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March, 2024

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Ask a mechanic.

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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
It seems every so often there is a "car help" related question posted on NS and I thought I could maybe help out people who dont want to make a thread but want to ask a quick question about an issue they are having with their car. I am a mechanic at a higher end german car company so I thought i could maybe give my 2 cents or point you in the right direction to resolving your issue on your own or give you an idea what to tell your mechanic the issue is.

No question is stupid and I will try to help out.
Jan 24 2011 9:57PM
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Eastcoastr
Posts: 296 - Karma: 51
thanks man also are there any realistic ways to start it without the starter just in case it happens again?
Feb 4 2011 12:06AM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
cant start an engine with a starter. You can try to push start if its a 5 speed. The whole purpose of a starter is a very powerful gear notches into your flywheel and cranks your crankshaft moving your pistons up and down and allowing compression in the cylinders required for combustion. Next time your car is in for service, get them to do a starter CIRCUIT test.... saying the word CIRCUIT is important here, because it has nothing itself to do with the starter, just the power and ground strapping wires that lead to it. That check should cost no more than half an hour labour.
Feb 4 2011 12:10AM
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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
If you havent already pull your battery cables and clean the corrosion off your terminals and the leads. 90% of starter problems start with shitty battery connections.

Pulling your starter and then finally testing it with a battery is no fun after you discover your terminals are the problem...especially with an S10...
Feb 4 2011 12:15AM
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Captain_Slow
Posts: 1677 - Karma: 24
How much $ do you charge at your shop for the regular 3000/3month maintenance (oil, brakes, etc)?
Feb 6 2011 12:18PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
its depends car to car. Recently we did an Aston Martin vantage oil change and that took 3 hours and i think about 12 liters of oil, so that was 500-600 dollar oil change. Most Porsche cars are about 300 bucks for an oil change. Most VW are 120ish an oil change. I suggest you take the bull by the horns and do your own oil changes, its rewarding to learn and very very simple to do and this way you have completely control of what oil and how the job is done. If you want some tips on how to do an oil change, let me know. The small 3k/10k services are basically an overpriced oil change really, you can do the basic inspection yourself very easy and do the oil change. If the car is still in warranty just purchase the oil/filter from the OEM dealership and hold onto the receipt and tape it into your service tracking book, that will show that you have kept up to date on your service.
Feb 6 2011 3:23PM
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5teve.
Posts: 610 - Karma: 12
Yea i kinda want one but my dad doesn't want me to get one because of what was said. But he said if it has low miles then there is a possibility that i could get one, but i guess ill see lol.
Feb 6 2011 10:50PM
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Captain_Slow
Posts: 1677 - Karma: 24
alright thx so much, will def. pm you soon!
Feb 10 2011 8:06PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
thought i would bump this just in case some people missed this thread.
Mar 29 2011 4:18PM
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iLLbiLLy
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 2,631
I have a 95 explorer... The other day my sway bars broke off on the front of the car. Do i really need them? My roommates say i don't.
Mar 29 2011 4:21PM
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Ski_the_east01
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 2,304
Yes i would generally advise that you need your front sway bars especially in a big tall suv with a high cog..the sway bars help the vehicle stay 'flat' in corners

while youre hopefully not driving a 2.5 ton suv like jeff gordon thru corners anyways, in an emergency situation where you have to swerve hard or repeatedly to avoid something not having sway bars will make it drastically harder to come out of the swerve safely

i've seen plenty of lifted rigs with disconnected sways driving down highways and its pretty frightening how far the vehicle pitches going around corners
Mar 29 2011 4:29PM
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WikiWiki
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 426
you can aim the lights with VAG COM- I had to readjust mine after lowering because the auto leveling light thinks my car is loaded with a shit ton of weight
Mar 29 2011 4:35PM
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bootleg_BEN
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 44
The sound was a loose exhaust manifold. The smell was a leaking valve cover gasket. both fixed now and running great.
Apr 3 2011 10:06PM
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garettnorthey
Posts: 3049 - Karma: 173
I have a 2000 VW Jetta 2.0 with 184000 km's. I know this is a common problem but I had heard many different answers. Every so often when I turn it on it squeals. It sounds to be definitely a belt of some sort. I had the timing belt and water pump and shizz done at 175000 km's and I replaced my serpentine belt and the tensioner, but I'm thinking it's the starter that is the problem. But I don't want to drop $175 on a new starter and find out that that wasn't the problem either. It only happens about 1 in 4 start ups. Since it's a common problem you must have some idea what i'm talking about.

Another question. Do you know the max wheel offset I could run on my Jetta with 8mm spacers and a 3" drop?

