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ASK THE NEIGHBOURHOOD MECHANIC
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Hi Most Vehicles use oil. It's not usual to add a litre between changes. Get into the habit of checking the oil after two or three fill-ups. Here's a tip: the area between the two lines on the dip stick represents 1 litre of oil. The oil level should be between these two marks. If the oil is dirty it's time for a change.
Hi Dave
I have a 1988 Chevy Van with 84,000 miles on it. Recently, I've been hearing two quick clicking noises when starting it. I hear the noises while the engine is starting up/turning over. The van has been starting up just fine, and everything seems normal, aside from the clicking. I don't hear the clicking when the truck is running. Any ideas?
Dan
Sounds as if you're developing a crack in the flywheel...the noise will get worse as the crack spreads Try and remove the converter shielding and see if you can pin point the sound. ..only solution here would be to remove transmission and replace the flywheel.
Dave
Lately when I go to drive my car it starts, then about five minutes later it stops. All electricity is cut off. I turn the ignition off and wait about 30 seconds and all the electricity comes back on. It does this all the time so I keep doing the same thing as I drive, can you HELP?
Wes
This type of repair is almost impossible to diagnose without access to the car. If were to hazard a guess I would look into the ignition switch ...Sounds as if it's worn and over heating, this would cause the contacts to loose their continuity. Have the vehicle scanned by a competent technician. Be patient electrical problems are hard to find.
Dave Redinger a mechanic with over 40 yrs of experience operates his
shop "DOCTOR H HONDA SPECIALISTS in Toronto for the last 25 yrs. Dave can be heard every Saturday morning at 9:00 on "THE NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC"
Email your questions to: davidredinger@rogers.com or AM740.ca
Dave Redinger
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I purchased my first new car in 33 yrs. Now that the kids have moved out it seems I have a little extra at the end of the week. Turns out, my new car wasn't that new. I had been in stock for almost a year. Sitting around caused a few complications, the brakes had rusted, the wipers had dried out and some of the bulbs had failed. Moral of the story, Try and find out how new your new car actually is , was there any damage that was repaired during shipping. By the way all my problems were easily resolved. Now……. even my wife is happy.
I have a 1990 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight Royal that starts great in the warmer months but during the winter months doesn't. If I don't plug in the block heater the vehicle seems to flood. Basically what I do to start the engine is hold the ignition on until the engine starts. This sometimes takes up to a minute. Any suggestions?
When the temperature dips a car's battery reserves are low. Sometimes less than 50% of it's available power. Under these conditions the ignition system must be in perfect condition. These vehicles had a reputation for weak ignition coils. Have the ignition system tested by a qualified tech. Never crank an engine for more than 10 seconds at a time. The starter may over heat and fail.
He's my question: about a thousand years ago, before fuel injection, computerized this, that and the other thing, even before the automatic transmission, the golden rule for the best rate of speed for the best fuel consumption was to drive at a steady fifty-five miles per hour. Is it still the same, or does it now depend on things like super chargers, air conditioning, or whatever?
Frank
Speed Costs! The faster you go the more it costs. I would suggest cruising just under 110 for max performance. (also less chance of getting pulled over). Cheaper to use A/C on the hwy with the windows closed then A/C off and the windows open. The extra drag caused by the lowered widows makes the vehicle less efficient and wastes fuel. Drive like there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator. Easy on and easy off. Keep a steady pace on the HWY. and avoid jack rabbit starts. Follow these basic rules and not only will you save gas you will reduce wear on you car.
Dave Redinger a mechanic with over 40 yrs of experience operates his shop "DOCTOR H HONDA SPECIALISTS in Toronto for the last 25 yrs. Dave can be heard on AM740 every Saturday @ 9am on the Neighbourhood Mechanic.
Dave.
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When you purchase gas at the self-serve and walk over to the kiosk, do you lock your car? I do, simply because I have so much stuff in the car I can't afford to loose. The other day I ask the attendant "do cars ever get stolen while folks are paying for gas?" "Yup…more times than you think", was his answer. Seems women are more diligent then the guys. First off they like to pay at the pump, especially if there are kids on board. Secondly; they lock up. The fellows, well, we're more lax. More testosterone I guess.
Just a thought.
