Click here to view the embedded video.

TTAC commentator educatordan writes:

I know this is an exercise in mental masturbation but I find myself thinking about it and perhaps the B&B with their extensive experience could shed some light on the subject.

OK here goes; Will lowering a vehicle improve the vehicle’s fuel economy?  Several manufacturers of lowering systems claim that it will, but would it be measureable?  In my mind even 1 mpg would be significant on certain vehicles.  This question sprung to mind as I was looking at low resale values on fairly clean early to mid 2000s American SUVs.  Those TrailBlazers, Envoys, Raineers, Explorers, Mountaineers, and Aviators are likely as close as were gonna get to a modern version of the all American family wagon and you can buy lowering kits for even the 4wd/AWD versions.  I know lowering a vehicle improves handling a rollover resistance but what about fuel economy?

Sajeev answers:

I hope this isn’t an exercise in mental masturbation, as I sometimes consider this quandary while exiting the freeway in my 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC. That’s because the Mark’s air compressor refills the air springs to raise the ride height 20mm when the car goes below 45 MPH. And, compared to the low-speed ride height, they drive better (variable-assist steering too) and looked pretty cool lowered on the highway…back when they were a common sight on the highway. You may not see a new “Quadra-Lift” Jeep Grand Cherokee perform the same trick, but they do.

Alrighty then! According to this thread, there can be a fuel economy benefit to a lowered vehicle. In theory. Always in theory.

I like the theory of lowering a car to reduce the “frontal footprint” of your tires.  Whether or not lowering the vehicle will mess up downforce to the point of fuel economy detriment is anyone’s guess, unless you have a fluid dynamics lab in your garage. For the purposes of a street car that can be lowered enough to not ruin wheel alignment/suspension travel/load carrying abilities, I suspect lowering a vehicle will improve fuel economy.

Enough to matter? Maybe not with the massive frontal area of a modern passenger car with zero overhang and nerdy ride heights, but maybe with the long, bullet nose of a Lincoln Mark VIII hugging the ground. Your guess is as good as mine.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Sajeev writes:

Writing this Piston Slap during “the Big Game” is especially sweet for me, thanks to all of you.  Last week’s plea for more content generated about 75 emails for your reading pleasure, which at the rate of 2 a week, means you will continue to enrich the lives of everyone who reads Piston Slap.  Which makes me more proud than I can possibly convey in a short period of time. So let’s do this thing!

Mark writes:

I drive a 06 Civic sedan with about 138K on the clock.  I only drive about 18 miles a day, and the car is in decent shape.

Some exterior flaws;  scrape on the rear passenger wheelwell from my wife, a fist sized dent on the recently replaced hood from where I hit a deer.  The struts seem to be going (ride is getting rough, I am assuming its the struts not something more sinister), the AC compressor died last summer, and the stereo is working on 3 speakers only for some reason not related to the connection at the speaker.  Being a repressed, mid life crisis car guy I want to dump the thing and get something new with more bells and whistles.  The wife thinks this is the dumbest idea I have ever had, and that the last thing we need is another car payment.  All that said:  what do you think?  Should I bite the bullet and dump a few bucks into this car, or is it throwing good money after bad?

Sajeev answers:

I like your wife…no, not that way!  Anyone who likes to limit their exposure to debt is a person after my own heart.  That said, from investing in a college education to liar loans, debt does make the world go around. Question is, can you find a happy medium?

The answer is obvious: light up the credit card to Pimp ‘yo Ride, son!

You need new struts for sure: Koni, Bilstein, KYB (or whatever) performance dampers will make life more interesting.  Or just get a complete spring/strut assembly, as they are (usually?) less labor to install and your coil springs are certainly not performing as they did when new. Find a set of Civic Si sway bars, they are significantly bigger and more hoon-worthy. Oh, and a strut tower brace and X-brace will help make an old car feel new and tighter than ever before.  New (all season or summer) performance tires, maybe new wheels too. I’d go with those retro-70s concept car rims from the Hybrid model…so cool!

And obviously a replacement aftermarket stereo: four channel amp, decent drivers, and maybe the latest Navi-Sat-Traffic-iPod laden head unit.  Fun!

I say this because I did just that; slapping on Fox 5.0 Mustang performance parts onto my Fox Mercury Cougar XR-7.  That was almost 13 years ago. Now in need of more updating, I drove it into the ground once again. With a smile on my face, I might add.  The Cougar kept me mobile while waiting for my custom-ordered Ford Ranger, leaky header gaskets, wandering steering, worn tires, flaky dashboard grounds (my bad) and something awfully stiff in the suspension didn’t hold me back.  What’s my point?

I love my new vehicle, and you would too.  But I’d never sell my RestoMod Cougar: it shall be fixed up once again to continue the journey…this time as just a weekend toy. And, believe it or not, I’d say the same darn thing about your future-modded Civic.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Sajeev writes:

Dear Best and Brightest,

As you already know, the Piston Slap series is meant to put a spin on the typical automotive Q&A advice column: combining the mad power of Google searches, the wacky fun seen on any enthusiast forum, informed (or not) advice and a ton of opinionated, half-cocked rants written by yours truly.  What’s not to love?

When I pitched the idea to Robert Farago many moons ago, I had no idea it would work this well. Except for now.

I am running out of content from you all, and that is the lifeblood of this series.  Without it, I can only ramble about my own cars, about LS1-FTW, how the E39 was the pinnacle of German sedan awesomeness, how Panther Love conquers all, etc for so long!

Please, I beg of you. Fill my Inbox with questions, no matter how stupid you think they are.  Odds are it will make for a fun read for everyone.  So do it, email me at sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com so we can keep this party going!

And remember, if you’ve read it on your favorite automotive forum, it’s Piston Slap worthy.  

That email address again is:  sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com.

Best,

Sajeev Mehta

TTAC Commentator cc-rider writes:

Hi Sajeev- Happy New Year.  A local 2003 Marauder popped up next to me for a very nice price.  It is a one-owner car with 113k.  I spoke to the owner and it just needs a bit of cosmetic work.  The grill is busted up a little bit.  He bought a new car and wants to unload the Marauder before the new one comes.  He has it listed for $4995.  It seems way underpriced by me from what I have seen.  It seems that the going rate would be more like 8-9k at least.

Do you have any feeling for what the market is for these cars?  I am tempted to pick it up, give it a once over with my porter cable buffer, and list it on eBay.

Sajeev answers:

Smells fishy!  I hopped onto the online Manheim auctions to see what the current crop of Marauders are doing, and yes, it’s a fair bet this one is possibly 2-5 grand under retail.  If it could be reconditioned well enough to be classified as “very good condition”, of course.

Which this one is most certainly not. Maybe the grille only needs to be replaced, or probably that’s the tip of the iceberg.  A good indication of a decent vehicle–that needs a little TLC for maximum profit–is to check the interior, namely the leather seats and vinyl bits.  Cracks or tears? You don’t want to replace them, it will kill your profit margin. Luckily these Panthers are a far cry from the upscale trimmings of the “Fat Panthers” of the mid 1990s, so they can handle abuse and still clean up quite well.

