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JennaFuzz66
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Mar 10, 2011, 4:45 PM
Post #1 of 21
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1993 Geo Storm Issue
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The car is a 1993 Geo Storm, Base model, 1.6 L engine, Automatic transmission, with about 200,000 miles (The cars not where I am so I'm not 100% sure... I can go drive to where it is to check if it becomes relevant.)
Ok, so here's the issue:
This morning I went to go to school, and I noticed that while stopped at a stop sign that the RPMs were dipping into the 500's or so. But, my car has been idling odd for a few months, and mechanics say nothing is odd about that so I didn't think much of it. Well, I go to climb a hill that I climb everyday, and I'm pressing the accelerator to keep it at about 35, when suddenly the wheels locked up. I honestly dont know which wheels it was, I believe it was the front but I'm not 100% sure.
Anyways, when the wheels locked, the car acted like it still wanted to go but the brakes were on full force, so I was still holding the accelerator and the RPMs were climbing until about 5000 RPM, when I let go of the accelerator (all of that happened in a matter of seconds), the wheels unlocked upon release of the accelerator, but the car now will only go 30 MPH, and the brake and alternator (battery) "idiot lights" keep coming on together, flashing at the same time together, but randomly.
I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of what could possibly be wrong... I'm at a loss, I checked all the belts, I checked the oil, tranny fluid... I'm a girl, though, so it's not like I'm mechanically inclined or anything, I just checked the basics.
Anyways, any advice or ideas is really appreciated. Thanks.
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JennaFuzz66
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Mar 10, 2011, 5:01 PM
Post #2 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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Hmmm no one has any advice at all? No ideas on where to look? I would be taking it to a mechanic but I don't wanna spend the money to have him say "I dont know" again. :/
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zmame
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Mar 10, 2011, 5:07 PM
Post #3 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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I would jack front and support with jacks and block your wheel's and see if you can turn the wheel by hand. If you can't then the breaks are stuck on. I would take the wheel's off and open the bleeder screw see if fluid squirts out.. If it does it means there was pressure in the line and is not a caliper issue.
Pressure in the line can be caused by damaged flex hose.
Faulty master cylinder
possible faulty abs module(unsure how GEO is set up)
Kinked or blockage in a line.
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JennaFuzz66
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Mar 10, 2011, 5:21 PM
Post #4 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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I would jack front and support with jacks and block your wheel's and see if you can turn the wheel by hand. If you can't then the breaks are stuck on. I would take the wheel's off and open the bleeder screw see if fluid squirts out.. If it does it means there was pressure in the line and is not a caliper issue.
Pressure in the line can be caused by damaged flex hose.
Faulty master cylinder
possible faulty abs module(unsure how GEO is set up)
Kinked or blockage in a line.
But, after I released the accelerator when it froze up, the wheels unfroze and I turned around and drove it home, since I was only about 3 miles from home or so... That's when I realized I cant go faster than 30 MPH about the brake and alt. light keep coming on. Also, I wasnt hitting the brakes when it happened, i was accelerating up a hill...
Would stuck brakes still behave this way? I've never even heard of brakes sticking.
Edit: Oh, and Geo Storms do not have Anitlocking braking systems. Just so you know.
(This post was edited by JennaFuzz66 on Mar 10, 2011, 5:22 PM)
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zmame
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Mar 10, 2011, 5:27 PM
Post #5 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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breaks can stick quite common actually.. good way to tell if it is sticking is after driving at a certain distance is to stop the car get out and put your hand near the wheel (don't touch may burn you) and see if you can feel excess heat coming from any of the 4 wheels.
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zmame
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Mar 10, 2011, 5:43 PM
Post #7 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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if you feel it's to dangerous to dive then don't I can't be the judge of that and don't want the responsibility.. If they are sticking you will feel it radiate from the rim.. did you notice a odd smell or burning smell?
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zmame
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Mar 10, 2011, 6:30 PM
Post #9 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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i'm pretty sure your breaks are sticking on i would do the procedure i first wrote to make sure. if you feel comfortable take it for a drive and check for heat coming from wheels if not do the first method.
