Parts and Autos

Q & A #60 With The Auto Specialist

Thanks for joining me for the latest installment of the Auto Specialist. Earlier today, I was reading about Toyota’s plans for their hydrogen-powered vehicles. They’ve been in the works for years, and are planned for release in 2015. Perhaps due to better technology, lower production costs, or a simple bid to earn goodwill, Toyota said they’re slashing the price by a stunning 90% (they’re dropping the planned price to $50,000). I’m looking forward to seeing what they have in store.

Today, we’re going to help Joe with his question on the cost of valve jobs for his Infiniti. We’ll also take a look at Stephanie’s “check engine” light problem. We’ll end the round by helping Carlos figure out why his Accord is running rough.

Lots to cover, so let’s get started.

Question: I have a 1998 Infiniti I30 with the original engine. It has 150,000 miles on it. My mechanic said he wants to do a valve job on the engine because of a problem with the compression. The car runs okay, but it seems to miss or hesitate a lot. Anyway, my mechanic quoted me $700 for the job. That sounds expensive. Any idea if that’s accurate?

Answer: Thanks for sending in your question, Joe. First, 150,000 miles and you’ve never had a problem with your engine? I’m impressed. Engines can last a long time, but yours seems to be a true workhorse. Regarding the price of a valve job, it’s very hard to say without seeing the valves, cylinder head, and other parts.

A simple job might cost as little as a few hundred dollars. On the other hand, structural damage becomes more expensive. If there are cracks, or the head needs to be straightened, or the springs, guides, and seats need to be replaced, you’re looking at over $1,000 – at least. You didn’t mention if your mechanic was going to refurbish all the valves or just a few. That will, of course, affect the price. Sorry that I’m unable to give you a straightforward answer.

Bottom line: $700 might be perfect or it might be way off. Impossible to tell.

Question: I’m driving a 2005 Mitsubishi Galant with 62,000 miles on it. A few weeks ago, the light that says “check engine” showed up on my dashboard. I don’t know much about cars. What does that light mean and should I take my car to a mechanic? Thanks.

Answer: Thanks for writing in, Stephanie. The “Check Engine” light basically means your car’s computer detected something wrong in the engine or related parts. When this occurs, the computer will usually generate and store a fault code. This code describes the problem, but you need a special tool in order to pull it off the computer. Your mechanic has such a tool.

There’s no way to tell what caused the light to come on until the fault code is pulled. Some problems are relatively harmless. Others are serious. Take your Galant to a mechanic and have him pull the code. If your vehicle is still under warranty, you may want to take it to the dealer.

Question: I own a 2001 Honda Accord with about 115,000 miles on the engine. It’s been riding really rough for the past few weeks. And it’s gotten worse. Occasionally, it will stall if I’m waiting at a stoplight. At first, I thought it was the spark plugs, so I replaced them. No luck. The car is still riding rough and stalling out every once in awhile. Could you give me some advice regarding what to check next?

Answer: Thanks for your question, Carlos. Engines are tricky because problems can be caused by so many different things. That being said, I’d be willing to wager the stalling and rough idle is due to a bad fuel pump. I have a feeling that if you replace the pump (be sure to use an OEM-quality replacement), your rough idle will disappear.

That’s it for today’s installment. I’d like to thank Joe, Stephanie, and Carlos for letting us help them out with their questions. Next time, we’ll have a new round of three automotive problems to address. Until then, drive safely.

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Welcome back to the Auto Specialist. If you’re reading this column for the first time, I invite you to peruse the archives. We’ve managed to create an impressive compendium of automotive knowledge dealing with engines, transmissions, mufflers, alternators, and nearly every other car part or system. This is all based on helping readers troubleshoot and resolve their car problems. If you’re experiencing an issue with your vehicle and are getting the runaround from your dealership or mechanic, send in the details and I’ll try to help.

In today’s segment, we’re going to help Kyle figure out why his Galant seems to be losing power. We’re also going to address Linday’s question about a leak in her transmission. Lastly, we’ll take a look at Michael’s idea of dropping a new, bigger engine into his wife’s Durango. There’s lots to cover, so let’s jump right in.

Question: I have a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant. It has just under 125,000 miles on it and has always driven really well. Back in January, I was having trouble getting it started. It turns out, the fuel pump was bad. The engine wasn’t getting any gas. So, I replaced the pump with a used one and everything was working fine again.

Two weeks ago, I started having trouble accelerating on the freeway. The car felt sluggish whenever I hit the gas. The problem has gotten steadily worse and now, it’s even sluggish on surface streets. My mechanic thinks the oxygen sensor may have gone bad, but I’m not convinced since I replaced that about eighteen months ago. Any idea why I’m having trouble getting power?

Answer: Thanks for sending in your question, Kyle. To recap, here’s what we know: your fuel pump went bad and you replaced it, which resolved the original lack of acceleration problem. Now, the problem is back and it’s not due to the oxygen sensor (I’m speculating here based on your assumption). If I had to guess, I’d say it’s the used fuel pump. If it’s used, it’s unlikely to be OEM-certified. My suggestion is to have it replaced again, but use an OEM unit this time.