Another good indication?  Accident damage.  If there’s any sign of frame, fender aprons or any other portion of the crumple zones receiving repair, walk away.

Usually a vehicle needing a quick sale, usually being sold at a “retail-like” number such as anything ending in “95” gives me plenty of pause.  This could very well be the work of a curbstoner.

Good luck with your further research into this one: I bet you won’t like what you see. Furthermore, you better pull an Odysseus and tie yourself to something when you see this Panther, as its Siren song might be rather alluring…but I am pretty sure you want none of it.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC Commentator NICKNICK writes:

Sajeev–

I can’t believe it’s been two years since I asked you to post a problem with my 1999 Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT.  It may have been fixed with just a new gas cap.

I recently got a CEL for evaporative emissions control.  I don’t know if you’re familiar with this problem, but Subarus have a plastic cover over the fuel filler neck that traps dirt and salt and causes them to rust.  Once they perforate, you get evaporative emissions warnings.  I pulled off the cover, but there was no rust.  I checked the gas cap, and the O-ring was somewhat brittle.

I replaced the gas cap, and I haven’t had a CEL or my original hesitation problem since!  I can’t say for sure that was the problem, but it certainly correlates.

My theory is that I had a small enough leak to lose the fuel vapors stored in the canister that get burned, but the leak wasn’t bad enough to set off the check engine light.  I’m guessing that the 20 year old technology in my car isn’t smart enough to know how much fuel vapor gets caught in the canister.  I bet that shortly after ignition it switches over to burn from that canister no matter what.  Normally there is enough trapped vapor to burn for a second or two, so the ECU tells the injectors to not add extra fuel.  In my case, the vapor wasn’t there because it escaped out the gas cap and caused the hesitation because there wasn’t anything to burn.

I freely admit that i don’t really know how that vapor recapture/reburn system works, so I’m grasping at straws to try to explain my observation with the gas cap.

Anyway, I don’t know if it will be useful information to you or not, but maybe someday you’ll run across a similar problem and it might be worth your while to try a $7 gas cap.

Thanks for featuring my car in Piston Slap and getting it out there in front of the Best and Brightest–I appreciate the help!

Sajeev answers:

This is one time when I wish I had an electronic database of componentry for all vehicles…I’m still waiting for you to contact me, ALLDATA!  Or not, because I can put it into one sentence. And hope for mercy from the Best and Brightest.

No matter how a modern fuel system is designed, they are always pressurized and if there’s a drop in said pressure, the computer throws a warning code.

Odds are the brittle O-ring was dry/flat enough to make a weak seal, lowering the pressure in the system (when running) and triggering the warning light. And it is entirely possible that extended use of rubber-munching E-10 fuel did a number on that O-ring. Ya never know!

Bonus!  A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:

I’ve hammered on the fact that rubber parts on a 10+ year old vehicle go bad, no matter how pristine the vehicle is to the naked eye.  Tires, belts, hoses and…WAIT FOR IT…O-rings.  In your A/C, power steering, fuel systems and many, many other locations. O-rings go bad with age, and believe it or not, anything rubber is your car’s worst enemy.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

C.V. writes:

I am a mechanical engineering student looking to learn how to work on cars.

My friend has given me the opportunity to take his 1988 Mazda B2200 extra-cab 5-speed. When I drove it, I saw why. The catalytic converter has broken off, and apparently pieces of it are in the exhaust. Would it be possible to just replace the catalytic converter, or should I replace the whole exhaust?

Also while driving it, there is a weird problem. About 10 or so minutes after startup and driving, it starts bucking back and forth as if I was engaging and disengaging the clutch. Any idea as to why that is happening? Theoretically the truck could drive even with this problem, but I don’t think it’s safe or good for the truck. What should I do?

Sajeev answers:

It wasn’t long ago that I was an mechanical engineering student looking to work on cars.  Hell, it’s way more fun than a semester of Thermodynamics, Solid and Fluid Mechanics! So what’s my advice?  Join the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) as a student and join the local chapter in your college.  The SAE chapter at the University of Texas changed my life, in a good way. And if you don’t have a chapter?  MAKE ONE!

Oh wait…you wanted advice on the truck, not your career. My bad.

The first problem is pretty easy, replace the convertor. Or not: eventually the loose bits of honeycomb inside will stop playing Super Breakout with itself, exit stage left, and it still might pass an emissions test.  If not, any exhaust shop can slap in a new one, and I just Googled one for $270 that’s a direct replacement.  I am sure you college kids use Google all the time, why not for a sweet little truck?

The second one is usually a combination of a poor gear change technique and a lack of fuel.  Or maybe too much fuel.  Does it buck less if you give it more gas and take more time to let out the clutch?  Problem solved. If not, I’d recommend rebuilding the carb, seafoaming the motor (at your own risk, see YouTube for reasons why), and testing the fuel pressure.  Actually not in that order: start with fuel pressure, then maybe learn how to work on a carb.

Or convert it to a later-model EFI setup! Or even better, LS1-FTW!!! You are an engineer for a reason!

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC Commentator supremebrougham writes:

Hey Sajeev…

I just got done reading the Ranger piece on TTAC, and I decided that I want to ask you something. A few months ago I lost my Father, and last week my Mom gave me his ’03 Ranger to use as a trade for a new Escape.

I kept the DashMat out of it. Dad got it for the 1995 Explorer we had way back when, so it’s of much better quality than anything you can get today. It’s light grey and looks like new. Unfortunately I don’t have any pics of the Explorer handy, but I’ll include one of the Ranger, and the new Escape I traded it in on.

I really don’t have a need for it anymore, so I thought I would see if it would be of use to you. After much thought, I figure if anyone would take care of it and appreciate it, it would be you.

Sajeev answers:

I am not a big fan of DashMats, and (after purchasing embroidered, super thick, NOS Ranger floormats for cheap on eBay) I learned that the older gray is a lighter hue than the 2006-2011 models. (See photo above for proof.) But I would still love to have my Ranger wear it during the winter months, when I’d park in the sun (sans windshield reflector) for the greenhouse effect, but would prefer to not make my dashboard to pay the price. Plus, I can’t resist a part with a good story behind it.

Tell me more!

Supremebrougham writes:

Dad’s truck story isn’t all that remarkable in and of itself. He was just one of those people that couldn’t stand not having a truck of some sort in the family.

Even though we lived in central Florida, he just had to have something with four wheel drive. In 1994 my parents bought one of the new Windstars for our family car. It was pretty nice, but the new 1995 Explorers were out, and he kept talking about them. So, in December of ’95, he traded the Windstar for a rather nice left over Explorer XLT, black over grey with the Premium Cloth interior. (those sport buckets were amazing! Maybe the best seats in any Ford branded vehicle!– SM)

He and my mom both loved that thing, so much that when it was time to replace dad’s 1990 Nissan 4×4, he bought a new 1998 Ranger XLT Supercab 4×4 in Autumn Orange. It was a looker and he really liked it, until he realized that he couldn’t haul much in it, it had the flairside bed. So after roughly six months or so it got traded for a slightly used 1998 F-150.

