Tech Section
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Quite a few forums have an on-going thread pinned that allow everyone to post what work they did recently on their rides. I didn't see one here on C&G, so I thought I'd try to start one here. Post what you did today or during the past weekend... regardless of how tiny of a job. Let us know your victories and disasters.
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Since online stories seem to change, I am copy and pasting the instructions here: Uninstall the Copilot app The first thing you should do is uninstall the Copilot app. This is a Windows app and can be uninstalled like any other Windows app. There are a few ways to do this, and we’ll outline two of them. The fast way Hit the Windows Key to open your search and type in Copilot. Right-click the app with your mouse and select Uninstall. A window will pop up asking you to confirm. Do so. The app will be uninstalled. The harder way Open the Settings on your Windows PC. Navigate to Apps and then Installed apps. Find Copilot on your list of insta…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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So my sister needs a new laptop and asked if I could use my employee discount to get her a good deal. I was more than happy to help, but after looking at the Dell Web Site and what Costco has coming up, it is clearly better to buy via Costco for the actual laptop. So here is the cost via dell.com Here is the same laptop currently at Costco or via their website. Here is the upcoming November 28th Holiday Sale by Costco. I did notice that Costco has raised the Warehouse Price, but the discount still saves an additional $150 dollars.
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Requires you editing your registry, but this works. Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 ; Disable Microsoft Edge MSN news feed, sponsored links, shopping assistant and more. [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge] "NewTabPageContentEnabled"=dword:00000000 "NewTabPageHideDefaultTopSites"=dword:00000001 "EdgeShoppingAssistantEnabled"=dword:00000000 "TabServicesEnabled"=dword:00000000 "AlternateErrorPagesEnabled"=dword:00000000
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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You have to accept the responsibility that not everything will run cleanly and you could loose data. Microsoft now allowing Windows 11 on older, incompatible PCs Installing Windows 11 on devices that don't meet minimum system requirements - Microsoft Support
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Windows 11 or Windows 10? My computer has been prompting me for a while and I keep deferring. I then hastily hit the button saying, "I do," (lol) thinking newer is better, right? Oh, no. Then I read that Windows 11 is much more restrictive, so I keep pushing back the scheduled time for this update. - - - - - First, in what ways is Windows 11 more restrictive? I've heard that it requires more sign-ins and is not that compatible with a Google browser. Second, the articles I've pulled up look confusing, but, if I wanted to, is there a way to a) disallow the update to 11, but b) still keep the updates coming for my current operating system? …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Understanding Batteries – Why so many cells? Have you ever wondered why some EV batteries have thousands of cells? Why the Volt’s battery is so big even though it was “only” 16 kWh? Can you actually save about half the money if you have a 50 kWh battery instead of a 100 kWh pack? (1) Cells and batteries: Before we get started, let’s get the terminology right. A “cell” is the smallest element in a chemical charge storage device. A “battery” is a bunch of cells strung together. The 1.5V AA Duracell is a “cell”. A pack with four of them strung together for a total of 6V in your flashlight referred to as a “battery”. (2) EV Batteries: A lithium ion EV…
Last reply by dwightlooi, -
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I was having this discussion with a few people on Friday. GM essentially bought up some independent motor companies (Olds, Buick) to create their large entity and kept their strong divisional thinking for decades after that. Up until the 1970s, FOUR divisions of GM made a 350 small block V8 engine. Essentially, it was each division except Cadillac. Rank these 4 (Chevy, Pontiac, Olds, Buick) in your order of preference: 1, 2, 3, 4 - for whatever reason, such as longevity, materials, intake, exhaust, general configuration (for repair, access), whatever you decide ...
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I have been using Apple Airport Extreme plus an Express as a wifi extender for years now. The one I have is from 2013. Lately I've been having trouble with it in that even if I have full signal, my speeds are laughably slow. This isn't good for working from home. Unfortunately, Apple stopped making the Airport series after 2016, which is a shame because they really the best routers of their day. The problem that I'm encountering is that most routers have absolutely garbage reviews. Here's what I'm looking for: 1. Wifi6 and Mesh with at least one additional access point - I buy bleeding edge because I want the product to last me many years as my Airp…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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First, I usually don't do this. I used to bring Castrol or Valvoline to gas stations to have my oil changed not expecting much of a credit back. I have a friend who does often and I think it's tacky if the part is easily sourced. I'm in a situation where some parts are available on line, they are becoming less available in retail channels, AND, a few months back, one mechanic said. 'Why don't you bring in the parts?' It's a small shop. They don't even have an alignment rack. This small mechanic's shop gets real good reviews. What are the pros and cons of this? What would happen if there was a warranty issue in terms of fixing the problem (the part was a du…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Im looking into putting a new exhaust system on my truck, a 2017 Z71 5.3. As of now I have my old Flowmaster 40 SI/DO muffler dumped right before the read axle. I did this just to get a louder tone from the stock muffler. Well after driving it for a week now I've come to not like it at all. I have been looking at videos on youtube and reading around on different forums looking for a good setup in my price range, hopefully no more than $500, that I like. The sound I am wanting is a deep growl, not extremly loud but a deep tone. Nothing that pops when I rev high. Just a nice and deep at low RPMs and at higher RPMs gives a good throaty sound. Thanks in advance and I hope thi…
Last reply by KB9MBN, -
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Starting this thread for a single focus and that is job discussion of software in the Auto industry. I took a quick look, Ford has 1,500 software positions open in support of their EV products. GM had over 1,300 listed on their site and since the pandemic took hold has removed most jobs and is showing less than 100 jobs now. Yet on Indeed they show 50 jobs open for software engineers in embedded development. Took a look over at VW which is showing hundreds of software jobs in Tennessee. Seems both BMW and Mercedes-Benz also has lots of openings for software engineers here in the US. This makes one wonder as the auto industry moves to EV's which will require stil…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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The new 'Sport' model comes with the 6 speed and 3.6L which would be a nice increase in power for an older 'Nox' or Torrent. I've been unable to locate pictures of the motor to ascertain the mount placement, exhaust routing..... to see if it's fesible. Any thoughts since the body is great but I've got 160,000kms(100k miles) and she'll need a freshening up.
