Honda Car Forum

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 18:11:44 GMT, StonyRhoads@lycos.com wrote:

>OIC. Does the road you travel happen to lean to the left
>on the side you use going to work and it if level on the side you
>use going home? That could be your problem
>
>
>mike hunt

No, it will veer left even though the road is normally crowned and
sloping downward to the right.
Ron

Very good thought. I have pretty new Michelins, and one of them has
suffered a slow leak. The dealer has remounted it a few times but it
persists. I haven't pursued it because it's SO slow that it's pretty
easy to keep the thing inflated properly. In fact I usually
OVERinflate it a few pounds to give it a little room. It's on the
left rear now, but this problem started about 5,000 miles after these
tires were placed on the car so I don't imagine that it's going to
explain the problem. Coming home tomorrow, I will document that all
four tires have exactly the same pressure and let you know if it makes
any difference.

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 08:43:40 -0600, "'Curly Q. Links'"
<motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote:

>Milleron wrote:
>>
>> This is a question about my '92 Pontiac Bonneville, but people in this
>> group are so knowledgable, I thought I'd ask here. Just ignore me if
>> you're a Honda purist.
>>
>> It got totally new front disk brakes in March -- rotors and pads. On
>> the back drum brakes, only the cylinders were replaced. About two
>> months and 800 miles (car is not driven much) after the brake job, it
>> began pulling to the left but only after sitting in the parking lot
>> all day. After sitting in the garage all night, it steers normally.
>> When driving too work all is normal. When driving home, it wants to
>> veer left requiring the wheel to be held about 3-4 degrees clockwise
>> to keep it in its lane. This problem resolves after about ten miles
>> and fifteen minutes of driving.
>>
>> I suppose it's possible that it has something to do with heat under
>> the hood and that it didn't get warm enough during the day here in
>> Ohio until May to make the problem obvious.
>> One mechanic told me to get a four-wheel alignment, but I can't see
>> how a misaligned car could steer normally in the AM and abnormally in
>> the PM.
>>
>> Could the brake job have something to do with it?
>>
>> Ron
>----------------------------------
>Ron,
>
>My guess: Solar heat is making your tires behave differently in the late
>afternoon. Warm tires will show more pressure than cold ones. Get a good
>tire guage and set all four tires to 32 pounds. I think you'll find
>you've got an underinflated tire, and it gets better after 15 minutes of
>driving because it's heating up.
>You'll probably find it's also wrecked because underinflation is MURDER
>on the sidewalls. They start to shred. Let us know what you find.
>
>'Curly'
>---------------------------------
>
>To REPLY: If there are a couple of underscores in my return address,
>you must remove them to reply directly . . . . . . Thanks.
>
>Regarding stage performances: When everyone else has finished playing,
>you should not play any notes you have left over. -

Ron

On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 16:36:34 GMT, NOSPAMrex@REMOVEtxol.net (Rex B)
wrote:

>Sounds like your tires may be the culprit.
>If you park in the same place, pointed the same direction every day, try backing
>into your parking place and see if that changes anything. Next, rotate the tires
>front to back.
>
>Rex in Fort Worth

I'll try that. Thanks

Ron

I'd say you have a problem in the front end. Unless you have
access to an alignment machine, take it to a competent alignment
shop and have the defect corrected, WBMA


mike hunt



Milleron wrote:
>
> On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 18:11:44 GMT, StonyRhoads@lycos.com wrote:
>
> >OIC. Does the road you travel happen to lean to the left
> >on the side you use going to work and it if level on the side you
> >use going home? That could be your problem
> >
> >
> >mike hunt
>
> No, it will veer left even though the road is normally crowned and
> sloping downward to the right.
> Ron

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 01:42:34 GMT, Milleron <millerdot90@SPAMlessosu.edu>
wrote:

<aside> For those agruing about top posting, take a look at Ron's post here
- an obvious example of how dialog fits better than top posting.:-)

>On Tue, 19 Aug 2003 19:04:02 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com
>(George Macdonald) wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 18 Aug 2003 22:15:18 GMT, Milleron <millerdot90@SPAMlessosu.edu>
>>wrote:
>>
<<snip>>
>>
>>>Could the brake job have something to do with it?
>>
>>It's not impossible but more likely a suspension problem. Before we leave
>>the brakes, did you have the front calipers changed with the pads/rotors?
>>Have you checked the temperature of the rotors/drums when it's pulling to
>>one side?... try stopping with minimal use of the brakes and see if the
>>left front rotor is much hotter than the left. Might as well do the same
>>check on the drums and if they're all OK it more or less rules out the
>>brakes as the problem.
>The calipers were not replaced. the rotors and pads were. My private
>mechanic (not the dealer who did the brake job) assures me that the
>calipers are not sticking. Could something like that happen only in
>the afternoon and not in the morning?

