autoMedia.com

Aluminum wheels and a flat tire

polskipiwo — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 23:41:42 GMT

I'm trying to change a tire on my 2002 Subaru Forester, but the aluminum wheel will not come off. All the lug nuts are completely off, I've tried banging it with a rubber mallet, etc., but with no success. Is there anything else I have loosen before it will come off? Any advice? Thanks!

Chevy 3.8L Engine cutout

VBrady9981 — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:06:47 GMT

My 2002 Chevy Impala LS 3.8L v-6 engine suddenly shuts off. If I'm going at a low speed, the engine completely shuts off (just like I turned off the key) and needs to be restarted. If I'm at highway speed the engine stumbles for 1 to 3 seconds and recovers. Sometimes when the engine is warm, car will not start immediately but If I wait and retry several times it will start. Anybody run into this problem before?

Thanks in advance!

Someone suggested crankshaft sensor. Anyone replaced one of these? Is it a big job?

The correct Voltage/Amps for Horn??

Aztek005 — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:51:32 GMT

Does anyone know what the correct voltage or amps are, for like when you're replacing the fuse??

My horn has quit working, i don't know if it's a fuse problem, because i m not using the correct voltage in the fuse ... or because the actual horn has gone kaput and needs to be replaced. I need help !!

Does anyone out there know??

And if so, where can i find the horn, underneath the hood, which side of the motor, close to what. I have a '02 Pontiac Aztek. I've been looking EVERYWHERE !!

Air conditioner stopped working after...

chris1950 — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 13:33:23 GMT

our Town and Country was hit just in front of the driver door. It was hit hard by an SUV because our son was trying to turn out into a lane and so had no speed up. The car was totalled however we had just purchased it in April (This was July) so we asked the insurance company not to total it. I believe it is a 2002. We had a new transmission put in and just about anything you can think of. The frame had to be aligned...the cost was around $12,0000, which is what we paid for the car.

The air conditioner worked before the accident. The shop doing the work had the car from July through the end of November beginning of December! It is too long a story. They claim to have tested everything but I am told the compressors won't go on if it is too cold. I find it interesting that the article on this site says to run it once a month in the winter. In fact, they had hooked a couple of electrical wires backwards and so our windshield washers were working incorrectly. They fixed that. Before a trip to Florida, we had a warm day and found the air didn't work at all. We brought it in and they fixed the fans (they didn't work either) but that was not from the accident. They tested the a/c and said they didn't think that the problem stemmed from the accident but rather was with the compressor. It was suggested that we take the car to someone who specializes in auto a/c and if they said it IS a problem from the accident, they would go back to the insurance company and have it fixed.

What I would like to know is, how can anyone tell if the problem, whatever it is resulted from the accident or was simply something that just happened? Is there anything specific we can look for.

Thanks,

Chris

air conditioning refrigerant

momzblue — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:48:24 GMT

2 days ago my ac was running very cool and than it just started running warm so i bought this can of refrigerant and put it in and my ac still throws out warm air after i put it in. my question is how long does it usally take for your ac to work after you put it in. is it right after you put it in or does it take a day a hour or what. please someone answer this question for me.

WHICH IS THE “LEADING” AND WHICH IS THE “TRAILING” BRAKE SHOE?

theboweevil — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 04:03:37 GMT

I've been studying a Chilton manual and some other books, preparing to change the brakes (for the first time) on my 1997 Plymouth Breeze. I encountered the term "leading" and "trailing" brake shoes in the section on removal & installation of the brake shoes... unfortunately for me there is no clarification anywhere in this manual on which is which, etc. I'm supposed to remove the leading one first, so if someone can let me know about this one I'd appreciate it: Which one is the "leading" brake shoe and which one is the "trailing" brake shoe?

By the way, on my car there is disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the back... so we're talking about rear brakes only for this question: out of the brake shoes on the rear of the car, there should be some way of identifying a leading and trailing.

Why is my car overheating?

Christie Williams — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 22:04:29 GMT

A month ago, I noticed that my 2000 Rodeo did not want to take off from a stopped position. I was pressing really hard on the accelerator and it just did not want to go. So, I was on my way to the mechanic when the temperature needle starting going up. It never went all the way over to the H, but about 3/4 of the way over. Then about 1/4 mile from the shop, the speedometer needle and the rpm needle started swinging back and forth and then the engine light came on and the battery light came on. At this point, it was like the car just did not have the energy to go. I pulled into the shop parking lot and when the mechanic came out, it was dead and he had to jump it to get it in the garage. As it turned out, it was the alternator. So the alternator was replaced and while there, I had the a/c recharged.

A week later, someone at work came in and said I was losing antifreeze. I opened the hood and there was this skinny hose that had a tiny pin hole in it and was spraying a fine mist of antifreeze. So I take it to the garage around the corner from work and it was the bypass hose. Had that replaced.

