Tech Section

New to the board. 16 years old. Just bought a beater 1977 Monte Carlo to have fun in for my 1st car. Now, question. Seems to run strong, but how do I know that the plug wires from the distrubitor are on the correct plug. I checked for some numbering, but with no luck. I just want to be sure. Thanks.

A friend of mine has a mishap in his '98 LeSabre yesterday. He hit one of those rectangular yellow reflectors you see along the side of the road with the right-hand mirror, which only scraped the paint a little bit, but the glass cracked and a strip of it fell off in the middle. The glass is also not supported at the top anymore, so it's like it's stuck pointing down. I wouldn't call myself a mechanic, but I can even tell that he needs a new mirror. So, the question is, does anyone know how to remove the mirror off of a '90s H-body? It's not power-adjustable and I don't believe it's heated, which makes me think it would just pop out if you stuck a thin tool between it a…

I know I read somewhere about computerized transmissions that incorporated some degree of 'learning' capability, where periods of consistent driving styles (say; aggressive throttle) could move shift points to a degree. I had thought this was told to me WRT my '94 Ford's EOA trans, but that certainly could be wrong. Reason I am wondering is, lately I have been driving my wife ex-'03 GP 3.1L about once a week. In that gas is cheaper and it gets about 23, whereas my diesel 2500HD gets around 16, it's decent for whipping around/ taxi-ing. I don't think she's driven it since she got her Malibu in Aug of '09; it's been me 97% of the time (my son the other 3%... maybe). I'…

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?

I've noticed in the parking garage of the new building I live in, that I squeal my tires almost every time I turn a corner. The floors are concrete. I'm not going fast enough to actually slide the tires, probably about 10 mph. They're tight 90 deg corners, so I probably have to turn the wheel about 270 deg to make them. Right at the point where I have the wheel turned the most, just before I start unwinding it to go straight again, I will hear a squeak from the tires, I believe the outside one. I'm not giving it any gas in these corners, and I'm usually either just above idle in 1st or idling in 2nd, depending on how fast I'm driving that day. I have a 2005 Cobalt man…

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!

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…

Well, the Cobalt is switched over... Put Mobil 1 in last night....not bad. Got a bit more pep...though I haven't driven enough to see if the operating temp is cooler....

i really want to put a fully functional ram air system on my 04 monte... i was just wondering if anyone knew what kind of horsepower gain i should expect... i plan to get an SLP cold air box with ram air option and a single scoop ram air hood... also does anyone know any other thing i can do to get lots of horse for relatively cheap? i know the ram air stuff will run me about 700 for the hood and 120 for the cold air box... so any other mods for under 1500 would be good thanks alot

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.

I noticed this recently. When I operate the power door lock switch, all the lights (dome, reading, dashboard) will all of a sudden dim a little for a second. Interesting is that it doesn't do it when cranking the engine, whereas my Cavalier does, as with many other cars. Is this normal or an electrical problem? I didn't seem to notice this on my Cavalier when operating its power locks.

So, on the Cutlass, I notice that it idles faster than what I would think it should. Having no tach, I can't be sure, but it sounds like it's idling between 1.5k and 2k RPMs. As well, when you shut it off, it continues to try to run. I've read that a fast idle can cause that. Does anyone know how the idle can be adjusted? Or any other causes for it to continue to run like that? Any help is appreciated.

Some problems on our cars I thought I'd ask about... The first is on my Granddad's 2007 Impala LS (Optioned out just like ours except it's black). (as he describes it to me) When the car is warmed up and has been running for a bit, and the air conditioner is off, there is a a Rotten Egg smell coming through the vents with the air. When the air conditioner is on (recirc) or when the fan is off, the smell isn't there. The next few are on my G5: -When the car is off for a bit the gauges have a tendency to move up and down all by themselves for a while every once in a while. The best way to describe it is that the gauges are having siezures. -The car makes a b…

Ok I currently have a 1996 GMC Sierra ext. cab 2WD. My tires suck and I recently got a set of lightly used 31x10.5R15 tires and am wondering if I can stick these on the stock wheels...will they rub? What is the largest size tire I can put on the truck?

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.

