Malmbergs

Have had intermittent episodes where the car feels and sounds like it's
about to run out of gas. Seemed to happen more often on hills and when
accelerating from a stop or turn. Switching off the air conditioning as
soon as I feel the stall has seemed to avert the problem. Also noticed the
car has been increasingly difficult to start...turns over fine, but takes
longer to catch. In doing some reading on the boards, I came across
discussions of the CPS. Also, thought it might be fuel pump. Last week, I
got check engine light briefly: codes are 12, 21 and 42...but now the light
is out. My husband was planning to do some troubleshooting this weekend.

Yesterday, as I sat in the school carpool line, my water pump blew. I had
it taken in to the local mechanic who replaced the pump as well as a single
fan belt. He also discovered a crack in the manifold and recommended that I
take it in to be welded. After he put everything back together and
test-drove it, he noticed a high pitched squeal when running the AC. He
thought it was the new belt, but said he checked that and it was okay. So,
he thought he'd wait and ask me if it was a pre-existing problem, but it
wasn't. It's never done this. It only happens when the AC is on, and
primarily when accelerating. I picked the car up right at closing time, and
I'll be taking it back first thing Monday morning. But, I'm hoping to go in
armed with a better understanding of the whole situation.

I'm just wondering is there is some connection between the various problems
I'm having. If so, I need to get to the root or I'll just keep blowing
water pumps and who knows what else. Any and all comments, thoughts, and
suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks in advance for your help,
Lynn

Will Honea

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 03:04:27 UTC "Malmbergs"
<lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:

> Have had intermittent episodes where the car feels and sounds like it's
> about to run out of gas. Seemed to happen more often on hills and when
> accelerating from a stop or turn. Switching off the air conditioning as
> soon as I feel the stall has seemed to avert the problem. Also noticed the
> car has been increasingly difficult to start...turns over fine, but takes
> longer to catch. In doing some reading on the boards, I came across
> discussions of the CPS. Also, thought it might be fuel pump. Last week, I
> got check engine light briefly: codes are 12, 21 and 42...but now the light
> is out. My husband was planning to do some troubleshooting this weekend.
>
> Yesterday, as I sat in the school carpool line, my water pump blew. I had
> it taken in to the local mechanic who replaced the pump as well as a single
> fan belt. He also discovered a crack in the manifold and recommended that I
> take it in to be welded. After he put everything back together and
> test-drove it, he noticed a high pitched squeal when running the AC. He
> thought it was the new belt, but said he checked that and it was okay. So,
> he thought he'd wait and ask me if it was a pre-existing problem, but it
> wasn't. It's never done this. It only happens when the AC is on, and
> primarily when accelerating. I picked the car up right at closing time, and
> I'll be taking it back first thing Monday morning. But, I'm hoping to go in
> armed with a better understanding of the whole situation.
>
> I'm just wondering is there is some connection between the various problems
> I'm having. If so, I need to get to the root or I'll just keep blowing
> water pumps and who knows what else. Any and all comments, thoughts, and
> suggestions are welcomed.

The squeal could be the idler pulley and it could have started because
a new belt is speced to be cranked pretty tight - several pounds
tighter than a used one. It could also be the "new" water pump
bearing - at least the mechanic seems to be concerned about doing
right by you.

Welding the manifold (I assume he meant the exhaust) is not likely to
hold up very long so weigh the cost of welding vs. replacing it.

The starting and loaded stall (or just loss of power) sounds fuel
related - the more it's loaded, the more fuel it needs. Have the fuel
pressure and flow rates checked. The Crank Position Sensor - either
the sensor itself or the connections - will also cause this.

--
Will Honea

Will Honea

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 03:04:27 UTC "Malmbergs"
<lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:

> Have had intermittent episodes where the car feels and sounds like it's
> about to run out of gas. Seemed to happen more often on hills and when
> accelerating from a stop or turn. Switching off the air conditioning as
> soon as I feel the stall has seemed to avert the problem. Also noticed the
> car has been increasingly difficult to start...turns over fine, but takes
> longer to catch. In doing some reading on the boards, I came across
> discussions of the CPS. Also, thought it might be fuel pump. Last week, I
> got check engine light briefly: codes are 12, 21 and 42...but now the light
> is out. My husband was planning to do some troubleshooting this weekend.
>
> Yesterday, as I sat in the school carpool line, my water pump blew. I had
> it taken in to the local mechanic who replaced the pump as well as a single
> fan belt. He also discovered a crack in the manifold and recommended that I
> take it in to be welded. After he put everything back together and
> test-drove it, he noticed a high pitched squeal when running the AC. He
> thought it was the new belt, but said he checked that and it was okay. So,
> he thought he'd wait and ask me if it was a pre-existing problem, but it
> wasn't. It's never done this. It only happens when the AC is on, and
> primarily when accelerating. I picked the car up right at closing time, and
> I'll be taking it back first thing Monday morning. But, I'm hoping to go in
> armed with a better understanding of the whole situation.
>
> I'm just wondering is there is some connection between the various problems
> I'm having. If so, I need to get to the root or I'll just keep blowing
> water pumps and who knows what else. Any and all comments, thoughts, and
> suggestions are welcomed.

