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I have an extremely annoying tire problem. It started like last year when my low tire pressure light came on. The right rear tire was a little low so I pumped it back up but like 3 weeks later I got the low pressure warning again. I figured I had a leak so I took it to a mechanic and he says nope, no leak, you're fine. Several more months of re-inflating the tire every two weeks and I took it to a different mechanic. I explained what I had been doing but got the same answer, I checked the tire, there's no leak, you're fine, the pressure warning is probably just temperature changes. I ask if he can't just replace the liner on that one tire because temp changes wouldn't cause me to have to re inflate the tire multiple times and he says I'd need to replace all four tires if I wanted to do that. I declined to do this because IMHO that is ridiculous, and now I have a new problem, my tire pressure warning indicator won't turn off even if I inflate all the tires. The slow leak is still there as far as I can tell, but even if I check the pressure of all the tires, drive 50 miles, and then recheck the pressure, the pressure warning indicator stays lit even though the pressure is still fine afterwards. I'm starting to think I'm going crazy. Is my tire pump broken? I don't want to take it to a third mechanic just to get the same runaround. I could take it to the dealer but knowing car dealers they'll probably insist on four new tires plus $5000 in other repairs.
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Aug 6, 2015 03:54
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^ You could have a faulty TPMS sensor. Does your car identify which tire it's registering as low or just illuminate/flash the low tire light? RE: front plate chat - honestly unless you know the cops in your area strictly enforce the two-plate rule I'd just leave it off. I live in a two-plate state (Ohio) and over the course of about a decade I've driven on and off without a front plate, never had a cop give me any grief about it even when pulled over for something else. Does California have especially egregious punishment for being caught without a front plate? If they're like most other two-plate states where your first offense gets you a fix-it ticket I wouldn't worry much about it.
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Aug 6, 2015 03:56
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No, it doesnt specify which tire is low. Could the sensor burn out from going on and off so many times over the course of a year? I've been reinflating the tire every two weeks or so, it seems to lose like 5 psi per week.
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Aug 6, 2015 04:16
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It could be one of your TPMS sensors is out of batteries, just coincidentally. Might want to check and see what the warning light for that is. If your tire actually _is_ losing air, though, that's indicative of a problem. Either the tire has a small puncture, it's mounted improperly, or your valve stem is leaking. Out of curiosity, do you have a valve stem cap installed? If not, get a replacement. They do a lot toward helping keep the air in your tires. There is no "liner" (inner tube) on modern cars, so if the tire is actually bad, you'll need to replace it. Depending on what kind of car you have, it might be prudent to replace a pair, or replace all four. How old are the tires that are on there? Get some soapy water and smear it all over where the tire meets the wheel, and all over the valve stem. Look for bubbles.
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Aug 6, 2015 05:36
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Xequecal posted:No, it doesnt specify which tire is low. Could the sensor burn out from going on and off so many times over the course of a year? I've been reinflating the tire every two weeks or so, it seems to lose like 5 psi per week. If you are pumping in 5psi every week then either you've got a slow leak, or you are currently driving around on a tyre the size of a zeppelin
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Aug 6, 2015 08:06
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Xequecal posted:I declined to do this because IMHO that is ridiculous, and now I have a new problem, my tire pressure warning indicator won't turn off even if I inflate all the tires. The slow leak is still there as far as I can tell, but even if I check the pressure of all the tires, drive 50 miles, and then recheck the pressure, the pressure warning indicator stays lit even though the pressure is still fine afterwards. Are you checking the pressure with the gauge on the pump or a dedicated tool? I wouldn't trust the one on the pump, but then again, I'm use a cheap Harbor Freight 12V pump that's probably lasted three times as long as it should have. This sounds a bit Yahoo! Answers and you've probably done it already, but it's worth mentioning: have you tried resetting the TPM system by pressing the reset button located inside the glovebox or under the dash? It's possible the calibration may have drifted off a bit. Geoj posted:RE: front plate chat - honestly unless you know the cops in your area strictly enforce the two-plate rule I'd just leave it off. I live in a two-plate state (Ohio) and over the course of about a decade I've driven on and off without a front plate, never had a cop give me any grief about it even when pulled over for something else. Zorilla fucked around with this message at 08:27 on Aug 6, 2015 |
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Aug 6, 2015 08:09
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Personal experience: Yes, you will get a ticket for not having your front plate mounted on your car in California. In my case it took 2-3 years, but it still eventually happened. Any dealership should be able to provide you with a plate mounting kit for your car. There will be some sort of clip or other bit of faff that goes in the holes, then your plate either mounts directly to them or a bracket mounts to them. Super easy and it will save you much bother. (Though truth be told I was pulled over for speeding and let go with a fix-it for the license plate instead, so maybe that will be your luck!)
