Tech Section
574 topics in this forum
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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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I am thinking about getting a 2001-2002 Impala LS, preferably with under 80K mi. My only concern is, I have heard conflicting stories of reliability with the transmissions, electrical system, and other mechanical issues. Is an Impala from the early 2000's a safe choice?
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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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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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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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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I hadn't driven the Regal for almost 3 weeks because I was on vacation. In a nutshell, over the last few days, the sound coming from the engine sounds kind of "wheezy" or "buzzy." It is a 1992 vintage 3800 V6 with 258,200 miles. It's NOT a clackety/clack noise at all. What it is - it increases with the rpms of the engine What it is not - it is not related to the gears, since it does it in park and neutral A few thoughts: Could it be in the pulley system? A water pump - though these seem to chirp more, having replaced one many moons ago? Also, no temperature change and no coolant drip. A power steering pump? A problem in the compressor? I've used the A/C a…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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Ok, part II, there was a whirring sound coming from the front of the 92 Regal, 3800 V6, with almost 260,000 miles, that changed with the rpms but did not affect drivability nor economy. I had written down stethoscope for athis Saturday morning's errand. No need. (I was intially thinking pulley, alternator, water pump, p/s pump, or even a minute exhaust leak) Today, driving home from the rail station, the low coolant light came on and off. In fact, last night, at Borders, I noticed some drips in front the car, but no temperature issues. No temperature issues today, either, but that can/will change real soon. There is a coolant leak under the water pump area. Tha…
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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I have a '99 Pontiac Bonneville, 145,000 miles. A few months ago, it started having a problem. When I try to start it nothing happens, except that a dash-light reading "Security" comes on. It turns off within minutes, upon which a second attempt at starting may or may not work. This seems to happen randomly. Does anyone have any ideas as to my car's problem? Much Thanks, Jesse
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I was wondering if you guys know how to fix a horn on a 02' sierra. replaced fuse didnt slove problem. When you you lock the car with the remote it beeps but it doesnt when you hit the steering wheel. I haven't worked on a car with a airbag so if you take the steering wheel cover off the airbag wont deploy or anything will it? it dont think it will. Do know what the problem might be or suggestions on fixing it?
Last reply by Bizz, -
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Ok I've officially gone eBay crazy.... I'm looking at everything and anything but with a level head... so no splurges are in the future... just purchases for either better fuel mileage/brakes/ram-air/spoiler delete and minor tweaks to the looks of the car(with taste of course) so i need like 7 dozen nos, type-R, 1,000 HP, V-TEC, Turbo stickers... ok? On a serious note everyone let me know some basics I can/should get that won't bankrupt me and have usefulness/value to them later down the road.
Last reply by BatmanGTO, -
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My Pontiac Grand Prix, irregularly, will stall out when I first start it. If it stalls, it will continue to stall unless I tickle the throttle after starting it. Once it is started I don't have any issues with it. It doesn't happen very often, but often enough to annoy me, and I have no idea where to start. Thanks!
