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Safety Dance
Sep 10, 2007

Five degrees to starboard!

I've been around cars a minute, and this question has always bugged me: Why do engine designers use studs? Are bolts not prone to seizing enough that they also have to use lovely headless bolts that you gotta break free with vice grips for some reason? What's the logic?

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Dagen H
Mar 19, 2009

Hogertrafikomlaggningen
I'm sure it boils down to ease of assembly on the production line.

PuTTY riot
Nov 16, 2002
I think I probably need new tires. I bought these in july 2013 with 145622 on the odometer. almost 3 years and 27,000 miles later they look pretty lovely. I had one blow out on me already at 30mph or so after an hour of interstate driving and replaced it a few months ago at a pro-rated price (obviously the one with all the tread on it). Is this quick wear just a result of a) cheap tires, b) underinflation/not rotating frequently enough, c) bad alignment or something like that, d) unrealistic expectations for middlin' tier tires or e) all of the above? The 2001 suburban they're on has been in a couple collisions but nothing major. Last time I put tires on they had to replace a ball joint or something like that, I honestly don't remember. Front passenger side IIRC. It was less than $100 for the part and labor though.

I just put some yokohama's on my wife's 2012 accord last week and they made a huge difference. I don't mind putting good tires on the suburban too, but I don't want to do that if they're going to wear prematurely. The suburban, for the past 8 years or so, has been the "I'm only going to keep it another year or so" vehicle that keeps on ticking and won't die. It's 2wd and other than my gravel parking pad, it doesn't spend hardly any time off road.

http://imgur.com/a/YC9uU


edit: the reason this came up is I had a low tire, again. down to like 17psi. Filled it up and I'll see if it'll hold for any length of time.

PuTTY riot fucked around with this message at 15:46 on Mar 16, 2016

Olympic Mathlete
Feb 25, 2011

:h:


Safety Dance posted:

I've been around cars a minute, and this question has always bugged me: Why do engine designers use studs? Are bolts not prone to seizing enough that they also have to use lovely headless bolts that you gotta break free with vice grips for some reason? What's the logic?

It's something to do with getting accurate torque readings as studs remain stationary during tightening and they only stretch on one axis.

Here you go:

quote:

In terms of function, the use of studs provides much more accurate and consistent torque loading. When a bolt is installed, the act of tightening results in both twisting (torsional load) and stretching (vertical, or axial load). This results in the bolt being exposed to two forces at the same time, as well as experiencing frictional loads at the thread engagement. When the nut is tightened on a stud, the stud stretches on its vertical axis only. The exposed end (top) of the stud features “fine” threads, which allow more precise and therefore accurate, torque readings when the nut is torqued (or torque/angle tightened) to spec.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?

PuTTY riot posted:

I think I probably need new tires. I bought these in july 2013 with 145622 on the odometer. almost 3 years and 27,000 miles later they look pretty lovely. I had one blow out on me already at 30mph or so after an hour of interstate driving and replaced it a few months ago at a pro-rated price (obviously the one with all the tread on it). Is this quick wear just a result of a) cheap tires, b) underinflation/not rotating frequently enough, c) bad alignment or something like that, d) unrealistic expectations for middlin' tier tires or e) all of the above? The 2001 suburban they're on has been in a couple collisions but nothing major. Last time I put tires on they had to replace a ball joint or something like that, I honestly don't remember. Front passenger side IIRC. It was less than $100 for the part and labor though.

I just put some yokohama's on my wife's 2012 accord last week and they made a huge difference. I don't mind putting good tires on the suburban too, but I don't want to do that if they're going to wear prematurely. The suburban, for the past 8 years or so, has been the "I'm only going to keep it another year or so" vehicle that keeps on ticking and won't die. It's 2wd and other than my gravel parking pad, it doesn't spend hardly any time off road.

http://imgur.com/a/YC9uU


edit: the reason this came up is I had a low tire, again. down to like 17psi. Filled it up and I'll see if it'll hold for any length of time.

The tire(s) in your picture are not worn, they have a TON of tread left. I'm not sure what you're talking about, really. If you're worried about your alignment, take it to a place that can check. It's cheap or free. Pay attention to your tire pressure and don't rely on the sensors (TPMS is one of the dumbest loving nanny ideas in modern vehicles).

PuTTY riot
Nov 16, 2002

Godholio posted:

The tire(s) in your picture are not worn, they have a TON of tread left. I'm not sure what you're talking about, really. If you're worried about your alignment, take it to a place that can check. It's cheap or free. Pay attention to your tire pressure and don't rely on the sensors (TPMS is one of the dumbest loving nanny ideas in modern vehicles).

