I have the loud squealing noise. I'm pretty sure its the belt. I changed it right before my trip to chicago from virginia and so far ive put about 2000 miles with the same belt. Does it need to be tightened or replaced? How often should you replace it?

Another question.
My oil pressure needle is always to the top. I don't know if its just broken because it goes all the way up as soon as the engine starts running and sometimes it just wabbles when its at idle. What do you think?

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I get the cloud of blue smoke when i start the engine but i dont see any smoke after that. Whats the diagnosis for this?

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The car shakes a little at idle. When im on the highway and i give it some gas the car gets really shaky between 45 and 55mph then it calls down as the speed increases. Tranny or engine problem?

Thanks guys.

 

What brand belt? Serpentine, Vbelt? Might need tightening, have to be more specific. Cant tighten the single serpentine one.

Might be a bad wire. Check the wire to the sender, sometimes they get damaged and you get funny readings. IIRC a dead short pegs the gauge.

Bad valve stem seals. Nuisance, mostly. Have to have a fair amount of knowledge and tools or a wallet full of money to fix it. It can in time cause problems but most people dont get that far that I've seen.

Sounds like a misfire on one or more cylinders. Start with a tuneup. Look at the plugs you pull out and see how they are and if they are all the same or one is alot different.

 

What brand belt? Serpentine, Vbelt? Might need tightening, have to be more specific. Cant tighten the single serpentine one.

Thin serpentine belts about 3 or 4

Might be a bad wire. Check the wire to the sender, sometimes they get damaged and you get funny readings. IIRC a dead short pegs the gauge.

Bad valve stem seals. Nuisance, mostly. Have to have a fair amount of knowledge and tools or a wallet full of money to fix it. It can in time cause problems but most people dont get that far that I've seen.

How much would it cost to have a mechanic do it?

Sounds like a misfire on one or more cylinders. Start with a tuneup. Look at the plugs you pull out and see how they are and if they are all the same or one is alot different.

I don't think I have done a tune up ever since I got the car. I moved so i dont have the tools or the space to do it. Do you know how much does a shop charge for the tune up?

 

anyone else?

 

Belt: did it start before the belt change? or after? Try probing around the front of the engine with a length of heater hose in your ear (cheap, effective automotive stethoscope). Could be a bad component bearing, shaft, something.

Oil pressure: agreed with madmax. Also, check the engine grounds.

puff of smoke: Take it to a mechanic and pay out the wazoo or do it yourself for under $50. It doesn't take anything special to complete the task. word doc. in my sig.

shakeyness: do you at least have the means to yank the plugs and read them?