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Hi: When renting cars, Bluetooth and advanced audio systems enable me to play my own music. In my car, I never did because I never looked into it. Buick and Pontiac did not have the MP3 connector in my year, while Chevy did. Okay, so I ask the guy in the electronic department at a (ahem) big box store how to address this and he tells me about an item that goes into your cigarette lighter and might be called an FM transmitter. That's because it works on one FM frequency reserved for this task. Questions: 1. What is this thing called and does it work well? Any features to specifically look for on one I could buy? 2. Does it pull your songs…
Last reply by frogger, -
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Amazing what we did for marketing during the early console days. What other ads can you find?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Have you ever wondered by all the Bi-turbo V6 engines are always less impressive than you expect? Specific Output always seem to be worse compared to 4-cylinder counterparts. Maximum Torque seems to always arrive later and the engine always seem a tad lethargic. In short, they always seem to SUCK relative to the 4-cylinder turbo engines the same manufacturer puts out. They really SUCK compared to Inline-6 legends like the Nissan RB26 or the contemporary BMW N55. For example:- GM made a 2.0T (LTG) with 272 hp @ 5,500 rpm with 260 lb-ft at 1,700 rpm. That is 136 hp/liter and 130 lb–ft per liter. This same engine is later tuned to permit more mid-range boost with t…
Last reply by dwightlooi, -
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Three questions: 1) With cars now having platinum and iridium spark plugs, the intervals between changing them has become fairly long. I'd finally like to change my original platinum spark plugs. Are there ever issues where the spark plugs have been in the cylinder block for so long that its tough for the mechanic to get them out? Is there something they can do prior to putting on the socket wrench that will make them turn more easily? Also, do you know if, on transversely mounted GM V-6 engines, they access the 3 rear spark plugs by the firewall (a) from above or (b) by hoisting up the car and working from the space behind the exhaust manifold but in front of t…
Last reply by Cmicasa the Great, -
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Seems Costco is now a Mac retailer. ?
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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This is in reference to my 2004 Grand Prix with the 3800 series III. This issue with stalling on start up seems to be pretty typical of the vehicle. I've been reading anything I can find on my Grand Prix starting issues, and I have read many other people who have had this issue and they say to clean the throttle body, because of the sensitivity to build up by the "drive by wire" throttle system. Anyone ever hear of this, or have any good ideas on how to go about cleaning the throttle body? I haven't had the time to check into anything else yet, such as testing the pressure in the fuel system, because I don't have a tool to do that with. Plus, I don't know nearly as…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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I just read an announcement that Honda will start producing 10-speed automatic, seems GM and Ford are going that route as well. Could somebody explain to me what is the advantage of going to high number speed automatic instead of CVT? Seems to me unnecessary complexity of using so many gears.
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I want to replace this missing hood stop. But I'm not sure what the part is actually called and what to search for... any ideas?
Last reply by Robert Hall, -
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I've sort of wound down to using 1 GM dealership and 1 or 2 independent shops. I've found an independent shop I really like. The owner, also a mechanic there, is real easy to talk to and has an excellent reputation among his peers and customers. So, here's the question. What is the normal mark up for parts that he has to get from the auto parts stores that he works with? Is it 20% 33.33% Or something else? I am wondering if there is a rule of thumb. Or, put another way, say I walk into AutoZone and a part retails to me for $ 100. What is a reasonable amount for that part on the final repair bill if the mechanic had to purchase it from the same store? …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Do you routinely use a fuel injector cleaner or fuel system additive? I do. I add a bottle to the tank about every 5,000 miles, in addition to using the better detergent gasoline brands. Which ones do you use, like, and/or know have a good reputation? I've heard Techron is the best. Others mention brands like Lucas and Seafoam. I don't know much about these, so I don't use them. I have also used STP and Valvoline fuel system cleaner. You need to read the label on the Techron bottle. The one that is nicely priced only treats 12 gallons of gasoline. The one in the larger plastic bottle treats up to 21 gallons. My tank holds about 17 gallons. Any…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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Hey folks. Need some help with electrical issues on the Buick. Tonight, I lost low beam lighting on one side. Not only that, the backlighting for the light switches, at the left of the dash, went dark, too. Within the last month, I lost 1 low beam light, the most used one on the D.I.C., and I noticed the console lamp was also out. Coincidence or connected? (Considering the age of the vehicle and/or the sequential nature.) I looked at the owner's manual. There's a fuse center at the right side of the dash, but not for my issues. For those, the (mini) fuses are located in a plastic box under the hood. I'm wondering if fuse replacement is the place…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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When the Lt1 first came out, a big deal was made about the flow direction of the coolant, from the top, or heads on down, as an improvement in engine cooling system technology, and adding to the longevity of an engine. Now, I recently read that the LS1 & LS2 were reverted back to the old system, of coolant flow from the bottom of the engine up and out thru the heads. My question is, is this correct, and if so, why? What was the technical reasons for reverting back? The explanations for going to the heads first system made a lot of sense, and I have not heard anything about why this methodology was dropped, if in fact it was dropped. If it wasn't, then why is t…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I've got the GM 4T65-E transaxle in my LaCrosse. Whether on this car or my last car (4T60 transaxle), I've never had a transmission flush, where they leave the pan/gasket/filter alone. I've always had them drain and refill the transmission, and have them change the filter and check the pan and gasket in the process. I am aware that that leaves some old fluid in the torque converter. However, an old school GM advisor told me that doing "drain and fill" with the pan and gasket dropped every couple of years - 25,000 or 30,000 miles - is as good as doing the full flush with the machine less often. He said the "drain and fill" is easier on the transmission. …