Question: I’m driving a 2002 Toyota 4Runner with 122,000 miles on it. I was looking through your archives and awhile back you mentioned checking under the transmission for leaks. So, that’s what I did with my 4Runner. The bad news is, I can see reddish fluid on the ground, so I’m going to assume there’s a small leak. I’ve put more fluid in the reservoir like you suggested to avoid running low. I wanted to ask you, how expensive is it to fix transmission leaks?

Answer: Thanks for writing in, Lindsay. The cost to fix a leak in your transmission depends on where the leak is located. If it’s coming from one of the outside seals, your mechanic should be able to fix it without lifting the tranny from your truck. If the leak is coming from the front seal, however, the transmission will need to be lifted out. That makes the job far more expensive. I can’t give you a cost estimate since this particular job can range over a wide span.

Question: My wife owns a 1999 Dodge Durango with nearly 150,000 on the engine. For some reason, she loves the thing and doesn’t want to get rid of it, even though it has a lot of miles on the engine. I suggested having the engine replaced, which she was open to doing. But she wants a V8 put in. There’s only a V6 in there right now. How would I go about doing this?

Answer: Thanks for your question, Michael. First, I recommend against the V8. Replacing a V6 with a V8 is a major job. It’s very complex and something that even a trained technician can easily get wrong. What’s more, even if you get the bigger engine in, it may not pass your state’s smog test. There are a lot of modifications to make. Missing one could cause major issues. I’d revisit this with your wife and suggest sticking with a replacement V6.

That’s it for this installment of the Auto Specialist. I’d like to thank Kyle, Lindsay, and Michael again for sending their questions in and letting us help out. Be sure to come back next time when we have a new batch of interesting automotive problems to go through. Until then, drive safely.

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Q & A #57 With The Auto Specialist

Welcome back to the Auto Specialist. The most recent chapter in the Toyota recall mess has ended on a positive note for the automaker. Confronted by a tidal wave of criticism for their accelerator issues, Toyota extended some of the most aggressive buyer incentives in the industry.

The numbers are in for March 2010 and it looks as if the incentives worked. There was an enormous sales surge in new vehicles, helping Toyota finish second for the month behind General Motors. Not bad for an automaker many thought would implode under the pressure. I expect Toyota to reclaim their position at the top of the industry within a few years.

In today’s installment, we’re going to help a reader named Terry figure out why his Grand AM’s engine keeps missing. We’ll also help David with his Escape’s cranking issue, and answer Lynn’s question about blue exhaust smoke. There’s a lot on the agenda, so let’s jump in.

Question: I’m driving a 2001 Pontiac Grand AM with nearly 130,000 miles. The engine keeps missing in the top gears whenever I put it under load (for example, climbing up a hill). I’ve already replaced the filters, distributor cap, and spark plugs, but nothing seems to fix the problem. I’m getting a little frustrated. Any ideas what might be causing the miss?

Answer: Thanks for your question, Terry. Given that you’re still experiencing a miss after replacing those parts, I’m willing to bet you have a compression leak in one of the cylinders. I would run a leak down test to measure any loss in pressure. If you find a high rate of loss, the problem is likely due to a blown head gasket or bad valves.

Question: I have a 2003 Ford Escape. There’s about 93,000 miles on the odometer. For the past year, I’ve been dealing with a cranking problem that has gotten consistently worse. When I turn the key, the engine won’t turn over. But it happens sporadically – maybe only once every ten or twelve starts. I can sometimes get it to crank if I try it over and over, but it seems like luck more than anything. I’m not sure what to do other than take my car to a repair shop. Have you ever dealt with this type of problem before?

Answer: Thanks for sending in your question, David. I’ve seen plenty of cranking issues in my time and they happen for a lot of different reasons. This is one of those automotive problems that is very difficult to diagnose without having my hands on your car.

That said, I have a few suggestions for you. Clean the terminals and cables connecting your battery. Then, load test it. If it’s putting out a sufficient charge, check the starter for proper voltage. Once you’re sure those parts are working fine, test the ignition switch and starter solenoid. The problem likely involves one of those components. If you still have trouble finding the culprit, you’ll need to have a mechanic take a closer look.

Question: I own a 1997 Honda Accord with 164,000 miles on it. My car has been blowing blue smoke out of the exhaust. Frankly, it’s a little embarrassing. I’ve never seen blue smoke before. What does it mean? Should I be concerned about my engine?

Answer: Thanks for writing in, Lynn. The smoke you’re seeing is caused by burning oil. And yes, it’s a problem with your engine. There are several issues that might be causing it, including bad valve stems and failing piston rings. The bad news is that you may need to have your engine replaced or remanufactured. With 164,000 miles on it, you probably suspected this was a possibility.

That’s it for this installment of the Auto Specialist. I’d like to thank Terry, David, and Lynn for sending in their questions and letting us help diagnose their automotive problems. Next time, we’ll have a new batch of car-related questions to address. Until then, drive safely.

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