Now this week I noticed that when I am driving in traffic or sitting in the drive thru, my a/c seems to quit cooling. The air being blown out is significantly warmer than when I am driving 45 or faster. So today, while on the highway, the a/c seemed fine, when I got off to drop off a passenger, my a/c stopped cooling. I was turning to get back on the interstate and noticed that the temperature needle was about 3/4 of the way over. I went ahead and got on the highway and it immediately came back down, but I had turned off the a/c so I don't know if it started cooling again or not.

Do you think the 2 recent repairs could be related or is this something totally different? Do you think it is the thermostat sticking? What could it be.

Ford Aerostar - no power - slow acceleration

Mint — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 04:38:43 GMT

Have a ford aerostar van, no power,same slow acceleration no matter how much gas i give it. Over 40 mph, it runs rough. Is it possible there is a bad fuse to the gas pump? Would a bad fuse cause bad gas milage?

K & N Air Filter VS Amsoil Ea Air Filter

The Easy — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 01:08:53 GMT

Has anyone changed their Air Filter from K & N too Am soil Ea Air Filter and if so what was your experience between the two?

Did you notice any difference with the Amsoil Ea Air Filter over the K & N Air Filter or vice a versa?

I am looking to change from K & N Air Filter too Amsoil Ea Air Filter for the reason that I had to put a NEW AIR SENSOR on my 1999 For Ranger 2.5 4 CYL. , do to the fact that dirt or oil got on it and made it go bad.

As far as performance is, this is what I will have to see which one will gave me the best.

I am hoping that someone has the experience between the two first hand.

Ford would like me to go with the paper air filter.

Bumper touch up or repaint it?

quen4evr — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 20:48:30 GMT

I bought a brand new car. When we went to pick it up there was a scratch on the bumper. The salesperson said they would repaint the entire bumper when I brought it back. it has been brought back twice and both times they patched it. You can see the patch when you are looking at it a certain way. it's about a 6" oval. My concern is that in time this will wear off and the bumper will start to flack away paint. Am i right or is there nothing to worry about. Should I insist they repaint the entire bumper or take it as it is because it will be ok?

Help...

engine rattling

junglejim — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 00:34:04 GMT

I was on my way home from town today and I was driving my 1995 mercury villager. All of a sudden my oil light came on and my lifters started rattling. I drove it slow the 1/2 mile to home and I checked the oil and it was in the safe zone but the lifters still rattle. What would make it do that all of a sudden. I have 195,00 miles on the van and I love to drive it but now it has me worried. Has anyone had this problem ? thanks

jim

Alternator fried by bad battery?

kalahhy — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:24:32 GMT

My alternator and battery both bad after just 1 year.
Mechanic claims the alternator was fried out because of a defective battery – bad cell? Can this be true?

Maintenance On 1999 Ford Ranger

The Easy — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 22:17:45 GMT

I have a 1999 Ford Ranger with a 4 cyl. and had to take it into the Ford Shop today for it was not running right, they put a New Timing Belt on it, changing Plugs and Wires.

I would like to know what else needs done to it as far as maintenance, it has 85,000 miles on it.

Does it need the Air ( what ever you call it) cleaned, injectors and the whole system cleaned, please tell me what all needs to be done so I can get it back on the road it tip top sharp?

I also would like to know what is the very best Air Cleaner on the market?

Also does the Tornado really work?

Ford Superduty A/C Problem

PMAC — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:41:38 GMT

Hello to all...

I'm having a problem with my air conditioning on my 2002 Ford F-250 Superduty (Powerstroke 7.3L). I'm hoping it is not a big problem as the economy...well...you know. I have never had any work done on the on the air conditioning system for the truck in the almost 8 years that I have owned it. Last summer, it started having issues. When the truck is idling on hot days here in Georgia, or when driving but not "in the gas" (i.e. coasting or only slightly giving the accelerator pressure), the air conditioning blows only luke warm to warm air (not really hot...more like the outdoor air temperature). When I press the accelerator pretty good the air conditioning blows cold air. At night or in the morning when the outside air temperature is lower the problem is not as noticeable. Of course, it could be that the problem is the same morning, afternoon, and night but that it isn't as noticeable in the mornings or the nights because the colder air isn't needed as much.

I'm not likely not skilled enough to fix the problem no matter what it is, but I am hoping that I might get an idea or two as to the likely problem so that I know enough not to get abused by the service person when I go to get it fixed. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Paul

NO HEADLIGHTS, FLASHERS OR HORN

snoopz48 — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:42:02 GMT

WHAT CAN WE CHECK TO FIX THIS

Mazda3 or Mini Cooper?

racerx — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 22:18:50 GMT

I like them both. The Mada3 is a bit less expensive and larger. Both have great styling but the Mini has the edge in cool factor. Either way you win on these two. I like how you can custom configure the MINI with stripes and chrome.