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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I am thinking of buying a used 05 Cadillac CTS with Lux & Sports package what is the difference in the ride and handling with it compared to base model I have driven several of the base models but none with Sports package. I want it sporty but to still ride good. stillen
Last reply by skepticman, -
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I just purchased a 2006 Lucerne CXL with everything (ALMOST)! I have the 6 disk CD player but no XM radio. Is it a possibility that GM might have had the foresight to make this radio upgradable? It has the CAT button for XM radio; when you press it, states XM feature. Can you purchase some type of module to upgrade it to XM without all the add on crap? I am sure it is not, but it would be a great feature for those of us who purchase off the lot and then want to upgrade the radio in the dash to XM because the dealer was not bright enough to order XM on it. If anyone has a recommendation without all the add on's I would appreciate it tremendously. It has the antenna …
Last reply by CARBIZ, -
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Just picked up a preowned 07 Denali XL on the weekend. Arizona vehicle, brought up by a broker into Canada. Speedo just over 46500 km (28000k miles). Did all the checks, Carfax was clean (undetailed) as well as some other reports up here in Canada. Talked to GM Canada, warranty will obviosuly be honored until 60k km's or Decemeber 2010 etc etc. So I saw it, drove it, went ahead with it. Vehicle in great shape, headsets and remote not even used. Little to no rock chips or anything. Had a battery drain issue right away, but that may or may not have been my issue from leaving something on, although it just happened with the vehicle sitting and the wife and I playing with…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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Just acquired an 07 Suburban. It had an aftermarket radio/cd/dvd player installed. It was put in because the previous owner de-installed the previous aftermarket system. As a result, the rear a/c and rear radio do not work (appears no power to rear unit - though the rear heated seats work) and the audio volume controls on the steering wheel do not work. The local chevy dealer looked at it and said that the radio was not communicating to the amp (although the the audio was playing fine in all systems/dvd and indicated that the rear air needed to communicate with the amp/radio in order to work. The dealer recommends reinstalling teh OEM radio. Before we do that, we wa…
Last reply by CanadianBacon94, -
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My aunt drives an 08 Equinox that is nearly out of warranty. The mechanism that holds the fabric of the seat to the frame keeps coming off. This has been a recurring problem that the dealer has fixed several times, and is finally going to replace (on one seat). Is this a typical problem on the first generation Equinox/Torrents? I'm new to these type of things, so if I'm not be specific enough, or it is confusing, let me know and I"ll try to explain better.
Last reply by pow, -
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Hi All, I have been reading through the forum on several topics,and one that really caught my attention was the tranny issues. My 09 GMC has either a 80 or a 90 trans., I do not have my paperwork with me, and I do not remember. Here are my questions. My tranny has a temp moitor and what shold it run and what is the max temp before issues start? I do not know where the reading is taken from,and I assume that would be important too. It has a factory installed cooler and it is in fromt of the radiator on one side and the engine oil cooler is on the other side, I believe. All that came with the trailering package. 2nd question is this,since the trans. comes with Dextr…
Last reply by MPC, -
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in my dads nova's instrument cluster the numbers dashes words whatnot are the white-green color the luminescent type markings. is that correct for a 68? my 69 impala's are the green-white but i was under the impression, as was he, that the lettering and all was supposed to be plain white. can anyone confirm this for me?
Last reply by cletus8269, -
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So...any of you vintage ironheads want to educate a fuel injection guy a little on how to rebuild a carb?
Last reply by Flybrian, -
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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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So yesterday I dropped my beloved Marie (1984 Celebrity wagon) off at the Chevy dealer because she was making a grinding sound as if her brakes had gone bad. Upon inspection they noted that the entire rear drum brakes had fallen apart due to age and cancer. They are unable to locate replacements and at this point she is labeled undriveable. I am friends with the owner of the dealer and have full confidence in them telling me the truth, have had no luck finding the part myself, don't want junk yard parts as they will only have the same problem and love the car to much just to give up on her. Anybody have ideas on how to get new parts for the old car? Maybe converting …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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ok so i have a 1993 chevy 4dr blazer 4x4. i have had the vehicle for a little over a year and when i got the vehicle, the 4wd worked fine. but then i started to have problems with going from 2hi to 4hi. i have an electric switch (not the manual) and for the longest time it was stuck in 4hi. but ive also noticed that it is not engaged in 4wd at all. is there perhaps a bad fuse? a bad transfer case? is it an easy fix? i dont plan on keeping the vehicle much longer, so i dont want to put too much money into it. i do hear it trying to engage sometimes but it never takes. and help would be much appreciated.
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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So, the Buick won't idle or run. I'll fire it up and it'll idle for a split second, then it starts running real rough and usually dies unless I give it more gas. It's almost like it has 'jumped time' but I know that's impossible since it doesn't possess a timing chain. Any ideas? I changed the fuel filter hoping that would be a cheap and easy fix. I know it probably needs a set of plugs and wires but I don't think that alone would cause it to completely crap out. Other thoughts I've had: 1) fuel pump (But the fuel pump sounds fine) 2) catalytic converter 3) O2 sensor (It has been flashing a code since we bought it.) 4) EGR valve (If I'm not mistaken, this will ca…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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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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I just failed my emissions testing in a 1996 Cutlass. This was caused by a replaced battery that same morning. I was told I need to find out what the drive cycle is so it can reset the monitors to "ready". Does anyone know what the drive cycle is?
