"Dr. Gizmo"
By Phil Arendt
Reader Looks For Up Sell Tip
Question 1
When replacing struts and
shocks is there any unnecessary work I should avoid? P.M., email
Answer 1
There’s nothing better than
properly aligned wheels. You definitely
will notice an improvement in the ride and handling after an alignment.
When replacing shocks and
struts the wheel alignment should be checked and adjusted. Nothing else is necessary unless a technician
finds excessively worn tires and worn parts in the steering and suspension. These
parts should be replaced as necessary before the wheels are aligned.
Valve Seats Causing Big
Trouble
Question 2
I recently purchased a Dodge
1500 Van with a 5.2-liter engine. It now
has 111,000 miles. Shortly after the
purchase the engine began to run rough at an idle. Also, the check engine light turned on. When cruising, the engine felt smooth.
I took it to repair
shop. A mechanic has done many
tests. He checked an ignition coil and
found it was bad. He also found codes in
the engine computer for misfires in cylinders three and four. He checked the spark plugs and ignition
wires. They are good. He also checked the compression in all the cylinders
and looked for air leaks at the intake manifold. After all of this work the engine misfired at
the same two cylinders.
He thinks the trouble is in
the valves. His shop manager took it to
another shop that had some special equipment that could look inside the
engine. They examined the valves without
taking the engine apart. They found the
seats in the valves are loose. My shop
now says the cylinder heads might need replacement. They won’t know for sure until a machinist
examines them.
Does this seem right to
you? H.K., email
Answer 2
I’m sorry to hear that your
recent purchase is troublesome. It is
indeed possible that the valve seats have separated from the cylinder heads or
are excessively worn. It appears your
shop wants a machinist to examine them to determine if they can be repaired. If so, it will not be necessary to replace
them. If they can be repaired the
machinist will completely overhaul them if this is the option you choose. Another option is to install remanufactured
cylinder heads from a company that specializes in this type of work. Once your shop provides estimates for both
options you’ll decide which option is best.
Faulty Hydraulic Parts
Hinder Clutch Operation
Question 3
A week and a half ago the
clutch started slipping in my 2001 Honda CR-V and needed replacement. My repair shop replaced it and the new clutch
was working great.
Over the weekend the clutch
started acting up. When I pushed down
the pedal the clutch seemed as though it was not fully releasing. Also, it was difficult to shift into gear and
once in gear it’s difficult to shift to the next gear. I ended up leaving the car in my shop parking
lot.
My car has 199,000 miles on
it. I’ve owned it since new. The clutch that was just replaced was the
original clutch. Is there something
wrong with the installation of the clutch or is there another problem? S.H., email
Answer 3
Congratulations for driving
the vehicle 199,000 miles on the original clutch. Some drivers go through two or three clutches
in that mileage.
This issue likely is caused
by a hydraulic failure of the clutch master cylinder or clutch slave cylinder
and not a failure of the clutch and related parts. When you press on the clutch pedal, hydraulic
pressure disengages it. If a seal has
developed a leak in either hydraulic part the clutch may not release.
A technician needs to
determine which part has failed. This
condition more than likely is caused by a hydraulic failure but if parts
recently installed have failed the repair should be covered by a warranty.
Door Windows Fail To Operate
As Designed
Question 4
My 1994 BMW 325i convertible
has an unusual problem that I hope you can help me with. I’ve owned this car for 10 years. Since my purchase, when I open the driver or
passenger door, the window has opened about an inch or so as soon as I lifted
the handle. Recently, the windows have
stopped doing this. They remain in the
fully closed position instead of dropping.
This causes the windows to rub on the top.
I went to a repair shop but
they did not know what causes the issue.
They think there might be a faulty relay or switch but they need to dig
into the doors to determine the cause of the problem.
I really like my car. It’s in good condition for its age. Do you have any suggestions? K.T., email
Answer 4
It’s time for a new
car. All kidding aside finding
replacement parts to repair the condition might become an issue but let’s not
worry about that yet. The trouble more
than likely is caused by faulty switches in the door latches. When you raise the door handle a switch in
the latch signals the window motor to open.
Unless there is an issue such as a poor connection in the wiring the
likely repair is to replace the latch assembly.
Ask your favorite shop to
give this some consideration. If a
technician verifies this is the cause of the problem, the availability of
replacement parts might become an issue.
Let’s hope not.
Trans Fails After Hitting
Snow Bank
Question 5
During this last round of
snow my 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo slipped into a snow bank and was
stuck. The snow bank was as hard as
rock. I managed to get out but after
that the transmission would not shift from second to third gear.
It shifts fine from first to
second but after that it’s as if it’s in neutral. If I manually shift from first to second it
stays in second gear and then goes into neutral even though it’s in drive.
I stopped at a repair shop
where a mechanic raised the vehicle to see if there was any damage. He did not find anything wrong. He suggested taking the vehicle to a shop
that does his shop’s transmission work.
He thinks the transmission has an internal problem.
Once the other shop looks
into the trouble is there anything I should watch out for? M.S.J., email
Answer 5
Winter is tough on vehicles. You are lucky the vehicle did not sustain
body or undercarriage damage to the suspension and other parts. Snow piled along roadways can be solid as
concrete.
When you visit the
transmission shop make sure to tell them exactly what happened. A technician will do a visual inspection of
the undercarriage and transmission to make sure the first shop did not miss
something. If there is physical damage
that has caused an issue you might consider filing a claim with your insurance
company. If there is no physical damage
the shop will inspect the fluid and do a number of tests including a road test
to experience the condition. Once tests
are completed the diagnosis might be that indeed there is an internal
problem. If they find that the condition
is due to a failure of the valve body it’s likely no overhaul is needed. If there is a failure deep inside the unit
they will suggest an overhaul or replacement with a remanufactured or used
transmission from a salvage yard.
If your vehicle has over
100,000 miles more than likely an overhaul or replacement is due.
Shop Policy Forbids
Installation Of Used Parts
Question 6
My 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDi
with an automatic transmission and 133,000 miles lost some power as I was
driving on the highway during a vacation trip.
Also the check engine light turned on.
I went to a shop where they found a code for booster pressure. After more investigation they disconnected
the cooler for the exhaust valve because something inside was broken. They said I could drive but the engine would
not have as much power.
Now I’m home and took the
car to a repair shop. I told them what
happened. After doing some tests the
technician found the same code as before.
He also said the turbo was not kicking in. He wants to replace it but it’s
expensive. When I asked him if a used
part would work he said that he does not install used parts due to warranty
issues. He said that he could install
one from a company that rebuilds them.
It’s their company policy.
In the past I’ve purchased
used parts from a salvage yard with great success. Will a used turbo unit work okay in my
car? M.I., email
Answer 6
Sure a used turbo-charger
from an auto recycler will probably work fine.
It might even have a warranty.
However, if your shop’s policy is to not install used parts there is
nothing you can do to change the policy.
You can argue and complain about the issue, but it appears you will have
to search for a different shop that does install used parts.
Thank you for all the great
questions. Dr. Gizmo can’t wait to
answer more.
Phil Arendt is a columnist,
consultant and A.S.E.-Certified Master Technician. Readers may send questions to Dr. Gizmo at P.O.
Box 548, Cary, IL. 60013 or e-mail address drgizmo@hotmail.com. 01/27/2014 ® DR. GIZMO © 1989 - Present
No comments:
Post a Comment