AI Stupid Question Thread - The automotive forum is calling about your car

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > AI Stupid Question Thread - The automotive forum is calling about your car

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DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

How important is the water shield in a car door? Trying to fix a window that fell into the door of my 2002 Civic Coupe and it seems like the last person to work on it decided to use caulk to secure it back on, meaning I can't remove it without destroying it.

# ¿ Oct 9, 2023 17:37

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 15:40

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

There are decent deals to be had at the bottom of the market, you just need to be patient, persistent, and lucky trawling through craigslust/facebook, or else know older people who are not internet savvy enough to figure out how insane the car market has gotten insane. I've bought/found for others 3 cars in this market under $4k, and all have been solid, 1/2 owner cars with no accident histories and at least some service records. Each one was on craigslist for less than 8 hours when I found them, and I saw them in-person within 48 hours of contacting them, and either bought without a PPI (risky) or put down a deposit for them to hold the car.

# ¿ Nov 10, 2023 18:13

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Admiral Joeslop posted:

2005 Crown Vic (again...), engine light came on. AutoZone guy ran it, came back as "fuel rail pressure sensor" and sold me these things:

Since I'm a rube that falls for stupid things, did he sell me snake oil, and is replacing that sensor relatively easy, or should I take it to a shop?

Things I've learned to replace in the last six months or so:

-Spark plugs and ignition coils
-Fuel filter
-Battery terminals

Just to give an idea of my skill level; I'm fine with spending $20 or whatever on the parto
and sticking it in if it's not super obnoxious.

I would say you spend $20 to get an OBD 2 code reader so you can pull codes without getting upsold on snake oil. It's very easy to use and the best way to start developing your diagnostic skills. Find the code, search it on google (look to see if it's a common issue/look for TSB's) and work from there.
I'd also recommend seeing if those parts are available on Rockauto, see if someone has posted a youtube video or forum post on how to change the part and gauge your comfort level on that.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2023 02:45

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

The filter looks fine, maybe bang it out a bit for posterities sake but also maybe check your oil/brake fluid to make sure it's actually new.

# ¿ Nov 24, 2023 22:34

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

M_Gargantua posted:

Stupid question for the stupid question thread - or maybe for the chat thread since its not a real car question.

In Fury Road Furiosa calls the War Rig "2000HP of nitro boosted war machine" and yes it has two engines yada yada movie prop...

But what would you actually choose as a base for a single engine that could run that sustained for minutes at a time? Some 9L big block? I am stuck with this invasive question while I'm at work.

A turbo-supercharged Allison V-1710? or maybe a Pratt and Whitney R-2800 if you have proper cooling.

# ¿ Dec 14, 2023 19:26

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

M_Gargantua posted:

That feels like a terrible idea though. While those motors were incredibly powerful in their era, they were designed with all the handicaps of an aircraft motor. Continuous stable RPM, continuous peak power, without a transmission, with awful cooling due to altitude, and while dealing with oiling and cooling during acrobatic manuevers, all while being robust enough for combat. They're closer to boat motors than automotive.

You said "sustained for several minutes". Also, anything with a pressurized coolant system would be fine. Finding a transmission might be difficult, but you said engine.
(Also it's a stupid answer to a stupid question, not sure what else you wanted.)

# ¿ Dec 15, 2023 04:42

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Safety Dance posted:

Maybe don't make a habit of eating earthworms from right next to your garage.

Communist! I'll do what I want.

# ¿ Dec 17, 2023 22:57

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

That definitely sounds like a dead battery, I would check the voltage just to make sure. 2 years old is when my last two died. Otherwise could maybe be the neutral safety switch? Try starting in neutral instead of park, or jiggling the shifter when trying to turn it over (assuming it's an auto, if it's a manual, try bump starting it). I've heard tapping the starter while trying to turn it over can resurrect a dying one, probably worth a shot if someone is around to help.
But definitely check your voltage.

# ¿ Jan 9, 2024 20:41

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Could just be you not fully depressing the clutch?

# ¿ Jan 10, 2024 07:51

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

For more enthusiast minded cars, you can sometimes do a bit better shopping it on specialty forums to people who want specific parts and have the know-how to take it out themselves, but not sure if a 2011 Fusion fits that bill. At the very least, checking craisgslist/fb marketplace for similar stuff, throwing it up in the same ballpark, and sifting through the crazies in case one of them wants to give you money for it won't hurt/cost you much. Also don't know much of the context here, but I'd imagine catastrophic transmission failure would be something that would give warning signs. If it's not too inconvenient, getting a second opinion might not hurt, especially since dealers are incentivized to tell you your car is broken.

