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randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Decent wiper blades?

I don't want to spend a lot of money, but earlier this year I replaced the OEM blades (8 loving years old!) on my Accord with some crappy Anco blades. They SUCK - they streak, chatter, and if it's misting, they just smear water around. The original blades were silent, still moved most of the water around (they were falling apart and had chunks missing, which is why I replaced them), and for 8 years old, did a good job.

I don't want to blow $20+ per blade, but I want silent blades that actually do what they're supposed to do.. move water off the windshield and leave it clear, and I want to get a couple of years out of them. We get over 30 inches of rain per year on average in this area (Dallas TX), coupled with hot summers that are murder on rubber.

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randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

On that note... assuming I don't go with Rain-X washer fluid, what's a good choice that has good all weather performance?

Right now I think I'm running something from Rain-X (I filled up the tank a year and a half ago, and topped it off with the rest of the bottle 5 or 6 months ago, so my memory is a bit hazy). It looks kind of like diluted discount grocery store "orange drink", it's supposed to be good year round and help melt ice as well. This is Texas, we drop below freezing a handful of times per year, so I just want something that won't crack the tank when it freezes.

I uh... haven't washed my car in almost 6 months. It's what I call "grandpa gold" - it looks clean even if I haven't washed it in ages, and the clearcoat is peeling off anyway, so why bother? The paint on the hubcaps is 99% gone too. I do regular maintenance (did the timing belt/water pump early this year, change the oil roughly every 4000-5000 miles, just got new tires, and reg/smog are both current), but I don't give 2 shits what it looks like as long as it doesn't have Sockington Rust <tm>. I've waxed it once in the 3+ years I've owned it, the only time it gets washed is when the local full service car wash is running $3 (with hand towel dry) specials.

The weather here is beyond weird. We'll go a couple of months without any rain, then holy poo poo several inches in a couple of days.

How do you rain-x properly, aside from trying to blast layers of glass off of the windshield with a crappy 50 psi carwash sprayer?

tl;dr: If Bosch Excel isn't insanely expensive I'll pick them up on Friday (payday). I fully expect some flurries and freezing rain next month and want to be ready. Any other brands to recommend?

Flipping them once in awhile sounds.. well.... odd. They get used in both directions normally anyway. Anything to back this up?

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

johnny sack posted:

I would be willing to bet the guy doesn't live somewhere with icy winters, though. Basically, winters destroy wipers every season. You get some ice on your windshield and have your blades go across them...then they're hosed.

I would love to have wipers last 8 years but with ice and snow, I don't think could happen.

Granted, I'm probably a little more fussy about nice wipers than most people. I hate crappy or worn-out wipers.

Ice? What ice? This is Texas, we got our oil and tornaders, we ain't git none o that ice poo poo. Well okay, we do get a little ice around new years, but not much.

We do get a shitload of rain. Also, I'm only assuming the wipers were original... they were OEM, and the previous owner never changed anything else on the thing except the oil. They looked pretty worn when I got it, but still worked pretty good.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

johnny sack posted:

1995 Bronco full size, 5.8L 4x4 auto.

Also, when I was driving it yesterday, the oil pressure gauge went to 0. The engine still ran smoothly and sounded normal. Then the gauge would randomly jump back to the normal range, and drop again to 0. In the end, it stayed at 0.

The "oil pressure gauge" on most Fords is a mechanical idiot light. Meaning, it has 2 positions, normal and none (ever notice it doesn't change with RPMs?).

Does it have a lot of miles? I'd still just hook up a real gauge and see what's really going on.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

ToG posted:

Now note that i have only two speaker connections but the car has four speakers (from factory). The diagram says that BOTH speakers run off this in parallel. My assumption is that they're all 8ohm therefore 4ohm in parallel. (i will check this)

The head unit's instructions say NOT to run two speakers off the one connection but i assume i can do this if the math works out. Ie. Run front right and rear right off the same pin?

That's pretty strange. There's not connections for rear speakers in the dash at all? Even the most basic stereo from the 80s offers front/rear fader controls.

Break out your multimeter and check the resistance, there's a chance you'll wind up with 2 ohms, 4, or even 8. 4 or 8 will be fine, but not many head units are built to handle 2 ohms. Not to say a decent one won't power them, but it'll overheat easily even at low volumes and won't last nearly as long.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Black88GTA posted:

Not really, all you have to do is pop the valve cover off so the cam gears are exposed, then rotate the motor by hand while inspecting the belt. This is only good for finding obvious physical wear / damage though. If the original belt has 95k on it, it's due to be replaced anyway. Even if it looks physically OK, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is.

