Consumers reports on auto repair

This week we have Pat Goss again talking about a recent issue in Consumers Reports Magazine on auto repair. Listen as he describes and explains why this report was just not right and unjustified and they need to do a bit more research to get the facts correct!

Click on image below then open to listen.

Air bags, not to be taken lightly!

Here again we have Dave Rock of Davidsfarm, demonstrating just what might happen if an airbag goes off. The first part is not too impressive, but watch what happens on a larger one from a bigger car. Respect air bags!

The reason I posted this one was not so much for fun , but to let everyone know just how powerful those air bags are, please be careful if you choose to work on a car that has one.

Can A bad fuel filter cause an illuminated check engine light?

Here is another clip of Pat Goss talking about what you should do if your read the codes from your computer on your vehicle and the code was a lean fuel mixture code, which referred to an oxygen sensor ?

Also, What happens if a fuel filter gets clogged? Symptoms?

What is a Curbstoner?

Do you know what a Curbstoner is? If you plan on buying a used car you should! Pat Goss answers this one this week in the audio clip below.

Repair costs- What is grid pricing?

If you take your car in for repair you might want to know about a term called Grid pricing. Pat Goss answers this question this week in the following audio clip below.

Neat set of ramps!

What would it be like if you had a great set of secure ramps that also worked as your tailgate so you would never be without your ramps? Check out http://www.handigateramps.com/
Best set of ramps I have seen. Little pricey but worth it! Check out the video, below.

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS)

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) wants to have a dramatic impact on our countries transportation challenges and opportunities. ITS cars will be equipped with advanced sensors, computer processors, onboard displays and communications systems. Cars of the future will become part of an integrated network of connected vehicles and roadways and will warn drivers about unsafe conditions, imminent collisions and excessive curve speeds. This technology is being developed and tested across the country, in places like California, Florida, New York, Michigan, and a number of other states. Some advanced I TS applications, such as navigation systems. Lane departure warnings and backup cameras, are already deployed on higher and automobiles. Within the next decade, some of the technologies listed below will be installed in most vehicles:

Dashboard screens with preloaded debit cards to pay tolls electronically, order meals at the next restaurant or download a movie for the kids to watch in the backseat.

Vibrating seeds alerting you that you're veering into the shoulder or falling asleep.

Warnings if someone is about to run a red light ahead of you. Alerting you about an accident up ahead and providing alternate routes.

*Reference: Motorwatch Journal

How to tell if you or someone you know is a car nut

This week’s blog comes from The Car Doctor, Ron Ananian’s blog. I thought it was pretty good, see for yourself!



These all start with "You might be a car nut if..."

---

1. Buying gas for the car is something similar to a religious event. It has to be purchased not only from the same brand but the SAME station. Higher initiates to the order always use the same pump as well. Deviations can occur but not without separation anxiety.

2. You have given your car a name. Perhaps "Minty" if its green or "Bosco" if you consider it a childhood friend. People that do this are known to pace the waiting room of repair shops as the car is serviced hoping that it pulls through the operation.

3. When you park your vehicle you point it nose out so you can have the quick release of the open road sensation when you start out in the morning. Starting your car in this manner is similar to the Batmobile as the checklist is either verbally or mentally gone through prior to launch. "Power to the batteries, turbines to speed" and all that stuff...

4. Your car is cleaner than your house. And shines brighter than the sun from the wax and polish. You refuse to take it to a car wash except on the coldest days and even then you need to hand dry and talk nice to her since you feel bad for getting "the baby" wet and cold.

5. When you park your car you always take that last spot at the mall WAY over at the FAR side. It takes you 20 minutes to get to the front door of the mall. Higher initiates don't even take their car to the mall, they have a beater (if you're a car nut you know what a beater is) for that. And if you do park your car at the mall it takes you at least 3 attempts to leave her because you have OCD and check the door locks several times. (or is this just me???)

6. You own at least 2 cars that you use yourself. One is the "good" car, the other is the "beater". (see #5 for a better explanation and deeper understanding) that you keep handy to drive just in case it rains OR you have to go to the mall to park.

7. When family and friends talk about storage cases and cabinets for their collectibles (dolls, stamps, etc) you dream of the day you can build a multi level climate controlled parking garage. (attached to the house). When you were a kid collecting Matchbox cars was a passion that you carry with you today but only in full scale.

8. You refuse to remove the paper floor mats from the car after it has been detailed and cleaned until they are almost worn through. You also have purchased 2 sets of floor mats; one for good weather and the other for bad. In either case you may also lay a small rug sample from the local carpet store over the mats to keep them clean forever. Allowing your shoes to actually touch the floor mats is sacrilege and something akin to your parents letting you sit on the plastic covered couch in the living room. You remember being told "Go sit in the family room, the living room is for company only. " (Although you have a hard time remembering company using that room either.)