Thanks. I think I'm just paranoid after I had the one blow out on me.

Safety Dance
Sep 10, 2007

Five degrees to starboard!

88h88 posted:

It's something to do with getting accurate torque readings as studs remain stationary during tightening and they only stretch on one axis.

Here you go:

Huh, ok. Thanks!

Dagen H
Mar 19, 2009

Hogertrafikomlaggningen
I learned a thing.

RapeWhistle
May 26, 2009
Anyone have recommendations on car shipping companies? It's hard to differentiate the good from the bad on the Internet in this market. The car needs to go from Louisiana to North Carolina.

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006
My parents struggled with this from north texas to houston for 240z restore. How much are you looking at to ship? I live in Louisiana and just need a hitch for the silverado to pick up on a uhaul hauler.

LeeMajors
Jan 20, 2005

I've gotta stop fantasizing about Lee Majors...
Ah, one more!


2000 4Runner Limited, 3.4L 5VZ-FE V6, 2wd. 175000mi.

Issue: Sudden onset rough idle under load, stall x2.

One time last summer, sitting in hot weather I had a brief uneven idle that didn't stall--pulled over, turned off and restarted with no issues...until yesterday.

Same situation, more or less, sitting in hot weather traffic and I noticed my RPMs dropped to around 400. I put it in neutral, goosed it, it settle back at around 700, then dropped back down to 550-600 under load in park but even (which has been norm once the engine is warm since I've owned it).

So I drove it home with no more issues, pulled in the driveway, then sat still with the transmission in D....and it slowly settled down to 400 and stalled.

Fired right back up, put back in drive and the same thing happened.

It has no problem starting afterward. I drove it around after with no significant issues--just when idling for more than a couple of minutes with the engine warm.

Spark plugs/wires (both NGK) were replaced ~10k mi ago.
PVC valve changed last year also.
Fuel filter is presumably original.
Vacuum hoses don't have any obvious leaks.

I had a MIL beforehand that's been ongoing (P0441 - VSV on my charcoal canister), but I checked again and there were no additional trouble codes thrown.

There's no stumbling or hesitation when accelerating. Idle is even without load (P or N).

I'm thinking I'm going to clean the IAC and MAF today most likely, and replace the most worn looking vacuum hoses. If it was a fuel issue I'd suspect it to have issues when not under load, or when accelerating.

Any other things I should look for or consider? I don't want to throw a million parts at it, but cleaning MAF/IAC would probably be a good cheap start, I think.

Thoughts?

Gothmog1065
May 14, 2009
Give unto me your advice goons!

I'm looking to buy a crew cab truck, and one popped up on a buy here type lot. I'm planning on do 100% cash (Well, bank check) for the purchase.

What I am purchasing:

2005 Chevy Avalanche 1500 Z71, 5.3L V8, 4x4, 20" black rims. Looks like there is a nice radio display, but probably not bluetooth (Sadness), but a standard DDIN, so may be easy to replace.
119k miles (according to the carfax).

Basically I went and got a snapshot of the VIN and pulled me up a carfax report.

Carfax says:

No Accidents/damage
3 owners
119k miles

Owner 1 drove it for 98k miles, and it looks like the other two owners passed it on pretty quickly (less than 2 years each).

Out of the service records (Other than inspections and standard maintenance), there were these items:
Heat shield replaced before 13k miles
Transmission, Transaxle and clutch replaced (about the same time) at 15k miles. I didn't see all three of these.
Final odometer read at 4/2013
Final registration reported on 6/2015, so the mileage will be off.

The drivetrain replacement worried me, but it looks like it was driven 100k more miles on so maybe? The dealership was looking to sell it for 12.5k, and I was hoping to buy it for around 10k (start at 9k, and work up). All the reviews I read of this vehicle were really good, and it looks like it wont' be that bad of a deal. It won't be our primary driver, as my wife and I carpool to work most of the time. There will be times it will be driven to work, but not often. The crew cab is so I can put the kids in there.

Am I making a mistake with this vehicle or should I go for it? Is my price point OK?

Queen_Combat
Jan 15, 2011
An avalanche... :(

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006
You're crazy to buy a truck with 20's, drivetrain history issues, 11 years old, and 100k+ miles for $12.5k

Gothmog1065
May 14, 2009

Christobevii3 posted:

You're crazy to buy a truck with 20's, drivetrain history issues, 11 years old, and 100k+ miles for $12.5k

There's not a lot of options otherwise, I'll probably just stick with my current truck for a while and just cram everyone in the front seat if I have to carry the kids. I also don't incur any more debt that way. This is why I ask.

