The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread

[zoony]

I always put anti-sieze on plugs, not loctite :laugh:

They're hard enough to get out after 100k anyways (i.e. impossible)

[Springfield]

When your shop replaces parts, do you offer them back to the customer?

Two points for this question:

1/. Any part that comes off a vehicle is the property of the vehicle owner, and

2/. Indicates that any part shown on the work order as being replaced has actually been replaced.

Short answer for you, no. When I sell a job, I do not go out of my way to ask the customer if they would like the parts returned to them. The fact is most people don't want to see the parts. They don't want the dirty, greasy parts in their car and then up to them to dispose of after they get done looking at the replaced parts. Most people won't even know what they are looking at and sometimes, even if you have a part, there is no way to tell visually that it has failed.

I agree with your points though. The parts off of the customer's vehicle are the customer's property. Returning the parts to the customer gurantees (or at least shows the possibity) that the work has been performed. That said, most customers don't want the parts and don't want to bother cleaning their dirty hands after handling used parts (that stuff can be hard to get off).

On occasion, if there seems like there might be a problem, we will save the parts and show them to the customer when they come to pick up their vehicle. That way, they can see their parts and not have to worry about disposing of them or getting their hands dirty.

If somebody does not tell me to save their parts when I talk to them on the phone but asks for them back when they come to pick up the vehicle, I would gladly go digging through the trash to find the customer's parts. As you said, they are their parts and they have all rights to them after they are replaced. I can guantee you though, any part a customer pays for replaced is definitely replaced.

There are hardly any problems operating this way and I feel the customer is overall more satisfied not having to dispose of parts when they discover them after they get home.

[Springfield]

Also curious if the key is original or one that had to get made at some point. Sometimes a locksmith doesn't do a good job and that key that never seemed to work just right wears out the lock cylinder.

I've ran into that before, the locksmith doesn't use the right blank (uncut key) or just cuts the key poorly. Usually when that happens though, it's a problem the first time you try and put it into the ignition. I could see a key that is just slightly off causing problems in the long term.

[Springfield]

I always put anti-sieze on plugs, not loctite :laugh:

They're hard enough to get out after 100k anyways (i.e. impossible)

Not impossible with a 1/2" drive air gun!

(kidding, please don't ever do that)

But yeah, with the platinum spark plugs that are designed for 100K miles, it certainly gives plenty of time for the plug to bond with the cylinder head. Also the location of some of these spark plugs (especially some 6 cylinders and a few V-8's) makes it nearly impossible to get a good angle for some leverage when turning the ratchet.

[zoony]

Not impossible with a 1/2" drive air gun!

(kidding, please don't ever do that)

But yeah, with the platinum spark plugs that are designed for 100K miles, it certainly gives plenty of time for the plug to bond with the cylinder head. Also the location of some of these spark plugs (especially some 6 cylinders and a few V-8's) makes it nearly impossible to get a good angle for some leverage when turning the ratchet.

I ended up taking mine to Ford. I couldn't even get the ****ing wires off. them :mad:

Never seen anything like it before. Seriously, pulling as hard as you can, the wire wouldn't even budge

[Springfield]

I ended up taking mine to Ford. I couldn't even get the ****ing wires off. them :mad:

Never seen anything like it before. Seriously, pulling as hard as you can, the wire wouldn't even budge

I've certainly seen stuff like that before. Busted up my hands real nice getting wires off too. Sometimes wires will break when replacing the spark plugs as you pull the wires off.

[BayouBrave86]

OK, I'll pick right back up where I left off after logging off last night.

I'm assuming you mean the hood release cable, the cable you pull on to release the hood. That cable goes from the interior of the car to the hood latch and also includes the release handle. It's a common problem with Jeeps and in my area, $200 isn't too far off from what I would expect.

The labor is probably somewhere between 1 hour and 1.5 hours and the part is only like $20 or so. A huge pain in the ass if you have never replaced one before. If you you haven't, it would probably take you ever bit of 1 or 1 and 1/2 hours to replace it. If you know a trick or two, you can have it done in about 10 or 20 minutes. That's how mechanics make their money in this business.

