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Uthor posted:Interest rates Was going to also say (before my phone locked up) that low interest rates at dealers are for new cars. They give those out to entice you to buy new. Rates for used cars are always higher.
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May 12, 2012 19:05
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Here's one: What do I do with a bunch of gas that's been sitting in a tank for about a year while the car waited for repairs? Edit: There's no rust build up, the tank was only a few months old when other things broke and the car went up on stands.
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May 12, 2012 23:15
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Godholio posted:Here's one: What do I do with a bunch of gas that's been sitting in a tank for about a year while the car waited for repairs? Mix new gas with the old gas. If the tank is totally full, if you have a portable tank (or even another car) you can siphon out half of it and fill the tank to the brim at a gas station. This way you can gradually burn off the gas that has started to go a bit thick in a diluted fashion. Otherwise it's toxic waste and you cannot dispose of it in any normal way (do not dump it). Your county may have a toxic waste disposal center. Expect to pay money to dispose of stuff there.
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May 13, 2012 01:03
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KozmoNaut posted:Unless it's burning oil, I'd just put in whatever the manual says. Well I was looking for a brand recommendation actually. I've never done regular high mileage changes.
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May 13, 2012 01:29
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Rhyno posted:Well I was looking for a brand recommendation actually. I've never done regular high mileage changes. I liked Valvoline Max-Life, it kept my rear main seal swelled nice and tight for about 90,000 miles... Course now I need a recommendation for a normal oil, as my block is currently being rebuilt. 
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May 13, 2012 02:02
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Sponge! posted:I liked Valvoline Max-Life, it kept my rear main seal swelled nice and tight for about 90,000 miles... Course now I need a recommendation for a normal oil, as my block is currently being rebuilt. As you are the first to suggest a type I will grab a few gallons of that then! Edit: Holy crap, you can Motorcraft filters at Wal-Mart! Rhyno fucked around with this message at 03:41 on May 13, 2012 |
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May 13, 2012 02:08
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ChubbyEmoBabe posted:I have to disagree with 'Sir Cornelius', pay a little more now when it comes to batteries. 20% more may give you double (or more) of the life. There is almost no difference in battery brands made by the same manufacturer. They are made on the same assembly lines and everything. The quality control would cost them more than what would be saved by any potential changes with cheaper materials, components, and designs. The real difference is what happens when the battery changes hands. A retailer that uses proper handling (trickle charging, FIFO stock handling, testing state of charge, etc.) is really what ensures that you get a good battery. I buy batteries from WalMart because they are easy to find in case my battery dies while it's still under warranty.
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May 13, 2012 03:40
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So I took the brakes apart on my wife's 08 Outback trying to find the source of an awful screech, and found that one of the pads on just one of the sides of the rear was worn pretty much down to nothing. She drove something like 10 miles the other day with the hand brake on but that seems like a weird distribution of wear for that. Could that be an issue with the caliper or something? I replaced both axles worth of pads about two months/6k miles ago.
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May 13, 2012 04:59
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The Jabberwocky posted:So I took the brakes apart on my wife's 08 Outback trying to find the source of an awful screech, and found that one of the pads on just one of the sides of the rear was worn pretty much down to nothing. She drove something like 10 miles the other day with the hand brake on but that seems like a weird distribution of wear for that. Could that be an issue with the caliper or something? I replaced both axles worth of pads about two months/6k miles ago. Did you grease the slide pins when you swapped them?
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May 13, 2012 05:48
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:There is almost no difference in battery brands made by the same manufacturer. They are made on the same assembly lines and everything. The quality control would cost them more than what would be saved by any potential changes with cheaper materials, components, and designs. It sounds reasonable but it's no better than my anecdote. I am very familiar with re-branding and up-selling. Show me some numbers and I will gladly say I have been foolish.
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May 13, 2012 08:05
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ChubbyEmoBabe posted:It sounds reasonable but it's no better than my anecdote. Yeah, but in all likelihood, a Honda OEM battery that comes across the parts counter is probably actually made in Japan by Yuasa or Matsushita(Panasonic.) as opposed to an Exide, Douglas, Deka, etc. I have no real data on if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but the 5 years I worked for a company that did nothing but batteries from half gram watch cells, up to multi-ton forklift packs, Yuasa and Panasonic are both hard to beat.
