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Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
Got some new (actually new, not new-to-me) wheels in the mail and I think I'm going to plastidip them since it's significantly less effort than actually painting them and the prep work is basically "make sure that the surface doesn't have visible debris".

Question: Should I plastidip them before getting the tires mounted or do it afterwards? The Discount Tire I go to is extremely careful and don't use gobs of goo to get the tires on.
Bonus question: Is Sonax safe on plastidip?

Also, any resources that aren't VW Vortex would be great.

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Geoj
May 28, 2008

BITTER POOR PERSON
I was playing around with plastidip on my beater winter wheels in late October and decided the gunmetal base looks too much like primer even when sprayed with metalizer. I started trying to peel it off and couldn't even get it started, based on my experience unless the tire shop is utterly ham-fisted when installing the tires I don't think you'd have any trouble spraying before having the tires mounted.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
I'm going with the gold because BLACK GOLD



But I think it'll turn out alright: http://s1052.photobucket.com/user/FonzieDYC/media/DSC_0758_zpsa331c4fe.jpg.html

cage-free egghead
Mar 8, 2004
Trying to get some second opinions as I am not a car guy and barely could replace my battery.

02 Spec-V
Replaced alternator in October for some weird idle and start issues, guess it's common for my model.

This past weekend I was driving back home 250 miles and the weather was about 5F upon my arrival Sunday night. Monday it was even colder and my car would crank but not "spark" or fire up. Eventually the battery died and I tried jumping it, but it would just chug and chug but not get running.

Gas is about 1/4 full, put Heet in later that day and tried jumping again to no avail. Replaced battery and got a little closer but still nothing. The temperature hasn't been above freezing all week and it likely won't for a few weeks. Could putting a bit more gas in be a thing to do? Some people have suggested stuff like the fuel pump and whatnot but I honestly have no idea what any of that stuff is.

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006
Squirt some starter fluid while cranking. If no fire then check the spark on the plugs. If it fired you have a fuel issue.

Parts Kit
Jun 9, 2006

durr
i have a hole in my head
durr

Phone posted:

Question: Should I plastidip them before getting the tires mounted or do it afterwards? The Discount Tire I go to is extremely careful and don't use gobs of goo to get the tires on.
Bonus question: Is Sonax safe on plastidip?
I think instead of plastidip you should use this stuff.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


2013 Mazdaspeed 3 vs 2013 Civic SI coupe

Daily commuter that I'd like some fun with.. looking for reliability and fun.

Price is somewhat similar, somewhere under 1k difference, looks like Mazda interior is a bit less nice, but if it's comfortable that's fine.

but MOOORE POWWERR (Tm) - Clarkson.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





I've only driven the much-older versions of both of those cars - '07 MS3, '06 Civic Si - but I know the '13 MS3 is pretty much the same, and I think that goes for the Si as well.

Have you actually driven both of them yet? They're in the same category but could hardly drive more differently from each other. The MS3 pulls at nearly any RPM and tries to run off the road. The Civic doesn't really wake up until you flog it, and then it's noticeably slower than the MS3. They're both good cars, and when driven easily even the MS3 won't actively try to murder you.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


I've driven an SI, but there are No MS3's avaliable in my area at all.

The MS3 trying to actively kill you may be a dealbreaker I'd like the wife to drive it without sticking it into a tree. I've dealt with torque steer and can probably deal with it.. My wife had trouble not scraping up a minivan.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





It's worth noting that of the two, I'd expect the Civic Si to cost you a lot less in maintenance. I hit just about every possible "common" and "uncommon" MS3 problem on mine, so even by hot hatch standards it was kinda spendy to own.

It was also a loving riot.

If you stay out of boost, it drives perfectly fine. It's only when you lay into it, especially in low gears, that poo poo gets crazy (fun).

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
The Civic Si has a pretty unforgiving engine bay. Something to keep in mind.

They're both excellent cars, though. They're both a bit fat, but they're both extremely fun.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


How is the tranny fluid to replace in either. I'd rather do on my own if possible instead of dropping 150 at the dealer.

When you said unforgiving do you mean in terms of sticking mods on? Basicslly I'd be looking at doing I/h/e but more than likely not doing that. I'd expect that I will spend about as much time with the hood up as I do now, replace air filter, fill oil, replace battery, fill windshield fluid.