I also believe that on that particular engine, the belt is rated for a life of 7 years. If it's original, he's on borrowed time.

Do the water pump and cam/front main seal at the same time.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

sbyers77 posted:

How often should I rebuild or replace my calipers? My car has 118K miles and has its original calipers/seals as far as I know.

When they start to leak and/or seize. No other reason, really.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Here's something pretty drat random.

Does a 98-02 Accord use a CAN bus for the cluster? Does it use a body control module? In my case, it's an LX, 4cyl manual, power mirrors, locks, windows.

This is just curiosity, I'm not having any problems with the car. The car in terms of wiring seems about like my old Accord (which was an 88 LXi, same options except it also had a sunroof).

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

NancyPants posted:

If the non-working speedometer on my Accord randomly kicks in and appears to work, is it more likely there's a short in the wire or that the sensor is bad, or are they both equally likely?

What year/engine/transmission? Are you getting a CEL?

I'd lean toward the VSS - vehicle speed sensor, it's on the transaxle. Unless we're talking pre-1990, which has a cable driven speedometer.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

NancyPants posted:

Sorry, it's a 1990 automatic, 2.2L I believe. I know it uses a chip. The S light for the transmission blinks, and if I push it above 35mph or 3000rpm the CEL will come on as soon as I start to brake.

95% sure it's the speed sensor (VSS).

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Fimbulvetr posted:

I can get a Honda CRX -87 for about $570.
Seems healthy with the exception of having a "bad" idling-time.
The seller is a woman if that counts for anything.

I'm thinking of getting it but what's so great about these cars and are they hard to mech?

Go with an 88+ (second gen) if you can. The first gens have a torsion bar suspension (rust is your enemy here), and even less room under the hood. Plus most likely carbureted instead of fuel injected - 80s honda carburetors are picky when they're in a good mood, and an absolute nightmare when they're not. Go think of the worst vacuum line routing diagram you can possibly imagine, and multiply it by 50.

Most of the 88+ were fuel injected, and had more room under the hood, opening your options WAY the gently caress up. Downside is finding an unriced 88+ is, well, nearly impossible. The second gen also, IMO, looked a lot better and handled better.

If you do get it, it's a nimble little car. Painfully underpowered in the 1st gen, but a good handler. I wouldn't pay $570 for one though.

What kind of problems is it having with idle? If it's bouncing up and down once warmed up, it has a vacuum leak more than likely... and uh, you couldn't pay me enough to try to work on an 80s Honda vacuum system.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Possibly the stupidest one of all.

I have a 2001 Accord LX Sedan. The screaming (I use that term very loosely) 2.3L 4 cylinder vtec pounding out a whole 150 hp... in a 3200 pound car.

It had a new"ish" battery when I got it in 2006. It's a Sears Diehard Silver from early 2006 (Jan or Feb). I've never had a battery go more than 3 years in the TX heat until now.

I've jumped countless cars with it. I've left it sitting for over a month in the dead of winter. I've left the headlights on for nearly 2 hours as a sole light source while working on a coworker's car.

Seriously when the gently caress is this battery going to give up? I have the money set aside for a new one, but I don't believe in replacing what's not broken.

It's never turned over slow except after using the headlights to light up a coworker's car for nearly 2 hours the other night (high beams and all), and even then it barely sounded sluggish.

I have completely neglected the battery in every way shape and form. I've never tried to top it off, I've never cleaned the cables, it just sits there. Our average high this time of year is over 100F - and it sat for 3 months in the Texas hill country in the dead of winter dropping to below -15F overnight (and still fired on the first try).

How long do these drat things last?! Believe me I've gotten my money's worth out of it, but how much longer can I expect it to last? It does show signs of very, very slight bulging, but no leaking and no real oxidation of the terminals. Since I got this car in 2006, my mom's 2003 Avalon XLS has been through 3 batteries (5 total since she bought it new).

Currently about 117k miles. Everything is bone stock, even the lovely stereo that no longer works as a radio, only CD (you can use the radio, but it randomly starts seeking other stations).

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Is there a cabin filter on a 99 Nissan Maxima GXE? Where the gently caress is it?

