Lisatexmom
enthusiast
Posts: 853
Reg: 01-19-05
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07-13-12 02:15 PM - Post#151249
My mother gave my son her old car, due to medical reasons she has not driven it for about a year or so.
When he drives the car, he says it drives good. Just when he is idle the front shacks, also there are times when he says the gas gadge will move up or down and then back to where it should be.
We have been told that the gas in the car could be old and to use fuel cleaner and this will fix the problem.
I have not driven the car yet, I plan on doing driving it next week - so at least I will know what I am talking about if we go some place. This is my son's first car, and I just want to make sure it is safe. It was looked after very well and only has almost 50,000 miles.
What do you think?
| Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend. - Albert Camus |
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vm7mm
enthusiast
Posts: 1527
Loc: Allen Tx usa
Reg: 08-12-04
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07-13-12 03:10 PM - Post#151250
In response to Lisatexmom
Maybe completely fill it up with new super unleaded, that way it will help the old gas when mixed together and the float in the gas tank may get loosened up when it is all the way to the top of the tank. You could also go to Auto Zone and see what kind of fuel additive they reccomend for the car in this situation (before you fill the tank). Carbeaurator or fuel injectors are probably dirty and driving the car more will help it also.
Edited by vm7mm on 07-13-12 03:16 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Brewer
enthusiast
Posts: 1421
Reg: 06-02-07
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07-20-12 11:31 PM - Post#151541
In response to vm7mm
I would run some waster displacing agent like "HEET" every couple of tanks and run some injector cleaner after that if it does not get better. Being a four cylinder any miss is going to stand out. Could be an ignition issue too but I would rule out old/wet gas first. The gas gauge readings could be caused by a bad ground.
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
-GEN George S. Patton
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Edited by Brewer on 07-20-12 11:33 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Lisatexmom
enthusiast
Posts: 853
Reg: 01-19-05
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07-23-12 01:14 PM - Post#151608
In response to Brewer
We went to Auto Zone and they suggested "Gum Out" they said to do that a couple of times, so we are trying that for now.
By Bad Ground - do you mean it could be electrical?
My son says that he will get gas, it will show a little over 1/2 a tank and when he gets in the car again it will show empty with the empty light coming on - and then the gadge will slowly move up and the empty light will go away - so he never really knows how much gas he has.
| Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend. - Albert Camus |
Edited by Lisatexmom on 07-23-12 01:15 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.
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Brewer
enthusiast
Posts: 1421
Reg: 06-02-07
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07-23-12 01:54 PM - Post#151612
In response to Lisatexmom
That is probably mechanical. There is a float in the tank that is translated into a resistance reading and then transmitted to the gauge. If that mechanism is "sticky" then it may give false readings. The GUMOUT may help that too. In my F150 the reading is averaged out over a long period of time so the gauge does not swing around just driving over bumps so have him look at it and average the positions or just fill it up every two hundred miles or so. A bad ground can cause them to swing WILDLY up and down.
A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.
-GEN George S. Patton
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Lisatexmom
enthusiast
Posts: 853
Reg: 01-19-05
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09-13-12 11:00 AM - Post#154401
In response to Brewer
OK guys I have a new question for this car - the horn stopped working and we need to get it fixed so he can get the inspection.
I have never had to get a horn fixed before, and with the air bags in the steering wheel I am not sure what to do. Where do you go for this? would it be better to go to the dealership?
Before air bags, I would just take the cover off the wheel and mess with it there, but I am afraid it will blow up in my face. lol
Thanks.
| Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend. - Albert Camus |
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vm7mm
enthusiast
Posts: 1527
Loc: Allen Tx usa
Reg: 08-12-04
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09-13-12 12:33 PM - Post#154413
In response to Lisatexmom
Check the connections that plug into the horn and make sure they are all tight and also check the fuse box. Hopefully you have a manual with the car or you can do a search on the internet to see where the fuse box and the horn are located. Sometimes the fusebox will have a diagram on it to tell which fuse goes to what. Good luck.
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Lisatexmom
enthusiast
Posts: 853
Reg: 01-19-05
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10-10-12 12:07 PM - Post#155786
In response to vm7mm
We checked the fuse, it was not that - went and had it checked out - it is the "clock spring" - we could have had a button put in for a horn, but we would not have had the airbag. So, for protection for my son - I am having it replaced. 
| Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend. - Albert Camus |
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Automobob
Community Expert
Posts: 167
Loc: TEXAS, COLLIN
Reg: 04-13-06
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11-12-12 02:41 PM - Post#157261
In response to Lisatexmom
Great ideas on here about the rough running, additives and filling with high grade gasoline.
The shaking at idle and not at higher rpm driving could be anything from dirty throttle body, a bad IAC (idle air controller), to worn and relaxed motor mounts. Easier to identify if experienced than on the forum.
The fuse is the best place to start on the horn inop situation as you mentioned. A couple quick tests I have tried also were tapping the horn with a wrench or something as water will get in them and freeze them up sometimes. From this point it would be pin-point testing the horn ciruits with a schematic.
If the car has and air bag with horn button built in there is always the alternative of putting a separate horn button on the dash but wired into the origional harness to the horn relay. For this you would need a schematic also.
BOB ELLIS--
ALLEN CAR CARE CENTER |
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Don4
enthusiast
Posts: 523
Loc: Allen 1993
Reg: 04-11-06
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11-12-12 08:41 PM - Post#157270
In response to Automobob
Automobob, I've read on the interwebnets that some vehicles have a horn ground issue in the steering column which is sometimes blamed on the very expensive clock spring. Not sure if all that talk is true, any thoughts?
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DrivinTooFast
enthusiast
Posts: 1874
Reg: 02-20-08
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11-14-12 10:44 AM - Post#157309
In response to Don4
A front mounted 50 cal. full auto will get you past inspection.
Oh wait sorry - Call of Duty is creeping into my real life.
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Lisatexmom
enthusiast
Posts: 853
Reg: 01-19-05
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 11-14-12 04:43 PM - Post#157316
In response to DrivinTooFast
Thanks guys, Per my post - 4 post up - I went ahead and had the "clock spring" replaced, we had to have something else done (at the moment don't recall what it was called), plus a tension rod or something, it has been inspected and passed
| Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. Walk beside me and be my friend. - Albert Camus |
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