Fender Anarchist
May 20, 2009

Fender Anarchist

The engine bay's packed pretty tight, and the windshield cowl overhangs the motor pretty bad so access to the rear is godawful. Just a tough environment to work in, even for installing basic stuff.

PaintVagrant
Apr 13, 2007

~ the ultimate driving machine ~
Not sure on 9th gen but 8th civics requires the airbox to be removed to get to the fill hole. A cheap pump is also necessary to get the fluid in. Otherwise it's pretty straight forward. It is indeed a tight engine bay.

The civic will probably cost you 1/3 as much money to maintain than the Mazda. No turbo no direct injection , better build quality and it is not a "new" model in any sense of the word. It's drivetrain is a motor/trans that has existed since about 2002. It also has a limited slip diff. The Mazda is a total brute by comparison and probably feels a little more project car like. I like both cars but they are very different and driving them is definitely your next step.

PaintVagrant
Apr 13, 2007

~ the ultimate driving machine ~
Also your upgrade path on both cars is pretty different. Civic will cost you like 1500 for I/h/e/flash pro. To maybe net you 30 hp an really wake up the motor. It will happily brooop bloop vrah it's way to 150k miles with no issues.

A mazdaspeed can have a 300 dollar access port add more boost/fuel/etc to make way more power cheaply, but can also cause serious reliability issues if you're a dummy about it.

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


Oh gee thanks let's make taters mind not make up.

I'll keep an eye out for an ms3 but there's gently caress all avaliable in my area right now, closest thing I can find is ct or ohio. and I'm not down to driving to ct for a car.

What were your common / uncommon problems with your mazdaspeed, annoying poo poo or vw style poo poo like water pump or tensioner going before 30k gets there.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Gearbox oil on the MS3 wasn't too bad to do, just needs a long funnel with a tube for the filler, and a super-short-depth socket (24mm, I think) for the drain. I bought a socket and hacked half of it off just to do it.

Problems mine had, ranging from annoying bullshit to :wtf: to partially self-inflicted, over the span of 100k miles / four years. Bought it with 24k, sold it with 124k.
*Dead throttle body, this is an '07-only problem. Easy to do, but $500 part.
*Broken wiring in the rear of the car that caused it to think the hatch was open.
*Broken wiring under the driver's seat that caused an airbag light.
*Warped OEM rotors 2x before the car has 40k miles total. Centric blanks fixed this forever.
*Factory struts were utterly trashed by 75k miles. Replaced with Koni FSDs, should've done new strut tops too. Also a PITA to do.
*Driver's CV joint was puking grease through the outside clamp of the boot.
*Developed a miss at WOT near the end, though I suspect this might've been because I tried to cheap out and not use Densos for plugs the second time I changed them.
*Would "take a set" left/right depending on throttle near the end, suspected either subframe bushings or LCA bushings.
*Shifter cables frayed right before a road trip / right after getting the shifter shaft seal replaced.
*Right front wheel bearing failed, seized so badly on the hub that it could not be separated from the CV joint or the knuckle.
*Left rear wheel bearing failed but that was super easy to replace since the whole thing is just one unit that bolts on with four Torx bolts.
*Persistent clunk in rear suspension, suspected sway bar links.
*Top of the shift knob fell off.
*Upper motor mount failed and splooged liquid all over. Replaced it and the rear with JBR poly mounts, instantly wished I'd done so at 24k.
*Intake valves were horribly gunked up with carbon, Seafoam didn't touch it and my attempt at walnut blasting them failed (either a lovely HF gun or not enough compressor).
*Had to pull / clean the EGR twice, wish I had just removed it and tuned it out.
*Ate tires every year, mostly by murdering the inside corner on all four at the same time.
*Coolant hoses started leaking, replaced with OE.

I find it hard to believe the Civic Si engine bay would be more cramped than the MS3. The K24 is a simple, compact engine, with not much bolted onto it. The MZR has a turbo, DI, and intercooler all crammed in around it and there is *no* loving room to do things without significant disassembly.

Still loved that car.

Phone
Jul 30, 2005

親子丼をほしい。
The Civic has the K20. It's pretty bad, but it doesn't have as much stuff in the bay as the MS3.



IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





Yeah that's pretty tight. Looks like what you gain in that much more compact engine, you lose by sticking it under the loving windshield. But you'll never have to play "will I break the nipple off" like you do on the turbo inlet pipe on the MS3.

The engine bay in my CRV is loving enormous by comparison. Honestly feels like they made it large enough to handle a V6 if they lost their minds.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

:wtc: They really shoehorned that in there. How the hell do you even change the spark plugs on that? :stare:

tater_salad
Sep 15, 2007


some texas redneck posted:

:wtc: They really shoehorned that in there. How the hell do you even change the spark plugs on that? :stare:

Yeah that's really tight I'm familiar with seeing the k20 under the hood, that thing is crammed in there like pilsbury dough in a can.

IOwnCalculus posted:

Gearbox oil on the MS3 wasn't too bad to do, just needs a long funnel with a tube for the filler, and a super-short-depth socket (24mm, I think) for the drain. I bought a socket and hacked half of it off just to do it.

Problems mine had, ranging from annoying bullshit to :wtf: to partially self-inflicted, over the span of 100k miles / four years. Bought it with 24k, sold it with 124k.
*Dead throttle body, this is an '07-only problem. Easy to do, but $500 part.
*Broken wiring in the rear of the car that caused it to think the hatch was open.
*Broken wiring under the driver's seat that caused an airbag light.
*Warped OEM rotors 2x before the car has 40k miles total. Centric blanks fixed this forever.
*Factory struts were utterly trashed by 75k miles. Replaced with Koni FSDs, should've done new strut tops too. Also a PITA to do.
*Driver's CV joint was puking grease through the outside clamp of the boot.
*Developed a miss at WOT near the end, though I suspect this might've been because I tried to cheap out and not use Densos for plugs the second time I changed them.
*Would "take a set" left/right depending on throttle near the end, suspected either subframe bushings or LCA bushings.
*Shifter cables frayed right before a road trip / right after getting the shifter shaft seal replaced.
*Right front wheel bearing failed, seized so badly on the hub that it could not be separated from the CV joint or the knuckle.
*Left rear wheel bearing failed but that was super easy to replace since the whole thing is just one unit that bolts on with four Torx bolts.
*Persistent clunk in rear suspension, suspected sway bar links.
*Top of the shift knob fell off.
*Upper motor mount failed and splooged liquid all over. Replaced it and the rear with JBR poly mounts, instantly wished I'd done so at 24k.
*Intake valves were horribly gunked up with carbon, Seafoam didn't touch it and my attempt at walnut blasting them failed (either a lovely HF gun or not enough compressor).
*Had to pull / clean the EGR twice, wish I had just removed it and tuned it out.
*Ate tires every year, mostly by murdering the inside corner on all four at the same time.
*Coolant hoses started leaking, replaced with OE.

I find it hard to believe the Civic Si engine bay would be more cramped than the MS3. The K24 is a simple, compact engine, with not much bolted onto it. The MZR has a turbo, DI, and intercooler all crammed in around it and there is *no* loving room to do things without significant disassembly.

Still loved that car.

Basically it'd be like when I owned my focus generally there was something wrong with it on a given day that was annoying but didn't make it not start or asplode.

tater_salad fucked around with this message at 13:16 on Jan 22, 2016

Parts Kit
Jun 9, 2006

durr
i have a hole in my head
durr

some texas redneck posted:

:wtc: They really shoehorned that in there. How the hell do you even change the spark plugs on that? :stare:
Remove the plastic poo poo in front of the windshield wipers, remove the plastic cover over the spark plugs (black thing right behind the oil fill IIRC), then remove spark plugs.

IOwnCalculus
Apr 2, 2003





tater_salad posted:

Yeah that's really tight I'm familiar with seeing the k20 under the hood, that thing is crammed in there like pilsbury dough in a can.


Basically it'd be like when I owned my focus generally there was something wrong with it on a given day that was annoying but didn't make it not start or asplode.

That's a reasonable assessment. The throttle body was the one that impacted drivability the most since it would fail into limp home mode.

