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Head Bee Guy posted:I got a 2012 civic si sitting on buddy club coilovers, and I’ve noticed recently that the steering is extremely fine at speeds 65 and over. Is there a way to “tighten” the steering or whatever so that turning the wheel by a centimeter or two doesn’t change lanes? I think getting an alignment done with some a little bit of toe in will help that. It sounds like you have a little toe out right now, so your steering gets twitchy at speed.
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Jun 27, 2020 17:28
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GOD IS BED posted:I think getting an alignment done with some a little bit of toe in will help that. It sounds like you have a little toe out right now, so your steering gets twitchy at speed. This. For me, that's a feature, not a bug, but not everyone likes what I like.
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Jun 27, 2020 17:30
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Are the newer Civics still double wishbone? How does lowering them affect that? Edit: looks like they haven't had that since 2000. Kia Soul Enthusias fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Jun 27, 2020 |
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Jun 27, 2020 19:20
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GOD IS BED posted:I think getting an alignment done with some a little bit of toe in will help that. It sounds like you have a little toe out right now, so your steering gets twitchy at speed. I’ve noticed there is a little bit of negative camber on the rear wheels. could that affect it?
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Jun 27, 2020 19:39
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Head Bee Guy posted:I’ve noticed there is a little bit of negative camber on the rear wheels. could that affect it? Merely camber, no. A half-degree or so of negative camber is a good thing, generally, at least if you take turns at more than a tenth of a gee.
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Jun 27, 2020 20:32
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egyptian rat race posted:I have a 2003 5.3l Suburban, just ticked over 150k miles. [transmission fluid] Dropped the pan and replaced the filter myself today. $30 filter/gasket and 6qt of valvoline maxlife fluid. The old stuff didn't look terrible, (still red and a bit translucent) but the pan definitely had metal deposits in it. 1A auto sent me astray for the first time today. Their how-to suggested disconnecting both sides of the exhaust to get the pan out. Based on my experience replacing an exhaust manifold on this same engine that would be a pain in the rear end unless I had a lift/air tools. Luckily the youtube comments pointed out there's just two torx bolts holding on the transmission cable bracket, which gives enough space to get the pan out. Seems to be shifting smooth and nothing has made a bad noise yet
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Jun 28, 2020 02:02
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Haven't posted in AI in a while, and not since my name change, but, uh 2006 F150, 4.2L V6 I bought replacement spark plugs, Motorcraft SP504 (Finewire Platinum). Do I have to set the gap on these myself or are they pre-gapped? It's been so long that I don't remember. I know copper has to be gapped and that you don't gap iridium, but I can't remember platinum. And if I do gap them, what do I gap them to? 0.054"?
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Jun 28, 2020 06:18
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briefcasefullof posted:Haven't posted in AI in a while, and not since my name change, but, uh According to the O'Reilly's website, they come pre-gapped to .054"
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Jun 28, 2020 12:04
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For future reference, you only gap copper plugs, and even then, usually only non-automotive plugs (automotive ones will generally be in the ballpark out of the box so long as they had the little protective sleeve over the business end). Platinum and iridium plugs can be damaged easily by trying to change the gap.
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Jun 28, 2020 13:24
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I thought the spark plug poster said to never do it yourself nowadays.
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Jun 28, 2020 16:37
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Why do plugs have different gaps? It seems like the gap is much much smaller than the distance the arc can travel.
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Jun 28, 2020 16:54
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Generally it's tuned to give the best ignition with the given piston, head, and ignition coil design on that engine. OEMs spend a ridiculous amount of time on getting all that to give the most power and the lowest emissions and fuel consumption so it can matter a lot what plug you use and what gap it's set to.
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Jun 28, 2020 17:38
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STR posted:For future reference, you only gap copper plugs, and even then, usually only non-automotive plugs (automotive ones will generally be in the ballpark out of the box so long as they had the little protective sleeve over the business end). Platinum and iridium plugs can be damaged easily by trying to change the gap. See, these didn't have that protective sleeve, so I wasn't entirely sure. I've got some calipers, so I guess I can double check to make sure they weren't damaged in shipping, but I'll otherwise leave them alone. Thanks!
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Jun 28, 2020 17:48
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My Saabaru is chewing through strut mounts in the right front corner every 6 months or so. I've been using Whiteline, which have some known durability issues, but this is ridiculous. Could it be that something else is deformed or bent (the...cup?...where the mount bolts to), or the strut, control arm, etc - that's causing premature wear?
