Need Help (mechanic)

Just pulled my first car out of a junkyard and got it home. ran fine on the way here

will not go above exactly 1800 rpm ONLY when drive or reverse is actually engaged. neutral or park it runs perfectly.

have tried resetting electronics and compression seems good out of the exhaust.

Mechanical engineer not mechanic so need a push in the right direction.

sounds like tranny is fucked

>buying a car from a junk yard
do you enjoy wasting money? why not buy something that's already in good shape, dumbass?

well i got a running car for $400 that is why

if it does not go well ill get my money back at the scrap yard.

would it suddenly go out like that?
ran perfectly for the 20+ miles to get here. sat for a night now this

Further evidence that engineers are knowledgeable idiots.

>buy car for 400
>dead trans
>instant $2000 repair bill
should've gotten a civic for 2400.

i was hoping since it is holding at exactly 1800 rpm it would be something else, no codes just checked.

u fucked up

protip 400$ cars are shit

this one caught fire and blew the waterpump simultaneously

was PRETTY SIKK

also was the last 400$ car i ever bought

>instant $2000 repair bill
bitch please. He can grab another 4T45E from the junkyard cheap.

try changing the transmission fluid and the transmission fluid filter. Often ignored regular maintenance. If that doesn't work, check the transmission solenoids. If that doesn't work, look into replacing the transmission.

idk armchair here. maybe its has a limp mode? is it automatic? I would have to guess it wont go into second. have tried to floor it?

>400$ cars are shit
Friend of mine bought a Chevrolet Beretta GT for $400 and that thing lasted at least 2 years. I'd say she got her money's worth from it.

yes automatic. wouldn't limp mode not allow the rpm when in neutral also?

>fighting with a POS used trans that could die any second on the ground in your driveway
don't give me the warranty shit either. Sure you can get a replacement but then you have to do it all over again.

how long ago though? There used to be a point where 400$ cars were reasonable, cash for clunkers killed that shit hard

yes i tried to floor it. i had one time it went to almost 2500 rpm but then instantly retarded.

sounds like a rev limiter.

simplest explanation is your oil is getting too hot

going by what you said, sounds like you ran the car home with thick oil supplied by the dealer, which burned off, now you're stuck.

very possible, i just noticed the temp gauge is not longer working. but fans are kicking on so i assume thermometer is still good?

have you checked the fluid

thanks for the help guys i have a few new things to check.

I bought a 1990 Corolla in 2008 for $100 with working a/c and I drove it for two years with min issues.

I bought a 1993 323 in 2010 for $70 with very high miles and still got two years out if it without much issue.

Some people are desperate to sell fast, sometimes they got a good runner. I have seen plenty of junkyard cars that were junked before their time. What a waste.

must've been around 2011, so after Cash for Clunkers.

check the fluid and for leaks

you're fucked. all I can diagnose from here is your heat problems were hidden by thick oil of some kind. there's a long road of testing ahead of you.

OP, why not pull something Japanese from the yard? That will have more hope in running rightly than some GM shitbox.

90s Japanese cars are back when they still fought for market share. Before they got boring, lazy and rested on their laurels.

that would mean a leak I guess, so listen to this guy

Can we make this a qtddtot thread?
>Car wouldn't start
>Replaced battery
>Ran for 4 days
>Died
>Replaced alternator
>Both the new and old battery now will not take a charge at all
Have no idea what else could be screwing with the car, I've sat both batteries on tenders for over half an hour each and none show any sign of taking a charge

have you checked for corroded wiring or a bad ground?

brand new leads on the wires, and it's connected to a brand new battery
on one occasion after leaving the battery on the tender for half an hour the charge indicator put the battery at normal level, but when i advanced the key to start it the battery just instantly discharged

OP here with an update. changed the battery and now it runs perfectly.
on another note anyone got a old diesel they want to trade for a malibu? fuck electronics

hey lads, I'm in a similar situation with my current shitbox.

>2000 focus ZTS, bought it 10 months ago, 120k miles and previous owner was very neglectful so I'm discovering all sorts of new features

>as of right now I need to replace:
Engine mounts, thermometer housing, throttle position harness, cv boot

and then finally today, I try to start it up and it won't turn over. I couldn't jump it either, so I'm thinking the alternator is fucked.

It's in my best interests to cut my losses, no?

depending on the money and hope you have in it, it may be time to call the salvage yard

>changed the battery and now it runs perfectly.
someone is going to have to tell me how this is a fucking battery issue after everything OP described with rev limiting.

worn out cams?

I've got newish tires ($250, last oct) and a new throttle body ($150) that I'd have to let go with the car. I can reuse the stereo head and speakers, and I only paid $1200 for it to begin with. So I'm thinking it's best to part with it... as repairs (also needs to have the AC pulley replaced) are just stacking up.

>2000 focus ZTS

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.

Cam. singular. Those V6's are a pushrod design with a single camshaft in the block.

>5th Gen Malibu
>Just pulled my first car out of a junkyard

It was there for a reason. Put it back.

The only wrong thing with the 5th gen malibu(mechanical wise) was the lower intake manifold gaskets. Everything else on that car was pretty solid

Brother bought a 2001 Buick Century for $200 four years ago.

Still drives it to this day. We did fuel lines and brake lines a year after he bought it. The passenger wheel hub along with struts all around.

My $300 81 x11 Citation is still on the road to this day. Bought it for a first car and abused it daily. Sold it for $800 with four completely bald tires and a hood scoop flap that would randomly open and close, even with the ignition off.

I kind of miss that car. The new owner has treated it tons better than I ever did. Believe it has Cavalier wheels, a respray paint job, and a new exhaust.

i was a mechanic and saw many a Malibu come in. gauge clusters were an issue, ABS module, wheel bearings, lower intake gasket, etc. basically the same as every GM vehicle of the era

scan it and see if you can rip out any codes and check the trans fluid level. i did a few transmission jobs on Impala of that year and the sun gears like to grenade at higher mileage

Except it was the automotive equivalent of the succubus. It wasn't bad at all reliability wise. It just made K-car seem like an exciting driviing experience. 5 miles in a 5th gen Malibu rental made me want my Chevette back. No other car has ever made me want my Chevette back.

Energy delivery issue. Weak/dead battery throttled the car when it needed energy.

I didn't know that was possible, and I've been irresponsible and let 2 batteries die on me. Thanks.

If the battery just dies because it runs out of juice thats fine. You just have to charge it enough to start the car up and once it runs good the alternator will charge the battery back up.

But if the battery has dead cells in it, no amount of charging can fix that which causes energy management issues.

Chevettes were great beaters.
Now they have shot up in value since the early teens.