** HELP ME! -ticking time bomb-**

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GTO_VR4

GTO_VR4

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Ok ok, theres no bomb strapped to me or anything like that...

but i really need your guys help

You see let me explain the situation..

My mom left out of town, and I took her car (Diamante 93) only to work...as I was driving over there, i decided to take this gradual turn "Gran Turismo" style, So I gain speed, start from the outside and go into the apex, then head back out...while I was heading back out , I hear a loud snap under the hood...then the steering got heavy...so I pull over and realize one of the belts broke off!!

My mother comes back in 8 days (ticking time bomb) and shell explode when she finds out...

Bieng the first time having problems with belts..Can I go to a local discount store and fit it in, or do I have to take it to the mech and have them pull the engine out then put the belt in?

also, money wise...what do you estimate the cost will be like?
 
It depends on the kind of belt. Is it a wide belt, say about 2-3 inches wide? Is there only ONE belt?
 
Does the car still run? Since the belt snapped, what happened to the car??? Just the steering was effected? Doesn't sound like its a timing belt. But belts are usually replaced by professional mechanics. There not cheap to install depending on where they are in the car. My suggestion to you is to get it to a mechanic ASAP and have the situation evaluated. I don't know if your going to be able to avoid this bomb from going off, but at least you can show that you took the initiative to solve the problem yourself. Good luck.
 
Well, I know very little about the inside of a car (I usually need the horn buttons to be pointed out to me), so I take everything to a mechanic. Therefore I'm an expert on mechanics - and trust me, they don't fix anything in eight days. :rolleyes:

I think you're screwed.
 
Sounds like the Power-Steering pump. I don't know if it is a "serpentine" belt running all accesories. I'm not familiar with Mitsu's.
It sounds like you might not have had permission to take the Diamante. Some advice:

1. Upon her return, own up to it. Even if you have it fixed. Yeah, you may take some heat. But having the responsibility and taking the initiative to fix it yourself will impress her.

2. Have it fixed, even if it costs plenty. (See #1)

3. If you don't (or can't) have it fixed, tell her before she tries to drive the thing and finds out the power steering is out.

If the car is a '93 and has busted a Serpentine belt, and you don't know how long it's been since it was replaced, You might also have mom take it in for a thorough check. It may be time to replace some hoses and the timing belt too. (60,000 miles in most cars).
Cause if the "Valve family" is allowed to become intimate with the "Piston family" it will not be good:eek:

Good Luck.

Please, don't ask me how I know.
 
oh, sorry... :dunce: Eastern Canada, about an hour north of Montreal... ;)

but, unfortunately, i'm considering quitting this job, and start with something better. it's really getting frustrating to work there, i can't stand it anymore. :( not exactly the most pleasing job i've done.
 
Thnx for the help guys, I did some research after I posted this and found out the belt that snapped is called the power steering belt..(Close Gil!) I also found they sell em online for about 10-20$ (THANK GOD) but I dunno about installing them..but installing belts shoulding be that bad, right?
 
Originally posted by GTO_VR4
Thnx for the help guys, I did some research after I posted this and found out the belt that snapped is called the power steering belt..(Close Gil!) I also found they sell em online for about 10-20$ (THANK GOD) but I dunno about installing them..but installing belts shoulding be that bad, right?
Click to expand...
Over the years I have learned that the second I think "it shouldn't be that hard, right?" It is time to send the whole mess to somebody else to fix. Just a forewarning from my own experience. :D
 
Originally posted by Gil
Cause if the "Valve family" is allowed to become intimate with the "Piston family" it will not be good:eek:
Click to expand...
I can second that...Mitsu-style

If the car's running, you're usually okay. Get it towed if you're worried the car maybe un-drivable or unsafe, or if you're concerned that more things may break.

Get the car professionally repaired (i.e. don't do it yourself!), even if you can't afford it until your mom arrives. Take the initiative; most people dread showing up to the mechanic regardless of sex.

You may lose youre chance to drive for a while, but at least the breakage is not your fault. So you'll be GT-ing again in a week or two.
 
LOL Gran Turismo style...Just tell your mom that you took the car and the belt snapped.

Or don't say anything and let her figure it out...no don't do that, that's bad.

Belts aren't hard, it's just that you have to get them on the pulleys right and tighten them to spec...the belts with the "gears" have to be timed and that's a deal...
 
Lesson of the day: Gran Turismo is fiction. Cars are beefed up in real life, if done professionally. Take the gearing: You don't get that much option, and, since some of the gearing would probably require a completely different manufacturer, in other words another transmission, you might get a tranny that is inadequate. Hell, ever seen car chases: "Look at me! I am in a Buick with scrawney tires and I have no training. Whee!. Try and catch me, cops!"
 
