My GA is Annoying.

[Cory Wolfe]

It is... Anyways, I'm not even sure what I'm looking for here, but I'm just wondering about a few things. The first of which is that it is starting to take longer for it to start. Before, I would turn the key and it would start up without a problem. Now, though, it takes longer and when it does start, it feels as if it doesn't want to run. A few seconds after that, it will finally run fine. Secondly, I noticed it is making a noise. Don't know how long its been making it as its unnoticably from inside. But, it's like a... screeching noise... IDK how to explain it. It sounds like it's coming from the right front area. I didn't look under the hood yet as I was in a hurry at the time. I think it may have been caused from using the brake while starting it since my parking brake doesn't work. I've stopped doing that, but I could tell that I wasn't supposed to be doing that by the way it sounded and felt. And incase you don't know... The engine is the 2.3L Quad4 mated to a 5spd. The headgasket has a minor leak and it ticks (still nobody can figure out why...). The check oil light is always on as is the ABS light. I don't know if any of that has to do with those problems... Any advice or scoldings would be appreciated. :D

[91z4me]

I would think a belt would be causing the squeal. If it is from the right front then that is the right location. Try spraying a little WD40 onto the underside of the serpentine belt while the engine is running. If the squeal goes away we have our culprit. About starting a long time if your car has a VATS chip in the key check to see if it has bene damaged. Sometimes the resistance values don't get read properly if the chip is damaged. Or could be a bad battery or starter, or ground or any number of things.

[Mach5GTP]

Ditto the above for the screeching sound, but don't count on the WD-40 to be a permanent fix, it's just for diagnosis. If it is a belt, the noise might change when you turn the steering while the car's stopped; does it do that? If you don't hear this sound when the car is stopped, it could be worn brake pads, possibly even bare steel backing plates chewing into the rotor- ouch! :o

As for the hard starting, it could be the fuel injection or fuel pump. You might have an injector that is leaking slightly; upon shutting off the car, the pressure that remains in the fuel rail will force fuel into a cylinder, causing a rich condition upon restarting. Only once that excess fuel is pushed out and/or burned will the car start and run normally (the Mach 5 is doing this these days :( ). IIRC there is a check valve in the fuel pump which keeps fuel from draining back into the tank and out of the fuel lines. If it is leaking, then there is not enough fuel "at the ready" to start the engine, it must be brought back up from the tank instead of already being in the lines. The injector leaking issue usually only happens upon hot restarting; if the car sits long enough, that excess dribbled fuel in the cylinder evaporates and the engine will start normally; you should also see excess smoke out the tailpipe once it restarts and runs while still hot. Holding the gas pedal wide open will also helpp start easier if a leaking injector is at fault. The fuel pump check valve issue won't show you any excess smoke, and gas pedal position should not make a difference.

HTH; BTW, this is all from personal experience, YMMV. http://www.cheersandgears.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/AH-HA_wink.gif

[Matt276]

Dumb question but have you changed the spark plugs?

[Cory Wolfe]

91z4me, that's what I was thinking it may be, too. I'll have to check it out more closely. As I said, I was in a hurry and just ignored it. Mach5GTP, once again, I'll have to see. As far as I know, it's doing it when the car is stopped and the wheels are straight. I can't really test to see if it stops when the car isn't stopped as I can't hear from inside. So, it isn't brake pads. Also, thanks for the advice about the hard starting. Matt276, in the month that I've been driving it, no. :P Since I got it back in December, no. It's been getting worked on and basically just sitting until this past month or so. IDK... I'll have to check it out, once again. I've been thinking about getting some top-of-the-line spark plugs anyways... But, thanks for all the advice, guys. I'm not very keen about this kind of stuff.

[Cory Wolfe]

Okay... This is what I've found out:

The noise
-Still makes it while turning; isn't affected.
-Isn't the belt; don't know where it's coming from.
-Isn't a screeching/squealing; hard to explain.

Hard starting
-Only when the engine isn't hot.

[Cory Wolfe]

Well... I know it isn't the A/C as it doesn't work and is disconnected. The battery makes sense, though. It's been drained before... Probably beginning to happen again.

[Cory Wolfe]

Well, I have no idea how old it is... I bought the car last December. Anyways, it seems that the leaking head-gasket is starting to get worse. Appearantly its starting to steam from the tailpipe again. IDK... I don't see what my dad sees. I let it sit running for 10 minutes.. nothing. But hopefully it doesn't become a big deal... I can't afford to have it fixed and can't exactly park it unless I feel like walking 20 miles each day. It's still running pretty good, regardless.