I get tons of air out of the a/c vents, far more than out of my 01 Accord LX. The lovely oil change place said it was totally clogged (but couldn't tell me where it was nor show it to me). I'm reading conflicting info, starting with the 99 didn't have it at all, followed by only the upper end models got it (the GXE is 2nd from bottom of the line). I can't find any mention of it in the owner's manual.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Super Aggro Crag posted:

So, I just installed my Alpine deck today and I have a half DIN slot left over. I'm not running aftermarket speakers or an amp, so getting an equalizer would be pointless. What else could I fit in that space? I was thinking maybe a white LED strip with a switch for extra light in the car if I need it. Any ideas?



Most of those mounting kits usually include a pocket to fill the space - I just put a single DIN alpine unit in my Altima (double DIN opening) and the mounting kit has a pocket below the stereo. Since my new deck has an aux in, I just keep my Zune in the pocket while driving (obviously taking the Zune and the faceplate with me whenever I park).

Maybe look for another mount kit with a pocket? Metra typically makes a good mounting kit, that's what I used for mine. I assume it's just an open space behind the knock out, right? Also, is that an Eclipse? (just guessing by the placement of the climate control)

Now to contribute with my own question - my 99 Altima, with 134k miles, has the KA24DE 2.4 DOHC, 5 speed manual. Today was the first time I've done a cold start with the windows down (now that I got the windows working). It fired right up, but the valves were very noisy for a few seconds. Both the oil and alternator lights shut off after 1-2 revolutions while cranking, but before it fires... so it has at least some oil pressure by the time it fires up. Does this engine need regular valve adjustments? I'm guessing the valve cover has never been off, since the valve cover gasket has a small leak and it has the original PCV valve.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 04:55 on Aug 30, 2010

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Maker Of Shoes posted:

I can't answer the rest of your question but that PCV valve is toast with that many miles.

I know, I've already picked up a new one. I've also been trying to track down a fuel filter and cabin filter... it's been a complete bitch. I went to 6 Autozones, 1 Napa, and 1 Oreilly before finally finding the PCV valve at an Autozone. The last Autozone had a shelf tag for the fuel filter I needed, but it had an oil filter in its place. Of course, I don't even know where the drat filter is to begin with, but I'm 99% sure the previous 2 owners didn't do much for maintenance.

Also need a valve cover gasket kit, which is proving difficult to find. I figure the PCV valve is the most important out of everything I've been looking for though. I just hope it doesn't snap off when I try to remove the original.

It does turn out that a local dealer - Courtesy Nissan - has some drat good prices on OEM parts, about half of the time cheaper or equal to third party parts. $2 OEM NGK spark plugs, for example.

I'm probably going to have Courtesy order a valve cover gasket kit (with spark plug tube grommets), plugs, distributor cap, and rotor. I know the wires are recent-ish, at least they're definitely not original, but they look like cheap lovely wires. Along with a fuel filter and cabin filter. Even a drat air filter is mildly difficult to find at Autozone, but I was able to find a master power window switch at Autozone with no problem, go figure.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Prelude Gundam posted:

Hmm.. that idling with your AC actually sounds like an issue. My idle will usually slightly rise if I turn it on. Is yours a ’93 or older?

I used to have a 1991 Integra LS, 3 door hatch, auto transmission (ew), with the plain jane B18. A/C was blowing ice cold, and if it kicked on at idle, the idle immediately compensated. Idle would drop by about 100 rpm for a split second then go back up to about 700-750.

Car was stock except for an AEM cold air intake (previous owner), Neuspeed strut brace (previous owner) and JDM headlamps (previous owner did the wiring, I installed them... goddamn do they light up the road so much better!).

The IACV (idle air control valve) is a huge problem child on all B and D series engines. Sounds like his is acting up. When I had my teg, you couldn't get the IACV without buying the throttle body, but they're easy enough to rip off a junkyard engine. I THINK the GSR and the B20 CRV engines will have compatible IACVs, and I believe a Prelude throttle body will bolt on most B series engines if you want a slightly larger throttle body. For that matter, an H22 throttle body will even bolt onto an Accord F series engine.

Prelude Gundam posted:

+2 on replacing the PCV valve.
Your engine shouldn’t need regular valve adjustments seeing as yours has flat tappet solid lifters, but I’m sure the service scheduling would call for it at some point in time.

I’d say look up the service schedule in your owner’s manual, or an online service manual. If you’re just a little past the mileage for it, buy yourself a feeler gauge and plan on taking measurements soon. If you’re not quite there yet, I wouldn’t worry about it. Don’t try to put off the job too far past the service point!

Be aware that this type of job will require you to take the valve cover off, make your valve lash and lifter shim thickness measurements (may require removal of camshafts), throwing it all back together and ordering the shims of new required sizes, then opening it up again to install the appropriately sized shims in the lifters respectively marked. Writing down all your values during the job is a MUST.