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Aug 6, 2015 09:15
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I have only ever been pulled over by a Texas state trooper and a county sheriff's deputy (in a county known more for meth manufacturing, so the dude that pulled me over was really gung-ho) for not having a front plate, both gave warnings, but the state trooper actually asked if I'd been pulled over for this before and I told him I had, and that the cop gave me a warning. I drove off with another warning. City cops in my city don't even bother, their presence in the city is high and I know most of them have seen that I don't have a front plate. I don't know if that's because they don't care or if its because it's not their job to enforce state law (but the latter doesn't make sense). I think the city cops are too busy pulling people over on one of the major freeways (for good reason since people speed on that freeway like you wouldn't believe) to bother with pulling someone over for lack of a front plate. e: In fact, I got pulled over for going 10mph over the limit on the freeway in question a couple months back and the cop didn't even mention my front plate life is killing me fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Aug 6, 2015 |
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Aug 6, 2015 16:20
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I've gotten a ticket for no front license plate when parked at an airport overnight in California, but usually you're only going to get pulled over for it if the cop is looking for a reason to pull you over. I've also gotten pulled over for speeding but let off with a no front plate ticket, I kind of wonder if it's better to have something small they can ticket you for in case you're speeding but they're feeling nice.
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Aug 6, 2015 18:26
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MomJeans420 posted:I've gotten a ticket for no front license plate when parked at an airport overnight in California, but usually you're only going to get pulled over for it if the cop is looking for a reason to pull you over. I've also gotten pulled over for speeding but let off with a no front plate ticket, I kind of wonder if it's better to have something small they can ticket you for in case you're speeding but they're feeling nice. When I got pulled over by that state trooper and he asked me if I'd been pulled over for it before, I thought about lying. I figured if I said I hadn't, he'd see I'd had a warning, figure out I was lying, and ticket me. I also figured that I'd get ticketed anyway for telling him I'd been pulled over once before for this, so I guess I got lucky. Then again, I had no idea if warnings show up in their systems or if state police can see that kind of stuff in the county and city databases. The guy still only gave me a warning, so I guess Texas doesn't care as much about front license plates even though it's state law, and he even thanked me for my courtesy when he gave me back my license, inspection and insurance. Hell, he even told me up front before he went back to his car to check the system that if everything came back okay, he was only going to give me a warning, so I have no idea WTF. I guess he was having a good day or just appreciated the honesty about having been stopped for no front plate once before.
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Aug 6, 2015 18:45
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Xequecal posted:No, it doesnt specify which tire is low. Could the sensor burn out from going on and off so many times over the course of a year? I've been reinflating the tire every two weeks or so, it seems to lose like 5 psi per week. I had a similar issue on my Lincoln. Even with new tires it was happening. I was eventually told by Discount Tire that my chrome wheels had chrome corrosion that was creating very small leaks. The leaks were small enough that they couldn't see any air on a dunk test. They told me I could have the corrosion filed down, but that it would come back and would keep having to be done, or I could get new wheels. I got new wheels and haven't had the problem since.
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Aug 6, 2015 20:53
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I am in the process of resurrecting my 1968 mustang. I'm getting it to turn over with new battery, solenoid, oil, etc. I'm ready to add new gas but have read conflicting recommendations as far as what I should do about the old gas. Should I leave it in and just add more or should I try to drain it? There is no drain plug so this would mostly be siphoning since I don't have a way to pressurize the system.
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Aug 6, 2015 21:14
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If it's just a little in the bottom of the tank I'd probably just fill it up with fresh stuff. If you've got half a tank of garbage though, I'd find a way to get it out. I don't know the fuel setup, but can you disconnect the line and let it drain into something?
