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Last time I got the oil changed in my car was back in February. Since then, I've driven the car no more than 100 miles. Am I correct in assuming I don't need a new oil filter? When I last had the oil changed I had a dealership do it and they charged me $80, so I'm fairly certain they changed it then. Also, if I go to a jiffylube type place, will they knock off a few dollars if I tell them they don't need to change the oil filter, or will they still charge me the same?
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Dec 7, 2008 13:17
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They usually offer about $2 off, so you may as well change it. Personally, I wouldn't change the oil at all at this point. Check it, and if it looks good, do it later.
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Dec 7, 2008 19:56
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mr.belowaverage posted:They usually offer about $2 off, so you may as well change it. Hmm, what exactly would I be checking for? I'm not really very car literate lol. Last time they put in synthetic oil, which I assume is the good stuff. Also, I'm going to be embarking on a 1000 mile roadtrip sometime this week. Do you still think I should say gently caress it and just go?
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Dec 7, 2008 21:08
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Al Harrington posted:Is there a hard and fast rule for converting brake hp used pre '72 to SAE Net numbers? These '60s Cadillacs weren't putting out >300hp, curious what the real numbers are. The Chrysler 426 Hemi, for example, in 1971 carried a 425 hp gross rating and a net rating of 350 hp, while the same company's 225 Slant 6 carried a rating of 145 bhp but 110 net hp. There's no formula though, because SAE gross was more a "theoretical optimized maximum subject to manipulation by the ad department" than "measured horsepower".
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Dec 7, 2008 21:15
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I'm looking for some books on on Roll Cage design, Chassis fabrication, EFI Tuning and Automotive Turbos. The more technical the better. I've read all I can find online but having something with an ISBN number for reference would be nice. Do such books exist?
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Dec 7, 2008 23:04
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McTinkerson posted:EFI Tuning I recently got this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0760315825 So far it's been both informative and digestible, but I haven't read enough to really recommend it. There're also a few more in the related books section there.
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Dec 7, 2008 23:44
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nbv4 posted:Hmm, what exactly would I be checking for? I'm not really very car literate lol. Low, or anything darker than a deep honey brown. quote:Last time they put in synthetic oil, which I assume is the good stuff. Also, I'm going to be embarking on a 1000 mile roadtrip sometime this week. Do you still think I should say gently caress it and just go? If it was me, and my car, yes.
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Dec 8, 2008 08:51
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I have a 1998 Chrysler Concorde LXI with the 3.2 v6 with around 145k on it. A while back it started making this annoying (but not horrible) clunking noise when going over bumps. Over time this has gotten worse to the point that even slight imperfections in the road cause this sound, and I can feel the vibration of the impact of whatever it is in the floorboard with my feet. It seems to be worse when going uphill, but not limited to that. Also, it pulls both directions. Seriously. Whichever direction I last turned, that is the way the wheel pulls, and it does not get better over a relatively long straight distances (after 50 miles on a highway with few curves, its still pulls in the direction that I turned to get onto the highway). Sometimes it feels like it pulls harder than other times, I'm thinking it is when I make a number of turns in the same direction without turning back the other way, it gets to the point where I have to noticeable put some force into keeping the wheel straight. Here’s what I’ve done to try and resolve the issue so far: · All new struts about 2 years ago ($1600 of pain) · Replaced drivers tie rod just before that (about $30 in parts and beer money for my ex’s dad who replaced it while possibly high on meth) · Had driver's tie rod end replaced about 3 months ago, $450. After this the steering felt tighter for a couple of days, but still pulls both ways and the noise is still there. Took it to two different shops before I had this done. At one shop we jacked it up and grabbed the wheel and it was fairly loose, so new tie rod ends were necessary. Do you guys have any idea of what I should be looking for? This thing is really becoming a money pit, but I can’t really do without, and I’m afraid if I take it back to the shop it will just be another $500 down the drain.