Just make sure you’re running good oil in that engine of yours and it’ll most likely be fine.

I have PDFs of both the owners manuals and factory service manual. Both say that valve adjustment is not a normally scheduled maintenance procedure and should only be done if the valvetrain is noisy once warm. I've adjusted my share of valves on Hondas, but all you need there is a wrench, flathead screwdriver, and feeler gauges. gently caress this shim poo poo.

I have no idea how old the oil was in it when I got it - it wasn't dark, but not clear, on the dipstick. I had it changed with Vavoline 5w30 (regular even though the service guy swore up and down my engine would literally explode if I didn't get their high mileage oil). It's still about the same color, maybe slightly lighter. Manual calls for 5w30. It does have some leaks - definitely front main seal and possibly oil pan gasket, so it's getting dinosaur juice as long as I own it. No visible smoke, oil level has not dropped at all even with me beating on it. It starts on the first try every time and I've only heard a rattle once, after it sat for about 18 hours - sounded like valve train noise and lasted under 2 seconds.

Oddly... it's a fun car to drive. It's definitely a compact car, but it's got the KA24DE and a manual transmission, with good brakes. You throw it through turns and it goes "get me some better tires bitch!". And much better mileage than the Accord it replaced.

Now the fun part will be finding some GL-4 80w90 for the gearbox. Someone (I think Sockington?) told me GL-5 would not be very good for it, and that's all I've been able to find locally. The gearbox works fine, doesn't ever grind or pop out of gear, but I doubt it's ever had the oil changed. I'm actually thinking it may be the original clutch since it chatters a bit in 1st (134k, purchased with 133k). The FSM specifically states GL-4.

Now if I could just find a loving fuel filter. None of the stores I've been to stock it, same with the cabin filter. Courtesyparts.com (parts dept of a local nissan dealer, Courtesy Nissan) actually has very competitive prices if you ask for their internet prices though. I've already gotten several parts from them. OE spark plugs are under $2.50 there, vs $8 at Autozone....

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 11:33 on Sep 2, 2010

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Go to Walmart or the local parts store of your choosing. Find a 9007 bulb, they'll be with the rest of the headlamp bulbs. You might save a little bit by going through Rockauto, but add in shipping and the potential cost of multiple tickets for a headlight being out and you'll see where it makes sense to get one locally.

They're all halogen. It's pretty straight forward - find the back of the bulb, twist the connector, remove. Try not to bump the glass on anything, it's pressurized. Old bulb should have a press-in clip on the connector, press it in, remove connector, discard bulb in garbage.

Installation is the reverse - however, do NOT touch the glass with your skin. Doing so without cleaning it properly may cause the bulb to explode the first time you turn it on. If you do touch it, find a clean cloth and rubbing alcohol and rub the glass to clean it.

Looks like a single bulb at Autozone is 10.99, two will run 19.99. I'd personally get the twin pack and keep the spare for future use (keep it in the package).

They're all Halogen - there's really not much reason to go with the more expensive "xtravision" unless you really do want a little more light (and if you do, replace both of them instead of just one), and beware that they'll run a bit hotter.

As long as they didn't put the battery or air filter or some poo poo behind the headlamp housing it should take you under 5 minutes. Even if they did, in general most companies make poo poo behind the headlights relatively easy to move out of the way so you can do the bulbs (VW excluded). On my Accord, I had to move the power steering tank to do the drivers side, but it literally pulled right out of its mount.

edit: some google work turns up that there's probably some plastic covering the headlamp assembly that you'll have to remove. Once it's out of the way it's dead simple.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 07:10 on Sep 3, 2010

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Uthor posted:

I at least know how to put my own air in.

And I didn't stop checking because of the light but because of past experience telling me that the tires don't lose air. The light's just a backup.

The lights can get flaky too. Dad had a 2008 Lexus something or other for awhile, and the day after he bought it (new) the TPMS light came on. Checked all 5 tires including the spare, by the dealer.. they replaced all the TPMS sensors.

Few days later, same thing.

Popped on when I was visiting and driving it. I personally bought a decent gauge, checked the pressures on the door jamb, and every single loving tire was inflated properly, including the spare. It wouldn't tell you which tire it was either. The dealer kept ordering parts, he got sick of it and just ignored it until he traded it in on a .... Prius. :psypop: Going from a 300+ hp direct injection V6 to a hybrid.... when he's always had semi sporty luxury barges (and had not one, but TWO turbo Chrysler Conquests/Starions at one point!).