I finally convinced Dad that we didn’t need 4wd, and he agreed. Ironically that fall we moved to Northern Michigan, so it got traded for a new Silverado 2500 4×4.  A week later the Explorer was traded for a new 2000 Taurus SEL. After the Silverado came yet another F-150, a 2002 model. He liked that one, but when the gas started getting crazy in 2004 it got traded for a Subaru Outback.

Soon after that his truck lust kicked in and he sent me to pick out a truck. I brought home for him to see a 2003 Ranger XLT FX4. He liked it and mom’s Taurus got traded for it. He was happy-somewhat, as he decided he no longer liked the Subie. So off it went in exchange for a 2005 Mercury Sable LS, which my mom still has. It’s been quite a ride around my house, so to speak!

Dad and I didn’t have a whole lot in common, but we enjoyed cars, and spent a lot of time looking and talking about them together. We had fun together. I miss him.

Sajeev answers:

I received the DashMat and it fits like a glove! My Ranger will be shuttling me to and from the airport for the next month, so I know the DashMat will get a good workout in the long-term parking lot. :)

Supremebrougham answers:

I’m glad to hear that it made it safe!  Thanks for taking care of it for my Dad; I’m sure he’d be glad to know it went to a good home.

Sajeev answers:

I will try to get you some PR-sourced Ford swag for your generosity, obviously nothing Ranger related as that rig has finished its course. But maybe they got some soon-to-be-expired Escape crap lying around up in Dearborn…(cough)

One last remark: someone out there in Ranger Land would appreciate this DashMat more than yours truly, so I will give it to someone that appreciates it…if there’s a convincing reason given to the email addy below. If not, I will add it to my cache of Ranger parts as I modify and tune this wee-beasty in the future. Considering the truck and its owner…it shall be a long, long relationship.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC Commentator Tree Trunk writes:

Hello Sajeev,

I comment on TTAC as Tree Trunk from the frozen tundra in interior Alaska and am looking for advice on how to deal with an out of control repair of an old beater. I have a ’95 Isuzu Rodeo with 130K that until recently had been a pretty low maintenance, reliable ride.

Out of the blue the check engine light came on and the engine stalled.  A handy friend checked all obvious things to get it running again without success.  It would start up run for a few min before reving wildly and then die.  Luckily I thought, it broke down close to a reputable shop (NAPA certified) so we towed it there.

Seven weeks and two thousand dollars, not to mention the rental car cost I am back at square one. First they diagnosed bad PCM, a rebuild unit was in five weeks later, two weeks behind schedule.  I made it half a mile down the road before it stalled again.

This time around it was supposedly a slack timing belt hitting the crankshaft sensor causing the engine to stall. Week and another thousand dollars later, after first ordering the wrong parts and then not all the needed parts the engine started up, but wouldn’t you know it stalled again.

In hindsight, I should have scrapped it the moment it broke down.  But short of finding a time machine that is not an option.

Now I am waiting the next call from the shop and need advice from you and the best and brightest. It seems obvious that the one or both of the diagnostics were faulty and some third thing is causing the stalling.

What do I do, keep paying with a smile, demand a full repair free of charge or something in-between?

Sajeev answers:

First off, this is NOT the Isuzu’s problem. Sometimes I treat Piston Slap like a child psychologist, blaming the parents for the bad behavior of a little kiddo.

That said, I am sure you are a wonderful “parent” and I’d never think otherwise. I blame your shop: my first indication was their first suggestion, a bad ECU.

Folks, the computer is rarely the culprit in a poorly-performing electronic fuel injection (EFI) system. Yes they are wear items, other more actively engaged EFI gizmos are far more fragile as time goes by. Many times a problem like this comes from a bad TPS (throttle position sensor) or the electronic idle/choke system, normally called an idle control valve.  The only way to know for sure is to scan for engine codes, write them down, and look up the diagnostic tree associated with that problem via searchable database. Any decent mechanic should do this. Thanks to Google, anyone reading this website can do it, too. I am not sure if your rig is OBD-I or OBD-II, and the latter is universal and rather easy to diagnose.

You need to know the codes generated from the Isuzu’s self-diagnostic test. Do you know them? If none are present, the EFI sensors themselves need to be tested to see if their electronic guts are to spec. In this case, I suspect the Idle Control system is at fault…but that’s just a wild-ass guess.

So what should you do? Demand answers.  Demand engine codes.  If the shop stutters and sputters in their answer, demand a full refund for your lost time/wages/money.

From what little I see, it really, really sounds like they didn’t diagnose the problem. And threw your money at the problem instead. Not good.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC Commentator John R writes:

What’s your opinion of aftermarket LED bulbs for signal/brake/reverse replacement?

Sajeev answers:

I like the look of aftermarket LED indicators in housings never intended for them, if the one vehicle—believe it or not, a very cool 2000 Ford Taurus–I’ve seen is any “indication.” (sorry)

The lighting certainly looked neat compared to the stock Taurus next to it, mostly because LED bulbs were just a little different. The bulbs lit up quicker, had a slightly “warmer” tone and the HID-like whiteness of LED license plate lights were rather cool. But I am just a schmuck with a keyboard and publishing rights to TTAC’s back end system.

But unlike me, Daniel Stern is a highly regarded automotive lighting genius with a somewhat famous webpage and another site for lighting analysis, Driving Vision News. My apologizes if this sounds like a pimp-atorial to some of the B&B, but contacting a lighting consultant and giving them props for their hard work is the smartest move on the table.

Daniel Stern writes:

Short answer? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

Long answer:  LED signalling lamps (brake, tail, turn…) are appearing on cars, and are widely used on trucks, but it really is not a “retrofit” item in the sense of dropping in an “LED bulb”. The brake, tail, parking, and signal lamps of your car rely on a point source of light (glowing filament) that radiates more or less equally in all directions — a sphere of light – collecting and distributing that light with optics in the lens and/or reflector.

An LED is a vastly different *kind* of light source.

Unlike a glowing filament, it does not produce light in an even sphere.  Instead, it projects a very narrow beam of light in ONE direction.  That’s why these so-called “LED retrofits” consisting of a 1″ diameter matrix of LEDs on a bayonet or wedge base are unsafe; there’s no way you can get enough light through a wide enough angle (horizontally and vertically) to create a safe and legally-compliant lamp. This applies even to the fancier “LED bulbs” that have side-facing as well as rear-facing emitters. The problem is not with any marketer’s particular implementation, the problem is with the concept, which does not (cannot) work.

There are other considerations, too — for any automotive lighting function, not only is it crucial that the intensity be within the proper limit through the entire relevant range of vertical and horizontal angles so as to provide a recognizable and penetrating signal to observers at any angle to  your vehicle, not only must the intensity ratio between bright and dim modes  be correct (for combination brake/tail or park/turn lamps), but the effective projected luminous lens area must not be reduced. EPLLA refers to the amount of lens area significantly lit up when the lighting device is active. With “LED bulbs” installed in lamps meant for filament t bulbs, you  tend to get a little dot of light with the rest of the lens almost completely unlit. So not only is the visibly lit area dimmer, it’s also smaller. Safety? Not so much!

