I found a site that might help me!

I've got an ill 1989 Tempo -- no idea why, but she started vibrating like crazy as I drove to work this morning (about 10 minutes after I was already on the road). I thought maybe a flat but I wasn't sure so I kept on going -- embarrassed that everyone would see my poor car vibrating like no tomorrow. Anyway then about 10 minutes later there was a big clang/bang/smash kinda thing coming out from the engine, and suddenly the battery light lit up with ALT underneath. Well, I guess I have a problem now, don't I!! Pulling into work, it seemed my power steering was pretty well manual by then. []

Does anyone know what happened, and how do I fix it? I didn't have time to look under the hood since I was already late for work and this didn't help at all.

 

if you lost the charging system, and the power steering, i bet your car runs a serpentine belt...and it broke the belt...or it runs seperate accessory drive belts, and you lost more than one...i bet with a quick look around, youll see the lack of a belt, or a mangled belt under the hood

 

So you don't recommend that I drive it home then? (about 55 km)

This is the power steering, isn't it... is the belt hard to replace? Maybe if I searched the site I could find some pics to illustrate... hmmm.

Thanks for your help!!

 

well, ive driven a car with no power steering, it isnt that big of a deal...now, the charging system on the other hand....you may not make it that far...i dont know how far 55km is...sorry.

 

Was it just a belt or the belt and a ball on a tire?

 

The crankshaft damper probably came apart and that was the noise then the belt came off.

 

hi mate,
your car has to visit a mechanic.