Well you're already pursuing something which defies the logic that's
already been applied - try some umm, "illogic"... and check the
rotors/drums for dragging, i.e. temp.

>>If I had to guess I'd say it's more likely you have a bad ball joint or
>>bushing in the suspension... which gets cocked over when you make a certain
>>turn in the parking lot at work... or maybe the upper strut steering
>>bearing.
>Could a suspension problem be intermittent?
>The same mechanic, whom my friends and I regard as the last honest
>mechanic in town, told me that he checked the suspension carefully,
>especially the ball joints and tie rods. He's the one who suggested
>an alignment, but I haven't done that because the car steers so well
>most of the time. The car has the original struts at 65,000 miles,
>but they seem to be working perfectly well. Again, I haven't replaced
>them because I don't see how they could be malfunctioning just part of
>the time. This model has a load balancing feature which I think pumps
>air into and out of the rear struts only.

It *could* be intermittent, depending on how you've driven before the
"event".... say like a sharp, near full-lock turn in the parking lot, which
could cause a loose joint to take up its play in the opposite position from
where it normally sits. Have you tried "rocking" the wheels? With the car
on the ground, squat down near the wheel, grab the top of the tire and rock
backwards

The alignment *might* be useful but the intermittent nature here suggests
something is moving around which shouldn't, so the movement should be cured
*before* any alignment is attempted. Many modern cars have no adjustment
for alignment anyway - if it's out the only recourse is part replacement.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 00:22:26 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com
(George Macdonald) wrote:

>On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 01:42:34 GMT, Milleron <millerdot90@SPAMlessosu.edu>
>wrote:
>
><aside> For those agruing about top posting, take a look at Ron's post here
>- an obvious example of how dialog fits better than top posting.:-)

Well, let's be frank, here. Anyone who can't tell, within a few hours
of using USENET, that "quote and reply" is FAR superior to top
posting, is a moron.

On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 22:34:03 GMT, Milleron <millerdot90@SPAMlessosu.edu>
wrote:

>On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 00:22:26 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com
>(George Macdonald) wrote:
<<snip>>
>>The alignment *might* be useful but the intermittent nature here suggests
>>something is moving around which shouldn't, so the movement should be cured
>>*before* any alignment is attempted. Many modern cars have no adjustment
>>for alignment anyway - if it's out the only recourse is part replacement.
>>
>>Rgds, George Macdonald
>
>That might be very helpful, George. I think I have noticed the
>problem going AWAY after making a hard right turn, while braking.
>Also, I almost always make a "sharp, near full-lock turn in the
>parking lot" because I back into my parking place. I just tried the
>"rocking" test you describe, but I'm not experienced enough to be able
>to tell if it's positive -- it didn't seem like anything moved when I
>did that.
>
>If you have time, could you please give me a list of the suspension
>parts you feel must be checked because I think that's my next step.
>So far you've given me (1) ball joints, (2) bushings in suspension,
>and (3) upper strut steering bearing. Would you include tie rods or
>tie-rod ends on your list? Anything else?

Yes at that age it could be any of the ball joints - also check mount
points of bottom suspension arm (A-arm ?), steering rack mounts etc. etc.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 21:11:39 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com
(George Macdonald) wrote:

>On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 22:34:03 GMT, Milleron <millerdot90@SPAMlessosu.edu>
>wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 22 Aug 2003 00:22:26 GMT, fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com
>>(George Macdonald) wrote:
><<snip>>
>>>The alignment *might* be useful but the intermittent nature here suggests
>>>something is moving around which shouldn't, so the movement should be cured
>>>*before* any alignment is attempted. Many modern cars have no adjustment
>>>for alignment anyway - if it's out the only recourse is part replacement.
>>>
>>>Rgds, George Macdonald
>>
>>That might be very helpful, George. I think I have noticed the
>>problem going AWAY after making a hard right turn, while braking.
>>Also, I almost always make a "sharp, near full-lock turn in the
>>parking lot" because I back into my parking place. I just tried the
>>"rocking" test you describe, but I'm not experienced enough to be able
>>to tell if it's positive -- it didn't seem like anything moved when I
>>did that.
>>
>>If you have time, could you please give me a list of the suspension
>>parts you feel must be checked because I think that's my next step.
>>So far you've given me (1) ball joints, (2) bushings in suspension,
>>and (3) upper strut steering bearing. Would you include tie rods or
>>tie-rod ends on your list? Anything else?
>
>Yes at that age it could be any of the ball joints - also check mount
>points of bottom suspension arm (A-arm ?), steering rack mounts etc. etc.
>
>Rgds, George Macdonald

I'll get my mechanic working on this. I'll report results if this
thread is still alive when I have them. In the meantime, thanks, for
the list. I am fairly confident that I'll find the problem on it.

Ron