20 Most Recent 1998 Chevrolet Malibu - Page 9 Questions & Answers

Since the Battery Light Flashes & the Ding to go along with itI would say the alternator is either not charging when it dingsor it has to be checked for bad diodes with an oscilloscopeto look at wave forms. The diode issue would put AC Currenton your electrical system & cause any number of problemsRelated to the alternator or not, the RPM Changing could be a bad transmission speed sensor.5 Mechanics & a Dealer -see that a lot on this site

Have you had the system checked to see if it lost freon ?

Remove it & hold it to the light & see if it is openYou can check them with a volt meter while in thecar, black lead to ground & probe both little metalpoints on the fuse with key on, if necessary.Each Side should have battery voltageYou can use the buzzer feature on meter& put your lead across the fuse prongs

Are you saying it sounds like the starter is spinning but not making contact with the flywheel ?

Has anyone checked fuel pressure with a gauge ?Is the check engine light on ?

Good news! Jesus is coming. More good news: All that is wrong with your car are the tiny wires coming off the distributor. They have broken into from years of vibration. They look fine for the insulation is intact. (Once the car starts, it switches from battery power to altenater power). Repair the wires and your car will run.

If it cranks then it is turning over but I think you are saying it will not fire up. Either way Remove battery terminals and clean both posts and terminals with sandpaper until you see shinymetal. The black coating is lead sulphate which has a high resistance to current flow both into and out of the battery. Have a load test done on the battery to check for failed cell.

Do you have any code.

My experience with the chevy coolant system, cambelt/timing belt will probably not affect the temp. Never-mind what pseudo half wit wanna be mechanics tell you, trust me, they just want your money for work that doesn't need to be done. Start with getting a repair manual for your car, Clymer, et cetera, can be purchased in any Pep Boys, Advance Auto. First check for leaks, especially around timing belt area, which will mean faulty water pump, then and only then do you replace timing belt and water pump. If no noticeable leaking, check level. If that's fine, make sure anti freeze is appropriate mixture strength, lastly replace thermostat. Auto repair manual will tell you exactly what tools are required and level of difficulty in replacing thermostat. Fairly easy, but I have been doing it since birth. One more thing, if your car is within operational temperature standards, don't sweat it, it's an old car and they get weird with age!!!! Hope this helps! If problem persists after this, contact me personally!! Thank you!

on the 2000 malibu the a/c low side service port is located close to the fire wall, go to the passenger side go under the hood follow the fire wall down and you will see the service port, you will need a flash light, and make sure the engine is off before you connect and disconnect

check an auto parts store such as Autozone or even online

do what is called a gravity blead. open all bleeders slightly and do not let the master cylinder go dry. after this start at passenger rear then drivers rear, passenger front then drivers. if this does not help you must bring the car in to a garage for abs bleeding and/or new abs module.

most people dont mix them simply because it turns brown and that makes it harder to tell if theres any corrison in the system or small debry and not very pleasant looking

On the passenger side of the engine block.

The lever inside the transmission that engages and disengages the "park pal" has most likely come loose or broken altogether. If you are mechanicly inclined and want to verify this you can pull the pan off the trans and look at the park pal and conecting rod to see if it is broken.
Also there is a chance that the stering columb rod that is part of the key switch has broken off and wedged into the shift lever.

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