Thanks alot man!
Apr 3 2011 11:21PM
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bootleg_BEN
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 44
New Fan belt^???
Apr 3 2011 11:42PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
i figured out the abs light is because of a bad abs wheel speed sensor at the left rear. i cleaned it off, but it didn't do anything, so the wire must be dead. when i replace it, do i have to pull a fuse to reset the abs unit or will the computer recognize a new line and the abs light will go off when it sees that its working?

also, your thoughts on seafoam. i bought some to do it, but then i found that the spark plugs have to be changed. since new spark plugs were put in at 110k KM and im at 125k KM now, i think im going to wait will i reach the 45k that honda recommends i change spark plugs. ill do it all at once so i don't ruin a new set.
Apr 4 2011 9:09AM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
starters are very common on your car, ive replaced many starters for dragging on the 2.0 motor. Your description sounds exactly like a starter, but again i cant hear the noise so i cant confirm or deny it. The starter makes a quick whirring noise on start up on occasion. This is a youtube of a starter noise common to vw.



as for wheel offset, im too sure, gonna have to check with some vw aftermarket forums for that one.
Apr 4 2011 6:47PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
Typically, a car will turn out the abs light instantly after a wheel speed sensor replacement. It may take 3 key cycles to get the light to go out if it wont go out instantly. You need to take it for a quick roadtest before the light goes out aswell.

Ive heard a few bad things about seafoam personally, i dont know exactly what is in it but i can assure you it will foul your plugs atleast slightly so i would do exactly what youre thinking and wait till the plug change interval rolls around if you want to go it. Ive heard some horror stories of seafoam and some major success stories aswell, so im not exactly sure how i feel about the product. At work we run pressurized cleaning systems for the cars that seem to work really well but have a tendency to heat the cats on cars to unsafe levels, so keep an eye on your cat while youre doing it.
Apr 4 2011 6:51PM
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J.D.
Posts: 21362 - Karma: 5,141
Damn, dude is actually making an effort... props I guess? I sure as hell wouldn't make a thread like this.
Apr 4 2011 6:51PM
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vandersteeze
Posts: 2650 - Karma: 1,511
where is the pussy magnet?
Apr 4 2011 7:16PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
Great, thanks for the help. i'm going to order the sensor from here,

http://www.autopartsway.ca/PartDetails.cfm?W0133-1711458/OES/Honda/1996/Accord/EX-R/2.2L_L4/allB/Brake/ABS_Components/ABS_Wheel_Speed_Sensor/pagenum1/tabS

seems like an okay price you think? any other american parts stores that you know could beat that? ill look up your recommendations to see how friendly they are about shipping to canada. i just want to be careful about getting the right sensor, considering there are sometimes differences with US and CDN market models.



Apr 4 2011 8:03PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
i live in canada actually, so i have no idea. Im a slacker and just order all my parts through work, sorry man. No idea of where to order parts online. I would just check with honda-tech.com and see where they order parts from.
Apr 4 2011 11:26PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
My engine fan is turning where I turn my engine off. Even if it's super cold outside. Should I worry bout it?? Is there a quick fix or does this point to a bigger issue??
Apr 4 2011 11:28PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
how long does the fan run? I know on vw's the engine fans are allowed to run i believe 10 mins after the engine is shut off. What type of car is it?
Apr 4 2011 11:43PM
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pat_in_the_hat
Posts: 3019 - Karma: 2,695
It's a 90 Honda accord. Gettin close to 200k miles which is why I'm a bit worried. But it runs for ten to 20 min prob. And it hasn't done this in the past
Apr 5 2011 12:21AM
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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
where do i put the chick magnet?

Apr 5 2011 12:23AM
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Deezy
Posts: 4580 - Karma: 1,004
where do i put the chick magnet?
lol but actually.
ive always wanted to know which companies make the best (medium price range) cars? (strictly mechanically speaking)
i duno if you know the answer, but its worth a shot
Apr 5 2011 12:25AM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
its hard to know exactly how your fan system works on an older honda but this may indicate an issue with circuit. On the vw/porsches at work the fans have the control modules built right into the fans so if we have issues with long running fans, we replace the unit and problem is solved. Im not exactly sure on your cars fan system, keep an eye on it eventually the fan will most likely die and could cause your car to over heat. Just keep an eye on your temp gauge in the spring/summer.
Apr 5 2011 12:28AM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
for a trustworthy car I would suggest toyota ( non direct injected engines) and honda. I Love my honda, I bought it for the trustworthy engine and mechanical. Good thing about honda is if you get a DOHC motor, they are still very fun to drive aswell with vtec and normally around 200hp.
Apr 5 2011 12:31AM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
ya hondas are great. i have a 96 f22b1 accord with only 125,000km on it. plenty more to go! sure i could get on a lease or finance some new civic or something, but this was my moms old car... so i'd like to keep it around for as long as possible..sentimental value.

thanks for your help, im gonna order from the link i gave above. people were saying rock auto was better, but they weren't any better.
Apr 5 2011 12:58AM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
bump incase there is some more questions from ns'ers
Apr 17 2011 9:30PM
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Rez4frederick
Posts: 4740 - Karma: 40
Yea I've got a couple Audis. 1986 Audi Quattro 5000cs and a 1990 200. Yea they require a bit of work, but you would be surprised at what you can do yourself. The engines seem pretty bulletproof. I sent you a pm about a problem Im having with the 200. I dont want to just junk it...
Apr 21 2011 2:15PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
bump,


here is a picture from work, did this a couple days ago. Fucking holy hell, huge engine/transmission combo.


