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uwaeve
Oct 21, 2010



focus this time so i don't have to keep telling you idiots what happened
Lipstick Apathy
If my 2011 Mazda 3 owner's manual is silent on ATF service/replacement, I take it the EMERGENCY TIME CRITICAL ATF SERVICE they try to sell me at the local Quickety Slippery place is useless/scammish? I'm at 75k and there are no apparent problems with transmission operation.

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Geoj
May 28, 2008

BITTER POOR PERSON

uwaeve posted:

If my 2011 Mazda 3 owner's manual is silent on ATF service/replacement, I take it the EMERGENCY TIME CRITICAL ATF SERVICE they try to sell me at the local Quickety Slippery place is useless/scammish? I'm at 75k and there are no apparent problems with transmission operation.

Doesn't look like Mazda has a published change interval but cursory Google search shows people having the dealer suggest a fluid change/flush as early as 35,000. I'd take it either to a Mazda dealer or a reputable independent garage/transmission specialist if you don't want to DIY.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





75k miles is a good time to go ahead and change the ATF, but I would second the suggestion to get a dealer / reputable independent shop to do it. You really want to avoid any sort of aggressive "flush" situation since those can cause more harm than good.

I was going to put something in here about a random quicklube place having some generic import ATF instead of whatever Mazda uses, but it turns out (probably as a result of the Ford tie-up for so long) they just use Mercon V. Of course I wouldn't put it past a quicklube to use import fluid "because it's a Mazda" instead!

It also looks like a seriously easy DIY since a horrible guide I found makes it look like it even has a drain plug. I wouldn't do most of what that guy does (ESPECIALLY not "start the engine with the trans drain plug open to get more fluid out", jesus christ) - I would do it just like how Honda recommends it. Lift the car up, drain the pan, replace the plug. Figure out how much fluid came out, add that much fresh fluid down the dipstick. Drive 10-50 miles, then repeat the whole cycle at least two more times.

Molten Llama
Sep 20, 2006

Rythe posted:

Looks like my heater blend door actuator, in my 2010 chevy traverse is crapped out and needs to be replaced. I am going to pick one up at the GM dealer tomorrow, or if that is too much order one online. My question is how do I ensure I install the actuator in the right vent position?

Right now the car is stuck in floor/body mode, how do I know the current position of the new actuator is set to that mode versus say defrost? I am worried I am going to put it in and the control switch is not going to correspond to the proper vent.

In most cases outside of hateful German automobiles, you move your blend or mode door by hand (using the tab or slot that mates into the actuator) to fit the actuator you're swapping out, and the system will recalibrate itself either on the next ignition cycle or after disconnecting the battery.

Grumbletron 4000
Nov 30, 2002

Where you want it, bitch.
College Slice

some texas redneck posted:



I'd find a way to check the fuel pressure, both at idle and while blipping the throttle.

When the filter was clogged decently on my Integra, it idled fine, was fine at WOT, but hesitated pretty bad at part throttle. Putting a gauge on showed a slightly wavering pressure while at idle, and blipping the throttle would cause it to nosedive before shooting up. Holding it steady caused the needle to have a seizure, but somehow it still pulled steady under WOT.

My first guess is partially clogged fuel filter, second is fuel pressure regulator, third is fuel pump.

[/quote]

rdb posted:

I think it's an ignition issue, when is the last time you gave it plugs and wires? Maybe even a coil going bad. Accelerating at low RPM causes some pretty high cylinder pressures and that's when it's hardest to ignite. Boost makes it worse.

Thanks for the advice! Those are definitely good places to start. I'll throw a new filter in first cause that's cheap and easy. Hopefully that's it. Plugs and wires are definitely due. I did them right around 100k. Unfortunately the back set of plugs is a son a bitch to change. Gotta loosen the motor mounts and tilt the whole engine forward to get to them. I'll pick those and do that misery this weekend.

Echotic
Oct 20, 2013
In my search for a new car I have come across a 2003 Subaru Legacy wagon (BP) 2.5i. This car has the EJ253 motor which if i understand correctly is one of the ones affected plauged with head gasket issues. everything I've read is unclear on when the issue was resolved, if it ever was. Can anyone tell me if I'm looking at a money pit? Car is at 136,000 km (85,000 miles).

wargames
Mar 16, 2008

official yospos cat censor

Extra posted:

Thank you.

