My car is sick. Help!

AbsoluteZero

My car is sick. The mechanic I took it to doesn't know what's wrong with it. I thought I'd try you guys for ideas of what the trouble could be. I got a check engine light on, and the car makes a low buzzing noise (especially around 50mph). Also, it appears something (smoke?) has been coming out of my gas tank!



The car is a '97 Chevy Cavolier.

ApexMirage

Sounds like someone might have put something silly in there. You really dont wanna fuck with that. Have you tried another mechanic?

AbsoluteZero

I have not tried another mechanic but I'm going to. Wanted to see what you guys said first. I really hope noone put anything in there. I will be fucking pissed if someone did.

ElQuack

If you have a check engine light, there is a problem code in the computer. Most parts stores will retrieve the code for you for free. This may or may not lead you to the answer, but it's a start.
Also, that don't look good right there.

Capt Howdy

How would the smoke get through the cap? Your cap may not be tight, and that can cause the engine light to come on. Try a new gas cap and see if that helps.

Edit:

Check for leaking gas behind the gas intake next time you fill up. Your hose connection could have come loose or gotten cut.

TexiKen

Did you or someone else who drives the car put a few gallons of diesel in by mistake? It's that or you got some bad gas at a station.

AbsoluteZero

TexiKen wrote: »

Did you or someone else who drives the car put a few gallons of diesel in by mistake? It's that or you got some bad gas at a station.

Some asshole once siphoned gas out of a lawnmower and put it in there (the kind that's mixed with additives specifically for the lawn mower)... but that was years ago.

My gas cap is kind of crappy, I'll try a new one... but I don't think that's going to stop whatever is making shit come out of the gas tank, though it may contain it. Also, whatever is making my car make that fucked up noise.

fuelish

Wild guess: Bad cat combined with an exhaust leak.
I would be interested to see what the car codes.

AbsoluteZero

Second Mechanic's Opinion: Nothing has been coming out of my gas tank, rather something has been going in. He says it looks like someone has been starting up a diesel engine near my vehicle, or a vehicle with smokey exhaust. Upon close inspection this black shit is all over my car, it appears to be soot of some sort. Here's the fun part: rain has been washing it down into my gas inlet, clogging up the vents in my gas cap, and possibly even leaking into my gas tank.

So I'm off to a parts store to buy a new gas cap, and I'm going to buy some STP fuel system cleaner while I'm at it. I suppose I could get the car washed, too. Hopefully this will resolve the problem.

PeregrineFalcon

See if you can have the parts store pull the code off your computer as well, just for giggles. They should be able to do it free.

I'm not a fan of the fuel-additives, which are in most cases snake oil - but if you genuinely do have a wad of shit in the system and/or have gotten some bad gas that's shortchanging you on detergents, it might help you out. Check back if your problem doesn't go away. Hopefully you don't need a new fuel filter, because that's a fucking bitch to change on your car (IIRC, I haven't touched a J-body in ages) and probably necessitates a lift to do it right.