Click for larger image
May 7 2011 12:44AM
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DNK
Posts: 132 - Karma: 93
Can you please explain to me (in detail) how to take off the engine compartment on my 2008 Porsche Boxster RS 60 Spyder?
May 7 2011 2:56AM
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D-Roche74
Posts: 313 - Karma: 10
Threads for when i get a car.
May 7 2011 12:17PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
you have to feel pretty comfortable with cars to pull an engine cover from a newer boxster. You have to disconnect the convert. top. What are you planning to do in there? Most of the stuff on boxsters is easier to just get at from bottom or removed the rear fender liners.
May 7 2011 2:26PM
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14.
Posts: 974 - Karma: 48
ive been having some sort of squealing noise on my front left tire
it has to do with the rotation of the tire or somethin cuz everytime the wheel turns it makes almost a scraping noise? almost like my routers are hitting something?
i just put new routers on those front two though so idk

oh and the noise is 100x louder when im backing up
halpp

May 7 2011 2:46PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
what i would do is inspect the brake rotors between the spokes of your wheels and see if you can see some wear lines that span the entire length of the rotor on the outside, which indicates something stuck in there. If not, stick your hand between the spokes of your wheel and try to bend the flimsy metal splash guard behind the rotors as when they did the service of the brakes it may have got a tad bent is contacting the rotor as you spin the wheel. That would be my first steps.
May 7 2011 8:10PM
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DNK
Posts: 132 - Karma: 93
Just peaking around/ spring cleaning.. It is actually very easy. Porsche Pete's Boxster Board is a big help. If anybody wants a new forum to troll... ^TROLOLOL look no further. But please, out of respect. If you choose to do so, be considerate.. Thank you.
May 10 2011 1:36AM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
good on you if you found a diy article for it. Most people are not that inclined to pull their top to access the engine cover. 986 chasis is much easier to get at the engine cover aswell. Surprisingly 987 boxsters are rock solid and hardly ever need the cover pulled. Cannot say the same for 986.
May 10 2011 1:41AM
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Legion
Posts: 1374 - Karma: 29
whenever i turn on the AC in my 97 accord, a kind of chirping/whining noise starts. it goes on forever until i turn off the ac. any ideas to what this could be? also, when im idling the car at a light or something, the RPM's sometime drop really low, and it seems like the car is almost lugging.

thanks 100 times for your help. +k
May 10 2011 1:44AM
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Tasche
Posts: 5422 - Karma: 99
AC sounds like a bad compressor, or belt.

Other problem could be a lot of things but new plugs and wires are always a good place to start.

my $0.02.
May 10 2011 9:58AM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
how low do your rpms drop?

May 12 2011 12:42AM
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B.Aussie
Posts: 5851 - Karma: 4,522
I don't have a car. But + K to the amount of time and effort you're putting into this and your quality response. I am amazed.
May 13 2011 7:54AM
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Funnel
Posts: 7808 - Karma: 1,414
Okay, I bought this thing called a GTA car kit (aftermarket AUX thing that plugs into the back of the OE stereo) for my 2002 Camry and had a few questions. I'm going to get a panel tool to remove the panels (unless I can use something else) and had a few basic questions. I heard I should remove the negative thing from the battery so I don't risk shock when pulling out the radio, is that correct? Are there any other tips anyone can give me when messing with this shit? I swear I had a few other questions.
May 13 2011 7:31PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7808 - Karma: 1,414
Oh. Here we go. I really feel like it would be me to fuck up the panels so how hard do I have to pull to pull them off? If I have to actually put strength into it does that mean I'm going to ruin them, or do they typically take a bit of fiddling and tugs?
May 13 2011 7:35PM
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tronned
Posts: 1098 - Karma: 790
as for trim tools, they are normally made of hard plastic so you dont scratch up your interior panels with a metal screwdriver or sharp edges. Most interior panels have a specific order of removal but normally around the radio they are fairly easy to snap out. Most interior panels need a bit of force to remove, so you have to use a little power to remove panels. Im not familiar particularly with your model. I could possibly get my shops login for shop key and get a real directions/diagrams for your car. Ill look into it next week if you want. No promises though, ill try my best though.
May 13 2011 8:07PM
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Funnel
Posts: 7808 - Karma: 1,414
Thanks man!
May 13 2011 8:42PM
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geteducated
Posts: 6410 - Karma: 86
look up 'removing radio' for your car and you'll probably find a step by step guide.

i did that (96 honda) when i had to get the code off the back of my radio to unlock it.

forget paying 100 dollars for the shop to do it.
May 13 2011 9:22PM
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.jersey
Posts: 1925 - Karma: 9
okay so I have a 2005 nissan xterra off road with a six speed manual in it. Today while i was sitting at a light the slip light starts flashing, while i was sitting still. The differential locked light, abs, vdc light also came on. I called a dealership and they said they would check it out and hook it up to a computer for $125. Any idea whats wrong?
May 16 2011 5:34PM
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Tasche
Posts: 5422 - Karma: 99
go to autozone and hook it up to a computer for free.
May 16 2011 5:48PM
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