Excessive Oil Consumption?
Question:
I have a 1999 Honda Civic LX, and beginning about two oil changes ago, at the end of the last winter, my vehicle has been draining less oil than it should be. According to every oil change i have done in the past and the manual my vehicle is supposed to drain and then accept 3.8 quarts of oil including the filter. For the past two oil changes it has only drained 3.3 quarts of oil, and so that is all i have added, and the dipstick reads full. Could this be a sludge problem? My oil change intervals have always been approximately 3000 miles. Any thoughts? Thanks!
Answer:
I would not think sludge, but rather oil consumption due to engine wear. Overtime the piston rings will wear and there will be oil that gets into the combustion chamber. 1/2 quart in 3000 miles is not excessive in any case, and I would not be too concerned about it. Keep changing oil at regular intervals and check your oil level 1/2 way through your oil change interval to make sure consumption does not get out of hand.
Posted: 20th July 2009 | Author: Kevin Schappell | Category: Engine, Oil & Lubrication
Electrical Gremlins in Ford Taurus
Question:
My car is a 2003 Ford Taures SES. Every other week , I get a hiccup in the electrical system, everything flicks out and comes back on, a few random warning lights will light up, go out and the car keeps running. There is no common denominator, like turning on the AC, when this happens. To make it even weirder, Ive gone out to my car to start it, put in the key, and when I turn it to the start position, I completely lose all electrical power, lights, radio, dashlights, the 1st time this happened, I turned the key to off, and then back to start and it restarted. The second time, I left the key in the ignition, and popped the hood to see if there was a loose battery cable, as I was lifting the hood, I heard the key in the ignition/door ajar chime start up, and I went back in and the car started fine. The 3rd time (this evening) I got the weird power flicker, but this time the car stalled, and when I went to restart it, I lost all electrical when I turned the key to start. it did finally restart after sitting for a minute or two. Ive checked the battery cable and the connectors to the fuse boxs but they are tight and wiggling them does not replicate the problem.
Answer:
It sounds like a hidden problem in the ignition switch or the wiring harness. These types of problems can be very tough to figure out, and as much as I hate to say it, take it to a Ford dealer (one you trust) and have them diagnose. They may recommend changing out the ignition switch, which would be my first guess to the problem, but they may also have a TSB on your car which spells out common causes for this issue. TSB stands for Technical Service Bulletin, and is communications that the factory gives out to their dealership mechanics about common problems and procedures for fixing them. Not quite a recall, but similar in that there is an offical number, and procedures documented for the mechanics to follow. If you are curious about TSBs you can check out www.autoeducation.com/alldata.htm where you can get a subscription for your vehicle. Along with the TSBs you get Recalls, Labor Guides and Repair Procedures for your vehicle.
Posted: 10th July 2009 | Author: Kevin Schappell | Category: Electrical
Worn Bearings or Oil Pump Problems?
Question:
I have a 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee w/ approx. 219K mi. When I start it up it takes 15 to 30 seconds before the oil pressure gauge comes up to about 40#. After it runs for a while (5 to 10 min) the oil pressure drops to zero, and in another 5 to 10 min (idling) I start to hear light valve knock. Is it the oil pump or main bearing wear? Is there a way to determine which?
Answer:
Probably a little of both. No way but to remove the oil pan and measure the bearings by removing a bearing cap and using plastigauge to measure bearing clearances. Its almost as much work to get to the oil pump, so its worth investigating the bearings while you are there. I would suggest that if the bearings are within spec, replace the oil pump and consider yourself lucky to get another 50,000 – 75,000 miles from the engine. If the bearings are out of spec, I would look into a rebuilt or used engine from a reputable source like www.gotengines.com.
Posted: 10th July 2009 | Author: Kevin Schappell | Category: Engine
Starter or Solenoid Bad?
Question:
Hey my question is when i go to start my vehicle i get nothing. Car is a 1996 Oldsmobile Cutlass ciera SL With a 3.1 Liter V6. Engine does not turn over. And starter does not turn over. I am wondering how to find out if its the solenoid or starter or possibly the relay for the ignition.
Please respond asap.
Thank you for your assistance
Answer:
First step is to pull the battery out and test that. Make sure it has a full charge, and then use a battery load tester to check condition of the battery. Most garages and auto parts stores have a battery tester.
I would also check both battery terminals and cables to make sure you have a good connection. Cables can corrode from the inside and create problems. I have seen more starting issue due to cables, than a bad starter or solenoid.
Assuming that the battery and cables checks out, you can jump the terminals on the solenoid to see if the engine turns over. If it does, then there is a problem in the ignition switch or safety system (brake switch, or neutral/park safety switch)
If you do not feel comfortable jumping the solenoid posts, you can use a volt meter to check for voltage at the solenoid ignition connection (typically marked with an I on the post) to see if the ignition switch is sending current. If you have voltage, its more than likely a bad solenoid. If there is no voltage, then its in the ignition switch/safety loop mentioned above. If you have voltage at the solenoid, and hear the clicking of the solenoid moving the starter gear into the flywheel, but the starter does not spin, then its the starter itself.
Posted: 8th July 2009 | Author: Kevin Schappell | Category: Electrical
Camaro Rear End Noises
Question:
Hey I drive a used 2000 Chevy Camaro which I purchased a few days ago. It drives very well other than 2 problems. The first is a humming noise that comes from the rear of the car when I am parked. If I rev the engine up, somtimes it goes away.
The other question is about a very very subtle bumping noise when I am breaking from the rear. It is so subtle that it could be the breaks rubbing,but sometimes it does it when i am slowing down without breaking. I know both of these may seem small, but as a new owner of this used vehicle every little thing sticks out to me.
Can you help me??
Thanks,
Wally
Answer:
Wally,
Sounds like something loose in the exhaust system, probably causing
both issues you are having. The exhaust system is hung from the
chassis with rubber bushings providing for a little bit of movement,
and noise reduction. These rubber pieces wear out over time and need
to be replaced. You can take it to an exhaust shop and let them look
at it, or simply turn up the tunes a little and forget about it ! If
it were me, I would use the problem as an excuse to the wife to get a
new performance exhaust system.
Posted: 8th July 2009 | Author: Kevin Schappell | Category: Exhaust
