All Questions
1,861
questions
10
votes
3
answers
290
views
Buying Car Parts Online
It's clear to me that car parts are cheaper when purchased online rather than through the mechanic. I've been buying tires and brake pads online for years with few problems.
Now the wheel bearings on ...
- 203
10
votes
2
answers
2k
views
headlights come on by themselves when car sitting in sun
if sitting in the sun on a hot day, my family's 1995 Mazda protege 323's headlights will come on, even though they are not switched on. This occurs with the car off, and the keys out. The simple way ...
- 101
10
votes
3
answers
15k
views
Car Battery Dying Overnight - Disconnected
I have been having trouble starting my car (needed to jump it twice, once in the morning, and once in the afternoon). Sometimes it would make a clicking noise when trying to start or it would be ...
- 325
10
votes
3
answers
113k
views
Do fault codes get recorded with a time stamp into a log with a history of DTCs?
Just scanned my vehicle for the first time to check out the code for a Check Engine Light. I grew curious if these fault codes get logged somewhere with a date and time stamp of some kind at the time ...
- 1,798
10
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Ford F150 broken spark plug removal
I have a friend that has a 2003 F150 V8 3 valve V8 motor, when he went to change the spark plugs some of them broke off. How do you remove the part that is still in the head?
Here is what a new one ...
- 7,990
10
votes
3
answers
2k
views
What exactly is a piston?
Here is a diagram of a disk brake. Notice that there is a piston (in red):
This is a piston, most commonly used inside the internal combustion engine:
Image 1 Source: http://sjam4uphysics.pbworks....
- 7,927
10
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Suzuku Katana does not start after an accident
I have a Suzuki Katana GSX600F.
After an accident I was in, I rode the bike home and all was fine except a little cosmetic damage. In rainstorm it tipped over and after picking it up and trying to ...
- 101
10
votes
1
answer
12k
views
How Fast Should a Depressed Strut Piston Return?
I just changed the struts on my car, and was curious how fast a strut piston should return after being depressed. In my case the old ones didn't have any return at all almost ( after a few minutes ...
- 15.7k
10
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Are there downsides to making an accessory socket always live, if accessories are removed when not in use?
In some cars, the power line from the battery to the accessory outlet (aka cigarette lighter socket) is always live. In others, it's off until ignition.
It seems pretty much random which cars are ...
- 2,628
10
votes
4
answers
47k
views
Do I need to replace both front struts if one is OK
I have a car that is 7 years old and unfortunately hit a curb which bent the front strut on the drivers side. Do I need to replace both struts? Or just the damaged strut?
It is similar to this ...
- 225
10
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Scatter Camshafts - What are they and why do I want one?
It seems in the world on mini's as in Mini Cooper, there is a camshaft called a scatter cam. It changes the timing for cylinders 2 and 3. I've heard of changing the timing to have 1 and 4 firing at ...
- 32.9k
10
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What type of Ferrari's came with wire wheels?
I always thought wire wheels was a British thing but recently I saw a very neat looking Classic Ferrari with wire wheels. Was this odd for an Italian car? Did they come stock with these or was it just ...
- 215
10
votes
3
answers
180k
views
Start Motorcycle Garaged for Over a Year
What do I need to do to get my motorcycle running again after I've left it in my garage for over a year?
- 321
10
votes
4
answers
196k
views
Blocked water flow in engine?
My dad has a 1993 Subaru Legacy L 2.2L (no turbo) with a perplexing cooling problem. It overheats, and there doesn't appear to be flow through the cooling system.
The upper radiator hose is extremely ...
- 253
10
votes
3
answers
49k
views
Using DOT4+ in clutch/brakes when DOT3 is recommended?
Looking at Wikipedia's DOT 3 page, it looks like it's been effectively superseded by DOT 4 fluid, but it's still sold and is still recommended on many forums. This question has an answer saying DOT 4 ...
- 325
10
votes
3
answers
745
views
Why are recommended oil weights lower for many newer cars?
I've noticed that the recommended motor oil weights for cars in the last 5-10 years are often lower than earlier models. It seems like 10w-30 used to be almost ubiquitous in the 80s and early 90s, but ...
