Auto repair

[Swamp Donkey]

Doesn't a bad O2 sensor just puts your PCM into limp mode? It will play hell on your gas mileage but won't strand you.

It really depends.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I don’t mess with modern cars. Not worth it..

I was talking to some young kid and a Geo Metro drove by (convertible). I know those used to be common in Florida as pods behind a big RV, and maybe they still are, but you don't see them up north anymore.

I mentioned that those things got 50-60mph. Kid said "an early hybrid". And I laughed. No, dude, a carburated car. We had all kinds of cars in the 80s that got great mileage. My first Escort--GT even!-- got 42-45 on the highway. He was dumbfounded.

 

[Detroitgator]

I was talking to some young kid and a Geo Metro drove by (convertible). I know those used to be common in Florida as pods behind a big RV, and maybe they still are, but you don't see them up north anymore.

I mentioned that those things got 50-60mph. Kid said "an early hybrid". And I laughed. No, dude, a carburated car. We had all kinds of cars in the 80s that got great mileage. My first Escort--GT even!-- got 42-45 on the highway. He was dumbfounded.

I was going to mention that word, but didn't bother to post. Living in Dearborn had some "advantages" as a teen in a land where people still lived and loved cars... believe it or not, allegedly, maybe, perhaps... there was a dumpster, supposedly on Ford property, allegedly in the engineering complex supposedly across the street from a high school that may have been named Edsel B. Ford (allegedly "home of the Thunderbirds") where one could reportedly find odd, discarded, test carburetors... apparently, and supposedly, they would find their way to a home, and they would, by all alleged accounts, provide great fun for all who supposedly played with them... allegedly... in lore... perhaps.

 

[NovaGator]

If the old tub is worth it, take it to a Dodge dealership. Most expensive, but they usually have the right answers.

 

[grengadgy]

The worst mechanics are usually located under one roof, a dealership.

 

[Nalt]

If the old tub is worth it, take it to a Dodge dealership. Most expensive, but they usually have the right answers.

ROFL...I did that a couple of years ago. They charged me ~$75 to do a diagnostic on the vehicle and gave me a printout of 10 items that needed to be done to it. One of which was that it needed the rear-end lubricant replaced. I told the guy that I had never heard of the need to replace the rear end lub. He was adamant that it needed to be replaced because condensation inside the housing could/would cause rust to build up eventually causing a failure. I talked to my dad who at the time was about 84 y/o and had worked on many different vehicles in his lifetime. He had never heard of the need for that...

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I definitely would change all the gear oil. But I run my vehicles sometimes well over 200k. My son's Honda, which used to be my daughter's honda, which used to be my cousin's honda which used to be my aunt's honda, has had every fluid changed multiple times. I will sell it soon probably, but it has a lot of miles left in it. it has never had a major problem. I think a radiator leak is the worst it has had. Two timing belts and water pumps. I fully except at least an alternator or starter soon.

You especially need to change the differential fluid if that thing has a limited slip, or, of course if it's ever been in water, like anyone has ever driven it through a creek or whatever.

 

[Detroitgator]

You especially need to change the differential fluid if that thing has a limited slip, or, of course if it's ever been in water, like anyone has ever driven it through a creek or whatever.

Or if it sat in flood water for three weeks...

 

[Swamp Donkey]

It has been several months since I had the codes read. Don't remember what they were. I'll try and get them sometime this weekend.

most of the OBD will store codes for a pretty long time unless you wiped them.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

Both differential and transmission fluids need to be changed at specific intervals. You can find the manufacturers recommendations in your owner's manual. If you follow their suggestions, replace with synthetics.

 

[LagoonGator68]

ROFL...I did that a couple of years ago. They charged me ~$75 to do a diagnostic on the vehicle and gave me a printout of 10 items that needed to be done to it. One of which was that it needed the rear-end lubricant replaced. I told the guy that I had never heard of the need to replace the rear end lub. He was adamant that it needed to be replaced because condensation inside the housing could/would cause rust to build up eventually causing a failure. I talked to my dad who at the time was about 84 y/o and had worked on many different vehicles in his lifetime. He had never heard of the need for that...

To save weight and improve mileage rear-ends are not as sturdy as they used to be, nor as large. Change the lube.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

I run my vehicles sometimes well over 200k. My son's Honda, which used to be my daughter's honda, which used to be my cousin's honda which used to be my aunt's honda, has had every fluid changed multiple times. I will sell it soon probably, but it has a lot of miles left in it. it has never had a major problem.

20 years ago we bought a 3 year old Accord. We later gave it to my niece. She later gave it to her brother. Last I heard, it’s still chugging along.

 

[URGatorBait]

20 years ago we bought a 3 year old Accord. We later gave it to my niece. She later gave it to her brother. Last I heard, it’s still chugging along.

My mom bought a 2006 Honda Civic when it was brand new.
She put about 40k miles on it in 6 years.
I bought it from her because of a job I took, knowing it would be a lot of miles, driving an hour 1 way every single day.
Did that for 4 years.

My stepdaughter now drives it as her first car and it has 195k miles on it.

Gotta get the AC worked on but other than that still drives great.

 

[grengadgy]

Gotta get the AC worked on but other than that still drives great.

If it's a freon leak there's a leak stopper that works good. I put a can in my wife's 4-runner and it has worked for 3 years where before a charge worked about 3 or 4 months.

 

[URGatorBait]

If it's a freon leak there's a leak stopper that works good. I put a can in my wife's 4-runner and it has worked for 3 years where before a charge worked about 3 or 4 months.

Not sure yet, just started really looking into it.

We've tried about every leak stopper on the market.
I think the problem is probably the compressor

 

[grengadgy]

Not sure yet, just started really looking into it.

We've tried about every leak stopper on the market.
I think the problem is probably the compressor

gage reading? Multiple stop leaks might screw your ac system.

 

[URGatorBait]

gage reading? Multiple stop leaks might screw your ac system.

We've had the levels checked and out back to correct.

It reads in the proper range, just doesn't blow, and only does marginally better at highway speeds.

I have a few things to check on it to make sure the air flow is getting through, but both fans operate correctly, and the compressor itself comes on and off as it should best I can tell.

 

[grengadgy]

We've had the levels checked and out back to correct.

It reads in the proper range, just doesn't blow, and only does marginally better at highway speeds.

I have a few things to check on it to make sure the air flow is getting through, but both fans operate correctly, and the compressor itself comes on and off as it should best I can tell.

both fans? the one inside and the radiator fan?

 

[CDGator]

ROFL...I did that a couple of years ago. They charged me ~$75 to do a diagnostic on the vehicle and gave me a printout of 10 items that needed to be done to it. One of which was that it needed the rear-end lubricant replaced. I told the guy that I had never heard of the need to replace the rear end lub. He was adamant that it needed to be replaced because condensation inside the housing could/would cause rust to build up eventually causing a failure. I talked to my dad who at the time was about 84 y/o and had worked on many different vehicles in his lifetime. He had never heard of the need for that...

You should replace the blinker fluid at the same time as the rear-end lubricant.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

just doesn't blow
.

It's got nothing to do with any of that, they all stop blowing after they get married. Hell you're lucky to get 10 minutes of dance time.