Car problems??? Ask away!!!!

drum4fun27302

Gold Member
The recent thread about change in policy /Andy/guru made me think. Andy brings in all his knowledge and shares it on here. I have lots of knowledge just in a different field.

I am and ASE master mechanic , recertified numerous times , L1 certified . I have my own business and been doing this for 20+ years.
So , if you have any car problems, need a second/honest opinion about something , here I am , offering you my "knowledge" . Maybe you won't get ripped off because of it and save you money as well.
I can give you labor quotes (what a job pays in hours) , waiting diagrams, diagnostic info /help.

Now maybe we'll have drummers come to their gig on time because their car is running right?????????
 
Here is one for you. The oil filter in my wife's car has developed a new and irritating issue. It has been slowly working itself loose enough to drip. I continue to retighten it, and a few days later the drip returns and I must tighten it again. I do not use an oil filter wrench, I use a piece of sandpaper to grab the filter and tighten it, and have been doing this forever without issue. The filter is not new, and yes I have been a bad owner and not been changing my oil regularly lately, but this seems like a non-issue to me. The filter should not be doing this.

While I have no where near your experience, I have been working on cars for at least 25 years or so, and can perform just about any mechanical need that the car requires as long as I have the time and tools. I have done just about every kind of repair/fix that can be thought of minus tranny work, so I know my way around a car. But this stupid filter has me incredibly frustrated.

Car is a 96 Oldsmobile Ciera SL with the 3.1 liter V-6, if that helps any.
 
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The recent thread about change in policy /Andy/guru made me think. Andy brings in all his knowledge and shares it on here. I have lots of knowledge just in a different field.

A while back, Smoke suggested a "What Can I Do For My DW Sibling?" thread. I think it's a great idea. ETA, French grammar, if anybody is THAT desperate.

Trivial car problem: five-year-old Peugeot 207 (possibly too small to feature on your radar). Dashboard insists on telling me that the remote battery is flat. What is it talking about? I press the thingy on the key, and the car opens like the (albeit unparkable) sweetheart it is. What am I missing?!
 
I have a 99 Jeep grand cherokee larado.,4.7 litre ,quadratrack 4x4. But the 4 wheel drive dosen't work.I only have rear wheel drive.Could it be electrical,mechanical or both?The 4wd is suppose to be full time and there is no 2wd on the shifter?

thanks in advance

Steve B
 
I forgot the forum is international !!! Oops. I am in America and we don't have peugeots over here :(

I don't blame you. Most sensible thing you lot have ever done.
 
The 99 gs Cherokee , you need to put it on all 4 jack stands and see if the driveshaft from the t case to the front diff is turning while the vehicle is in drive, if it is turning , the problem is in the front diff. If it isn't , it is in the t case (NV247).
 
Transfer case problem= big bucks.But still,what's the point of having a 2wd Jeep?

Thanks my friend.

Steve B
 
Who needs a car when you have drums!
I am also an automotive tech with over 35 years experience.
I hate cars :)
I am at the point where I lease a Hyundai Elantra. I don't even want to own my own car anymore.
Here is my advice. Lease a Hyundai, if it breaks call the number on the left rear window. A transport truck will pick you and your Hyundai up.
Hyundai will repair your leased car under warranty while you drive a loaner. It doesn't get any better than that :)
 
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Here is one for you. The oil filter in my wife's car has developed a new and irritating issue. It has been slowly working itself loose enough to drip. I continue to retighten it, and a few days later the drip returns and I must tighten it again. I do not use an oil filter wrench, I use a piece of sandpaper to grab the filter and tighten it, and have been doing this forever without issue. The filter is not new, and yes I have been a bad owner and not been changing my oil regularly lately, but this seems like a non-issue to me. The filter should not be doing this.

While I have no where near your experience, I have been working on cars for at least 25 years or so, and can perform just about any mechanical need that the car requires as long as I have the time and tools. I have done just about every kind of repair/fix that can be thought of minus tranny work, so I know my way around a car. But this stupid filter has me incredibly frustrated.

Car is a 96 Oldsmobile Ciera SL with the 3.1 liter V-6, if that helps any.

i wonder if the old rubber gasket is still stuck on the engine and causing a problem the the new gasket seating properly. I have never heard of a filter working its way off. they usually stick due to the heat of the engine block.
 
Only oil filter problem I ever have is on the vw's . They have to be really tight. My best guess for you would be to get a acdelco filter and install it the German way : goodandtight !!
 
Transfer case problem= big bucks.Front diff= big bucks too.But still,what's the point of having a 2wd Jeep?

Thanks my friend.

Steve B

Buying a used one on eBay is not that expansive. I asked you to do that test so I can gigurd out what part to concentrate on (diff or tcase).
 
2005 Mercury Sable, very low mileage. Temp gauge reads normal but I have no heat/defroster etc. Fan works, but blows ambient air. thanks
 
i wonder if the old rubber gasket is still stuck on the engine and causing a problem the the new gasket seating properly. I have never heard of a filter working its way off. they usually stick due to the heat of the engine block.

Nah, it was fine for a year and this just started happening. I am wondering if there is an oil pressure issue that gauges don't display.
 
2005 Mercury Sable, very low mileage. Temp gauge reads normal but I have no heat/defroster etc. Fan works, but blows ambient air. thanks

1st check your antifreeze level. If full,Engine at operating tempersture touch the 2 heater hoses that go thru the firewall (passenger compartment). They should both be really warm (even hot) so be careful.
If they are coldish , you have a restriction somewhere in the cooling system , and if they are warm/hot , you have a door problem inside the dash.
 
1st check your antifreeze level. If full,Engine at operating tempersture touch the 2 heater hoses that go thru the firewall (passenger compartment). They should both be really warm (even hot) so be careful.
If they are coldish , you have a restriction somewhere in the cooling system , and if they are warm/hot , you have a door problem inside the dash.

I *think* I had a similar problem on my old van. Could be the coolant level, but I recall the thermostat was broken. (Don't forget to "burp the baby" when replacing coolant.")

radman
 
Nah, it was fine for a year and this just started happening. I am wondering if there is an oil pressure issue that gauges don't display.

Does the filter thread properly and tighten? Is it possible that you may have cross threaded it some how?

Also did you say a year,with the same filter?I think it's time for an oil and filter change.I always change the filter with the oil.It only cost around 25 bucks for 5 qts. of oil,and a new filter,at Pep boys or a dozen other places.Every 3-4000 miles.

Steve B
 
Does the filter thread properly and tighten? Is it possible that you may have cross threaded it some how?

Also did you say a year,with the same filter?I think it's time for an oil and filter change.I always change the filter with the oil.It only cost around 25 bucks for 5 qts. of oil,and a new filter,at Pep boys or a dozen other places.Every 3-4000 miles.

Steve B

Yes, it is properly threaded. It was properly tightened and seated, and yes I did say a year. I have been financially strapped this past year and anytime I get the money to take care of much needed things, something always comes up. I know $25 might not seem like much, but it is for a poor, married student like myself. Last time I had extra money and was going to change the oil and filter, the heater core went out so I ended up changing that instead.

Next has to be the header panel, head lights, and turn signals because a deer tried to commit suicide and did some minor front end damage. There is another $200 I don't have right now.
 
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