than the new unit. Most likely the computer was receiving
a poor or distorted signal.
The engine now runs smooth, quiet and strong. No coolant in
the oil. With the Amsoil, it
should run another 100K. I also checked out your articles
which were very helpful and
informative. Thanks very much for your suggestions and help.
This is a great service!
Worth every penny!
Jim K. dated Jan.29/06 from Nevada, USA on his 2001 Suzuki
Swift that won't start after
he replaced it with a new rebuilt engine.
Ignition coil had low resistance on high voltage winding.
Replaced coil only from the
distributor (it's great I don't have to buy the whole distributor).
Thanks for your assistance!
Al M. dated January 27/06 on his 1993 Toyota Camry that won't
start and according
to him: it has no codes and he has no service manual and wants
to fix it without spending tons on parts.
There was a TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) on the fuel regulator
. I got one and installed it my self, and I cleaned
the IAC valve. The car now runs great and no more stalls!
Thanks for all your help.
Marshall M. dated Jan.25/06 on his 1999 Buick LeSabre that
stalls on stops but no engine fault CODES.
I replaced the ignition switch harness assembly as you instructed
and that did it! You are
the man! Thank you for your expertise. Tomorrow morning will
tell me if everything is good
to go. I will let you know.
Thanks again for your service,
Gerald P. dated Jan.23/06 on his 1998 GM Sonoma truck which
does not start as soon as
temperature goes below 60 degrees F.
There
was a crack hose on the test port tee. For now I just cut
the dry rotted piece off and reconnected the hose. Erased
the code. I have put about 50 miles on the truck and the light
is still off. My second car is a 94 Z24 cavalier with 132000
plus on it so I have a feeling you we be hearing from me again..
But for now thanks for the help, this service is worth every
dollar paid.
James M. dated Jan.14/06 on his 2001 Dodge Ram Truck with
engine fault codes PO442 and PO455.
I have found the proper relay and as I removed it from under
the seat, the corroded yellow wire fell out, "BINGO!!!!!!!"
I have jumped the connection and all is good. The tank is
back in with the old pump, I changed the fuel filter and went
for a spin no problems. I guess testing the correct relay
makes a difference!!!! Thanks for your help it was a good
learning experience in electrical trouble shooting.
Peter T. dated Dec.2,2005 on his Ford Mustang that won't start
after being parked a long time in his garage.
Got down under the dash and found that someone had rigged
an ignition ground wire and it was hanging by one strand of
copper to the hood-latch release cable. Stripped back the
insulation and mounted it under a screw and now the ignition
cranks instantly, just like it's supposed to. So I'm not worried
about missing my plane when I take this car down to the airport
today.
Enjoy your holidays in the Philippines!
Best,
Ken C. dated Nov.8 2005 on his 1995 Mazda Protege that keeps
stalling and has lots of trouble codes.
Thanks for your help! The problem was the main relay. The car
runs perfect again! I had three mechanics look at it, and they
all said it was the coil, distributor, or the igniter. I even
told them about the check engine light and they ignored me.
So, if the check engine light won't go off and you are not getting
spark, check the main relay. I really appreciate your help!
Anthony C. dated Oct.17/2005 on his Honda Prelude that won't
start after replacing a lot of parts.
I
am almost sure we will get her back to her young self again!
What I really appreciate is learning from you are the diagnostic
methods that have put me back in control of my own car.
Kind regards,
Reef S. dated Oct2/2005 from Switzerland on his 1994 Jaguar
XJ40 with a V12 engine that was misfiring.
Thanks for the Hyundai diagram. That sorted it! No power to
the crank sensor from the ecu -hot wired it and all is well.
Your diagram, although not of the exact model, allowed us to
find the correct ecu pin.
Peter M. dated Sept.28/2005 from Down Under regarding his Hyundai
Lantra with no start.
_______________________________________________________________________
Hi
Rich,
I just wanted to let you know how the car thing turned out--it was the MLP
thingee, plus there were 3 wires shorted out going to the speed sensor on
the transmission. I love my old Taurus and I didnt want to have to junk it
over a broken wire. The last shop I took it to was a transmission shop--but
when I started talking to the guy, he knew what I was talking about, and he
went right to the things you suggested. Thank you so much for your help--now
I am back in my dependable car again!
Sincerely,
Laura K. dated Sept.20/05 on her 1996 Ford Taurus with bad trany shifting
and erratic dash panel lights problem.
It was the vacuum cut bypass valve. It had ruptured and since
it sits on a bracket and not visible from underneath the vehicle
I over looked it the first time I checked. Replacing it took
care of both the codes P0455 and P1448 and all seems well. Thanks.
It's great having you to point me in the right direction.
