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Question:
MY CAR (1997 Chrysler LHS) IS OVERHEATING. I REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, FLUSHED THE RADIATOR AND REPLACED FREEZ PLUGS, I FILL IT WITH WATER & COOLANT AND IT RUNS FOR AWHILE. I LET IT SET FOR A WEEK AND WHEN I START IT AGAIN, IT GETS HOT Already Tried: REPLACED WATER PUMP, REPLACE THERMOSTAT, REPLACED THREE FREEZE PLUGS, FLUSED RADIATOR

Answer:
First replace the thermostat as it is probably stuck open. When you refill the coolant, start the car with the cap off and fill it the rest of the way. Put cap on and drive it till it gets hot, this allows the engine to open the thermostat and fill with coolant, when you return from driving, let it cool for a long period, then remove the cap and top off coolant. then you should be good to go. ( assuming your fan is working )

Overheating Diagnostics

Question:
I have a 1995 dodge stratus. It decided it will not start tonight. there is no noise at all, the radio gauges, windshield wipers and turn signals do not work. replaced battery a couple of months ago all lights are bright ac will work.

Answer:
I know everything lights up, but I would strongly suggest that you double check the battery cables. Hook the car up to a jump and attempt to start. If the car does not turn even with a jump, you need to check the voltage at the starter.

If the starter has 12v when the key is turned, and the car is still not cranking you have a bad starter. Also as a side note, starters do not always make a noise when they are bad.

Question:
I have a 1999 Cadillac eldorado 4.6. Is it important to be exact on replacing the computer?and where can i find a good used one…computer? Already Tried: the car has multiple codes and does all kinds of things.mainly gets hot from thermastat not opening.replaced it and still gets hot.

Answer:
Normally this type of problem is not the computer. When a computer goes bad they normally loose a function. They don’t trigger all types of trouble codes. The computer and its programming both have to be close, in fact exact is a better word. With the type of problem you are having you need an electrical expert to look at this. The multiple codes problem could be as simple as a wiring harness ground.

You need to check the electrical fans out and their electrical system. That is normally the cause of overheating.

Question:
I have a 2000 Honda civic ex … and I’m having a problem with the power door lock system….. if i try to unlock the doors whether manually or auto its fine … but when i try to lock it , it keeps lowing the fuse?

Answer:
You have a shorted lock actuator. When you lock the doors from each seat with their respective switch witch ever one blows the fuse has the bad actuator. If they both blow the fuse then you have to remove the panel and disconnect each actuator, one at a time. Then try the lock until you find the one that is bad. (you should be able to isolate it by each switch though.

Summer is here and it is getting hotter each day. You have a great car but the Air Conditioning no longer blows cold air out the dash. You have had it to the shop and they want to charge you a large amount of money just to tell you what is wrong with your air conditioning. You have an option. You can troubleshoot the the air conditioning system yourself with the use of an Air Conditioning Troubleshooting Chart. You’ll find this step by step air conditioning diagnosis process an easy way to determine what is wrong with your car’s air conditioning system.

Question:
I have a 1993 Ford Ranger 4.0 the air conditioner keeps blowing the pop off on the compressor. It will work OK for about 15 min. good cold air then will popping off untill empty of freon.

Answer:
That blow off valve is a safety feature because the system had built up enough pressure to explode something.

You need to use a set of pressure gauges and determine why this is happening. You could have many different possible causes including too much refrigerant, restriction in the system, insufficient air flow over the condenser, etc.

Question:
Power windows and radio quit working. A couple of times it quit before but after driving about 10 minutes they would come back on . (circuit breaker) Now I am stuck with the windows down and no radio. I checked all the fuses under the dash under the hood and under the back seat. All fuses are OK. 1998 Buick park avenue. I called about the price for the driver side module Where every thing plugs into it is $349.00 Already Tried: all fuses under dash, seat, hood all o.k. all wiring in driver side door checked all connectors

Answer:
Unfortunately, the drivers side door module is the most likely failure.

They are relatively easy to replace. Grab a manual from the local library & replace it. All you will need is a Phillips head screw driver, a flat head screw driver, & a 7mm socket wrench. It is easy as pie.

Also buy the part from the local Delco parts house & save some money.

OBD I Diagnostic Trouble Codes for your ’92 – ’95 Honda.

Checking your ECU for codes yourself (OBD I)

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OK, this is an extremely easy procedure to do yourself without paying the money to have a shop do it for you.

I know in the civics, the ECU is down by the right foot of the passenger, other cars, I’m not sure, hopefully someone else can help out with that one , all you have to do is pop off the panel that covers the ecu, I believe there is a big black plastic screw at the top of it that helps hold the panel in place, your ecu should be looking right back at you

all you need is a paper clip

straighten out the paper clip, then bend it into a “U” shape. on top of your ecu, you’ll see a little blue harness (when i say little, I mean about the side of a chicklets gum). There should be two little slots in that harness, all you have to do is insert one end of the paper clip in each slot, so for those of you that know a thing about electronics, it’ll basically be like your running current from one to the other.

then leave that paper clip in there and put your car into the second position, watch your check engine light, it’ll make fast and slow blinks, each slow blink=10, and each fast blink just equals that…

Example: 2 slow blinks, one fast blink= 21

then just go to the codes that I posted, and look it up..there ya go.

FULL LIST OF OBD I HONDA CODES