Last reply by 2005 EquinoxLS, -
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Are the parts still available through GM to turn a regular third gen Camaro Z-28 into a 1LE clone? I've seen a few third gen Z cars in decent shape at decent prices, and am still thinking about buying one. Anyone know about the aluminium driveshaft, etc, for the conversion? Chris
Last reply by A Horse With No Name, -
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poor little buggers been runnin pretty poor lately... it starts up... but idle is rough, when you floor it it lags considerably and power comes in jolts until it begins to smooth out... any ideas?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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I have a 1987 firebird with a 2.8L v6. I was running lean and ended up puttng a hole in a piston. i took that engine out and was looking for a 350 but im still going to college and i dont have the time or money right now to change motor mounts, tranny, rear end, and change over to carburated. so i picked up another 2.8L off ebay just so i can get it back on the road and guy said it ran when he took it out only has 20K miles on it. but i got it home and started moving stuff. Thats when I noticed i can pretty much crank it over by hand. So I guess my question would be is that normal? i know how to do a compression test on a motor that is in the car cuz you just tur…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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People with experience on Cavaliers. I have a friend coming over on friday who got a ticket for his license plate lights being out. He says he changed the bulbs already. I assume fuse would be the next thing, but that other stuff should be out too. What else should I check?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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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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2001 Oldsmobile Alero with 3.4 v6 4 speed auto Car will turnover but will not fire, does not occur all the time, but intermitently. So some does it starts up just fine but on others it won't start at all.
Last reply by ddienster, -
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I have a 2002 GMC Envoy and it looses power randomly between 1/2 and 1/4 tank full. Can only maintain 25 MPH. If you push on the gas pedal it has no power and will slow down more. If you fill it up with gas it runs fine. Mostly have problems on the highway at constant speed but is not repeatable and does not happen on every tank full. Dealer replaced the O2 sensor but still having the same problem. They can't figure it out. Anyone have this same problem? Thanks!
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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Anyone ever heard of this? A friend of mine is having this problem. He couldn't get the car into park, he muscled the button in and got it into park and now he can't get it back out of park. Something is obviously broken but has anyone experienced this and do you know a work around so he can drive the thing to the dealer?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Well, this might be pointless to post right now, because I don't have much information, as this isn't my car. My boyfriends car just broke down on him, and from what he told me and the 5 minutes of research I just did, it kind of sounds like a fuel pump - which seems to be a common issue on the Cavalier? Anyone familiar with this particular problem, or know what is involved in replacing it, or if there are any tests I could do to make sure that is the actual problem, and not something else? He pulled into the driveway, and the next day he went to start it and nothing happened. He said he turns the key and it doesn't crank at all, let alone turn over. He thought the b…
Last reply by Mike The Canadian, -
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had an odd message come up on my display last night on my colorado. unlocked the doors and hopped in the drivers seat and the display said "RSA1" or "RFA1" i cant exactly remember which. i started it up and the code went away. turned off the engine and turned the switch but it wouldnt pull it back up. anyone have any idea what it is or has it happened to anyone else?
Last reply by cletus8269, -
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This morning I got in my 2004 CTS and the left turn signal indicator on the dash remained lit while the headlights were on. If I turned the headlights off the indicator light turned off. If I used the left turn signal the light would blink at double speed. I havent checked all the bulbs yet but I am hoping it means I have a light out. Any insights?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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can anyone find any good set-ups for ram air? or at least a better filter set-up also i need a skip shift eliminator... slp's website the best for that or should i just get it from the cheapest place?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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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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Does this car have one of the plastic gaskets or is it the newer redesigned type?