9. Your idea of a great family vacation is a road trip from any part of the world to Detroit to visit GM, Ford or Chrysler corporate headquarters for the guided tour. If you're lucky you squeeze in a tour of an automobile assembly plant too as a side trip en route. Your family however wants to go somewhere silly like Hawaii or Bermuda.

10. Your #1 mission in life is to keep the memory of the muscle car era alive by petitioning the EPA to do away with CAFE and other fuel economy ratings. You want them to rate cars strictly by horse power and cubic inches (not liters, by the way).

11. Your trunk contains enough emergency equipment to operate a small country or command an armored division. Everything from blankets, food, CB radios, flares and spare batteries are just a sample of what can be found in your trunk. (all neatly stacked and organized by the way). Snow shovels in early spring or late summer are not uncommon just in case you take a trip to the North country and are caught short by an unexpected snow storm or your significant other has to fight off the bears to keep the car safe.

And last, you ARE a car nut if at least 3 or more of the previous 11 statements are applicable to you and yours. You most likely have a few old license plates nailed to the garage at home.

Extended warranties-What does Pat Goss say?

This week Pat Goss talks about an extended warranty service that he likes in the following audio clip. Perhaps you have heard about it. The site is

http://www.carchex.com/

Pat Goss- 94 years of mistakes!

This week I have a clip of Pat Goss talking about automobiles and advice excerpted from the preface of Audels Automobile Guide copyrighted 1915. It was proper in 1915 and it still is in 2009. To me that is amazing!

How to set cam timing and fix bent valves- Unconventional!

If you liked the video shown awhile back on repairing a small gasoline engine, you might be interested in this one. Let me just say it is unconventional, but you be the judge if it is something you might try sometime! The author of the video really seems to know his stuff. Tell us what you think about this one on our mailing list!

BMW Studies Car-to-Car Communication

On a frosty morning, imagine if the car 100 feet ahead of you could somehow alert you to black ice on an off-ramp. You'd slow down, and your car's electronic stability system could even take preliminary steps to anticipate the situation.

Car-to-car communication, the next step in safety technology. The Center for Automotive Research have discusses this for years. There is even a federal program called Intelligent Transportation Systems. According to VP of engineering Tom Baloga, BMW's progress toward car-to-car communication is moving forward very well. U.S. automakers have agreed upon a standardized frequency 5.9 GHz regardless of the car. 5.9 GHz is the same frequency European cars use. The car is going to act like a data-collection probe. The car's location will be transmitted to other cars and to an infrastructure. This data will be used to identify traffic flow, slippery conditions, and bottlenecks.

Maintenance crews could find pothole-ridden areas based on suspension kinematics data, while salt crews could deduce which streets were especially icy using data from antilock braking or electronic stability systems.
Naturally, there's another side to this: How much do you want on the public record about your car and, by extension, your driving habits?

Care to comment on this, tell us on the mailing list by making a posting!

Could you pass a Chinese driving test?

These are unedited questions and answers from China's "Road Traffic Safety Rules and Regulations, Exam Reference Manual (2004 edition)," English-language version.

Professional Shop of the week award

This weekend one of our list member technicians, namely Mike Nixon’s shop that he works at was nominated for the “Professional shop of the week award” given out every week on nationally syndicated car talk show, “Bobby Likis CarClinic”.

Lo and behold, his shop Won this week! Listen to the clip as Bobby Likis describes the shop, technicians and the history of the shop on his weekly radio show.

Congratulations to everyone at Caton Auto Clinic Mall!

Fixing ignition on old Briggs Stratton engines

I know there are lots of pre 1982 Briggs & Stratton lawn mowers out there that have conventional ignition points and condensor setup, and all they might need is a simple fix to the ignition, because there is no spark. Take a look at this video from "DavidsFarm" as I thought he did a pretty good job of explaining all this. I especially like the part where the camera chases down the flywheel as Dave puts it on the ground (edge up)and it starts to roll down the driveway! If you like it let us know on the mailing list and I will put up some others by Dave! The guy really knows those small engine repairs, plus amazingly a whole lot more!.

Pat Goss- repair scams you need to watch out for!

Here Pat Goss talk about why need to go beyond manufacturers service recommendations and look for aftermarket service intervals. He also gives an example of why you need to beware of services that need to be performed and shops that try to steer you away from the more expensive service to one that costs less, because that is the service they want to sell you.



The example he gives“My owner’s manual requires a valve adjustment every fifteen thousand miles, but my mechanic says that unless they’re noisy I shouldn’t waste my money. Should I, or shouldn’t I?”