Can anyone recommend a good Honda mechanic in Queens? All of the people in the NYC thread live in New Jersey and hate cars.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2024 18:56

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

kreeningsons posted:

Looking at a used 2014 Lexus ES 350 that was originally purchased in California. 50k miles. Stupid question: are cars sold in California made with different parts to meet their stricter emissions regulations, and if so could it be difficult to source parts in the Northeast? The only things I know about the engine are it’s a V6 and not a hybrid. Any other advice about this potential purchase is welcome. Thank you.

If a car needs different equipment to meet California emissions, then there can be differences. I'm only aware of there being more O2 sensors, but there might be more spefialized equipment depending on the car. From the factory, I think all 2014 ES350s were california emissions-compliant. Where you might run into trouble is if the Catalytic converter has been replaced at any point. There are many third-party catalytic converters which are not California emissioms compliant.
I don't know for 100% sure, but I imagine you won't have any specific issues sourcing parts just for a california car. I had a "California-emissions" WJ and I live in NY. Many states default to the California emission standard.

DildenAnders fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Feb 5, 2024

# ¿ Feb 5, 2024 21:32

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Kvlt! posted:

update on my 2019 Silverado: no lights are on but there is now noticable rumble in my steering wheel/seat, feels like I'm driving on gravel/small potholes even when on smooth pavement. Is it safe to drive the 15 min to my mechanic or should I have it towed?

I would say it sounds like your transfer case or diffs are hosed up and you should probably tow it to a shop.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2024 16:27

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Kvlt! posted:

i called today and they suggested i tow it too so thats what im gonna do. will report back once they find the actual issue!

You should also probably never let your brother drive your car ever again.

# ¿ Feb 9, 2024 17:54

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Seiyal posted:

Ran into an issue that I have to imagine will be the end of my 2001 Honda Accord EX V6, but who knows.

Here's the basic info: had this car since 2009-ish, after I got it as a cheap vehicle to run around town in. It's a rebuilt salvage (was totaled in a front-end crash before I got it) but hasn't had any major issues or accidents since. I've kept up on regular maintenance and honestly, the car does what I need it to do and doesn't give me trouble... until this month it seems.

Within the last month or so, the car has had increasingly worrying issues that I originally chalked up to a dead battery (replaced after the car was out in a below-zero cold snap) but two different shops (including a Honda dealership) can't seem to pin down the exact cause. Basically, if I take it for a short drive (less than 10-15 mins, including running into a store and driving back home), it seems to be fine? If I attempt to drive for longer (say 45+ mins), stop to run into a store for 15-20 mins and then try to get into my car... it won't start. Acts very similar to a dead battery/alternator/starter/etc (aka can't turn over, has to turn the key a few times to get it to run) and I will still struggle to get it into reverse and get enough power to get it driving.

Is it just me or does that sound like heat soak/vapor lock? I know it's not that common on fuel injected vehicles.

# ¿ Feb 20, 2024 19:57

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

I'm in NY, my car is a few months out from its inspection because I am waiting on parts. I have noticed my brake caliper is locking up and I am due for an oil change. I don't have anywhere to do my own brake work/oil change at the moment. Can a shop scrape off my old sticker even if I ask them not to inspect the car?

# ¿ Feb 21, 2024 16:50

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Check your air filter, brakes after a 30 minute drive (see if a caliper is locking up perhaps?), and make sure you have the right type of gas.

# ¿ Feb 23, 2024 22:15

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

I'm not sure how Volkswagen does it, but I was changing the rear brakes with my brother on his 2001 Ford Expedition, and there was a tab on the back that we had to smack in order to relieve tension on the parking brake (cable had snapped when our dad used the parkimg brake on the test drive.)
Edit: https://youtu.be/lMx7MkXLRhY?si=RYF2l6xEQkEi6tzh
Not the best video, but looks like there's a bar that you can pry that controls the parking brake. Also, uh, make sure your parking brake isn't on.

DildenAnders fucked around with this message at 14:28 on Mar 2, 2024

# ¿ Mar 2, 2024 14:22

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Nighthand posted:

I have a 2012 Mazda 6 with ~73k miles on it.

In October I went on a long road trip (~3000 miles). Midway through I got a CEL. Took it to a shop, they said the wire to the O2 sensor was loose, fixed it, sent me on my way. Next day it was back on; took it to Oreillys to get the codes read and it threw like 16 errors, rebooted their machine, and stopped reading at all. Took it back to the first shop, they monkeyed with it, said the O2 sensor was bad, fixed that. Possible relevant information, they did a whole inspection and told me a bunch of things I should get done, ranging from new air filters to sanitizing the hvac lines, to new spark plugs, to decarbonizing the throttle body, and the one possibly relevant thing, outer tie rod ends starting to tear. As I was pressed for time I just had them do the O2 and figured I'd address the rest later.