At least the lovely 2010 Cobalt I had for a rental would tell you which tire was low - actually you could get it to tell you the exact pressure of every tire except the spare. It was interesting to see the variations in pressure while driving.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Pvt. Benedetto posted:

I'm trying to replace the pads/rotors on my 1996 Honda Accord. I bought it used (a long time ago) and the little logo on the rear of the car that denotes EX/LX/DX (trim) has fallen off!

I'm trying to replace the brake rotors (myself), and it appears as though I will need to order specific rotors related to the trim of the car. I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know how figure this out. Can I use the VIN number to determine this?

For future reference for anyone else...

1990+ DX Accord = manual windows, locks, mirrors.
LX = power locks, mirrors, windows, and on a 98+, the VTEC engine
EX adds a sunroof, optional leather, and on 94+ a VTEC engine.

94-97 EX models were available with a V6. 98-02 LX and EX could be had with a V6, even leather, but V6 Accords should be avoided due to transmission issues prior to 2003 or 2004 (same with the V6 Honda Odessy<sp?> from the same times as it uses the same driveline). EX V6's also got side curtain air bags starting in 1998, if memory serves correctly (maybe the LX V6 too).

Antilock, at least prior to 2003, I believe has been optional except on V6 EX models. Good chance I'm wrong on that though.

Tachometer has been standard since at least 1986 on all models.

Prior to 1990, it was mostly the same, except instead of an EX, there was the LX-i, which added a fuel injected engine and sunroof on top of the LX options (DX and LX prior to 1990 were carbureted). There's been a few odd ones, like the SEi (89 only, LXi with leather and a Bose stereo) and SE's. I believe they dropped the DX model in 2003, but it may have been on the current generation.

Also have fun with the hell that is the front brakes on the 1990-1997 Accords! Insanely retarded design if you ever need to remove the rotors.

(I've owned entirely too many loving Hondas)

--
Now for my own question. How long do cars typically sit on used car lots? My old Accord had been on the lot for 4 months. I didn't ask how long my Altima sat on the lot, but Carfax says its last smog was 11/30/09 with 132,198 miles. I got it with about 133,800 (less than 2 weeks ago) and I've since put about 400 miles on it. The owner of the lot told me he would drive it from time to time himself to run errands, and they did tell me when it was traded in the clutch was completely fried. Just sounds like it sat for nearly 10 months or so, and the battery is definitely showing signs of some neglect (3 year old Interstate, but cranks pretty slow). I would think they'd flip a bit faster, but both this car and my last Accord had manual transmissions.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 19:26 on Sep 6, 2010

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

smackfu posted:

What happens if you hit something like a mattress or a ladder on the highway? I have seen both of these recently and just know that someone not paying attention has to hit them.

It really depends how high off the ground your car is. A coworker was in a tiny car (I want to say a Colt?) and a mattress came off the truck in front of him and landed under his car. His car immediately stopped and he wound up at the front of a roughly 10 car pileup. Had to be cut out of the car, spent over a month in ICU, etc. All because someone thought hauling a bed, unsecured, at about 65 mph on a major interstate was a good idea. At least the person at fault stopped and owned up..

If it's a "bro truck" it's a speedbump. If it's a tiny economy car it's almost instant death. Actually, I think the ladder would be better to hit, it's more likely to break apart and probably blow a couple of tires, while a mattress is actually pretty durable and liable to get lodged under the car.

Sometimes you just don't have enough time to avoid something like this. If you just noticed it and know you can't swerve, your best option is to straddle it - i.e. try to make it pass under the center of your vehicle. If you're really lucky you get minor damage, but usually you get some decent damage... but retain enough control to get your car off the road.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

tkNukem posted:

That brings up a good point: would agents charge any fees on things like making changes, processing a claim, etc? When selling my Accord recently, I dropped its coverage to comprehensive only (change 1), then bought the CVPI (change 2), then sold the Accord (change 3) within two months. Each cubicle jockey at Liberty Mutual made the policy changes quick, easy, and free...

Any agent that wants to keep customers is not going to charge you for changes. It takes them all of 10-15 seconds to make them!

Generally your rates should only increase because of accidents, excessive comprehensive claims, tickets, or your credit score going down significantly.

I will say, while it was really nice being able to make online changes with Progressive... having a local agent rocks. The downside is the claims service with AAA Texas (yes, they write car and home insurance too) is dragged out as long as possible, it took over 2 weeks to get a check for the car... and it's still sitting at a storage lot. Supposed to go up for auction this weekend, I called the lot to ask them to see if I left a pair of glasses in it. Claim started on Aug 3rd, I was paid a little over 2 weeks later, and finally picked up an Altima a little over a week ago... and my insurance went UP on it because it doesn't have passive anti theft (only $26/year, they do 12 month policies).