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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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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Hey guys, Just got an 05 Allure (Lacrosse) about 2 weeks ago. Got it for a good price and its absolutely mint inside and out, only about 30k on it, 1 owner (non-fleet/rental). Anyway, I'm starting to get used to the car, but it has an annoying behavior and I'm trying to figure out if its a problem or not. Need some input from people with experience with the 4t65e/Lacrosse. Is it normal for shifts to be inconsistent in feel? I've been noticing that you can never predict how the shift is going to feel when I am driving around town, mainly the 1-2 shift. Basically, sometimes I will be accelerating from a light, moderate throttle, and it will shift nice and quick with b…
Last reply by Whistler, -
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My dad owns a 2006 Pontiac G6 Sedan with the 3.5L V6 engine and 4-speed auto. The car has 51k miles on it and it has developed a noise in the left front wheel. The auto shop teacher did me a favor and took it for a spin and listened to the noise on both the drive and in the shop while on the lift. The noise only comes from the left front wheel and usually starts once the car exceeds 30 MPH (it stops when the wheel stops spinning). The auto shop teacher feels it is likely something in the transaxle, but said it could be a wheel bearing is shot (though that's not his most likely scenario). Is anyone familar with G6s, or even Malibus, of this age and this issue? It's…
Last reply by XP715, -
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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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Hey guys, Do you know if it is possible to add steering wheel-mounted audio controls to the new body style 2007 Chevy Silverado without the convenience package because I am looking at at truck that doesn't have it equipped. This doesn't bother me other than the fact it doesn't have steering wheel audio controls. If I happened to get my hands on the audio control module that goes onto the side of the steering wheel, can I just plug it in? Sometime on these sorts of things the wiring is all in place, they just don't give you the actual module without the proper package. Is this the case with steering wheel-mounted audio controls? I am looking at a LT1 Crew Cab if tha…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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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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I actually haven't been on here in a VERY long time. I hope everyone is doing well. Well, my 08 Vue is two years old and has about 36000 miles on it now and for a while I've been hearing this slightly annoying rattle coming from the passenger side of the dash. It sounds like its on the inside, but I'm not sure. I can only hear it with the radio off and going over bumpy or worn out streets or gravel like pavement. When the surface is smooth, the rattle instantly stops. I almost want to say it's the glove box or even the front seat, but I don't think it's either one of those, because if I press on the glove box or hold the seat steady, it still rattles. It's really …
Last reply by gmcbob, -
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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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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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Since my car has been sitting amongst banged up cars in the dealership's body shop, I've been driving the 2006 "Rubbermaid Rattletrap" Malibu Maxx which my mom generally drives. I've noticed over the last week that the engine is acting kind of odd. When the engine is in idle (warm or cold engine) in any gear it's been tending to idle funny. You can feel the whole engine pulsing through the seat, the floorpan etc. Definitely not a serious miss, but certainly abnormal enough that you notice it right away. The engine doesn't sound too much different so from the outside it's almost imperceptible. One thing of note is that when the pulsing is happening the tach needle is…
Last reply by Mike The Canadian, -
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I've been seeing that some folks have had problems with their 3.6HF engines in the outlook and stuff. Possibly problems with the crank or camshafts. What does anyone know on this?
Last reply by regfootball, -
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Hi All, I'm posting this on behalf of my friend who owns a Naturally Aspirated 3800 Series II 1996 Oldsmobile Eighty Eight LS with about 175K Kms (108K Miles) and he says that when he comes to a complete stop at a stoplight and sits there in gear, the engine starts shaking real violently and the check engine light comes on. I haven't had the opportunity to witness the problem first hand but he's described it in this way... He's taking the car into an indie mechanic but I know that alot of you guys have 3800 H-Bodies and I was wondering if you can give any insight. He says he's gonna turf the car in favour of a LeSabre or Park Avenue if the cost of the repairs are an…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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Assuming that fairly regular maintainance was performed, how long can/will the 3100 V6 run? Is 200k miles unrealistic? Thanks in advance
Last reply by NDL, -
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I'm quickly approaching 100K miles. I was planning to do spark plugs and wires at 100k. First off, that is when I'm supposed to do them right? Second, any good suggestions for reaching those plugs on the back bank? Any other preventative maintenance things that should be getting done around 100k? Thanks everyone!