- 609
10
votes
2
answers
163k
views
Car Battery won't charge after sitting for a Year
I have a main starter battery and a leisure batter in my van. They have been left unused for around a year with my van off the road. I am now trying to get it up and running however I am unable to ...
- 203
10
votes
1
answer
10k
views
Can a head gasket leak cause the cat to plug?
Well, like the title reads ... I replaced the heads on a Dodge Ram V8 5.9L gas engine. It's now running like the cat is plugged. Can blowing the white plume of coolant exhaust out the tailpipe cause ...
- 156k
10
votes
4
answers
94k
views
What precautions are needed when charging a car battery in an apartment?
Suppose a car owner lives in an apartment building and parks his car nearby. He wants to detach the battery, bring it home and charge it with a mains-powered charger indoors.
How to properly handle ...
- 1,376
9
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Where can I find statistics regarding car life expectancies?
I am in the process of buying a used car and I'm having some difficulty estimating the longevity of vehicles I encounter.
One can speak of car longevity in different ways, but for this question let's ...
- 281
9
votes
1
answer
14k
views
How to track down an intermittent battery drain?
I know there are several questions on here about finding the source of a battery drain (like Battery drains by itself when vehicle is parked (parasitic draw) ). However I don't think the answers ...
- 193
9
votes
1
answer
488
views
Machinist Straight Edge Tolerance
I want to purchase a straight edge which I can use to measure the flatness of heads & blocks and other such nifty things. My question is, what is considered a good tolerance for a straight edge? ...
- 156k
9
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Mini Cooper 2003 - Changed lights to LED, insanely fast indicator lights now
Changed all the lights on my Girlfriend's Mini Cooper last weekend, since then the indicators have been going crazy (assuming due to power consumption being very low).
I know you can replace the ...
- 375
9
votes
2
answers
24k
views
What are Performance Camshafts?
I read the following question recently:
What is it about performance cams that make engines produce more power when they are installed?
I know there are a few components for cars that have "cam" ...
- 7,927
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Pneumatic Valve Spring Operation in Formula 1
In the 2006 Formula 1 World Championship the rules allowed for pneumatic valvesprings.
These engines were required to have a 90° V8 engine with 2.4 liters of displacement, 4-valve-per cylinder layout ...
- 32.9k
9
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What's the best place to safely store a life hammer?
This is not really a maintenance question, but I figured this would be a good place to ask. I have a life hammer in the glove compartment, but I'm having doubts about where to store it. I figure that ...
- 407
9
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Switching gears without clutch
I drove manual car for a long time but never tried to switch gears without clutch.
Question: given that clutch-less shift is executed properly, does it take a toll on transmission in any way? For ...
- 498
9
votes
3
answers
959
views
Magnetic Active Suspension or Magnetorheological Damper
GM developed magnetic dampers for the Corvette several years back. What is magnetic active suspension and how does it work?
I understand there is a magnetic fluid in the shocks but how, deep down, ...
- 32.9k
9
votes
4
answers
30k
views
Can I change the oil without changing the filter?
I have a car on which the filter is fiendishly difficult to access (Alfa GT 3.2) and as I want to keep the car running for many years (and drive it quite hard) I want to supplement the manufacturer's ...
- 193
9
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What grade of bolts should I use for motorcycle brake hardware?
I'm setting up a motorcycle front end from used parts, and some of the mounting bolts were not included. The same bolt is used both for mounting the calipers to the forks, and mounting the brake discs ...
9
votes
5
answers
55k
views
Car dying at low RPM only after filling up with gas
My question is closely related to one about a Jag dying at low RPM, but is slightly different because it only occurs after refueling and because the problem persists after cleaning the throttle body, ...
- 303
9
votes
8
answers
151k
views
How long time do I need to run the engine to charge the same amount of power that the starter took
I have a Range Rover 4.6l V8, and I'm wondering if anyone have some sort of estimate of how long time I need to keep my engine running, to charge the same amount of power that the starter took to ...
- 1,136
9
votes
5
answers
99k
views
Wobbly Steering-wheel after changing Rims/Tires?
I've just recently swapped Summer Tires/Rims for my Winter set on my own for the first time. As it should be an easy concept, I went to a "U-Wrench" type shop where you rent a stall with a lift/tools ...
- 215
9
votes
3
answers
91k
views
Does revving a car when cold make it warm up faster?