The parking brake did not work the first time and still does not work after re-opening the drums and finding the the shoes were already adjusted as far outward as physically possible to allow the drum to fit back on.

I tried the following methods to get the self-adjusters to push out further with everything put back together:

- Apply brake pedal several times with vehicle off
- Apply brake pedal several times with vehicle off with parking brake engaged and adjusted
- Drive car in reverse at 20-30 mph and apply brakes
- Drive car in reverse at 20-30 mph and apply brakes with parking brake engaged and adjusted

There is an opening accessed by removing a rubber cover on either backing plate but it does not seem feasible at all to access the adjuster from this opening. The opening is lower than the adjuster and far offset from it.

Here is a diagram of the backing plate:


This kind of futzing around for 8 hours on a project that shouldn't take any time at all is par for the course so I'm probably forgetting something extremely obvious. Due to my lovely communication skills I am probably not providing enough information for someone else to infer what that issue is.

Hey focus buddy can you suffer some more so I can learn to fix my parking brake on my 2004 focus? Is this a known issue for focus' made during this time?

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
I tore apart my '02's drums a couple of times but never had any issues after putting it back together. And I don't see anything I recognize as being wrong in those posts.

ol qwerty bastard
Dec 13, 2005

If you want something done, do it yourself!
I've got a 1998 Corolla VE, and the brake lights stopped working. I checked the fuse and it seemed fine, but I swapped it out anyway and that didn't fix it. Tail lights / turn signals / reverse lights are all fine. Anyone know what this might be, and more importantly, is it something I can fix myself?

Thanks.

spankmeister
Jun 15, 2008






Brake light switch probably, or wiring maybe.

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.

spankmeister posted:

Brake light switch probably, or wiring maybe.

To test this you can unplug the wires from the brake light switch and short them together. If your tail lights come on, it's just the switch. If they don't, there's another problem somewhere.

ol qwerty bastard
Dec 13, 2005

If you want something done, do it yourself!
I'll check the switch, thanks.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
Probably the switch, but I've had both taillight bulbs burn out within a couple of hours of each other.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Am I a idiot are these brakes in bad shape?
Note dark spots are raindrops not pits, no pulsing or anything

The look like fine rotors and pads all around.. the rear pads (pictured) ca probably stand to get replaced in the spring

Album
http://imgur.com/a/mLDP7

Wickerman
Feb 26, 2007

Boom, mothafucka!
Alright so I have a question.

I have a 99 Honda Accord 3.0L V6 that has ~285,000 miles on it. Today I was replacing the PCV valve which sits in the rear valve cover. When I went to remove the grommet, the grommet fell down into the hole it sits in. After several attempts to fish it out, it managed to disappear completely within the hole. I've included the MajesticHonda diagram to hopefully help figure out if it can be safely ignored or if it's in somewhere where the car should not be started until it can be removed.

It's item #4 on this diagram.



Can I leave it in there or do I need to get it out? I'm not in a place where I can easily tear the intake and valve cover off myself (~2 hours away from my garage and tools) so I'd probably have to have it towed to a local shop or the dealership and have it done and hopefully within the next day or two :(

KnifeWrench
May 25, 2007

Practical and safe.

Bleak Gremlin
Hopefully this is the right place. This question seems pretty stupid but :shrug:

My brother was/is pretty into working on cars as a hobby, but I'm a total outsider. This past year, his beloved WRX, which he'd put a lot of time and energy into, got totaled. He replaced it with a 2008 4Runner a couple months ago. So I was thinking maybe a good gift idea would be to get him something for that, but I have no idea:
- If that's an absurd idea because obviously the 4Runner can't be a fun project car
- What kinds of accessories would be relatively likely to be well-received as a gift
- If hobbyists don't even like other people getting stuff for them, because that's the whole point of the hobby

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Everyone in my family is a nightmare to shop for, so I'm looking for any kind of foothold.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Get him a Bluetooth (android compatible) or wifi (ios compatible) obd2 reader off of amazon.. get one with good reviews that's not a dinky one.. should be around 20bux. Then a gift card for the app store for around $10 to get an app.

Also visit the tools thread maybe. Car guys love tools.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Wickerman posted:

Alright so I have a question.

I have a 99 Honda Accord 3.0L V6 that has ~285,000 miles on it. Today I was replacing the PCV valve which sits in the rear valve cover. When I went to remove the grommet, the grommet fell down into the hole it sits in. After several attempts to fish it out, it managed to disappear completely within the hole. I've included the MajesticHonda diagram to hopefully help figure out if it can be safely ignored or if it's in somewhere where the car should not be started until it can be removed.