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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So more and more manufacturers switching to turbo-four and turbo-six engines. We got a lot of new mainstream cars, crossovers and trucks coming out with turbo engines. Now we all know that NA four, six, and eight cylinder engines with regular oil changes can go easily 200k - 300k miles. What about turbo? How long do you think they will go without some major issues?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Hi folks: My LaCrosse has the highly "chromed" and bling laden grille common to the '08 and '09. It is not chromed at all, but plastic. I was almost going to buy chrome cleaner but did a little homework by reading the instructions on the can of chrome cleaner and as well as getting the opinion of the guy working at O'Reilly's ... and nixed that idea real quick. One is not supposed to use chrome cleaner on these areas, let alone on this car, probably, since there is little to no chrome. I've just washed the car and then dried this area off. I'd like to know if there are specific ways to care for these areas: 1) the plastic chrome effect on the grille …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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I've got a few questions on front end maintenance for my 2008 GM W-body. The first is: at what point would you replace the struts all the way around? About 2 years ago, they were very firm. Now, there is a little more sponginess up front when pushing down on the car and releasing. However, it doesn't oscillate or do anything drastic. I'm thinking of replacing them at 70,000 miles (this has been a low mileage car for me), whether it needs them or not. I also want to do this to get rid of the OEM ones and keep the newer and second set of tires doing well. Also, when I first started driving and needed to replace shocks in the rear wheel drive Oldsmobiles, I alwa…
Last reply by frogger, -
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https://www.cnet.com/products/samsung-galaxy-note-8-phone-preview/
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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So, after a few years of postponing it, I'm going to buy a second key fob. The other one got damaged and slowly started giving up the ghost. This is for a 2008 LaCrosse with the base 3800 V6. My current one identifies itself with "Welcome Driver 2" upon inserting the key. The dealerships want anywhere from $40 to $62 to do this task. I will be buying the key fob aftermarket from one of the major auto part stores. Questions: Can I do this myself? How will the key fob "know" to attach itself to my vehicle once I take out of the shipping container and begin programming it? Will it "know" that driver 2 is already programmed and then default to being t…
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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I'm getting a check engine light on my '04 CR-V. It only happens below half a tank of gas. If I open and close the gas cap, a few trips later the light will reset. When I do this, it seems like there is a lot of vacuum in the tank as I can hear the air rush in. About 6 months ago I had the fuel lines replace and fuel pump replaced. Any ideas?
Last reply by ykX, -
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So, recently I have been needing to jump the Toronado if I let it sit more than a few days. Last night, in anticipation of a road trip this morning, I put the battery on the charger for about 4 hours. This morning, it fired right up, no trouble. I head out on my road trip, 250 miles total. I had my headlights on for most of the trip due to rain. During the trip I made at least 3 stops where the engine was shut off. Each time, on restart, she fired up like she just rolled off the line at Linden NJ. I arrived at my destination around 1 pm. At 4:30pm, I run out for a quick errand, no more than 5 miles each way No problems starting at either of my stops. I pull …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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So now that we are bought out by DELL, all our new hardware is of course DELL and I have to say, I love the Dell u3415w monitors. http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/accessories/apd/210-adtr?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=210-ADTR We get dual display for our work and so this is really cool. Cannot wait till I get to replace my lenovo laptop and monitors with a new XPS workstation laptop and dual screens. Each monitor does 3440 x 1440 with 1.07 billion colors. Sweet
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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My step-son took his '98 Buick Regal LS with the 3.8L Series II V6 to the local Oil Change/Car Wash place because his low coolant light kept coming on. They flushed his engine with the pressure machine, put in new coolant, and replaced his "rusty" fuel filter. He left the place and the car was shaking like it wanted to stall out - the Service Engine Soon light was flashing, he said. I told him to meet me at the local Advance Auto Parts store so they could do a free OBDII code read. He got code P0300 - random multiple misfire (they said it would need to go to a mechanic). Tried to restart the car and it wouldn't crank over. Pushed it into a parking spot and left it t…
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Sandisk announces first Extreme Pro SDXC 1TB memory Card. So this is a prototype they showed off, but being that they have a 512GB SDXC card, I would say you might just be able to buy this by Xmas. Press Release - 1TB SDXC Extreme Pro memory card This just shows how fast we are moving into the 4K / 8K word of recording and storing data and how BIG DATA is here now. 2014 They showed off their 512GB SDXC card and started selling it in 2015, now here is the Photokina show and they have a 1TB SDXC card, so I imagine by Xmas or spring of next year they will start selling this card. No matter what, the world is getting smaller and smaller as we increase…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Almost Thought She was PERFECT Anyway.. For the last coupla days I'd been hearing what I was thinking was a "roaring" issue or even a drone of sorts coming from the driver side rear area. So. yesterday did a careful inspection of the tires.. wheel.. brakes.. and then decided to make a few calls. Talk to my Corvette guy at the dealership.. then to a guy I kno who works at Merchants Auto.. then of course my dad.. and all unanimously said "WHEEL BEARINGS." OK.. I am at 57K on the ODO (purchased in July 2013, traded in Taja my '11 Camaro RS 3.6L).. and drive her like she's the Vette all day.. every day that I drive her. 1) Checked to see if under Drive-train (5/…
Last reply by regfootball, -
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After installing a Flowmaster muffler on my 2009 Ford Ranger XLT, I have decided to add another mod. I am planning to install a cold air intake, I heard that it improves a vehicle's horse power and fuel consumption. What brand should I go for?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I plan to replace my old muffler with a new exhaust kit on my 2009 Ford Ranger XLT SuperCab. I am torn between a Flowmaster and a Magnaflow. What should I go for?