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Dec 8, 2008 09:25
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This might be a simple answer, but I don't know the answer. I drive an '88 Honda Accord LX with 125k miles on it. About 4 days ago, I was driving when all of a sudden the battery light came on. I drove it home and opened the hood to see about a quarter inch of white build-up around each battery terminal. I read up on the issue and poured coke on the terminals, causing all the build-up to disappear, then rinsed off the battery with water. The battery light remained on, however the car started just fine. I must note now that over the past month or so, the car has taken longer and longer to start on the first start after it has been sitting for a while (4 or more hours). However, once it starts, it'll run fantastically, if just revving a little high in neutral or first gear (around 2-2.5k RPM). Yesterday, I drove to Wal-Mart, and when I was getting ready to leave, it wouldn't start. It acted like it was fine, but after a few seconds of cranking, it acted like I just drained the entire battery. My lights would still come on, my clock was still correct, and I the instrument panel would light up. I got a jump, and after a minute, it start up just fine. I drove to work from Wal-Mart a half-hour early and let it sit for my 10 hour shift. After the shift, it did the same thing, and it started up fantastically with a jump from my replacement. I've been given suggestions that this is my alternator failing. I should also note that my car has a 15.9 gallon tank and usually averages around 27-28 mpg for the tank. Since my last fillup, I've driven 150 miles and my gauge reads less than a half a tank, when it should be around a third of a tank. This is the first tank with significantly less gas mileage, and is probably just due to needing a tune up (I'm changing the oil today and will change the air/fuel filters in the next couple days), but I figured I'd mention it. Any ideas?
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Dec 8, 2008 17:32
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zamin posted:This might be a simple answer, but I don't know the answer. Your battery is probably dead. Take it to an auto parts store and have them check it (should be free) but you'll most likely need a new one. How long have you had the car? Where do you live? My fuel economy has dropped about 7 mpg since the temperature dropped. It burns more fuel as the engine is warming up and I don't drive long enough distances to offset that initial drop.
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Dec 8, 2008 18:19
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Uthor posted:Your battery is probably dead. Take it to an auto parts store and have them check it (should be free) but you'll most likely need a new one. I've had the car for about 5k miles (since June). I live around Austin, TX, and the weather right now is high 60's, low 70's. If I can get it to start, I'm taking it to Auto Zone to have them test the battery and alternator before work.
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Dec 8, 2008 18:21
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zamin posted:I've had the car for about 5k miles (since June). I live around Austin, TX, and the weather right now is high 60's, low 70's. If I can get it to start, I'm taking it to Auto Zone to have them test the battery and alternator before work. Okay, I don't know about the drop in fuel economy, then.
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Dec 8, 2008 18:24
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Uthor posted:Okay, I don't know about the drop in fuel economy, then. I'm hoping it's just the air/fuel filter and needing my oil changed. I make sure my tires are properly inflated about once every week or two, and I've been using exclusively Shell regular gasoline since I bought the car. Even though I bought the car with 120k on it, I have no idea when the last time it got a tune up, but I wouldn't think needing a tune up would come on so suddenly. The tank of gas before this one got 27-28 mpg, and this one is looking like 17-20, judging by my trip and fuel gauge.
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Dec 8, 2008 18:38
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zamin posted:'88 Honda Accord LX Like others have said, first check the battery. Assuming that's OK, then check the alternator. If that's OK too, then replace or re crimp the wire that goes from the alternator to the battery. And if you need to replace the alternator, it will probably be a hassle. On the carbed 3rd generation Accords, the manual says you need to remove the drivers side axle to get it out. A few people have said you can get away with loosening the dog bone engine mount, pulling the engine forward, and passing the alternator along the firewall and bringing it out the passenger side, but I have never tried it. On the fuel injected Accords you can just remove the air filter box and pull the alternator out behind it. You might want to check out https://www.3geez.com for more information, and dealer service manuals. Swap_File fucked around with this message at 19:09 on Dec 8, 2008 |
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Dec 8, 2008 18:54
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Swap_File posted:Like others have said, first check the battery. Assuming that's OK, then check the alternator. If that's OK too, then replace or re crimp the wire that goes from the alternator to the battery. The last time I replaced an alternator, it was on a 94 S-10, which was ridiculously easy, as the alternator was right there and in your face. A couple bolts, remove the belt, replace the alternator, replace the belt and bolts, and voila, maybe a half hour of work, tops, since it was my first alternator replacement. This one is the carbed Accord, and it does look like it's going to be a huge pain in the rear end to replace, if it needs done (fingers crossed). This is especially so since I work 7 days a week and am working nights right now, so anybody that can help me is at work when I'm off and vice versa (my fiancee's dad used to be a mechanic). I got it to start after changing my oil, and it started pretty much right up. However, the battery light is on still, so I'm thinking that it's just not holding a charge, since I got a pretty good jump last night.