I know there are a lot of smart people on the board so I am enlisting your help. My Regal, 1992, with the above transaxle (no electronic control ... that came the following year). Under a cruise type of throttle, it will exhibit a shudder between 3rd gear and overdrive at a speed of about 50 mph....when it tends to hunt betwen 3rd and 4th anyway. OK, the car does have 222,000 original miles. The trans has been serviced every 20,000 miles and it is mostly freeway driving. Shifts from 1 to 2 and 2 to 3 are virtually flawless and so are most 3-4 shifts when under moderate acceleration. When it does do this little act (it's been going on for a couple of months), pressin…

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…

Less than three years ago, I had a pressure control solenoid installed in the transmission on my 2000 Century. It cured a intermittent hard shifting problem and whine when starting out from a stop. I could usually stop this problem if I turned off the ignition for a few seconds but this became diffcult in stop and go traffic. The problem is coming back, about once or twice a week. Is this a known problem? Is there a TSB? Should GM help pay for repair because the same part has to be replaced?

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?

i have a 00 grand prix and when the wheel is cut all the way left there is an horrendous rubbing/scraping kind of noise coming from the right front. its most noticeable from a stopped position, as say pulling out of a parking space. it rides great and handles fine any ideas??.

So I drove the Cobalt out this morning to run some errands for my Grandmother and all was well with the car, then this evening I ran out to get some pizza and as I pulled onto the expressway the car started shaking badly above about 60kph (40mph for the Yanks). At first I thought I had a flat tire so I pulled off at the next exit and examined the car, checked the tire pressure as well as the rims and nothing seemed out of place. There's no snow/ice in the wheel wells making contact with any of the wheels either. I got on the expressway again and it started again at the same speed. At first I thought it could be the road surface but I'd driven on the same road three ti…

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).

I figured I would tap the minds of some of the most automotively intelligent people I know for this. I am trying to help my brother find a pair of doors for his 78 T/A that he's in the process of restoring. Would anyone be able to help me point him somewhere? He said he's looked on e-bay and carparts.com and all he can find are the skins. He needs the whole door - frame and all. I appreciate any help you could give me.

Can you just cut the liner and spray that liner adhesive in there or is it harder than that? I was think of removing the light on the top and cutting the hole ther and spray that stuff in then level it and put the exces material under the light and call it done. Does that sound right? Or is there another way? Advice Please?

I was wondering what engine I can go with if i keep my stock transmission. I have the olds 307 right now. I was thinking about the supercharged 3.8L v6 off gm parts direct. I'm pretty sure my trans can't handle that though. Anyone have any good ideas, I'm still open to what engine combo I will use. I would just get another 307 but I really wanted more miles per gallon. Also what transmissions would look good to put in for different engine combos?

Glad I found you guys on here! This is my first post on the site, I hope it helps! I'm looking at ordering a new 2008 GMC 2500 HD. I am in the construction buisness and my Yukon is just not cutting it anymore. I have some questions that when I ask the local dealer, I'm not so sure they really know what they're talking about, hopefully someone on here does. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Is the 6.0L V8 available in the HD with Active Fuel management? IF so, how do I spec it on my order? Why does the trailering capacity drop almost 3000lbs when you select 3.73 gears vs 4.10 in the gas motor? I want the better economy of the 3.73 rear end, but don't know i…

Anyone ever try adding pure acetone into their gas? Two to three ounces per 10 gallons is supposed to increase mpg, improve combustion and performance without harming the engine or seals. It makes sense on the surface but am still a wee bit skeptical. (No, I'm not Scottish.) I understand that oil companies can make better blends that would benefit economy. Adding acetone is also supposed to burn cleaner and eliminate blackened tailpipes. As far as efficiency is concerned it makes you wonder why they add ethanol in some pumps because it doesn't exactly aid combustion Anyway, I'm not an expert on this and not one to buy into this $h! just becau…

All right boys and girls... I know I'm normally the one with all the answers when it comes to Technical questions and How-to's, but this time, I've got one for y'all. 2001 Chevrolet Impala LS 9C1, I've got properly working DRLs (Daytime Running Lights), I've got my high-beams working, I've got my parking lights, but I've got NO low-beam headlights. Doesn't matter if I let the auto-light system work, or if I pull the headlight switch itself on. No blown fuses, no non-functional relays. Although there is a "headlamp relay" shown on the driver's side fuse panel in the side of the dash on the car, but I have yet to find that fuse. I'm wondering if that's where the probl…