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Aug 6, 2015 21:44
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Invicta{HOG}, M.D. posted:I am in the process of resurrecting my 1968 mustang. I'm getting it to turn over with new battery, solenoid, oil, etc. I'm ready to add new gas but have read conflicting recommendations as far as what I should do about the old gas. Should I leave it in and just add more or should I try to drain it? There is no drain plug so this would mostly be siphoning since I don't have a way to pressurize the system. Do you know how much is in there and how old the gas is? I just revived a 68 Javelin with like 8 gallons of (8 year old) old gas in there and just filled it with new gas on top. It worked okish but didnt run as well as it should have and the exhaust stinks like old gas to high heaven. The gas gauge showed empty so I thought it was empty but the gauge turned out to be faulty. If I had known that I would have drained it first.
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Aug 6, 2015 21:48
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I could swear there was a vetted product specifically for putting in the tank of a car that had been sitting a long time. In the mustang I would be very tempted to drop the tank and actually drain it manually and maybe flush it to make sure there isn't poo poo all in it that would make you have to replace the fuel lines.
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Aug 6, 2015 22:05
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VelociBacon posted:I could swear there was a vetted product specifically for putting in the tank of a car that had been sitting a long time. In the mustang I would be very tempted to drop the tank and actually drain it manually and maybe flush it to make sure there isn't poo poo all in it that would make you have to replace the fuel lines. Tank Sealers are all trash. Repair or replace.
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Aug 6, 2015 22:22
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Can someone explain to me the rusted hood thing? I saw a SUV driving today with a rusted hood and I can't figure out how you would have to replace your hood but not anything else on the front of the car. I know its a tuner thing but this was obviously not a tuner. Also people who have flat black fenders. I owned a car once with flat black fenders I assumed they were replaced and never painted they were primer or some textured paint. Is there something I don't get here?
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Aug 6, 2015 22:29
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Fart Pipe posted:Do you know how much is in there and how old the gas is? I just revived a 68 Javelin with like 8 gallons of (8 year old) old gas in there and just filled it with new gas on top. It worked okish but didnt run as well as it should have and the exhaust stinks like old gas to high heaven. The gauge reads empty and percussing the tank makes it sound empty. I'll probably try to siphon and see if I get anything out. My dad drove it last and always had a rule to never let it get below a quarter tank so there's probably some in there. I don't currently have the capability to drop the tank
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Aug 6, 2015 22:49
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Get one of these pumps and see what you can suck out of the bottom. Protip, because I didn't realize this was the case the first time I used mine, it will actually create a siphon and keep on going without you pumping constantly. I ended up burning the poo poo gas by dumping a gallon of it at a time into my Ranger and filling it the rest of the way with fresh gas. Never caused any problems 
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Aug 6, 2015 22:56
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bikesonyx posted:Can someone explain to me the rusted hood thing? I saw a SUV driving today with a rusted hood and I can't figure out how you would have to replace your hood but not anything else on the front of the car. I know its a tuner thing but this was obviously not a tuner. Also people who have flat black fenders. I owned a car once with flat black fenders I assumed they were replaced and never painted they were primer or some textured paint. Is there something I don't get here? People do tacky poo poo with their cars all the time. Like giant trash can exhausts with no performance benefit. Stick on chrome fender vents Truck Nuts. etc.
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Aug 7, 2015 00:05
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bikesonyx posted:Can someone explain to me the rusted hood thing? I saw a SUV driving today with a rusted hood and I can't figure out how you would have to replace your hood but not anything else on the front of the car. I know its a tuner thing but this was obviously not a tuner. Also people who have flat black fenders. I owned a car once with flat black fenders I assumed they were replaced and never painted they were primer or some textured paint. Is there something I don't get here? One word: "Patina."
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Aug 7, 2015 00:26
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BrokenKnucklez posted:People do tacky poo poo with their cars all the time. Don't forget giant spoiler wings on their 15 year-old Civics
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Aug 7, 2015 00:26
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IOwnCalculus posted:Get one of these pumps and see what you can suck out of the bottom. Protip, because I didn't realize this was the case the first time I used mine, it will actually create a siphon and keep on going without you pumping constantly. I got one of those and really not much gas in the tank thankfully. Reminded me of dropping a nasogastric tube for lavage but instead of bloody clots I got back gasoline. Thanks!