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006
Link your local cragislist. I don't really trust dodges but they poo poo out a ton of those around 2003 to 2007 that you should be able to get for $6-8k with 100k miles. Do you need 4x4?

Elmnt80
Dec 30, 2012


Gothmog1065 posted:

Give unto me your advice goons!

I'm looking to buy a crew cab truck, and one popped up on a buy here type lot. I'm planning on do 100% cash (Well, bank check) for the purchase.

What I am purchasing:

2005 Chevy Avalanche 1500 Z71, 5.3L V8, 4x4, 20" black rims. Looks like there is a nice radio display, but probably not bluetooth (Sadness), but a standard DDIN, so may be easy to replace.
119k miles (according to the carfax).

Basically I went and got a snapshot of the VIN and pulled me up a carfax report.

Carfax says:

No Accidents/damage
3 owners
119k miles

Owner 1 drove it for 98k miles, and it looks like the other two owners passed it on pretty quickly (less than 2 years each).

Out of the service records (Other than inspections and standard maintenance), there were these items:
Heat shield replaced before 13k miles
Transmission, Transaxle and clutch replaced (about the same time) at 15k miles. I didn't see all three of these.
Final odometer read at 4/2013
Final registration reported on 6/2015, so the mileage will be off.

The drivetrain replacement worried me, but it looks like it was driven 100k more miles on so maybe? The dealership was looking to sell it for 12.5k, and I was hoping to buy it for around 10k (start at 9k, and work up). All the reviews I read of this vehicle were really good, and it looks like it wont' be that bad of a deal. It won't be our primary driver, as my wife and I carpool to work most of the time. There will be times it will be driven to work, but not often. The crew cab is so I can put the kids in there.

Am I making a mistake with this vehicle or should I go for it? Is my price point OK?

Oh hey, I actually have one of these turds and ita from 2005 as well. Its actually not a bad vehicle at all and most of the drivetrain components are shared with the silverados of that generation and are fairly bullet proof if well cared for (or even just paid the faintest attention over their life). I'd guess the drivetrain replacement was due to someone trying to drive in 4wd mode constantly with it, some other form of abuse or just a factory defect causing issues.
As for the wheels, I wouldn't worry too much, there are enough people who run 19s and 20s with all terrain tires on them without issue.
It can be somewhat difficult to find a good reasonably priced head unit if its loaded with nav, the bose sound system and onstar. Its not impossible though, and being willing to give up steering wheel controls makes it much easier.
For something to use while dealing, see how faded the plastic cladding around the bed is and specificly how bad it is on the 3 panels that make up the bed cover. The replacement ones from gm are ~300 for each piece and if they're missing or heavily faded, it could make for a good negotiating point to get down to at least 11500. And if they are missing, $150 and a trip to a junkyard should net you all 3. These trucks do seem to hold value rather decently, but you can get them to come down on the price rather easily I expect.
The only real issues I've seen commonly come up with this year is the fuel vapor canister vent valve loves to get clogged up with dirt and debris and throw a code. It doesn't affect the car in any way while driving, but would have to be fixed for emissions. Some people do report problems with the midgate leaking, but some replacement weatherstripping if the one on this vehicle is shot should tale care of it. Tip the rear seats forward and look under them and behind the rear seat backs to see if you can see any evidence of leaking. And if the truck has lived anywherebwith intense sunlight, the tailgate handle can snap, but its a 30 min to 1 hr job to replace it.
The only other problem? They generate alot of hate for being big, plasticly and "omg, not a real truck with a full bed, omg the bed is so small hurf blurf" (its 6 inches shorter than the base silverado's bed from the same year and its the same width), but its a drat comfy ride (more so than a same year silverado, fight me bitch :colbert:) and can be very dependable if well maintained. At 110k miles, you should expect to see the front wheel bearings going out in the next 30k or so and it should be due for new plugs and wires soonish. A check on when the fluid was changed in both diffs and when the tranny filter was last changed would also be good things to find out. If you've got any other questions, feel free to shoot me a pm so I don't wall of text this thread to death.

Elmnt80 fucked around with this message at 04:56 on Mar 18, 2016

Mr. Wiggles
Dec 1, 2003

We are all drinking from the highball glass of ideology.
Guys, I'm needing help, and the thread in A/T ain't doing the trick. The thing is, I think I'm looking for a unicorn.

