Got a Quick, Technical Question?

sddoc07

Question about brakes and tires....I recently had my Honda Pilot serviced at my dealer and they rotated my tires along with changing my oil. Unfortunatley, the car began to drift to the left as if it was out of alignment - even though, before they had rotated the tires, the car was running perfectly straight! Should I have the alignment checked??
Also - I had my front brake pads replaced at Sears and the Honda folks informed me that they were rubbing too hard into the rotors and the rotors would have to be resurfaced! Is this possible??? What should I do? Thank you very much!

Mr_Shiftright

Hmmm...I wonder if your drifting left and the brake job have anything in common.

Sure you can check alignment. Alignment is always done when you add new tires so if you rotated badly worn ones, that might also apply.

I'm not sure what they mean by "rubbing too hard into the rotors"...I mean, that's what brake pads are supposed to do. If they mean DRAGGING pads, well then you'd have red hot rotors.

So I'd say unless they verify dragging brakes by using a pyrometer (needle thermometer I mean) on the rotors to show excessive heat, or at least jack up the car and spin each wheel and demonstrate that one is really not rolling free, then it sounds like dealer blabber to me.

I have to say though I'm not keen on having brake work done at large chain-stores.

sethmuss

(Subaru, WRX, '03)
About a month ago I first noticed a short squeak coming from my front driver-side wheel area only when going in reverse and I having the steering wheel turned completely to the right. It has progressed from a ....squeak...., to a .squeak.squeak.squeak... and its gotten louder.
Today I noticed when the steering wheel was turned fully to the left and I am going forward I get the same sound, same wheel. There is nothing from the passenger side.
I was thinking wheel bearing, but reading some descriptions it sounds like the wheel bearing doesn't squeak, but is more of a grind. Just to be sure I'm going to jack the wheel off the ground and see if I can move it as suggested elsewhere to test the wheel bearing.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Seth

sddoc07

So you're saying that I should stick to dealerships for brake work in the future??

imidazol97

I have had rotors warped by the bad air wrench use at a national chain store. They also refused to fix the stud they jammed the nut onto after taking it off with a fast air gun without cleaning the threads. They had cross-threaded it before when putting it on is my guess.

The same national chain store long ago was balancing my Sears Road Handler tires made by Michelin before they were available at area tire dealers... and told me my new Mustang needed new front ball joints because there was a 1/4 in play in them while jacked up replacing the wheels. I drove the 2 miles to the local Ford dealer where they probably were still laughing at quitting time; the air arms had to be supported to check the lower ball joints. No load means lots of play in the joint.

I'll bet Sears had a special on ball joint replacement that week too!!! Hehe. Not mine.

Find a good local individual shop for brakes that doesn't push the latest 200000 mile brake pad or lifetime replacement. Use original equipment and you'll get a much better feel in the brakes after the service.

bc150002

How are the dust covers removed from the front axle hubs of a 1965 Dodge 500 truck? They look like they are threaded and it will take about a 2 1/4" socket to remove them. Before purchasing a socket of this size, I wanted to be sure I am on the right track.

gregman

Is there anyplace you can go to view modern car engine's horsepower/torque graphs? I want to see where certain engines make their most usable horsepower according to rpm.
My friends don't understand that horsepower is not useful if you need over 5000rpm to get it! Unless you're a drag racer.

Mr_Shiftright

No not the dealer but a good independent Japanese car specialist or a brake specialist that's locally owned.

bcblair

IF not which forum should I ask in detail in

burdawg

You have a very good point. I see these adds all the time, "with the new XXX horsepower engine", but without any detail. You get a lot of power out of todays high tech smaller engines, but you usually have to wind them up pretty tight to get it.

Mr_Shiftright

Hi!

Why don't you try posting here first, and if that doesn't work, e-mail me and I'll think of another place to try:

Pontiac Grand Prix Topic

MrShiftright
Host
Maintenance & Repair Forum

jimslax

I have a '97 Dodge Ram, 5.2 l engine. when replacing the water pump, I noticed a small hose attached to the top of the pump. It appears to go thru the intake manifold and appears to have a leak in it. Any ideas on the best way to replace this hose??

idntnvu

checked that, still not working...

Mr_Shiftright

If you don't mind me asking...how did you check the flasher unit? The only good way is by substitution.