Listen by clicking on the image below , then open

Adding Acetone to your gasoline

I have heard that adding Acetone to your gas tank can improve your Gas Mileage? Is this so and can it hurt anything?

---

Listen as automotive host Bobby Likis explains this to a caller on his weekly car show "CarClinic". Here Bobby describes what acetone in fuel does , why you should not use it and alternatives to keep your vehicle in top running condition with its greatest MPG.

Profiles in the Automotive Industry-Woman Inventors(windshield wipers)

Prior to the manufacture of Henry Ford's Model A, Mary Anderson was granted her first patent for a window cleaning device in November of 1903. Her invention could clean snow, rain, or sleet from a windshield by using a handle inside the car. Her goal was to improve driver vision during stormy weather - Mary Anderson invented the windshield wiper.




During a trip to New York City, Mary Anderson noticed that streetcar drivers had to open the windows of their cars when it rained in order to see, as a solution she invented a swinging arm device with a rubber blade that was operated by the driver from within the vehicle via a lever. The windshield wipers became standard equipment on all American cars by 1916.



The first automatic windshield wiper was invented by a woman named Charlotte Bridgwood. Charlotte Bridgwood, president of the Bridgwood Manufacturing Company of New York, patented her electric roller-based windshield wiper called the "Storm Windshield Cleaner" in 1917. However, her product was not a commercial success.

More on why Transmission flush's, with Pat Goss

This is another series of Pat Goss talking about the importance of a transmission flush. He discusses why the temperature of the fluid determines the life of the fluid and the life expectancy of the transmission, and why the service we used to perform of just dropping the pan and a filter change can be detrimental to modern transmissions.The audio is much better in these two clips then the one done back in January 2009!

Click on the image below and then click open to hear the clip!

---

What's bad about using a Lock deicer ?

Lock deicer comes in a small spray dispenser and quickly thaws frozen locks. But did you know there is a problem that occurs after you use it!

See lock deicer contains alcohol which will wash away the lubricant in your locks, so you must have a graphite lock lubricant which replenishes lubricating oils the lock deicer destroys. Using graphite lock lubricant several times each year will make locks last the life of the car and help keep locks ice free. Lock lubricant prevents water intrusion, and if no water enters the locks there’s nothing to freeze!

Profiles in the Automotive Industry-Earl Scheib

His slogan,,

I'll paint any car, any color for $29.95!

Born in San Francisco on February 28, 1908, Earl moved to Southern California with his family when he was 10. A graduate of Los Angeles High School, Earl never went to college. Instead, he got a job as a gas station attendant changing oil and tires for General Petroleum Co. in the late 1920s.

Not long after, he went into business with his own gas station on the corner of Whitworth and Fairfax. His neighbors soon began asking if he knew anyone who could paint their cars. So, each night, after closing time, Earl would paint cars in the station's lube garage. It didn't take long for word of Earl's painting service to spread, and soon there was more paint business than the station could handle.

As a result, he sold his station, rented a "shack" on the corner of Pico and La Brea (Los Angeles), and in 1937 opened the first Earl Scheib Paint and Body. His philosophy was "work hard, be on time, and don't worry about how much you make." It was a belief that underscored the way he ran his business. He still has many locations around the country today.

What's this?

Something different for a change on the blog! The device on the left is some type of security device. Do you know what it is?

Note:

(This is the first question out of the Monthly questions for Feb. 2009. Check back later this upcoming weekend on this blog for the answer!)

RE:What's this

It's a catalytic converter anti theft device! CatClamp encases the entire converter with a cage made from aircraft wire rope to prevent catalytic converter theft. Theives armed with battery powered reciprocating saws cut off converters in 30 seconds of time. CatClamp has two split collars with a security bolt, and key designed to lock tight to the exhaust pipe on either side of the converter. This allows it to be removed for adjustment, converter service, or other mechanical work. The wire ropes are permanently attached to the collar halves and two stainless steel springs prevent the wire ropes from rattling against the converter. Wire ropes are placed over and under the catalytic converters, and the two coller halves are bolted together and tightened securely to the exhaust pipe, creating a cage around the entire converter. The cage is locked into the vehicle frame or cross member with wire rope. It has "Security Device" in very large words with the VIN stamped on it. Made from stainless steel. $270 to $320 CatClamp.com

More cell phone use banned!

Cell phones that are hand held while driving are now prohibited in California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Utah, Washington, and the District of Columbia, according to a newly released survey by the Institute for Highway safety. In addition, Utah has a secondary law, meaning that drivers can be charged with a cell phone offense only when violating another law. In six other states, state laws permit jurisdictions to prohibit cell phone use while driving: Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Eight states prohibit localities from banning cell phone use: Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah.





