30 Nov

Q & A #44 With The Auto Specialist

Author: Car Parts Guy  |  Category: Autos and Cars, Car Q and A

Q & A #44 With The Auto Specialist

Thanks for joining me for today’s segment of the Auto Specialist. If you’re reading the column for the first time, welcome. As a quick reminder to everyone, if you haven’t had a chance to peruse the archives of this regular column, I’d like to encourage you to do so. I know from emails that several of you have explored the library of automotive knowledge we’ve been compiling, and have stumbled upon the answers you were looking for. There are a lot of gems in there.

In the last installment, we explained the problem of thinned out rotors to a reader named Louise. We also helped Tom figure out why his car’s fuel injectors kept becoming clogged. Today, we’ll address a question from Jackie regarding her Avalon’s water pump. And prompted by a question from Stefan, I’ll provide a quick overview of your engine’s 4-stroke combustion process. Let’s get started.

Question: I drive a 2005 Toyota Avalon with a little over 65,000 miles. Last Tuesday, I took my car into the shop to have the mechanics do a routine inspection. I was told that I needed to have the water pump replaced at 75,000 miles, even though there are no apparent problems with it. Can you tell me if that’s accurate?

Answer: Thanks for writing in, Jackie. There are only two circumstances under which I recommend having the water pump replaced. First, replace it if it’s leaking. Second, replace it if you’re having your car’s timing belt replaced. I’m going to assume the pump is not leaking. If it was, the mechanic would have mentioned it. Given that timing belts often go bad between 60,000 and 75,000 miles, I’d say that’s why the mechanic suggested the replacement.

Question: I own a 2006 Hyundai Sonata and it currently has 37,400 miles on the odometer. I am not experiencing any problems with my car, but I do have a question about the engine. How does the engine generate power? I could not find the answer in your archives.

Answer: Thanks for your question, Stefan. The reason you did not find the answer within the archives is because I deal primarily with car problems in this column. Having said that, I’d like to address your question. The answer will provide insight to a lot of readers.

Your car’s engine has several cylinders, each with its own piston and combustion chamber. A spark plug sits at the top of each combustion chamber. Air and fuel come into the chamber through an intake valve. The valve closes and seals off the chamber. A piston begins to rise within the chamber, compressing the air and fuel blend. When the piston reaches the top, the spark plug ignites the compressed mixture. The ignition creates exhaust gas which expands and pushes the piston downward. As the piston moves downward, it rotates a crankshaft. The rotation of the crankshaft creates the power which turns your wheels.

What I’ve just described is an oversimplification of the process. But, it gives you a good idea regarding what is happening within your engine.

That’s a wrap for today’s installment. Thanks again to Jackie for sending in her question about her car’s water pump. And thanks to Stefan for his question about engine operation. When we return with the next segment of the Auto Specialist, we’ll have a new batch of car problems to address. Until then, drive safely.

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24 Nov

Q & A #43 With The Auto Specialist

Author: Car Parts Guy  |  Category: Autos and Cars, Car Q and A

Q & A #43 With The Auto Specialist

Welcome back to the Auto Specialist. We have a new round of car problems that I’ll help diagnose for readers. However, before we get started, I’d like to mention something. Last week, I was speaking to a family friend about his car. He had mentioned that his water pump had failed and he had gotten a bargain by buying a replacement from a salvage yard.

I’ll tell you the same thing I told him: buying replacement car parts from a salvage yard is a bad idea. There’s no way you can tell whether defects are present. You may save a few dollars, but pinching your pennies could lead to more expensive problems later. If your budget can handle it, I always recommend OEM replacements. That way, you know exactly what you’re buying.

In today’s installment, we’ll help Louise figure out what her mechanic is saying about her car’s brakes. We’ll also answer Tom’s question about his Taurus’s fuel injectors. Let’s jump in.

Question: I have a 2000 Nissan Maxima with 150,000 miles. This past July, I had the mechanic at a local repair garage replace all four of my brake pads (they were having a special). The problem is, even since I got my car back, there has been a pulsing feeling whenever I apply the brakes. It almost feels as if something is warped. I went back to the repair garage and they told me that I needed to have the pads replaced. I mentioned the new pads from July and the mechanics changed their tune. Now, they claim they don’t have a clue about the problem.

