Auto Repair Articles

Question:

I have a 2001 Dodge Neon 2.0 Magnum. I was driving my car and I heard a pop in the engine compartment and my car died. I tried to restart it but I had no look. Luckily I still had some momentum going so I rolled into a parking lot. I tried to restart the car… The starter worked, there was a wizzing sound but the engine wouldn’t turn over. I thought maybe it was one of the belts and there were still intact. I consulted my repair manual later when I got home and figures out that it could have been the timing belt. What’s the damage? 

Answer:

If the timing belt came off - the design of the motor is free-wheeling. There will be no valve to piston contact under normal failures . The repair would be a new timing belt and maybe a tensioner or idler pulley if they are found to be damaged or noisy / gritty when turned by hand. 

Yes, fuel injectors can be cleaned to an extent. Most service stations and dealers offer a fuel injection cleaning service the uses an industrial grade solvent to run through the injectors by use of pressure and the kit installed directly to the fuel rail. This is the best cleaning service to have done but you want to make sure they use the direct cleaning kit.

Question:

I have a 1998 Chevy S10 pickup with a 2.2 4 cylinder engine and automatic transmission. The truck will start for 2 seconds then die. I would like to add that the security light is on.  I tried unplugging battery to reboot computer .

Answer:

If you can hold the key in the start position and the engine continues to run, then you need to replace the ignition switch ( not the key and tumbler, the ignition switch ).

If it does not continue to run, Then you will need to have your fuel pressure checked. Fuel pressure should be 41-47 psi. If less, then you need to replace the fuel pump.

The Security light should be on, this is normal… unless the key you are using no longer has the chip in it… The security light will come on and goes off after the vehicle is running for a few , then the lights go out ….. the check engine light should come on too, along with the seat belt light…. all normal.

Question:

I have a 2000 Olds Silhouette and it is overheating. Why is the car overheating with a new radiator and hoses just installed?  Car overheated, so our local garage supposedly traced the leak to the radiator and replaced the radiator and hoses. Today it overheated again on the highway. 

Answer:

It’s not hard to figure out what is wrong when an engine is overheating. Every time one comes to me, I follow this exact same process, and it has not done me wrong yet.

You should start with a cold engine that has a completely full cooling system, that doesn’t have any visible leaks. Some engines have a bleeder screw on the top of the cooling system, this is for a reason. When you fill the system, have the bleeder open and add coolant until it comes out the bleeder, then close it immediately. Most vehicles also require you to run the heater on high, while filling the system. This will get all the air out of the system.
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Question:

I have a 2002 Ford Windstar 4.0 and it only blows out the defrost vents. What is wrong with my air conditioning?

Answer:

You have a vacuum leak between the source vacuum (the engine) and the heater a/c control head. When vacuum is lost the default setting is defrost (that way if all fails, you will still be able to see).

The most common place to loose vacuum in under the passenger side of the dash where the vacuum line comes through. If you look under there you should see a grill that covers the recirculation inlet and there should be 2 vacuum lines attached to the a/c box. Chances are one is attached and one isn’t. If they are both attached, then you will need to get into the engine compartment and find that line. It is unhooked somewhere.
 

Question:

I have a 1996 Toyota Avalon and need to know where the blower motor resistor is located.

Answer:

They are located at B4 and B5 in the picture below. It is right of the accelerator pedal in the blower box behind the carpet.

Question:

My engine warning light came on and the dealer said the 2002 Acura RSX with 99,000 miles needed a $1,000 catalytic converter. I took the car to Auto Zone and they reset the engine warning light after running the diagnostic check. I have driven the car about 200 miles and the engine warning light has not come on again. How long do I need to drive it before everything resets prior to running a new emissions test?

Answer:

Typically if the check engine light was going to come back on it would have by now. Usually there is a secondary cause for converter failure i.e. engine misfire, raw fuel being dumped etc. As to running new emissions test I would have it done so long as check engine light is off. These vehicles are sensor-ed to the point that anything at all pertaining to emissions will trigger the light on.

Question:
How do I remove the spark plugs on my 2003 Chevy Cavalier and where are they?

Answer:
The plugs are under the Ignition coil housing see pic below,

Gap
Adjust the spark plug gap to 1.0 mm (0.040 in).

Tighten
Tighten the spark plugs to 20 N·m (15 lb ft).

Notice: This engine has aluminum cylinder heads. Do not remove the spark plugs from a hot engine, allow it to cool first. Removing the spark plugs from a hot engine may cause spark plug thread damage or cylinder head damage. 

Question:

It’s a 1998 Lexus GS-300. The car won’t start. Interior lights work, no head lights. When ignition key is turned there is a sound coming from a fuse box that buzzes. I tried a jump with no success. The buzz sounding fuse box is located on the driver’’s side in the engine compartment. there a four of them. Blue, green and pink are the colors. The fuse box is labeled “fuses and relays.

Answer:

If you still have the original battery in the vehicle I recommend replacing it first.(9 out of 10 no start conditions are caused by a bad/internally shorted battery)

There is a Starter Relay that receives power from the ignition switch and then sends power to the starter. Most likely this relay needs to be replaced. It is located in the Fuses and Relays box you described. To test, you can just swap it with a new one or you can use a multi-meter and check for battery voltage at the “s” terminal on the starter solenoid (small wire) while someone holds the key in the start position. If you see battery voltage at the “s” terminal and it does not turn the engine over, you need to have the starter replaced.

Question:

  My 1998 GMC Sierra 5.7 is running rough when it gets hot its stalls then will not start back up until it cools off. problem started on highway when on the throttle truck would break up and would not accelerate only when you would ease on the throttle wot it would not get out of its own way. I replaced fuel pump in Sept. 07. truck when it starts it will idle but breaks up when revved. volt light used to run at 14volts running but now it is two notches down, it also twitches slightly when accessories are on.

Answer:

I would check fuel pressure first at idle and see if it drops during acceleration when its starts to bog/cut out. If you do not have a fuel pressure gauge, have this test done.

I have had many re works due to aftermarket fuel pumps. You should use a Del-co or Delphi pump. Two reasons the pumps go bad. One is poor manufacturing and two, if you like to run your fuel tank with less than 1/4 of gas then the pumps over heat as the gas is supposed to keep it cool.