I had Farmers for awhile.. my agent was kind of a dick, but got stuff done fast. And their claims service was awesome. From the day of the accident to the day I picked up my car from the body shop was 6 days (though the body shop did some shoddy work).

I'm not happy with how slow claims work with AAA, but my rates went from $170/month at Farmers to $120/month with AAA (2 at-fault accidents in 5 years, and now a $6,200 total loss comprehensive claim last month). My agent is very pleasant to deal with, if I need to make a change I just fire her an email or pick up the phone, it's done in a few minutes during working hours. Everyone I dealt with in the claims process was exceedingly polite and easy to work with, but since there was only 1 person LOCAL looking at the car, everything bounced back and forth between Dallas, California, and Houston before I finally had a check in my hands, but the check was for nearly double what I expected. And they reimbursed most of my rental expenses too.

In TX, they can look up your insurance status on the computer in the police car anyway, but you still have to carry a card with you.

My policy on insurance is to go with the cheapest company while sticking with someone that's nationwide and not about to go bankrupt. Since I own very little, I tend to go with state minimums on coverages, but once I win the lottery you better believe I'm going to get a personal liability policy that would make Obama choke. Assuming I win the lottery.

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 20:48 on Sep 7, 2010

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

spaztaz posted:

I woke up to a large puddle of green stuff below my car this morning. I know nothing about cars, but after some poking around and looking online I'm pretty sure I need a new water pump. There is an auto shop not far from where I live. Will I need a tow truck, or is it possible to drive a short distance without causing more problems? Is it safe to assume I won't do any permanent damage as long as I keep an eye on the temp?

If it was the water pump, it would (usually) leak while running. Not always though, and usually not a whole lot.

It could be a hose, it could be the radiator. With a "large puddle" I'd count on one of those. Cross your fingers and hope it's a hose, it's a lot cheaper.

And chiming in on having it towed.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

eddiewalker posted:

What kind of highway mileage could I expect from something like this? What about upkeep costs? Storage isn't a problem, but the price seems too low to be for real.

http://kansascity.craigslist.org/cto/1939638392.html

edit: nevermind, sold. It was listed by Goodwill, and that might explain the price. Going to look at one built on a Toyota minitruck chassis Sunday.

Either way, those things usually don't get driven much, so tires will be rotten, so will anything else rubber (belts, brake lines, etc). Beyond that, uh, hope you like single digit gas mileage. A Toyota V6 chassis MIGHT get 10-14 mpg, a 1 ton V8 chassis will be upper single digits. I rented a Toyota box truck (V6 chassis) from U-Haul (oh god shoot me) and got about 11 mpg a few years ago.

The Toyota will be FAR easier to work on since it'll have a real hood - the 1 ton Ford van chassis has the engine inside a doghouse between the front seats. Huge pain in the rear end to work on anything driveline related on a full size van, if you ask me.

Upkeep will be about average for a large vehicle that doesn't get driven much. Assume no maintenance has been done unless the thing is actually fairly new.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

The sunvisors in my 99 Altima GXE are busted - specifically, the mount is broken on both of them. The mount is not available by itself from the dealer, nor can you get it 3rd party, you have to get the whole shebang. New, the visors are $130/each from the dealer. gently caress that. A good used set goes for $40-100 on ebay.

The GXE didn't have lights in the visor mirrors or homelink. Most of the visors I'm finding on ebay do have these. How difficult would it be to wire these up? Is the wiring already there, or should I not bother wasting my time trying to wire them up? The lights aren't that important, but the homelink would be nice since I'm parking in a garage.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Leperflesh posted:

Nah, I'm with Fox here. It's a pretty straightforward question: are silencers effective, and by how much, and is there any difference in effectiveness across brands?

If the answer is no, they're totally ineffective, then "go find a stock muffler" is useful advice, of course, but Uthor didn't say that.

I had an obnoxious exhaust on my last car. The "silencer" didn't make a very noticeable difference of any kind... in noise or power. Of course, the car was hilariously underpowered to begin with. The only reason the exhaust wound up on there was because it was free, and I regretted it pretty quickly.