The squeal could be the idler pulley and it could have started because
a new belt is speced to be cranked pretty tight - several pounds
tighter than a used one. It could also be the "new" water pump
bearing - at least the mechanic seems to be concerned about doing
right by you.

Welding the manifold (I assume he meant the exhaust) is not likely to
hold up very long so weigh the cost of welding vs. replacing it.

The starting and loaded stall (or just loss of power) sounds fuel
related - the more it's loaded, the more fuel it needs. Have the fuel
pressure and flow rates checked. The Crank Position Sensor - either
the sensor itself or the connections - will also cause this.

--
Will Honea

Will Honea

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 03:04:27 UTC "Malmbergs"
<lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:

> Have had intermittent episodes where the car feels and sounds like it's
> about to run out of gas. Seemed to happen more often on hills and when
> accelerating from a stop or turn. Switching off the air conditioning as
> soon as I feel the stall has seemed to avert the problem. Also noticed the
> car has been increasingly difficult to start...turns over fine, but takes
> longer to catch. In doing some reading on the boards, I came across
> discussions of the CPS. Also, thought it might be fuel pump. Last week, I
> got check engine light briefly: codes are 12, 21 and 42...but now the light
> is out. My husband was planning to do some troubleshooting this weekend.
>
> Yesterday, as I sat in the school carpool line, my water pump blew. I had
> it taken in to the local mechanic who replaced the pump as well as a single
> fan belt. He also discovered a crack in the manifold and recommended that I
> take it in to be welded. After he put everything back together and
> test-drove it, he noticed a high pitched squeal when running the AC. He
> thought it was the new belt, but said he checked that and it was okay. So,
> he thought he'd wait and ask me if it was a pre-existing problem, but it
> wasn't. It's never done this. It only happens when the AC is on, and
> primarily when accelerating. I picked the car up right at closing time, and
> I'll be taking it back first thing Monday morning. But, I'm hoping to go in
> armed with a better understanding of the whole situation.
>
> I'm just wondering is there is some connection between the various problems
> I'm having. If so, I need to get to the root or I'll just keep blowing
> water pumps and who knows what else. Any and all comments, thoughts, and
> suggestions are welcomed.

The squeal could be the idler pulley and it could have started because
a new belt is speced to be cranked pretty tight - several pounds
tighter than a used one. It could also be the "new" water pump
bearing - at least the mechanic seems to be concerned about doing
right by you.

Welding the manifold (I assume he meant the exhaust) is not likely to
hold up very long so weigh the cost of welding vs. replacing it.

The starting and loaded stall (or just loss of power) sounds fuel
related - the more it's loaded, the more fuel it needs. Have the fuel
pressure and flow rates checked. The Crank Position Sensor - either
the sensor itself or the connections - will also cause this.

--
Will Honea

Malmbergs

"Will Honea" <whonea@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JxX2tWiP5BNp-pn2-XBytpke2djV9@anon.none.net...
> On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 03:04:27 UTC "Malmbergs"
> <lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:
>
> The squeal could be the idler pulley and it could have started because
> a new belt is speced to be cranked pretty tight - several pounds
> tighter than a used one. It could also be the "new" water pump
> bearing - at least the mechanic seems to be concerned about doing
> right by you.
>
> Welding the manifold (I assume he meant the exhaust) is not likely to
> hold up very long so weigh the cost of welding vs. replacing it.
>
> The starting and loaded stall (or just loss of power) sounds fuel
> related - the more it's loaded, the more fuel it needs. Have the fuel
> pressure and flow rates checked. The Crank Position Sensor - either
> the sensor itself or the connections - will also cause this.
>
> --
> Will Honea

Thanks for all the great info, Will. You're right about my mechanic. He's
a local guy with a great rep for just that reason. I'll talk to him more
about the squeal on Monday. I'll also ask him to check out those fuel
issues while he has the car in the shop. Unfortunately, my hubby's time is
more limited than his wallet right now.

Regarding the manifold (and, yes it is the exhaust manifold), my husband's
thoughts were the same as yours on that one...he just wants to replace it.