Chuck U. dated Sept.14/2005 on his 2001 Nissan PathFinder with
an engine fault codes P0455 and P1448.
______________________________________________________________________
Hi
Rich,
Thought I would drop you a line to say that the wiring diagrams ultimately
were the key to getting my car running. Feel free to put this story on your
site, or let me know how to do it.
THANK YOU! (please read a portion of his story below)
"At least
three electrical connectors on the engine harness are identical on this '98
Eclipse. The Cam sensor, Vehicle speed sensor, and Ignition coil. The Cam
Sensor connector cannot reach the wrong component. The coil and..."
Paul C. dated Sept.12/05 on his 1998 Eclipse 2.0L engine that won't start.
I finally had the opportunity to work on the mustang , I swapped
out the mass airflow sensor as you suggested and now it will
smoke the tires again.
Kathy C.dated Sept.6/05 on her 95 Mustang that goes flat when
stepping on the gas. According to her, she already paid a Ford
dealer $200 for initial repairs and still the problem persists.
_______________________________________________________________________
Hello Rich,
Just a quick update. Realizing the largeness of the situation from your emails,
I contacted a qualified transmission company and told them what was happening.
He knew about the Buick shudder problem and suggested I bring it in as soon
as possible, reason being was that in due time the trany would tear apart.
He later showed me the drum that he had to replace and the same drum from
another Buick that went too long. The whole thing was in shreds where mine
was already on its way but still together. Got it just in time! Expensive
but not as much as a new trany.
Thanks for the help,
Doug...dated Aug.25/05 on his 1996 Buick LeSabre that has
a shudder while cruising.
I thought the cleaning of the throttle house solved the problem of my car.
After dealer doing the clean up job, it can be easily started. Thank you!
Jian L. dated Aug.18/05 on his 99 Volkswagen Passat engine after dealer recommended
a $2000 turbo-charger replacement which ATS recommended was not necessary.
I wanted to thank you for your help but my 96 Honda accord's electrical problem
was over my head. I took the time to have my uncle from NY look at it and
the problem was the replacement door had a different wires to the harness
so that one wire from the radio was passing through the lighting system. Crazy!!
Now swapped everything works perfectly:)
Your door wiring diagram really helps!
Shawn P. dated August 5/06 on his 1996 Honda Accord with lights
staying on after removing the ignition key that drains the
battery overnight.
Thanks for the info. It was a trany pressure problem but it
was due to the mech cutting one of the o-rings they replaced.
Thanks again for your info.
James B. dated July 26,2005 on his 1994 Mercedes Benz E420 for
not shifting after being worked on by a garage.
____________________________________________________________________
Hi
Mr Trent,
Sorry it took a while for me to get back. The information that you provide
is valuable, timely, and very clear to understand. The sensor code P0135 with
my 2000 Chevy Tracker has been cleared, and the overheating problem with my
wife's 1999 Ford Explorer was solved with a flush and thermostat replacement.
It appears the thermostat was stuck closed and had not functioned properly
for a long time.
Thanks for all your quick responses and with the helpful information.
I received the transmission on a Friday and had it in Saturday
with everything else put back together by Monday afternoon.
I followed your advise and got a 90 day warrantee, I also put
in new seals on the used transmission. I did not have the special
seal protectors for installing the drive shafts, but I was very
careful in inserting the shafts and that is all that counted
because the shafts do not leak a drop of oil. Once again thank
you!
Virgil A. dated July 21,2005 on his 1996 Nissan 200SX
______________________________________________________________________
Hello
Rich,
I got my truck running! It was the distributor cap and/or rotor. I had replaced
those parts about 18 months ago but I did not buy AC Delco at the time. I
am not going to skimp on after-market parts again!
Thanks for your help.
Tom Collier dated July 18 2005 on his 1997 Chevy Pick up with no start when
raining or cold weather.
The problem was just the intake air hose. The first one I ordered was wrong.
So in the meantime I replaced the EGR boost sensor and a vacuum sensor next
to it and the vacuum box in front of it that I broke a vacuum hose nipple
off of while pulling a hose. About $200 in junkyard parts. But none had any
effect. Then finally the replacement air-intake hose came in. Couldn't find
one in a junkyard. Once I had it, took about 30 minutes to change it. Car
runs perfectly.
Ken W. dated July 4, 2005 on his 1995 Mazda Protege that has
service light coming on and stalling.
John L. dated July 2, 2005 on his 1967 Corvette with a defective
and leaky heater core. All he did was sent me the picture
of the heater set up and I was able to give him the proper
info to remove it.
It looks like the problem is fixed on the truck. No more light and no more
chugging. Truck is running strong again like it used to, even while running
the A/C system. Thanks again for your help.