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…

So I got the car on Friday. It was a one owner, kept in garage, regular service....etc. 120 K Miles. Last night, driving home from work , I was taking the freeway. I got it up to 70 and was cruising on home. Slowed down to 60 when I hit some traffic and I just coasted there when I noticed a slight jerk. I looked over at the RPM's to see what was going on and went back to 60. What I noticed is when I get it right at 60 and let it coast there at 2K RPM, It will jerk ever so slightly, and the RPM's will jump. Not constant, just intermittent. It does it when going up hills as well, a little more constant. I can't describe it any better. I drove it out last night again tr…

So the last two times I've fueled up my truck it will lag out for a second when accelerating after being stopped at a stoplight. The first time it did it it was about 15 miles after I had filled up and lagged at two stoplights one right after another then was fine until the next fill up. This last time it did it about 20 miles after filling up and lagged out at three stops one right after another then was fine. I just replaced the fuel filter about 2,000 miles ago. Anyone think it could already be clogged or do you think my fuel injectors or fuel pump is bad?

Okay, I'm getting tired of this. It looks like the 3rd car it going to need tires..not because of milage, but because of of rot. And since I just replaced TWO full sets of tires already (big $$), I've had to look at my options... While I'm not usually a fan of private tires...I looked at a set of National Finalist (60 bucks each, mounted on all) I was actually impressed by them...they reminded me of Cooper tires...50k warranty... I've heard all the horror stories of those "cheap" tires....but my coworkers are running Republic, and Sunny tires, with no issues at all..... And I take good care of my tires, and because of my wide size ( 195/70/14), there really is…

Hey guys, I need some help from the resident experts! I'm trying to gather info on a potential cylinder head swap taking the GMC Acadia's higher-flowing cylinder heads and using them in a 2007 G6 GTP. They will be ported also. What I really need is info on the differences between the two engines, whether it is just the heads and gaskets I need to replace, or whether there are differences in valves/manifolds that will send the price of this swap skyrocketing more than it already is. I'm hoping I just need to put the new heads and gaskets in and the rest will be compatible, that is what the small amount of info I have been able to gather thus far is saying. What I could r…

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…

Just picked up a poweraid spacer (cheap) for my 2001 Sierra 5.3l. As the installation goes I need to adjust throttle cable. There are 2 cables attached at that point....any ideas?

Hi All, just a quick question - I own a 1999 Silverado Extended Cab LT which is equipped with power heated side mirrors. The other night I parked on a street in atown I was visiting and when I pulled my mirror in toward the window to prevent someone from inadvertantly snapping it off... it snapped off. It is still attached, but the rotating mechanism has come apart and I had to tape the thing in place. Great. So My question is this: Has anyone here experienced the same thing on their Silverado? If so, is it repairable or do I really need to shell out for a new mirror? Is the replacement fairly easy or do I also need to pay high labour costs to install? Thanks - …

I posted this on a Mopar forum but haven't gotten a response. Maybe someone here knows the trick. Basically i want to swap out my black plastic door handles for chrome ones. I've wanted to for a while, but never knew how to do it. I'm told that the pin has to be removed to do this, but don't know how to remove said pin.

^^^ 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?

I have a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu MAXX LS and I would like to use my MP3 player in the car. I have never been satisfied with FM transmitters. I noticed that a bunch of the newer GM cars have a radio with an auxiliary in port on the front that would allow me to plug in my mp3 player and not have to deal with the lousy FM quality sound. I'm wondering if I were to buy the radio from something like an 06' Impala or 07' Tahoe if I'd be able to have it installed in my car and have everything work. As you all know, the radio in the Malibu handles a lot of the car's readouts, such as oil life, gas mileage and so forth. I want to make sure I don't lose those. I compared pictures…

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

So the other day I noticed that the Prizm's blower motor kept changing it's speed despite being always set tof ull. It would slowly build up to normal speed, then go back down to a lower speed, then go back up. This would happen over a couple minutes, not like every few seconds. Because it works I'm not that worried...just curious if anyone might know why. Of greater concern is the speedometer, which stopped working a few days ago as well. Then it started working again....then didn't. Tonight on the highway It would work, then drop down to zero, then a few minutes later jump back up to the correct speed. If the unit itself going or could it be something else?

anyone have any thoughts on what is good and what is bad? one time dealer goo or aftermarket annual spray?