They can be installed/removed in a minute or so, usually with an allen wrench. Some are adjustable (mine was). You can try posting on craigslist or forums to swap for a stock exhaust - that's how I wound up with mine (straight trade) if you don't want to keep the loud one on there.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

eddiewalker posted:

What the heck are these? This is the third time I've seen this car, once being at Home Depot.



I believe those are cameras used to quickly scan license plates, I've seen similarly equipped cars around here. Also with civilian plates and someone dressed, well, not like a cop. But I got a look inside one and it had a laptop mounted to the dash along with a 2 way radio, plus some hidden red/blues. From what I understand, the cameras look up every license plate they see to see if the owner of the car has warrants, if the car is stolen, expired tags, etc, and it can do so FAR quicker than a human can.

Those look like they're not permanently mounted though, the ones I've seen have the wires hidden. Maybe your local dept is giving them a trial run?

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

pienipple posted:

That's exactly what they are. They can quickly look up license plates, spot expired registrations and inspections, and I believe there are some facial recognition solutions for it.

Cops here can even look up the status of your insurance through your plates. Kind of scary. Several suburbs around here have snapped these things up (Dallas/Ft Worth metro) and people are all up in arms about it.

Meh, I keep my tags and insurance up to date, but it's definitely a bit 1984'ish.

The facial recognition part scares the poo poo out of me, personally. I don't mind them pulling my info, but...

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Yeah, tell them you want it towed. If you drive it like that and have the windows up, there's a good chance you'll inhale a good chunk of carbon monoxide. Also there's no telling how the rest of the exhaust is attached now.

You CAN drive it like that (with the windows open) and it won't hurt anything except for your pride and eardrums, it won't hurt the engine short term. But in the interest of not inhaling CO, I'd bitch at the insurance company until they tow it.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

A couple of days ago my car started vibrating at idle. Classic worn engine mount symptoms, right?

Today I finally opened the hood. And uh.. the little bit that's left of the passenger side mount is just shredded. There's almost no rubber left, though the metal is fine. The engine is also sitting noticeably lower on that side now - probably about 2 inches lower. The inside of the mount is pretty much destroyed.

How bad is it going to gently caress things up if I drive it like this until I can afford a new motor mount? (under 100 miles) Looks pretty easy to swap, so at least that's going for me...

1999 Nissan Altima, KA24DE, manual trans.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

That's pretty much what I didn't want to hear. :suicide:

Figures that it's also the most expensive mount... $55ish at AutoZone. I knew the mount was worn, it looked a little rough when I got the car, but I didn't expect it to just completely fail like this.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

aksuur posted:

I bought a B18 engine for my '90 Integra. The motor I got was from an automatic, my car is a manual. Am I correct to assume that it doesn't really matter?

Doesn't matter. A B18A1 is a B18A1. If you snagged a 92+ engine, you've picked up an extra 10 horsepower over the 90-91 engine as well.

If you wound up with a B18B1 you've picked up 12 extra hp.

The forums over at g2ic.com used to be pretty decent for 90-93 Integra stuff, though I haven't been a member since I sold my 91 Integra.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

I keep hearing about KA24DE's and timing chain guides making GBS threads themselves up.

It LOOKS like someone may have removed the upper guide already on mine - but I honestly have no idea what the upper guide even looks like. Someone confirm/deny? I started hearing some rattling in that area today, but I can't tell if it's the idler pulley for the serpentine belt, the timing chain, or the power steering pump. They're all in the same general area.

It's a 99 with about 136k miles on it. The one guide I could see (under the intake cam in that photo) looks smooth and felt like teflon, not metal.. but that could have been the crack I got from IV8.


Click here for the full 1024x667 image.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

I changed pretty much all the power steering return lines on my Altima - but pretty much none of them are available from Nissan anymore, so I'm stuck using bulk hose.

This means no pre-formed hoses, and one of them - the 5/8" hose from the reservoir to the PS pump - kinks to hell whenever I actually attach the reservoir to its bracket. If I leave it loose it's fine, but sits at an angle and leaks from the fill cap.

How the gently caress am I supposed to keep the new hose from kinking? Obviously, if it's kinked, the pump is a bit unhappy and starts whining going around turns. And the pump is a complete and total bitch to get to, so I'd rather not burn it up.

And seriously Nissan, why the gently caress did every goddamn PS return hose start leaking at the same time? I replaced one, another one would leak, I'd replace that one, and another one would leak worse, so I just said gently caress it and did all of them except for the ones on the rack... then the one going from the rack to the cooler started dripping while the engine was running, so I replaced that one too after coating the bottom of my car in about a quart of PS fluid. :fuckoff: I loving hate power steering now. :emo:

tl;dr: how do I stop new non-pre-formed hose from kinking. alternatively, how can I just bypass the PS pump pulley and be done with this poo poo.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

How do you know when a transmission mount is shot? This would be on a manual transmission 99 Altima.