The survey also found laws in 17 states that prohibit use of all cell phones by school bus drivers, as well as limitations on use by novice drivers in 17 states. Text messaging while driving is banned for all drivers in Alaska, California, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Washington, and the District of Columbia. In nine states, novice drivers are prohibited from tax messaging, while four states specifically bans school bus drivers from text messaging.



* Resources: Motorwatch Journal

Car Care Guide

The Car Care Guide is now available electronically or send for your free copy today. The guide now contains two new sections on fuel economy and environmental awareness. Makes a great gift for someone you might have forgotton about during the holidays.

http://www.carcare.org/car-care-guide

A good way to determine the age of brake fluid

BrakeStrip is the best way to determine the age of brake fluid and whether it needs to be changed. When it comes to brake service. BrakeStrip is worth its weight in gold. Corrosion dissolves the copper which is used to weld the brake tubing seems. BrakeStrip detects the amount of corrosion in the brake system by measuring the amount of copper suspended in the fluid.

This test is the new best practice for determining when to recommend a brake fluid exchange. Because of its efficacy, demand is on the rise for this revolutionary brake fluid test. It has become a gold mine for brake service providers. BrakeStrip, with patented FASCAR technology, can quickly and accurately test brake fluid. Over 15 million test strips have been sold as it is the only risk-free test that meets MAP guidelines for Checking Brake Fluid. 866. 760.5845 or www.brakestrips.net

Profiles in the Automotive Industry- Ralph Teeter

Ralph Teeter, president of Perfect Circle Corp.(which makes piston rings) was riding in a the car with his attorney, Harry Lindsey. The year was 1935. Lindsey was the kind of driver that would floor the engine for instant, and then take his foot off the gas and coast along. The erratic jerky, driving annoyed Teeter so much, that he got the inspiration to invent a speed control device.



After working on the idea in his basement for 10 years, he applied for a Patent for the device, which he called "Speedostat", a safety mechanism that would also help conserve gas. Another 13 years past, before Chrysler became the first auto manufacturer to offer cruise control. On the 1958 Chrysler Imperial , New Yorker, and Windsor. But Teeter's life wasn't easy. Teeter was, blinded at the age of five as a result of a shop accident. But by the age of 12, teeter and his cousin built their own automobile using scrap parts. Teeter and his cousin built their own automobile using scrap parts.



Teeter not only went on to invent a speed control, but his numerous contributions to the automotive industry inspired his daughter to write a book about his remarkable life, "One Man's Vision." The life of Automotive Pioneer Ralph R. Teeter.

A look at Ford's most advanced assembly plant that operates in rural Brazil

I know it is for the reduced construction and labor costs, but you have to take look at this plant. Tell us what you think about the plant on our mailing list!

Aged Tires And Tire Safety

Tires, like any other rubber product, have a limited service life regardless of tread depth and use. The dangers of "aged" tires is a little known problem outside of the industry and one that is likely the cause of a significant number of tread separation problems. "Aged" tires are often unsuspectingly put into service after having served as a spare, stored in garages or warehouses, or simply used on a vehicle that is infrequently driven. In many instances these tires show no visible sign of deterioration, and absent any visible indicators, tires with adequate tread depth are likely to be put into service regardless of age. Tire date codes have been mentioned before on this blog. A video on this was done a while back. Pretty impressive if you have not seen it. Use the link below to see what ABC news did on the subject.

http//abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4826897

The Five functions of Motor oil

Do you know there are five (5) basic functions that motor oil performs in your engine? Can you name them and tell a little bit about each one?















1) Lubricate and Prevent Wear & Reduce Friction


Oil must prevent the metal-to-metal contact that will result in wear to the moving parts. Moving surfaces are continuously separated by a film of oil.




2)Protect Against Rust and Corrosion

Acids formed by the normal oxidation of oil, are a potential for rust and formation of corrosive engine deposits.Corrosion inhibitors which are part of the additive package help to protect non-ferrous metals by coating them.




3) A detergent- to Keep Engine Parts Clean

Partially burned fuel will escape past the rings into the crankcase Detergents are part of the additive package to clean-up existing deposits in the engine, as well as disperse insoluble matter into the oil.

4) Cool Engine Parts

The cooling system performs about 60% of the cooling job of the engine. It cools the upper part of the engine including the cylinder heads, cylinder walls, and valves. The crankshaft, the main and connecting rod bearings, the timing gears, the pistons and other components in the lower engine are cooled from the oil flows around the parts.