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Dec 8, 2008 19:17
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Hope this falls into the category of stupid enough, figure it's safer to start here than a new thread! While traveling home on my normal commute on Friday I noticed that a chip appeared in the far right side of my windshield and about 3 inches of a crack in both directions (for a total of about 6). It had not been there in the morning and I never heard a crack. Over the course of the weekend this crack got longer and is around 10-12 inches but still very much out of my direct sight. I live in Detroit so I imagine with our recent cold spells it would have made the glass more fragile. I just got off the phone with my insurance company (AAA) and they said that this windshield very much needs to be replaced and that my deductible is $250. This does sound reasonable but wanted to do my due diligence and ask the experts at AI if this is the best course of action or is there a more 'smart' way to handle this that goons typically are very good at sniffing out. Is there a strong reason to 'hurry' to get this replaced or would letting it stay like that while I can tolerate it be alright? The vehicle is a 2006 Mazdaspeed6. I'm even more bummed because my windshield is tinted and a replacement would make me sad.
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Dec 8, 2008 19:32
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zamin posted:However, the battery light is on still, so I'm thinking that it's just not holding a charge, since I got a pretty good jump last night. Do you have a voltmeter? When running, you should get something like 13.8-14.4v across the battery, and when the engine is off you should get something like 12v. If you get too much less than 12v when off, replace the battery. If you get less than 13.8-14.4v when running, look at replacing the alternator.
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Dec 8, 2008 19:49
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I paid around $250 for a new windshield on my Mazda WITHOUT going through insurance. There is no point in using AAA, especially if that is going to affect your premiums. I'd get a couple quotes from places around town.
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Dec 8, 2008 19:51
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TraderStav posted:The vehicle is a 2006 Mazdaspeed6. I'm even more bummed because my windshield is tinted and a replacement would make me sad. Is it tinted stock? They usually try to replace it with OEM glass, right? I just got my windshield replaced today and it cost $189 for a Focus. $250 seems like a fine price to pay out of pocket for a car made in fewer numbers.
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Dec 8, 2008 19:53
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revmoo posted:I paid around $250 for a new windshield on my Mazda WITHOUT going through insurance. There is no point in using AAA, especially if that is going to affect your premiums. I'd get a couple quotes from places around town. I will get some quotes, thanks for the tip. @kimbo305 : it is not stock tint.
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Dec 8, 2008 20:00
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Swap_File posted:Do you have a voltmeter? When running, you should get something like 13.8-14.4v across the battery, and when the engine is off you should get something like 12v. Thanks for this advice. I do have a voltmeter, and I will test this as soon as I can. Right now I need to go see if my car will start like it did earlier, or if I have to walk to work.
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Dec 8, 2008 20:04
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TraderStav posted:Is there a strong reason to 'hurry' to get this replaced or would letting it stay like that while I can tolerate it be alright? I've driven old beater cars that had cracks in the windshields, similar to yours, that remained for years without getting any worse. That's not to say that your windshield might not get dinged with another rock on I-75 and explode into a mass of flying glass shards, but it's not very likely. The crack probably will continue to expand, especially since the glass will be subjected to alternating heating & cooling as you use your heater and then park it for long periods of time. So I wouldn't worry about replacing it immediately, but it would probably be a good idea to take care of it within a month or two at the latest. Obviously, if it starts looking really bad or interferes with your visibility, then get it replaced as soon as possible.