The check engine light on my 1999 VW Eurovan engine comes on and stays on for a couple of days without blinking and then disappears.. A mechanic checked it out with his diagnostic instrument without any indication of trouble and said not to worry. However whenever it rains the light is sure to come on. The ignition wires were replaced recently. Any ideas?
Audry
Because the light is not staying on ( we call that a soft code) we can assume that your problem is temporary.
Sounds as if the computer is picking up a misfire in the engine when is damp. This should be a problem in the ignition but it due to the complexity of today's cars it could be something else entirely. Have your mechanic set his scan tool on "snap-shot mode", the unit will record any codes the instant they appear. This might entail driving with the equipment attached during your regular day. Once identified follow accepted repair procedure.
I enjoy your column in 24 hours and the expertise you are able to give people. I'm hoping you can provide me with some insight into my car issue. I have a 1999 Acura 1.6 EL, 5-speed manual transmission with an extended warranty that will expire in April. It's a great car and I have no complaints. Two years ago, whenever I engaged my clutch, it began to squeak, especially during warmer weather. At that time, the dealership replaced the release bearings under warranty and that seemed to fix the squeak. Over the past year, my squeaky clutch has returned on occasion (again, mainly in the warmer weather). The dealership lubed the clutch and said the squeak would come back in a couple of months because it's the master cylinder/slave valve, which is a big job to fix but it's covered under the warranty. I'd like to know if this is a sign of a bigger problem to come, and if so, why don't they just fix it now? I'd appreciate any advice you can give me since I'm a female who is not mechanically inclined!
Take care.
By depressing the clutch, the driver engages the throw out (release) bearing. This unit is mounted on the centre shaft of the transmission. Under normal driving conditions the unit last the life of the clutch assembly. However; in areas that are dusty or in our case salty the lubricant that is used breaks down. In this case, the repair faculty should lube the assembly with
HIGH TEMPERATURE grease. These products are supplied by HONDA (p/n08798-9002) or aftermarket by companies such as MOLYSLIP. Keep your paper work for if you require future repairs.
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On April 1st "the Neighborhood Mechanic" is available on "1050 CHUM"
Listen to: "1050chum.com" Saturdays@10 am EST, join us on air, 866 444 8326 toll free.
If I was asked once, I was asked a hundred times…How often should I change my oil? Oil does a remarkable job. Not only does oil lubricate the inside of the engine it cleans and cools at the same time. At high rpm oil circulates at 80 to 90 psi. No one could argue that modern engines work oil extremely hard. So when do change the oil? I recommend every 4 months or 5000kms (8000 if you're running synthetic). I short change the oil every change of season. Installing fresh oil is the best thing you could do for your engine.
I have a 2000 Chevrolet Venture Van V6. Three days ago I turned on the rear wiper and I noticed that it was turning very slow and then suddenly it stopped. Since then it is not working anymore. What can I do? Is the motor gone? What seems to be the problem?
Vilma
The rear wiper shaft is seizing....Probably can still save it by lubrication the shaft and allowing it to run for at least an hour...to avoid this in the future make sure you service the unit and use more often...use it or lose it...By the way spring is a good time to lubricate all the locks, doors, gas door, etc. anything that moves.
I own a 1998 Chrysler Intrepid but according to a mechanic it has a broken rocker arm and has some lower end noise that cannot be identified. The mechanic also says that the 2.7 litre engines all seem to have big problems at high kilometers. Mine has about 174000 kms. The rest of the car is in really good condition, just a couple of tiny rust spots. I asked about fixing it and was told that a rebuild would cost $4000.00, $2500 for the used engine plus labour and tax. What do I do? What should I ask for this car as is?
Alan
I'm sorry to inform you but your tech is "right on the money"...Even as salvage the unit does not have much value due to high mileage...I think I would be asking $500. Best advice here would be to appraise the vehicle's mechanical condition. If you decide to restore the car I would put in the new engine. While you're in there have he transmission serviced as well. The money spent is still less than the cost of a new vehicle.
Dave Redinger a mechanic with over 40 yrs of experience. Dave operates his shop "DOCTOR H HONDA SPECIALISTS in Toronto for the last 25 yrs.
Email : davidredinger@rogers.com ( we respond to every email) LISTEN TO DAVE ON 1050 CHUM EVERY SATURDAY @ 10:00 AM OR ON THE WEB LIVE "1050 CHUM.COM
Dave.....
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