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zmame
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Mar 10, 2011, 8:01 PM
Post #11 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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Make sure your break fluid level is proper before attempting..
you have to jack up the car spin both wheels by hand determine which one (or both) wheels are sticking. Do this by placing the transmission neutral and spinning the wheel by hand if you can't spin the wheel then the break is likely stuck on... remove the wheel of the stuck break.. loosen the bleeder screw located on top of the caliper if pressurized fluid comes out (squirt then stops) comes out then its not a caliper issue. if no fluid squits out remove the the bleeder screw all the way to make sure its not blocked. if still does not squirt or just dribbles out replace caliper and bleed..
If pressurized after bleeding excess pressure place wheel back and try to spin by hand again. If you still can't move it caliper is bad and you may have following issues too. If you can move it the caliper is fine and continue on..
check flex hoses some times they are held in with metal clips and can rust and actually pinch off or fracture the flex line over time. Also check for cracks, splits or bulges as this is a sign of wear and should be replaced.
Have somone step on the break (slowly) to make sure fluid is flowing to the caliper fine. If its flowing fine replace flex hose on the affected side as it's cheapest fix if it still acts up you might be into a mater cylinder
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Mar 11, 2011, 12:03 PM
Post #12 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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Jenna:
I may be older than dirt but this is NOT the trade I knew. Retired. Tricky problems you just worked at till fixed. Charging for a no fix isn't in my vocabulary.
Guess I'm old or IDK??
Tom
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JennaFuzz66
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Mar 11, 2011, 4:48 PM
Post #13 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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Jenna:
I may be older than dirt but this is NOT the trade I knew. Retired. Tricky problems you just worked at till fixed. Charging for a no fix isn't in my vocabulary.
Guess I'm old or IDK??
Tom
I have no idea what you're trying to say, sorry. D:
If you're talking about my mechanic charging to say "I dont know" yea, Im not to thrilled that I have spent literally hundreds of dollars for "I dont know"'s, society is lazy now, and they dont really help. People are just out for money, thats it. Unfortunately, I'm a poverty line college student, so I have no more money to give to those who cant complete a service.
Edit:: Also, Tom, I see that you're a retired mechanic. Do you have any ideas, other than stuck brakes, to check? Actually at this point its more like do you have any ideas I could tell the next owner of the car to check? I'm listing it for sale because I cannot afford to pay a mechanic to check it, especially since mechanics around here usually dont completely fix the issue. (:
(This post was edited by JennaFuzz66 on Mar 11, 2011, 4:53 PM)
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JennaFuzz66
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Mar 11, 2011, 4:50 PM
Post #14 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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OK, So here's an update:
First off, thanks for the tip about the brakes. Unfortunately, I do not believe the brakes are the issue. When I went to move the car, the car had zero power. It wouldnt even click when I turned the key. So I hooked it to jumper cables, let it charge about 5-7 minutes or so, hopped in, went to start the car, it didnt even turn over, lost power instantly. So the car is completely dead, wont start, wont move... We pushed it just fine to make room to jump it, so I honestly do not believe the brakes are an issue at all.
Any other ideas on what it could be?
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zmame
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Mar 11, 2011, 7:05 PM
Post #15 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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Your probably right.. does it have oil? did oil light come on at all??
(This post was edited by zmame on Mar 11, 2011, 7:08 PM)
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zmame
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Mar 11, 2011, 7:23 PM
Post #17 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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How long (time and distance) has it been since your last oil change? I would suspect something internally wrong with the engine. try cranking with a break bar socket on crank pully bolt see if you can turn it.
(This post was edited by zmame on Mar 11, 2011, 7:25 PM)
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zmame
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Mar 11, 2011, 8:38 PM
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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if you can't crank it your engine is seized and required tear down to figure out what is damage has been done or replacement.. the crank should be the bottom center pully this is the pully that drives all you accessories.
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JennaFuzz66
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Mar 13, 2011, 4:21 PM
Post #21 of 21
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Re: 1993 Geo Storm Issue
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Well thanks to everyone for the advice... I think that I'm going to just sell the car. I can't afford to fix it anymore, I was hoping online would give ideas but I'm not mechanically inclined enough to do it myself. Thanks again for all the help and ideas, I will pass them onto the next owner.
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