New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread - Page 9 - 3000GT/Stealth International Message Center

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 03:57 AM

How do I know if my turbos are bad?:
Turbo death is definitely something many of us dread. Nobody enjoys having to deal with this. Some of the main signs of turbo death include heavy smoking at idle (or while decelerating) and an excessive amount of oil inside the Y-Pipe (a thin layer is generally okay). You can also take off the turbo intake pipes, and attempt to wiggle the turbine shaft. If the shaft has significant play in it, your turbos could be shot or on their way out the door. You can also spin the turbo’s wheel to make sure it spins freely.

If all of the above checks out, yet you still suspect that something is up with your boost, you may want to check around to see if you have a boost leek.

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 03:59 AM

My windows and locks are acting up, they have a mind of their own!:
This is probably one of the most annoying electrical problems on our cars, and unfortunately it is quite common. Sometimes they may work, while other times they may not. Its not unheard of for the doors to unlock themselves, or to randomly jump between locked and unlocked on their own. My first suggestion would be to contact your local exorcist. If that doesn’t work out for you, its time to do some hit-or-miss troubleshooting.

First and foremost, and often the most common fix, would be the wiring that can be located near your door hinges. Check for any exposed or broken wires. If you find any, re-solder and wrap with electrical tape.

If that isn’t the issue, it is possible that your ETACs unit has bit the dust. The ETACs unit is the ‘brain’ for many of your car’s electrical functions (such as automatically turning off your lights, controlling windows and locks, etc). If this unit is damaged, it will need to be replaced. You can find the ETACs under the driver-side of the dash, near the fuse box, and looks like a 5inch by 3inch metal box (about 1 inch thick) with two wiring harnesses plugged into it.

You may also take a look at the button/switches themselves. Perhaps the switches on the passenger side DO work, but the ones on the driver side do not. If this is the case, you may want to replace the switch or if you’re feeling daring you can open the switch up to clean the contacts. Be forewarned that there are loose parts inside these switches (springs, etc) that can jump out on you.

Last but not least, there is also a relay near the fuse box for the windows that may need to be replaced if your locks are completely non-responsive.

If the problems you are having are only window-related (such as jerky window movement, etc), read the next question. (My power windows are jerky, broken or are making strange noises!)

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 04:01 AM

My car was sitting in the rain, and when I got back to my car I noticed a puddle of water in my interior. Where is it coming from?:
Unfortunately, this was one of the first problems I encountered with my car when I purchased it. It too me months to track it down, and living in the rainy Northwest definitely didn’t help. If you notice this problem with your car, the solution could be as simple as the following:

Pop your rear hatch and look along the side “gutters” that surround your trunk. You should notice that each side has a drain on it. These drains are used to help distribute the excess rain water out of the gutter (if, for some reason, it can’t escape out of the rear of the hatch). It is quite common for these drains to get plugged – whether it be pine needles, a mud like substance or any other type of crud. If this is the case, the gutters are prone to overflow into your car – creating those dreadful puddles and wretched smells. To see if these drains are plugged, simply poor a cup of water into them. Give it a second, and take a look under the back tire. You should see the water seeping down at some point. If you do not, and if the gutter still has the water that you poured into it, then it is time to pull out the shop-vac. Put it in reverse, blow air through the drain, and see if anything comes spitting out under the car. If this doesn’t work, and your drains still seem full, you might care to try the old household pipe de-clogging trick. Put the vacuum in normal mode and suck up the excess water. Crumble an alka-selzer pill into powder and poor the powder down the drain, followed by a bit of white vinegar. Enjoy the bubbling action, and flush with water. This should help loosen up whatever is clogging the drain up.

Now, if you poor water into the drain, and the water is indeed drained but it does NOT come out under the car, you most likely have a disconnected drain tube inside your car. Simply remove the interior trunk panel on that particular side, and you should see the tubing. Make sure both sides are attached.

