how to tell if your differential is going on my 1994 camaro
13 Answers
Rubie is that all you do is tell people to take it to a mechanic? Its something to do with either the air fuel ratio or spark its not the differential if it was it would get worse with speed not better. When was the last time it was tuned up.
john, yes, generally if they are replacing part after part they need to determine what it is. Someone that works on the cars regularly can hear what;s happening and determine the problem. Then, if they want to fix it themselves, they know what's wrong. Maybe you have a magic pc that gives you the ability to see and hear the car in operation, but i don't. Fooling around just causes more problems and expenses, as does trying to disconnect and reconnect 20 + year old electronics that don't effect the operation of the vehicle. I'm trying to help them get their car operating as inexpensively as possible, not impress them with my knowledge of car repairs and send them off on a wild goose chase.
If they could afford a shop then they wouldn't be here asking for help. You told him to ask a mechanic he came on here to ask a mechanic not to have someone tell him to ask a mechanic. Stop trying to answer questions you don't know the answer to my reputation score isn't where it is from giving people wrong answers. He hasn't replaced anything from what he said and if its been 50,000 miles since the last tuneup then its due. I highly doubt he replaces the fuel filter every 3-4 oil changes either. Let the big dogs handle this one. Go back to Googling price checks and how many cars were built whenever.
The only thing big about you is your ego john. did your mother beat you
My wife says that's not the only thing that's big and yes she did your mom didn't beat you? Are you from Canada?
I agree with John. Does not sound like the differential and I am also leaning towards a maintenance issue. Possibly plugs and wires? A v6 will stumble at low idle if it not firing on all cylinders and will appear to smooth out when the engine is idled up. I am also curious as to when the last time you had a tune up done?
I had a tune up in March, and Rubie I am asking so I don't get taken to the cleaners by garages out to make money. I would like to have some what idea of what the problem is before I spend the money. I appreciate the help from those that care
Well 6 months pretty much rules out plugs. I would check and make sure that none of the spark plug wires are on the exhaust. After that.. Could really be a number of things. You could have a bad ignition module or coil pack.. Could be a bad sensor or clogged cat.. Those all tend to trip the check engine light. But not always. Could even be something as simple as bad gas. At this point, taking it to a trusted mechanic is ideal.
Since the engine compartments on those are so tight the simplest way to check for a bad electrical source is to use a set of safety spark plug pliers and remove one wire from each of the coils at a time. It will either change the idle and may die or it will do nothing. Once you remove a wire and it doesn't change anything you have found the cylinder. Now using a 5.5mm socket remove that coil and swap it with one of the other two. The spark plug wires will go to the new coil NOT follow the old. If it still acts up with that plug then its the wire, plug, or possibly a burnt valve or rings. If the issue happens with the cylinder you changed the coil to then its a bad coil. if the idle doesn't change when you remove either wire from that coil then its definitely a bad coil with a slight chance its the ignition control module. If all of them change the idle I then its probably will be something not spark related. The reason I said get a set of safety pliers is because there is approximately 60,000 + volts coming out of the coil.
Keep in mind John that this V6 uses 3 coils. One for 2 cylinders. Typically if one fails the car will not run. As a thought though. I would check for cracks in the coils. Moisture will make it run like crap. Additionally each spark is controlled from the ignition module (the board the coils snap on to). So the board can go bad and only affect one cylinder (had it happen on my 93 z24), although you are right... It is quite uncommon.
My 92 regal 3800 ran on 4 cylinders on my way home from work one night. Ran kinda rough when I babied it, I had a cold air intake and when I mashed the gas it fell on its face.. Looked at it the next morning the coil was swollen and cracked down the bottom neither cylinder got spark. I looked into it in chiltons and the 1/4 coil has to have at least one working the 2/5 or 3/6 coil can go out completely and quit but like we both said its much less likely than a wire falling out of a brittle plastic clip and falling on the manifold.