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Jun 28, 2020 18:42
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STR posted:If it really got down to 1.78V instead of 17.8V (at 17.8V it'd be hosed if I know what's going on, but I trickle charged overnight, reinstalled, and it's been driving fine (well, the battery anyway) since. I've also been disconnecting the negative cable whenever I park, until I can get hold of a meter that does amps so I can try and suss out the drain.
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Jun 28, 2020 20:00
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), that battery is beyond hosed. There's no coming back from that. Replace the battery, then check running voltage @ idle to make sure the alternator is in decent shape. You want to see 13.8 to 14.5 volts with a fully charged battery.
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I've been able to revive discharged batteries but only when they're fairly new. I think it might be a luck kinda thing. 🤷🏻♂️
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Jun 28, 2020 20:13
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kastein posted:Generally it's tuned to give the best ignition with the given piston, head, and ignition coil design on that engine. OEMs spend a ridiculous amount of time on getting all that to give the most power and the lowest emissions and fuel consumption so it can matter a lot what plug you use and what gap it's set to. I'm sure I've read or heard somewhere that whats going on in the cylinder can potentially "blow out" the spark and cause a misfire. True? False? taqueso posted:Why do plugs have different gaps? It seems like the gap is much much smaller than the distance the arc can travel. If it was at the maximum gap that the spark could travel then probably when the electrode wears out a little bit (maybe thats not a problem on non-copper plugs), then the spark couldn't jump the gap.
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Jun 28, 2020 23:15
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I've got a bit of a weird one with the keyless entry on my 2019 Ford Focus Titanium. So for the last year it's been working perfectly and I've been able to open and lock the car from all 4 door handles. However over the last 2 months, this has intermittently begun to only work on the driver door. After a long spell (maybe a week or so) of it being driver side only, it'll occasionally revert back to all 4 doors and i can't figure out why. the keyless boot entry is working just the same so it's just switching between driver-only and passenger doors. When i look in the settings, it's telling me the keyless entry is set to all doors and I've tried changing that setting with no luck. I've also tried using the second keyfob i have, but the same thing happens with that so i'm assuming it's something to do with the car rather than dead batteries. Anyone know what this might be?
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Jun 28, 2020 23:30
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My guess is that the body control module is scrambling your fob signals. It should still be under warranty, take it to the dealer & see if they can hook it up to the machine that goes ping! and reformat your BCM hard drive. I've had three (company) Ford Flexes since 2012 and they have had some weirdo software glitches at times.
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Jun 29, 2020 00:00
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Kin posted:I've got a bit of a weird one with the keyless entry on my 2019 Ford Focus Titanium. As Painterofcrap said.......warranty. This is not your problem to solve. It's like the people in the home threads asking about fixing mechanicals in their rented apartment. This can only hurt you if it goes wrong. You paid for a thing (warranty on the car, maintenance for a rental) so use it.
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Jun 29, 2020 01:22
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wesleywillis posted:I'm sure I've read or heard somewhere that whats going on in the cylinder can potentially "blow out" the spark and cause a misfire. True, but generally applies to aftermarket forced induction, or cranking the stock boost way the gently caress up. You're generally well outside of the parameters that the manufacturer designed it for by then, and quite likely not even on stock internals at that point (if you are... you won't be for long, with a handful of exceptions). Once you're running into the spark getting blown out, you're generally needing to go to better coils, and you're well past being able to run a stock tune. For an everyday car that's either stock or has basic bolt ons, you're not going to run into that.
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Jun 29, 2020 06:21
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PainterofCrap posted:My guess is that the body control module is scrambling your fob signals. It should still be under warranty, take it to the dealer & see if they can hook it up to the machine that goes ping! and reformat your BCM hard drive. Motronic posted:As Painterofcrap said.......warranty. This is not your problem to solve. Cheers, i'll reach out to them. I just wasn't sure if there was some obscure extra security setting i've missed that auto-limits the keyless entry to the driver door for some reason.
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Jun 29, 2020 08:29
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My truck threw a tantrum and decided to perma-dance party the hazard lights. I solved the issue by prying the console off with my finger tips and disconnected the switch. I ended up plugging it back in hours later. The drat thing now knows who is boss. Does anyone know a good exorcist? 
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Jun 29, 2020 16:12
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My suspension gets pretty loud when rolling over small bumps (speed bumps, pot holes, a gravel patch, etc.). Just deep and low noises. From what I'm reading it could be anything from sway bars and control arms, to strut/coil springs. Is there a flow chart or something that allows me to determine exactly which parts are bad? Would it mostly be by visual inspection?
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Jun 29, 2020 19:43
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Can you give us a description of the nature, type & frequency of these sounds? Or a video going over a moonscape or speedbumps? Year make model also helpful.
