A few weird odds and ends that need fixing!

[TheEdgeofSanity]

besides the transmission being virtually shot on my car, I am trying to keep her held together until next spring which is when I plan to donate it to charity and find myself a new ride. I have a few concerns and broken things that I need to fix in the mean time.

1. The passenger rear door lock no longer works. I had it diagnosed as a bad solenoid because the door only unlocks but won't lock when i hit the button. $150 seems steep for a new part and i want to know if there are cheaper avenues other than a junkyard part.

2. My engine ticks like a bomb. I used to run 5w30 Mobil 1, but have upped it to 10w30 for the last few oil changes with little change in noise. It's definitely from the valve train, but its so loud now that I have people ask me if my engine is blown up.

3. Something on my engine is making a terrible metal jingling/screeching noise when the engine is revved beyond 4500 rpm's (merging onto the highway, pulling out in traffic, etc.) it kinda sounds like a whistle but is definitely a metal noise. Furthermore, the noise appears briefly at 2000-2100 rpm's but disappears.

4. There is a terrible clunk in my steering wheel when it is dead centered and you wiggle it back and forth. it's only when it's centered. I was told it is my rack and pinion and it's the same reason that my power steering quits working when my car gets hot.

If you have experienced these issues or have any ideas, please let me know!

[Philbar71]

#3 could be a bad pulley on something or a bad belt, just my 2 cents.

[Chris2000]

1. The passenger rear door lock no longer works. I had it diagnosed as a bad solenoid because the door only unlocks but won't lock when i hit the button. $150 seems steep for a new part and i want to know if there are cheaper avenues other than a junkyard part.

I have all that u need if you want to make a deal PM me.

[sleepyalero]

#3. i had the same problem.. went to get it checked out free and they told me it was a pulley as well making the noise. i replaced one of the pulleys (forget which one it was) and it solved my problem. so u could try that.

[jawa]

$ could be a balljoint or a tie rod end

[whiterider00]

ive got the "klunk" in my steering too. im pretty sure mines a bad tie rod end. do you get an occasional klunk with suspension travel too? going over bumps at an angle causes the same noise.

[jawa]

i hade the same problem clunking when hittn bumps and klunking when moving the steering wheel back and forth,, got me annoyed one day and i tore into it and found a worn tie rod end, replaced it and no more noise :)

[TheEdgeofSanity]

so i am looking at one or more worn tie-rod ends and then an alignment after they are replaced?

[kwhauck]

i wouldn't put any money into it, might be cheaper to junk it now and buy a $500 beater for the winter...

[jawa]

yea just get 2 tie rod ends and have a alignment done should be under 75 bux

[clutch1]

Here's thought.. DIAGNOSE FIRST!!!!

omfg don't just throw parts at it guys.


first. get a friend.

Next, have him move the wheel back and forth and watch the rack's input shaft.. is it moving the same amount? If not.. the Ujoint in the column is bad. Double check by getting under the dash and checking it out while you move the wheel.

Next, if it's OK up to the column, get the bitch in the air. Grab each wheel and yank them back and forth in the same motion that steering the car would make them move. Do they have play? Have your friend watch the tie-rod ends and look to see if the knuckle's moving by not the tie rod ends. If you can so play in them, replace them.

Do the same thing, but feel all the way up by the rack for the inner tie rods... those can get play, too. feel to see if the tierod shaft moves in and out a bit, but not the joint socket that's actually attached to the rack. Replace as necessary.

If everything is tight, assume an internal issue with the rack and replace it.

DO THIS BEFORE YOU WASTE MONIES