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Dec 8, 2008 20:53
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Lowclock posted:Did you replace your throwout bearing when you did your clutch? It's probably that. Yep, and I used one from Mitsubishi, not the metal-body piece of poo poo that ACT that eats input shafts when (not if) the bearing seizes. It was making the sound I described before the clutch job, and when I had it all apart, I discovered that one of the old TOB's retaining clip holders was broken off (it was an ACT metal body one that the PO put on when he installed the 2100). I thought maybe THAT was the cause of the sound but was disappointed when I got it all back together and the sound didn't go away. Also a note regarding windshield replacement, FL, MA, SC and KY will basically pay your deductible on a windshield claim. A lot of insurance companies will allow you to waive your deductible anyway. Sometime this will cost you your 'preferred' status with the provider, and you may have to have a comprehensive plan. I live in Ohio and State Farm waived my deductible for my last windshield replacement and I had only liability on that vehicle. It didn't change my standing, either. Big Nubbins fucked around with this message at 21:07 on Dec 8, 2008 |
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Dec 8, 2008 20:59
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greasy digits posted:Also a note regarding windshield replacement, FL, MA, SC and KY will basically pay your deductible on a windshield claim. A lot of insurance companies will allow you to waive your deductible anyway. Sometime this will cost you your 'preferred' status with the provider, and you may have to have a comprehensive plan. I live in Ohio and State Farm waived my deductible for my last windshield replacement and I had only liability on that vehicle. It didn't change my standing, either. I have a comprehensive plan and AAA said they would only waive it on a repair, not a replacement. Not sure if that would make up for having to live in Ohio, but would still be nice to be valid here in Michigan! @Endor: It was I-94, but thanks for making a regional reference! 
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Dec 8, 2008 21:14
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jlboan posted:I have a 1998 Chrysler Concorde LXI with the 3.2 v6 with around 145k on it. A while back it started making this annoying (but not horrible) clunking noise when going over bumps. Over time this has gotten worse to the point that even slight imperfections in the road cause this sound, and I can feel the vibration of the impact of whatever it is in the floorboard with my feet. It seems to be worse when going uphill, but not limited to that. Also, it pulls both directions. Seriously. Whichever direction I last turned, that is the way the wheel pulls, and it does not get better over a relatively long straight distances (after 50 miles on a highway with few curves, its still pulls in the direction that I turned to get onto the highway). Sometimes it feels like it pulls harder than other times, I'm thinking it is when I make a number of turns in the same direction without turning back the other way, it gets to the point where I have to noticeable put some force into keeping the wheel straight. This is a classic case of a bad strut bearing. Memory steering and clunking as it compresses/uncompresses and gets stuck trying to spin in it's bearing race.
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Dec 8, 2008 21:34
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Dark Solux posted:This is a classic case of a bad strut bearing. Memory steering and clunking as it compresses/uncompresses and gets stuck trying to spin in it's bearing race. Thanks! My heartfelt appreciation for the help. Since my struts are newish, should I see about the warranty, or is this a different part? Sorry, I'm not so good with suspension parts.
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Dec 9, 2008 00:22
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How often should one have to replace rear rotors on an '03 Celica that spends most of its time parked in an unheated garage in relatively temperate Ottawa? After being in storage for a year my car needed about $1600 of work to put it back on the road, and this included a replacement of rear rotors & pads. That was in July 07. The following May I took it in to have the summer tires put back on, and during that affair the garage conducted a "brake inspection". Here we are in December and I just left that same garage $450 lighter because they told me my rear rotors had rusted so badly they needed to be replaced. They went on to explain that, if I had had the brakes serviced in the spring, this probably wouldn't have happened. I didn't specifically ask them to do this because I didn't know it was necessary, but if it was such a good idea... anyway. It doesn't matter. Money under the bridge. I'm a computer guy; I know nothing about cars, so when the mechanic says something I generally take him at his word. I just feel strange replacing something that isn't a tire twice in eighteen months. I've had washer jugs last longer than that. Thoughts?