:( Hope someone can help! We have a 1998 9000 cse with intermittent power lock issues. The key will always unlock the driver's door, but off and on the other doors will not lock or unlock with the drivers door or the console power lock. I have opened up the drivers door today (dismantled completely) and I found that the lock actuator clicks and 'bulges' slightly when the console lock is pressed, but it does not move the lock. Has anyone had these problems? Thank you for any help

Yesteray, I bought myself a cassette deck adapter so I could listen to my iPod in my Intrigue. When I went to try it out this afternoon, I inserted it into the cassette slot and "TAPE ^" appeared on the screen. But about maybe 5 seconds later, the deck ejected the cassette, then drew it back in. It repeated this eject/accept process three more times before finally rejecting the adapter and displaying an "E13" code on the screen. To be sure, I tried the adapter in the stereo that I have in my room; it works fine. I realize this will entail a trip to the dealer to be sorted out, but I was wondering if anyone here knew what the radio error codes mean...maybe even estimate a …

As you may have read in my thread in the lounge, I'm looking at purchasing a 1994 Fleetwood which has been sitting for about a year and a half without being driven. I'm concerned that despite a proper inspection and whatnot that this could bite me on the behind later so I'd just like to be sure of what I'd be looking at replacing. I know the tires would be replaced by me sooner rather than later with a new set of Hankook Mileage Plus II whitewalls but for all I know they could be dry rotted now. The thing will be inspected and compression tested before I buy it, and it runs and drives fine now according to the seller. Haven't had a chance to drive it yet. Obviously t…

Finally got my PRC 215 aftermarket heads today, hot off of the CNC machine. 215cc runner, 60cc combustion chamber, 2.04/1.60" valves, PRC valve springs. Great flow, great compression, great piston to valve clearance. Sadly, my life will be getting in the way of a proper tune/dyno run, it will probably be 6 weeks before I can post results. intake port combustion chamber exhaust port customized: total package:

In a corvette what does that mean?

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…

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…

Our 97 Safari has 132,000 miles and after almost selling it I've decided to keep it. Other than fluid changes, keeping it clean and clear of Ohio road salt, and making sure it gets regular excercise what do you suggest to keep this thing "on the road?" Chris

...though I'm leaning more toward me. On the Balt's last fill up, I might have have put a bit too much gas in her. (never had this issue in any other car) Now things are a bit screwed up. Even when It's full, it only shows 3/4. It also messed up the MPG and miles till empty too. I thought it might have fixed itself after gas today, but no such luck. Anybody else have this issue? I'm debating about unplugging the battery to reset it (hopefully), but I'm not sure....

its a 1998 Buick LeSabre limited 3800 When I got the car the Security light stays solid any idea what could cause that? When I turn the heat on normally use the Auto button and set a temp. but I can see the fan meter on the read out go to 100% but the blower motor won't do anything. In a couple minutes you will hear it rev up and then shut off then repeats that a couple times (the blower motor will stay on for a little longer than the first rev.) then about 15-20 into my drive the blower motor kicks on and stays on and generally don't have any issues after that. Any thoughts? also where is the blower located? I spent 15 minutes trying to find it but no luck... Also doe…

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

got it put back together.. well, mostly my dad did, he drove it, it's much better from what he tells me. going to see what SES code is in it tomorrow and replace one boot that cracked that's on the valve cover. what was done, replace intake gaskets, ..didn't run, tore back down to them (vacuum leak, found the hose), rebuild it, idled rough, compression checked 150 - 175 psi on each cylinder, new plugs, wires from a 99 pont GA 3.4. hoping every thing's better, or at least back to only a seldom misfire in #4 (had the least comp)

as far as I know it's never been changed, my 99 monte has 140,000miles on it, would you get it serviced or not? nothing seems wrong with it other than seldom (a couple times a year) and random not locking of the torque converter, when it shouldn't do that.

So I noticed today someone put a very small ding in the front fender of the GTO I took a picture, and it doesn't show up that well but you can see it because of the high-resolution. It's in a rather odd place and I'm not sure if it can be popped out, so I thought I'd ask to see if anyone knows. The ding is in the upper part of red "circle," above the crease in the wheel flare.

my 99 M.C. w/ the 3.1L (now w/ about 130K) started this problem last winter....after the car has warmed-up to the normal temp it gets to on the temp gauge, it can sometimes unlock (or not lock in in the first place) the tourque converter in overdrive....sometimes in 3rd too. going 55mph i can rev the engine between about 1500rmp to 2500rpm w/o an upshift or a big change in throtle..... kinda like if it was almost in nuetral but still moving the car. would this be the same thing as if going 55 also, and sometimes the engine drops to near idle speed instead of having engine drag closer to ~ 1400rpm. these things seem to only happen in cool and cold weather, hence it&…

Okay, so I got home and my dad asked me to go online and try to figure this out... A guy at my dad's work had the battery in his Protege die. A couple guys went out there and replaced the battery and the + and - "accidentally" touched together... Well, they checked the fuses inside and under the hood and none of them were bad. However the radio, lights, and keyless entry aren't working now. Any idea what blew? Don't most radios have a fuse in the back of them or somewhere just in case? I think they might need to check that, too, if there is one...

