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The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread


Springfield

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any decent mechanic can do a brake job on a Lexus, dealers are always the highest,but usually don't use Autozone generic parts..:silly:

maybe one of the locals can recommend somewhere

---------- Post added October-21st-2011 at 04:24 PM ----------

My '08 Nissan Sentra check engine light was on, got an oil change and shortly went off thereafter...Am I good?

unless it comes back on and stays on

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yeah i think i was going to get my brakes cleaned and adjusted. it just hit 16k miles. How much does this usually costs?

Not going to help on a Lexus, you're thinking of old fashioned drum brakes. There's really nothing to adjust on disc brakes. Is it a squeeling or a grinding you're hearing? How often? More when cold or first starting out in the morning?

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Not going to help on a Lexus, you're thinking of old fashioned drum brakes. There's really nothing to adjust on disc brakes. Is it a squeeling or a grinding you're hearing? How often? More when cold or first starting out in the morning?

yeah you are right lol. it doesn't squeak or anything, it just feels harder to stop on a instant

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yeah you are right lol. it doesn't squeak or anything, it just feels harder to stop on a instant

ya probably have a buildup or glaze.....try several hard stops from freeway speed to see if ya can burn it off

with no one behind ya of course:silly:

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  • 4 weeks later...
2000 Buick Regal The ABS and service engine light and all that stuff keep coming on at random times for seemingly no reason, but what worries me is that I'm getting a grinding noise and vibration occasionally when i brake. The pedal gets stiff and I have to press really hard to stop. My life insurance is paid up but I really don't want it to pay out any time soon. Any idea what is happening?

Ok found the trouble. The lights keep popping on because the wires going to the ABS sensor at the front wheel were cracked and brittle. When moisture got to it or when the wheels were turned a certain way it would short out. Finally one wire snapped and the lights stayed on. Soldered the wire and hit it with liquid electrical tape before taping it up well and it fixed the problem! If my repair doesnt hold I'll just order the new piece and install it myself.

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Timing belt replacement varies greatly between manufacturer and engine. Outside of visually inspecting the belt for obvious wear and cracks, there is no way to no it's on it's way out until it snaps and then you're SOL. If the tensioner's locking up you may get warning noise from it before it takes the belt out. Bottom line, don't play with it, expensive engine damage will likely result if it fails. Consult your owner's manual or look it up online and don't exceed the recommended mileage/time interval of replacement. Not worth the cost.

---------- Post added November-21st-2011 at 09:54 AM ----------

Ren, send me a PM and I'll get you in touch with someone. A good friend of mine for over a decade, and probably the only person other than myself I would trust to work on my car, is the only tech at a small shop is Silver Spring. They have very reasonable rates, he knows his stuff and is honest.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Does anyone know a place that fixes alloy wheels? Its just cosmetic repairs on 2 of my rims

[/color]Ren, send me a PM and I'll get you in touch with someone. A good friend of mine for over a decade, and probably the only person other than myself I would trust to work on my car, is the only tech at a small shop is Silver Spring. They have very reasonable rates, he knows his stuff and is honest.

DC where is your shop at?

Edited by skinfan2k
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TWA. the shop near my house said 180 per wheel. Does that seem expensive?

WOA is usually 125 with mount+balance here, so a little high but a shop is gonna markup

ya might google for wheel repair and cut out the middleman

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They do that well and a good job, down here I could offer more options.

you might try

http://www.fixrim.com/?gclid=CMX2q9y69qwCFcVgTAodm1nETQ

but they list none in your area

google

http://www.google.com/search?q=mobile+wheel+repair%2Bmaryland&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Edited by twa
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  • 1 month later...

i have an 03 chevy cavalier (automatic), and i cant turn the key. the car is in park, i have tried moving the steering wheel, and tapping the key into the column (to loosen tumblers) with a mallet.

this problem was first noticed as i was attempting to start the car and drive it out of the used car dealership (go figure). it took me about 5 minutes to get the key (which looks very worn) to turn, and i figured it was just a little touchy and i needed to get used to it. ive been trying to get the key to turn for a couple hours now, to no avail.

all signs are pointing to a replacement of the locking mechanism, which is pretty pricey.. suggestions?

Edited by sportjunkie07
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you can try flushing it with wd-40 ect, and trying a spare key or having another cut possibly

aside from that,levering the key slightly up and down while rocking the steering wheel sometimes works

or flag down a thief with a slidehammer to pop it out

don't think that yr has the chip in the key,if not getting another cut is cheap and needed anyway

add

sometimes pulling it out just slightly while turning works

Edited by twa
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