5) Seals- Combustion Pressures

The surfaces of the piston rings, ring grooves, and cylinder walls are not completely smooth. Motor oil fills in the hills and valleys and greatly improves the seal. They also help with seal swelling, keeping oil from leaking out of the engine pasted seals. Stops blowby!

Recalls Via Email

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has unveiled a new initiative to notify vehicle owners electronically when their car is recalled. The recall alerts can be received via e-mail or RSS-feeds on personal computers, cell phones or PDA devices-automatically and free-of-charge. However, consumers must sign up to receive the notices. Do so at ..



http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/subscriptions/index.cfm

Interview with a Volkswagen Diesel Expert

Diesel engines are coming on strong now in passenger cars. Why? Listen to the interview!


Exclusive Interview with Volkswagen's Diesel Expert from Auto Channel on Vimeo.

"The Real McCoy"

Trivia this week! Is it true that Elijah McCoy was one of the first employees of the US patent office, hence the saying,“It’s the real McCoy”.

No, McCoy patented the steam engine lubricating system back in 1872. The McCoy system lubricators were expensive, but worked extremely well. Elijah was an oil man and responsible for ensuring that the train was well lubricated. After a few miles, a train would be forced to stop and an oil man would have to walk alongside the train applying oil to the axles and bearings.

In an effort to improve efficiency and eliminate the frequent stopping necessary for lubrication of the train, McCoy set out to create a method of automating the task. In 1872 he developed a "lubricating cup" that could automatically drip oil when and where needed. He received a patent for the device later that year. The "lubricating cup" met with enormous success and orders for it came in from railroad companies all over the country. Other inventors attempted to sell their own versions of the device but most companies wanted the authentic device, requesting "the Real McCoy."

Is there a way to tell whether my timing belt is good?

My mechanic tells me that there is no way to tell whether my timing belt is good and will not fail in the near future. Is this so?

Yes, there is no way to tell if a timing belt is good. You can only tell if they are bad. The part of the belt that fails is covered by a cosmetic layer of rubber.


The inside of the belt is made of fabric that gives the belt its strength. The fabric can't be seen so you can not tell if it is good by looking at the cosmetic rubber covering. The normal rule is the mileage or four years whichever comes first, but do check with your specifics from the manufacturer because in recent years timing belt change intervals have increased.

New Consumer information site on autos

To better provide lifesaving information directly to consumers, NHTSA now offers a service that provides recall notification for tires and safety seats.
Consumers can visit http://www.safercar.gov/ and click on the “E-mail” or “RSS” option to register for the new notification service. Lots of information that used to be found only at http://www.nhtsa.gov/ can now be found at the new site http://www.safercar.gov/.


check it out!

Installing only two snow tires

I have heard that when only two snow tires are being installed, you should put them on the vehicles rear wheels, regardless whether it is a front or rear wheel drive vehicle. Is this so?

Well, conventional wisdom says that when installing snow tires on a front drive vehicle they should be on the front, but that can cause disastrous rear wheel spin which is much more difficult to correct, especially in bad weather conditions. So it is true, that snow tires should be put on the rear wheels. While snow tires on the rear will give better results, snow tires should be put on all four wheels for the best results. But if you can only afford two snow tires, regardless of whether it is a front or rear wheel drive vehicle, put them on the back!

* From Mr. Know -It-All- Motorwatch Journal

Greasing the parking brake cable

Is it a good idea to pump grease into a brake parking brake cable that is sticking to free it up?

No, Pumping grease into a parking brake cable is not a good idea because, often the lubricant winds up working it’s way down the cable into the rear brake assembly where it contaminants the rear shoes. If the brake cable is sticking or freezing up because water is getting inside, or it is rusted best thing to do is replace it!

* From Mr. Know -It-All- Motorwatch Journal

Storing small gas engines

I have heard that when I store my small gasoline tractor, lawn mower, snow blower, I should turn the engine over by hand until I feel the compression stroke. Why would this matter? Also, is it better to leave the gasoline in the tank, treated with fuel stabilizer or should I drain the tank?

Yes, if it’s possible on your engine, turn the engine over by hand until you feel the compression stroke. This closes the valves and prevents moisture from getting into the engine.


On the gasoline issue, there are 2 schools of thought here. One is to drain all the gas leaving the fuel system dry for the winter. The problem with this is that water can collect in the system because of condensation. The water will cause as much or more damage then the gas will. But leaving the fuel system full will cause just as much trouble due to stale gas and the solids that collect at the point of evaporation. The latest thinking for storage is to fill the tank with gas that has been treated with stabilizer. The stabilizer keeps the gas fresh and helps prevent the build up of deposits. The full tank keeps the condensation from happening. Note that after you fill the tank with stabilized fuel you must run the engine so that the fuel enters the carburetor, an almost forgotten step!

