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1998 Honda mini truck vandalized?

Discussion in 'General Truck Info' started by fargo9123, Apr 17, 2015.

  1. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    I don't think there is an standard answer for what I have going on here so I am asking out right.
    My son just bought a 1998 Honda mini which he tells me has full time four wheel drive. He's had it for 24 hours when a group of his classmates picked up the truck from the back end and moved it.
    My son says he had left it in Rev. with the parking brake on and when he found it moved and got in, it was in neutral and says the truck doesn't feel right and now stalls.
    My question is could there have been some kind of damage done to the truck in the transmission, or in the gearing jumping a tooth?
    He did say that the truck did drive just fine when he picked it from the owner, and he does know how to drive a mini as he has driven mine before.
    Any help out there? Advice?
    Thanks in advance
    Fargo
     
  2. OldMachinist

    OldMachinist Moderator Staff Member

    I can't think of any thing that just lifting the rear of the truck and moving it would damage. It's has what Honda calls "Real Time 4WD" so it has a clutching mechanism that only engages the front drive shaft when it senses the rear wheels are slipping. I'm planning on having my Honda jacked up today to change to summer tires, I'll try some things to see if it could have done any damage.
     
  3. OldMachinist

    OldMachinist Moderator Staff Member

    Well I hate to say it but I was wrong. If the parking brake hadn't been on the vandals would have been able to move the truck on just the front wheels but the brake prevented the rear transaxle from rotating. I jacked/blocked my ACTY up, put it in reverse, packing brake on and could not rotate both front wheel in the same direction. Took the parking brake off and was able to rotate them and one rear wheel rotated at the same time. They had to have forced it enough to pop it out of gear to get it to move.
    I don't know what would have been damaged but its time for the "classmates" to step up and open their wallets or file a police report so you can make a insurance claim.
     
    greg0187 likes this.
  4. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    Yes, I kinda figured maybe something might slipped like maybe the timing or along the drive train. But I don't know enough to be sure
    I told my son not to drive it until it can be towed some place to be looked at just to be on the safe side.
    Thank you for help, it still more information than I have as I drive a 96 Carry and don't know if there is that much difference between the two.
     
  5. OldMachinist

    OldMachinist Moderator Staff Member

    That's something I didn't think about, if the engine was rotated backwards the timing belt may have jumped a couple of teeth.
     
  6. Daner

    Daner Member

    The engine doesn't run correctly now? Or is there drag from somewhere in the drivetrain?

    On a side note I'm in Fargo, ND right now. Which may or may not be where you are based on your name.
     
  7. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    Ah no, I live in Nebraska, and my son is going to school in Watertown, SD. The name I got as a nick name because of my real name (Dale Robertson).
    I really don't have much more info since its a long drive to get up there, so I have not had the chance to look at it, but just have a gut feeling its the timing that may have jumped, but thanks for your reply.
     
  8. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    yeah well, I know enough to get me into trouble at times! But I can figure a few things out now and again. Thank you again for your reply!
     
  9. I would be Fargo9123s son, here in Watertown, SD. I'm still hoping i can find a shop to get it into and have it looked at.. i have no idea what i'm looking for otherwise myself, and what guides i can find are in Japanese...

    Pretty pictures, but not very helpful. I need to have some kind of assessment in order to follow through with the report with my friendly local police officer who is handling my case. Anyone know of a place roughly close to my location that would be more than familiar with a 1998 honda acty? or anything that i could possibly do to look myself? being a college student and working, puts me with a leisurely two hours free a day until weekends... so I'm not very confident i can have something complicated torn apart and back together in two days with the extra running around i do over the weekends to make sure my work/school week goes smoothly.


    (I picked up the ACTY to make my rounds between school and work a little more economical gas wise, and have something to go everywhere with, and carry things... but now not even 24 hours after getting it the first day of everything feeling right, and sounding good, my classmates prank turned into a hornets nest, and i'm left out of what was supposed to be my go to vehicle... just my luck!)
     