If all of the above does NOT fix your problem, then my last thought would be that your problem was similar to mine. If you leave your car parked outside on an overly rainy day, do NOT park your car on a downward slope. This will make your hatch’s gutters DEPEND on those small drains to remove the water. After that, it will drain directly into your car making one heck of a mess. My suggestion is to park in the opposite direction so that your rain gutters depend on those drains as little as possible.

Note: also check that your windows are completely rolled up and/or that your sunroof isn’t leaking, just to state the obvious.

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 04:03 AM

I'm on a roll.

While writing these answers, I came up with a few new questions. These include:

My power windows are jerky, broken or are making strange noises!
My Tour/Sport indicator light is flashing, what’s that all about?
My SRS light is on, what does this mean?

I'll post answers to these questions in just a sec.

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 04:05 AM

My power windows are jerky, broken or are making strange noises!:
This would be a problem with your power window regulator, which is another weak spot in our beautiful cars. To access the regulator, remove the screws on your interior door panel, remove the protective wax-paper type stuff, and take a look around. You may notice that cables are loose, snapped or possibly even tangled. You may also notice a broken plastic white piece, which is often the cause of all our headaches.

Using this guide, you can replace the regulator on your own.
http://www.clan-davidson.com/jd/vr4/garage/windowreg/
Stop by the Parts for Sale section here on 3si to find a replacement regulator.

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 04:24 AM

My Tour/Sport indicator light is flashing, what’s that all about?:
If you have ECS suspension, you should see a green Tour and Sport indicator light on your instrument cluster. Depending on what setting you have it on, this will adjust the stiffness in your suspension. However, if you notice that the Sport and Tour lights are blinking, that means there is a problem within the ECS system.

The problem is usually the wires above one of the struts being damaged. If you pop your hood, and remove your ECS strut caps (left of the battery and to the right of the plenum), you can inspect the wires. Make sure all of the harnesses are attached. If the front wires look okay, pop your trunk and remove the plastic interior trim pieces that cover the rear struts (right behind the rear seats). Remove the caps and take a look at the wires there.

If you see absolutely nothing wrong, and you’re tired of guessing, you can check your diagnostic codes. Using pin 3 (+) and pin 12 (-), you can help pinpoint where the problem is.

CODE || Reason
11 | G sensor defective
21 | Steering angular velocity sensor open circuited
24 | Vehicle speed sensor open circuited
61 | Front-right damping force changeover actuator defective
62 | Front-left damping force changeover actuator defective
63 | Rear-right damping force changeover actuator defective
64 | Rear-left damping force changeover actuator defective

Chances are, you will only get the 61 through 64 code readings, which means you should go back and check those particular wires again.

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 04:55 AM

My SRS light is on, what does this mean?:
Chances are, if you’ve owned a 3000GT/Stealth for over a year you’ve probably seen this indicator light. What is it, you ask? It’s the system that controls your airbags. Unfortunately, there are MANY things that trigger this annoying light, and making it go away can cause plenty of headaches.

Things that can cause the SRS light to turn on include:

Letting battery drain too low
Bad Sensor
Blown fuse
Unplugging the car’s battery
Removing the gauge cluster/installing aftermarket gauges
G-Force sensors that are under each of the front fenders ($250.00 each)
Bad clockspring (located inside your steering wheel)
Bad ECU
Bad reverse light switch on transmission
Car was in an accident
Airbag defective/unplugged

To fix this problem, some have gone to the dealership to have the SRS computer reset. Unfortunately, this costs somewhere around $70.00. Another option is to invest in a DRBII or MUTTII, which is what dealerships often use to diagnose and reset many of the car’s systems. To read about this, check John Monnin’s post and site below:
DRBII Instructions and Questions, SRS light fix
http://monninengineering.com/DRB.html
You may be able to find these on ebay.

Other people have also successfully been able to make the SRS light go away by turning their key on and off 10 or so times. (not starting the car, just turning on/off the accessories).

You can also attempt to unplug your battery for awhile. This has worked for a select few.

Or, if all else fails, you can simply pull the bulb. That seems to be what most of us do.

Another thread worth reading about this topic is this one:
http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=164598
Good luck.