Gabe G. dated June 25 2005 on his 1999 Toyota Tacoma with an engine code P0171
problem.
AS OF LAST NIGHT THE SHIFTING PROBLEM CAME FROM A LOOSE WIRE AT THE COMPUTER
HARNESS. NOW THE VEHICLE RUNS PEREFECT EXCEPT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT I CANT
GET TO GO OUT.
Steve K. dated June 9, 2005 on his 1996 Caprice (OBD2) with
4.3L engine that he replaced with 1995 Impala SS 5.7L (OBD1)
I wanted to tell you how much i really do appreciate the help you gave me.
the diagrams were dead on and really made things much easier for me to finish
the work on my car. So like i said earlier thank you and i will be sure to
keep you in mind not only for myself but for others that may run into troubles
in the future.
Thanks again
Tim L.
From US Armed Forces dated May 27/05 on his 1998 Saturn SC1
FYI...my truck is running perfectly! My best guess is that attaching the hose
to the canister and "resetting" the ECM did the trick. I spent 50 bucks on your
web site, 20 bucks on a Haynes manual and 3 bucks on brake cleaner for the mass
air sensor.
My point being, I spent $73 on fixing my problems.
I wonder what my Ford dealer would have charged me to diagnose, go through 11
codes and then fix the real problem of the disconnected hose on the canister
that happens to be 15 feet from the engine, where I'm sure they would have replaced
every sensor, valve and filter on their way towards the back of the truck.
$73 well spent! and I plan on beating down your email and website for a while.
Thanks for your help.
Just wanted to let you know that the problem has been fixed. It was the green
wire going to the dimmer switch. There was no power going to it at all. Once
the wire problem was fixed power returned to the headlights, stop lights and
horn. Thank you for your help as all efforts were made by the instructions that
you gave. The headlight diagram with the color codes was a great help.
Thank you again for all of your help.
Kerri G. dated May 16/05 on her 1992 Plymouth Voyager
Wow, that was fast!! This is exactly what I needed. The info you sent will save
many hours of hacking the dash apart. Joining has already been well worh the
money. Have a great week-end and thank you very much !!
I just wanted to let you know that I followed the diagram you sent me concerning
the use of a manual toggle switch to work my backup lights & backup alarm &
it works like a charm! Easy as could be!
Andy D. dated May 12/05 on his 2004 GM Express Van
Well, we have heat! The door for the heat/air is not moving on command.it stays
closed over the heater core. I manually opened the door & allowed heating to
the duct. its' late so tomorrow will finish diagnosing. Thanks for your help.
Was lost without you. This vehicle belongs to a neighbor that recently went
through bankruptcy. I used to work on cars but have been a forklift mechanic
for the last 15 yrs. Will only charge for my expenses so they have time to save
money to take it to get fixed right. Thanks again.
Frank P. dated April 14/05 working on the heater for 1998
Ford Windstar
I'm happy to report its all fixed. However, when we removed one of the sensors
(the output I think) we found some silver material on the end that was liquid
but that also had some very small metal shavings in it. My suspicion is that
the magnet in the sensor attracted enough material that eventually disrupted
the information it gathered and that the sensor isn't actually "bad" at all.
The question is what caused the deposits and is it likely to be terminal enough
to the transaxle?
Regardless of which, thanks for your help!
Mark C. dated April 3/05 on his 2000 Voyager with erratic
dash lights and trany won't come out of 2nd gear.
You are right, it, was the ECM beside the battery. I removed the big electrical
lead from it, and of the pins came out with it, it was burned of. I went to
the wrecking yard and got one, cost 75 bucks, put it in, car started. It ran
rough for a while, then while the computer reset every thing... It ran smooth!
Thanks again very much.
It always helps to have another brain to reflect on.
Eugene J. dated Feb.9/05 on his 1990 Plymouth Voyager that
won't start
I am happy to say the light is out, I just pulled the engine light bulb out.
Now I dont have to look at it any longer. I am kidding. I replaced the sensor,
and it fixed the problem. Yes the magnet is replaceable, it can be done without
removing the cover. It can be done through the sensor hole. Thanks for the help.
Steve D. dated Jan.20/05 on his 1992 Olds Delta 88 with code
41 3800 engine
You're very patient....I managed to replug, and replug connectors, relays anything
that I could find in the engine compartment...no dice..but...........I pulled
the passenger side Halogen bulb out from the housing, and bingo it lit up....when
the passenger side light lit up so did the driver side....looks like the passenger
side took down both lights via poor connection at the base of the light and
connector to bulb... persistent paid off....I purchased 4 lighted sw. in case....I
am grateful that you have been so nice and responsive it gave me time to reflect
and not give up... Please feel free to use my solution in your archive...