Presuming you did that or something equally certain, I'd take a test light and see if any current is going to the bulb circuits...if you get no "pulse" from the flasher, and you are quite certain that fuses and bulbs are good, then I'd have to say your multi-function switch on the steering stalk is bad or a wire has pulled loose from the switch.

mamadukes

I currently own a '93 Ford Club Wagon van with a big V-6 in it and am very happy with the gas mileage it has gotten. I am currently looking at '04 F-150 listings. I will be using this truck for everyday driving and possibly getting a pop-up camper at some point. My question is do you want a small V-8 in a truck like this or only look at the 5.4L? Also, what exactly does a Triton engine do for you?

holly97

could you tell me where to find info on replacing cabin filter on 2002 toyota corolla?
Thanks, Mike

user777

mike, assuming the '02 location and method is similar to the '05, you might look here:
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Toyota-Repair-832/cabin-air-filter-replacement.htm

rveyera

last summer my 126,000 1991 honda accord started getting stuck in 'sport shift'. After several trips to the mechanic (and some research on the internet) it was dtermined to be a known problem. I had the TCU changed and everything seemed fine. Today it is wet, rainy, and unseasonably warm and humid. All of a sudden the car is doing it again (stuck in sport shift - green light is on). It's worth noting that the dash lights that indicate if a door is open and which one it is, also flickers on and off. I have taken out the backup fuse, cleaned the battery terminals, and still nothing. I can't help but wonder if there is a connection that is getting wet or humid and that has been the problem all along. Everyhing I read says to replace the TCU, which I did. If anyone can help that would be great!!

user777

i might be mistaken but a general transmission prob is indicated in your vehicle with the "S" light right? i mean, might it be one of the shift solenoids getting flakey or a bad speed sensor? try google.

toomanyfumes

I have a 1995 T-Bird with 65,000 miles. The front end squeaks and creaks over bumps at low speeds. I'm thinking it might be the ball joints because I had an '88 Mustang that did the same thing and it was the ball joints. Is there an easy way to check them? I have the Hayne's manual but it just says you have to remove the control arm to remove the ball joint and doesn't say how to inspect them for wear. Thanks for any help.

Mr_Shiftright

You really don't inspect ball joints, just replace 'em. A good shop should be able to lift the car a little and get under there with a creeper and locate the noise with a mechanic's stethoscope. Another possibility is upper strut bushings/mount.

toomanyfumes

Yeah that was my next step. Have the front end checked out. I'm just surprised there's no way to tell if they're bad? Just if they squeak, replace them? I remember on my Mustang, there was a line that showed once they were worn out.

Mr_Shiftright

Well you can load them with a jack and measure the play, yes, but that doesn't tell you if they make noise or not is what I meant.

toomanyfumes

OK.. Gotcha. Thanks... I'm more concerned with the safety aspect of worn suspension parts than with the squeak.

darntruck

What could cause my 2000 ford ranger not to start if both coils are firing and I have 60 psi fuel pressure. the fuel pressure does not hold consistant though?

denisedaisy

Have wrecked 2000 cavalier coupe found car with blown up engine also a 2000 chevy cavalier z24. Can we put the engine from the coupe in the z24 and all will be the same? Mounts, no computer changes, etc.

ttalley321

If a car sits in the driveway over a nine month time period in all types of weather, will it mess up in any kind of way? Or will i just need to boost the battery so it will start?

user777

oh there are people here better able to answer this than i can. google it.

yes, charge the battery.

probably i'd check the brake fluid and maybe have it flushed and i'd definitely have the oil changed if it hadn't before the period it wasn't driven.

tires? dunno.

imidazol97

Is it a car old enough to have a coil wire you can disable so you can crank it to build up oil pressure and circulate some oil before the ignition starts it? You didn't mention the year. I'd do short bursts of cranking for that purpose.

I'd take the battery to a local store that does a free recharge as a check to see if it needs replacing. It probably has drained and if you're in a cold climate the battery may have frozen during the time it sat. Or you may be lucky... I think Advanced Auto does a free charge and check.

grandamgt

Did you ever find a solution to your intermittent cranking problem? I am having the same problem with my 96 grand am 3.1 v6.

sf121kmi

I have a 93 Cavalier that I let sit for about 7 months. I went to start it, didn't start. I wasn't surprised and took the battery down to AutoZone to replace it. Everything was fine, it sat for less than a week and I went to start it and nothing! It was as dead as the first time but after the battery was replaced. There's no clicking or any other noises when trying to turn over .. just nothing. Any ideas? Thanks in advance

imidazol97

Troubleshoot the connection at the battery for current draw. Put an ammeter between the positive post and the battery. Start pulling each fuse to see which one drops the draw. I am not sure what minimum draw should be for a 93 product. Maybe .03 amp was metnioned in another forum.

Look for glovebox light staying on? Trunk light? Open them quickly and touch the bulb and socket around to see if they're warm from being on rather than just warming from having turned on when you opened the door.

Was the replacement battery fully charged? Was the car driven for a hour or so to charge it?

dirkdoesdirt

We have a 94 Supreme with the electronic climate control. When you try to change where the air is coming out of (defrost/floor/etc) nothing happens. the air is blowing but nothing changes. The air is currently coming out of the defrost and the floor outlets. Any ideas?
ps: fan works ok

qbrozen

What is a Supreme?

well... I don't know the car, but its going to depend on how the vents work. It most likely has some sort of controller, whether it be vacuum or electric, that controls the opening and closing of vents. This controller has probably failed.

jipster

I've got a slight brownish tint in my trans. fluid on my 2004 Mazda MPV with 25k miles. No burnt smell. Does this necessarily mean the fluid is starting to go bad? Owners manual does not list a interval to change the fluid, though the dealership recommends it at 30k. Any thoughts?

imidazol97

I'm not sure how your system operates but it probably uses vacuum to operate vacuum motors that move the vanes that control where the air goes. I assume you've checked the fuse or fuses that affect the control panel. Check the owners manual for locations; there may be more than one location.