Remaining 1500 miles of the road trip went fine. November hits, suddenly for no reason my traction control turns on? Or off? I'm not sure; both of the indicator lights for it turn on and I can feel a slight difference in performance, but barely Basically it feels like it drags a bit, slowing faster with I'm not touching the pedals. Flat dry roads, no reason for it, and it doesn't respond to the button to turn it back off. Turning the car off resets it, and it doesn't come on EVERY trip, but it does most trips after ~2-3 miles of driving. I'm fortunate enough to not need this as a daily commuter or anything so I only drive once a week or so and usually for less than 10 total miles.

Took it to the local shop I usually go to. They said it had 13 error codes, mostly relating to communication. They reset the system, then... replaced an airbag sensor. Said after that the car was "running rough" and that they needed to check a valve stem sensor which meant replacing a bunch of poo poo... $1000 and a full month later I get it back. (The time delay I'm not too mad about; they had one mechanic and he was in and out of the hospital, it was the holidays, and they were in the process of being bought out by a larger dealer chain.) They also tell me that if it comes back it's probably the PCM going bad.

Drove it twice, immediately the same issue with the traction control came back. I also notice that sometimes after backing out of my driveway, shifting to drive, and going, it takes a moment to "engage" and start moving. I have no idea if this is related to anything else in this post, it doesn't happen every time I reverse, so I have no idea what's up with that.

Took it to a different local shop and they said it only had two errors, relating to traction control, but unfortunately they don't have the systems to fix it because they don't see it often enough to have bought the tech to do it. That was this morning.

I scheduled to bring it back to the usual local shop (now bought and rebranded unfortunately so we'll see) but I can't get it in until mid-late April, and in the mean time I have a longer ~50-mile trip I have to take, which brings me to my questions.

1: Am I likely to be in danger of some horrible PCM/electrical failure leaving me stranded in rural farmland, or is this more on the "annoying lights and worse gas mileage" side of things?

2: Could this be related to the tie rod/some kind of wheel sensor instead of the PCM? I don't want to pay a bunch for them to replace the computer if it was a sensor all along, but then I also would prefer to not have them replace another random sensor and have something else -- possibly more impactful -- start failing instead.

Anecdotally, many years ago I had a computer with a damaged processor that crashed a lot, pointing at a different component every time because it just pointed at whatever was using it, and this kind of reminds me of that, which is part of why I'm inclined to believe it's the PCM. I'm just wondering about other options since most resources seem to believe PCMs don't really fail, but the fact that it seems to throw so many different errors makes me more inclined to believe it.

Are you the original owner? Does the car have any flood damage? Does the car have any aftermarket lights/stereo/security/stuff that might be spliced into wiring? Im not an expert but that sounds to me like some majorly hosed up wiring somewhere, maybe a whole harness with a big short in it.
It sounds silly, but I'd also check the battery voltage when sitting and running, a dying battery/alternator can cause some wacky, varied stuff to come up.
Also also, I would invest in a cheap code reader so you're not dependent on shops to pull codes, well worth the investment if you can afford it.

# ¿ Mar 8, 2024 18:11

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

I always just get my wheels snug, "rent" the torque wrench from autozone (I believe it's free), torque them in the parking lot, return the wrench, and continue on my merry way.
To be completely forthcoming, the first couple of times I did that, I had accidentally over-torqued by hand. I'm still kicking though.

# ¿ Mar 25, 2024 18:11

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

His Divine Shadow posted:

Ah I guess it was blinker fluid

Any fluid can be blinker fluid if you're brave enough.

# ¿ Mar 28, 2024 12:41

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

Idk about how old you feel like going, but the first generation Matrix (basically a Corolla hatch, but wagon-like in terms of space inside) is amazing for hauling stuff around, good gas milage, even pretty fun to drive with a 5-speed and of course fairly bulletproof.

# ¿ Apr 11, 2024 22:08

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# ¿ May 15, 2024 15:40

DildenAnders: Mar 16, 2016; "I recommend Batman especially, for he tends to transcend the abysmal society in which he's found himself. His morality is rather rigid, also. I rather respect Batman.â

https://newlondon.craigslist.org/cto/d/woodstock-2001-honda-accord-ex-moonroof/7744246738.html
Does anyone know what this guy means by "Racer" engine?

# ¿ May 11, 2024 13:18

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > AI Stupid Question Thread - The automotive forum is calling about your car

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