It's item #4 on this diagram.



Can I leave it in there or do I need to get it out? I'm not in a place where I can easily tear the intake and valve cover off myself (~2 hours away from my garage and tools) so I'd probably have to have it towed to a local shop or the dealership and have it done and hopefully within the next day or two :(

I wouldn't chance it. Even if it's something soft, it can still cause problems if it gets jammed up in between a cam / follower, and if it breaks up it can block oil passages.

Grumbletron 4000
Nov 30, 2002

Where you want it, bitch.
College Slice

KnifeWrench posted:

Hopefully this is the right place. This question seems pretty stupid but :shrug:

My brother was/is pretty into working on cars as a hobby, but I'm a total outsider. This past year, his beloved WRX, which he'd put a lot of time and energy into, got totaled. He replaced it with a 2008 4Runner a couple months ago. So I was thinking maybe a good gift idea would be to get him something for that, but I have no idea:
- If that's an absurd idea because obviously the 4Runner can't be a fun project car
- What kinds of accessories would be relatively likely to be well-received as a gift
- If hobbyists don't even like other people getting stuff for them, because that's the whole point of the hobby

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Everyone in my family is a nightmare to shop for, so I'm looking for any kind of foothold.

Some good detailing products would probably be appreciated. A bundle of microfibre cloths, a clay bar and maybe some good quality soaps and wax would be good. Maybe put it all in a bucket and wrap it up.

Raluek
Nov 3, 2006

WUT.

Grumbletron 4000 posted:

Some good detailing products would probably be appreciated. A bundle of microfibre cloths, a clay bar and maybe some good quality soaps and wax would be good. Maybe put it all in a bucket and wrap it up.

A counterpoint to this is if he's "into" detailing, he'll have particular products that he already prefers, and that's not easy to guess.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Just get him porn mags and a pack of smokes that's what car guys are into.

Wickerman
Feb 26, 2007

Boom, mothafucka!

IOwnCalculus posted:

I wouldn't chance it. Even if it's something soft, it can still cause problems if it gets jammed up in between a cam / follower, and if it breaks up it can block oil passages.

How do I get this sombitch out without tearing the valve cover off? Shop-vac? I don't have access to anything except a socket set, a Giant Eagle, and a Dollar General.

If I could visualize the inside of the valve cover, I could potentially(?) fish it out.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Order a new gasket and take the cover off, replace gasket and valve cover.

Is your car worth more than 40 bucks or less and 2 hours of time?.

Grumbletron 4000
Nov 30, 2002

Where you want it, bitch.
College Slice

Raluek posted:

A counterpoint to this is if he's "into" detailing, he'll have particular products that he already prefers, and that's not easy to guess.

Thats true. Maybe look at the shelves in his garage and see what he uses if that's possible. Unless he's a total detailing snob some Zymol stuff and a pack of rags would probably be a great gift.

Mercury Ballistic
Nov 14, 2005

not gun related
My dad got me a big box of nitrile gloves. Was a very practical car guy gift.
Couple with some shop rags maybe?

Gingerbread House Music
Dec 1, 2009

by FactsAreUseless
Lipstick Apathy

Mercury Ballistic posted:

My dad got me a big box of nitrile gloves. Was a very practical car guy gift.
Couple with some shop rags maybe?

Good (5-6mill) textured nitrile gloves are something few people will buy for themselves, but are awesome to have.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Ozmiander posted:

Good (5-6mill) textured nitrile gloves are something few people will buy for themselves, but are awesome to have.

Usually every other time I drive by harbor freight I stop in and get a box of 5min Nitrile gloves, I never thogught of them until my MIL had some around and I used them while doing some plumbing or something for her. They're nice to have around for dealing with car work, no more oil hands, no more brake lube on hands, no more anything.. They're also great around the house for cleaning, or for plumbing/painting etc.


reposting for myself since I added images form the album now that I"m not on my phone.


tater_salad posted:

Am I a idiot are these brakes in bad shape?
Note dark spots are raindrops not pits, no pulsing or anything

The look like fine rotors and pads all around.. the rear pads (pictured) ca probably stand to get replaced in the spring

Album
http://imgur.com/a/mLDP7







Also the rear pads are about 50% work (5-7mm of pad left of OEM 10mm), the front pads are brand new and are at like 95%

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Rusty but nothing that would give me any worries, why do you ask?