Usually a failure leaes the air coming out the defrost. If there's no vacuum the defrost is the mode that lets the windshield clear for safety reasons. Check for a small black rubber or plstic tube that comes out of the intake manifold and goes to a storage tank for storing vacuum when you have the gas pedal flooreed. From there the line will go to the inside of the car through the fireway. Usually it goes along with other electrical wires in a bundle.

Often taht tube gets pulled off. I pulled one off of my 98 LeSabre each time I worked on the back spark plugs.

The tanks that store the vacuum often can crack and leak so there's no vacuum buildup in the storage tank.

rband1

I recently bought a pre-owned 2006 Ford Freestyle with the drivers door keypad. I don't have the combination for the keypad but my owners manual tells me it can be found on a label stuck to the top of the computer. That's great but it doesn't tell me where the computer is located, can anyone help?

Thanx.

crankshaft

It is time for a fluid and filter change.The fluid should be bright reddish pink.

smokey75

Actually the color of the fluid doesn't always mean anything. It will change color way before it is done. Hyundai actually had to put out a TSB regarding this that says the color will change from pink to a reddish brown in the first 15,000-20,000 miles but it is stil good (in this case usually until 100,000 miles). Now if only the techs would read the TSB. I just had them tell me I needed a flush because the fluid "looks dirty."

jipster

Well, how are you suppose to know when to change the fluid if it's color is not a reflection of its condition?

crankshaft

I always change mine at 30k miles and since 25k had accrued,I figured it was cheap insurance to do it at this time.I would not follow the manual in this case,which probably specifies 100k miles.This practice is what separates people who have to get their tranny's overhauled at 90,000 miles and the ones who get sometimes 200,000 miles before a failure.

crankshaft

I have had several of these cars and I have had to replace the ball joints in each car.They have no grease fittings,the "permanent" lube dries out and they squeek.They do have wear indicators.They appear as a dimple where the grease fitting should be.When that dimple receeds into the ball joint and is lower than the surounding metal,it is considered worn out.Hint,only the upper ball joint is replaced with the arm assembly.The lowers can be pressed out.Just make sure if you replace the lowers,get ones with grease fittings or you will be doing this again soon.

smokey75

Have you ever done an oil analysis of transmission fluid at 30,000 miles? I would trust the recommendation of the manufacturer first. You could even go longer than this with a good synthetic. Also, the fluid will start to smell burnt. Blanket statements with absolutely no evidence to back them up, like not following the manufacturer's recommendations and going with a way shorter interval will prevent a tranny overhaul at 90,000 miles are worthess.

swind0gr

The steering wheel on my 90 GMC Suburban has become very loose. It moves up and down 4 inches when it is locked into position. I can't find any manuals that show what parts are in the tilt mechanism to see what may have come loose or broke. Anybody out there that has had this problem or worked on one of these steering wheels?

crankshaft

It all depends on how the car is driven.I assure you that a transmission which is serviced every 30-40k miles will outlast a transmission serviced according to the manual ninety nine percent of the time.After 100k miles the filter will likely be loaded up enough to have begun to starve the transmission of lubrication and affect internal pressures.You can change yours at 100k and help the transmission rebuilder with his boat payment.As far as analysis goes,I would rather change it BEFORE the fluid breaks down.

smokey75

You can assure me all you want but how about some evidence that you shouldn't follow the manufacturers recommendations. And please no "My Pappy did it... and so did his Pappy." And as far as the filter being full... have you ever found anything in the filter? It has the efficiency of a screen door. It's meant to keep the chunks out & if you have chunks your transmission is already screwed.

imidazol97

I cut apart a filter from my transmission. It looked like a large pore version of oil filter media, IIRC.

The value in changing out transmission fluid is that the contaminants are suspended in the fluid. By draining at 30K mi, e.g., you are taking out half and replacing half the fluid with new fluid with fresh additives for dissolving and suspending said contaminants. By doing this repeatedly you keep fresher fluid and keep your transmission's parts cleaner.

This is what my service manager for my car's brand recommended. I change the fluid in the coolant also every two years. Cheap insurance. Same for tranny.

crankshaft

Since when is it bad not to follow the manufacturers recommended change interval and do it MORE OFTEN than is suggested????

babyblueyes

i have a 79 camaro with a 383 stroker..i just did the harmonic balancer,tune up plugs wires and had all the adjustments made..the car starts great when cold..once warmed up its hard crank i have to put the pedal all the way down then it will start..rough at first then great..wondering why its so hard to start when warmed up..

smokey75

But that wouldn't be following the recommendation if you do it more often. That was my whole point. It's a waste to change it more often than the manufacturer's recommendation. Following that logic why not change it every 15,000 miles and the tranny will last even longer?