The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread

[Springfield]

Thanks, I figured it was worth trying to do myself if all it cost me was time, worse case scenario I could still take it to a mechanic. But having done this my confidence in working on my car has gone up, I may next try to change my own plugs which are probably about due. I think I need to get a special tool/socket to pull them out though.

Most basic ratchet socket sets come with a spark plug socket. Basically, a spark plug socket is just a deep socket with a rubber grommet in it to grab the spark plug.

Beware though... the rubber grommets in the spark plug sockets tend to wear out pretty quickly. It may be prudent to buy a long magnet. They sell those in automotive stores as well.

[CrypticVillain]

SS, and anybody else who can help, can you please tell me where there is a good electric shop in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The last good one was Branch avenue Electric in Maryland, but they shut down. It was one in College Park, but they are closed while moving. I need a good one that is open now. Thanks.....

[In Flames]

I have one. Yesterday I tried to start my car, and heard a series of clicks, then nothing. I jumped it with another vehicle and it started right up. Upon driving the car for about 10 minutes to charge the battery, I shut it off and tried to restart, again to no avail, and heard the same clicking noises.

I also tried to charge the battery and after about 10 minutes it said it was fully charged. Is this a bad battery or the end of my alternator. When I was driving the car around, there was no dimming of the lights or loss of power. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[dchogs]

i have one that's been bugging me for a while now.

1989 Acura V6 with what has been described to me as "lifter knock." it is apparently very common in honda models and isn't bad for the engine. it sure is annoying though. a buddy asked the other day if my acura was a diesel because of what it sounds like when it is idling.

anything i can do to fix this or at least make it better?

thanks.

[twa]

i have one that's been bugging me for a while now.

1989 Acura V6 with what has been described to me as "lifter knock." it is apparently very common in honda models and isn't bad for the engine. it sure is annoying though. a buddy asked the other day if my acura was a diesel because of what it sounds like when it is idling.

anything i can do to fix this or at least make it better?

thanks.

Try a heavier weight oil

or this if you are adventurous

http://www.auto-rx.com/pages/applications.htm

Edited April 21, 2010 by twa

[dchogs]

i think i usually have 10W-30 in it... how much heavier should i go?

[twa]

I have one. Yesterday I tried to start my car, and heard a series of clicks, then nothing. I jumped it with another vehicle and it started right up. Upon driving the car for about 10 minutes to charge the battery, I shut it off and tried to restart, again to no avail, and heard the same clicking noises.

I also tried to charge the battery and after about 10 minutes it said it was fully charged. Is this a bad battery or the end of my alternator. When I was driving the car around, there was no dimming of the lights or loss of power. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hard to say w/o having it tested,if alternator your light should be on or gauge reading low

could be the starter as well

connections clean?

[twa]

i think i usually have 10W-30 in it... how much heavier should i go?

20-50w would be my suggestion

[dchogs]

i'll give that a shot. thanks, twa!

i'll take other suggestions too if anyone has them.

[kubstix]

92 Corolla again boys. Replaced the timing belt, engine, waterpump, ect. So far so good until Monday. First, this is a manifold from the new engine and already I think it's cracked cause it's loud and I smell exhaust. I have no o2 sensor in the manifold either (check engine light on). My question is why do I keep cracking manifolds? I'm beginning to think the o2 sensor is causing my car to run lean/hotter? Or i'm leaning toward a clogged cat? Could any of these be a possibility? Also the car has developed a whine past 30mph. Transmission is perfectly fine and shifting no problem. After 30mph the whine is produced by pressing on the gas ever so slightly and goes away when the accelerator is completely let off. Is this the bearings in the alternator?

[twa]

No o2 sensor?

You mean no hole for one?...otherwise that is where you exhaust leak is:silly:

Converter should not cause cracking nor o2 sensor...improper torquing will(though they seem prone to cracking)

No idea on the whine...bearing or belt tensioner are decent guesses

Where is Springfields?...damn married life keeping him occupied?

Edited April 22, 2010 by twa

[Springfield]

SS, and anybody else who can help, can you please tell me where there is a good electric shop in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The last good one was Branch avenue Electric in Maryland, but they shut down. It was one in College Park, but they are closed while moving. I need a good one that is open now. Thanks.....

Sorry I can't really help. Most quality auto shops can handle your electrical needs though.

I have one. Yesterday I tried to start my car, and heard a series of clicks, then nothing. I jumped it with another vehicle and it started right up. Upon driving the car for about 10 minutes to charge the battery, I shut it off and tried to restart, again to no avail, and heard the same clicking noises.

I also tried to charge the battery and after about 10 minutes it said it was fully charged. Is this a bad battery or the end of my alternator. When I was driving the car around, there was no dimming of the lights or loss of power. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My thought...

Replace your battery and you'll be just fine.

i have one that's been bugging me for a while now.

1989 Acura V6 with what has been described to me as "lifter knock." it is apparently very common in honda models and isn't bad for the engine. it sure is annoying though. a buddy asked the other day if my acura was a diesel because of what it sounds like when it is idling.

anything i can do to fix this or at least make it better?

thanks.

Like twa said, a heavier oil (I'd try 10W40 first, that's pretty heavy) or some sort of oil additive. BG makes a good product called RF-7. It's available in all professional auto shops.