Look closely at the optics of one of the newer vehicles that has LED brake/tail lamps. You’ll see optics totally different in configuration compared to those found in bulb-type devices. These special optics are necessary to coordinate the light from a large number of LEDs (relative to the overall size of the device) to get everything right in terms of brightness in both dim and bright mode, uniformity of brightness throughout the visibility angles required by law, ratio of intensity between “bright” and “dim” mode, EPLLA, etc.  These kinds of optics are not something you can kludge in your garage, let alone achieve with these unsafe “LED bulb retrofits”.

Lighting devices meant to take bulbs need to use bulbs. I’ve seen standard truck/bus LED stop/tail or turn lamps placed behind (not cut into) the lens of vehicle lights intended for use with bulbs. It can actually work fine if the LED unit is mounted close to the lens surface, and sometimes even if there’s some space between the lens and the LED unit.

The critical thing is getting the angle right; if the LED unit is tipped or tilted in any dimension, the light distribution won’t be proper. If you do this, use good quality lamp units from Grote, Signal-Stat/Truck-Lite, or Peterson — not off-brand junk. There’s an enormous variety of units to choose from. The Truck-Lite Signal-Stat “value line” units are actually quite good and they’re not very costly. Photo-illustrated discussion at:

http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=113593#113593 and
http://www.allpar.com/reviews/other/SamStrait-LED-bulbs.html

This guy (mention my name as a referral if interested) does custom LED conversions that work safely and effectively, but as you can see they are not cheap. He’s not profiteering…the prices actually are in line with the materials and parts cost and time and work involved to do the job right.

Do-it-yourself is not impossible, it’s just a great deal more difficult than most people realize.

See:  http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=169147

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

A TTAC lurker writes:

Sajeev, I’m local to Houston and greatly look forward to my daily lurk on TTAC. I just had to respond affirmatively to the latest piston slap about HID’s and Panthers.

 

I own 2 CV’s, an unmolested 2003 Sport:

…and a 2002 HPP with various mods/tune: you will note the projector headlights in the ’02. I couldn’t agree more with the comments about the cheap HID kits and resulting glare/distraction to other drivers. In my case I went the route of a complete E55 projector retrofit and new wiring harness for a proper and adjustable installation. I’ve included a complete DIY I had posted on crownvic.net under my now-sold PI moniker Blue95 for your reading pleasure! IMO the only way to install HID lighting. Has been installed for about 2 years, no operating issues at all and no problems with state inspection.

HID Write-up w Pics2

In our first installment, TTAC Commentator jco wrote:

There’s just no way you’ll get acceptable beam pattern and anything less than atrocious amounts of glare if you wire up an HID kit in halogen-designed open reflector housings….so the housing was designed to shape that type of light. And yes, I see junky HID kits in reflector housings all the time. it just looks cheap and wrong. there are usually huge hot spots at the top of the housing, specifically throwing glare at others. i don’t think there are any OEMs using HID in a non-projector housing.

I installed a well-made (it came with a wire harness with in-line fuses and directly plugged into my headlight harness. it takes the stress of the increased startup power away from the factory wiring) HID retro kit in my truck. But my truck already has projector housings for the low beams. though the lenses are not optimized for that type of bulb, they work about 90% as well a true OEM setup. and i spent time adjusting the level on the beams. i have driven another car in front of my truck at night and it’s not glare-y at all.

some people will take an open reflector housing, pull it apart, and install OEM projector components. if you’re skilled with a dremel tool you can probably do that in just about anything. it’s still gonna look weird in there, but you’ll have a better performing light setup. that’s beyond the level of most people who just buy a kit from ebay and plug it in.

In summation: you want aftermarket HIDs?  Get projector housings, make them if necessary. Order HID bulbs that are on par with the brightness of OEM applications.   Put it together with quality wiring and electrics. Aim them correctly.

Easy, right? 

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Robin writes:

So when I get my next big check I’m getting me a Panther. On this you can depend. You’ve talked me into it! But that’s not the point of my email. Rather, I’ve seen these HID light kits and wonder if it’s a lot of hype or if there is some veracity to the upgrade?

Sajeev answers:

Oh yes!  How lovely to hear you will be joining us enlightened American auto-connoisseurs in the Land of the Last Land Yacht: Panther Love…Son!

Like I mentioned in the last Piston Slap, HID retrofits are usually a terrible idea.  Aside from their durability and inherent poor value, they are not a “bright idea” (sorry) when performing a headlight retrofit/upgrade to your non-HID car. A few notable exceptions include me, when I upgraded my 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII’s headlights with the factory HID system used on certain 1996 models.  It was all factory parts, and worked great…until time and orphan parts reared their ugly heads.

Long story short, there is no real scientific benefit to HIDs if you don’t have a headlight assembly designed for the HID bulb.  And sometimes, depending on headlight lense design and bulb choice, it’s more of a detriment. And the only Panther that can safely run HIDs are 2003-2011 Town Cars with the (optional) factory-installed HID lenses. Everything else throws out a ton of glare and is dangerous for fellow motorists. And yourself, if you encounter a lot of reflective signs on the road or drive in thunderstorms at night in urban lighting conditions.

Plus, most of these aftermarket kits are quite unreliable: from the quality of wiring, durability of relays, and design of bulbs, calling these HID retrofit vendors “hit or miss” would be an understatement.

Plus again, many of these kits are downright illegal.  Even if they are DOT approved, are they legal for use in your state?  Better find out before you buy.

One last remark: the non-HID’s on my father’s 2006 Town Car are disturbingly close to the general lighting quality of the HID’s in my 1995 Mark VIII. Who says these Panthers are old school? Their lighting pods are pretty darn high-tech!

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC Commentator John R writes:

HI MAN!

I just replaced the battery in my 07 Sonata sometime earlier this year and now it’s behaving like it needs another. I should probably mention that I’m running aftermarket HIDs (I know, I know). I know (now) when the right lamp starts to fade and change from blue to white or sometimes purple its time to change the battery, but its happening a lot sooner than last time. I got a good two years in between when I had the HIDs installed and the last time I changed the battery. Back then I thought it was bulbs but as soon as I replaced them it started doing it again. That’s when I replaced the battery. Now its happening again.

I don’t think the battery is the problem – its a Napa Legend (75 month) which I understand is more than decent. My questions are these: knowing that its probably the HID setup sucking up all the juice (which I think is happening) what do I need to cope? A new alternator? A new battery, but this time do use the auto-on feature for the headlights?

Sajeev answers:

Thanks for your letter. If the car starts and runs, the alternator is fine. Your only problem sounds like your shitty HIDs: you can have a parts store (like AutoZone) test the charging system for FREE to know for sure, but I bet I am right.

Lose those lights, they are just glare machines because you don’t have an HID headlight assembly to properly harness the beam generated from said bulb. They will blind you (more than normal) when you pass a reflective sign or when you drive in a thunderstorm at night on a well-lit road. That, and they are often unreliable junk from vendors who wouldn’t know quality control from a hole in the ground.

John R replies:

“Your only problem sounds like your shitty HIDs”? DAMN! Oh, well. Thanks, Sajeev. I’ll head to Autozone this week.

Shortly afterward, John R replies:

HI MAN!

I just got back from Autozone. Not only will they test the charging system for free, but they’ll also charge the battery for free. I wish that was my problem, though. The battery came out 100% and alternator checked out fine. However, (and I’m not too surprised) the starter failed one out of three times.