Larry S. dated Feb.21/05 on his 2003 F250 4X4 lighting problem
Thanks for taking the time and getting me squared away. Sorry that I
got the wrong date. I felt really great about purchasing ATS back then
and now I know that I did the right thing.
Mahalo,
Jason A. (how's this for service?) dated Oct.26/04
Rich... was thinking
about you yesterday. Our '93 Hyundai transmission was
acting up and we were told by a transmission shop that it needed $1800 worth
of work. It's a year later and with your advice we did not do the work ...
It's still running fine. thanks
The Lincoln LS is now running fine. Two error codes for two diff
misfires (1&6) . I had to disconnect the battery for 15min to reset chk
engine light. Running AOK now.
Thanks for your help.
Jer G. dated October 13/04 on 2000 Lincoln LS with "service"
light on.
I finally got rid of the 401 error code. It was the pipe going from the EGR
valve to the Intake Manifold that was very clogged. To clean it I used the
carb cleaner and a steel cable similar to the one used in bicycles brakes,
it is excellent because is flexible, but at the same time it is strong.
Thank you for your advice.
Jorge T. dated August 15/04 on his 1995 Toyota Tercel
Your price is fair and you offer a lot of
good sense troubleshooting technique and
technical back up.I have read some of your
lessons. You already saved me some money
so I will try your offer for 90 days on the two
cars.I will probably stay just to warn you we
keep our vechiles until the steering wheel
falls off.
Thanks for responding especially on a Sunday.
MIKE K. dated March 31/04 after ATS helped
him on his 2000 Dodge Ram Van 5.9L
Rich: We finally
got to the EGR in the Ford van 302 and found
it NOT to be the cause of idle surging. Checked out the mass
airflow sensor too...that was ok. Then we found the culprit, a
burnt vaccumn tube under the EGR. This one wins the coveted
Henry Ford award, as the EGR has a heat shield around it, but
not under it, where the tube was burnt.
Boy, there are a lot of vacumn tubes to check over, even in my
1988 RV; dread to think if more modern Ford V8's has more or
less vacumn tubes to go wrong. I think our 2002 Buick Rendevous
has a vacumn problem with cabin hot air, but maybe its the leak/hole
on the condensor pipe. If someone could invent a automotive crystal
ball to replace engine codes, we'd all have more hair!
Hi Rich, Thanks
for the info! You are right! The fuel sending unit was bad.
Replaced the fuel tank module at a cost of $446.00. And that solved the
problem. Thanks again for your assistance.
THANKS!!! HEATER LINES HAD AIR IN THEM DID WHAT YOU SAID.
AND I'M GETTING SOME HEAT. SHOULD I KEEP TRYING OR JUST BE
HAPPY WITH WHAT I GOT? THANKS AGAIN.
JEANETTE W. dated March 03/04 on her BMW
__________________________________________________________________________
_
Hi Rich,
Just wanted to tell you that I did get it fixed and it was the fuel pump.
"Richard:
Your fix worked like magic! "You're the man" , your service
has saved me a ton of money! Thanks, very much. This was regarding
MAF sensor 1989 Olds, 3.8 6cyl. engine (service engine soon).
Robert W. dated Feb.18/2004 on his 88 Olds "service light coming
on/intermittent stalls.
It was a defective TPS. I installed new part and and retrieved
the code. The veh. engine runs and sounds better than it did before I had
the problem. I have not driven it. However I'm sure it's find.
Thanks you very much for your assistance and advice".
Fred B......dated Feb 1,2004 on his 1992 Isuzu Rodeo 4X4
no more low rpm boog!
upshifts mean more instant speed!
14 mpg instead of 8mpg!
I'am a happy camper. you sent me down a different path that caused
different thinking. and I thank you . Sometimes you just get too focused,
and you need to step back and take a different approach.
thanks again.
ALLAN I..... February 2, 2004 on his 1994 Jeep Wrangler
Just wanted
to let you know that we ( you and I) got my Ford Ranger running. It would have
been a more difficult task had I not had your help in solving the problems.
The one on one interaction is absolutely superb. You provided clear understandable
sketches and explanations that just about anyone could follow and understand.
You followed through on all my questions with knowledgeable answers and procedures
to follow.
The membership
fee paid for it self in this, our first session. I saved on an estimated cost
of repair any where from $450.00 to $500.00 I have recommended your Automotive
Trouble Shooting web site to my friends and I'm sure they too, would be satisfied.
Thank Again Rich for a job well done."
Luis
F. Electrical Designer..... dated Jan.3,2004 on his 1997 Ford
Ranger no start problem.