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Jun 29, 2020 19:50
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I've got an 84 El Dorado that hasn't been cranked in five years and a totaled Cougar with a 4.6 Modular that's got about 60,000 miles on it Worth finding out how much effort a RWD El D would take?
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Jun 30, 2020 01:05
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Hello, (former? I do sensors now) spark plug engineer here. Short version about spark plug gaps: There are basically two things that affect the firing end design 1. Ignitability 2. Durability btw heat range is generally a separate topic. Ignitability is, in short, a measure of how quickly the flame kernel is able to grow after sparking. As far as the spark plug is concerned, the less material you have around the spark the better. i.e. nickel ("copper" - the electrode is not copper) spark plugs have these huge electrodes that get in the way of the flame kernel. By removing material, like changing to precious metal (fine wire) electrode, a smaller ground electrode (e.g. taper the end, etc.) you allow the flame kernel to grow faster. This is better for combustion. Another way to improve ignitability is to simply make the gap bigger. But the downside of this is that your demand voltage (volts required to create the spark) goes up. This increases wear on the spark plug, as someone mentioned, and means your spark plugs don't last as long. Eventually, electrodes wear away, gap becomes too large, and you misfire. That typically takes a while to happen, though (60k-150K+ miles). High demand voltage is also bad for coils and at some point, coils aren't able to generate the necessary voltages. This becomes a bigger problem with turbocharged engines as the in-cylinder pressure is higher, which means demand voltage rises. And guess what every engine is these days... One way to reduce the voltage is to reduce the gap size... but now your ignitability is worse. So you use strategies like fine wire, tapered ground electrodes, etc. Anyway, that's your crash course in spark plug gap. Also, don't use anti-seize on your spark plug threads. I'm not going to argue with any "yeah but this guy said" - just don't, unless your spark plug threads are black (they're not).
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Jun 30, 2020 02:21
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Thanks for the effort post!
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Jun 30, 2020 02:25
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I need a reliable 4wd pickup for hauling mountain bikes around the mountains. Budget is around 12k. Any recommendations?
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Jun 30, 2020 04:00
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Dunno about exact years, but my strong recommendation is a Toyota, ideally one that's either new enough to not have frame issues, or has already had the frame replaced.
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Jun 30, 2020 04:08
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I recently bought a 2018 toyota with low mileage and I live in a very sunny state. This car will basically be kept outside and as a result I'm concerned about UV damage to the paint. I have been told a few times to apply a ceramic coat which, fine, but I have questions. I've been reading on application steps and I've seen the following most often: wash, rinse, carefully towel dry with a lint free cloth. clay bar the car to remove contaminants use an IPA (1 or 2 parts isopropyl alcohol to 9 or 8 parts water) wipe down to remove any remaining contaminants THEN apply the ceramic coating per instructions. I'm a typical amateur when it comes to this stuff. I can wash, dry, wax, apply tire protectant and so on, but I've never used a clay bar and I've only just heard of an IPA wipedown. As for a product, family have suggested this product as a ceramic coating from personal experience, but I'm open to suggestions: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D4NM5XM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Basic Questions: 1) Generally speaking, is a ceramic coating worth it? My specific concern is UV damage to the paint, and secondarily winter damage. It snows a fair amount in the winter, roads get mag-chloride and so on. I know ceramic coatings aren't impervious, but I just want to know if it's worth it for the concerns I have. 2) How much work in time is this to do it properly? I find a wash and wax and general cleaning takes about 4 to 5 hours if I take my time. Typically I see this takes 9 to 11 hours with the above product per reviews. I imagine it can vary based on the product. 3) How difficult, generally, is it to maintain a ceramic coating? This is specifically compared to simply getting generic car soap, washing a car every two weeks, then waxing it every three or so months. I consider a typical wash and wax about a 3 out of 10. 4) Are there any special things to note when taking care of a ceramic coating? Will I need to wash more frequently? Use a special soap? Apply some sort of "booster" spray? Use special wash tools? Questions regarding my car: 1) I bought through a dealer and their inspection report identified 6 or 7 paint chips on the car. I haven't gone hunting for them but still. Is it critical or even "very important" to try to touch those up first? If so, fine. 2) How do I spot these paint chips myself, and do you have any suggestions for marking them? Application Questions: Aside from following the manufacturer's directions for basic application, I have these questions. 1) I've never used a clay bar. Is it difficult to learn? Can I use something like a clay mitt or towel instead? Those seem less...particular, especially if I don't know what to do with a clay bar in the first place. 2) Is an IPA wipe down necessary? If it is, fine. Does someone have suggestions on what ratio of alcohol to distilled water to use? What sort of applicator or cloth should I use to wipe down with? 3) Do I need to both clay bar AND alcohol wipe? 4) I'm certain the answer to this is yes, it will reduce the lifespan of your coating, but I'm going to ask it anyway. If I skip the IPA wipe and/or the clay bar, will it reduce the lifespan of the coating? I'd like to do this as infrequently as possible. My only concern here is reducing the coating lifespan if I skip the clay bar step. I'm sure it's not difficult, but with covid-19 I'm trying to keep my distance as frequently as possible. TheBoyBlunder fucked around with this message at 07:48 on Jun 30, 2020 |
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Jun 30, 2020 05:41
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Got a Stinger GT2 AWD that needs new tires. Are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S worth the extra over Bridgestone Potenza S-04 ? Costco has a deal going on if you buy 4 Bridgestone tires they take 150 off. . I don't track it, I mostly just do normal guy stuff but like accelerate fast and maybe be a bit spirited if the roads open up. So I guess is it worth an extra 200 bucks total to go with the Michelin?