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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I've always had this replaced at a tune up. This time around, I bought the $ 3.49 item. There is a label on the shroud that says PCV valve, so I pulled off the shroud cover. With the intake manifold exposed, I do NOT see where the spot for the PCV valve is located. Do any of you guys know where this is on the transversely mounted 3800 V6?
Last reply by trinacriabob, -
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I used a K&N air filter in my previous ride, the leased 2006 Lacrosse, from 2,000 miles to 35,000 miles. During this time I cleaned it several times and it performed fine. I did not experience the parade of horribles others forewarned - such as messing up the MAP sensor. I think I did a pretty good job of oiling the filter right, without exceeding what was required of a recharge. It seemed to me that the car got better mileage with the filter in. Should I get one for my new ride? It has 3,500 miles on it now and I am thinking whether I should K&N or not.
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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A 95 Camaro that is with the 3.4L V6. I was wondering if anyone had some tips to change the plugs. and wires. The owner is thinking of replacing Coilpack too. which i dont think is needed. The right side is easy but the left side might be done best i think if I take the Alternator off and some pointless emission crap off to.
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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I have a 03 Silverado with Autotrac and the front axles will not engauge in auto 4x4, 4hi, or 4lo. I can hear the tranfer case shift, and it does sound much louder then my friends Silverados, so not sure if I should be able to hear it that loud. I do have 92,000 miles on this rig. Any thoughts or know problems with this system? I did un-hook the battery and hook it back up, plus check the 4x4 fuse under the hood. I hope it is nothing expensive.
Last reply by Silverado03, -
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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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yet perceptions persist... http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/01/18/nothing-new-7-modern-car-technologies-actually-100-years-old/?refer=news
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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I want to get my sister a lil gift for her bird, I cant afford all that much, so I was thinkin about some speakers. Right now she has to wear headphones when shes in it. Anyway I was looking in the trunk and saw that its got 6x9's in the rear, and www.sounddomain.com says that it should have 4x10's in the dash, but I dont see where their at. Was it like an option to have dash speakers? Does anyone have anything similar, camaro etc. that you could like snap a photo of so I know exactly where they are. Its kind of hard to sneek into her car to check it out. Thanks a million!
Last reply by 2005 EquinoxLS, -
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My sister has a 76 Firebird she would like to fix up, its got a 400ci motor, I think it would be good to set it up with fuel injection, should be more streetable, better fuel economy and the fact its going to be different from what everyone else would go with. Any suggestions as to what vendor to go with? I looked at Holley, I didnt see a kit for a pontiac, would a chevy sb kit work? So much I dont know about this stuff I guess. Thanks
Last reply by balthazar, -
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Hi CHEVY people, I am tryin to change brakes , rotors and pads from 1986 caprice ( wagon ) onto 1988 caprice classic ( 4 door) my dilema is ... both cars are 15 in. but not to long ago I tried to take the rims off the 86 to put on the 88 , tire wouldn't fit ( not far off , but enuff ) I measured the rotor so I'm wondering will this work cause the lady has no funds , wagon is being used for PARTS PLEASE HELP
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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I just got a set of Euro tailights for my 88 GMC for Christmas and I was wondering? I noticed that in the passenger side light two bulbs light up for the tailights but on the driver side only one bulb lights up? All the brake lights work and everything its just that it has this problem. My buddy has an 89 GMC and his lights do the same thing and they do it on the exact same side? Does anyone know why its like that or know how to fix it??? Thanks
Last reply by Daryl Z71, -
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So, my friends just recently bought a MC-5 from a church and it has an 8V-71 in it. There were able to drive it to storage and then drive it around a bit, but now the bus will start and then it will blow lots of smoke and wont go past 900 RPM. I don't know yet what color the smoke is or how long the bus sat without the motor being ran, but I from what I know so far, I don't think this is good news at all. Anybody have any knowledge on this or know where I can go for answers?
