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5658 messages,  Last post on May 06, 2013 at 12:20 AM

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Messages Page 553 of 567

#5516 of 5658 Re: Struggles to go uphill!! Help [aspengirl] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Apr 17, 2012 (10:32 am)

Replying to: aspengirl (Apr 17, 2012 10:24 am)
Yeah, their diagnosis, if you heard it right,, sounds very lame. A computer can't diagnose a clogged filter at least not one I ever heard of. I suppose a diagnostic tool might be able to read fuel pressure.
 
Generally though, their thinking wasn't bad---when a car struggles uphill, it often does relate to clogged filters, weak fuel pump or a bad catalytic converter, so they were in the right general area. My guess is that they took a good guess--with your checkbook.
 
Conditions like this can be hard to diagnose because it's not easy to simulate them in the shop.
 
I'd certainly suggest a fuel pressure test and a test of the catalytic converter.

#5517 of 5658 Re: Struggles to go uphill!! Help [Mr_Shiftright] by aspengirl

Apr 18, 2012 (2:43 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Apr 17, 2012 10:32 am)
Mr. Shiftright,
 
Thank you! I will have those items you mentioned checked. I will also update you to let you know the outcome.
 
Have a great day!

#5518 of 5658 1979 olds 98 - fan does not work on high by heritageadam

Apr 24, 2012 (5:42 am)

Good morning
 
I have a 79 olds regency 98. The switch for the fan on the dash works on all the lower settings but does nothing on the high setting. How do I figure out where the problem is/fix it? Thanks.

#5519 of 5658 Re: 1979 olds 98 - fan does not work on high [heritageadam] by imidazol97

Apr 24, 2012 (6:14 am)

Replying to: heritageadam (Apr 24, 2012 5:42 am)
I know how the blower systems are wired on my 93/98/03 leSabres. Yours may be similar of may not be.
 
 The lower speeds run through one circuit and switch between the varied resistor groupings in the resistor pack that is sitting in the air stream of the blower fan inside the heater housing.
 
There is a relay that switches from one pole to another when you switch to HIGH speed. The circuit bypasses the resistor unit. The new circuit has a large fuse, in a relay center on mine, that is 30 amp. This allows a higher speed and current draw for the blower motor.
 
So you have two things to check. The first would be the larger fuse, probably a 30 amp. It may have blown from age OR from a blower motor that is deteriorating and drawing more amperage and the fan teased the fuse to its deather. The second is the relay that switches from one contact to another. On my 93, one of those relays similar burned the contacts and didn't work any longer. If you can figure out the wiring you might be able to pull that relay and check to see if it can be trigger to switch contacts with the low power solenoid terminals and then does it give a continous circuit through the other two contacts. I removed the cover from my relay to visually check it. That might be possible if you are able to do that. Otherwise, you might use a fused jumper to see if directly connecting the power lead for the high speed blower circuit bypassing the relay itself allows the motor to work at full speed.
 
For many of the relays in my vehicle, there are several similar numbered relays for the one pole relays, and another relay, such as horn, could be substituted to verify one was bad. But there are no duplicates for the switching relay that uses one circuit and then switches to another circuit.

#5520 of 5658 Re: 1979 olds 98 - fan does not work on high [imidazol97] by stickguy

Apr 24, 2012 (6:57 am)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Apr 24, 2012 6:14 am)
after reading this, I am pretty sure that I would just learn to live without the High setting. I hate to have a lot of air blowing on me anyway, so probably would never even know!

#5521 of 5658 1979 oldsmobile regency 98 - slow to start - cause? by heritageadam

Apr 24, 2012 (7:12 pm)

I have a 1979 oldsmobile regency 98. 350. When I start it when it has been sitting overnight, I push the gas pedal and the choke closes appropriately. Then I turn the key and with either holding the pedal to the floor or pumping the pedal (doesn't matter) the starter turns and turns for 5-10 seconds, then all of a sudden it fires up. Once it goes it runs fine. This only happens when it is cold. When its warm it fires up right away. I've owned this car for a year and it seems that the time it takes to start has slightly increased. What do you think the cause of this is? One person mentioned that the gas is different now vs 1979 and being slow to start is expected. Does that make sense? Should I replace/rebuild the carburetor? Fuel filter? Or just keep driving it like this (it still always starts). Thanks in advance. Any thoughts appreciated.