Last reply by furioustee, -
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I've been dealing with crap fuel economy all summer. I had tested a bunch of theories, including cleaning the throttle body, the MAF sensor, I used fuel injector cleaner, took my custom tune back to stock, checked my air intake, changed my oil, etc. Even thought it was linked to increased ethanol in the gas. It seems kinda dumb in retrospect, but I never checked my A/C because it was functioning perfectly inside the car. Well this past week, temp and humidity dropped to the point that I turned off the A/C and to my surprise, my fuel economy immediately shot up. I actually turned on the instant MPG display and watched the number drop when I clicked the A/C button on an…
Last reply by SuperDuper, -
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I've been learning HPTuners since the beginning of the year, I'm taking it one step at a time and experimenting on my car (very carefully). Right now I'm studying AFR and DFCO. I noticed that my Malibu (3.6L VVT, DOHC, port-injected) is commanding an AFR of 14.1 while cruising and 11.9 under Power Enrichment. Everything I've read says those numbers are very rich an N/A motor, should be more like low 15s and mid 12s respectively. Anyone care to discuss this with me? Also if anyone is familiar with HPTuners, is there a simple method to bump up the commanded numbers so I can gauge any improvement? I can post the tune if someone wants to take a look.
Last reply by Thed, -
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So... I've been working on a lot of brake lines... basically, I have two cars which have required nearly complete brake line replacements. Unfortunately, in order to adapt and fit new lines in a car without taking it completely apart, you use unions... and in retrospect, I seem to have gotten some unions that do not seal well... so I've had several cycles of bleed brakes - observe leak - take apart everything and tighten fitting - rinse and repeat. In any case, I hate doing any work to the car that I cannot do solo... and the one man bleeding solutions out there just suck. This got me to thinking... How do manufacturers "install" brake fluid? Its obvious that GM is no…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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One of the stabilizer links on my Malibu is going bad. There's an intermittent rattle/knocking noise from the front right suspension that sounds very much like my girlfriend's Cobalt when her link needed to be replaced (it's actually the same damn GM part), except mine's behind 5x more sound deadening so it was hard to pinpoint. Anyway, I'm going to replace the sway bar links as a pair, along with the bushings, and I found Moog replacements (part K80252) that are extremely highly rated that also appear to be an improvement over the factory design. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QR12NG/ref=s9_simh_gw_p263_d0_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&…
Last reply by cp-the-nerd, -
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Recently experiencing overheating problems, my fan seems to be turning on just fine, radiator is filled an working and so is the waterpump yet it still overheats? If anyone could help me with a solution or direction to look for my issue I'd be eternally grateful. For extra information: The car doesn't overheat while idling, only on the highway after driving for about 30 minutes. I'm almost sure there's something electrical going completely haywire.
Last reply by Thed, -
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I have been looking for a repair manual to buy for my 2012 VW Passat TDI and can't find anything for that year. I need to perform the DSG service, which VW charges 400 bucks for. I purchased the filter, gaskets and fluid for $150, but would like a manual to confirm how to perform this service. Any advice?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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From Popular Mechanics from 1980, wonder what a given 2014 vehicle would look like broken down the same way. BTW, I do wonder how they came to such exacting figures….
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Just a bad wire 1 2 3 4 7
by Camino LS6-
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...at least I hope so. The Tahoe suddenly started acting like it was only running on seven cylinders today - so I ordered new plugs,wires, cap, and rotor. Sure hope that solves it, but the truck is almost at 200k so who knows.
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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What else can I do? The Toronado has a bad wheel vibration between 55mph and 65mph. I've already had the tires rebalanced multiple times at different places. I've replaced the steel wheels on the front and had them rebalanced again. The ball joints have less than 3k miles on them. What am I missing?
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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So, I'm still on the verge of buying a '97 Tahoe. Its a little rougher than I thought... but I think a good cleaning and a little work will make it a decent ride. First, when I was looking at the truck, neglected to check out the SPID. Once I got home, I found out that GM used 3 different whites for 1997. Anyone know (or know a site that lists) what color availability the Tahoe's had in 1997? Next, what interior parts interchange between the 2-door and 4-door Tahoes? I assume the dash does... but it looks to me that the rear seat and front seats are special. I know I can get piecemeal replacement leather seat sections, but it gets kinda pricy. I also imagine that …
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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Anyone else seen these....cool!
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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My 2011 Charger has the automatic climate control system in it. This is the first summer I had owned the car. When I have the HVAC on auto and push the button to turn the recirc on, the light flashes three times and then goes off, indicating that it is not in recirc. I tried using it in the manual mode, and the same thing happens, the light flashes three times and shuts off. Is anyone familiar with this HVAC system or have any ideas what may be wrong? At 95 degrees, is like to run the a/c in recirc, but don't seem to be able to. I will take it to my dealership if needed, just curious if anyone here had any ideas. Thanks!