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Jun 30, 2020 05:52
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totalnewbie posted:Also, don't use anti-seize on your spark plug threads. I'm not going to argue with any "yeah but this guy said" - just don't, unless your spark plug threads are black (they're not). I'm not interested in an argument, but I am interested in the "why", if you feel up to it. TheBoyBlunder posted:[Ceramic Coating Inquiry] If it were me, with nearly no experience in actually detailing a car other than a wash and wax, I would just find a pro detailer to do the wash, clean, detail, and coating. As for the rest of it, I have no idea  However, there is a detailing thread here which you might find to be a more responsive and knowledgeable source of information. TheReverend posted:Got a Stinger GT2 AWD that needs new tires. My first source for tire reviews is always TireRack, I would check there. If the tires are in the same performance category there might even be a direct comparison of them. Fake Edit: TireRack apparently REALLY likes the PS4S; I guess you have to ask yourself if the slight performance increase is worth $200. For me, for a street car, I would say no; the S-04 seems to be a "good-enough" tire without being garbage. Beach Bum fucked around with this message at 10:28 on Jun 30, 2020 |
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Jun 30, 2020 09:54
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In changing out an O2 sensor, can I safely take a cutoff wheel to the old one so it'll fit in a deep socket for extraction?
Beach Bum fucked around with this message at 10:28 on Jun 30, 2020 |
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Jun 30, 2020 09:58
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Beach Bum posted:In changing out an O2 sensor, can I safely take a cutoff wheel to the old one so it'll fit in a deep socket for extraction? You should make sure it'll come out first before cutting, though I guess if you're changing it, its probably dead anyway, so it won't really matter. You could also spend 20 bucks and get a nifty "o2 sensor socket" Like so: https://www.amazon.ca/FreeTec-8-Inc...997723893&psc=1
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Jun 30, 2020 11:52
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Beach Bum posted:In changing out an O2 sensor, can I safely take a cutoff wheel to the old one so it'll fit in a deep socket for extraction? Autozone, etc have loaner o2 socket kits.
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Jun 30, 2020 12:20
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C-Bangin' it 
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Yeah, I've just shattered a couple O2 sockets in my lifetime. I'd never thought of cutting it down before is all, so I wanted to ensure I wasn't going to be releasing some sort of super deadly dust or some such zipping it off. This one has been in for 270k so if need be I'd like to put an impact on it instead of maybe kinking the exhaust with a 3ft cheater pipe.
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Jun 30, 2020 14:04
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Beach Bum posted:
Whoops. That's what I get for posting at way too bloody late o'clock. Thanks!
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Jun 30, 2020 15:08
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Kin posted:I've got a bit of a weird one with the keyless entry on my 2019 Ford Focus Titanium. When this happens to Mustangs, it's a low battery (car battery, not the fob). 2019 is pretty new for that but if it's been sitting a lot lately like many of our cars have been it's worth checking out.
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Jun 30, 2020 16:51
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2003 Subaru Outback. Of significance, it has heated cloth seats. The seats need to be cleaned... baaaaaaaaaaad. Passenger seat has had a lot of stuff spilled on it (PO had kids), driver's seat is just kinda dirty. Of course the interior is tan, which shows everything. Can I use a typical upholstery cleaner (rented carpet cleaner with an upholstery attachment), or am I risking damaging the seat heaters? I don't think it has occupancy sensors (too old), so likely nothing to worry about there, but the heated seats are drat nice when I get off work with a sore back.
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Jun 30, 2020 17:27
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