PaintVagrant
Apr 13, 2007

~ the ultimate driving machine ~
2013 civic si has a k24. They switched from k20 to k24 in 2012. The plastic shroud piece covers a metal piece, it takes about 15 minutes to remove and has to be removed to do spark plugs/etc. after you do it once it's a breeze, but I'm not arguing that more space wouldn't be nice. The bigger pain in the rear end is the space on the pulley side. Doing a serpentine belt is a little annoying. I assume replacing all the pulleys would be bitchy too.

Slavvy
Dec 11, 2012

Doing an accessory belt on those is absolute torture.

But then mazda engines like to poo poo out vvti pulleys and chains and replacing them involves special tools because none of the sprockets are keyed to the crank/cam shafts.

I'd take the honda.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

PaintVagrant posted:

2013 civic si has a k24. They switched from k20 to k24 in 2012. The plastic shroud piece covers a metal piece, it takes about 15 minutes to remove and has to be removed to do spark plugs/etc. after you do it once it's a breeze, but I'm not arguing that more space wouldn't be nice. The bigger pain in the rear end is the space on the pulley side. Doing a serpentine belt is a little annoying. I assume replacing all the pulleys would be bitchy too.

I need to pull up next to someone in a newer Si and say "Nice Accord engine bruh :smuggo:" Even though I know drat well the K24 is a pretty potent mill.

Slavvy posted:

Doing an accessory belt on those is absolute torture.

And this. Can you even get a new belt in there without removing mounts?

tater_salad posted:

Yeah that's really tight I'm familiar with seeing the k20 under the hood, that thing is crammed in there like pilsbury dough in a can.

I think the dough would have more room to move around.

PaintVagrant
Apr 13, 2007

~ the ultimate driving machine ~
It gets even better!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPXb8h-Iyf0

(only 8th gen oil changes are this bad, 9th is easy apparently)

Christobevii3
Jul 3, 2006
Did they intend the engine to be turned 90 degrees or something? Oil will degrade the cv joint boot overtime I'd assume?

Jack B Nimble
Dec 25, 2007


Soiled Meat
I'm sorry to be back here again but...

1998 Ford f-250, 5.4 v8, doesn't start

A friend and I tried to help a buddy figure out why his work truck wont start (he's a small business owner, it's not a company vehicle or anything). We couldn't get it started today and having had no luck we both promised to research online and come back tomorrow.

Since I just had some practice diagnosing problems like this here's what we know:

  • Truck runs with carb cleaner sprayed into the throttle body. So it has spark and time and must be a fuel issue eh?
  • Truck was run down to near empty (needle was below the 'E') a few days before the issue happened, then it got gas (but not full because it apparently leaks gas if you fill it all the way) and drove at least a couple more times.
  • When the truck was last parked (at the owners house) it was parked facing the street. Now this sounds ridiculous to me but the owner swears he's never. ever. parked the truck facing the street. Not ever. Not at his house, not at any of the houses he's taken the work truck to. The driveways around here have a very slight slope on them (I googled image searched and it seems pretty standard if the house isn't on a hill, just that very slight slope up to the house) and this is a coastal plain so there's really no other times the truck was on a slope.
  • The truck had two codes, 153 and another related to a EGR that also 'shouldn't be a problem'. Sorry, I don't recall the code but if you want to take my friend's (the guy who put gas directly into the throttle body on the Sonoma) it was some pollution code that doesn't matter, I think something with the EGR.
  • The truck doesn't show any theft or security light on the dash, and we left the battery unplugged for about a half hour with no change in the issue.
  • The two things between the schrader valve (which seems to have good press, I'll get to that in a second) are the regulator and the injectors. I'm told the vehicle has multiple injectors so they probably didn't all go bad at once. Regarding the regulator all I know is it's a vacuum thing and the lines on it are connected and seem fine.

So there's something wrong with the fuel but we're not sure what. My number one issue is that we haven't used a fuel pressure gauge yet - we brought one and found it needed an adapter; we went to autozone and borrowed one and it still doesn't fit, it's just a bit too big, so close you'll think you've got it almost screwing on just before it slips. This adapter fits fine on an 1997 f150 with a 4.6 that was also on site and the threads seem ok so I dunno. My number one issue is we don't really know the fuel pressure is O.K. The fuel comes out the schrader valve (with seemingly the same ford as in the f-150) but that's not really enough to make me happy.

A couple of the coils aren't tightened down (the mounting bolts are broken) but I'm told that's not an issue because they ground through the plug or something; It starts with the carb cleaner so I guess that's not the issue.