Mr. Wiggles posted:

I mean, basically, I need to get a car/truck/SUV/something that gets good mileage and is reliable. I don't want to spend over 12 or 15 on it, and it needs to be able to get down a rocky lovely dirt road 5 times a week PLUS do freeway work.

:sigh:

Am I?

EightBit
Jan 7, 2006
I spent money on this line of text just to make the "Stupid Newbie" go away.

Mr. Wiggles posted:

Guys, I'm needing help, and the thread in A/T ain't doing the trick. The thing is, I think I'm looking for a unicorn.


Am I?

Scratch off good mileage and a whole world of options opens up. Like an XJ.

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006

Mr. Wiggles posted:

Guys, I'm needing help, and the thread in A/T ain't doing the trick. The thing is, I think I'm looking for a unicorn.


Am I?

Pictures of road and link local Craigslist. I've seen 2wd 92 farm trucks leave 8" ruts a mile down a dirt road and not get stuck.

Mr. Wiggles
Dec 1, 2003

We are all drinking from the highball glass of ideology.
It's not about getting stuck - I've been doing this road in my yaris for a while.

But full story: I got divorced, moved to a different town making my commute a hell of a lot longer, lost my benz, fighting for my bike, and I got t boned Tuesday and my yaris got totalled. So now I'm driving the insurance rental, but that will run out soon.

The commute is 60 miles of freeway and then 10 miles of super heavy washboard with embedded rock, each way. So I need a car that will handle shock and vibration, but still return good mileage. XJ is great, but their mileage isn't and this is Reno so finding one that hasn't been turned into a crawler means that it's on it's last legs or won't pass smog.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
I actually recommend you look in SLC. It's less than a 90 minute flight if you get on the direct. Cars are cheaper and you're going to find a better selection of what you're looking for. Source: I moved from there to here less than a year ago. Even with a plane ticket you'll probably still come out spending less. Reno has a loving California attitude on car prices. Even new stuff has a loving market upcharge.

Stop for gas in Elko on the way home. I make that drive regularly in my Wrangler.

puberty worked me over
May 20, 2013

by Cyrano4747
.

puberty worked me over fucked around with this message at 03:45 on Jan 4, 2020

Mr. Wiggles
Dec 1, 2003

We are all drinking from the highball glass of ideology.
K, I can go to SLC. But what sort of car?

I mean, i loved my yaris, maybe that's a good idea? I've been trying to find a 2, but there's none around. Fit?

Something that's not a little hatch? FML

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006
If you want comfort look at a 4 door work truck. They still have 17s so more sidewall to cushion the road vibration out

CharlieWhiskey
Aug 18, 2005

everything, all the time

this is the world

Mr. Wiggles posted:

It's not about getting stuck - I've been doing this road in my yaris for a while.

But full story: I got divorced, moved to a different town making my commute a hell of a lot longer, lost my benz, fighting for my bike, and I got t boned Tuesday and my yaris got totalled. So now I'm driving the insurance rental, but that will run out soon.

The commute is 60 miles of freeway and then 10 miles of super heavy washboard with embedded rock, each way. So I need a car that will handle shock and vibration, but still return good mileage. XJ is great, but their mileage isn't and this is Reno so finding one that hasn't been turned into a crawler means that it's on it's last legs or won't pass smog.

Opened Reno craigslist, searched for "cherokee -grand", saw a 1999 (best year) with under 100k miles with California plates as the 2nd hit: http://reno.craigslist.org/cto/5488256791.html

I wish they had XJs this nice near me.

E: a $6k SUV with poor MPG that passes smog is cheaper even over a few years than a $10k+ SUV with "good" MPG.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
Yeah, that Cherokee is exactly what I expected you to find in SLC. That's a really good starting point. Go look at that one.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

Mr. Wiggles posted:

K, I can go to SLC. But what sort of car?

I mean, i loved my yaris, maybe that's a good idea? I've been trying to find a 2, but there's none around. Fit?

Something that's not a little hatch? FML
Unless the Yaris is really uncomfortable on these roads, yeah, if you like it, keep on using it.

LeeMajors
Jan 20, 2005

I've gotta stop fantasizing about Lee Majors...
Ah, one more!


Mr. Wiggles posted:

K, I can go to SLC. But what sort of car?

I mean, i loved my yaris, maybe that's a good idea? I've been trying to find a 2, but there's none around. Fit?

Something that's not a little hatch? FML

Outback/Forester with AT tires? They'll return mid-20s hwy.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?

InitialDave posted:

Unless the Yaris is really uncomfortable on these roads, yeah, if you like it, keep on using it.