Last reply by occupant, -
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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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Hello, My housemate has a 92 Skylark (3300) that stalls when the car is up to temp, coming to a stop. At first I thought it could be a bad ignition control module so I replaced that today. I thought at first it was the IAC valve, but that would happen even in neutral. We'll see if the ICM fixes it, but I was wondering if anyone has any other thoughts on the issue. Also, his service engine soon light is on. Is there a way I can check the codes myself without having to go to the parts store? Is there somewhere I can jump the connections so the codes flash back at me? TIA!
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Hi guys. I have a 1994 Buick Park Avenue 3.8L First Series. The car had been sitting in the drive way for a year and hadn't been turned on. About a month ago I bought it out of retirement. It needed a new tire and a new battery and that was it. Started right up. I got the oil changed, put some STP in the gas tank and filled the tank up. I got the oil changed 2 weeks ago. I was running an errand today and it started making this terrible knocking noise. The dashboard said there was so NO oil at all in the engine. I pulled over and checked the oil and it was full. I drove it back home since I was about 5 mins away. Now the car won't even start. My neighbors insist its an oil…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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Before the winter my drivers side fog light kept cutting out and and after I've replaced bulb after bulb I finally looked at the harness and come to find out the plug was rusted over and wet. Even after lightly sanding off the rust (that I could) and drying it out, I'm still loosing bulbs. Anyone know the part# for gmpartsdirect.com for this particular part? I've tried looking on there and can't find it so I'm not even sure what the proper name is. Also, anyone know where the wire leads up to before I go under my car and attempt to trace it back? Thanks in advance.
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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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So I today I decided to check the fluids in all the cars and I noticed the Intrepid needs oil (no surprise from what I've been reading). Anyway, I went out and bought some oil for it, but now I'm wondering what's in there: synthetic or natural oil? How can I tell the difference? It's possible the last owner switched it to synthetic oil to avoid sludge buildup the 2.7L is so notorious for. I'm pretty sure bad things would happen if I pured regular oil in and it had synthetic inside already. Help would be appreciated! (especially so I can get it done tonight). Also, when it comes time to change the oil, and after the engine has been steam cleaned (because oil was found on…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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any help i could pass long to him? TIA
Last reply by loki, -
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Ok, I;ve been thinking (watch out! :AH-HA_wink: ) I'm getting ready to switch oils in the Cobalt. The Balt has been running Quaker State dino up till now. But I think it's time for an upgrade. I would like to drop Mobil 1 in, but since I didn't break the car in (and guessing not easy either), and the milage (around 40k), I don't want to deal with the hassles of going full Syn..... So I have decided to go with a syn blend- either Valvoline Durablend or Castrol Snytec Blend. I wanted to know what you guy/gals thought....which brand do you use? And if so, do you like it? Right now, the Balt does mostly city driving, hence my reason for more protection... Th…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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Real quick: There should be a gasket where a master cylinder meets the firewall on a car such as my Cutlass, correct? Today I got a new master cylinder, the root of all of my brake woes, and the leak is still there. When I removed the old master cylinder, there wasn't any gasket in the area I've described, so I'm leaning towards no as being the answer to my question, but I still have some cause to think a gasket might go there.
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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How much excess oil does it take to float the valves in a small block Chevy? I added a bit too much oil to my '68 Camaro (1/2 quart) and while I was draining it, I got to thinking; how much is too much? Would a half a quart over be enough to float the valves or would it have to be significantly more?