Interestingly enough, as I drove home from my son's soccer game this
morning, I heard a new squeal. This was the kind of sound you sometimes get
when you are turning real sharp...except I'm getting it as I drive straight,
at slow speed (driving through the parking lot, pulling up to the curb in
front of the house, etc.) It appears to be in rhythm with the rotation of
the tires and sounds like it's coming from the back.....when it rains it
pours!

The good thing is, we bought the car new and this is the first time we've
had any problems whatsoever, except for the recall on the fuel sending unit
and the lousy CD player that we finally just replaced.

Thanks again,
Lynn

Malmbergs

"Will Honea" <whonea@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JxX2tWiP5BNp-pn2-XBytpke2djV9@anon.none.net...
> On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 03:04:27 UTC "Malmbergs"
> <lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:
>
> The squeal could be the idler pulley and it could have started because
> a new belt is speced to be cranked pretty tight - several pounds
> tighter than a used one. It could also be the "new" water pump
> bearing - at least the mechanic seems to be concerned about doing
> right by you.
>
> Welding the manifold (I assume he meant the exhaust) is not likely to
> hold up very long so weigh the cost of welding vs. replacing it.
>
> The starting and loaded stall (or just loss of power) sounds fuel
> related - the more it's loaded, the more fuel it needs. Have the fuel
> pressure and flow rates checked. The Crank Position Sensor - either
> the sensor itself or the connections - will also cause this.
>
> --
> Will Honea

Thanks for all the great info, Will. You're right about my mechanic. He's
a local guy with a great rep for just that reason. I'll talk to him more
about the squeal on Monday. I'll also ask him to check out those fuel
issues while he has the car in the shop. Unfortunately, my hubby's time is
more limited than his wallet right now.

Regarding the manifold (and, yes it is the exhaust manifold), my husband's
thoughts were the same as yours on that one...he just wants to replace it.

Interestingly enough, as I drove home from my son's soccer game this
morning, I heard a new squeal. This was the kind of sound you sometimes get
when you are turning real sharp...except I'm getting it as I drive straight,
at slow speed (driving through the parking lot, pulling up to the curb in
front of the house, etc.) It appears to be in rhythm with the rotation of
the tires and sounds like it's coming from the back.....when it rains it
pours!

The good thing is, we bought the car new and this is the first time we've
had any problems whatsoever, except for the recall on the fuel sending unit
and the lousy CD player that we finally just replaced.

Thanks again,
Lynn

Malmbergs

"Will Honea" <whonea@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:JxX2tWiP5BNp-pn2-XBytpke2djV9@anon.none.net...
> On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 03:04:27 UTC "Malmbergs"
> <lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:
>
> The squeal could be the idler pulley and it could have started because
> a new belt is speced to be cranked pretty tight - several pounds
> tighter than a used one. It could also be the "new" water pump
> bearing - at least the mechanic seems to be concerned about doing
> right by you.
>
> Welding the manifold (I assume he meant the exhaust) is not likely to
> hold up very long so weigh the cost of welding vs. replacing it.
>
> The starting and loaded stall (or just loss of power) sounds fuel
> related - the more it's loaded, the more fuel it needs. Have the fuel
> pressure and flow rates checked. The Crank Position Sensor - either
> the sensor itself or the connections - will also cause this.
>
> --
> Will Honea

Thanks for all the great info, Will. You're right about my mechanic. He's
a local guy with a great rep for just that reason. I'll talk to him more
about the squeal on Monday. I'll also ask him to check out those fuel
issues while he has the car in the shop. Unfortunately, my hubby's time is
more limited than his wallet right now.

Regarding the manifold (and, yes it is the exhaust manifold), my husband's
thoughts were the same as yours on that one...he just wants to replace it.

Interestingly enough, as I drove home from my son's soccer game this
morning, I heard a new squeal. This was the kind of sound you sometimes get
when you are turning real sharp...except I'm getting it as I drive straight,
at slow speed (driving through the parking lot, pulling up to the curb in
front of the house, etc.) It appears to be in rhythm with the rotation of
the tires and sounds like it's coming from the back.....when it rains it
pours!

The good thing is, we bought the car new and this is the first time we've
had any problems whatsoever, except for the recall on the fuel sending unit
and the lousy CD player that we finally just replaced.

Thanks again,
Lynn

Will Honea

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 18:27:55 UTC "Malmbergs"
<lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:

> Interestingly enough, as I drove home from my son's soccer game this
> morning, I heard a new squeal. This was the kind of sound you sometimes get
> when you are turning real sharp...except I'm getting it as I drive straight,
> at slow speed (driving through the parking lot, pulling up to the curb in
> front of the house, etc.) It appears to be in rhythm with the rotation of
> the tires and sounds like it's coming from the back.....when it rains it
> pours!
>
> The good thing is, we bought the car new and this is the first time we've
> had any problems whatsoever, except for the recall on the fuel sending unit
> and the lousy CD player that we finally just replaced.

