Auto Repair Articles

It is so exciting when you decide you are prepared to buy your first home at the La Quinta Resort and Club. I know the method may seem over whelming, but with the right help it can be easy and even fun. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I am getting from buyers. Hopefully these help make the process more pleasurable for you.

What should I look out for when I'm prepared to start taking a look at homes?

As you walk thru the home, ask yourself: is there masses of space, do I like the floor plan, and is there good quality storage space? What about the yard? Is it the proper size for my family; are there masses of bogs, etc. ? You also need to be ok with the disposition of the home. Are you wanting a fixer upper? Or do you need a home that is in move- in condition?

Q-Is an older home as good of an investment as a new home?

This is a case of private preference and preference. Both newer and older homes can offer distinct advantages. For example, new houses typically have better open living and entertaining spaces, like the sitting room. However , many older properties offer more total square footage for the money. It actually depends on what you're looking for, and if you are content to put the time and cash into maintaining an older home.

Do I need to bring anything with me during showings?

Just bring a pen! Your real estate agent should supply you with an actual fact sheet and note paper for each home you visit.

After I see the homes, what should I tell my real estate agent?

Let them know what you like and don't like about each home you see. It is critical for your agent to have an appreciation of what you’re looking for, so that they can serve you better. Don’t be shy. If you do not like the house, tell them. Then they will know not to show you anything similar.

How many houses should I look at before I buy?

There is no set number. Your real estate agent should be content to look till you find the best one.

I would like to have a pro glance at the home. What does a home inspector do?

We strongly recommend employing a pro home inspector. A home inspector will check a home’s plumbing, heating, cooling, electrical kit and look for structural issues, so you do not have any expensive surprises. They can also give you a written report of the inspection. This'll help you to see clearly if there are any issues with the home, whether they are small or large.

Should I be present during the inspection?

I might strongly recommend that you be there for the inspection. At the very least you can walk thru the home with the inspector after he is finished. Then he'll mention any issues with the home, and give you proposals concerning how to fix them. If you are not able to make it nonetheless , you should be able to go over the written report. After the report returns, you and your agent can then return to the home and look over the things the home inspector brought to your attention .

With these questions answered the purchase of your brand new place should be smooth sailing.

If you are looking to buy Madison Club homes or Madison Hills Country Club homes you can check out Kimberley Kelly’s real estate website.

I have a 1995 Ford Mustang GT. I Drive it everyday and today It just cranks and cranks and smells like fuel. Has been running fine with no problems what so ever. I change the oil regularly and perform regular maintenance. It has about 142,000 miles on it and about 12,000 on the spark plugs, wires, cap and rotor. It seems to be getting plenty of gas but no spark. What could be my problem?

Response:

The most common reason for this would be the spark trigger in the distributor. You can replace it yourself if you feel comfortable removing the distributor. If you do not, have it replaced for you at your local repair shop. You can either have the entire distributor replaced or just the trigger inside the distributor.

I have a 1997 Honda Civic EX, when accelerating, there is a rattle or a sound like cardboard stuck in a fan coming from under the hood,  could this be coming from any of the work i had done?  if not, what could it be?

Answer:

YES !! If the noise was not there to begin with and now it is there. More than likely the timing cover was not installed properly and it is now rubbing. Won’t affect the drive-ability of the vehicle, it will just be noisy. Take it back and politely ask the manager to listen to it as you are concerned. ( remember he is just a person just like you ) If he acts like an ass, then yeah scream and yell, but I think you will find that your mechanic will be more than willing to take care of the issue. If your mechanic is not, it may be time to look for a new one.

You can try to unhook the battery, but that usually opens another can of beans with having to reprogram the radio and all.. OR, you can take it by AutoZone, and have them read the codes for you, and then reset the light. If the light comes back on then you have a problem. Correct the problem and reset/clear the codes with a scantool.

1996 Oldsmobile Achieva, SL, with 101,000 miles on it. I changed out the Instrument Panel because the odometer was not working. Now it seems the computer will not accept the new instrument panel. I think that it needs to have the computer reset or reprogrammed, because the car will run for approximately 10 seconds, then shut off and there doesn’t seem anything else wrong. Please explain how to reset the computer or tell me where I can find out how to reset the computer.

Answer:

When replacing the instrument panel on this model you must perform a relearn to the theft system after the repair has been made. Here is what I would recommend that you try.

Time required, approximately 10 minutes.

1. Insure that the battery is fully charged.
2. Use the scan tool in order to clear the DTCs.
3. Turn the ignition switch from the OFF position to the CRANK position attempting to start the vehicle. The vehicle will start and then stall.
4. Leave the ignition switch in the ON position while observing the security indicator.
5. When the security indicator turns off, which can take up to 10 minutes, turn the ignition switch off. Wait 10 seconds.
6. Turn ignition to start, at this point the vehicle should start and run.

Most four-stroke engines between 1996 and 2005 are equipped with DIS or Distributorless Ignition System. These systems have done away with the distributor and use sensors instead. The advantage is the ability to electronically control ignition timing without the need of adjustment. (DIS) Distributorless Ignition System  

Generally to diagnose this, I apply power to the fuel pump from under the car at the fuel pump wiring harness using a Power Probe while having a fuel pressure gauge hooked up so I can see if it is working. (in 90% of these cases it is the fuel pump and not the relay, this is why I check the pump first). Also, while your under the car and at the fuel pump wiring harness. You can have someone cycle the ignition key and check for power going to the pump from the relay. If you do not see power coming from the relay, then the next step is to check for power going to the relay. If you have power going to the relay by not coming from it(when you cycle the key) then the relay is bad and will need to be replaced.

Reference Link : How to use a Multi-meter

I have a 4.9L motor in a 1992 Ford F-150 4.9 pickup the engine is looping and i can smell gass in the exhaust. I think it is a sensor becouse it just started out of the blue when i parked it. Already Tried: checked plugs and wires and changed

Answer:

The first thing to do would be to Extract the codes which can be done without a scan tool.

Question:

have a 98 acura integra when i turn my car bucks and makes like a hitting noise and feels like its slipping when i turn with hitting the gas but when i push the clutch in i can turn and stuff and it doesnt make noise at all some one told me it was my cv joints in my axle so i put 2 new axles on and it still does it but when i go straight its fine nothing happens can you tell me what it can be 

Answer;

Make sure the axles provided are for your correct model, if the engine has been swapped make sure theyre sitting in correctly and that the cv nut it tight, and torqued to factory spec, around (134lb.ft) for most models, the problem could be anything so you have to rule out certain things, youve already replaced cvs but those would make a popping sound even with youre foot on or off the clutch.

Sounds to me like either your diff inside of youre transmission is bad, loose or damaged mainshaft(does it do it left or right, certain speeds), its not making the sound when you disengage the clutch because youre pulling load away from the trans.

2002 Nissan Altima 2.5, car over heated water went all over engine now the car will not start . checked fuses, replaced sparkplugs 
 

Answer:

If the engine overheated enough it could have warped the cylinder head. These cars have aluminum cylinder heads, not too hard to warp them. If the heads warp really bad you will loose compression. I would check compression and spark(you have coil over plug set up ,water’s not generally a problem)