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May 13, 2012 08:09
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Hey AI, I have a mystery for you. I own a 2002 BA LPG Ford Falcon (Australian Taxi/Cop car). Anyway for a couple of months I've had problems with the gears, basically it would every week or so make a loud bang when accelerating and changing gears. This would happen seemingly at random. Anyway last week I had it happen again except this time the engine started revving and the engine shaking while the car was stopped/moving slowly (I think its the clutch). In neutral and park it would shake less but still vary a few revs. This stopped after about 15 minutes until this week when it started again after one of those bangs I described earlier and hasn't stopped since. It was quite bad then after being left an hour the rev variation and shaking was a bit less but its been consistent for the past couple of days. The oil needs a change and has bubbles in it, I'm not sure if this is due to the engine shaking heaps or a leak of something. Anyway, do you have any ideas what could be wrong? If so would a normal service fix it, could I do it myself or will I have to destroy my savings? I'm a uni student so I'm hoping to come out of this as lightly as possible! Thanks for your help!
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May 13, 2012 08:54
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I'm guessing it's auto, and from your description it's having really juttery/hard shifts. I don't know much about Falcons in particular, but your transmission may be low in oil (this is different to checking the oil in the cars motor). There should be a second dipstick somewhere in the engine bay that is probably near the rear of the motor, pull it out and check the level, colour and smell. If it's low, smells burnt or is really dark (ideally should be red) you have a problem. Could cost anywhere between a few dollars to top the fluid up yourself to a few grand rebuilding your transmission. edit: evidence of my lack of knowledge on Falcons, apparently models after 1996 don't have transmission dipsticks. The proper way to check is outlined here: http://autofix.com.au/blog/falcon-4-speed-auto-fluid-level-check But (in the nicest way) that sounds a little out of your depth, so you're probably going to have to take it to a shop, avoid the big names like Bob Jane, Midas and Kmart and poo poo. I don't know where you are, but up here in Brisbane I see a few places that service fleet falcons/taxi's, maybe one of them would be your best bet? Bobby_Wokkerfella fucked around with this message at 11:54 on May 13, 2012 |
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May 13, 2012 11:48
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Yes it is an auto, thanks a lot. I thought it would be the transmission, I've heard they go after 170kms and mines at 180 now...
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May 13, 2012 12:15
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I'm looking for your thoughts on this... http://barsproducts.com/catalog/view/22-engine-oil-supplement-with-zinc-treatment-4401 Seems like a logical solution to the whole "pull the zddp out" crap they did recently. I'm half tempted to poke Blackstone and ask if they have any data on it. Alternatively I could start a paypal slush-fund to buy a bottle and send it to Blackstone for a most thorough My thoughts are "Well, it could be just a bottle of SAE 30, who's gonna know?"
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May 13, 2012 13:42
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Again, I know nothing about much about Falcons in particular, but reading around people do seem to have some trouble with the 4 speed autos in early BAs, and them being sealed probably attributes to that. But don't write it off just yet, take it to a decent shop and see what they have to say, automatics can do funny things when they get low on fluid. Worst case scenario and your gearbox is completely hosed your cheapest option is to probably get someone to fit a second hand transmission from a wreckers, which considering it's a Falcon, should be in the ballpark of $1000 give or take a few hundred depending on where you get it done etc. e: after some googling http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1592200 "BA 4sp auto (which is basically the same as the AU, except minor differences) has issues with the transmission cooler inside the radiator deteriorating, coolant getting into the transmission oil and destroying the gearbox at around 150-170,000km." "As such if you buy a secondhand automatic BA Falcon, a replacement radiator or external cooler should be the first thing done." 