Originally posted by Talentless
"Look at me! I am in a Buick with scrawney tires and I have no training. Whee!. Try and catch me, cops!"
Click to expand...

:lol:

Do you mean like police camera action.

Personally I would just do as Maz said, say you were driving and the belt snapped. Just dont say how you were driving, as long as nobody saw you you should be fine, unless your mum knows that you tend to go "Gran Turismo".
 
Yes, or Cops or World's Wildest Police Videoes, or World's Wildest Police Chases.
 
We only get one show like that in the UK and its called police camera action. It shows that sort of footage from countrys all around the world (mainly america though).
 
Yeah, I edited to better respond to you.

Unless you missed my original post?

Oh, well.

I heard that PCA is thought of by some as an anti-car show.

Well, if Maz suggested that, than its probable effectiveness stems on what GTO's mother thought was the deal. Her impression may be that of thinking he was going to use her car or watch over it. If either was the case, especially if agreed upon, denial may not cut it.
 
Parents aren't that stupid, I've realized.

I don't know anyone who's sucessfully convinced their parents that the car was fine yesterday...

Fixing it is the best thing you can do. It shows responsibility; parents never think their kids have enough of that anyway. (Probably because parents are fairly irresponsible until they are 40.)
 
Originally posted by MistaY
We only get one show like that in the UK and its called police camera action. It shows that sort of footage from countrys all around the world (mainly america though).
Click to expand...

That's wierd. I see some show on the weekends sometimes and most of the stuff comes from England. I thought American drivers were bad. Sheesh. You Brits are simply mad.

If it's just a power steering belt, and you know somebody who knows cars, you can get him or her to help you and do it for a lot cheaper, maybe, unless you have to take the radiator out or something.

Have you taken a look to see if it's fairly simple?

Check out a Chilton's manual.
 
OK I just heres something else, I went under the hood and realized the freakin timing belt is in the way..I have to remove the timing belt in order to install the freakin steering belt..what a ****in pain...looks like its time to take it to the shop...

>(
 
Wait, wait, wait... Let's go through this a little before you freak out.

I will guarantee you the PS (power steering) belt is not behind the timing belt. Except of some race cars or people who do a lot of hand-tuning, you can't even see the timing belt because it is under covers behind the accessory belts. You're almost certainly looking at the alternator belt, which probably also drives the air conditioning. Not a big deal.

1) Unless you had the car redlined for an extended period, or held the steering cranked over until it squeaked excessively for a long time, it's not your fault. Belts get old and break.

2) If it's not a serpentine belt (really long, 1-1/2" wide, and goes through 6 or 8 pulleys) then it probably just carries the PS and so you will not damage the car by driving it to the local Pep Boys/Auto Shack/whatever discount car parts place that also does installation. Just go slowly and remember you will need to really put effort into turning. A new belt should be less than $20 and installation should be about $20, even at retail mechanic rates.

3) If it also carries the alternator (not typical), it still won't hurt the car, but the battery will eventually run down because it is not charging. Don't drive it at night because the headlights are a big drain. Is the "Check Engine" light on? This will usually light up if the battery is not charging.

4) They should be able to change the belt for you in half an hour, if they can get the car right in a bay. Try to go early in the morning and wait for it, or come back at lunch to pick it up.

5) If they try to tell you something else is broken, just tell them to fix this problem and that you will bring the car back for a checkup later.

6) Admit to your mom that you were driving the car, and the belt broke, so you had it fixed. Remember, it would have happened to her anyway; you didn't break it. You just got unlucky.

Hope this helps,

:Duke
 
Holy crap...you hit it on the nail Neon_Duke , nice job!

This is what happend so far..

I thought I could get away without the powersteering..so I go to work with the car..
After going out on break, i visit a friend near by...so i stay there for a bit..then head back to work. As I pull out of his driveway, I crank up the music and head back..then bamm! CD player gets static-y and car starts to jump, i noticed my dashboard lights are very dimmed out..so I figure the battery lost power, realizing that..I just noticed that the PS belt also used the water pump and the alternator, but I had enuff juice to make it back to work..
So when I leave, the car wouldnt turn on..obviosly it was the batter, so i asked a co-worker to lend me his keys and charge up my battery. I sit there and jump start it and worked..disconnected cables and did a test run in the parking lot. Then the car died on me and had to call a friend to take me home..now the diamante sits in a Winn dixie parkinglot.

I got in contact with a friend bro who had a mitsubishi eclipse..and said generally if you want to replace a belt the alternator should shift so you can loosen the belt .... but thats an eclipse...I HOPE the diamante has it..but if all else fails, ima have to call a tow truck and take it to a mech

crap :(
 
Heres a little rough sketch of hose things look in there
 

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