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Does anyone know where one my buy the male GM speaker plugs (the ones on the speaker)? When I install aftermarket speakers, I prefer to wire these onto the new speakers, rather than chop up the door harness and/or make the speaker permanently attached to the door. To the best of my knowledge, GM has used the same plug setup for years, but I am tired of cutting them off blown speakers at the junkyard when I need them.
Last reply by Olds Guy, -
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Any of you who have been following my blog posts will know that we recently discussed the meaning of tint percentages in terms of VLT and darkness. This is an important topic for consideration not just for aesthetic reasons (i.e., you want your car to have a dark enough tint to look good) but for legal issues as well (you dont want you tints to get you a ticket). In my last post I tried to point out that the legal limit for tint percentages varies from state to state so it is always important for you to check with your local authorities to be sure that your tint falls within the acceptable range. One great way to be sure you are in compliance with state laws is to check w…
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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I have a 2011 Dodge Charger that I bought in September. Since September, I have had to put 3 batteries in my key fob for the push button start to work. Any idea what would cause the battery to go dead so quickly? Should I buy a battery from Chrysler instead of Target? Or will that not make any difference? I know a few of you on here have Chargers, do you have the same problem?
Last reply by Blake Noble, -
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Hi all. The past two months I've been having an issue with the rear wiper arm of my 2006 GMC Envoy. When it swipes, the arm will push out but not retract/spring back, so the first swipe it clears the rear hatch window but on the return swing it sticks out and looses contact with the glass. It then does not seat right into the wiper arm holder on the gate. Is this a known problem?
Last reply by GMTruckGuy74, -
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Apparently, most GM cars have PassKey III after 1996, which uses an RFID... odd, considering my '99 Bonneville has a resistor pellet (and I guess is PassKey II). This makes some sense, as the '04 Grand Prix keys are marked PK3. However, both the '98 Sunfire and the '97 Tahoe are both well optioned, however, both use a metal key which cannot possibly have a RFID in it. I can believe the Tahoe might have had PassKey III bypassed... but the Sunfire has spent most of its life in out family... I can't imagine that it was bypassed when the car was less than 6 years old... in fact, I find it hard to believe both vehicles might have been bypassed. Is there some sort of easy w…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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so with 190K+ Monte's leaking coolant. the pump is about 10 years old with 60K+ miles. seems to only leak after it's warmed up some (pressure in the block? maybe loosing a quart over a week and 150 miles driven, 50 of that is very off and on. the leak is on the front of the engine... where the drips come from, been leaking slowly since late dec. prolly need to check it after 30 mins (after being driven) or so to see if there is an obvious stream. given this, do you think the culprit could be the water pump? what would you recommend i look for? also taking suggestions for cars to replace it with. ... what i'd look for, similar or better gas milage, either a radio…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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We just revised and edited our installation instructions for window tint. These instructions are not just for our films but are intended to be used by anyone who wants to do their own tint. The instructions cover side windows and rear windshield cleaning, prep and installation but not front visor installations. We will be adding another section on that soon. Please check it out and let me know if there is anything you think needs clarifying or correction: http://www.rvinyl.com/Window-Tint-Installation-Instructions.html
Last reply by Rvinyl.com, -
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We just revised and edited our installation instructions for window tint. These instructions are not just for our films but are intended to be used by anyone who wants to do their own tint. The instructions cover side windows and rear windshield cleaning, prep and installation but not front visor installations. We will be adding another section on that soon. Please check it out and let me know if there is anything you think needs clarifying or correction: http://www.rvinyl.com/Window-Tint-Installation-Instructions.html
Last reply by Rvinyl.com, -
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My dad has a 1995 Ford F-150, Standard cab, long-bed, with dual fuel tanks, 4.9 liter inline-6, 5-speed, 4x4 He recently had the electric fuel pumps fail in each tank. First the front one went, he replaced that, then a few weeks later the rear one died so he replaced that one as well. He also replaced the rear fuel tank because he found one for cheap on e-bay. Now, a month or two later, the rear fuel pump appears to be failing again. When the engine is running on the rear tank, the engine sputters and has no power. Flip the switch to the front tank and the engine immediately goes back to normal. The level of fuel in the tank doesn't have any effect on the symptom. …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Since we have a basic hand tool thread going why not a power tool thread? What's in your arsenal? What do you want add to it? For drills, I actually have three. My very first power drill is a Black & Decker CDC1800. It's been a great drill but the NiCd batteries no longer hold a charge and it just doesn't fulfill my needs anymore. (3/8 chuck, 650rpm). Last year I purchased a Skil 2364-02 720 rpm compact drill/driver. This has been a great little tool, having 2-speeds (which the B&D lacks) makes stripped screws a far less frequent occurrence. A few months ago I was given a Makita 6227D, however it too had a dead NiCd battery. These are nice drills so I ordered a…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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As many of us work on their own vehicles and love fixing their cars, this is a general question to help some starters like me who would like to do the same. What are the essential tools and equipment one should have to perform most of the work on his vehicle/s? And what are the recommendations for brands, quality, what-not, etc.