As far as taking it to the dealer vs. the "local guy" doing it. It probably doesn't matter too much, the "local guy" will have to call the dealer to order the parts anyhow (I don't know of a company that makes aftermarket hood release cables). The only difference being, the part is either there on the shelf at the dealer, or a delivery away at the "local guy". "Local guys" are less expensive 99% of the time because of their labor rate, which is less. I work at a "local guy" shop, or as I'd like to call it a "privately owned shop" so my opinion here may be a bit skewed.

Appreciate it. Damn that sucks, I thought it would be around 100 at the most. Oh well. What if I wanted just an oil change, could they somehow find a way to get it open without charging me?

[Springfield]

Appreciate it. Damn that sucks, I thought it would be around 100 at the most. Oh well. What if I wanted just an oil change, could they somehow find a way to get it open without charging me?

Is the handle for the hood release broken?

If that is the case, you can usually use a pair of pliers to pull the cable and release the hood. Doing that, you shouldn't have too much problems accessing the hood.

If there is some other problem with the cable, where you pull the release and the hood doesn't open at all, you'll probably have no other choice. It can be a huge pain in the neck to open the hood if the release in the interior isn't working. A little more than a light service technician can handle and certainly something that takes a deal of time.

Hope that helps you a little.

[BayouBrave86]

Yeah the cable isn't working so I do believe I have to take it in to get it completely fixed now.

[Springfield]

Yeah the cable isn't working so I do believe I have to take it in to get it completely fixed now.

Most likely. Good luck too you.

[Koolblue13]

Well, 20 mpg on any full size truck is pretty damn good.

As far as your spark plug problem, it sure is a pain in the ass having to heli coil the head all of those times. Shouldn't you be using "anti sieze" on your plugs instead of "lock tite"? I would assume that the plugs are becoming siezed in the head and pulling out the threads somehow. I haven't seen this problem at all though, which leads me to believing you might be doing something wrong. Personally, I don't use the torque specs when tightening down spark plugs (which is usually just on my personal vehicles), instead I just use the old German "guten tight" adage.

As far as your coil problem. I see it all the time, nice Ford design to blame on that one. Usually if a customer has a bad coil, we recommend to replace all 8 (because of the coil-over-plug design, there are 8 individual ignition coils for each spark plug). We find that if we only replace one coil, others will fail soon afterwords. The customer comes back because they think we botched the repair (same symptom, same check engine light), and we have to explain that it's a another coil that fails. On Fords (and Mazda's too, which uses the Ford coil design), we will always recommend to replace all 8 (or 6 or 4) ignition coils because of the exact problem you have. It would probably be worthwile to try an aftermarket coil (we use Carquest and another local distributor) because they may have solved some of the problems that Ford's coil design has.

Boy do I feel like an ass. Not loc tight, anti seize. I wouldn't loc tight my plugs in.:doh:

I only had to do one Heli Coil and Snappy makes a tool for $600 that makes it a breeze. I then sold it to my old boss for $400 and can use it when needed.

I meant the plugs just loosen up on occasion. I hear tapping and then pop, plugs out. It happened on my old Ford as well.

As far as the advice on the coils. I knew it. That is what everybody says, I was just hoping there might be a way around it to prevent it from happening again.

I can't stand the new Fords.

[Springfield]

Boy do I feel like an ass. Not loc tight, anti seize. I wouldn't loc tight my plugs in.:doh:

I kinda figured that's what you meant.

I only had to do one Heli Coil and Snappy makes a tool for $600 that makes it a breeze. I then sold it to my old boss for $400 and can use it when needed.

I meant the plugs just loosen up on occasion. I hear tapping and then pop, plugs out. It happened on my old Ford as well.

I've never seen this happen. I'll ask around up at work, but as I recall, I don't remember this ever happening. Has to be damn annoying though.

As far as the advice on the coils. I knew it. That is what everybody says, I was just hoping there might be a way around it to prevent it from happening again.

I can't stand the new Fords.

As I understand it, it's not the moisture that causes the coils to fail, it's the heat from the coils internally. That's why the coils always look a little bit burnt if you look at the silocone (or whatever that material is on the tops of them). I haven't had any problems when replacing them with aftermarket ones, so that would be my suggestion.

I can't stand new Fords either, but that goes for many makes of cars. They all have their problems, some makes are much more problematic than others though. Ford seems to be in that "much more problematic" category. As far as trucks go, I think GM is heads and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to quality of trucks.

[Koolblue13]

I agree with you on the Chevy thing.