SpeedFreakSteve · 02-06-2005, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fury

-I'd like to modify my car - what are some websites/stores that sell parts for our cars that I should purchase from?

There are many sites in which you can purchase unique products made specifically for our platform. Some of these can include

Midnight-Haze Shaun(Stealthify) is the owner, very user friendly site, great service and the owner is just cool

Import Power Online Chris(IPO) Is the owner, great customer service, cool products and shipping is free. Well it's included in the price but still the prices are very reasonable.

Altered Atmosphere Big company, alot of really nice products and cool prices.

MVP Motorsports Very nice site, it's hard to get lost because of the simplicity of the site which is very good Great service, i've never heard a compaint about em and they have good prices.

3sx Performance Steve owns the company I believe. Very very awesome company, great prices and great customer service, you may even get a lil "toy" with your order. And Steve's car is just beautilful

Ripp Modifications A really nice company that is now dedicating some of their work onto our platform! They have Supercharger kits for the SOHC and now almost completing the kit for us DOHC guys, Here's the thread about the kit if you want to find out a little more info Ripp's Thread

Mobo Leathers Great site dedicated to our cars, they have alot of leather goodies for our interiors!

Tire Rack Awesome site that has alot of goodies including brake pads, wheels, and lots of tires. Great service and they even have one of their sale's people here, His name is Alex and you can find him in This section of the forums.

GT PRO Home of some very nice and fast 3s's, they do really great work, reasonable prices for what your getting and good customer service.

Enhanced Street Performance Very user friendly site, haven't heard or seen a single complaint from them

Dynamic Racing Awesome company that's very well into our cars, great customer service and sweet prices And their products have been used in many record breaking stealths and 3000gt's.

3kgt Concepts 3kgt concept is one of the best companys for our interiors, the owner of the site Kyle(Smoking-vr4) is a really cool guy. He's straight up, he gives you the price and tell's you when it's ready and getting shipped and he's always making one of a kind products for our interiors and they look cool too!

Ty Speed Performance First time i've heard of this company but that's just me, someone please chime in. They look like a good company dedicated to our platform and not too shabby prices either!

Horsepower Freaks This company is great, they have alot of excellent products that go from superchargers to Bovs. They get freaky when it comes to power. I've heard alot of good things about them and their service.

Go Fast Goodies Owned by a member known as Dave Best, and his name doesn't lie! He is literally one if not the best polisher/detailer for our cars. His products are hand made and out of this world! His prices are superb, I give props for doing such awesome work for us.

And you forgot to add "Speedfreak Racing".. www.speedfreakracing.net Creators of the first and only 3000GT/Stealth AWD LSD inserts

stealthify · 02-06-2005, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpeedFreakSteve

And you forgot to add "Speedfreak Racing".. www.speedfreakracing.net Creators of the first and only 3000GT/Stealth AWD LSD inserts

Good eye

I've updated the main post index with your correction, and the final FAQ thread will have your company listed.

rdmelton · 02-07-2005, 04:56 PM

Q: When I try to start the car, I get a click, click noise, and the engine won't turn over/start. (this is often a sporadic problem, and the car will often start after some or many clicks).
A: See this thread: 100% Guaranteed 'Click, Click, Start" Fix Part 2

02-06-2005, 03:57 AM	#81 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread How do I know if my turbos are bad?: Turbo death is definitely something many of us dread. Nobody enjoys having to deal with this. Some of the main signs of turbo death include heavy smoking at idle (or while decelerating) and an excessive amount of oil inside the Y-Pipe (a thin layer is generally okay). You can also take off the turbo intake pipes, and attempt to wiggle the turbine shaft. If the shaft has significant play in it, your turbos could be shot or on their way out the door. You can also spin the turbo’s wheel to make sure it spins freely. If all of the above checks out, yet you still suspect that something is up with your boost, you may want to check around to see if you have a boost leek.