Not often, but every once in a while before this episode started I would get the little “RAT-TAT-TAT” sound while trying to turn over the engine.

Now they can test the starter by itself – you just gotta rip it out. I guess its time to break out ye old Haynes manual…

Sajeev answers:

Well, they test both systems, but I rarely note the distinction between charging and battery/electrical systems as they are so interconnected in modern cars. It’s truly amazing what oddball electrical faults will show up because of a bad wire in the charging system, a FUBAR’d alternator, or a weak battery.

So now you need new headlights AND a starter?  Welcome to old car ownership: a poor initial diagnosis is like a kick in the crotch when you get that second opinion, no?

John R replies:

Well, hopefully just the starter. I’m going to take it out some time this weekend. Thanks for the AutoZone tip. At least I’ve got it narrowed down.

Sajeev answers:

Oops, I hate giving tips that make me sound like a shill. Because I only shill for Panther Love or anything Fox Body/E39/LSX-FTW. Probably.

I don’t buy remanufactured alternators/starters/etc from AutoZone anymore. But I did. I normally reference them because of their national name recognition (and I’m too lazy to make a roundabout generalization about free component testing when one word says it all) but many other parts places do the same free tests.

AutoZone was (is?) the worst (in terms of quality) for new or rebuilt components from no-name manufacturers. I’ve been burned too many times to trust them anymore.  That said, maybe Autozone improved their quality in the past 5-10 years, maybe we should trust them…but now I buy new or “rebuilt with 100% new parts” from other vendors, as availability for my older hoopties dictate.

Best and Brightest, chime in on your favorite vendor. Being stranded in the rain and multiple tow bills from their lifetime alternators has royally ticked me off.

While I do like Autozone for many brand name parts, I lost my faith on the other stuff. Except their cheapo wiper blades, they work just fine and are, well cheap. Stick with brand name stuff, shop other parts stores for those “FML, I’ll never do that job again in my driveway” parts like a starter.

And did you go back to factory style lights from a decent vendor? I sure hope so.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Guilmo writes:

Sajeev, I need your help to resolve my dilemma. Picked up a certified 07 Rabbit less than a year ago and am not satisfied with its fuel economy and frankly just bored with it. I’m averaging about 9L/100Km and I know will only get worse come winter. I use this car solely to commute to work and occasionally put a large hockey bag in the hatch.

Gas prices here in Montreal are averaging around $1.30/ liter and going up, costs me on average about $65 /week. Thinking of getting a new B class car to improve fuel economy by half, say one of the newest Kia or Hyundai cars and still maintain my monthly payments in the $ 275 range.

So keeping the same car payment with better fuel economy= savings. Sounds too good to be true, am I missing something?

Oh and the twister in all of this is…. want to get a Porsche 944 for the summer months. Help!

Sajeev answers:

That’s just dandy, provided there’s no negative equity in your Rabbit. A commute to work in a large metropolitan area is sometimes brutal on fuel economy numbers.  Doing the conversion, your Rabbit gives you 26 MPG. That’s what I get in my comparable weight/power Ford Ranger to and from the suburbs of Houston. More to the point, it’s in line with VW’s (USA) economy figures from the EPA.

In Piston Slap terms, the car is totally fine.  And you aren’t driving it incorrectly, with jack “rabbit” (sorry) launches and runs to redline a whole lot.

Then again, Piston Slap also understands you might hate that 5 cylinder mill.  Most of us would understand. Plus, it’s a base model VW, which defeats the purpose of getting a German engineered machine.  Boring!

Here’s my big problem: not only am I concerned that you are upside down on the VW, you also want a Porsche 944 as a summer toy?  It may not matter what you buy for a daily driver, so get the one that’s best for your wallet. Because you’re gonna need plenty of extra cash for your summer car, even if it wasn’t a Porsche.

Even if you are only a few hundred (Canadian) bucks upside down, that’s a stiff financial headwind to overcome in any replacement vehicle. Is it worth the time value of money to find a new car?

Do your math, maybe have someone verify your cash outlay, and consider keeping the Rabbit until the CPO warranty runs out.  That’s when we should have this discussion.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Rodrigo writes:

Hello Sajeev,

I’m being offered a 2005 BMW 545i with 78,000 miles on the clock. Well-equipped with the sport package and manual transmission, it’s being offered at $18,000 (negotiable) by a co-worker’s family member who “wants to get rid of it quick so he can replace it with a new truck.” I’m told it’s been babied, but I’ll definitely be asking for service records and a chance to have it inspected by a German car indy mechanic that’s 3 blocks from my apartment.

The prospect of replacing my homely ’09 Rio with a Fünfer is appealing; I can stomach my skyrocketing insurance premiums and plummeting mileage records for at least a season or two. The manual transmission, the sublime acceleration of the Bimmer V8 – worth it.

But the question remains: this being a German car well on the brink of its 80s, should I be running, not walking, away from this deal? The repair histories on TrueDelta for this model at this mileage are unsettling, to say the least: $2,500 brake booster failure at 66k; $1,700 wiring harness replacement at 68k; transmission replacement under warranty at 69k (note – these are not all the same car). I don’t care enough about projecting my higher education and job market success at the young age of 23 to go deep into credit card debt courtesy of maintenance bills for my 6-year-old “new” ostentation machine. Is this car worth the plunge? Or should I remain in fully-paid-off Korean budget-car purgatory for another year or two and keep on saving?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer!

Sajeev answers:

You sound like you value your money for stuff other than a nice car. And honestly, any awesome E60 just makes me lust for an E39. But that’s not important…let’s focus on what you actually value.

Do the right thing and run the hell away from this vehicle. A six-year-old BMW? Not a chance in hell! If you really want one, get a CPO 5-series with a factory warranty. Or see if this car can be CPO’d at your local dealer. You don’t want this car, I am 99% sure of this.

Rodrigo answers:

Hello Sajeev,

There will come a day when I want to own a beautiful German (a picture of an E92 M3 adorns my cubicle), but at this stage in my life any excuse to stay out of debt is a good one. Especially for a car that is neither affordable to own nor the stuff my dreams are made of.

In any case, thanks for taking the time to read my letter, thank you for the advice and take care!

Sajeev concludes:

All the best, and you are making the right move! E60 BMWs weren’t exactly a value conscious Rio when new, and TrueDelta (shameless plug) shows just how much you’re gonna shell out now that the warranty is history. More importantly, why even consider a car with such financial risk when ya don’t really want it in the first place?

Judging by your wit, your sentence structure and your personal level of interaction with me via email, your resume at the ripe young age of 23 must be as good as you say. So stop being modest! Actually no, remain modest, and get something you’d really love when you can afford it.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Earl writes:

I just bought a mint condition, dealer-maintained 1990 Cressida. I am aware of the head bolt torque issue on the 6 cylinder engine. The car shows no sign of head gasket issues. My question: should I have my dealer simply re-torque the head bolts? Their tech (30-year’s experience) says he’s done this on many cars with no issues. Your thoughts?

