The "Ask a Mechanic" Thread (merged)

[Mr. Sinister]

The cap,nor filling it up, should not have anything to do with the ABS light....odd

does it go off after the truck sits?

Well that was mainly to do with the check engine light, but as for the ABS light, yeah. When I get in the truck and crank it up, the lights not on, but after driving it around for awhile, it'll come on. Occasionally, my "Power Drive" and "Winter Drive" lights will come on and off too.

[twa]

sounds like a wire from a ABS sensor(one on each wheel) rubbed through or bad connection(most common) Sinister, but could be something more

[AllWorldSkinFan]

I got a 93 Chevy S10 4 cylinder.

Sometimes it has no power maintaining high rates of speed and it sputters a bit around the 45 to 55mph range on the speedometer. Some days it hits speeds and is able to maintain or even accelerate normally. Sometimes I notice that there is a lag, and if I'm paying close attention, I can feel it 'correct itself', then it produces normal power for the rest of the trip. When the power is lagging, I can barely get to 55 with the pedal all the way down (going up slight uphill on highways). I changed the PCV valve, spark plugs, put some cleaning juice in for the injectors already. Anything else I should look at replacing or checking out. I do not ever get a check engine light.

[twa]

replace the fuel filter between the tank and engine, could be plug wires breaking down(misting them with water while running should show any arching)

could be the screen on the fuel pump or a fuel pressure relay,but the filter or wires are more likely

[grhqofb5]

For our resident mechanics, a question on manual transmissions. I have owned two vehicles in my lifetime that were stick shift, a 1986 Nissan pickup and my current vehicle, a 2002 Ford Explorer sport. Getting ready to get a new one, thinking I want to get manual. I seem to have an issue though. After about 20K miles (truck originally had 140K miles at purchase), I had to get a new clutch for my truck. This was back around 1998, so I was a teenage driver, etc., but seemed like rather quick problem. Got my explorer in 2002, and since then have had to replace the slave cylinder once at about 75K miles, and get a fully clutch replacement at about 130K miles.

Just wondering if there's something in my driving habits that may be causing the clutch to fail. Generally speaking I downshift quite a bit, as opposed to going straight from 3rd or 4th gear to neutral when breaking a light, (i.e. I'll go down to 3rd first, maybe 2nd, before popping it into neutral and hitting the brakes before a light or stop sign). I'm also very strict in my upshifting, so that I never crank my RPMs above about 3000. Bascially ride second gear to 27 mph, 3rd gear to about 40-45mph, 4th to about 55, then 5th gear above that. I was told at one point this shifting procedure would save my engine and transmission, but I'm also thinking that the amount of shifting is causing my clutch to go bad before its time. Any thoughts on how to improve efficiency?? Does this truly "save" my engine and transmission?

Thanks in advance.

[SpringfieldSkins]

Think of a clutch like brakes. They both use a friction material to "grab". The more you use them the quicker that they'll wear. The harder you are on them the quicker they'll wear.

That said, about 130k out of a clutch isn't too bad. They hydraulic components aren't really a function of how hard you are on something so I wouldn't say that your driving habits have any impact on your cylinder.

[DCsportsfan53]

A clutch is wearing any time the pedal is not fully released or fully depressed so that time should be minimized. What rpm you shift at isn't really a factor, smoothness is. The more you make the car jerk and buck, the more wear and not just on the clutch. If you do downshift, I enjoy it myself, you should learn to rev match as this will save wear on all components in the drivetrain. That said, if you're getting 100k plus on a clutch you're not doing bad. Slave cylinder failing is not related, their internal seals fail over time, nothing to do with driving style but the failure can lead to a clutch failure by contaminating the disc with brake fluid.

This reminds me of a conversation I've had with my wife more times than I like. She has a habit if coasting in neutral down a hill then back into 4th with a jerk and I ask her why she wants me to have to replace her engine mounts and axles? Either rev match or leave it in gear, dammit.

[SpringfieldSkins]

Rev matching does take a bit of skill.

[DCsportsfan53]

Rev matching does take a bit of skill.

Heel toe does, rev matching isn't too hard to learn. you're not doing your car any favors down shifting without it, though. The savings to your brake pads are minimal and clutches and mounts are a lot pricier than brake pads.

[SpringfieldSkins]

Heel toe does, rev matching isn't too hard to learn. you're not doing your car any favors down shifting without it, though. The savings to your brake pads are minimal and clutches and mounts are a lot pricier than brake pads.

Agreed.

[Vilandil Tasardur]

I'm hoping someone can help me out with my current car; a 2005 Altima.

I drove it into Pittsburgh today (about an hour ride) and home and had no problems with it whatsoever. Then I let the fiancee take it to school for a meeting (7 minutes there and 7 minutes back). She said everything was perfectly fine and "normal" while she was driving it.

Five minutes after she got back we got in with some friends and tried to go somewhere. The engine is making a whining noise as well as something that I can only describe as being akin to the blades on a helicopter. The car wouldn't get over 25 mph whatsoever, but the RPMs weren't shooting up. It wasn't that the car was struggling to go fast (as if the gear didn't change) rather, the car simply wouldn't go fast. I was flooring the pedal and it simply wouldn't accelerate.

I immediately pulled over and turned it off. When I turned it back on, everything was perfectly fine and normal. It ran just fine, until I got to the first stop sign. At the first stop sign, I came to a complete stop, and it was back to the original problem. The car operates under this condition for about two minutes, and then functions perfectly fine as if nothing is wrong (quite suddenly); until I brake to zero. The moment I come to a complete stop the whole thing goes kaput again.

Weirder still, because I suspected transmission, when I switch from "drive" to "sport mode" (that weird thing where it lets you "shift" even though there isn't actually a clutch) the dash reads that it is in 5th gear. The car refuses to let me shift up or down out of 5th, it is permanently stuck in 5th. It sounds bizarre because, if I'm doing less than 20 mph, why on earth would it even get out of 1st, maybe 2nd? I'm truly baffled by it. Of course, I can't take it to the dealer until Monday and I was hoping someone could help me at least guess what the work is going to hit me. Can anybody help?

[RANSKINS98]

Any chevy owners? I have a 2012 silverado and the left side ( driver side ) both front and back is exactly an inch lower than the other side? anyone know what could be the cause? from my understanding truck has never been wrecked. I know it's only an inch, my girl doesn't notice but hey it's my truck and I notice everything on it.

[twa]

I'm hoping someone can help me out with my current car; a 2005 Altima.

I would guess the Transmission Control Module

---------- Post added March-17th-2013 at 07:24 AM ----------

Any chevy owners? .

probably a out of adjustment or weak torsion bar
http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-...cleid=20124132


or it was set up by a NASCAR fan

[Vilandil Tasardur]

I would guess the Transmission Control Module[COLOR="Gold"]

Thanks a ton. You think that'll be a pricey repair job?

[twa]

depends....sometimes they can flash them(or the ECM) instead of replacing

I'd guess replacing one at a dealer would be 350-4, but that is a wild guess

but from the description it seems a electronics issue which is cheaper than a tranny rebuild

add
could be something as simple as a bad connection