I always carry a spare coil and the tools to fix it. All but 2 of them take less than 5 minutes and the other two are under the fuel rail.

Thanks for the tips SS.

[Springfield]

I agree with you on the Chevy thing.

I always carry a spare coil and the tools to fix it. All but 2 of them take less than 5 minutes and the other two are under the fuel rail.

Thanks for the tips SS.

You're welcome.

I find it histerically funny that you carry a spare coil and the tools to replace it, with you at all times. You know what it truly means to be a Ford owner.:laugh:

[zoony]

There is nothing wrong with the new Fords guys.

Now your opinion might not be high of them, but don't pretend like they're inferior quality.

I've said it before on the boards, and feel free to take it with a grain of salt, but my Father in law manages a large automation consulting firm - they basically design the equipment that makes things. Most of their business is within the automotive industry. Nobody in the company will touch a GM, fwiw. Of course, most of them drive imports, including my father in law :laugh: :doh:

I drive a GM for my company car. Quite frankly, it's a big piece of ****. It doesn't even have 60k on it yet and I can't wait to get rid of it. So opinions are like *******s, we all have them

...

[zoony]

I think GM is heads and shoulders above everyone else when it comes to quality of trucks.

:laugh: My GM truck is a flaming piece of ****. The interior was designed by Playskool. The center console is loose. Sometimes it doesn't start. The sound system blows. Ergonomically it is awkward. It is a 2006 with 55k on it.

The drivetrain is noisy, and the ride is sub-par. I will give props to the transmission, but that's really the extent of it.

I believe in buying American, but in now way would I touch any GM truck product with a 10 foot pole.

Funny how perspective shapes our opinions, isn't it

How do you define quality? The Germans have known for years, "quality" is in the eye of the beholder. That explains how they can export pieces of **** that American consumers fawn over because they're stylish and the fit and finish is nice... and they handle well and have great drivetrains. Only a German Car owner will rant and rave about how great their car is even though it is constantly in the shop.

"Quality" is a relative term that the American Auto industry has yet to really figure out. I think Ford is on the right track with some of their newer vehicles like the Edge and Fusion and the new F150 coming out later this year.

[Koolblue13]

How do you define quality? The Germans have known for years, "quality" is in the eye of the beholder. That explains how they can export pieces of **** that American consumers fawn over because they're stylish and the fit and finish is nice... and they handle well and have great drivetrains. Only a German Car owner will rant and rave about how great their car is even though it is constantly in the shop.

"Quality" is a relative term that the American Auto industry has yet to really figure out. I think Ford is on the right track with some of their newer vehicles like the Edge and Fusion and the new F150 coming out later this year.

I will never for the life of me understand how people think German cars are reliable. Fun to drive, sure, but reliable (or cheap and easy to fix) is beyond me.

One thing I think anybody with a tiny bit of automotive knowlege can agree on is, how in the hell is Saab still a company? That is the mark for "what in the hell were you thinking" design.

[Springfield]

There is nothing wrong with the new Fords guys.

Now your opinion might not be high of them, but don't pretend like they're inferior quality.

I've said it before on the boards, and feel free to take it with a grain of salt, but my Father in law manages a large automation consulting firm - they basically design the equipment that makes things. Most of their business is within the automotive industry. Nobody in the company will touch a GM, fwiw. Of course, most of them drive imports, including my father in law :laugh: :doh:

I drive a GM for my company car. Quite frankly, it's a big piece of ****. It doesn't even have 60k on it yet and I can't wait to get rid of it. So opinions are like *******s, we all have them

...

There is certainly something wrong with Fords. There is also something wrong with GM, Chrysler, Toyota and every other brand of car ever made. Every car has it's problems. From my prespective, Ford has a fairly high failure rate when compaired with other manufacturers. I see my fair share of failures on GM's, Hondas and Toyotas as well but I think Ford ekes them out slightly.

As far as GM, their cars (and by that I mean just that, "cars") are junk. They are about as good of quality as a Ford car or Chrysler car. Their trucks are very well made though, and by trucks I mean full size pickup trucks. I hold a Chevy pickup truck in much higher regard than a Ford or a Dodge.

In reality though, cars are only as reliable as the people who drive and maintain them. That's the god honest truth. You can get a Kia to last to 200K if you take care of it properly and you can run down a Honda in under 100K if you treat it like your red-headed step child.

