I bought a '91 Si with 88k miles on it a few months ago, and it's already being cranky. I expected as much (I didn't get a project car for nothing!), but the car is also my daily driver, and I just want to clear up a few things before I go on any long road trips.
1) For the past few weeks, whenever I crank the engine, a high-pitched squeal emits from the left side of the engine. Fortunately, the sound dies after about 2 seconds. I'm thinking it's a timing belt or an AC belt that needs some tension adjustment. Considering that I don't have any tools and limited mechanical knowledge at this point, is this a hard fix? How can I more accurately diagnose the problem? I'm pretty strapped for cash at the moment, so is this a problem that I can let slide for awhile, like at least a month, or is it something that demands immediate attention?
2) About a week ago, I started noticing a squeaking/rubbing sound coming from the back right side of the chassis, near the wheel. It's rpm-depedent in the sense that the frequency of the sound increases as I go faster. I'm hoping the bearing just needs some lubricant, but I'm at a loss on this one. Any ideas?
I apologize that I can't be more specific. As soon as I get a factory service manual, some money and some tools, I'll hopefully learn a bit more about how everything works. Considering that I only know how to change the oil at this point, a 15-year old car may not have been the smartest idea, but I love CRX's and I'm eager to learn. I'm driving the car as little as possible because of my uncertainty about the nature of the problems listed above, and more specifically because I can barely afford gas at the moment. So she's getting a chance to rest, and I'm just hoping that this is nothing too serious. Any ideas are immensely appreciated!
1) For the past few weeks, whenever I crank the engine, a high-pitched squeal emits from the left side of the engine. Fortunately, the sound dies after about 2 seconds. I'm thinking it's a timing belt or an AC belt that needs some tension adjustment. Considering that I don't have any tools and limited mechanical knowledge at this point, is this a hard fix? How can I more accurately diagnose the problem? I'm pretty strapped for cash at the moment, so is this a problem that I can let slide for awhile, like at least a month, or is it something that demands immediate attention?
2) About a week ago, I started noticing a squeaking/rubbing sound coming from the back right side of the chassis, near the wheel. It's rpm-depedent in the sense that the frequency of the sound increases as I go faster. I'm hoping the bearing just needs some lubricant, but I'm at a loss on this one. Any ideas?
I apologize that I can't be more specific. As soon as I get a factory service manual, some money and some tools, I'll hopefully learn a bit more about how everything works. Considering that I only know how to change the oil at this point, a 15-year old car may not have been the smartest idea, but I love CRX's and I'm eager to learn. I'm driving the car as little as possible because of my uncertainty about the nature of the problems listed above, and more specifically because I can barely afford gas at the moment. So she's getting a chance to rest, and I'm just hoping that this is nothing too serious. Any ideas are immensely appreciated!