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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In the CRV, the power steering doesn't seem to work if the car has been sitting for a a bunch of hours. After start up, it takes 3 to 4 minutes before it kicks in with assist, but is fine the rest of the day after that. Ideas?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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So one of my items on the "need to fix" board is the 2004 Grand Prix GTP, which is currently sidelined due to a pinhole leak in one of the power steering lines. Not the lines to the rack, but one of the steel lines ON the rack... which I have found that nobody actually makes replacements for. Not wanting to pay for a new rack when this one is otherwise fine, and not wanting to drop the frame to swap out a rack, I have been investigating other ideas... The 2004 apparently has "Magnasteer II". Earlier models had just "Magnasteer". However, when I source parts (from Rock Auto, for example) the note that RPO NV8 (Magnasteer) and NV7 (variable assist) use the same rack un…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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The owners manual says to change spark plugs every 30k miles. I just changed them today, and fortunately it is pretty easy to get at all 16 plugs! My question is, I've never heard of a modern car needing plugs before 100k miles. Does anyone know why they need changed so often on the 5.7 Hemi? Can I buy a more expensive plug that lasts longer?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Does anyone know of a GM lock cylinder interchange? Since I basically never sell any cars, I have found it convenient to rekey my cars to use the same lock codes. In some cases, this is quite easy... in other cases, its a little tricky. I currently rekey on a set of one sided E/J keys, which makes things easy for 30 years worth of GM cars. However, I'm not real fond of the double sided keys, especially the '90s ones. Unfortunately, I'm not clear if I can swap these out. Generally, will do things modular style, so some sort of interchange is possible... for example, the '97 Tahoe I just got has a shot set of keys and /or cylinders. To use E/J keys, I need cylinders …
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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1998 Chevy truck with 309,000 miles. Fuel tank strap broke and the new strap also broke. Mechanic told me he couldn't promise me that the second one would hold. 3 weeks later the new strap broke also. The cross section where the fuel tank straps connect to is bad even though the frame was said to be OK. Another mechanic said it would cost too much....fuel tank would have to be removed as well as the bed.Now the strap closest to the cab is fine. So is it safe to drive the truck with a ratchet strap under fuel tank? Ratchet strap is supposed to work up to 1000 lbs. with a breaking point at 3000lbs. Roadside salt is death on car frames in northern US.
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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This ends up being a shout out to the guy who impresses me the most with his detailing... DF... Help Me! ;-) So I have a handshake deal on a '97 Tahoe. Tan leather interior. Rug is a frigging disaster. Its not really ground in too much, but it looks like a series of spilled sugary drinks and lots of dirt stuck to that. I have a Spot Bot, but I'm not sure it can get into all the nooks and crannies with it. How would you handle it? It would not bother me to remove the carpet, but I would be a bit afraid that getting it to fit back in would be a PITA.
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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I already have a trailer for towing cars... however, it weighs a ton... at least... and its huge. So its a fine towing setup when its hooked up behind the F450HD dump truck or "Dad's" overbuilt work van. Unfortunately, the van and the F450HD are rarely registered, gets lousy MPG, are expensive to maintain and I cannot store either and the trailer at my primary or secondary residence. If something was to break down and _IF_ it was road-ready, I'd be doing an extra 60 mile round trip, at the least, to pick up the tow rig before retrieving a broken car. I really want to get back to using a smaller dual-purpose tow vehicle and a lighter trailer for emergency tows. I was …
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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I think my 99 Buick Park Avenue Ultra just died. One night, just before I got home, a pulley snaps off and the engine loses power. It is at the top of the 3800SC engine, all the way up front. Yes, I got it towed home, which was only a few blocks away. When I described the problem to a service guy at Pep Boys, he said to bring it in and they can replace that pulley. I get a call 90 minutes before the appointment that the supercharger locked up and that will also need to be replaced. Not just the pulley and the regulator attached to it. What was going to be a $400 job turned into about a $3000 job, because the entire SC had to be replaced. That is only because the S…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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What do you guys think about LED running lights/turn signals/brake lights retrofitted into an older car?
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Hi guys, My 2001 Olds Aurora 3.5 needs a new motor mount. My mech told me it's the "front motor mount," but he doesn't have the part number handy and I was wondering if I could find it cheaper online. Can someone track this down for me? Having difficulty... Pertinant info: SECOND GEN V6 ...and it's the motor mount that keeps the engine down in front. I've seen mounts listed as engine, transmission, right, left, front, back...a little lost as to what exactly GM called it for this one... THANKS
Last reply by Croc, -
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I apologize for the bad picture but that is what I got right now. This was my dad's truck, he passed away earlier this year. My mom has been driving it ever since. The truck has an automatic transmission. She drives from her house across town to come visit with me and my brother at our house. The last time she drove it a few weeks ago it acted funny on her, she didn't know how to explain it so I test drove it around the block. I tell you guys I didn't know if I was gonna make it back to my house. Reverse won't work most of the time, motor just spins. When I was driving it would shudder bad. I believe it sounded like metal scraping too but I can't remember 100% cause it ha…
Last reply by BigMac, -
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I'm in want of a better audio system in my 1990 Sierra extended cab. Right now, everything is stock and I'd like to see if anyone here can give me a hand on how I should go about replacing the system, as well as give me some recommendations of speaker types and brands that I ought to consider. From what I understand, I'm looking for a new head-unit and four speakers - two in the front of the dash and two in the pillar. But I have no idea where to start and whether I need an amplifier or if I'd like a subwoofer or not. Also, I'm unsure about wattages and how they play into things. Most of my music is primarily rock/acoustic so I'm in no need of huge bass, though some …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Every time an automaker makes an economy car, they always give it short, fat tires; giving it a look that was pulled off much better by the BMW Isetta. Yet every time a you look at a car that's built for a mileage competition, you see tall, skinny tires. Given the lower rolling resistance, higher final gearing and better traction of tall and skinny tires, why don't more manufacturers use them?