Turning off the wipers when it quits raining

Is it true that turning off the wipers when it quits raining helps keep the wiper motor from overheating?

True, it’s the friction from the wiper blades dragging across the dry windshield that puts extra strain on the wiper motor and can cause the wiper motor to burn out prematurely. It is best to turn them off, if it stops raining. *

*From Motorwatch "Mr-know-it-all"

The radiator pressure cap

I have heard that the radiator pressure cap has four additional functions in addition to pressurizing the system. What are the other functions?

1) Filler cap to access the cooling sytem.
2) Closure cap to keep coolant in the radiator.
3) Pressure cap to prevent overheating by pressurizing the system to raise the boiling temperature of coolant and allow the automobile's engine to operate at more efficient higher temperatures.
4) Pressure relief valve to safely and harmlessly vent excess pressure into the overflow jug.
5) Vacuum relief/siphon valve to draw coolant from the overflow jug back into the radiator to prevent air from entering the system and allowing the coolant to perform its function more efficiently.

Quarter test for tire wear!

For decades the tire industry has taught drivers to use the so-called Penny Test as a simple way to tell when tires were worn out. But experts at
The Tire Rack** say that popular lesson is outdated, compromises safety, and
should give way to the Quarter Test.

In the old Penny Test, seeing the top of Lincoln's head while holding a penny upside down in a tire tread groove indicated a tread depth of2/32-inch (1.6mm) or less, and that the tire needed replacing.

"The Penny Test was an indirect result

of tire warranties," explained
John Rastetter, director of tire information

at The Tire Rack. "It is to
that depth (2/32") that most warranties remain

valid, encouraging drivers
to drive longer on tires that don't provide enough

wet-weather traction."
Tire Rack tests showed that doubling the tread

depth at which warranties
are voided will improve safety by cutting braking

distances and improving
traction in the wet. "We know these changes won't

happen overnight so we're
encouraging drivers to pay more attention to their

tires now," he said.
Wet/Snowy roads + Worn tires = A real problem.

How to properly check tire tread depth can be

found at


http://www.tirerack.com/treaddepth


** Parts of article from The Tire Rack website

Is parking on a hill bad for your tires?

I have heard that parking on a hill is bad for your tires and causes undue stress on them and results in premature tire wear. Is this so?

No, tires get far more wear on exit ramps at highway speeds then when your not moving. Parking on a hill puts stress on another part of the car, called the parking pawl. This is a part inside the automatic transmission that makes the car lock when you put the selector in park. However, putting it into park without first setting the parking brake will make it hard to shift back into gear. If you don't use the parking brake on a hill, the car will lurch back slightly when you take your foot off the brake and this lurch is hard on the transmission, not the tires!

When do you need to use premium gasoline?

How do I know if my car needs premium gasoline? My owners manual says premium recommended!

According to Pat Goss from "Motorweek TV" if the owners manual says premium fuel recommended it is an 87 fuel octane car. If the owners manual says premium fuel required you have to use 91 octane or higher.

Gm Dexcool settlement time is running out!

General Motors has reached settlement in a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged defects in Dex-Cool, the GM developed coolant used in GM vehicles since the mid-1990’s. Under the terms of the settlement, those who owned certain V-6 powered GM vehicles may be eligible for payments as large as $800 each.

The settlement applies to as many as 35 million customers and is considered one of the largest products liability lawsuits against any automaker. Dex-Cool was blamed for cooling system failures, including leaks and clogged radiators.



Under the provisions of the settlement, only those who have paid for Dex-Cool related repairs will receive payments. The amount to be paid will depend on the age of the vehicle at the time of repairs, with the largest sums paid to those whose vehicles were closest to new in age at the time of the repairs. Those who made multiple repairs will be able to claim multiple payments.
The settlement applies only to those who purchased GM vehicles with 3.1, 3.4. 3.8, and 4.3 liter V-6 engines within 7 years and 150,000 miles of new.

General Motors has previously claimed that Dex-Cool, the first of the organic acid technology based coolants (OAT) used by a major auto manufacturer, was not responsible for the various problems attributed to it by some vehicle owners. It has taken the position that problems attributed to Dex-Cool were the result of improper vehicle maintenance by owners are commingling Dex-Cool with non OAT coolants.

Time is running out. If you wish to submit your claim by mail, you must mail the above documents, postmarked no later than October 27, 2008. For more info call 1-866-245-4291
or visit http://www.dexcoolsettlement.com/faq.php3#Q7 which has a listing of specific vehicles(year model)that are covered.

choosing a Muligrade oil

I have heard that you should use a multigrade oil with the narrowest band of viscosity that is appropriate. Is this so?