  10. OldMachinist

    OldMachinist Moderator Staff Member

  11. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    I would like to say thanks to one and all that took the time to look at this post which I sure you can agree was " different " and the information we got was very helpful. this is a really great site and although I have not had to use it much when I did come here every one is so helpful. My son has been in touch with a shop that will tow it in and look at the truck. Thanks again every one! Fargo
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2015
  12. OldMachinist

    OldMachinist Moderator Staff Member

    You're welcome, but you just happen to post the day before I was planning on working on mine or it may have been a few days to a week before I would have had a chance to check in to it.
     
  13. TRAX and HORNS

    TRAX and HORNS Well-Known Member

    One place you might call and pick their head, in somewhat your neck of the woods would be "Magic Valley Mini Trks." Google the name for #.
     
  14. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    well, we still don't any real answers as to what happened with that Honda but now Carry is making noises from the front end and I hope it not the fan, but there are any ideas out there sure would love to hear them. This is 96 Carry pictured


    here
     
  15. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    Okay back to the same problem again. The place that my son had it hauled to never looked at it, and said they were too busy to look at the ACTY so he took back home. I'm heading up there to try and help.
    He did say that under power there is noise coming from what sound like
    the left front between a grind and high pitch. So now I'm thinking the timing may be okay and the problem is elsewhere. I'll look on here but won't know the real problem till I get up there later in the next next week but if anybody has any ideas I'd sure like to hear from you.
    Oh and the transmission is fine we found out its just this noise at higher speeds.
     
  16. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member

    At long last I got up here to take a look at the Honda and drove it. I can't find anything bent or broken and it drives fine. The noise comes while shifting gears and goes away so maybe just truck noise to a newb? I think my son has some more learning to do, but I'll help him through it. Thanks to one and all for your input, love the site!!!
     
  17. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    when you say comes when shifting gears do you mean when the clutch is pressed in because if you have noise when the clutch is in your throwout bearing for the clutch maybe going?
     
  18. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    it is funny how when something happens to a vehicle ones ears get more in tune to the noises it makes. maybe it always makes that noise. maybe not. then you start listening more and almost puting ideas in your head that something is wrong especially when you are new to the particular vehicle.
     
  19. TRAX and HORNS

    TRAX and HORNS Well-Known Member

    It so important to get ALL the facts and symptoms when posting on any discussion site like this. Example, guy brings in truck and says replaced alt. and it never would start after that( no one said anything about jumping old battery off and hooked it up wrong, after about a day of trying to figure out what was wrong). Truck would turn over but wouldnt fire. Hooking up old battery wrong burned fusible link wire. Talking to the guy that drives the truck all the time is when I found out where the possible problem could be.Couple of easy(15 min.) electrical test(Im not a electrical type of guy) found burned wire, repaired it, and he's back on the road.
    As reliable as these trucks are most of the time its something very simple. Its typical that we humans think the worst first or we think to much in to it. Often I find myself doing it. A six pack of your favorite adult beverage and being calm goes a long way.
     
  20. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member


    No I didn't note any noise while depressing the clutch, but the was rattle / grind type sound while engaging the gears and after a short time it went away. Now while slowing down I heard some noise as well, but for most part truck ran fine with good power and stable. I did check under the truck and didn't see anything and there was some play in the main drive shaft but not much. So unless there is something inside gear boxes or what ever I can't find it. I think what the deal will be is to drive it a bit longer and see if it irons out or a problem can found. Only thing I can think of at this point, but I will have him get in touch with the previous owner again and talk about this and maybe show the previous owner what its doing.
    I'm going back up in a month or so and check it over again just to be sure I didn't miss anything. But as I say it could/might be new owner worries? He was excited about getting the truck and it is even a bit bigger then mine inside and very smooth riding. Almost makes me want to trade what I have for something newer! But I'm greedy like that ;)
    Thanks for the reply!
     
  21. ttc

    ttc Active Member

    you could drain the transmission next time and check for metal. or turn up the radio and keep driving :)
     
  22. fargo9123

    fargo9123 New Member


    Oh I do agree with that but this was his first time getting something without me being around, however I have pulled a few boners myself in my time! (But I won't tell him that). I think it will be okay to drive for now for short trips which is what he is using it for and I'll have him get in touch with guy he bought it from he should have all the facts about it, and when I go back up in a month or so I check the truck over again or take it someplace that does work on them.
    Thanks for you reply!
     

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