KnifeWrench
May 25, 2007

Practical and safe.

Bleak Gremlin

Grumbletron 4000 posted:

Thats true. Maybe look at the shelves in his garage and see what he uses if that's possible. Unless he's a total detailing snob some Zymol stuff and a pack of rags would probably be a great gift.

If he didn't live 3000 miles away, the recon would be a lot easier, but anything nominally consumable is always a great idea.

Thanks for all the great insights, tater_salad, Grumbletron 4000, Mercury Ballistic, and Ozmiander! Since his birthday is around the same time, I might just use all of your ideas in some capacity.

Kia Soul Enthusias
May 9, 2004

zoom-zoom
Toilet Rascal

CharlesM posted:

Hey guys. 2006 Mazda 3.
I had to slam on the brakes for a cat that ran in front of me. ABS went off really hard and now my pedal is going almost to the floor to get any braking. Did the ABS have a big air bubble in it? Or maybe I burst a line? The fluid level is normal I think but I'll have to check in the morning too. :sigh:

Alright, update, we replaced the master cylinder and that didn't change anything. The pedal feels the same and it's still really easy to trip ABS. I'm guessing it's only braking on one circuit. We're kind of stumped here and could use help. :(

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


IOwnCalculus posted:

Rusty but nothing that would give me any worries, why do you ask?

Rust is due to being in the land of snow and salt so they see a lot of salt.. usually when I do brakes, every 2-3 sets of pads mean new calipers too, and always plenty of lube on the slides.

I ask because I got failed on my NYS inspection for front rotors being in bad shape, and rear pads/rotors being in bad shape. I went to Mavis because i was getting new tires put on and my normal inspection shop is closed till next week because the fam is on vacation, and it seemed like they wanted to sell me one-o-dem fancy pants $500 brake jobs.

NYS inspection guidelines state
Brake Rotors: fail if : Substantial cracks extending to edge, Evidence of mechanical damage, Distortion of scoring impairs system
Brake Pads: Disk brake wear sensor is activated (Rears do not have the wear sensor) Friction material is broken/cracked/falling off. Oil/greas contamination, Metal to metal contact.. for medium

Mainly I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something terrible and wasn't' sending my wife and kids driver around in some kind of death trap, I've been working on my own cars for 25 years and in my own experience. There no pedal pulsing, noise or pulling on braking, and at 20-30mph I can get a panic stop on dry pavement to kick on the ABS.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Yeah I'm not seeing anything that says "fail these brakes". I've driven (unknowingly) cars with far worse.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


IOwnCalculus posted:

Yeah I'm not seeing anything that says "fail these brakes". I've driven (unknowingly) cars with far worse.

My SIL had some cheap chineese brakes on her car that had bands of unworn metal on them like stripes.. that's what I was expecting to see when I heard "your disks have rounding on the inside" from teh shop.. but yeah... the disks are straight and flat on both sides, and the pads are new in the front, and 50% in the rear.

Cactus Ghost
Dec 20, 2003

you can actually inflate your scrote pretty safely with sterile saline, syringes, needles, and aseptic technique. its a niche kink iirc

the saline just slowly gets absorbed into your blood but in the meantime you got a big round smooth distended nutsack

2015 Toyota Prius

So, uh, my car... I think my car got shot.

I was sitting in a grocery store parking lot, chowing down on some unremembered snack I just bought (probably cheezits), when I hear a loud POP. And I mean pretty drat loud. After the initial wtf moment passed, I was sure I had a random blowout or something, I was sure it was a tire. I get out, walk around, all my tires look normal. I walk around again. I look at adjacent cars. Finally, I shrug and consign it to mystery.

Next day, after running some errands with a roommate, she stops me and says "Hey, uh, did you know about this dent?"

...

No...



Sigh.





gently caress.

I don't know what that is if it isn't a bullet. That has to have been what that noise was. I had a bit of a moment when I realized I probably came within a few inches of getting loving shot by some random stray bullet.

Money is extremely tight (yay nursing school) but the car's a lease so I have to get it fixed at some point. For the monent I just hit it with some WD-40 and covered it with a piece of electrical tape to keep it dry and make it less of an eyesore.

