Car Just Died. Got Towed. Pissed off

[Dvious]

I was driving home yesterday and i hit a massive bump and my car died. It was running fine until that point and now it just won't turn over. I got juice and everything else works but it seems like it is not getting spark or fuel. Anyone ever have this happen to them before?

And my turbo gauge doesn't come up anymore? The stock one used to jump up to the middle when i put the key in, so I am assuming whatever controls that is the problem?

Also while a guy was nice enough to give me a ride home to get my test light and some tools to try and fix my car apparently the guy whose home I broke down in front of did not want the car their so they apparently tried to tow it with a wrecker--- well I am f***ing pissed because the old lady told me that they dragged it about 15 feet because the wheels locked and skidded. I looked underneath to see if anything was leaking (xfer case, rear, trans) nothing is leaking but do you think they messed something up from the lockup and the dragging.

I later had my buddy pull me home. A couple blocks away and everything seemed fine would I have noticed if something broke when i was being pulled in neutral?

Any help with either situation would be grateful.

 

[Dvious]

Apparently after i broke down the other night A wrecker came by and towed my car, while I went home to get some tools, the Old lady who saw it said the car rolled fine about 1/2 the block then the wheels locked up and the guy went like 5 more feet then stopped and put the car down, well when i got back i was pissed but he was long gone, so my buddy who also has a wrecked just pulled me home with some chains, My question is how would i know if something is ####ed up other than draining the diff, it was in nuetral when I left it, but if i put it up on jackstands which wheels will spin? or if i get it started i guess i will just take it for a ride, what should i be listening feeling for if i go for a ride??

 

[Nofear20]

I'd be sooo pissed. Friggen idiots.

 

[PIMking]

This is why you tell them "Flat bed only"

 

[kiwidog]

I's hard to tell them flat bed only when they just come and tow your car when you're out trying to get tools to fix and orarrange someone to come tow it for you.

 

[AlaskanDsm]

I would bet that your transfer case, transmission and possibly driveshaft should be checked. Along with all drivetrain parts.

 

[Dvious]

Yeah, I did not call for a tow truck I figured I could fix whatever was wrong thats why I went and got my voltmeter and my test light, i figured a wire popped off or something, while i was gone some F***ing A**hole called I guess. So how could i tell I mean my boy pulled me home and everything seemed fine i didnt hear anything but then again I was in nuetral, will somehting be F***ed up in the trans becuase of this?

 

[mentalTSiAWD]

I think any problem you have will be limited to the transfer case and trans. Sounds like possibly your center diff locked up in limited slip fashion and maybe he didn't drag it far enough to hurt it. You would have likely heard something when your buddy towed you home if the jerk did any real damage.
If you do have damage, I'd sure try to file suit with them. You didn't leave it for like three days did you?

 

[kenamond]

That sucks. Hopefully, it was just the center diff locking up as he sped up with only 2 wheels of an AWD drivetrain turning. You mentioned that someone watched the tow happen. Do they know who was towing the vehicle? If not, there's nobody to file suit with.

I'm not a trans/diff guy, so I'd look around at how to check the center diff and xfer case. Maybe everything's okay (except for whatever made your car stall in the first place).

 

[Dvious]

No, i was only gone for about twenty minutes, I wen to get my tools. Yeah the lady said there was no name on the truck it was just a white truck and she did not get the plate, It was in a heavy industrial factory area so maybe the guy was just trying to jack my car but i guess he was a moron and got nervous when it locked up, th old lady did say that he stopped right away so i hope nothing is damaged? But sorry, Where is the center diff located?????? and if i do get it started and go for a drive and it shig=fts fine and drives the way it did i should be good then right??

 

[kenamond]

The center diff is inside the tranny, as I recall. I'd do some searching to find out ways to test whether things are damaged. I don't want to say any more than that; if you go out and drive it when you shouldn't, and something breaks, I'd feel like crap.

 

[mentalTSiAWD]

Your Center diff is actually in the trans. It doesn't sound like you're gonna have any real damage if he stopped right away. Don't panic too much until you get it fired up again and can run a couple of test runs.