Last reply by CMG, -
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I have a quick question. Every now and then I get a metallic grinding sound from the engine (3100 V6). It came back yesterday, and its really loud/not going away. Engine runs great, and damn near perfect. I noticed that the AC compressor wheel is spinning properly, but the outer wheel part moves a bit (er, spins kinda, in steps). Im guessing thats the problem? It sounds like the one in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBiQNgQUJlI That person says AC clutch bearing going bad. Is that what might be happening to mine? Is it safe to keep driving with this issue, or can this eventually seize and screw over the belt? http://www.aa1car.com/library/200…
Last reply by !!!TED!!!, -
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I was talking to Sixty8 today, and mentioned that I'd like to start up the `69 and move it out of the garage. The problem is that the car hasn't run in 2 years...the last time it was driven was in the fall of `05. Since then it's been in the garage (at least it's level). There is a concern I have...I remember their being a fluid leak...however I can't remember if it antifreeze or something else. If it is antifreeze I'm worried the block may have cracked during one of the winters. So I have a few questions Does anyone know how to pop the hood on a `69 Barracuda? I've done it before but it was a while ago...and I remember it being a pain...but I forget what to do. When…
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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^^^ She is not running cold any more. The AC seems hotter than hot FL weather. As far as the documentations show, the AC system is a closed one and before adding freon one has to make sure that there are no apparent leaks. Any quick way to fix the AC hotness without breaking the bank?
Last reply by SAmadei, -
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My Fusion's airbag light came on today. I wont be able to get it into the dealership until Monday at the earliest, anybody have any insight in this? Should I quit driving the car until I can get it looked at ir anything? I figure that the worst case scenario is that the airbag wont deploy in a crash, since I always wear my seatbelt I'm not uber-paranoid.
Last reply by Satty, -
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airbags are a tremendous advancement in car safety, no doubt about it--unless your under 12 and not blah blah my question...if you wear glasses or smoke what happens then? i know, im sure yourre better off not going through the windshield but has anybody ever heard of or know what the consequences of either of those things would be? im not really sure if this is tech, per se...so feel free to move it, but id really like to know. thanks
Last reply by Intrepidation, -
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For about the last month or so, I have gotten a vibration in my front left tire/wheel at speeds above 60 or so. It is when the wheel is centered and I am going down the freeway. If I move the steering wheel to the left or the right just a hair, it goes away. I'm thinking it's the alignment. It's a W-body Regal coupe. This morning, I got my on-schedule Costco tire rotation and balancing. It didn't help much, so it's probably not the balancing. Is it probably the alignment? I had front brakes done a month ago...it's FWD...is there anything in a caliper or anything in the front axle that could cause a vibration at higher speeds? Lastly, could it be something else li…
Last reply by 76ChevyTrucker, -
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I have an 89' cavalier 2.0 that I race at the local speedway and I need more hp. I can't use a turbo so what can I do to the most hp possible out of this engine?
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Ok, so we had the Honda CR-V in the back yard over the weekend. It was a slight upward incline, on slightly wet grass. I tried to move the car a bit further up and instead of crawling up the hill, I just spun the front tires.. the rear never engaged. I tried backing and pulling forward. I reached the same spot with the same result, forward tires spinning, no motion from the rears. Zero unusual noises. Am I not getting something about all wheel drive? Did Honda not understand the concept? Or is it going to the dealer service department next week?
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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My dad has a 2004 Silverado 1500 Z85 with the heavy duty towing package. as such his 1500 has the allison transmission under it (which is totally awesome in my opinion) however, his confidence in his truck has really been shook as of late what with his truck having the steering pin rattle and all. he has replaced that once already and is getting ready to do some engineering work on that so that the grease draining out will no longer be a problem. thats another story. the biggie is that the allison transmission began slipping last week and it has now reached a point friday to where he has parked the truck and is in the process of sending it to the shop to be worked on. Guy…
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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Alright, ever since I had my Millenia, it idled a bit rough as the engine seemed to miss. However, once moving and pressing the accelerator, it stopped and ran perfectly. Well, every once in a while it would suddenly run as if a spark plug was bad. It would bog down, but still be driveable, barely. Then it'd suddenly stop. I thought maybe the fuel injectors were dirty and possibly clogged so I tried some of that STP fuel addictive made for that. No real effect. Lately, I tried changing the spark plugs to some Bosch Platinum 2s. Still no real effect on any of them, but luckilly it has yet to get into one of its bogging down fits. The missing is getting worse, however. It n…
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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I was wondering if you had an all aluminum block, heads, headers, raditor, valve covers, and intake. ect. could you get it anodized in lets say burgendy and not have any issues of it changing color chipping or fadding due to stress or heat? I was thinking of ideas for the caprice again and its possible future. 350 all in anodized aluminum in the same color as the paint.
