Fixing the issues

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 2:11 pm

Ok, yesterday I went to the car to figure out if I could fix the broken mirror (the lever won't move the mirror) and put the ignition in the "ON" position and attempted to turn on the fan. 1st speed, nothing. 2nd speed, nothing. 3rd speed, loud and scraping noises. This was with the car out in the hot sun.

We went back to it at night to test the lights. The lights turned on. We went around the block to see if there was another parking spot closer to where I live. Nope, one had been already taken up. At the end of the street there is a little dip and when it went in the dashboard lights went off, but the headlights were still on. That was weird, and then 2-3 seconds later they went back on. We found our parking spot again. The clutch is now shuddering a little more than it should on takeoff in 1st gear (please don't tell me I have to replace it). I tried the fan again and this time when it was cold outside it turned on with a little noise in 2nd speed, but still didn't turn on in 1st speed. Maybe this should help me diagnose it a little better. I'm inclined to say that the motor might be rusting out as there is like something growing around the cig lighter as if the car were to be exposed to high levels of moisture. I think the owner liked to leave the windows open often.

So is the a cure for my broken right mirror lever, the blower motor, and the light issue? 3A-C Power suggested that it could be the brushes. Takza suggested it could be the fan bearings.

Lateer · Post by **Lateer** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 7:53 pm

For the fan motor, I'd pull your dash to pieces and check out the connection to the fan motor resistor. If you search on the forums, you'll see where I've had problems with mine.

For the lights, I'd take a multimeter and check over all the connections in the interior before I ventured out and did the same in the engine bay. Be systematic and check everything. Then replace the thing that's stuffed.
From the sounds of things it's a switch or connection somewhere...

And for the mirror, I'd hunt down a replacement. They're chock full of hard springs and things and aren't worth messing about with.

I hope this all helps.

takza · Post by **takza** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 4:12 am

That clutch will get better once it's driven regularly.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 8:17 pm

Pull the mirror off the door (just a few screws) and spray the mechanism with WD-40 or some such lube.

The blower motor issue sounds like the resistor. You can access it by removing the glove box and the air duct just in front. It sits to the upper left of the air duct.

The lights..just like Lateer said...systematical hunting.

dug320 · Post by **dug320** » Sun May 01, 2005 10:58 pm

Screaming fan is usually a bad bearing.
A fan not working on one or two is the fan resister. It does not show up clearly on any of the diagrams. Access via pulling off the glove compartment. Pain to replace.

The dash lights going out could be the circuit involving the radio. Yep, the radio. After-market radio hookups are usually the culprit as they use the power wire to run the station memory.

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Tue May 03, 2005 2:24 pm

I don't know if my dad turned on the lights intentionally or unintentionally, but today in the battery was totally drained. In fact, I didn't go to school today because I had to push it for a block and tried to pop the clutch in 1st, but apparently we needed to go faster, that or since there was no current going to the solenoids it wouldn't start. How do you really push start the car? Yes, I'm a weakling, so I got sick(I was already sick) and extremely weak from pushing it. By the time I got to the driveway I was dying and I'm not kidding.

I'm going to have my mechanical engineer buddy help me fix most of the issues. I saw a response that mentioned the radio, but this car has the original radio so I don't think the wiring has been tampered. I'm inclining more its the dimmer switch. I'm going to rip that blower motor out and throw it in the garbage where it belongs, no, but I want to save some time and pain and just buy another on. I'll let you guys know what happens. Thanks.

Gasoline Fumes · Post by **Gasoline Fumes** » Wed May 04, 2005 12:42 am

tercel4wdrules wrote: I don't know if my dad turned on the lights intentionally or unintentionally, but today in the battery was totally drained. In fact, I didn't go to school today because I had to push it for a block and tried to pop the clutch in 1st, but apparently we needed to go faster, that or since there was no current going to the solenoids it wouldn't start. How do you really push start the car?

If the battery is totally dead, push starting won't work (based on my experience). Push starting is great when a battery is too dead to turn the engine over, but a completely drained (or missing!) battery won't give the coil any power to fire the plugs. This might not be true if you have a "one-wire" alternator.

Push starting by human power is pretty easy, you only need to get up to a fast walking speed. Once you hop back in (don't trip and get run over!), turn on the ignition, push the clutch in and put it in 1st gear. Let the clutch out and almost immediately push it back in. That should be all it takes to get it started.

If you're going faster (being towed or rolling down a hill), DO NOT use 1st gear! Using 2nd, 3rd or even a higher gear is better, depending on speed. You only need to get the engine to spin at about 500 rpm. Using the wrong gear can break something or just stop the car without starting the engine.

tercel4wdrules · Post by **tercel4wdrules** » Wed May 04, 2005 6:16 pm

Thanks, now I know how to do it right. I got the battery charged and it started right up, apparently the battery was really drained. I figured out the light problem (when the dash lights turn off) is caused by the turn signal/headlight switch. The clutch chatters depending on how you release the clutch pedal, e.g.: you let the clutch slip longer it won't chatter but if you release it quicker it will a little. I guess I really won't know the car well until I'm able to drive it.