As winter comes along, I've always thought that revving the car would make it warm up faster, so the heating works better to clear the icy/steamed up windows.
Does revving my car at idle to about 2-...
- 6,545
9
votes
3
answers
4k
views
What are the causes of fluctuating intake manifold vacuum
I have a 2005 Honda CBR600 F4i which suffers from occasional hesitation at low rpm when accelerating. I also get occasional fault codes from the ECU indicating a vacuum leak.
Today I connected a ...
- 668
9
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Is it possible to repair an intermittent or flaky turn signal flasher relay?
Ouch, a new turn signal flasher relay is $65 at the local parts shop.
Is it possible to DIY a repair of such a flasher relay?
- 397
9
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Recondition clear coat?
The clear coat on my car's finish is getting kind of tired, dull and scratchy.
Is there any way to recondition and renew it?
I assume I will need to polish the existing clear coat somehow and then ...
- 1,201
9
votes
3
answers
36k
views
What are the pros and cons of installing a high-performance air filter on a bike?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of installing high performance air filters (K&N,Green cotton,etc.) over original filter?
What are the changes/working occur internally?
- 241
9
votes
1
answer
4k
views
What is the yellow precipitate in my outboard's carburetor?
I've got a 2008 Tohatsu 9.8 HP four stroke outboard. My low speed jet keeps getting fouled and on several occasions, I've found yellow almost crystalline "growths" for lack of a better word inside ...
- 233
9
votes
2
answers
52k
views
What are the visual signs that brake rotors must be replaced?
Let's say you take off the wheel (when replacing the pads, for example) and look at the brake rotor. What are the signs that it's time to replace the disc?
Let's stick to clear visual signs that don'...
9
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Shutting off fans at highway speeds
On my vehicle (92 Civic) and most others I've seen, the condenser fan comes on whenever the A/C clutch is engaged. This seems like a waste of electricity (and thus fuel) when cruising at 60-75 mph, ...
9
votes
1
answer
812
views
Why should I clean bug and bird debris off my car?
I have a relatively new car with nice clean paint. I've read and been told that cleaning bugs and bird debris off of my car quickly is important because it can damage the paint.
Do I really need to ...
- 629
9
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Skipping gears when downshifting
Is it bad to skip gears when downshifting manually, e.g. from 4th directly down to 2nd etc?
- 6,653
9
votes
4
answers
1k
views
What would be the best and cheapest way to fix these dents and scratches?
I have a 2012 VW Jetta. The other day I was pulling into my garage and hit the side of the car. There are several dents and paint scratches. What would be the cheapest and easiest way to get this ...
- 201
9
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Does leaving the choke closed increase fuel consumption
I ran out of fuel using my outboard engine the other day, when I had checked the tank beforehand and thought I saw plenty of fuel. I had forgotten to open the choke for twenty minutes or so. My ...
- 193
9
votes
6
answers
60k
views
I used 0W-30 instead of 0W-20. Is it serious?
I have a Nissan Sentra 2014. I wanted to start using full synthetic oil, and the manual said I should use 0W-20. I changed both the oil and the filter (I used this one), and after finishing I realized ...
- 235
9
votes
1
answer
54k
views
Ford Focus with error code P242F (DPF failure)
I have a 2008 Ford Focus (UK) with a 1.6 TDCi engine and 60K miles.
This weekend I got error code P242F stating "diesel particulate filter restriction ash accumulation" and the vehicle has gone into ...
- 381
9
votes
9
answers
106k
views
Stubborn oil drain plug caused by hot oil?
I'm trying to change the engine oil but running into difficulties removing the oil drain plug. One of the instructions I followed to change the engine oil was to give the car a short drive prior to ...
- 195
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Engagement delay when shifting from neutral to drive or reverse
My 2001 VW Eurovan (T4) has automatic transmission and about 160k miles on the clock.
When I use the transmission selector to move from N to D or from N to R, there is a noticeable delay until I feel ...
- 1,156
9
votes
4
answers
1.1m
views
The car won't start, not even click, but everything else works fine in the car
The car has powerful new battery (1 week old). I drove the car and after 4 hours, the car will not start, not even click when you try to start the car? All the lights are ok and they are not dim. What ...
- 615