Hi all,
Just took my first look under the hood. It's pretty. :-) It looks very clean, looks like lots of new wiring and black plastic things. Some wires all nicely wrapped in black tape. Either its been cleaned VERY well...because it's not just the top that clean, or it's got a lot of new stuff. That could be good or bad, eh? The large silver thing is clean also. I would imagine that when it comes in to be sold, someone cleans the engine really well, but do they really clean it that well..tops, bottoms and sides of things?

I checked the oil, which is adequately filled but looks very much like it needs a change. As for the transmission fluid, I'm confused. I found the place..my son laughed at me when he came out and I was looking at the manual..he said "you really did need me out here, eh?" I didn't have any problem reading it the level on the stick. It looked just like the oil did, but I couldn't understand the hot/cold thing. It was filled up past the second (top) cutout on the dipstick. Was a dipstick with Dexron on it, hot/cold and two cutouts..in front, to the left of the battery. The dipstick was bright silver so there was no problem reading it. Maybe new stick and BAD tranmission fluid?

I do have a question. On the battery, mounted to the positive side was a little box....red with large black wires plugged into it. Any ideas what that is? The battery looks new and I kinda tested that last week. Left the lights on and the thing wouldn't even turn over, just clicking. Had someone ready to jumpstart it later that afternoon and it started on first try. Just assumed it was a deadbeat battery that wouldn't come back to life.

I'm on my way to buy some coolant. It was just below the MIN and looked like plain water. Question, I was reading in the manual..and will read on the coolant bottle too, but in the manual it was saying something about a ratio of water and coolant. Since I have no clue whats in there, do I just make sure what I put in there is the correct ratio?

Any comments and apologies for the elementary speak. I know nothing about engines but I did like the fact that the hood didn't need one of those poles to keep it up. :-)

 

black box with wires comming out? Um, is it the fuse box? Does it have a little diagram of the fuses that plug in where on top? And yea, not having a pole to hold up the hood is nice...but the hydralics fail like mine, and it slowly closes until it finally falls and sometimes hits me in the head, it's not too convenient. Anyone have this problem?

PJ

 

That 'black box' sounds like the terminal where the fusible links are coming from. Of course this is just speculation based upon past experience. I'd have to look at MY battery to be certain. As for the coolant level, usually there is a reference on the coolant containers as to the proper ratio of coolant/water. You should NEVER put in one or the other alone, except in an extreme emergency. Water by itself will not adequately cool your engine and you run the risk of having the radiator freeze up on you in cold climates. And coolant by itself has a nasty habit of eating through the insides of certain radiators. So, as you can see, the mixture is important.
Sounds like your tranny fluid is fine. I know this may sound funny, but next time you check, smell the fluid to see if it has a burnt smell. Also look for possible shavings in the fluid. These are definate signs of a much larger problem that may develop.
Quite often, dealers will just wipe off the tops of the engines, as they prep used cars for resale. The really astute dealers will have the engine steam cleaned and detailed. Of course, it makes the end-user feel secure, but it may be a ploy to hide some potential problems such as leaks. But, I guess it's nice to open your hood and be proud to show it off, though.
I'm assuming that the 'large, silver thing' you are referring to is the valve cover. If it has the oil cap on it, then that's what it is. If it looks like a bunch of silver tubes, then it's the manifold.
I hope some of this info is helpful. I'm no mechanic, but I play one on TV. No, seriously, my expertise is more electrical, though.

 

yup i know the feeling after i crashed i got a new hood but the guy f up or something so i was straightening then new grill that was for a 94 not a 91 that the dumbass put on crooked and im bending the thing and all the sudden the hood shuts and my left wrist is stuck in the damn thing and i couldnt get it open so i had to call my neighbor (i had my cell luckily) to pop the trunk. Anyway broke the wrist and had an air cast for a few months. if my hand would have been over an inch to the right it would have been on the latch and that would have been really painfull.

 

OWTTCH!!! Now THAT sounds like some real pain!!

 

speed/nubian,
The little box is red closest to where it is attached to the battery..its about 1- 1/2 inches wide and just a tad smaller long..or vs..lol. The black plugs that go into it are about 1/2 in. The wires wind down to underneath the fuse box (I assuming) that has fog lights written on it and the wires are white with a red stripe, I can see about two inches of the colored wire..the rest is wrapped. Could be very common..I just don't remember ever seeing anything as big attached to one of the connections at the top of the battery.

My question..now that I'm looking at a gallon of coolant, and after I passed on buying the little flush kits and coolants testors...is....is it safe for me just to approximate the ratio of water and coolant and add it to the overflow tank? And if that is ok...should I let the car run a few afterwards and see if some of it cycles to the radiator and stays..then add more if needed?

I thought it was so funny, I meant to add this to my previous post. My work deals with water heaters....and when I was typing my first post..I reread it..and had to go back and change all the "diptubes" to "dipstick". Urgh, the dreaded class action "diptube" suit that all WH manufacturers are dealing with. My post alone might not classify me as a "fruit" but if I'd used "diptube", you'd really thought I was out of the ballpark.