AH, HA! A real soccer Mom (my are all past that stage and doing it
for their kids now <g>).

Two thoughts. First, you are going to hear a lot more squeaks and
squeals now that you are atuned. Second, there are a number of
non-critical reasons for squeels from the rear end. Probably the most
common are dust in the brakes or damp weather. A firm application of
the brakes will quiet a lot of the noise but pulling a wheel and
checking the brake linings is a cheap bit of PM - I try and eyball all
my cars at least once a year.

I don't remember if the 97 had discs or drum brakes in the rear, but
either one will chirp under the right conditiions when the lining/pad
is just barely touching the metal. Get it going in a straight line
then apply light braking. If the noise stops as soon as you get a
little pressure on it then it's brakes - have them checked but don't
get panicy about it. You can also further isolate rear end noises by
noting whether they are affected by speed, whether you are
accelerating, decelerating or no load (put the transmission in
neutral). I wish my wife would pay more attention to those noises -
she just turns the radio up...

--
Will Honea

Will Honea

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 18:27:55 UTC "Malmbergs"
<lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:

> Interestingly enough, as I drove home from my son's soccer game this
> morning, I heard a new squeal. This was the kind of sound you sometimes get
> when you are turning real sharp...except I'm getting it as I drive straight,
> at slow speed (driving through the parking lot, pulling up to the curb in
> front of the house, etc.) It appears to be in rhythm with the rotation of
> the tires and sounds like it's coming from the back.....when it rains it
> pours!
>
> The good thing is, we bought the car new and this is the first time we've
> had any problems whatsoever, except for the recall on the fuel sending unit
> and the lousy CD player that we finally just replaced.

AH, HA! A real soccer Mom (my are all past that stage and doing it
for their kids now <g>).

Two thoughts. First, you are going to hear a lot more squeaks and
squeals now that you are atuned. Second, there are a number of
non-critical reasons for squeels from the rear end. Probably the most
common are dust in the brakes or damp weather. A firm application of
the brakes will quiet a lot of the noise but pulling a wheel and
checking the brake linings is a cheap bit of PM - I try and eyball all
my cars at least once a year.

I don't remember if the 97 had discs or drum brakes in the rear, but
either one will chirp under the right conditiions when the lining/pad
is just barely touching the metal. Get it going in a straight line
then apply light braking. If the noise stops as soon as you get a
little pressure on it then it's brakes - have them checked but don't
get panicy about it. You can also further isolate rear end noises by
noting whether they are affected by speed, whether you are
accelerating, decelerating or no load (put the transmission in
neutral). I wish my wife would pay more attention to those noises -
she just turns the radio up...

--
Will Honea

Will Honea

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 18:27:55 UTC "Malmbergs"
<lynnmalmberg@earthnospamlink.net> wrote:

> Interestingly enough, as I drove home from my son's soccer game this
> morning, I heard a new squeal. This was the kind of sound you sometimes get
> when you are turning real sharp...except I'm getting it as I drive straight,
> at slow speed (driving through the parking lot, pulling up to the curb in
> front of the house, etc.) It appears to be in rhythm with the rotation of
> the tires and sounds like it's coming from the back.....when it rains it
> pours!
>
> The good thing is, we bought the car new and this is the first time we've
> had any problems whatsoever, except for the recall on the fuel sending unit
> and the lousy CD player that we finally just replaced.

AH, HA! A real soccer Mom (my are all past that stage and doing it
for their kids now <g>).

Two thoughts. First, you are going to hear a lot more squeaks and
squeals now that you are atuned. Second, there are a number of
non-critical reasons for squeels from the rear end. Probably the most
common are dust in the brakes or damp weather. A firm application of
the brakes will quiet a lot of the noise but pulling a wheel and
checking the brake linings is a cheap bit of PM - I try and eyball all
my cars at least once a year.

I don't remember if the 97 had discs or drum brakes in the rear, but
either one will chirp under the right conditiions when the lining/pad
is just barely touching the metal. Get it going in a straight line
then apply light braking. If the noise stops as soon as you get a
little pressure on it then it's brakes - have them checked but don't
get panicy about it. You can also further isolate rear end noises by
noting whether they are affected by speed, whether you are
accelerating, decelerating or no load (put the transmission in
neutral). I wish my wife would pay more attention to those noises -
she just turns the radio up...

--
Will Honea