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May 13, 2012 13:45
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Dunno where to post this so I'm sticking it here. My roommate and I did our first ever track session yesterday morning, at the Brainerd International Raceway Performance School in Brainerd, MN. After a 90-minute classroom segment, I drove one of their Spec Racer Fords for 25 minutes around BIR. In total, there were 8 spec drivers on the track, and probably another 5-10 drivers who owned their own cars and had instructors as passengers. The 7 spec learners drove behind one instructor in his own spec car. Each lap, he'd wave one or two of us ahead to pass him, at which point we could just go on our own. It was a little harder than I expected. My only performance driving experience before this was tooling around gently in my Z4 coupe on public roadways, and playing many hours of Forza on Xbox. This was really a whole other experience from those kinds of driving. Driving the spec racer was a really unique experience. You're really low to the ground in that thing, with the engine right behind your body. It's very loud when you put the gas to it, and you can actually feel the engine firing in your seat. The brake pedal travel was super short, and it basically felt like I was putting my foot down on a brick. The shift knob was just this cold shaft of metal with a bulb at the end. It moved like a half inch into each gate, so I was never really comfortable with shifting. I ended up spending the majority of the session in 3rd, although I did downshift to 2nd around a couple of corners. My biggest failure was not learning the track well enough. We drove the shorter competition course. Coming out of turn 11, I often thought I was coming up to the straight before turn 1 and would start to gun the throttle, only to have the 90-degree turn 12 come up on me. The cloverleaf, turn 8, was a real challenge. I almost always turned in way too early and had to ride the inside of the track until I hit the apex. I was really gung-ho about doing another session, but they were charging much more than I was willing to pay for another 25-minute session. So that ended my first track day. In addition to some other fun cars, I saw a Radical SR8 in the paddock and chatted with the owner. Didn't get to see it go around the track, though. Everyone at the track was so incredibly friendly. I wanted to spend the entire day up at the track, but we simply ran out of things to do and went home around noon. Now my roommate and I are trolling Craigslist for an old 3-series BMW or something similarly easy to own and work on as a track car. What a delightful hobby.
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May 13, 2012 14:21
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Sponge! posted:I'm looking for your thoughts on this... Dunno. Did you check the Bob Is The Oil Guy forums? Maybe some of them have tested it. I'd be interested in anything you find out. I've got three flat tappet motors in the garage now, all of which get Rotella, but it seems that it keeps getting reformulated to have less ZDDP, while none of my motors are getting reformulated to account for that change.
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May 13, 2012 14:47
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ChubbyEmoBabe posted:It sounds reasonable but it's no better than my anecdote. I don't really have hard numbers, but I do work at an automotive OEM and sit next to the engineer who works on batteries. A lot of my knowledge on batteries comes directly from him. Sponge! posted:Yeah, but in all likelihood, a Honda OEM battery that comes across the parts counter is probably actually made in Japan by Yuasa or Matsushita(Panasonic.) as opposed to an Exide, Douglas, Deka, etc. Exide and Yuasa had a merger for the North American market a while ago. I'm not sure if they are still together. If they are, the OEM replacement battery is probably an Exide.
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May 13, 2012 15:28
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Sponge! posted:Did you grease the slide pins when you swapped them? On a related note, is normal grease OK for slide pins, or is there a special kind of grease I should use?
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May 13, 2012 15:51
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Sponge! posted:I'm looking for your thoughts on this... Are you running a flat tappet engine? I use Mobile Delvac 1300 Super in my '66 327. I sent an unused sample to Blackstone, and they specifically said the zinc/phosphate levels were good for a flat tappet. Shell Rotella-T is also popular with the old car guys...both are common at parts stores. CI-4 and CH-4 ratings are good...CJ-4 isn't as good but has more zinc/phosphorus than the newer oil ratings.  Edit: Here's the additive that constantly gets recommended on the corvette forum. Godholio fucked around with this message at 16:19 on May 13, 2012 |
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May 13, 2012 16:16
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Sponge! posted:Did you grease the slide pins when you swapped them?
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May 13, 2012 16:54
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The Jabberwocky posted:No I did not. Would that cause the caliper to stick? It certainly can cause the pads to stick. Slide pins should be greased with a tiny amount of copper grease.
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May 13, 2012 17:20
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Sir Cornelius posted:It certainly can cause the pads to stick. Slide pins should be greased with a tiny amount of copper grease. That sure makes sense. Is copper grease a pretty generic thing, or does it come formulated for brake components? Thanks for the help. It's listed as a step in the FSM, but not in my Haynes manual, so I guess I skipped it the first time around.