92 Corolla again boys. Replaced the timing belt, engine, waterpump, ect. So far so good until Monday. First, this is a manifold from the new engine and already I think it's cracked cause it's loud and I smell exhaust. I have no o2 sensor in the manifold either (check engine light on). My question is why do I keep cracking manifolds? I'm beginning to think the o2 sensor is causing my car to run lean/hotter? Or i'm leaning toward a clogged cat? Could any of these be a possibility? Also the car has developed a whine past 30mph. Transmission is perfectly fine and shifting no problem. After 30mph the whine is produced by pressing on the gas ever so slightly and goes away when the accelerator is completely let off. Is this the bearings in the alternator?

A repeatedly cracked manifold?

I'd first suspect a clogged catalytic converter before an oxygen sensor. I hardly doubt that an oxygen sensor would cause a manifold to crack. My second thought is a cylinder head that is warped and putting strain on your exhaust manifold. After the exhaust manifold gets heated up, the cylinder head that is warped (read: not flat) puts extra strain on the exhaust manifold.

Two quick thoughts aside from a defective exhaust manifold or improper installation.

[21cents]

1997 acura CL

sometimes my brake lights work some times it doesnt. Is it the fuse or electric?

[twa]

1997 acura CL

sometimes my brake lights work some times it doesnt. Is it the fuse or electric?

I would guess brake light switch(located above the brake pedal,it has a plunger that sticks sometimes)

[Springfield]

1997 acura CL

sometimes my brake lights work some times it doesnt. Is it the fuse or electric?

I agree with twa.

If it were a fuse, they wouldn't work ever. Once the fuse is blown they won't work at all. A blown fuse shuts down all power to the circuit. It's most likely the brake light switch.

[TheGoodBits]

Question for a friend of mine:

He's looking at a 04 Accord coupe 4 cylinder with a manual transmission and 80k miles. Test drove it today and he says he likes it but the clutch feels really light. Is this just the feel of the clutch in that particular car (he's used to a manual Solara- can't remember the year), or could it indicate a possible problem?

[MikeSellers45]

I am no mechanic, but I do know that every clutch is different. I learned to drive stick in my granddads nissan truck and that has a really light clutch. I have a 68 Chevy pickup with a 5 speed and it has a very heavy clutch. I have also driven an 89 5 speed Camaro and that had a fairly light clutch. I hate driving cars with light clutches because I am used to the way my truck drives.

[TheGoodBits]

I am no mechanic, but I do know that every clutch is different. I learned to drive stick in my granddads nissan truck and that has a really light clutch. I have a 68 Chevy pickup with a 5 speed and it has a very heavy clutch. I have also driven an 89 5 speed Camaro and that had a fairly light clutch. I hate driving cars with light clutches because I am used to the way my truck drives.

Yeah I told him that's what I thought it was. I've only driven 3 manual cars- a ford f150, a chevy cobalt, and my honda civic. The civic was by far the lightest clutch among them. I just didn't know if a light feeling clutch could indicate problems if it's abnormal in this case.

[Buford T. Justice]

Can anyone recommend a cordless power drill that's powerful enough to be used as a ratchet on cars?

[twa]

Can anyone recommend a cordless power drill that's powerful enough to be used as a ratchet on cars?

I know Milwaukee and Dewalt both make a high torque line

http://www.articlesbase.com/tools-and-equipment-articles/top-selling-24-volt-cordless-drills-681441.html#axzz0ly5Y9M5G

[Mickalino]

What's the difference in the way a car acts, between a starter going bad, and a battery dying ?

If it's gradually becoming harder and harder, and slower and slower to start, could it be the starter, or battery, or possibly something else ?

[twa]

With battery it will be worse before driving,and start easier after a drive,with starter it does not change much

It can be cables or alternator as well

If the battery is old,that is usually the culprit.

[21cents]

I agree with twa.

If it were a fuse, they wouldn't work ever. Once the fuse is blown they won't work at all. A blown fuse shuts down all power to the circuit. It's most likely the brake light switch.

what should i do? just play around with the switch?

[SkinnedAussie]

Yeah I told him that's what I thought it was. I've only driven 3 manual cars- a ford f150, a chevy cobalt, and my honda civic. The civic was by far the lightest clutch among them. I just didn't know if a light feeling clutch could indicate problems if it's abnormal in this case.

It's not the clutch that's light, it's the pressure plate. The spring forks are different for every vehicle, and different again for what the vehicle is used for.

Passenger vehicles generally have a 'lighter' clutch than commercial vehicles.

If you ride the clutch pedal, expect it to get harder to change gears as the clutch plate wears out, and you could experience high engine revs on extreme cases as the clutch slips against the flywheel.

If you started with a heavy feeling clutch, and it gradually gets lighter, this could indicate the pressure plate is wearing out, or moreso, the pressure forks. This also makes it harder to change gears as the lower pressure within the plate doesn't allow the clutch to fully disengage, and thus, is still engaged as you attempt to change gears. A sure sign of this is the grinding noise as you try to change gears.

[SkinnedAussie]

Also the car has developed a whine past 30mph. Transmission is perfectly fine and shifting no problem. After 30mph the whine is produced by pressing on the gas ever so slightly and goes away when the accelerator is completely let off. Is this the bearings in the alternator?

Funnily enough, my car also develops a whine at a certain speed, but only when the missus is in the passenger seat.