I bought a Pontiac G6 in September 05 and started having battery problems the beginning of December. Dead battery the beginning of December, had it jump started and brought it to the dealership. They couldn't find anything wrong with the car. Two weeks later the battery was dead again. I had it towed dead so that they could find the problem. I was told that the battery was no good and it wouldn't hold a charge so they replaced my battery. Everything was fine until the beginning of February, again I had a dead battery. I had it towed again and still couldn't find the problem. The dealership called GM Tech Support and they said that I don't drive the car enough to recharge …

Who makes the best Heavy duty shocks for a Safari van? I use it for hauling and I may soon be using it for some towing, and I need an upgrade. Chris

I've went through about a fuse a night now which tells me I have a problem I no its gonna require some tracing which I'm not going to like so where would be the best place to start I have a few ideas but would like to know if anyone else had more experience with these shorts... Its my 85 Riviera if that would help so where should I start the circuit only is composed of dash lighting and the tail lights.

I was seeing if my car would look good with hydraulics the other day. I knew about this problem Power steering. getting worse but i found this random antifreeze. and this Trans fluid from the tail shaft. Any suggestions? tips, What should i fix first?

today is was driving in my 90 Caprice (the older boxy style) and i noticed that when i make a right turn, and properly signal, that once I complete the turn the turn signal doesn't return. but perfectly works when I turn left. Is there a switch or somthing in the steering column that sense the turn and is it easy to fix or should i just manually return it for the rest of this fine automobiles life.

1300kms! Is Tiger Paw this bad? I'm off to the dealer tomorrow.

I checked my trans fluid today in my 85 buick Riviera and it was 1 quart and a half low. Since I got it this is the second time I had to put in more fluid. The first time just a quart. The funny thing is there is no drips in my driveway or anything where is it going bout every time i change the oil now it is low at least a quart. Any ideas where it is going...

After some process of elimination, I am almost certain that my Regal, a 1992 W-body, needs at least one motor mount. (I think I asked a similar question before, but now I'm more convinced). If I'm going to do this, I want the engine/trans mounting system to have new mounts all around. Is this an easy thing to do via a visual inspection/are they "easy" to see? (I've tried looking for diagrams or pix on the Web and can't find them readily). How many are there? What does this service cost, parts and labor? Thanks.

Anyone have experience with this stuff? In order to get the color scheme I want for my interior I either have to live with black/gray but have to hunt down the rare black/gray leather door panels, or paint the upper door panels (vinyl arm rest and upper door panel) black.

Folks: Is it possible to remove the factory spoiler on a base MC or GP without making too much of a mess? Can it be done and then have the body shop where the car was delivered (no, not in a hospital) do a minor touch up on the paint? Let me know. Maybe you're not big on spoilers either. Thanks!

Does it happen with modern cars? This is actually about the hot cranking issue. I came to realize that it seems to only hot crank when I parked my car, go into the grocery and come out a few minutes later.

Hey Everybody, I'm wondering if anyone has experienced the same issue as we have. We have a 2000 Monte Carlo (88K miles). It's been a relentlessly reliable vehicle for the whole family since 1999, requiring no repairs (besides the typical W body ISS lube issue and constantly warped rotors). But, a really annoying issue has popped up: the factory-installed keyless entry system is being really tempermental. Rarely, it does work consistently all day. But most days, it works once and then ignores the signal for about 5 minutes. For example, if you open the trunk w/the remote to put groceries in, you'll have to unlock the driver's door manually w/ the key, or wait 5 min…

When my car's cold (within the first 2 minutes of driving) any big bumps (think 2-3 inches suspension travel) cause a squeaking or scraping noise from the right front tire. It kind of sounds like the springs in a really old bed, if you were to jump on it. It gets quieter almost right away, and after the car warms up, it goes away completely. I took a look at the tire, and nothing looks out of place. I'm going to take it in to a dealer tomorrow - hopefully it's under warranty, whatever it is. I was just wondering if anyone here had any idea what it is. Remember, it's an '05 Cobalt LS coupe.