And that, my friend is my *******... I mean opinion.

Also, your father in law is a good man. I drive a Honda myself. Sorry I don't support the US economy with my choice in car. If the US automakers could produce what, in my *******, is a good car, then I would feel compelled to stimulate the US economy. I've owned 2 Chevys and a Dodge so far in my lifetime, those were enough for me to say Japanese is the way to go.

But alas, this is a digression of the intended purpose of this thread. I shouldn't be here to give opinions, just the facts.

[Springfield]

How do you define quality? The Germans have known for years, "quality" is in the eye of the beholder. That explains how they can export pieces of **** that American consumers fawn over because they're stylish and the fit and finish is nice... and they handle well and have great drivetrains. Only a German Car owner will rant and rave about how great their car is even though it is constantly in the shop.

Now that is something I can agree with.

[zoony]

I will never for the life of me understand how people think German cars are reliable. Fun to drive, sure, but reliable (or cheap and easy to fix) is beyond me.

One thing I think anybody with a tiny bit of automotive knowlege can agree on is, how in the hell is Saab still a company? That is the mark for "what in the hell were you thinking" design.

I've owned and been around German cars my entire life. My father has owned 4 Audis and 3 Porsches within the past 5 years. I've owned 3 (mine were used however) They are AWESOME cars... but big pieces of **** at the same time.

I could bore you with a list of service and warranty repairs done on them, but why bother

Funny thing is, my father LOVES them. Just like most German car owners do. Actually, I love them too, but I make no mistake about their reliability/quality.

[chipwhich]

In reality though, cars are only as reliable as the people who drive and maintain them. That's the god honest truth. You can get a Kia to last to 200K if you take care of it properly and you can run down a Honda in under 100K if you treat it like your red-headed step child.

If I put my Honda with 100K miles on it up for sale, people will WANT to buy it, and people will pay good money to buy it.

If I put an american car up for sale with 100K miles, people think the vehicle is at the end of it's useful life and it's value will be minimal.

I am not the best at consitantly changing oil on my hondas. The last two I owned went over 150K. My current one is over 100K....and it's like new.

My Jeep Grand Cherokee was a junk heap prior to hitting 60K :laugh:

[Koolblue13]

If I put my Honda with 100K miles on it up for sale, people will WANT to buy it, and people will pay good money to buy it.

If I put an american car up for sale with 100K miles, people think the vehicle is at the end of it's useful life and it's value will be minimal.

I am not the best at consitantly changing oil on my hondas. The last two I owned went over 150K. My current one is over 100K....and it's like new.

My Jeep Grand Cherokee was a junk heap prior to hitting 60K :laugh:

Perception is reality, right?

People also think Idol is the greatest show ever on t.v.

(Cherokees are great, as long as they don't have the Quadra junk box)

[sideshow24]

Also curious if the key is original or one that had to get made at some point. Sometimes a locksmith doesn't do a good job and that key that never seemed to work just right wears out the lock cylinder.

I have one original and one that was made for me at the dealership. Used some sort of primitive hand tool to carve the key instead of grinding. I use the original mostly and the other when I'm too lazy to look for my my keyring.

I've ran into that before, the locksmith doesn't use the right blank (uncut key) or just cuts the key poorly. Usually when that happens though, it's a problem the first time you try and put it into the ignition. I could see a key that is just slightly off causing problems in the long term.

It worked from the start. I think I remember it being a little bumpy the first few insertions so you may be onto something. WD-40 didn't work so I guess I start investigating a replacement. :mad:

[Springfield]

It worked from the start. I think I remember it being a little bumpy the first few insertions so you may be onto something. WD-40 didn't work so I guess I start investigating a replacement. :mad:

Ignition locks aren't terribly expensive or too hard to replace either. I would imagine it would cost you somewhere between $200-300 depending on what kind of car you own.

Sometimes you'll have to use a different key for the ignition than the one for the doors if they can't get the ignition key to match the door key.

Good luck though, it shouldn't be super painfull.

[BayouBrave86]

Alright so I just noticed one of the front "side" lights is out in my Jeep. How do I go about replacing that? I didn't see any screws and if I got a mechanic to replace the bulb for me how much would it cost? I have to take my Jeep in soon to get the hood cable fixed anyway, but I'm thinking I can do the side light by myself. How much does a light cost?