It was totaled. He needs a replacement of some kind.

InitialDave
Jun 14, 2007

I Want To Believe.

Godholio posted:

It was totaled. He needs a replacement of some kind.
Buy another one?

Javid
Oct 21, 2004

:jpmf:
More fun with the '89 cougar head gasket:

The mechanic says there's so much coolant getting into the #4 cylinder that it's definitely a gasket, and possibly a cracked head too. This was scary for the two minutes it took to look up prices for junkyard heads which are $50-75 each.

So, the guy is pulling the engine apart to see what's up. This is the kind of engine with two heads and gaskets - since he's in there anyway should I just have him do both gaskets? Same question for the heads, too, if I can find solid ones from a lower-mileage car. An extra $75 on this repair isn't poo poo if it will possibly prevent future issues.

StormDrain
May 22, 2003

Thirteen Letter
2011 Ford Escape.

I want to replace the brake fluid, but I've not done so on a car with ABS before. No brake issues other than it's a 5 year old vehicle and I want to keep it as long as possible so this seems like a reasonable preventative maintenance gig. I have a Motive pressure bleeder. Will I need to do anything special? Am I going to hurt anything forcing the fluid through?

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?

Javid posted:

More fun with the '89 cougar head gasket:

The mechanic says there's so much coolant getting into the #4 cylinder that it's definitely a gasket, and possibly a cracked head too. This was scary for the two minutes it took to look up prices for junkyard heads which are $50-75 each.

So, the guy is pulling the engine apart to see what's up. This is the kind of engine with two heads and gaskets - since he's in there anyway should I just have him do both gaskets? Same question for the heads, too, if I can find solid ones from a lower-mileage car. An extra $75 on this repair isn't poo poo if it will possibly prevent future issues.

There's no reason to replace the heads unless they're damaged. These are large heavy pieces of iron, they don't really wear out. You should probably do both head gaskets, though.

Mr. Wiggles
Dec 1, 2003

We are all drinking from the highball glass of ideology.

InitialDave posted:

Buy another one?

Mine was an 08. Are the newer ones as tough? As fun to drive? Better than a fit or 2?

Gothmog1065
May 14, 2009

Christobevii3 posted:

Link your local cragislist. I don't really trust dodges but they poo poo out a ton of those around 2003 to 2007 that you should be able to get for $6-8k with 100k miles. Do you need 4x4?

Don't know why my other post didn't show, probably because I am phone posting.

Greensboro or Fayetteville nc. Links when I get home

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?

Mr. Wiggles posted:

Mine was an 08. Are the newer ones as tough? As fun to drive? Better than a fit or 2?

You're putting 20 miles of washboard trail on your vehicle every day. How long did your Yaris stand up to that abuse, and how much longer did you expect it to last? The suspension on those cars just isn't designed for anything like that.

Mr. Wiggles
Dec 1, 2003

We are all drinking from the highball glass of ideology.

Godholio posted:

You're putting 20 miles of washboard trail on your vehicle every day. How long did your Yaris stand up to that abuse, and how much longer did you expect it to last? The suspension on those cars just isn't designed for anything like that.

This is the only video I can find of the road to work.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/video/shot-of-dirt-road-pony-express-trail-in-churchill-stock-video-footage/174224805

Anyway, the Yaris held up surprisingly well. I was about to turn 200K on it. Yes, it had some rattles and squeaks, but it wasn't bad. The thing is, an XJ will kill me in gas for the freeway portion, as much as I love them out here (they're great out here - I drive one around work every day, in fact). I can't think of anything with a more modern/fuel efficient engine that's set up for high frequency suspension workouts, though. Like, RAV4s are great on gas, but they're basically Corolla suspensions, yeah? poo poo, I don't know. I'd be willing to pay a bit more if there was something that was reliable, had good mileage, and could handle the above kind of road every day a little better than my old Yaris, though.

Bonus shot of the Yaris on the flatbed:

PaintVagrant
Apr 13, 2007

~ the ultimate driving machine ~
I'd buy another durable yota econobox and the smallest wheel/biggest sidewall combo as I could put on it.

Based on your earlier post you are in a tentative financial situation, why blow money on anything else? You can always sell off the shitbox later and buy a cool truck when your not being fleeced by your ex or whatever.

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Literally Lewis Hamilton
Feb 22, 2005



I'd do exactly that. You're going to rack up some serious mileage and the roads aren't going to be kind, so might as well go for something with a reliable engine and trans and let everything else fall apart.

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