Last reply by balthazar, -
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The '98 Tahoe I bought came with one of these and I hate it! Lots of questions and no manual to answer them for this non-intuitive thing. But the main thing I want to know is how to turn off the maddening moving display! That thing is always in my peripheral vision and makes me nuts while driving. I'll eventually locate a manual for the rest of the crap, but I'd love a shortcut to eliminate the moving display and replace it with a static one. And, if anyone knows how to eliminate the bleeps when you shut -off the ignition that would be great too. This thing is very close to being thrown against a wall - really wish that the PO had left the stock unit in place!
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Until it doesn't. When Apple launched iOS6 it booted Google Maps from the OS and replaced it with Apple's Homegrown Maps app, which is pretty terrible. How bad you ask? Map detail google iOs 5 vs iMaps iOs 6: To name a few. There's an entire tumblr site dedicated to these glitches. What Apple has done is removed Google Maps and replaced it with something far worse. And there's not an app for that. If it necessarily delays the approval for Google Maps for iOS6 it will be sending a clear message to its customers that it's no longer interesting in providing them with the best possible user experience. Meanwhile, I'll just keep using my Android phone, because i…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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The gas gauge in the wagon hasn't ever worked, and I really want to fix it before I drive the car again. The number one suspect , of course, is the fuel tank sending unit. They are available for every bodystyle of '73-'77 Chevelle/El Camino.... except the wagon. Let's hope it's a bad wire...
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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In January of this year, the transmission took a crap in my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix with 128k miles. I replaced the car with a 2012 Ford Fusion SE with the 2.5 liter and 6 speed automatic transmission. Prior to buying the car, I had read about transmission issued with the car, but mostly in 2010, and I thought maybe they had the issue fixed. My car currently has 16,500 miles on it, and I'm having transmission issues. I'm curious if anyone is familiar with that transmission and might have any information. The three times it has been to Ford it has come back with "cannot duplicate", so it hasn't been fixed. The first trip in they did a software flash, which helped, bu…
Last reply by jwbouch, -
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Yep, it was finally time to do the brake s on the Prizm. I've put it off for a while even though the rotors have been warped for at least a couple years. However they started to squeak while driving down the road, and since I had just finished the a/c on my car, I parked the Prizm until I had time to do the brakes. It's been at least 7 years since they were ever done, maybe longer. BUt the time came to do the front rotors and pads. For pads I went with ceramics, regular non-directional rotors, and Carlson hardware kit ($12 at Rock Auto and made in USA) vs $30 the local parts store wanted) I started by giving the rotors a quick coat of high heat paint to help protect aga…
Last reply by Justin Bimmer, -
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Though this is occurring to my '06 GMC Envoy, it also occurred on my leased '05 Envoy (dealer fixed under warranty) and I'm sure the equivalent Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Oldsmobile Bravada, Buick Rainier, Saab 9-7, and Isuzu Ascender all suffer from this issue too. The rear doors of my Envoy have rubber weatherstriping around the wheel well curves that come loose, allowing wind noise and air to enter the cabin while driving. Here's what it looks like when it's properly in its place: Here is what it looks like loose and out of place: I'm getting tired of constantly pushing it back in place, only to come loose again. I'm wondering if there is an adhesive that can be r…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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05 model a friend's car.. she called me said it took ~3 times for it to start, seemed like low battery at first... i didn't have a multi meter with me so i don't know about the battery, yet. a quick internet search gave me this http://www.justanswer.com/car/3a6od-2005-mazda-6-turn-no-start-3-4-tank-fuel.html fuel pump problems are common on the 6...?
Last reply by loki, -
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Anyone here use it; and is it really worth the extra change? I'm thinking about switching the Camaros to Royal Purple. I haven't done so yet because of the limited miles they're driven. Royal Purple seems to be geared more towards high stress engines (racing, etc.) than cruisers. Comments?
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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Does anyone know how to locate part numbers for older GM vehicles?
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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So, IIUC, on the last gen Grand Prix, the rubber ducky antenna at the front of the roof is the OnStar, the small truncated sharkfin at the rear roof is the XM antenna and the AM/FM antenna is in the rear window. Has anyone ever had a problem with something breaking/chewing the end of your OnStar antenna off? Today, I was inspecting the car, and it appears something has chewed the end of the antenna off... which is hollow, so water was getting in the car. I'm stumped how this has happened. I know the antenna was whole before. Keep in mind, this car spends all its time in areas with few animals, so I'm at a loss how it happened. I asked Mom if she drive the car rapi…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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You are looking at a two and a half foot wide piece of plastic "chrome" that has been one of the biggest sources of frustration for me in the last five years. The Coles Notes on my tale of woe: The trim applique on the trunk of my 2007 Impala is attached at the factory using six-eight clips into the trunk lid rather than an adhesive glue. As a result the trim is not fastened with equal pressure across the entire part and it vibrates as you drive or when you close the trunk. Unlike the Impala SS models which have painted/clear coated appliques the chrome on the more pedestrian Impala models have a sharp rather than dull lower edge across the bottom which during said v…
Last reply by vonVeezelsnider, -
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Changed out battery on 2008 Impala. Connecting new battery and the air pump comes on and runs for a while then shuts off. I drove car about 20 miles thinking maybe computer has to reset. No luck. With the key off, the pump motor starts to run for about 3 or 4 minutes then shuts off. Fifteen minutes later it start again. Any ideas?