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Aug 7, 2015 01:12
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some texas redneck posted:PS would be separate. Sounds like the pump is toast. Thanks for this! I had a chance today to fool around with it and look up some stuff. "Left front" is drivers side, but I the O2 sensors I bought were aftermarket and I think I may have hosed up the wiring the first time I did it (gently caress paying $150 for a single O2 sensor when I can get a pair of them for half that) - I hooked up the second one, made sure all of the connections were tight and continuity tested them, when I started it up and cleared the ECU the CEL went off - good news! Now I just have to wait for it to warm up tomorrow and see if it comes back, or if it gets sluggish again, or if my gas mileage is still crap. If it is I'll throw the O2 sensor I removed tonight on the right bank and see if that fixes it. Throw parts at it until something works. That's a valid diagnostic tool, right? 
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Aug 7, 2015 03:28
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I have a Jeep WJ with the 4.7L V8. About 3 years ago I was getting a slight knock when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. On the recommendation of a mechanic who said they were much better than most of the other locations, I took it to a Cottman transmission. They said there were metal shavings in the trans among other issues and it needed a full rebuild. $1k and literally 12 trips back to the shop before they finally got it right(?). Now I'm experiencing a very hard downshift when I come to a stop where it basically slams into first. Usually only happens when I've been driving for a while, and even then is intermittent. Shifting up is almost always fine but very rarely seems to slip a little if I let off the accelerator when it's about to shift. The warranty on the rebuild was one year, is there anything I can check for or do myself to keep it from getting worse or am I hosed and need a new transmission sometime in the near future?
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Aug 7, 2015 03:37
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It's an auto? Check the fluid level and color. Does it have an auxiliary cooler (basically a small radiator up front for transmission fluid)?
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Aug 7, 2015 03:59
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Godholio posted:It's an auto? Check the fluid level and color. Does it have an auxiliary cooler (basically a small radiator up front for transmission fluid)? Yes, auto. I looked up some images of the aux trans cooler and no I don't see anything resembling that up front. Checked the fluid and color looks fine but I think may be overfilled? I'm going to check it again tomorrow morning after my drive in to work.
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Aug 7, 2015 06:02
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TACTICAL SANDALS posted:Yes, auto. I looked up some images of the aux trans cooler and no I don't see anything resembling that up front. Checked the fluid and color looks fine but I think may be overfilled? I'm going to check it again tomorrow morning after my drive in to work. Also make sure that you check it with the engine running, transmission in park, on a level surface, after you've driven it a reasonable distance (sitting still running the engine won't heat the transmission up). Often transmissions take a lot less fluid than engines do, so it doesn't take much to throw off your reading.
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Aug 7, 2015 07:02
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Ok guys, I need your help. I have an '93 honda del sol, and the little bushing that is attached to the clutch pedal that pushes the button on the clutch engagement switch crumbled and now if i want to start the car I have to stick my arm way up there while laying on my back. My question is where can i get a replacement, I don't even know what that little guy is called so I don't even know where to start to look. I checked my local pars stores and they had the switch, but no info on the bushing. I have heard about people taping stuff to the place where the bushing goes but I don't see how, I can barely get a slim finger in there. any help would be much appreciated.
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Aug 7, 2015 07:02
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1. Go to a self-serve junkyard. 2. Find a 93 civic or any civic based vehicle with a clutch pedal. 3. Walk out with the bushing. If you want to tape something in there, unbolt the master cylinder pushrod first. That will let you move the pedal however you like without having to fight the clutch.
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Aug 7, 2015 07:21
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Slavvy posted:1. Go to a self-serve junkyard. I would like to do that but there are none within a few hours drive, there is a metal housing around he whole mess of clutchy fun where all this is. edit. Oh. gottcha Applesnots fucked around with this message at 08:30 on Aug 7, 2015 |
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Aug 7, 2015 08:22
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Raluek posted:Also make sure that you check it with the engine running, transmission in park, on a level surface, after you've driven it a reasonable distance (sitting still running the engine won't heat the transmission up). Often transmissions take a lot less fluid than engines do, so it doesn't take much to throw off your reading.  Fluid didn't seem to be in the second HOT hole when I looked in person but appears to be in the photo? Also there is a bit of burnt looking material on the very end of the stick, could be scraping something off the wall of the dipstick shaft when I slide it in?