Sajeev answers:

Your tech, the Internet Forums, and my gut agree: DO IT!  The information posted in my last sentence’s hyperlink is pretty much spot on, including the technique of doing such a re-torque.  That said, let’s get to the heart of the matter.

You have an awesome car!  Cressidas get better and better with age, from a design and collectability standpoint.  Well, it’s no Supra…but bad ass sedans are just that, son!

Bonus!  A Piston Slap Nugget of Wisdom:

LSX-FTW aside, let’s play devil’s advocate and consider a time when the head gasket lets go. Replace it (obviously) because this car is a keeper.  But instead of putting the bolts back in (assuming Toyota didn’t used Torque to Yield Bolts) install head studs instead.  It’s a great item for peace of mind and possibly even for resale.  ARP makes a great kit for Supras, and I would recommend this at some point in this Cressida’s life. 

Maybe not now, maybe not even 5 years from now. But at some point, consider head studs.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Sam writes:

Hello, can you tell me what ever happened with the Porsche IMS concern? At 18K miles, an IMS bearing failure has caused a catastrophic engine failure in my Porsche 911. My Porsche dealer (who has done all of the Porsche recommended service on the car since new) just told me that there is nothing that they or Porsche can or will do, and that it is an isolated incident. I have since been doing research online, and I find out that an IMS bearing failure is not at all a rare occurrence.

I am not a litigious person and I am not out to tarnish the Porsche name. But with a repair cost of $19k, I cannot afford to get my car fixed. I am looking to get Porsche to step up and address what would appear to be a bearing design defect.

The problem exists in Carerras, Boxsters and Caymans, and Porsche has redesigned this bearing 4 times and have even designed the IMS completely out of the newest 997 direct injection engines. I need some help please and would be sincerely grateful for any help you can give me.

My Porsche dealer here at first told me that only the stud on the Intermediate Shaft had broken, and that they had caught it in time to prevent catastrophic engine damage. They quoted me on a $2000. repair in which they would install an aftermarket-3rd party bearing manufactured by LN Engineering. They told me that they have installed as many as 6 of the LN Engineering bearings in cars brought in for Porsche authorized service. Then 3 days later when the aftermarket bearing arrived and they went to remove the IMS from my car they discovered that the damage had been much more severe than they had initially thought and thus would only be able to proceed using a Porsche factory rebuilt engine at a cost of $19K. Even if the failure rate is <1%, the cost to the car’s owner is huge (I will not be able to get mine repaired as I do not have that kind of money). It is very telling that an authorized Porsche dealer would be installing non-Porsche manufactured bearings in Porsche engines unless of course…….it is because they know that there is a problem with the OEM bearing design.

While I do not want to see the dealer get into trouble with Porsche Corporate (call me selfish since I only want my car fixed and not some class-action lawsuit) I think that this is significant.

Respectfully yours,
Sam

Sajeev answers:

Your assessment of the situation is complete and seems even more accurate. Yes, the IMS bearing is junk and they fail on many Boxsters, 996s non-turbos and even 997s…except for the latest DI motors which silently resolved the problem. My question to you, at what year of ownership did this happen? Because at 18k, any late model 911 is under warranty and they are legally obligated to fix it under that warranty.

Reading between the lines, many Porkers run out of warranty because of time, not mileage. Such is the life of a play toy. And in that case, I fully understand your situation and I wish you and your 996 (probably) the best of luck.

Months later, Sam updates:

Mr. Mehta: Porsche came through for me in a big way. My 2003 now has a new engine and my feeling is that they went above and beyond for me. I will be buying Porsche again as they stand behind their Products.

Sajeev Concludes:

Maybe Porsche isn’t the only one, but they are in our scope for now: this Piston Slap shows that a loyal customer gets the treatment they deserve, warranty or not.  And those who deviate from the dealership’s paper trail tend to not get what’s coming to them. And heaven forbid you put your Porker on the track, accidentally hit the rev limiter (Big Brother is Watching) a couple times, put a K&N/cat-back exhaust and get your service work done elsewhere.  My argument hinges on your statement:

“My Porsche dealer…who has done all of the Porsche recommended service on the car since new.”

Congrats Sam, I will consider you one of the lucky ones. Best and Brightest, your thoughts???

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

T.J. writes:

Hey guys,

The day I knew was coming but hoped would never arrive is here.  I have to decide whether its time to replace my trusty ride, a 1996 Infiniti I30 with estimated 235k miles (odo was broken years ago, repaired, and reset to a mileage amount we now think is low.  actual miles is probably around 250-260k).  The issue is an oil leak.

It’s now leaking at the rate of about 5 quarts every 3000 miles.  I’ve been content to keep topping off the oil, but now the leak is causing other problems; specfically, the a/c and alternator belt will not stay on because the pulley is soaked in oil.  Fixing the leak would be over $1000, and this would the third or so leak that we’ve plugged, only to have another pop up, so I’m convinced that if I was to fix it, a new engine is the way to go.  I have an estimate from my mechanic (a very reasonable, trustworthy independent shop) for $2200 or so ($850 for a used local engine with 90k miles, $200 in other parts, and 13 hours labor).

That estimate will probably go up to around $3k (my guess) as I told him I’d also want to replace the transmission (original, never been rebuilt), and engine mounts (needed to be replaced years ago).  The book says to remove the engine from the bottom, so since all those pieces are coming out anyway, he said there wouldn’t be additional labor, only parts.  I’ve sunk almost $2k into this car this year for new shocks, a new harmonic balancer, and 3 new tires less than 3 weeks ago.  A/C was replaced only 1-2 years ago, radiator, I’d say roughly 50-60k miles ago.  Nonessential functions are a mess, though.  Cruise control and radio don’t work (I have a 45 minute highway commute, so those aren’t luxuries), and I can’t use the trunk due to being rear-ended by an uninsured driver, which caused about $1200 in damage to my rear bumper and trunk lid, which has never been repaired.  I have more than enough saved to do this repair, and at my current savings rate, it would take me about 3-4 months to recoup the $3k.  I’m now driving about 15k miles a year.  If I was to replace the car, I would not be getting rid of it.  Due to its condition, its worthless to anyone else except me.  Plus, this is the only car I’ve ever had.  I’m almost 28, and I’ve had this car since I got my license at 16 and put almost all the mileage on it (it had 42k miles when we got it), so it feels like a high school sweetheart I ended up marrying.

My plan if I was to replace it now would be to park it until I had sufficient funds in a few years to get it fixed up and running again.  If I do replace it, I’d likely be waiting for a couple more months and driving an extra family car my parents are willing to loan me till then (I recently started a new job and probably won’t be off new hire probation for 2-3 more months and do not want to be buying a car till then).  Thanks for the advice.

Sajeev Answers:

Since you will keep this car forever (I LOVE HEARING THAT!) do not fix this motor, instead grab a low mile motor from an auto recycler, put fresh gaskets on it, and install. The extra cost incurred is totally worth it, as you’ll get a ton of extra life.

This is also a good time to consider LS4-FTW, but that’s because I haven’t said that in a long, long time.