Last reply by Sixty8panther, -
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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After 30 years, the grease and grime has finally caught up with it. There are no physical restrictions from it extending all the way up or all the way down, but it's pretty gross at the seams. Dealing with these things can be a chore, but when they're properly lubricated they work well. What do I clean it with and what do I relubricate it with? .... what?... what did you think I was talking about?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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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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I just did some major brake work on my '86 Pontiac Parisienne -- new calipers, new stainless steel lines, new flex hoses, new proportioning valve and new wheel cylinders. The problem is that I can't get the brakes to bleed properly. I am not getting significant amounts of air out of any of the bleeder valves at the wheels anymore (I got lots of air at first as expected, then clear fluid), but when the car is running, the pedal is mushy and the BRAKE light flickers. The booster motor cycles at every brake apply, when it is supposed to cycle every 3-5 applies. These are the electrically boosted brakes with the big booster motor that sits below the master cylider --…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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I ask because I WANT these but the owner doesn't remember what kind they were (they came with the car, he sold them sooner after and regrets it).
Last reply by gm4life, -
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I need a rear for the '92 K-Blazer and I'm fairly sure that I found the right one (from a Tahoe). But I'd like to be sure.
Last reply by Camino LS6, -
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I'm buying this truck tomorrow and I want to know what it can pull. It's got a Class III or IV receiver on the back, no trailer brake controller (I'll get one), 350 4bbl V8, 700R4 trans, and I assume the stock 3.73 axle. 3/4 ton, 4x4, what can it do?
Last reply by occupant, -
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Seems Costco is now a Mac retailer. ?
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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How the f**k do you remove it? The Legacy has been Armor All'd sometime in the past and I've been having a hell of a time trying to remove the shine. The automotive interior cleaners and similar protectant sprays with a 'matte' finish do nothing to actually remove that god-awful stuff. Any solutions that won't have negative effects to the interior materials?
Last reply by Cory Wolfe, -
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Not really sure what's going on. The car is a 2006 Sonata GLS V6. It has automatic lights. When set to auto, at dusk the lights go on. However, when you shut the car off, only the headlights go off... the parking lamps and all interior lights/gauges stay on. They're not supposed to--at least for the first four years of car ownership they never did. What makes matters worse is, if you turn the stalk to shut the lights off manually, they rarely turn off. I've had to at times toggle between on/off 4-5 times before the lights would actually shut. Again, the headlights ALWAYS go off, but the parking/interior lights frequently stay on. I've tried leaving the lights in …
Last reply by Paolino, -
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I have a 2007 Chevy Silverado Classic and while cleaning the dash the auto headlight sensor fell into the dash. Is there a way to get it back into position. Looking at the hole it is a simple quarter turn twist to hold it in place so it must have been twisted the wrong direction. I don't think it is broken just down in the hole.
Last reply by gmpartsgirl, -
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How hard is it to switch a 4th gen V6 F Body from autotrajic to row your own? Think we all know where this is going... Also...how weak are the rear ends on these cars? What other common failure points do they have? Chris
Last reply by Z-06, -
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Has anyone else noticed the side to side shimmy that all the B-bodys from the 80s clear up through the 90s seem to exibit when going over small bumps at low speed? Years ago I had an '83 Caprice and noticed it. My buddy's 94 Roadsmasher does it too. It seems to be unique to this particular platform.
Last reply by rkmdogs, -
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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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Usually being the techish guy, I like to make sure things get done.... Before the little bundle of joy gets here in late spring/early summer, I am planning to get a bunch of work/updates on her car so there should (I said should) be any surprises afterward (at least for a good while) She still has the Delco in her car, which will be five years in the spring. Should I think about reaplacing it before then? It's been good so far.... If it was my car, I would just wait until it dies...... But when you have a baby in there, that is not a surprise that you want............ What do you guys think? Wait a while? Just do it?
Last reply by daves87rs, -