Could it be bad gas? Or junk in the tank that got in after the gas level got low? The truck was run a couple times after fill up before it showed this issue but my friend pointed out that if this is the first time the truck was started cold that may have been the bridge too far for bad gas. If so we can get some gas out if we have a working fuel pressure gauge

So is this you tube video showing how I'd check the regular (and what the fuel pressure means regarding the pump and filter) accurate for this truck?

Fake Edit: changing the fuel filter is fine and all but tomorrow there needs to be a working fuel pressure gauge attached to that valve, my friend agrees so I believe that'll happen, we may go buy a new one.

rdb
Jul 8, 2002
chicken mctesticles?
Can you hear the fuel pump run when the ignition is switched on? Sometimes banging on the tank frees them up enough for the vehicle to start.

Jack B Nimble
Dec 25, 2007


Soiled Meat

rdb posted:

Can you hear the fuel pump run when the ignition is switched on? Sometimes banging on the tank frees them up enough for the vehicle to start.

I do believe we heard the pump but now that I'm several hours removed from the testing and getting sleepy I wont swear to anything - I'll try banging on the tank tomorrow, thanks for the tip. I'd hard of wailing on starters, I'm starting to wonder how many different ways I can hit a car to make it start :v:

spankmeister
Jun 15, 2008






If it ran empty the filter may have clogged

Gothmog1065
May 14, 2009
Wheel lug pattern question. Will a 99 Ford F250 wheel fit on my 03 GMC Sierra 2500HD? Here are the lug pattern information I found:

FORD F250 & F350 1999-04 Metric: 8 X 170
Standard: 8 X 6.69 14 X 2.0 124.9

CHEVROLET/GMC SIERRA 2500 2WD, 4WD 1999-08 Metric: 8 X 165.1
Standard: 8 X 6.5 14 X 1.5 116.7

It seems the GMC is slightly smaller, would that cause problems? If they won't fit, I'll just have the tire taken off and swapped over, but would rather avoid the time/money if at all possible.

Godholio
Aug 28, 2002

Does a bear split in the woods near Zheleznogorsk?
The holes are in the wrong places. The 170 and 165mm measurements are the diameter of the circle of lug holes.

Mercury Ballistic
Nov 14, 2005

not gun related

spankmeister posted:

If it ran empty the filter may have clogged

This. At least on marine diesels it is known to happen.

8ender
Sep 24, 2003

clown is watching you sleep

spankmeister posted:

If it ran empty the filter may have clogged

If the fuel pump is questionable they can also tend to kill themselves overheating if you run the tank really low.

Partial Octopus
Feb 4, 2006



Someone explain to me what control arms do and if it's worth spending money to get adjustable ones on my miata.

Pomp and Circumcized
Dec 23, 2006

If there's one thing I love more than GruntKilla420, it's the Queen! Also bacon.
Control arms hold the wheel hubs (and therefore the wheels) to the car The allow for the wheels to move up and down as the car travels over bumps in the road. You can see them here in red:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hshkDnis5yE

If you use your car on the track, adjustable arms give you a greater range of adjustability when performing a wheel alignment. If set up correctly, you could see a benefit during track use.

If your current arms have failed and need replacing, aftermarket tubular arms may also be more durable than the standard stamped steel OEM arms.

Autoexec.bat
Dec 29, 2012

Just one more level
Hey, sorry to be back again, but I wasn't sure who else to ask. I recently got a OBD2 code reader and under normal conditions timing seems to hover around 3-4.5° warm, with some slight engine vibration (can be felt in wheel) and the odd small stumble. The timing belt seems to be correct and in test mode it reads 10° like it should, so I'm kind of stumped as to why it's retarding the timing and vibrating like it is. Tach vibrates with the engine. It's still way better than it was before though.

Autoexec.bat fucked around with this message at 20:25 on Jan 25, 2016

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Slavvy
Dec 11, 2012

I'm having to work on a 2010 Wrangler RENEGADE with a 3.8L v6. Is this the engine that likes to poo poo out valve seats?

Also the quality is laughably, amazingly bad. Everything is either rusting, peeling, flaking or falling off and the entire car seems to be made out of the same plastic as mcdonald's toys. No, I don't see many chrysler products.

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