Restomodding is the name of this game: I was in your shoes when I was 23, with a similar car…a fairly undesirable Fox Body Mercury Cougar XR-7.  Now, almost 12 years later, the Cougar is a bit of a cult classic, and everyone seems (pretends?) to love mine.  Sure, it isn’t a daily driver anymore, but it was at one point and I saved a ton of money driving it.  I call it “my soldier” as it always stood behind me and always impresses bystanders. Hell, I drove it for weeks while waiting for my new 2011 Ford Ranger to arrive, even though it needs a lot of work. It never did me wrong, and I love it for that reason.

Screwball Restomods are insane amounts of fun.  And since the Infiniti I30 is just a Maxima in nice threads, you can do the same. My Cougar woke up quickly with 5.0 Mustang parts, among other items from the Ford parts bin.  Your Infiniti can be a real 4DSC with a lot of Maxima.org forum searching and patience from both yourself and your mechanic: suspension upgrades, 5-speed stick, etc. It’s all in the palm of your hands. Ask stupid questions with respect.  Read the posts of smart people on the forum. Absorb everything.

Buy a newer vehicle whenever you need it…but keep it cheap.  You, by your own admission, are married the Infiniti. So don’t let any schmuck stop you from keeping your I30.

Listen to the madman typing behind the scenes on this webpage, you will NEVER regret this.

 Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC commentator/writer David Holzman writes:

 Sajeev,

My ’99 Accord 5speed with 200k on the clock needs a new gas tank. The fuel pump is inside the gas tank. Should I get a new fuel pump with that gas tank? Changing the tank will cost about $600; including a fuel pump will add $300. I’m planning to keep this car another year and a half to two years, at which point it will have about 230k.

(I will replace it with whatever version of the Toyota FT86 reaches our shores provided the car does well repair-wise in its first year, and provided I like it as much as Bertel’s review suggested I would.)

PS: can you get this one up ASAP? I need to get the tank before I go on a road trip Dec. 24.

Sajeev Answers:

$300 for a fuel pump?  Please check the prices on Rockauto.com and verify your shop isn’t marking up their parts costs.

That said, I don’t know if the pump needs to be replaced, there’s a good chance it will last 2 years. Even if it fails, you don’t need to drop the tank to install a new one. Tough call.  A fuel pump should be more like $100-150 and labor should be nearly nothing considering the tank is dropped.

David replies:

Sajeev,

I suspect the $300 was for an OEM fuel pump. On Rockauto, they start at around $30, and a number of them are 100 and change. I guess one thing that makes me nervous is the thought of switching from my original to a non-OEM. I mean, it wouldn’t completely surprise me if the original went for a few more years and a non-OEM quit after a few years.

Sajeev Concludes:

I suspect that $300 was for the complete fuel pump assembly.  Wait no, I never suspect that. As a tireless cynic when it comes to random mechanics giving quotes to my readers, I always go for the worst.  That said, Rockauto sells the Denso fuel pump (OE part) for $118.00…and Denso stuff ain’t no joke, this is what you need.

Would a nameless, faceless shop charge over 200% markup for the same part you can buy online?  Perhaps. It wouldn’t be the first time, son! Wrap up: there’s no wrong answer, replace or no.  The only problem is the cost of said part.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Dave writes:

Hello Sajeev,

Well, better late than never.  I did get my Saturn running again.  Due to weather, parts delays and misdiagnosis I spent a lot more time and money than I planned or had to, but she does seem to be in good shape now.  Although the timing chain was still in place and looked OK, I replaced it.  I actually did the whole timing set replacement, which includes chain, crank sprocket, two cam sprockets, fixed guide, top guide, adjustable guide and chain tensioner.

The timing chain alone costs about 50 bucks and the whole set was 150.  I briefly considered just getting the chain to cut down on costs that I had already put into this high mileage car, but then realized how stupid that would be.  Closer inspection of the old timing set parts also revealed clearly that they were totally worn out and the reason for my jumping chain.  The adjustable timing guide was made out of some kind of hard plastic and had deep grooves in it.  The guide at the top of the timing loop which must control chain jump between the cam sprockets was also damaged.  I thought it was just metal, but when installing the new one I realized there was supposed to be a hard plastic contact service that clipped on.  This had worn so badly on the old one it had broken off.  I had seen a piece of it early on in the job after I had removed the valve cover, but didn’t realize at the time what is was.  Once I realized it had broken apart in the engine, I did as one of the commentators on your blog suggested and removed the oil pan to look for the rest.  I did find some, but not enough to reconstruct the whole piece.   I am hoping most of the rest of it had already left the car during previous oil changes.

I had a brief scare after putting the car mostly back together.  I ran a preliminary compression check with the newly installed timing set and had expected/hoped to see vastly improved compression values.  Although they were better than before and one cylinder was a bit above 100 psi…they were not good.  After calming myself from a brief panic, I decided to put the rest of the car back together in the hopes my compressions were just bad, because the car had been sitting so long.   That proved to be the case as it fired right up.  Checking the compression again after the engine was warmed up gave me values for all four cylinders between 170 and 190 psi.

I am now in Calhoun, GA having driven the car from Maryland with no issues.  I will be traveling onto my end goal of Texas in a few days.  I anticipate no further difficulties on the journey, but if I have any, I’ll be sure to drop you a line.

Thanks for the help!

Sajeev Answers:

This website (and others) occasionally stuff our comments section with the notion that America is full of auto-wieners that wouldn’t know a master cylinder from a smog pump, and never did an oil change in their lives.

Dave and is Saturn L-series Wagon is proof to the contrary.

Too bad neither him nor I knew to ask Google the right keywords about the Saturn’s initial diagnostic failure.  Sorry about that. I had no idea it has the same colossal timing chain failure of the Cadillac Catera. Thanks to the Best and Brightest, we (collectively) nailed it. A question remains: does Dave have any compensation/recourse because this was a recalled item? 

Thanks Dave, your epic roadtrip to Texas gives me a lot of faith in automotive humanity.  If Houston is in your travel plans, dinner is on me.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Eric writes:

I have a 2000 Maxima with about 155k on the clock.  I purchased this car in Los Angeles and since 2005, it’s lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania.  The main issue is that I can tell the transmission is starting to get a bit soft on the 1-2 upshift, specifically once it starts getting cold out.  I presume the primary reason for this is the abuse it’s suffered at my hands.  As it was a California car, it has no traction control and though I love it nine months of the year, it is utterly helpless in the snow—snow tires didn’t seem to help tremendously.  I’ve had to rock myself out a number of times and I presume the trans has gotten overheated at least once.  I’ve been good about changing the fluid (drain and fill 3x, filter too) about once a year but I think I’m near the end on this trans.

So the question is should I seek out a used AT and have it swapped, send out for a quality rebuild or just replace the Max outright?  It’s been quite good to me with only minor repairs such as a cat, MAF and coils.  I can happily say that it’s a car that I’ve enjoyed quite a lot and wouldn’t mind keeping—the 3.0 VQ is still strong despite the miles.  The main complicating factor is that my wife’s car is not yet paid off and I don’t think I’ll be able to take on a 2^nd auto loan; we still have about 3 years left on the current loan.

I’ve toyed with the notion of adding an older Miata to the stable for summer fun and occasional project; though affordable enough to buy outright and I wouldn’t mind it as a daily driver, I’m sure that it wouldn’t be much fun in the winter.  If I dump the Maxima, what would you think might be a suitable replacement?

