Cellar car issue - Page 5

Undertoad · 04-15-2011, 01:11 PM

No this one is beyond me... it needs all new rear brakes and rotors, including one caliper replaced, and the e-brake is rusted out to boot.

plthijinx · 04-15-2011, 01:13 PM

disc or drum? don't forget to push back the calipers while the old pads are in there. sometimes you can do it by hand or use a c-clamp. keeps you from having to bleed'em.

Undertoad · 12-10-2011, 07:44 PM

I can't merge with the other car threads, that would be wrong.

I'm facing the hardest of all car problems... the electrical. I thought maybe summing it up here would get all the facts in order. But first a little history!

The Cellar Car was delivered with the issue of the right rear window being unable to roll all the way up. It was stuck 2.5" (4 cm) from the top.

This was solved in the short order: with duct tape. Put tape across the opening until no air or water will get in, and that's good enough. The only time the duct tape failed was during the folk fest, when it was left in direct sun all day, and the adhesive melted. To resolve this issue, I located a duct tape that was rated for high temperatures, as if when used on actual ducts. This higher temperature tape proved to work well when the next folk fest rolled around, and I was satisfied.

Then one day J's kid was looking for something to do, so I thought I'd be generous, and give him the work of opening up the door and putting the window in the full upright position. I figured maybe he could jam a 2x4 in there to keep it in place. I didn't care whether it went up and down.

But then the kid's friend comes around, and they're both wrenchers; so they get interested in fixing the whole thing properly. So I give them $40, and they go down to the junkyard and fetch the right window motor to actually move the window up and down.

They come back and fix the goddamn thing 100%, a fine day's work. But in the process of doing all this, they somehow run the battery down; and so at one point they jumpstart it and leave it running awhile to charge the battery.

But the next day, I find that the stereo is just dead. Display won't light up, it's just dead.

Online, people say that sometimes a dead battery does seem to kill this model of stereo, and jumpstarting might just make things worse. I check the car's fuse marked AUDIO, and it's fine, and I check the two fuses running into the stereo as part of the wiring harness, and they're both fine. So I figure the thing is just dead and I have to replace it.

Six months later and I finally find on eBay a "factory refurbished" unit cheap, not my model but one that uses the exact same wiring harness. So I figure this'll be great, I won't have to change out the harness, just slide this new unit in and it'll all work great.

So I get this new unit, and plug it into the old harness... DEAD! Except for one thing: when I hit the CD Eject button, it makes that little eject sound even though there is no CD in it.

Weird. Goddamn.

So I unplug it, and the next day I try it again. And this time when I plug it in, the car tries to raise the rear antenna with its antenna motor. It can't accomplish that, the antenna is bent and won't raise. But it tries for a moment. The whole thing is still dead, and now it won't even make the CD Eject sound.

One other clue. Located just above the stereo are the controls for heating/air conditioning. These controls are lit and a little LED lights up under each button to tell you whether your vents are pointing at your legs or at your face, and such. Well at some point those buttons stopped lighting. The LEDs work, but the lights for the icons are not lit. I don't know whether that has anything to do with it all.

zippyt · 12-10-2011, 08:06 PM

bad ground ??
loose connection

busterb · 12-10-2011, 08:12 PM

If it's a Honda, ya need a radio code if batt dies. Hell I think.

plthijinx · 12-10-2011, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zippyt

bad ground ??
loose connection

that's my guess.

Undertoad · 12-11-2011, 12:23 AM

I have a multi-meter, so how to diagnose?

Undertoad · 12-12-2011, 08:27 PM

OK. Failing that, I have a pair of very nice front speakers that aren't doing anything. Can anyone think of a way to use the lighter socket to power something to then drive those speakers? I just want some sound.

Undertoad · 03-08-2012, 08:24 PM

Today the Cellar Car has gone into the shop. Bad wheel bearings. That's something I won't try to do. Hope it's not worse... tomorrow morning will bring the news.

HungLikeJesus · 03-08-2012, 08:36 PM

How many miles are on it now?

Undertoad · 03-08-2012, 08:54 PM

Like 187k

BigV · 03-09-2012, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Today the Cellar Car has gone into the shop. Bad wheel bearings. That's something I won't try to do. Hope it's not worse... tomorrow morning will bring the news.

wheel bearings are actually pretty easy to do. not unlike replacing the bearings for your skateboard wheels. the axle stub, wheel bearing, retaining nut, disc/drum, wheel, hubcap, working from the inside out if you will.

good luck. however they're replaced, you gotta replace them.

Nirvana · 03-09-2012, 09:46 AM

Wheel bearings on most vehicles now require a special tool to press them in. No more hand packing..

Undertoad · 03-09-2012, 02:20 PM

Well the guy called around noon to ask more questions about the noise I heard, and it seemed like they didn't find bad bearings because why else would he ask?

