Car thread for the do it yourselvers out there

I don't know if it is just me, but every time I have a car problem and I am away from home, some dude always takes advanatage of me. I try to teach myself ahead of time so when I take it to the shop I can feign knowing so the bill is more $39 instead of $500

so for all you car savvy persons out there, please help if you can.. here is my problem..

I have had many problems with my car, the recent one was with the 'pulley' which I had tightened at midas, they can't figure out anything else that is wrong with it...

today while driving home, it just stiffened and went dead, I can't explain it sort of like it were having a seizure.. I put my blinkers on and pulled to the side. All the red lights came on my dash board, I put it on park and it made the most awful noise and it was still moving that I thought I was doomed for an accident with the car in front of me. Anyhow I turned it off and gave it a five minute rest, then restarted it, and it started fine, but while driving it, it felt kind of heavy, like I had it on D1 or D2..

I have been browsing the web and the closest I came to, was this
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-7811_102-0.html?forumID=78&threadID=270482&messageID=2621680

so now, I am not sure if it were an isolated incident, I can say this happened before before I tightened the pully, or am I to look forward to it stopping tomorrow while I am in the middle of the highway?

I don't know if the car make makes a difference? but I have a nissan pathfinder..

any help would be really appreciated.. thank you

My assumption would be an alternator, or possibly a bad cell in your battery. Also...don't go to Midas...that place has a bad reputation. A generic car repair shop would probably be more dependable and help you out moreso than Midas. Of course that is just my opinion. Point is...sounds like a possible alternator problem or a bad cell in the battery.

After thought...possibly a belt tensioner also. These days if its post say...1985, there is no way a loose "pulley" could cause this problem due to the fact they now have belt tensioners. (A spring loaded mechanism that keeps your belts in line, etc.)

ok, here is the thing I am away from home in DC, do you know any good shops here?
before I left NY my brother took it for a full tune up, and everything has been changed, new battery, new wheels, oil, anti freeze, new wiring the works... I was really surprised I encountered problems at all.. but I had had an accident once before a few years ago with this car and it used to make this awful noise shortly thereafter when ever I drove, after they tightened the pulley the noise was gone, and some handy man in the building here did actually say that the pully wasn't making contact with the alternator, of course that could be the equivalent of the head bone connected to the hip bone, I have no idea how truthful that is?

Is there anything I can personally do? I really don't want to take it to any shops midas or otherwise because I never have a good experience with mechanics.. I feel like they are dishonest by profession..

p.s thanks for the reply!

the car is a 1997 make, I don't know what parts came in when... but I do want to learn, because I feel some what helpless..

Skye Ephémérine said:

ok, here is the thing I am away from home in DC, do you know any good shops here?
before I left NY my brother took it for a full tune up, and everything has been changed, new battery, new wheels, oil, anti freeze, new wiring the works... I was really surprised I encountered problems at all.. but I had had an accident once before a few years ago with this car and it used to make this awful noise shortly thereafter when ever I drove, after they tightened the pulley the noise was gone, and some handy man in the building here did actually say that the pully wasn't making contact with the alternator, of course that could be the equivalent of the head bone connected to the hip bone, I have no idea how truthful that is?

Is there anything I can personally do? I really don't want to take it to any shops midas or otherwise because I never have a good experience with mechanics.. I feel like they are dishonest by profession..

p.s thanks for the reply!

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Well, unless you have mechanical experience there really isn't anything you can do personally. I would suggest either Pep Boys, Auto Zone, or large retail repair shop....other than Midas of course. Those guys will normally do a good job. Don't generalize the whole field due to Midas. Not familiar with D.C., but I'm sure it has those names there.

As for the "pulley" issue, that sounds like somebody..
1. Didn't know what they are talking about
2. Just wanted to scam you
3. Knows the problem is an easy fix and just wanted to take advantage of your lack of auto knowledge. (maybe that is the same as #2)

It really sounds like an alternator problem. If I could look under the hood I could probably tell you...but this is sort of like over-the-internet medical diagnosis.

I would suggest buying a Haynes Manual, dunno if they are availible in Yankland, but im sure theres similar.
Its a maintainace book based on a complete stripdown/rebuild.

If the alternator isnt on it's way out it could be other things. Damp sparkplugs..(spray them with some WD40), the fuel injector, spluttering to a halt and restarting sounds a bit like fuel starvation.

Hope you get it fixed.

yeah I know what you mean lol like my mom telling me she forgot the grocery lists and wanting to know if she now has Alzheimers .. I want to go down and take a photo of the car under the hood...
The thing about me is that I am really a fast learner and don't mind getting my hands dirty fixing things if I just knew what ailed it..

the thing about mechanics isn't just the midas folks. It happened to me before in MD.. It had similar probs shortly after my accident, I went to a shop and I saw the guy trying to snip the wiring while telling me it is going to cost me $600-$1000.
well I asked him to stop, thanked him and went home, and contacted my colleague, who took it to the shop himself and surprisingly it didn't cost him more than $40 to change all the wiring...

I just think mechanics take advantage of females and it is universal-- what I might do though is wait it out tomorrow see if it starts at all in the morning, though I have to be out of here by 5 Am, and then find pep boys upon your recommend or at least find one in Va. if I can manage to tow it down there..

thank you..

peace

barney said:

I would suggest buying a Haynes Manual, dunno if they are availible in Yankland, but im sure theres similar.
Its a maintainace book based on a complete stripdown/rebuild.

If the alternator isnt on it's way out it could be other things. Damp sparkplugs..(spray them with some WD40), the fuel injector, spluttering to a halt and restarting sounds a bit like fuel starvation.

Hope you get it fixed.

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I swear I thought you were mocking me talking in star track language...
I have to google all those terms while using images.. but tell me what I can do now to tie me over for one month..

I really love this car don't want to give it up imsad... it is my baby.. I have had many memories and tantrums in that car imsad

peace