I'm a Master Mechanic! Ask me anything!

Are you yanking my crank, or yours?

more likely a solenoid in the transmission, there may be no "fix" necessary if there isn't any other malfunction. the old saying goes if it ain't broke, don't fix it

I think you may have missed me.

Is there really any good way I can get the rust off my lovely 2002 Buick Century (myself)? On the body below the doors. Or repair rust damage? I've heard putty might work?

I love this car but I can't afford to have them do the rust again - last time they just did a crappy job. I won't be able to afford another car for another couple of years.

Thank you!

You need to cut it out and weld plates in. Putty (what we call "bog") is just a bandaid solution. Good primer and coating afterward. If not a coated area then spray on fish oil can mitigate further corrosion (no joke it works)

People look at boost as a measure of performance, when it isn't. If you make the engine more efficient and able to breather easier, your boost pressure will be lower. Boost is merely the amount of restriction present. The bigger question is, did it make more power with the headers? If it did, congratulations. You're making more power with cooler air and less parasitic draw on the supercharger.

I've got a jetta 2005 TDI. It has a "rawring" sound at 40mph and above.

the guy at Midas said it was my throw-out bearing. I said I didn't think so because the throw-out bearing only rotates when you put the clutch in. And besides if I put the car in neutral, turn off the engine it still makes the noise. So I assume it has to be unrelated to engine.

I took it to a German car repair place. I said I thought it was a rear wheel bearing. They diagnosed it and said yes and the front one too. They wanted a lot of money.

I didn't think it was the "front one too" so took it back to Midas and told them please replace the rear wheel bearing.

They did and it seemed beetter but I've still got the same issue only not as loud. Hmm perhaps the front bearing is bad as well.

the Midas guys sugested it might be the throw-out bearing. :)

When I go aroud a curve (turning to the left the sound disapears)

What do you think? the car has about 150K on it. Midas said they checked all the wheel bearings and found some play in the right rear but not the others.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Cheers!

That’s exactly what I would want to hear, you’re a real cat! Thank you.

if it goes way while turning I'd say its output shaft bearing on the left side.

You need to cut it out and weld plates in. Putty (what we call "bog") is just a bandaid solution. Good primer and coating afterward. If not a coated area then spray on fish oil can mitigate further corrosion (no joke it works)

No I plugged off the timed advance and it pops at speed not at idle

I rebuild transmissions and that's nonsense! The reason many transmission fail, is because the oil is NEVER CHANGED. As such, the oil becomes gritty and helps clutch action. Once that fluid is changed, the grit is gone, causing clutch failure. People that regularly change their fluid and don't abuse their shit get 300k plus. I speak specifically about GM transmissions here.

Those that never change their oil will not make 300k PERIOD! Oil breaks down and it's really that simple!

LIFETIME fluid is meant to live the life of the manufacturers Warranty, nothing more!

Imagine a Manufacturer making a fluid that is good for 300k miles. Yeah f'ing right!

higher boost pressure with any given configuration equals more power..this guy is full of shit. while it is true reducing restrictions will increase power and lower boost pressure with any given supercharger setup, if you put a smaller pulley on the supercharger you'll have more boost and thus more power with the less restricted engine

06 caravan. Drive for a few miles and pull into a parking lot and coolant gushes onto the ground for a few seconds then stops. I havnt been present for this but it seems to happen at random. Have to add a gallon of coolant every 2 weeks.

fiberglass "tiger hair" can work if you get all of the rust out before you slather it on. if you bondo or fiberglass over any rust it will immediately rust out again, but if you do what we used to do and use wire mesh for a form and do it carefully it can last for ten years..the best way is to weld in new rocker panels

Smaller pulley is ordered, boost went down just after headers were installed, had to pull f-ing engine to deal with broken exhaust stud, that only took weeks !!

The owner of a Buick century doesn’t sound like some one to weld in body panels or anything close to proper body work, no offense...just clean the windshield and call it good, wait, don’t even do that and just watch TV.

Will it blow cold in defrost with the temp set to cold?

Hard to differentiate manufactured cold air from current cold outside air. Just feels like normal outside air right now. Are you trying to suggest that when we hit really cold days, it might not defrost correctly ?

sometimes the air conditioner is working fine but the cold air isn't being directed into the car because its stuck in the vent outside air mode. if you put it on defrost sometimes it will work. does the heater seem to work good?

There are several things that can cause the ac to quit working, ac compressor clutch is most common if it quits suddenly, loss of refrigerant if it gradually stops working Sometimes it's a fuse or switch failure and sometimes the clutch itself. If it is noisy under the hood when the ac is on the compressor is gone. Open the hood, turn on the ac and see if the center part of the ac compressor clutch is turning. if it is, it means it's low on refrigerant or the mixer system isn't working right. if it isn't, try running leads directly from the battery to the clutch , negative to the terminal the black wire from the wire harness is connected to, and positive to whatever other color there is with engine running and ac turned on. If it works it's the switch, wiring or fuse. If it doesn't the ac compressor clutch needs replacing. This and loss of refrigerant through a leaking compressor seal..... .

sometimes the air conditioner is working fine but the cold air isn't being directed into the car because its stuck in the vent outside air mode. if you put it on defrost sometimes it will work. does the heater seem to work good?

There are several things that can cause the ac to quit working, ac compressor clutch is most common if it quits suddenly, loss of refrigerant if it gradually stops working Sometimes it's a fuse or switch failure and sometimes the clutch itself. If it is noisy under the hood when the ac is on the compressor is gone. Open the hood, turn on the ac and see if the center part of the ac compressor clutch is turning. if it is, it means it's low on refrigerant or the mixer system isn't working right. if it isn't, try running leads directly from the battery to the clutch , negative to the terminal the black wire from the wire harness is connected to, and positive to whatever other color there is with engine running and ac turned on. If it works it's the switch, wiring or fuse. If it doesn't the ac compressor clutch needs replacing. This and loss of refrigerant through a leaking compressor seal .

I've got a jetta 2005 TDI. It has a "rawring" sound at 40mph and above.

the guy at Midas said it was my throw-out bearing. I said I didn't think so because the throw-out bearing only rotates when you put the clutch in. And besides if I put the car in neutral, turn off the engine it still makes the noise. So I assume it has to be unrelated to engine.

I took it to a German car repair place. I said I thought it was a rear wheel bearing. They diagnosed it and said yes and the front one too. They wanted a lot of money.

I didn't think it was the "front one too" so took it back to Midas and told them please replace the rear wheel bearing.

They did and it seemed beetter but I've still got the same issue only not as loud. Hmm perhaps the front bearing is bad as well.

the Midas guys sugested it might be the throw-out bearing. :)

When I go aroud a curve (turning to the left the sound disapears)

What do you think? the car has about 150K on it. Midas said they checked all the wheel bearings and found some play in the right rear but not the others.

Any help would be much appreciated!

C.V. joint, brother

Did you just learn what a motor was?

take your rod out and give the crank another turn, and recheck it.

It might have fouled out a spark plug. I'd put some fresh ones in and do a compression test while you're there.

gezuz.
the next time you have a rusted exhaust manifold bolt or stud that wont turn try getting it loose with the engine hot, sometime it makes just enough difference you can get it out. if not, have fun, steel studs rusted into cast iron are a bitch

No I plugged off the timed advance and it pops at speed not at idle