Last reply by tomg, -
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Hey guys, I'm back!! Got a tech question. One of my local shops is getting their butt kicked by this Buick. I haven't seen it mind you, I'm passing on second hand information. He says the control arm shafts thread through the frame and they are having a monster of a time getting them in and out. He asked if there was a special tool or a procedure to do this. Any suggestions?
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Ses light went off today and heat was not working properly. So I checked the coolant and it was quite low. Took it straight to the dealership but service was already closed. Any idea what could have caused sudden coolant loss? Also, would a problem like this be covered under the power train portion of the warranty? I'm just over the 60,000 km bumper to bumper portion.
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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In the last couple months the Malibu has become an absolute fuel hog. Went through the last tank of gas @ about 14-15MPG with about 70/30 City/Hwy. Less than 170 miles last time from full to the fuel light coming on. Absolutely absurd. For comparison in about 60/40 driving I'm pulling 25-27MPG consistently in the 07 Impala. Both have the 3.5L engine and 4 Speed so I don't get it. The last four or five tanks of gas have been progressively getting worse and worse. Can't be bad gas as all our cars are filed at the same Shell station. Injectors and MAF were serviced last summer and I've run thru some of the Techron stuff to no avail. There are no warning lights and th…
Last reply by 67impss, -
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This is not exactly auto related, but I can see some instances where you might want it. I need to make some 7/16ths square holes in some 1/4 steel for carriage bolts on a project I am working on. My current idea was to drill 7/16th holes then use some kind of angled abrasive to notch the corners, but considering I need to do 6-10 of these holes, that could take some serious time. Plus I am no finding abrasives that will really suit my needs. I'm seeing different kinds of square punches online, but I assume these need a 100 ton press or something, and most do not list what thickness they will punch through. If anyone has a good idea, let me know. My backup plan is to…
Last reply by 67impss, -
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Does anyone know where I can find out if a 245/75R16 tire on a 16x7 Cragar Soft 8 rim with 4" rearspacing will fit on a Chevy Colorado Z85 4X4? I've been to the bespoke forums. Thanks.
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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My friend has one with the automatic transmission and he says it is shifting hard. It appears to be a sealed system. Can those be drained by any shop or is that a dealer only thing?
Last reply by fightingbee, -
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I purchased this wonderful GMC hood ornament while at the AACA show last weekend in Hershey, which I'm pegging to be from '58 or '59 and from a heavy duty truck (not the 1/2 ton to 1-ton models). I'd love to get it sandblasted so I can repaint it in the traditional colors of white with red centers (assuming I don't go for rechroming). Would a typical neighborhood body shop offer sandblasting services? Or would I have to find a restoration shop instead? Sorry, forgot to include the picture:
Last reply by GMTruckGuy74, -
problems. 1the fob doesn't always unlock my car first try (this one has had that issue before, replaced battery last month) 2also lost 1 set of keys (fob, ignition, door locks) 3doesn't turn over every time i put the key in and try it. 4, correlation to #3, also resets power to my radio. and runs the radiator fan (briefly) my key is a "chipped" key. questions is i tmost liekly my ignition? (cost of ~$400 for new one) or a controller problem? is there a way to check the "controller"? does the security part of this system shut down all system power other than to the IP when the chip isn't "read" or it's the wrong key? (hence the radio reseting) thanks for t…
Last reply by loki, -
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Well... Any ideas? The car picked up a bad miss in February of this year and I put replacement platinum plugs in. That cured the miss for the most part (it has always had a very slight miss at 14-1500 RPM -- Apparently that is a characteristic of some of the 4.6L cars and something that a lot of people 'live with') Round about May, the ugly miss came back. I added some fuel system cleaner thinking that it couldn't hurt and the miss went away. This weekend, I've been moving so the car has been racking up a lot of interstate miles. Sure enough, today I was getting of the interstate and it's like someone flipped a switch. I added more fuel system cleaner (again; it can't…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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I know that the modern way to align a vehicle involves mounting optical sensors to the wheels and reading the computer screen to tell you how far to adjust the caster/Camber/toe etc, I've done it a hundred times. But how was alignment checked before computers? Toe I can imagine using some sort of metered stick and eyeballing it, but how caster and camber were measured I can't figure out.
Last reply by CMG, -
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Hello, everyone! My 1988 K car's timing belt snapped a few days ago with the car at 104,000 miles. Took it in to have it replaced. (Thank goodness the old 2.2/2.5's are non-interference!) I picked up the car yesterday and it idles fine, but is hesistant, shuddery, and generally non responsive. What would be the most likely culprit here? I plan on taking it back to have it looked at because it is barely drivable as compared to pre-belt break.
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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1999 MC w/3.1L under normal operating conditions and a/c on, the engine will rev to ~1300-1400 rpm if shifted to neutral. when the engine is "cold" this does not happen. is this normal?
Last reply by loki, -
The 2004 Grand Prix GTP has been in the family about 3 years now, and recently it has started belching out an awful, dieselly odor from the HVAC every so often. Its been too intermittent for me to put my finger on the problem, so I'm curious if any other GM owners have come across such a problem. The problem is that the car will just be driving along normally when it happens... not hitting any bumps, turning or braking. We've observed it with the AC on and off, with the Recirc on and off. The smell lasts about 5 seconds and smells remarkably like one drove into a big cloud of diesel smoke. Of course, there is no smoke... or any diesels for miles, usually. I would im…
Last reply by SAmadei,
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