Car Physically Won't Budge

[Apeximprt2nr]

I'm getting so frustrated with this I'm ready to punt a baby seal.

So I just finished my 2.3 build and now I'm having this ridiculous problem.

It's happened 3 times so far and seems to be when it's really cold out.

I start the car, put it in gear, and go to move forward and within a half a foot the car stops. Literally. It's the EXACT feeling as if my Ebrake is on and I forgot to put it down.

Last night it only did it in first gear going forward, but I go in reverse in my drive way and the car would roll no problem and glide. I went to go into first and the car would stop me. I did this back and forth a few times to test. Now I try this morning and it is stopping me in reverse as well. And when I was trying to "power through it" I saw blue smoke from my exhaust. I've NEVER seen blue smoke before this.

If I ride it out and just go forward and give it enough gas the car will move but it still feels like someone is on my Ebrake and the car will screech from the front. I won't even have the brake when coming to a stop sign. After a few minutes it will go away and the car will be normal.

A few minutes ago I shut the car off, Ebrake DOWN and tried to push the car myself and the same thing is happening which is leading me to believe it may be my brakes or something. When I was pushing it, the car would budge an inch and then stop and I'd hear a clicking/squishing noise from my right rear caliper.

What the #### is going on?!

 

[stuckwithgsx]

Did you bolt the intermediate shaft back to the block on the drivers side? Have you tried jacking the car up and rotating each wheel to see what one is binding, or if all of them are?

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

It sounds like your caliper might be dragging. You could lift that wheel off the ground and see if it will turn at all. Don't go spinning it if it will turn because it's not good to turn just one wheel, but wiggle it back and forth. If you can't budge it at all it's bound up. You will be able to tell pretty easily if the brake is binding up or dragging. Good luck

 

[stuckwithgsx]

What have / haven't you chekced already?

 

[michael102691]

Yea, just jack up each side and spin the wheels and listen to see if you hear any noise.

 

[bliz]

My brother in laws car sat in the driveway for awhile,when he finally drove the the car the samething happened in the driveway,it would barely move.He was driving one time after that and the rear brake pad broke while he was in a drive thru,he had to launch the car to get to move.

 

[Apeximprt2nr]

@stuckwithGSX- Yeah, I bolted the axle idle bearing to the block.

I'm going to raise the car today and try spinning each wheel and let you know what happens.

 

[97gst_spyder]

Make sure all four are off the ground.

 

[98zx23369]

sounds like a rear brake, possible frozen e brake cable

 

[Apeximprt2nr]

I found a temporary solution. Rip the Ebrake handle up and down a few times and voila. I can move. So that also tells me it's the Ebrake cable locking up. The Ebrake cable is actually too LOOSE. I think it stretched from being up for the past two months, is that possible?

Also, my Prosport electric water temp gauge and stock temp gauge are showing opposite readings.

The Prosport will read ~170*F, stock gauge will read in the middle, heat will be nice and warm.
Stock gauge will start to rise to 3/4 up, Prosport gauge will DROP to around 160-170* and heat will be COLD.

Which one do I trust?!

 

[hollyskittles]

I found a temporary solution. Rip the Ebrake handle up and down a few times and voila. I can move. So that also tells me it's the Ebrake cable locking up. The Ebrake cable is actually too LOOSE. I think it stretched from being up for the past two months, is that possible?

Also, my Prosport electric water temp gauge and stock temp gauge are showing opposite readings.

The Prosport will read ~170*F, stock gauge will read in the middle, heat will be nice and warm.
Stock gauge will start to rise to 3/4 up, Prosport gauge will DROP to around 160-170* and heat will be COLD.

Which one do I trust?!

are they hooked up to the same water temp sensor if they are placed in two separate places it would explaine erroneouse readings one side of the engine might not be the exact same temperature as the other as for the heat going cold i have no idea maybe an air pocket in your cooling system how long does this usually last.

 

[Apeximprt2nr]

The Propsort is tapped into the upper radiator hose. The heat goes cold when the Prosport reads around 160* and that's usually when the stock starts to rise.

 

[98zx23369]

this sounds correct to me. the thermostat is closed causing the rise in temperature in the thermostat housing, where the temperature sensor for the cluster is, the prosport temperature sensor is on the upper radiator hose, which is after the coolants been cooled by the radiator. id change the thermostat, and see if the prosport threads in where the stock one is. i could be completly wrong. hopefully not, second opinion anyone?

 

[Apeximprt2nr]

That seems to make sense to me. Thoughts on a t-stat to replace it with? OEM, Mishimoto 143*F, etc?

 

[pauleyman]

Just because the handle drops it doens't mean the cable released. I would guess there is water in the cable (torn boot?) and it's freezing. It's either that or the caliper itself.

 

[GRAVEDIGGER]

I found a temporary solution. Rip the Ebrake handle up and down a few times and voila. I can move. So that also tells me it's the Ebrake cable locking up. The Ebrake cable is actually too LOOSE. I think it stretched from being up for the past two months, is that possible?

The e-brake cable hasn't stretched, it just feels loose because the caliper is sticking where the e-brake cable attaches to it, causing the cable to get slack in it. You can reach right in there on the caliper and help pull or tap on the lever to release the parking brake all the way. A little lube and working it back and forth might get it to release better.

 

[98zx23369]

That seems to make sense to me. Thoughts on a t-stat to replace it with? OEM, Mishimoto 143*F, etc?

im in a whole different area. so idk what kinda thermostat would be best. id assume mitsibishi oem parts. and i was also thinking, on the "wont budge" topic, you said it sat for two months with the ebrake on? if thats the case than id have to assume the calipers are hung. probably not a cable

 

[PieEyedPiper]

That seems to make sense to me. Thoughts on a t-stat to replace it with? OEM, Mishimoto 143*F, etc?

No. Use stock or a 170* stant.

 

[stuckwithgsx]

Glad you got it figured out! Now fix it correctly before your rear tires lock up at a bad time

As far as a t-stat, I've seen a lot of posts here with people having issues when they try out different ones. There's nothing wrong with OEM, so unless you're really wanting to get cooling temps down then I would stick with oem.

 

[Turbotsiawd]

That's a big no no.when you park a car for any amount of time you put it in neutral (5speed)
And brake down. Your soposted to put a brick behind the tires that's what i have always been told. Hope this helps for the next time

 

[Apeximprt2nr]

Alright, so just to give more examples of what's going on with the coolant temperatures...

Last night I ran out real quick to grab some food and on the way home the coolant temp on the stock gauge started to rise fairly quickly to about 3/4, yet the Prosport dropped quickly to about 155*F and my heat got cold again. I turn the heat off and give it some boost and the stock gauge cools down and the Prosport climbs up to around 170*F (more normal) and I tun the heat back on and it's warm.

The Prosport and the heat are going along with each other, while the stock gauge is reading the complete opposite.

So strange..

 

[stuckwithgsx]

If you haven't hacked your stock wiring for the stock gauge, I would trust that a lot more. Did you possibly get 2 wires backwards on the prosport gauge?

 

[jtmcinder]

The Prosport and the heat are going along with each other, while the stock gauge is reading the complete opposite.

So strange..

Wasn't this explained several posts ago? You have the aftermarket gauge's sensor in the pipe that (a) comes from the heater core and (b) only flows when the thermostat is open.

What did I miss?