EDIT: You wouldn't be able to inspect the center diff without pulling it apart. But I would recommend putting it up on jackstands all the way around and letting it idle in gear to make sure nothing is warped or broken before you head out somewhere with it.

 

[my4ATEurV8]

the thing you want t oget checked is the viscus coupler ( not sure if viscus is spelled right). it is located in the rear diff.

 

[Dvious]

Ok thanks i am definitly going to check all that i am going to put it up on jackstands and check everything out, as far as the center diff being inside the trans I am assuming that i wouldn't be able to tell if something is wrong with that until i actuallly move the car while its in gear , correct?? as far as this Viscous coupler if he was able to pull me and i rolled i would assume its not damaged right??

 

[LASER4G63T]

When you say 'massive'...you bottomed out right? I hit a bump in the road going about 30 once and my check engine light came on for about 5 seconds. That's all that happened to me. Did you check the underside of your engine bay to make sure everything looks happy? As for you tranny/transfer case, getting your tires dragged definitely puts strain on whatever gear your car was in. If it is not showing any symptoms I wouldn't worry about it, but I'd keep a close eye on it.

 

[N8speedz]

I bottomed out in my old 1.8L and my camshaft dug into the head and it seized. =P
Not saying its that bad but check your timing, the belt may have slipped a tooth.

 

[Dvious]

I got my car running again today and went for a ride everything seems fine, so i guess the tow didn;t mess anything up thank god!!!!

 

[Dvious]

Checked everything, i had disconnected the battery for about an hour, then i checked that I was getting fuel to the rail I was, so I cheked the belt to see if it jumped, and it didn't then all of a sudden I find a connecter coming out from under the battery main harness not connected to anything?? but it does not look like it has been connected to anything in a while it is all green and corroded I have no idea where it goes and i cannot find anything near to it wear it would plug into to?? Any way all of a sudden i connect the battery and I see the stock boost gauge move up when i put the key in, then my F***ing car starts. Whats up with that??? Anyone have any ideas whats up with that??? I am scared to drive the car anywhere far becuase i really didnt find the problem.

 

[Nito15]

Here is my guess, the connector you are talking about might of been plugged in all this time and powered your computer and the rest of the car such as all 1gs. I believe there are three cables that matter coming from the positive terminal. One where the three fuses are mounted (MPI, starter fuse etc..) and another that is connected onto that via a screw and nut that is sticking out from that harness underneath which i believe powers the rest of your car. And of course the other wire that goes to the starter. When you hit that bump and bottomed out, specially if you don't have a battery tie down bracket (or one not tight enough), the wire in question might have stretched far enough to become detached or break at the contact point if the battery moved or jumped. Because that wire has always been intact and never moves, you might not see any signs of it being attached to anything.

 

[talonkev]

Viscous Coupler is in the trans not the rear diff

 

[LASER4G63T]

Here is my guess, the connector you are talking about might of been plugged in all this time and powered your computer and the rest of the car such as all 1gs. I believe there are three cables that matter coming from the positive terminal. One where the three fuses are mounted (MPI, starter fuse etc..) and another that is connected onto that via a screw and nut that is sticking out from that harness underneath which i believe powers the rest of your car. And of course the other wire that goes to the starter. When you hit that bump and bottomed out, specially if you don't have a battery tie down bracket (or one not tight enough), the wire in question might have stretched far enough to become detached or break at the contact point if the battery moved or jumped. Because that wire has always been intact and never moves, you might not see any signs of it being attached to anything.

Flying batteries. Nice. Sounds like a good guess.

 

[Dvious]

What is the Black relay on the firewall for its behind the battery and it is covered in rubber, other than doing what i said previously that is the only other thiing i messed with then the car just started?? i just tapped it a little and messed with it then like i said the car started, What is that relay for?? could that have been the cause of my dying??

 

[snowborder714]

See if you can find it using this:
Virtual Tour of the DSM Engine Bay - 1G Visual Index

Click in a quadrant and then you can click on the little red dots to see what things are.