The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread (merged)

[SkinnedAussie]

KH, what make and model is the vehicle?

(D'oh! You already mentioned that earlier!)

[twa]

Thanks, I'm looking for a temporary fix that would last actually a few months, because it'll take that long to afford a new radiator.....also, I'm no longer in FL....relocated to NC, recently.....so, I guess if I pour too much of a water ratio in it, where the weather is cold, it can freeze up, right ?

It would need to get in the 20's and stay there for hrs,but it certainly will freeze and push out the freeze plugs or worse

If ya can't afford replacing it,just use the alumaweld

and follow directions

[Mickalino]

If ya can't afford replacing it,just use the alumaweld

and follow directions

And throw in a scrambled egg for additional protection, like Aussie said ?

[SkinnedAussie]

And throw in a scrambled egg for additional protection, like Aussie said ?

No, not scrambled, a raw egg.

[twa]

And throw in a scrambled egg for additional protection, like Aussie said ?

I would skip the egg or pepper,but they are good short term emergency fixes

never seen a minor leak alumaweld wouldn't fix.


Wonder how some bacon would go with that?...this threads making me hungry.

[SkinnedAussie]

I would skip the egg or pepper,but they are good short term emergency fixes

I was beginning to think that nobody believed me!

[Mickalino]

I was beginning to think that nobody believed me!

I hesitated, because I know that putting food in your gas tank, can cause a bit of a problem, so my immediate reaction to putting food in a radiator was somewhat questionable.

[Kosher Ham]

Automatic-starter is not working either.

[Mickalino]

Back in my motor racing days, a quick fix that always worked was to just crack an egg into the filler. Pepper was another quick fix, but usually for smaller leaks.

Automatic-starter is not working either.

Try adding and egg with salt and pepper, over the starter

[SkinnedAussie]

I hesitated, because I know that putting food in your gas tank, can cause a bit of a problem, so my immediate reaction to putting food in a radiator was somewhat questionable.

Not so much as putting food IN your gas tank, but if you get a small leak in your gas tank, regular chewing gum makes for an excellent long term fix. That's another of the 'I didn't believe it until I saw it' emergency fixes.

[Mickalino]

Not so much as putting food IN your gas tank, but if you get a small leak in your gas tank, regular chewing gum makes for an excellent long term fix. That's another of the 'I didn't believe it until I saw it' emergency fixes.

A friend of mine told me that if you put an equal mixture of a typical Fuel Additive with Ethyl Alcohol (might have been ethanol, unless they're the same thing) that it would double your gas mileage. You know anything about that ?

[SkinnedAussie]

Automatic-starter is not working either.

With that and the other problems, it sounds more like electrical. What does the positive cable from the battery to the starter look like? What does the positive terminal on the battery look like? Is it covered with a powdery like substance?

[SkinnedAussie]

A friend of mine told me that if you put an equal mixture of a typical Fuel Additive with Ethyl Alcohol (might have been ethanol, unless they're the same thing) that it would double your gas mileage. You know anything about that ?

Did you believe him?

From my experience, a fuel additive slightly increases the octane rating, and ethanol is commonly used in high horsepower racing engines.

The only way to improve your gas mileage is to shave some weight off your right foot!

[Mickalino]

Did you believe him?

Yes, but I couldn't find any place that sold it - went to Home Depot, Lowes, auto part stores.....none of them had it.

[SkinnedAussie]

Ethanol can be dangerous to use. Not so much as in volatility (although it does ignite quite easily), but moreso in that it burns with an invisible flame.

You won't find ethanol at any of those places. Here, only a fuel distributor (not a regular gas station) can sell it, and you have to prove why you want it.