1994 Chevy Astro Van AWD

mr_tommy_gunn — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:09:30 GMT

So, we bought this vehicle approximately 8 days ago. It originally idled a bit rough but drove pretty smoothly. Well, the other day it starts running REALLY rough,puffing alot of thick black smoke out of the exhaust and clearly overheating. It lost all power and died as we were trying to get off the highway and had to push it into a gas station parking lot and let it sit for about 40 minutes. There was still coolant in it. We added water and once it cooled it started back up. Getting back onto the freeway it started jerking and sputtering and then lost all power what so ever. Any idea whats goin' on??? Please help!

2004 Impala speedometer

LTMEDMAN — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 15:30:45 GMT

Recently experienced a "floating" speedometer needle on a 2004 Impala LS. One would think they are traveling at 110mph. Any ideas how to correct?

Performance

sarah_9 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:37:32 GMT

Hello,

Performance of the car highly depends on the capability of the driver, if you are expert in driving, then your car will give you a good milegage and a problem free ride, learning proper driving is very important if you want to enjoy your car`s performance a well as your driving.

Regards,

sarah_9

Approved Traffic School

Thermostat Issue?

mmonroe69 — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:44:18 GMT

Had a friend look @ my car with me. It was running a little rough and was leaking coolant. The coolant light had been off and on for a few weeks. When I took the car in for an oil change, the technician said that the water level was okay and that it was probably just a sensor error. Anyway, when I opened the cap, there was no water in the resevoir. I put a gallon of water in, and the sensor light went off. I drove with the A/C off and the windows down. Almost cyclical, the engine seemed to be running rough and the belt would squeal. I stopped several times to check the water leverl. The temp gauge inside never rose past the normal. The water level was fine each time I checked. It no longer seemed to be leaking. If so, no where near as much. When I got home, I flushed the radiator. I did not drain the block. I cranked the car, turned the heater on high, and let it get to normal running temp. My friend said that since the water in the resevoir tank didn't ever get hot, that the thermostat was bad. I know only the basics of car care. I do not have the money to take this car to the shop. Any ideas on this?

AC and severe duty fan clutch

den — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:22:18 GMT

94 Suburban ,100 degree + temperature,110 in big Bend,I put this fan clutch because it draws more air,a little noisier,otherwise idleling or getting back in after sitting in the heat the AC would run about 10 degrees warmer,now with the severe duty clutch it will drop to 40 degrees out the vent.Does this seem ok? This is 134a,the first year.Any comments please

05 T&C A/C rupture???

photog1 — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 01:27:10 GMT

100 degree heat, A/C on Max, allof a sudden refrigerant is blowing out from under bumper. Is there a plug or something that will blow if pressure is too high?

Low Air Flow in AC System

signmakerman — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 22:03:31 GMT

I have 1997 Siera GMC pickup. Fan blwer runs wide open, but very low air flow from vents. Air is cold like supposed to be, but little air is moving. I cannot hear anything rubbing or obstructing the air.

On the heater setting, the air flow to the floor is also low.

Any ideas?

Thank you/

ac

FELITO — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 12:58:00 GMT

when i turn my AC on on my 97 buick century my car stalls if i dont run the ac is fine. HELP !

Serpentine belt installation for a 1997 Buick LeSabre 3.8 V6 with side (left as you're looking at the engine ) mounted belt.

no mechanic — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 05:43:54 GMT

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how to mount a serpentine belt for the car in the subject line? About 3-4 years ago, an uncle of mine and I had to install this belt because the tensioning pully seized. At the time we had no idea how to sequence the belt and our only reference was his car which has the exact same engine. We were drinking a few beers and after a couple of hours we figured it out.

Now, this time the belt was very near failure and needed to be replaced again. The box I bought the belt in had a diagram of the belt sequence.....piece of cake right? WRONG!! Again I went to my Uncle's house because it is simply easier to work on a car there. Here is the problem I hope someone can help me out with..........

Between the drive pully and the A/C compressor, there are 2 engine mount brackets. The belt has to run below the lower bracket from the drive pully to the A/C pully. Then from the A/C pully it runs to the alternater, down to the hydraulic pump, up and over top the tension pully, then curves around the water pump pully and completes the trip runnig back down to the drive pully.

Here's the problem......we can't figure out how to get one side of the belt under the bottom bracket and the other side of the belt to go above the bottom bracket but below the top bracket. It would seem the only way to accomplish this is to remove one or both engine brackets....something I'm very reluctant to do. Further, I know for damn sure we did it once before (replace the belt).......I can't do anything sober!

There has got to be a "trick" doing this. If anyone can help me figure out this problem, I would be extremely grateful.

If you need to ask further questions.....actually I don't know how this site works, please do.

Thank you to anyone who can assist me.

Once again, we did NOT remove the engine bracket(s) the last time we did this.

Thanks,

Gene