Expert: Sean Halliday - 3/18/2009

Question
My car is a definite shame. It seems if its not one thing its another. Here are some problems and solutions I've had for it, if you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment. Number one... my car is staying idled up extremely high when i come to a stop (my car is a straight shift) and then calms back down either the longer I sit or when the clutch is released and I begin to move again. Number two... I just had my gas tank replaced due to constant replacement of injectors and fuel filters because something kept stopping them up and now, since the new gas tank, I cant fill up without spilling gas. Number Three... I was just hospitalized a week or so ago for carbon monoxide poisoning that had to have come from my car because of the fact that I felt better outside the car, my dad's solution was to extend the exhaust because a CO detector was going off in my trunk and figured it was seeping in through the space in my backseat. Number four... last night, I was driving it back from filling it up and it was really sluggish and I could floor it and barely gain speed and the whole car was filling up with exhaust. Then... I think last, but surely not least, my belt under the car (serpentine belt) has been replaced many of times and STILL squeals. Its the most annoying sound and cant figure out what is causing it. A belt tensioner has been replaced as well TWICE! (I thought an underlying cause of that may be that my harmonic balancer (after being discovered was messed up somehow) was "rigged" and welded back together and maybe somethings were messed up from doing so. I know I just hit you with many questions/problems but they are all things that I've tried to have fixed and haven't seemed to be fixed yet. Hopefully you can help. Thank You

Answer
My advice is to sell it.It sounds like this is a money box with no bottom.The first thing would be to find the exhaust leak and fix it properly.The high idle could be a vacuum leak or intake gasket leak.The tank problem may be the filler neck is fitted incorrectly so its a trip back to whoever fitted the tank.The screeching belt could be the balancer pulley out of alignment causing the belt to wear.Carbon monoxide is deadly and you are lucky this time.Personanly,if this were me,i would sell it.Too many problems to cure.