Does anyone happen to know the location of the blower motor resistor on a 2002 Impala?

I would like to find out which of my ignition wires is arching off my engine block since I only want to replace the bad wire since I'm short on money right now since I'm synthesizing some meth right now and my microbus is shaking like mad on acceleration any ideas????

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.

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…

Does anyone know how to remove the exterior door handles on the S-series?

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!

Hey guys, I was always kinda curious to know exactly where the engines and tranmissions in my rides are from. I mean I know that the Impala was put together by the nice people up in Oshawa, and my truck was built in Atlanta, but what kind of information would I need to know where the transmission and engine were produced. I'm fairly certain that they weren't built on site, but I guess I could be wrong. If anyone happens to know, then I'd love to see an answer.

I took the LeSabre to get gas tonight, and it was running fine. After I got my gas and paid, I get in and it fires right up. Then I shifted out of P. As soon as reverse engaged, the car died. Just died, everything. Interior lights, everyything, basically it faked a completely dead battery. I fiddled with the battery and alternator quickly, to maike sure everything was hooked up, then called to get a jump. Out of curiosity, I got back in and went to put the car into neutral, to make sure I'd be able to get it out from in front of the gas pump. Hark! As soon as I put it into reverse, all the lights came alive, the clock returned, and everything seemed right with th…

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…

Basically, I need to figure out whether or not the Prizm was a base or LSi model. The insurance company is being anal retentive ass monkeys. They say that they got their $1,500 value basing it off the car being a base model because they couldn't find out whether it was an LSi or not. The paperwork I sent them had 4 Prizms for sale, 2 Lsi 2 base models, and two NADA printouts...one of the value of an LSi and one of the base model. The difference is $100 dollars... $2,325 VS $2,425...but they're idiots...how dumb you ask? Today the woman asked if I had a "5 speed manual or a standard transmission?" I tried calling a few dealers to find out and they couldn't...the only thi…

So I don't want to spend a hundred+ bucks on a new stereo for the Prizm, so I figure I'd put the Shadow's nicer one in it, and give the Shadow it's stock radio back. Since the Prizm already has an aftermarket stereo, it has the wiring harness...so no need to buy one. Here's the problem though: I've never done this before. Also, Looking at the colors of the wiring harness wires verses the colors of there stereo's wires...they're different. Does anyone know where I can find diagrams or instructions or something? I tried searching but no luck...but I am probably not looking it up right.

I just saw a clip of this on the local news, as it's being developed by a local company. They're promising huge gas mileage improvements vs. current gas and diesel engines and looking for licensees... Their website shows how it works: http://www.scuderigroup.com/ Here's a press release I pilfered that explains the details... Wednesday May 3, 3:05 am ET Three More Patents Filed for Breakthrough Air-Hybrid Engine that Doubles the Fuel Efficiency of Today's Automobiles WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 3, 2006--Building on the momentum of its American automotive industry introduction at last month's Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit…

http://www.epinions.com/content_3625296004 Wasn't sure where to put this- the Lounge, Appearance, or here, so it's here. Talks about how some of the aero mods you see can help or hurt your car's aerodynamics. I can't vouch for the accuracy, but it make ssome points and there is some discussion in the commecnts section. FWIW

Meijer Media Alert: Fuel Mixups - Dayton, Ohio On Friday, October 14th, at 9200 N. Main, Englewood, Ohio, our fuel distributor crossed fuels that effected Diesel and Premium Unleaded grade fuels. The problem was quickly discovered and the contaminated fuel has been pumped out and new fuel has been delivered. If you experienced a rough running or rough idling engine after purchase of fuel at the Englewood gas station, please report the incident to the store. Approximately 600 gallons of diesel and 80 gallons of premium were pumped during the timeframe. The only fuel that was impacted is Diesel or Premium fuel purchased on Friday, October 14th.

I found this post at 2 guys garage and I cant stop laughing also it pisses me off. http://www.twoguysgarage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9705 he registered today and his name is Craigthestoner that car deserved better! Why did some stupid person get it. Give me a good post so i can tell him. just no curse words.

Hmmm....