A Few Problems With The Gsx...

**v8klla** · 04-28-2004

Just got my GSX on the road, and I have a few small problems to sort out. One being that the car kills in tight cornering, it is almost like it is rubbing somewhere or something in the drivetrain is catching. If I give it gas it won't kill, but if I let off it will either die or if I hit the clutch the car comes to a stop by itself with no braking.

I know there is an LSD in the rear diff, but I don't think the car should stop on its own while turning or die in tight turns. A friend drove it and said it felt almost as if it had a welded viscous. Being new to AWD I have no idea. But I don't think the guy before me would have had that done.

Also on the highway the rear end seems to sway or wobble at times, the steering wheel stays straight but the back end gets thrown out. It's almost as if it is fighting against itself in terms of alignment?

And finally the car has been running really hot, DSMlink has the fans on all of the time and they are working. The coolant is full as well. I don't know why it is heating up so much, the coolant light is on in the car though? Bad thermostat?

Any ideas?

Thanks much,

Chris Carey

LightningGSX · 04-28-2004

Are you missing one of your cooling fans? I can't really remember, but either your car or the other car I worked on yesterday was missing a fan, I'm thinking it was yours.I also noticed the tight corner thing, it's almost like the VC is locked up.

SlowWhite · 04-28-2004

I have that same "Swaying problem" in both Jenny's AWD as well as My AWD.

Which is why I figured it was just an AWD thing.

Do you have nay noise's coming from the car when you drive? as if it was a bad wheel bearing or driveshaft bearing?

-Brian

MustGoFaster · 04-28-2004

You guys might want to get under there and make sure all the sub frame mounting bolts are tight. My car had an occasionally clunk when cornering, I tightened all my bolts (no more than 1/4 on any of them) and it seems to have gone away.
as for the running hot thing, you may want to flush and fill your coolant, antifreeze doesn’t transfer heat as well as water, so if it's mixed to strong it may cause a problem. Either that or you might have a blown head gasket.

SlowWhite · 04-28-2004

or go with a lower Thermostate.

-brian

john · 04-28-2004

As far as the car killing, check for vaccum leaks. Other than today, that has been the only thing I have experience that caused the car to kill while going down the road. Pretty much happens when you put the clutch in to downshift.

2003eclipse · 04-28-2004

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowWhite@Apr 28 2004, 07:08 AM
I have that same "Swaying problem" in both Jenny's AWD as well as My AWD.

Which is why I figured it was just an AWD thing.

Do you have nay noise's coming from the car when you drive? as if it was a bad wheel bearing or driveshaft bearing?

-Brian

Ryan my buddy had a 2g GS FWD and it did the same thing swayed around he couldn't drive it in the rain otherwise it would just start dog walking down the road and get all fishy in straight lines.

Maybe your fans are going but your radiator fins could be clogged up, one way to clean it out is to spray soapy watter through the back of the radiator from the engine bay out towards the front bumper. It really does help! its worth a shot and its free.

joe

**v8klla** · 04-28-2004

I do only have one fan, which is constantly on. The other would have just been the A/C fan anyways...

I'm going to try a new thermostat today and see if that helps, and then possibly a flush and fill on the coolant.

As far as the swaying I guess I'll have to get it on a lift and take a look at it.

Eric - What do you mean by the viscous being "locked"? as in it would need replacement?

Thanks guys!

FORSFED · 04-28-2004

It does sound like a possible viscous problem. It's hard to explain its being locked up, but If it's the case, it's easy to replace.

john · 04-28-2004

I would guess head gastet or incorrect coolant mixture. I drive around without any radiator fans and the car doesn't overheat unless sitting at idle for a while (~5 min after already being warned up). You could try putting in a different thermostat also.

**v8klla** · 04-28-2004

Well thermostat looks to have fixed the overheating problem, now the only one that really concerns me is the swaying or wobbling at higher speeds. It feels like the back end is kicking out to the side and then correcting itself. Any ideas on that one?

thanks,

Chris

john · 04-29-2004

That kicking rear end only happens to me when I am spinning the tires (rain, snow) and the correcting itself is the lsd. I haven't noticed it ever while driving down the highway.

2003eclipse · 04-29-2004

Okay this may sound like a 4th grade description but I know on Mr. RAced's 2g FWD when it would do exactly what your talking about he had bad bushings in the rear suspension. I believe it was where the A arm comes out from the car and meets up with the shock if that makes sense to anyone. Noone had the bushing at the time so we made one out of duct tape helped for a couple of days and then the duct tape would wear out and it would continue again.

SlowWhite · 04-29-2004

Chris,

which Thermostat did you go with and where did you get it?

-Brian

520Talon · 04-29-2004

You can also use window sealant (apply in thin layers) to fill a bad bushing or strengthen a motor mount. The stalling siezing around tight parking lot corners I would bet is a bad VC. I have a welded center and that is how it feels. Does your inside rear tire spin when you make those turns?

SlowWhite · 04-29-2004

For me it's just the rear end bounces around.

It also could be bald tires. but when Jenny's car (at the time still stock rims) started doing it when it would rain,snow I was likeWTF.

with good tires it doesn't happen on Dry pavement. But now that I have the bald tires on her car now. Ever bump ,etc feels like the rear is going to slide out.

-Brian

**v8klla** · 04-29-2004

Yes the inside rear tire does spin, but I thought that was due to the stock LSD in the rer diff?

I just got a $10 thermostat from autozone, it was labled as medium temperature and as an OEM replacement. Works good enough for me...

And I will be checking the suspension next, but when I drive next to a fence or curb I can hear a sound that is almost like the brakes are rubbing under normal conditions, I guess if one was stuck or something that could cause the wobbling as well?

Chris

SlowWhite · 04-29-2004

Chris have you logged your engine temps? where are they at now?

Mine are always at 210-216 during normal driving and sometimes up to 223.

-brian

Matt D. · 04-29-2004

Chris, concerning your VC: When we unloaded the car from Enes' trailer the rear tires chattered when we were pushing it and the car was turning. I'm unsure if that's a characteristic of a welded VC or center diff.

**v8klla** · 04-30-2004

Brian, I will check that out and let you know, haven't had much use for the link since it's almost stock

As far as the VC I just can't see the previous owner modding it, all he did was a muffler and indiglo gauges

I think I may have located the swaying problem though, a bushing in the rear right lower control arm seems to have gone bad and slid out of place, so i will replace that when I get a chance and hope that fixes the problem.

Chris