02-06-2005, 03:59 AM	#82 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread My windows and locks are acting up, they have a mind of their own!: This is probably one of the most annoying electrical problems on our cars, and unfortunately it is quite common. Sometimes they may work, while other times they may not. Its not unheard of for the doors to unlock themselves, or to randomly jump between locked and unlocked on their own. My first suggestion would be to contact your local exorcist. If that doesn’t work out for you, its time to do some hit-or-miss troubleshooting. First and foremost, and often the most common fix, would be the wiring that can be located near your door hinges. Check for any exposed or broken wires. If you find any, re-solder and wrap with electrical tape. If that isn’t the issue, it is possible that your ETACs unit has bit the dust. The ETACs unit is the ‘brain’ for many of your car’s electrical functions (such as automatically turning off your lights, controlling windows and locks, etc). If this unit is damaged, it will need to be replaced. You can find the ETACs under the driver-side of the dash, near the fuse box, and looks like a 5inch by 3inch metal box (about 1 inch thick) with two wiring harnesses plugged into it. You may also take a look at the button/switches themselves. Perhaps the switches on the passenger side DO work, but the ones on the driver side do not. If this is the case, you may want to replace the switch or if you’re feeling daring you can open the switch up to clean the contacts. Be forewarned that there are loose parts inside these switches (springs, etc) that can jump out on you. Last but not least, there is also a relay near the fuse box for the windows that may need to be replaced if your locks are completely non-responsive. If the problems you are having are only window-related (such as jerky window movement, etc), read the next question. (My power windows are jerky, broken or are making strange noises!)

02-06-2005, 04:01 AM	#83 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread My car was sitting in the rain, and when I got back to my car I noticed a puddle of water in my interior. Where is it coming from?: Unfortunately, this was one of the first problems I encountered with my car when I purchased it. It too me months to track it down, and living in the rainy Northwest definitely didn’t help. If you notice this problem with your car, the solution could be as simple as the following: Pop your rear hatch and look along the side “gutters” that surround your trunk. You should notice that each side has a drain on it. These drains are used to help distribute the excess rain water out of the gutter (if, for some reason, it can’t escape out of the rear of the hatch). It is quite common for these drains to get plugged – whether it be pine needles, a mud like substance or any other type of crud. If this is the case, the gutters are prone to overflow into your car – creating those dreadful puddles and wretched smells. To see if these drains are plugged, simply poor a cup of water into them. Give it a second, and take a look under the back tire. You should see the water seeping down at some point. If you do not, and if the gutter still has the water that you poured into it, then it is time to pull out the shop-vac. Put it in reverse, blow air through the drain, and see if anything comes spitting out under the car. If this doesn’t work, and your drains still seem full, you might care to try the old household pipe de-clogging trick. Put the vacuum in normal mode and suck up the excess water. Crumble an alka-selzer pill into powder and poor the powder down the drain, followed by a bit of white vinegar. Enjoy the bubbling action, and flush with water. This should help loosen up whatever is clogging the drain up. Now, if you poor water into the drain, and the water is indeed drained but it does NOT come out under the car, you most likely have a disconnected drain tube inside your car. Simply remove the interior trunk panel on that particular side, and you should see the tubing. Make sure both sides are attached. If all of the above does NOT fix your problem, then my last thought would be that your problem was similar to mine. If you leave your car parked outside on an overly rainy day, do NOT park your car on a downward slope. This will make your hatch’s gutters DEPEND on those small drains to remove the water. After that, it will drain directly into your car making one heck of a mess. My suggestion is to park in the opposite direction so that your rain gutters depend on those drains as little as possible. Note: also check that your windows are completely rolled up and/or that your sunroof isn’t leaking, just to state the obvious.

02-06-2005, 04:03 AM	#84 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread I'm on a roll. While writing these answers, I came up with a few new questions. These include: My power windows are jerky, broken or are making strange noises! My Tour/Sport indicator light is flashing, what’s that all about? My SRS light is on, what does this mean? I'll post answers to these questions in just a sec.