Yesterday, I took my car to the dealership. The technician said my rotors have been thinned out too far. What does that mean? And what should I do?

Answer: Thanks for writing, Louise. While replacing the brake pads, the mechanic at the repair garage probably thinned the rotors to eliminate some of the imperfections. Each rotor can only be thinned so far before problems form (the minimal thinness is stamped on the rotor). I’m guessing that he thinned them too far. The bad news is that they’ll need to be replaced.

Question: I bought a 2002 Ford Taurus a couple of years ago. It has 86,200 miles on it. Awhile back, the fuel injectors became clogged, so I had them replaced. Recently, I’ve been having other troubles with my car, so I took it back the dealership. The mechanic mentioned that my first two injectors were clogged again. This is frustrating because replacing them is expensive. I have always used good gas and I’m trying to figure out why this is happening. What do you think is causing the problem?

Answer: Thanks for sending in your question, Tom. Given that you’re using high-quality gasoline, I’d be willing to bet the culprit is your fuel filter. It’s probably letting particles get past that are building up in your injectors and causing the blockage. I’d ask the mechanic to swap out the filter. That should help prevent further clogging.

That’s it for today’s installment. Thanks again to Louise and Tom for sharing their car questions with us. Next time, we’ll help a reader named Jackie with her car’s water pump. I’ll also cover your engine’s 4-stroke combustion process. Until then, drive safely.

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17 Nov

Q & A #42 With The Auto Specialist

Author: Car Parts Guy  |  Category: Autos and Cars, Car Q and A

Q & A #42 With The Auto Specialist

Thanks for joining me for today’s installment of the Auto Specialist. I’m reminded on a near-daily basis that most people remain unaware of what is happening under the hoods of their vehicles. For example, this morning, I helped a stranded driver replace a hose that had deteriorated. It was causing a leak. This is something that he should have been able to find and change himself. I didn’t mind helping him at all, but it was a sobering reminder that there’s a dearth of automotive knowledge out there. That’s the main reason I write this column.

In the last segment, we helped Elaine determine whether her brakes needed the attention of a mechanic. We also answered a question from David regarding swapping the V-6 engine in his 4Runner for a V-8 (bad idea). Today, I’m going to answer Henry’s question about transmission fluid and help Brad figure out why his engine isn’t cranking. Let’s get started.

Question: I drive a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero and it has a little less than 137,000 miles. I take good care of my car and always make sure that I’m on top of oil changes, filter changes, and other small maintenance items. But, I’ve been a little lax with the transmission fluid. I check the level every now and then, but haven’t changed the fluid in awhile. The technician at the repair shop said that I need to change the transmission fluid every 25,000 to 30,000 miles. The thing is, whenever I check the level, the color looks fine. It doesn’t look dirty or degraded. Is the technician right? Should I change it even though it looks fine?

Answer: Thank you for writing, Henry. I’d check the service schedule that came with your owner’s manual. But, use it as a guideline. If you’re easy on your transmission, you may be able to drive 40,000 or even 50,000 miles without changing the fluid. On the other hand, if you’re hard on the tranny, or you drive in harsh conditions, 30,000 miles is entirely plausible. Regarding color, it’s not the only criteria and doesn’t always tell the whole story. Bottom line? Refer to your owner’s manual.

Question: I’m driving a 2001 Honda Accord that I bought last year. There are 121,000 miles on the engine. I haven’t had any serious problems with the car since buying it. But, a couple of weeks ago, it completely lost power. The engine wouldn’t crank, the power windows wouldn’t work, and the lights wouldn’t come on. My roommate would jumpstart it and the car would run fine throughout the day. But, if I left it overnight without it running, it would be dead in the morning. I tested the battery, so I know that’s not the problem. Any idea what’s causing the power drain?

Answer: Thanks for your question, Brad. Given that you’ve tested your battery (presumably, in the morning when your engine won’t crank), it sounds like there’s a problem in your charging system. I suggest that you test the alternator for amperage. If the alternator is working properly, your quickest route to an answer is to visit a local mechanic. He’ll have the diagnostic equipment to narrow down the culprit.

That’s it for today’s segment. I’d like to say thanks again to Henry and Brad for sharing their questions with us. For those of you who thinking of writing in with your own car questions, please do so. There’s quite a backlog of great questions already, but we will definitely get to all of them. Until next time, drive safely.

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