I just did the upper engine mount on my car (the most expensive one, of course), it was, to put it lightly, loving trashed. The other mounts are original as far as I know, and now that I've changed that mount the car no longer vibrates at all, can't even tell the engine's running.

I noticed tonight that when I let my foot off the gas with the car in gear, the shifter jerks forward a couple of inches. Doesn't do it much in 5th, but say, 2nd or 3rd it's very noticeable.

There's no clunking noises or anything.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

eddiewalker posted:

I know my transmission mounts are bad because the shifter wiggles from side to side constantly, but its a RWD car and the shift lever is basically just sticking out the top of the transmission.

Aren't Altimas all FWD, meaning the same mounts support the engine and transmission together?

Yes, they're FWD. However, there's still 1 mount on the transmission - and 3 on the engine instead of 2. The shifter is connected to the transmission as well - not poking straight up of it, but it's not a cable shifter setup either.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Is there any reason the auto-down feature on a power window switch would keep crapping out? I'm now on my 3rd switch in 2 months, though they've been from AutoZone. Today Autozone flat out refused to replace it again and said it had to be something in the car causing the 1 touch down to quit working.

I have a schematic from the factory service manual along with a troubleshooting flowchart - both say the auto down is a part of the switch and to replace the switch if it doesn't function properly.

99 Altima, I've had the door apart for something else and the only things electrical in it are the window motor, power lock mechanism, and speaker. No control boxes or anything, and the window rolls up/down just fine.. the only problem is the 1 touch down crap. I'm 95% sure it's just a lovely design from Duralast and I'm going to try and get my money back to get a switch from the dealer - I'm still within the 90 day return policy.

The original switch was replaced because the drivers window wouldn't roll up without kicking the door repeatedly - original switch wound up having a couple of broken pins.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Arkady posted:

TL;DR After changing the timing belt I heard grinding noises from the engine for a while and now it stopped, but I hear screeching noises instead. Should I be concerned?

The screeching is most likely a loose accessory belt - alternator, power steering, or water pump. Your mechanic was in a hurry putting it back together. It won't hurt anything except the belts, but definitely find out which one is squealing and tighten it up a bit.

I don't know WTF on the grinding sound, I would definitely have it looked at.

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

lollybo posted:

The ad never said it had a clean title, and on the phone the guy said it was a "recovery" title or something, it was bought from the bank or something like that. He also wanted to meet in an area that wasn't where he lived, I'm afraid something shady is going down. I definitely need to inspect the car and do a Carfax and a PPI, or do you think I should back the gently caress out immediately?

Probably a theft recovery with a salvage title.

There's a good reason he doesn't want you knowing where he lives. 3G Integras are theft magnets, especially GSR's. ITR's, well... if you ever see a Type R in the wild it's either fake (most likely), about to get stolen, or Baby Hitler trouser chili.

edit: damnit how the hell did I mix up BH and TC?

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 17:41 on Nov 26, 2010

randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

lollybo posted:

Are there any other disadvantages, besides the lowered car value, of getting a car with a theft and recovery title?

You never know how well the car was put back together, if it was stripped or wrecked. And you never know what kind of abuse it got put through while it was borrowed.

Unless you're really set on a GSR (they're getting pretty hard), I'd pass on this one, more because you have no idea what kind of hell the thieves put it through while they had it.

I've owned a salvage title car before, and it wound up being a very reliable car, but I also got it dirt cheap.

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randomidiot
May 12, 2006

by Fluffdaddy

(and can't post for 11 years!)

Spaseman posted:

I have a 1964 Ford Falcon and I cannot find what type of carburetor it is running. I am pretty sure it isn't the stock one and the only identification I've found is this tag on the side.

As far as I can tell, the tag reads:

Motorcraft
DOPFK
A7F2O

But every search I do gives me vague or contradictory information.



Pulling some of this out of my rear end, but this is what I've turned up searching for D0PF-K.

Should be a single barrel made by Holley for Ford, Holley/Autolite 1940, made in 1970. I'm at a loss on the A7F20, but the 1940 line appears to be for Ford inline 4/6 engines up to 233ci. That particular carb isn't original, but it's likely dealer installed. Looks like rebuild kits are still floating around.

Some sort of manual?

randomidiot fucked around with this message at 10:56 on Nov 30, 2010

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