Yes, in the winter base your decision on the lowest temperatures that you will encounter and in the summer the highest temperature that you expect. In general the greater the oils viscosity range the more the oil is prone to viscosity and thermal breakdown, do to high polymer content. A 10w-40 and a 15w-30 require a lot of polymers which is what they add to an oil which allows it to get thicker when it gets hotter, but it does not lubricate. Group III and group IV oils use polymers in order to achieve that range of viscosity. Polymers also burn with forms ring sticking deposits and other problems. The more polymers there are the less oil there is in the container to lubricate your engine. Overall it’s best to avoid polymers, and do that by using group V oils.

Fuel injector cleaners and gasoline additives- Save Gasoline!

I have heard that injector cleaning and use of a gasoline additive can help increase fuel mileage, is this so?

Yes, fuel additives help prevent carbon buildup inside the combustion chamber, and on the back face of the valves. These rob the engine of power, which means less gas mileage. So clean the injectors or use a gasoline additive that keeps the injectors clean, will help clean off the carbon and that will improve engine efficiency, which will means better gasoline mileage for you going down the road.

Sport utility vehicles in accidents

I have heard that Sport utility vehicles or Suv’s if driven inappropriately are more likely to rollover or be involved in an accident then passenger cars, therefore it is a myth that large SUV’s are safer then passenger cars. Is this so?

No, This assumption that large SUV’s are safer is based only on rollover statistics which are not enough to make such a blanket statement like that. The crash risk of death injury is the greatest in a passenger car that is involved in a frontal or side impact crash. In frontal crashes more than 6 passenger car drivers die for every driver killed in a van or pickup truck. A 6 to 1 ratio. More than 4 passenger car drivers die for every driver that is killed in an SUV.

Particles in serpentine belts

The buildup of particles of the serpentine belt between the belt ribs is usually caused by inadequate belt tension. Is this so?

Yes, it could be the cause of inadequate belt tension, misaligned pulleys or pulleys that are wobbling, but mostly it is caused by insufficient belt tension.

Henry Ford did not..

I have heard that Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, nor did he invent the assembly line. Is this so?










Yes. The gasoline powered car was invented by two different men in the late 1800's, Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz, working independent of one another. In order to fulfill a government contract to make muskets, EliWhitney pioneered the assembly line process 100 years before Ford.

Washing a car with a Sponge

I have heard that you should never wash a car with a sponge. What's wrong with using a sponge? Also, when waxing the car I know I should use a microfiber towel. Is there something about using the Microfiber towel I need to be concerned with?

You should be using a wash mitt such as the one on the left, especially if the car happens to be black in color! The reason is real simple. If you look at a sponge the little pores in it are closed, and as you wash those pores pick up little pieces of dirt. As you go along it becomes like sand paper. Since most people wash in circular motions you will see a lot of dark colored vehicles that have circular, almost swirl marks seen under a light. Use a mitt with a deeper nap for less chance of damage.

Yes, when you use a Microfiber towel, on the corner there is this paper looking tag that gives you some instructions on where it is made, and if you look real close it will tell you to remove this tag before you use it. If you don't, again this Innocent looking tag will scratch the paint of a clear coat paint finish.

Diagnostic Tech: '97 Olds Cutlass Supreme

This Olds Cutlass came in as a no-start. The customer tried to repair the car by replacing the ignition switch but when it still wouldn't start he had the car towed in. I found the battery dead and even if I didn't know someone had been working on the car it was pretty obvious when I opened the driver's door.





I guess the car owner didn't want to waste a lot of time putting things back together in case he had to scrap out the car (grin). You may think that an ignition switch is where the key goes but that is an ignition lock. The actual ignition switch is electrical and mounts to the top of the lower portion of the steering column. In the picture above it is left hanging below the brake pedal. Since the switch has been removed and only one bolt is left holding the steering column in place I can drop the column down and show you what you'll see in the switch mounting area with the switch removed.

The long metal rod is an actuator for the switch. When you turn the ignition lock back and forth the actuator moves back and forth. The end of the rod you see sticking up fits into a slot in the ignition switch. The ignition switch body fastens solidly to the column with two machine screws and when the actuator moves it causes the inner portion of the switch to move creating paths for voltage to operate the various electrical systems in key on, accessory and crank positions.

Since the switch is hanging there so handy I can insert a small screwdriver into the slot and operate the switch using the screwdriver as an actuator.





When I slide the switch to the crank position I should get ignition voltage to the yellow wire at the switch, and I do. But, I don't get starter engagement. The antitheft system on this car uses a small resistor pellet in the key. Even though I'm not using the key to actuate the ignition switch the key must be in the lock cylinder so that the theft deterrent module can read the pellet resistance. If the resistance isn't correct then the module won't enable the starter. The trouble here is that since I already know this I have the key in the lock cylinder and still have no starter engagement.