My deductible is $500. Obviously the safest solution is to pony up the $500, have a pro fix it, and have my comprehesive coverage take the rest.

I poked around and it looks like bondo and matched paint cans aren't that expensive. $20 for a tub of bondo, $20 for the can of color, $5 each for cans of filler primer, regular primer, and clear.

I have a little woodworking experience, so I know my way around sandpaper and spraypaint, and I'm plenty willing to do my homework and study technique in how-tos and on youtube.

The Question:
Is this totally out of my league, or do I have a real shot at getting this back to lease-return condition for $100 in materials?

Cactus Ghost fucked around with this message at 01:26 on Dec 5, 2015

BoyBlunder
Sep 17, 2008

OMGVBFLOL posted:

2015 Toyota Prius

So, uh, my car... I think my car got shot.

I was sitting in a grocery store parking lot, chowing down on some unremembered snack I just bought (probably cheezits), when I hear a loud POP. And I mean pretty drat loud. After the initial wtf moment passed, I was sure I had a random blowout or something, I was sure it was a tire. I get out, walk around, all my tires look normal. I walk around again. I look at adjacent cars. Finally, I shrug and consign it to mystery.

Next day, after running some errands with a roommate, she stops me and says "Hey, uh, did you know about this dent?"

...

No...



Sigh.





gently caress.

I don't know what that is if it isn't a bullet. That has to have been what that noise was. I had a bit of a moment when I realized I probably came within a few inches of getting loving shot by some random stray bullet.

Money is extremely tight (yay nursing school) but the car's a lease so I have to get it fixed at some point. For the monent I just hit it with some WD-40 and covered it with a piece of electrical tape to keep it dry and make it less of an eyesore.

My deductible is $500. Obviously the safest solution is to pony up the $500, have a pro fix it, and have my comprehesive coverage take the rest.

I poked around and it looks like bondo and matched paint cans aren't that expensive. $20 for a tub of bondo, $20 for the can of color, $5 each for cans of filler primer, regular primer, and clear.

I have a little woodworking experience, so I know my way around sandpaper and spraypaint, and I'm plenty willing to do my homework and study technique in how-tos and on youtube. Is this totally out of my league, or do I have a real shot at getting this back to lease-return condition for $100 in materials?

This is the first new car I've owned; everything else was old enough that comp never got carried and dents never got fixed.

Looks like a paintball.

I'd let insurance take care of it. Sucks, but you'll have less hassle when you return the lease.

Mercury Ballistic
Nov 14, 2005

not gun related
Yeah a bullet direct out of the gun would have punched through. Even a .22 will go right through car sheet metal. It might have been a ricochet? I agree a paintball is a possibility except for the lack of paint. Airsoft maybe? Either way, I would just have it done right. Might want to file a police report to back up your claim though.

Pomp and Circumcized
Dec 23, 2006

If there's one thing I love more than GruntKilla420, it's the Queen! Also bacon.
Airsoft won't cause a dent like that especially on a corner. Could be a bullet, especially if fired from a distance, that has lost much of its velocity, which also explains it being a random stray.

Cactus Ghost
Dec 20, 2003

you can actually inflate your scrote pretty safely with sterile saline, syringes, needles, and aseptic technique. its a niche kink iirc

the saline just slowly gets absorbed into your blood but in the meantime you got a big round smooth distended nutsack

I should have taken pictures with some sort of scale reference, sorry. The part missing paint is thumbnail-sized. The metal's deformed inward a quarter- to a half-inch. The total width of the deep deformation is about two inches, with some slight deformation for about an inch to either side. It wasn't airsoft or a paintball.

Regardless, I'm not really concerned what did it. I care if I stand a reasonable chance of fixing this myself; $400 saved would be a shitload of money to me right now, though opinion seems to sway toward saving up the deductible and making the claim.

Can I make a claim late? Is that a thing? I don't have the $500 right now. If I make a claim in a few months, will it matter or will that require lying about when it happened (a crime, yay) to get it covered? I guess I should comb through my coverage agreement to see for sure.

Cactus Ghost fucked around with this message at 02:15 on Dec 5, 2015

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Check with your insurance company since it happened while parked it may be a $0 comprehensive claim since yiu didn't drive into anything.. a fuckin projectile of some sort hit your little earth loving car.

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MRC48B
Apr 2, 2012

Were you near a golf course at the time? looks more like a golf ball hit. Those little bastards have a lot of kinetic energy.

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