02-06-2005, 04:05 AM	#85 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread My power windows are jerky, broken or are making strange noises!: This would be a problem with your power window regulator, which is another weak spot in our beautiful cars. To access the regulator, remove the screws on your interior door panel, remove the protective wax-paper type stuff, and take a look around. You may notice that cables are loose, snapped or possibly even tangled. You may also notice a broken plastic white piece, which is often the cause of all our headaches. Using this guide, you can replace the regulator on your own. http://www.clan-davidson.com/jd/vr4/garage/windowreg/ Stop by the Parts for Sale section here on 3si to find a replacement regulator.

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02-06-2005, 04:24 AM	#86 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread My Tour/Sport indicator light is flashing, what’s that all about?: If you have ECS suspension, you should see a green Tour and Sport indicator light on your instrument cluster. Depending on what setting you have it on, this will adjust the stiffness in your suspension. However, if you notice that the Sport and Tour lights are blinking, that means there is a problem within the ECS system. The problem is usually the wires above one of the struts being damaged. If you pop your hood, and remove your ECS strut caps (left of the battery and to the right of the plenum), you can inspect the wires. Make sure all of the harnesses are attached. If the front wires look okay, pop your trunk and remove the plastic interior trim pieces that cover the rear struts (right behind the rear seats). Remove the caps and take a look at the wires there. If you see absolutely nothing wrong, and you’re tired of guessing, you can check your diagnostic codes. Using pin 3 (+) and pin 12 (-), you can help pinpoint where the problem is. CODE \|\| Reason 11 \| G sensor defective 21 \| Steering angular velocity sensor open circuited 24 \| Vehicle speed sensor open circuited 61 \| Front-right damping force changeover actuator defective 62 \| Front-left damping force changeover actuator defective 63 \| Rear-right damping force changeover actuator defective 64 \| Rear-left damping force changeover actuator defective Chances are, you will only get the 61 through 64 code readings, which means you should go back and check those particular wires again.

02-06-2005, 04:55 AM	#87 (permalink)
stealthify Banned from Classifieds Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: The Silver State Drives: 91 Dodge Stealth RT Trader Rating: (48)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread My SRS light is on, what does this mean?: Chances are, if you’ve owned a 3000GT/Stealth for over a year you’ve probably seen this indicator light. What is it, you ask? It’s the system that controls your airbags. Unfortunately, there are MANY things that trigger this annoying light, and making it go away can cause plenty of headaches. Things that can cause the SRS light to turn on include: Letting battery drain too low Bad Sensor Blown fuse Unplugging the car’s battery Removing the gauge cluster/installing aftermarket gauges G-Force sensors that are under each of the front fenders ($250.00 each) Bad clockspring (located inside your steering wheel) Bad ECU Bad reverse light switch on transmission Car was in an accident Airbag defective/unplugged To fix this problem, some have gone to the dealership to have the SRS computer reset. Unfortunately, this costs somewhere around $70.00. Another option is to invest in a DRBII or MUTTII, which is what dealerships often use to diagnose and reset many of the car’s systems. To read about this, check John Monnin’s post and site below: DRBII Instructions and Questions, SRS light fix http://monninengineering.com/DRB.html You may be able to find these on ebay. Other people have also successfully been able to make the SRS light go away by turning their key on and off 10 or so times. (not starting the car, just turning on/off the accessories). You can also attempt to unplug your battery for awhile. This has worked for a select few. Or, if all else fails, you can simply pull the bulb. That seems to be what most of us do. Another thread worth reading about this topic is this one: http://www.3si.org/forum/showthread.php?t=164598 Good luck.

02-07-2005, 04:56 PM	#90 (permalink)
rdmelton Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Indiana Drives: 2000 WS6 Trader Rating: (35)	Re: New Owner F.A.Q. Development Thread Q: When I try to start the car, I get a click, click noise, and the engine won't turn over/start. (this is often a sporadic problem, and the car will often start after some or many clicks). A: See this thread: 100% Guaranteed 'Click, Click, Start" Fix Part 2 __________________ Lots of stock & aftermarket parts for sale! My Virtual Garage 93 Stealth R/T TT - sold 2000 WS6 - bolt-ons & nitrous - 12.09@116.2