I really appreciate your responses. I know this is elementary mechanics by any stretch of the imagination...and I should have had a conversation with my good ole "Auto Zone" guy for this info.

N34...u should very lucky you only had a break...I can imagine what it might have done to fingers alone if it broke a wrist.

 

I have a problem with the hood falling on my head too.
Those hydraulics are too weak to hold up a Maxima hood.

 

taken some pics to show what a ****ty job this guy did the grill was wrong size not straight . hydrolic structs for the hood = cheap and the way he bent the tip of the fender ( the very tip above the light) looked like ****

but ya get what ya pay for and accidents suck

 

When I took off the radiator cap it was full with a nice green color, so all I did was mix a little and fill up the overflow tank to the MAX level. Ran the car a little afterward. I'll take a peek at it in the next day or two to see how the level stays in the overflow tank. It dawned on me while I was mixing it, I had never bought a gallon of coolant in the 24 years I've had a car. l

Oh..and I checked the smell of the transmission fluid..smells like oil..or some oily stuff..doesn't smell burnt.

 

In case you're still wondering why the automatic transmission fluid level seems too high (and the hot/cold thing), this is why.

Automatic transmission fluid level is supposed to be measured while the car is running with the selector is PARK or NEUTRAL.

As far as hot or cold, that's so that you can measure the level when the car is still cold or after it's all warmed up.

After 120K miles, my trans dipstick still looks new, so chances are, yours is original as well. BTW, Automatic Transmission Fluid should be RED in color.


One last thing... When your engine was cold, I assume you did take the radiator cap off the radiator and see if you can see coolant in there. Because that plastic overflow tank doesn't hold much at all.

 

Is it plastic? I think you're talkign about the battery terminal cover, yes it shoudl be there. And Wires attached to the battery? Sounds like some afetrmarket stereo or foglights or soemthing electrical thats hardwired into the car. Have any idea what that would be? Has anyone replaced the hydralics? If so, how much and how hard?

PJ

 

wow i just checked my coolent today, and it was at the bare bottem of that reserve tank and it looked a little dirty. I think ill just add more too, maybe tonight if my dad picks some up at the store. HOw did you mix it in the end, what percentages and stuff, just what the manual said?

 

YOU MEAN I GOTTA STICK MY HAND DOWN THERE WHILE THE ENGINE'S RUNNING????? OMG..lol..ok..ty for explanation. I've checked it twice today..but unstarted and engine cold both times.

It should showed dark on the stick..but on the paper towel..yes..kinda clear like clean oil but a red tint.


Yes, I did, and it was a pretty green and right up to the top or until the bottom of the opening hole.

I mixed it in a rinsed out pepsi 2liter plastic jug with just the top cut off to make the opening about an inch and 1/2 wide. I mixed 50/50. And then did the DUMB thing of leaving the rest outside beside the car for a few. All of us were in here..my kids and neighborhood kids watching movie..and all of a sudden..I start saying "oh no..where's MAX and Oreo????" (our dog and cat). I remember how inticing anti-freeze is to animals and how toxic it is...used the opportunity to tell the kids too. Fortunately they were safely inside..just hoping nothing else ventured by.

I was almost tempted to flush the whole thing after reading the isntructions several times, but by that time, it was later in the afternoon and I figured with spring coming, I might wait.

Thanks all for replies. -L

 

Most dealerships will steam clean the engine bay in the detailing process.. they'll all look basically brand new when they stick them on the dealer lot..
but then again, KEEPING it looking like that is the fun part.
(I just hose the engine off with a quick spray of water every time I go to the car wash, and it still looks new

the red box on top of the battery is simply the connectors for the fusible links. they're basically great big fuses, meant to protect the electronics in the car in case someone hooks up the battery backwards. (don't ask me how I know they burn up when you do this)

sounds like your tranny fluid is in good shape.. mine doesn't even look like that after a week of driving. I change mine about every other month, and it still comes out burnt and nasty.. (but then again, I drive my car like Mario Andretti!)

yup.. mix the coolant 50/50, and don't pour it down the diptube. oil and water are not a good mix.

 

I WANNA drive mine like Mario Andretti, but I'm scared to death to push it!!!! Heck, I couldn't afford the little flush kit with the anitfreeze today..don't need any large repair bills for awhile so I'm driving it like a granny. I am getting a little more confident in it every day tho. Today, I was revving it with the hood up and my door open..and it sounded really smooth and...and..nice. I thought "listen to this baby hum". Even my son said "MOM, what "are" you doing?".

I plan on calling the former owner tomorrow from work. Tried here tonight but couldn't get through. Sometimes this "area wide calling" crap..is just that. You never know WHAT numbers to dial.... I just want to hear what he says about the transmission.

As much as I love the car, I'm starting to miss my jeep a little..the feeling of being "tall", punching the gas and it throwing you back in your seat if you needed it..the different feel of the bigger tires....I wish I could have had both of them. :-(