The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread

[twa]

nothing wrong with a good used tailgate

[Springfield]

It's not a super-nice car (read: benz, landrover). It's in great condition, or at least was. It's a Mazda CX-7, btw. Looked nice.

Land Rover is not a super nice car.

But yeah, a used tail gate wouldn't be a bad idea. Just seems like a huge PITA to me and I'd be concerned about fitting properly. I'm not a body guy though.

[twa]

if it is the correct one and undamaged it will fit as good or better than new OEM parts assembled

 

I am a body guy

[Elessar78]

Good stuff. Thanks, gents. 

 

So is there a correct way to do this? Meaning in a perfect world where money and time were no object... would you get the OEM part, paint it, sand/repaint/refinish surrounding areas to match? 

 

Or would you get to the same end result anyway by removing the old part and installing the new part? Assuming of course that all damage is localized to the lift gate. 

Edited April 28, 2016 by Elessar78

[twa]

not following, if you can get a used one the same color you simply install it.....hard to find usually

 

if not then you will need to paint a new or used....I prefer painting just the damage w/o blending adjacent panels

 

in most cases except some tri-coat colors a match can be achieved w/o blending if you are competent (subject to the original paint not being a Monday job)

[skinfan2k]

My dad just got out of the dealer and they recommended the following services 

 

Power steering pump 

water pump & drive belt

right front axle seal

valve cover gasket

lower ball joint boots

outer tired boots 

alignment

 

More than $2K for these services.  How much is this real or not?

[Springfield]

Depends

[pjfootballer]

I never go to the dealer for repairs unless it's a dealer recall. They make most of their money on service.

Tell your dad to take it for a second opinion.

[skinfan2k]

I never go to the dealer for repairs unless it's a dealer recall. They make most of their money on service.

Tell your dad to take it for a second opinion.

 

yeah i am telling him to come to a place near my house. I told him come during a weekday where a mechanic is not busy.  He always goes on a Friday on Saturday where its super busy

[Elessar78]

left headlights on for about two hours and car would not start. Restarted it with a jump start. It's happens every time we forget to turn the headlights off, sometimes as little as 1 hour. I got the battery checked about 5 months back and it said that the battery was on the low end but not "bad". Could it be something else? Alternator? The battery is several years old. Should I get it tested again and if it's low just get a new battery?

[twa]

get a new one, not worth the hassle

[Springfield]

get a new one, not worth the hassle

Best course of action. Can confirm.

[Elessar78]

Just got it tested at advance and guy said numbers check out and alternator should be good.

It doesn't have an automatic light shutoff for the headlights. Is the prob.

Still change battery?

Edited May 3, 2016 by Elessar78

[twa]

the battery is not going to improve....ya could work on turning off the lights,but the battery is dying

[Springfield]

1 hour is going to drain a battery. I'd start by fixing your wife first, cause let's face it, by "we" you really mean "my wife".

[Malapropismic Depository]

I was about to change my fuel filter, as I've always done it as regular maintenance for all my cars.

But I looked at the repair manual for my car, and it says "Note : The fuel filter should only be serviced when fuel contamination is suspected"

 

This seems odd, because logic would tell me that a filter of any kind should be replaced eventually, as sediment will continue to build up, just by nature of a filter's function.

Are fuel filter's really not needed to be changed on "newer" cars ?

 

And they even put the filter inside the fuel tank on this model, so the tank has to be removed, just to change the filter, unlike my previous cars, where the filter was located on the side of the car, just below the driver's door. It would be cool if I don't need to change it, since I'm not looking forward to removing the whole fuel tank, just to change the filter. But again, the statement in the manual come across as very odd, so am I really understanding this correctly, that I should not change it unless there's a major problem like contamination ?

Edited May 3, 2016 by Malapropismic Depository

[twa]

what kind of car?

 

if it is in the tank leave it, but usually the tank just has a screen/sock

[Springfield]

Definitely need to know year, make, model on that one.

[Malapropismic Depository]

99 Dodge Durango

Thanks a bunch

[HOF44]

I had an interesting car issue.  I have a 2010 Honda Pilot and was caught in the back up a couple weeks ago when the Woodrow Wilson bridge was shut down for a suspicious package.  While barely inching in traffic a terrible grinding noise started which was tied to the rpm of the engine.  It started to have white smoke.  I pulled over, let it cool down.  I started again but turned the ac off just in case.  Turns out it ran fine with no ac so I figured blown compressor. 

 

I took it to my honda dealership and had them look it over.  Turns out it was a bad relay that was stuck open.  When it sticks the pressure just keeps going up on the compressor until it vents, which they said is the noise I heard.  The smoke was oil and freon hitting the exhaust. 

 

Popped one in for me for $25 bucks and no problems since.  Feel pretty damn lucky. 

Edited May 3, 2016 by HOF44

[twa]

99 Dodge Durango

Thanks a bunch

 

Naturally a dodge....I'd let it be unless a problem develops

[Springfield]

99 Dodge Durango

Thanks a bunch

3.9, 5.2 or 5.9?

Never mind, they are all serviced the fuel pump. So, don't replace it unless there's a problem, and then, you replace the whole pump.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Springfield

[Malapropismic Depository]

Thanks twa and Springfield.

You guys always seem to be in agreement with each other, too. I guess great minds think alike.

[Springfield]

Thanks twa and Springfield.

You guys always seem to be in agreement with each other, too. I guess great minds think alike.

Wait until we start talking politics.

[skinsmarydu]

Thanks twa and Springfield.

You guys always seem to be in agreement with each other, too. I guess great minds think alike.

I've had to replace a fuel pump in the '99 MC...because of running low fuel.  You get down to all the nasty stuff in the bottom of the tank, etc. 

I never get below 1/4 tank now.  And I always go mid-grade... we almost drive "antiques" now, so no matter what they say, gas does matter.