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Dec 9, 2008 01:00
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I'm back with another question. About a week ago my car (1995 Corolla) started having an odd issue where in the morning when I turn the ignition, the lights would come on, but the engine wouldn't turn over. I turn it off, then back on and it starts just fine, no struggle or anything. This has been occuring every morning since, I tried just holding it down once and it struggled. Turned it off then back on and starts without a problem. I assumed this was because of cold weather and would get it checked at my next oil change. Well, it happened again today, twice. Once in the morning and again after work. I stopped by NAPA and inquired as to what I should check, and the guy threw up his hands and said it could be anything. Not satisfied, I went to my auto shop I get work done at and talked to a Mechanic there. He said the first thing would check is the Starter, since there may be carbon build up in it, preventing current from flowing. What would you guys suggest I check? Loose cable? Fuel pump? Or is it most likely the starter?
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Dec 9, 2008 02:46
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Ashex posted:I'm back with another question. Sounds like your ignition switch is flaky. They are generally a real pain in the rear end to get to. You could rig up a push button ignition switch. You still need the key in and turned on to start the car, you just push a button to start, instead of turning the key. flakeloaf posted:How often should one have to replace rear rotors on an '03 Celica that spends most of its time parked in an unheated garage in relatively temperate Ottawa? I've never heard of brake rotors rusting being an issue. They are probably the first thing to rust on a car. If your braking surface is covered in rust, they may not work very well, but they should still work, and after a few days of use, any rust should rub off. If your brakes are rusted so badly that there are deep pits, I could see that as a potential problem, but I dont see how that much rust could happen in a garage (no matter how cold it may be.) hippynerd fucked around with this message at 03:08 on Dec 9, 2008 |
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Dec 9, 2008 03:01
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jlboan posted:Thanks! My heartfelt appreciation for the help. Since my struts are newish, should I see about the warranty, or is this a different part? Sorry, I'm not so good with suspension parts. Unless specified, they probably reused your old strut mounts with the new struts. Which means in order to do the strut mounts, they have to unbolt the whole strut assembly and compress it. Unless they mentioned replacing it/its on the invoice/you got loaded struts then its not a parts warrenty claim.
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Dec 9, 2008 05:26
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I wasn't sure if I was allowed to post a new thread to ask this or not, so I'll just do it here. My car is hosed. It's a 1991 Mazda Capella that I bought for $1000 2 years ago, and I've done about 30,000km in it since then. Currently the list of things that are wrong with it includes: *hosed CV joint *cracked windscreen *something wrong with the steering rack *bald rear tyres *3rd and 4th gear don't work *brakes are dodgy *starter motor sometimes... doesn't and worst of all, the stereo doesn't pick up FM and the speakers are crap So, I've decided to upgrade rather than spend money on my piece of poo poo. I've found a 1999 Ford Escort and a 1995 Subaru Legacy TS-X wagon for sale. Both are reasonably priced and have pretty low Km's on them and appear to be in good condition. Which should I buy? Is either one massively unreliable or a piece of crap?
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Dec 9, 2008 06:50
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Ashex posted:I'm back with another question. Almost certainly starter contacts, given the pedigree. They physically wear down until there just isn't enough material to make electrical contact. It's a really easy job to do yourself, or a shop will do it for $250 or less, I'd say.
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Dec 9, 2008 09:05
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zamin posted:Thanks for this advice. I do have a voltmeter, and I will test this as soon as I can. Right now I need to go see if my car will start like it did earlier, or if I have to walk to work. Well, I got my battery charged overnight, and while it might still be a problem, it tested fine at Auto Zone, probably because it was freshly charged. It's a Bigfoot brand with a Dec 05 sticker on it, so it's bound to go out soon, if it's not poo poo already. However, the alternator test came back at 12.54 volts, so I get to switch that out. On the bright side, the vacuum advance chamber on my distributor has also snapped off, somehow, which accounts for my lovely gas mileage recently. Looks like I'm looking at ~$150 replacing those two parts, which isn't as bad as I had assumed, but still a huge pain in the rear end. Hopefully, this is the only problem that I'm going to have with it for a while.