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May 13, 2012 18:32
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The Jabberwocky posted:Is copper grease a pretty generic thing, or does it come formulated for brake components? It's very generic, just buy whatever you can get at your local discount place. There's also nickel grease, aluminum grease and so on for various applications, mostly because some combinations of metals will corrode over time (don't use copper grease for spark plugs in an aluminum head).
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May 13, 2012 18:55
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KozmoNaut posted:It's very generic, just buy whatever you can get at your local discount place.  I've never heard this one. I think I did this on my last car...wonder if that's why the threads gave out.
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May 13, 2012 19:02
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Sir Cornelius posted:It certainly can cause the pads to stick. Slide pins should be greased with a tiny amount of copper grease. Do NOT use copper grease, it dries out and jams the slide pins. Use a standard high temperature moly or lithium grease. Copper "grease" is an anti-seize agent to prevent seizure of fitting, it is not at all a lubricant.
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May 13, 2012 20:30
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Use moly (CV) grease. Lithium grease regrades rubber seals over time.
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May 13, 2012 20:44
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Auto parts stores sell brake caliper grease. You can get 8oz for about $10 that may last you a lifetime, and it has a nice brush in the cap like rubber cement to make applying it easy peasy.
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May 13, 2012 20:58
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Uthor posted:Interest rates are super low right now. Even if they weren't, 11.2% is outrageous. 4.5% is a bit high. I wouldn't pay anything over 3%, but then again I'm spoiled with good credit history. Still, paying 4.5% for 3 years on a $13k loan is only $300 more than paying 3%, so not too bad. 11.5% would have you paying $1500 more over three years than 4.5%. I've thought about that too but the used car market is so much different that it used to be. I bought a '97 4-Door Acura Integra in 2007 for $3.4 with 134k miles that was in nearly mint condition aside from a few nicks. Now days it seems like I'll be lucky if I can even find one.
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May 13, 2012 21:14
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SNiPER_Magnum posted:Auto parts stores sell brake caliper grease. You can get 8oz for about $10 that may last you a lifetime, and it has a nice brush in the cap like rubber cement to make applying it easy peasy.
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May 13, 2012 21:40
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ColdPie posted:Driving the spec racer was a really unique experience. You're really low to the ground in that thing, with the engine right behind your body. It's very loud when you put the gas to it, and you can actually feel the engine firing in your seat. The brake pedal travel was super short, and it basically felt like I was putting my foot down on a brick. The shift knob was just this cold shaft of metal with a bulb at the end. It moved like a half inch into each gate, so I was never really comfortable with shifting. I ended up spending the majority of the session in 3rd, although I did downshift to 2nd around a couple of corners.
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May 14, 2012 00:18
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I know this isn't the right forum technically, but I bet someone here has an answer. Last fall my lab pup chewed on the cord of a window air conditioner that I was being lazy about storing for the winter. I went and dug it out and was going to repair the cord, but upon inspecting the cord, the brick at the end of the cord which I thought was a GFCI is actually an LCDI (or an AFCI - arc fault circuit interrupter). I don't want to shell out $100+ for a new window AC just cause the cord is damaged, but I'm having a hell of a time finding replacement plug-end LCDI/AFCI plugs. The main difference is that a GFCI will trip if there's a ground fault... like you cut the cord or a dog chews on it, or it's exposed to water or something like that. These LCDI/AFCI plugs can apparently detect conditions which can cause a fire (but wouldn't trip a GFCI). I could just replace it with a GFCI plug easy, but they put these arc fault plugs on the window AC units for a reason... Any ideas? I opened up the plug end and the wiring is soldered in the unit... my original plan was just to cut the wire and use the existing plug, but the soldered connections throw me off as I don't have experience with that sort of thing (nor the equipment). edit: there's also some wire that's epoxied in place that connects to another wire that goes into the switch part of the plug. another barrier to re-using the existing plug probably. `Nemesis fucked around with this message at 00:38 on May 14, 2012 |
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May 14, 2012 00:33
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RE: Brakechat, I'm about to toss new pads + rotors on my car, and I was wondering whether to take a wire brush to the sliders and their pathways, or if that's a no-no for any reason
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May 14, 2012 03:07
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Strange electrical issue: Just put a new battery in the '89 RX7 and now when I turn the key to the on position (just before starting) everything cuts out. No interior lights, no dash lights, no turn over if I try to start, nothing. I let it sit 10-20 minutes and everything is fine (lights turn on, etc) until I move the key to the on position. I checked for blown fuses, but cant find any. I'm puzzled by this behavior and can't fathom what it could be. Any suggestions?