#5522 of 5658 Re: 1979 oldsmobile regency 98 - slow to start - cause? [heritageadam] by bolivar

Apr 25, 2012 (2:48 am)

Replying to: heritageadam (Apr 24, 2012 7:12 pm)
Two wild guesses:
-Weak fuel pump. It has to 'prime' up everything for the first start, and this might take more time.
-Bad 'power valve' in the carb. This is a little diaphram pump valve that gives the carb a 'shot' of gas directly into the carb throat when you depress the footfeed. When the car is running at speed, if it will not accelerate quickly when you push on the footfeed, this most probably is the problem. A carb overhaul kit always comes wiht a new 'power valve'.

#5523 of 5658 Re: 1979 oldsmobile regency 98 - slow to start - cause? [heritageadam] by imidazol97

Apr 25, 2012 (5:52 am)

Replying to: heritageadam (Apr 24, 2012 7:12 pm)
>the choke closes appropriately. Then I turn the key and with either holding the pedal to the floor or pumping the pedal (doesn't matter) the starter turns and turns for 5-10 seconds, then all of a sudden it fires up.
 
Are you sure the choke is closing completely to block off most air flow? I suspect that it is, but you might take the air cleaner off and observe the choke when it's cold while someone else cranks the engine to be sure the spring closing the choke isn't weakened and the air flow at crank speed is pulling it open slight??? I may be overthinking the history of these, but age on the choke springs in a few cars mandated replacing the choke.
 
You don't say where you are so I don't know if "cold" is 30 deg or 55 degrees. BUT my #1 guess on this is leaking of gasoline through the plugs in the bottom of the carburetor. If I recall correctly, the plugs are put in to seal passages that had to be drilled inside the carb but went through the outside. These seep slightly as the carb cools and the gas level in the bowl leaks. I don't recall if it leaks onto the manifold or internally inside the manifold. So it takes little time for the fuel pump to refill the carb float chamber to a level where the jets and suck fuel instead of just air.
 
You might do some internet searching for this--QuadraJet is the carburetor. The 4-barrel version had this. I don't know if the two-barrel version had it as well. I seem to recall talk of epoxy to try to seal the plugs better from the outside?
 
A test to do, would be to take off the cover on the carb (only if you have done before and can do it right and check the level of fuel after engine has sat. There is a depth dimension from the top of the edge of the float chamber in books.
 
OR you can see if you can have air cleaner off, open the choke butterfly, and pump the accelerator rod and get gasoline through the accelerator pump. And see how many pumps of gas it gives. Then compare with what the quantity of gas is after car has sat just for a couple hours and cooled down during daytime driving.
 
>either holding the pedal to the floor or pumping the pedal
 
I believe the correct starting procedure is to just push down on pedal one time before cranking to allow the choke butterfly to close with its spring pressure. Then keep your foot off the accelerator pedal while cranking.
 
Holding the pedal to the floor actually moves a cam that opens the butterfly choke valve, eliminating choking for when the engine has been flooded. So don't hold the pedal to the floor during normal cranking.
 
I had a Quadrajet Olds 350 in 1977 but traded it for a 1980 with the two hole version for better fuel mileage. I didn't have trouble with mine, but it may now have aged enough to start seeping where it lengthened crank time.

#5524 of 5658 Re: 1979 oldsmobile regency 98 - slow to start - cause? [heritageadam] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Apr 25, 2012 (8:44 am)

Replying to: heritageadam (Apr 24, 2012 7:12 pm)
Well in theory, holding your foot to the floor defeats the choke. If the car were ship-shape, all you should have to do is pump the gas once, then don't hit the gas pedal again, and just crank it (well, maybe tickle the gas pedal just a tiny bit).
 
However, if say your float is defective, you might be dribbling gas into the engine overnight, thereby creating a flooding condition even before you start the car--and this you are "curing" by flooring the gas pedal.
 
So if I were you, I'd try two experiments and then report back:
 
Day One -- get in, pump the gas once, crank it without doing much of anything to the gas---what happens?
 
Day Two -- get in, floor the gas pedal and keep it there, crank it---what happens? Better or worse than Day One?
 
Day Three -- get in, don't do anything, just crank it---what happens?

#5525 of 5658 2002 Dodge Dakota Sport brake light problem by msrose59

May 07, 2012 (1:11 pm)

We have had a problem with the left rear brake light only working intermittently. One day it will work--next nothing. All other lights on that side and the entire truck are good. Bulbs have been replaced, new housing unit and new wiring harness. The fuses are good. Now it won't work at all! Any suggestions?

Messages Page 553 of 567

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