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Dec 9, 2008 16:24
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gimpsuitjones posted:
In my experience Escorts are great little cars to buy. The 1.9L is a bulletproof motor. Unless the car is rotten it should serve your purposes well.
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Dec 9, 2008 17:49
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Wow, when it rains, it pours (literally?) Just asked a question yesterday regarding my cracked windshield and now my check engine light went off. Just brought my Mazdaspeed6 into my dealer and they told me that my Fujita CAI I installed a little under two years ago is lacking a splash shield and soaked my MAF. I don't recall having any parts left over nor recall installing said shield. It has been some time and not as savvy as many of you so hoping you can shed some light for me. He recommended I put the Mazdaspeed CAI on since it has a water shield. When I bought the Fujita I 'thought' that they were nearly identical and had I know that the MS one had a splash shield I certainly would not have cheaped out. So the questions are: - Does the MS CAI have a splash shield? - If so, how difficult is the installation from my current installation of the Fujita? I don't have much time these days and it's cold so time under the hood is needed to be kept at a minimum. - I'm contemplating just putting the stock air box back on to avoid problems as modding my car is not something I am very interested in these days (got an infant and no time to dedicate to this passion much longer). Would that be more difficult that installing a MS CAI? I know that this may be a bit esoteric for many of you but I'm hoping to grab a Mazda expert. Also, regarding MAF Sensors. The dealer is asking $240 for one and Autozone is $160 +70ish for the core, which will be refunded when I return it. Do they mean the 'busted' one that I will remove? Could someone clarify on that for me?
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Dec 9, 2008 22:29
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TraderStav posted:Also, regarding MAF Sensors. The dealer is asking $240 for one and Autozone is $160 +70ish for the core, which will be refunded when I return it. Do they mean the 'busted' one that I will remove? Could someone clarify on that for me? Can't help you much on the CAI and splash shields. As for the MAF sensor, yes, the core is the old part. Think of it like a deposit. Alternatively, if you bring the old part in with you when you go to buy the new one you'll get the 70 bucks back right then and there. Otherwise just make sure you bring your receipt with the old part to get the $70 back. To clarify you will pay $230 to purchase the part, and then get $70 back when you bring in your old one. On a side note, I would be tempted to pay the extra $80 for the dealer part. Sometimes you can run into problems with aftermarket electronics. And the MAF sensor is a rather sensitive sensor. Bocklebee fucked around with this message at 23:31 on Dec 9, 2008 |
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Dec 9, 2008 23:28
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Edit: never mind. Jumped the gun on a diagnosis while the car was stranded. Got it home and figured it out.
Big Nubbins fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Dec 10, 2008 |
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Dec 10, 2008 00:08
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I'm hearing a lot of "Pep Boys sucks" around these parts. For someone who lives in an apartment complex without a car jack, what kind of place should I take my car to if I need some sort of tune up done?
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Dec 10, 2008 08:36
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Darkstitch posted:I'm hearing a lot of "Pep Boys sucks" around these parts. For someone who lives in an apartment complex without a car jack, what kind of place should I take my car to if I need some sort of tune up done? Number 1 sign of a good shop: They're full up for a few days so if it is not an emergecy, you'll have to make an appointment.
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Dec 10, 2008 09:49
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nm posted:Number 1 sign of a good shop: They're full up for a few days so if it is not an emergecy, you'll have to make an appointment. Well, by that logic there are 3 places down the road. I'll start asking around and seeing which one is friendlier. Thanks. So far fixing this car has been so simple I haven't taken it to the garage. 2 misfiring pistons? Don't worry, just replace the ignition wires.
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Dec 10, 2008 12:31
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