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May 14, 2012 04:27
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Hi there, I hope this is the right place to ask this... I recently came into possession (for $100) of a bunch of car audio gear and am trying to work out what to do with it; 2 x Fusion 300W amps, 1 x Fusion 900W amp, 1 x Fusion subwoofer - one of those enormous things that takes up the entire boot. ( like this - http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FUSION-2...=item3cb520a9b5 ) So I've been meaning to get the stereo in my car working for aaaages, it's a 2000 Mitsubishi Magna and I originally just ripped out the tape deck/center console and put in an amp I got for 99c faulty from eBay and had repaired. It worked but it was ugly and noisy and eventually fell apart because I never finished installing it properly. Now this was years ago so I don't NEED music in the car, but it would be nice but I'd also prefer a few hundred $'s, however I checked on eBay and none of that gear goes for very much nowadays, I'm thinking I'd MAYBE get $200 for the lot? So what I was thinking was just keep one of the 300W amps and hook it up to the stock speakers in my car which are good enough for my needs. I don't need/want music that you can hear three streets over and I don't really see the point of taking up half the boot with a subwoofer. Do you think the sound quality would be that much better if I kept/used all that stuff? I don't need it LOUD, but I would like a decent sound... So thanks for any advice e: Forgot to mention, I generally do all my electronics (can solder, repair/replace stuff) but have NO formal training, or any kind of training, is there anything I need to know about installing car audio? Ground loops or shielded cabling or anything? doczoid fucked around with this message at 05:17 on May 14, 2012 |
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May 14, 2012 05:14
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I'm looking at a used 1988 Toyota MR2 as a fun cheap car to drive in the summer. It's got some rust on the rear wheel arches, but nothing bad. How much would it cost to fix? I'm worried that if I get the car, the rust will eventually get out of control. Am I an idiot for even considering this?
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May 14, 2012 06:22
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Brigdh posted:Strange electrical issue: Try rechecking the connections to your battery. I had the same thing happen to me after swapping out the battery on my Ranger and as it turned out I didn't fully secure the cables to the battery terminals.
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May 14, 2012 08:53
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DELETED posted:A piece of debris from the ignition cylinder could have gotten jammed in the shift linkage or somehting. All of the fords from that era that I've seen have a switch on the brake pedal linkage that controls the brake lights and shifter lockout. I'd start there and see if that came loose. If it is, you could depress it manually or put a jumper on it to get into gear but that will keep your brake lights on if you leave it connected. If you leave it disconnected you won't have brake lights at all. It may just be unplugged or loose. Update on this: I replaced the ignition switch, which worked OK, but it was still stuck in park. I wound up tearing through the steering column until I found some broken piece of linkage (or something) which I removed. Now it will shift out of park, but it will also start in any gear and shift into any gear when it's parked, which is OK with me. I wound up somehow re-loving the ignition linkage so that it goes into run alright but won't move into the start position. Guess I'll just install a push button start switch.
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May 14, 2012 14:38
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Feces Starship posted:I know that "pick me a car" threads are banned, but can we still post help requests in this thread? I need car guys to weigh in. If this is verboten I apologize. I know this may be a bit late, but... 9-3 driver here - I wouldn't buy a 9-7x. Though it might be built on the GMT360 platform, you're going to find surprise parts that are incompatible, and Saab stuff is really hard to get right now (ask me about 9-3 keys  ) Most stuff I've called about is backordered in the thousands of units.Also if resale value is a major factor, run, don't walk, from Saab. Saab's have never held their value. And now the company is bankrupt and you might not be able to get parts. You'll probably be upside down on your investment before you drive it off the lot.
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May 14, 2012 14:57
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