But the thing is, it's now three hours later, no call. Is that good news or bad news? I'm dyin' heah, I'm dyin!

Undertoad · 03-09-2012, 02:57 PM

I'm DYIN I TELL YOU

04-15-2011, 01:13 PM	#62
plthijinx Master Dwellar Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 4,197	disc or drum? don't forget to push back the calipers while the old pads are in there. sometimes you can do it by hand or use a c-clamp. keeps you from having to bleed'em. __________________ For your dreams to come true, you must first have a dream.

12-10-2011, 08:06 PM	#64
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	bad ground ?? loose connection __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

12-10-2011, 08:12 PM	#65
busterb NSABFD Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: MS. usa Posts: 3,908	If it's a Honda, ya need a radio code if batt dies. Hell I think. __________________ I've haven't left very deep footprints in the sands of time. But, boy I've left a bunch.

03-08-2012, 08:36 PM	#70
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	How many miles are on it now? __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

03-09-2012, 09:46 AM	#73
Nirvana Back in 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,684	Wheel bearings on most vehicles now require a special tool to press them in. No more hand packing.. __________________ Speaking simply... do not confuse this with having a simple mind.

04-15-2011, 01:11 PM	#61
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	No this one is beyond me... it needs all new rear brakes and rotors, including one caliper replaced, and the e-brake is rusted out to boot.

12-10-2011, 07:44 PM	#63
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I can't merge with the other car threads, that would be wrong. I'm facing the hardest of all car problems... the electrical. I thought maybe summing it up here would get all the facts in order. But first a little history! The Cellar Car was delivered with the issue of the right rear window being unable to roll all the way up. It was stuck 2.5" (4 cm) from the top. This was solved in the short order: with duct tape. Put tape across the opening until no air or water will get in, and that's good enough. The only time the duct tape failed was during the folk fest, when it was left in direct sun all day, and the adhesive melted. To resolve this issue, I located a duct tape that was rated for high temperatures, as if when used on actual ducts. This higher temperature tape proved to work well when the next folk fest rolled around, and I was satisfied. Then one day J's kid was looking for something to do, so I thought I'd be generous, and give him the work of opening up the door and putting the window in the full upright position. I figured maybe he could jam a 2x4 in there to keep it in place. I didn't care whether it went up and down. But then the kid's friend comes around, and they're both wrenchers; so they get interested in fixing the whole thing properly. So I give them $40, and they go down to the junkyard and fetch the right window motor to actually move the window up and down. They come back and fix the goddamn thing 100%, a fine day's work. But in the process of doing all this, they somehow run the battery down; and so at one point they jumpstart it and leave it running awhile to charge the battery. But the next day, I find that the stereo is just dead. Display won't light up, it's just dead. Online, people say that sometimes a dead battery does seem to kill this model of stereo, and jumpstarting might just make things worse. I check the car's fuse marked AUDIO, and it's fine, and I check the two fuses running into the stereo as part of the wiring harness, and they're both fine. So I figure the thing is just dead and I have to replace it. Six months later and I finally find on eBay a "factory refurbished" unit cheap, not my model but one that uses the exact same wiring harness. So I figure this'll be great, I won't have to change out the harness, just slide this new unit in and it'll all work great. So I get this new unit, and plug it into the old harness... DEAD! Except for one thing: when I hit the CD Eject button, it makes that little eject sound even though there is no CD in it. Weird. Goddamn. So I unplug it, and the next day I try it again. And this time when I plug it in, the car tries to raise the rear antenna with its antenna motor. It can't accomplish that, the antenna is bent and won't raise. But it tries for a moment. The whole thing is still dead, and now it won't even make the CD Eject sound. One other clue. Located just above the stereo are the controls for heating/air conditioning. These controls are lit and a little LED lights up under each button to tell you whether your vents are pointing at your legs or at your face, and such. Well at some point those buttons stopped lighting. The LEDs work, but the lights for the icons are not lit. I don't know whether that has anything to do with it all.

12-11-2011, 12:23 AM	#67
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I have a multi-meter, so how to diagnose?

12-12-2011, 08:27 PM	#68
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	OK. Failing that, I have a pair of very nice front speakers that aren't doing anything. Can anyone think of a way to use the lighter socket to power something to then drive those speakers? I just want some sound.

03-08-2012, 08:24 PM	#69
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Today the Cellar Car has gone into the shop. Bad wheel bearings. That's something I won't try to do. Hope it's not worse... tomorrow morning will bring the news.

03-08-2012, 08:54 PM	#71
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Like 187k

03-09-2012, 02:20 PM	#74
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Well the guy called around noon to ask more questions about the noise I heard, and it seemed like they didn't find bad bearings because why else would he ask? But the thing is, it's now three hours later, no call. Is that good news or bad news? I'm dyin' heah, I'm dyin!

03-09-2012, 02:57 PM	#75
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	I'm DYIN I TELL YOU

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