I have power at the yellow wire when the switch is in crank position. This power should show up at the starter relay fuse #11 in the fuse block. It does and the fuse is good. From the fuse the power should go to the transaxle range switch, through the switch in park or neutral to the theft deterrent relay. Now the theft deterrent relay and the theft deterrent module are accessible (just barely) if you remove the glove compartment. Feel around in the area directly above and you'll find them. There are metal screws to mount them in place. Now it could be that the car just needs a starter and the cranking voltage is reaching all the way to the solenoid. It could be that the range switch is bad and the voltage is never reaching the relay. What I'm going to do though is test the key resistance since all of this wiring is still laying there handy in the column area. If you look closely at the wiring coming from the steering column you will see what first appears to be a large orange wire but if you follow the wire to its connector at the lower end you will see that it is two small white wires covered by an orange sheath. Disconnect those two wires from the car harness and place your ohmmeter test leads on the column side of the harness. With the ignition key in the lock cylinder you should get a resistance reading that matches the resistance of the key pellet. You can measure the pellet resistance directly by placing a lead on each side of the pellet, one on one side of the key, one on the other.

This key pellet measured 1,100 ohms at the key but infinity at the wires. That means that either the lock cylinder isn't reading the key or there is an open in the wiring. Not reading the key can be a bad lock cylinder but it can also be a bad key with the pellet worn too badly to make good contact within the cylinder. There are 15 legitimate key codes, each with a different resistance range. When you take the key to your GM parts department they can place the key into a tester that will check the resistance and tell them the pellet code number. If it is the key that is not good it should show up while trying to read the pellet code. If you know the resistance you can tell the parts person the pellet code number even if the key doesn't read well enough for his tester to show it. There is a chart for this.

Now to verify that the antitheft system is the problem and to give you a better idea of where to find the theft deterrent relay I have removed the glove box and the metal screw mounting the relay so that the wiring can be accessed. The two yellow wires should be powered with the switch in the crank position. They are. The yellow/black wire should be grounded by the theft deterrent module to enable the starter. It is not being grounded because the module doesn't see the correct key pellet resistance.

You could jumper the big yellow wire to the big purple solenoid wire and the starter would engage with the switch or you could jumper a ground to the yellow/black wire and the starter would engage with the switch but the car wouldn't run because there is a fuel enable circuit as well. This is the point though where the rumors are true. If you know the resistance that the module is looking for you can place a resistor of that size in the car harness connector of the two small white wires and the system will allow fuel and starter to be enabled. Another interesting note, the modules are not programmed when new. Each new module will "burn" in to the first resistance measurement it sees on a crank and that will be what it looks for each time.

Since the goal here is a proper repair what I need to do next is remove the turn signal switch. With the turn signal switch out of the way I'll be able to see the two white wires at the lock cylinder. I expect to see one of them is broken. This is very common because the flexing of the wires while turning the key over the years eventually causes a wire to break. Sometimes the break will be inside the insulation and not seen but can be found by carefully pulling on the wires.

I won't go through the procedures for turn signal switch removal. They can be found in any good repair manual. You'll need a couple of special tools. One for removing the steering wheel and one for removing the steering wheel lock plate.

I didn't disconnect the turn signal wiring or airbag clockspring but pulled enough slack to get them out of the way. I can see the broken wire.

This lock cylinder will need to be replaced. I usually cut the connector off at the lower end and pull the wires up through the column. A trip to the friendly GM dealer gets me a new lock cylinder and key with good wiring and the proper resistor pellet.

To feed the wiring of the new lock cylinder down through the steering column I usually run a piece of mechanic's wire down through the column tube until it has several inches sticking out at the bottom. At the top, loop the metal wire to the lock cylinder wire connector, tape it all in place and pull the wire down through the steering column.

After that it is just a matter of putting everything back together. As a plus, the car even starts and runs now!

Kenneth Hayes

AKA Deranger

Why are cell phones banned, while in flight?

I know this does not have much to do with automobiles, but I have heard that cell phones are not allowed to be used during the flight because they might interfere with the navigation equipment. Is this so?

No! They are banned because they might disrupt cell service on the ground. The cellular system is designed to handle calls from ground based surface that are traveling at slow speeds. When operating a cell phone, your call is being routed up to four cell towers at a time. So when your calling from high speeds from the air, hundreds of towers simultaneously are trying to route your call which can play havoc on the cell system and overload the cell network, which can result in dropping calls from people who are on the ground. As a result of this the Fcc has ruled that the airlines ban cell phone use while the plane is in flight.