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Aug 7, 2015 16:17
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Godholio posted:It's an auto? Check the fluid level and color. Does it have an auxiliary cooler (basically a small radiator up front for transmission fluid)? WJs never came with any factory external trans coolers. Power steering coolers, yes, transmission coolers, no. There will be two lines up to the cooler in the radiator but that's it. The fluid looks to be in reasonably good shape, and if you've been driving that thing a good long while then that fluid level looks good. The factory service manual wants you to check the actual transmission temperature to make sure it's at 180 degrees to get fluid in that top hole; the owner's manual wants you to drive for at least 15 miles. In some cases weird behavior on the 545RFE can be traced back to a throttle position sensor issue, but if you're feeling it slip at other times I'd say the previous shop did a lovely loving job of rebuilding it. $1k is pretty cheap for rebuilding an overdrive automatic, after all. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of diagnostics you can do on the 545RFE without a DRB and a stack of pressure gauges / special tools. Vaguely related thing I learned: The 545RFE is capable of partially applying the torque converter clutch, it's not just on or off. Weird.
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Aug 7, 2015 17:57
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IOwnCalculus posted:WJs never came with any factory external trans coolers. Power steering coolers, yes, transmission coolers, no. There will be two lines up to the cooler in the radiator but that's it. Yeah it was more like $1200 down from the initial estimate of like $2500. I didn't even want them to fix it, I just told them to give me my car back but they talked me into letting them do it for the cheaper price. I doubt it was ever right in the first place, and I'm concerned they maybe didn't use the proper type of ATF. I did replace the TPS myself a few years ago (i THINK it was before the trans rebuild) but it was an Autozone part, maybe it's busted again. It's easy enough to replace again to see what happens but I don't wanna just throw parts at this thing. I love this car but holy gently caress I pour a ton of $$$ into repairs. e: So should I just keep driving it till it totally shits the bed and pony up for a swap?
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Aug 7, 2015 18:20
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If they didn't use ATF+4 I would have expected it to poo poo the bed a lot sooner than three years. Personally I'd find a good transmission shop and have them diagnose it, there's a chance it could be something like a solenoid pack or other failure that can be repaired before you need another full rebuild.
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Aug 7, 2015 19:20
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IOwnCalculus posted:If they didn't use ATF+4 I would have expected it to poo poo the bed a lot sooner than three years. Cool, I'll do this today. Thanks for the advice!
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Aug 7, 2015 19:23
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Mr.Bob posted:Ok guys, I need your help. I have an '93 honda del sol, and the little bushing that is attached to the clutch pedal that pushes the button on the clutch engagement switch crumbled and now if i want to start the car I have to stick my arm way up there while laying on my back. My question is where can i get a replacement, I don't even know what that little guy is called so I don't even know where to start to look. I checked my local pars stores and they had the switch, but no info on the bushing. I have heard about people taping stuff to the place where the bushing goes but I don't see how, I can barely get a slim finger in there. any help would be much appreciated. You can typically get this kind of stuff from dealerships still. I had to get a part just like this for my '89 Prelude last year, except in my case it was the rubber plug that held down the brake light switch when the pedal was at rest. In fact, I bet it's the exact same part. Part #23 I'm guessing? It's listed at $1.75 online, although that's probably not very accurate.  http://www.majestichonda.com/order-parts.htm I can't link right to it but just put in your car details and look under "pedals"
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Aug 7, 2015 21:09
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It's a dirtbike, not a car, but I figure the same principles apply and there's a lot of really knowledgeable folks on here. What would cause pitting like this, and is it a problem? I want to do a top end rebuild, but not if the bottom end is about to explode. There's no play in the con rod bearing.
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Aug 8, 2015 02:54
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It could be a sign of excess moisture in the oil, but keep in mind that's just the counterweight, so some cosmetic pitting like that won't hurt anything. If you're really concerned you can take the rod cap off and look at the bearing surface, but honestly it's probably fine. You can head over to Cycle Asylum and ask them too if you want.
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Aug 8, 2015 03:47
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Sipher posted:It's a dirtbike, not a car, but I figure the same principles apply and there's a lot of really knowledgeable folks on here. What would cause pitting like this, and is it a problem? I want to do a top end rebuild, but not if the bottom end is about to explode. There's no play in the con rod bearing. That looks like it's sat for a really long time without being started or run. It's from condensation inside the crankcase I'll bet.
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Aug 8, 2015 05:18
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