Sajeev Answers:

Keep it, because you can’t afford a second loan. And why would you? This is far from a death sentence to your automotive needs, its just giving an old friend a helping hand when they need it the most.

You mentioned regular fluid changes. Good for you!  There’s a slim chance that adding a transmission additive (some recommend Lucas, I will not go that far) will fix the problem and this will be the end of the story for months…or maybe longer.  If so…perfection!

But if not, buying a remanufactured transmission is your best bet.  The moment someone cracks open your autobox for a visual inspection is the time when your hard earned dollars are wasted, misused. At this age and mileage, and transmission should be rebuilt/replaced, not somewhat disassembled, inspected, and a couple of parts fixed.

Who rebuilds a Nissan transaxle decently?  Not entirely sure. I’ve been bitten by local shops that never knew the specifics of a certain manufacturer’s design, so I tend to err on the cautious side: either get one from Nissan with a factory warranty or ring up the folks at Jasper.  As their website says, the 3 year warranty and quality control procedures gives “Peace of Mind” that isn’t available by a local shop.  And they usually drop ship to your trusty mechanic, for a quick install.  I am usually hesitant to outright recommend a particular vendor, but Jasper seems to give people on many forums just what their website promises, no matter the make and model.

Best and Brightest: approve or disapprove of this particular shameless shill?

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Chris writes:

Dear Sajeev,

Love the website and love your reading your column. My question is I am looking to get a minivan within the next 6 months to a year. I am only looking to spend around 8 grand on one. I am leaning heavily towards Chrysler’s vans, and found some really great deals on older ones with low miles. But then I read your article about how it’s not always good to go with older, low mile automobiles. So would I be better to get say, a 2002 model Town and Country, with a little over 100 hundred thousand miles? Or should I not even bother with Chrysler at all? I was leaning towards a Windstar as well, but then there’s that whole rear axle breaking thing, and I quite enjoy living. In your personal opinion what is the best minivan for my budget.

Sajeev Answers:

I’m gonna try something different: give reasonably decent advice in the beginning, then let out my crazy.  Because there’s more variety to your minivan choices than what you see: multiple opportunities to dance before dating in the Homecoming Dance of Minivan Life, as it were. So let’s do this thing.

That said, buying a used minivan is a tough nut to crack.  Usually a higher mile vehicle with ample service records is the way to go, but perhaps their Achilles’ heel (transaxles not worthy of such a large machine) will fail much sooner on a high mile rig versus a low mile creampuff.  After all, new tires/belts/hoses/brakes on a 30,000 mile rig is much more palatable than a new gearbox after 110,000 miles. Speaking purely in generalities, ‘natch.

Chrysler’s hit or miss quality control with transmissions is almost legendary.  Rebuilt units are just as troublesome, depending on the Pentastar-savviness of the shop involved. Windstars were recalled for rusty axles, and perhaps the replacements should also be coated in 90-weight gear oil to keep the problem from resurfacing, so to speak.

That said, 90-weight oil does smell like a gigantic ass, so perhaps not. But this isn’t the point.

Look at what’s in your budget, I suspect the recall free (fuel system aside) Ford Freestar is up your alley…they definitely trade under your budget in the auctions, so why not find a desperate seller ready to take a low ball bid? And with the “big block” 4.2L motor, they are rather quick too. I kinda like them, in a bizarre CUV-hating kinda way. Then again, you might find plenty of clean Chrysler vans with ample service paperwork and a clean transmission dipstick. How am I to know what you will find first?

Even though the last gen GM minivans are uglier than sin, they are also a worthy choice. Especially the Buick of Minivans, the Terraza. And maybe you’ll get a sweetheart deal on a Toyota/Honda minivan from a friend who could care less about their price premium on the market. So what’s my advice?

Let the service history, transmission fluid condition, and status of normal wear items (interior, brakes, paint, power-operated gizmos, tires, etc) be your guide.  Or be nuts like me, and hold out until you find a fully loaded Mercury Monterey and tune the hell outta that big block 4.2L for maximum minivan hotrod goodness.

Mercury lives: come and dance with me!

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Dave writes:

Hello Sajeev,

I just bought a 2000 Saturn LW1 6 weeks ago.  It has a L4 2.2 Liter engine with 200,000 miles on it.  After 3 weeks out of the country I came back and started it up.  Was a little rough then smoothed out.  I just changed parking spots.  Did this one more time.  The third time starting it up it would not fire.  No strange noises, just no running engine.  I suspected bad ignition coil.  I had just changed the spark plugs before my trip and they had about 50 miles on them.  Ignition coil was fine at all four points using a ignition tester.  I even put new plugs in again.  Fuel rail has the specified 60 PSI.  Theorizing that may the fuel injectors were shut down i tried starter spray in the air intake.  The motor will not fire.  A compression test with a gauge picked up at advance gave me less than 10 PSI on the two outer cylinders and about 24 on the two inner.  The Haynes manual is very unhelpful and only states for compression specs. that the lowest compression cylinder value should be no less that 70% of the highest compression cylinder value.

I read on-line (http://www.saturnfans.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1781795)  the same but that no cylinder should be less than 100 PSI.  While cranking the engine there was some light smoke visible behind the engine above the exhaust manifold, but unable to determine the source.

My question is: are you aware of catastrophic head gasket failures on these engines?  I am surprised that the engine will not fire at all even if the head gasket does have a problem.  I have removed the valve cover and see that the timing chain is still there and working.

When I changed the plugs last month I applied anti-seize thread sealant to the plugs as instructed in the manual.  I am now having wild imaginings that the anti-seize thread sealant got into the cylinders and impregnated the gasket and is somehow responsible for this catastrophic failure.   I am going to tear into the engine tomorrow and try to replace the head gasket, because i need to get this car running again ASAP.  I am being hopeful and unrealistically optimistic that I cold get some input/ thoughts from you before morning when I start this laborious task…

Ideas?

Sajeev Answers:

You are in a tough spot: a seemingly severe mechanical failure. This is when we tend to trust everything we see or read, even if we shouldn’t.  It’s not your fault, but you need to verify what you are seeing.  It’s like getting a second opinion when a doctor tells you that you have 6 months to live. Because the lack of compression has sent you down a path of diagnostic madness. Which truly sucks.

So try another compression gauge.  I don’t know why, but these things are terribly unreliable and not durable. Bang it around in a toolbox in your garage (or the rental counter at your local parts store) and the needle won’t move nearly as much as before. The odds of you losing that much compression on all cylinders that quickly just doesn’t add up: so I think the tester is bad.

I think you need to check for spark the old-fashioned way…put a screwdriver in the end of a spark plug wire and lay it near a piece of metal…you should see a spark when you crank, and it should be pretty strong.  Google this for more information.

Good luck.  I suspect the ignition module finally crapped out.  Did yours ever get the recall?

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

TTAC Commentator Cameron Evans writes:

Dear Sajeev,

I am the proud owner of a 1992 F-150, 4×2, regular cab, long box, with power nothing and the Big Six. I love everything about the truck, except for the one concession to my wife, the E4OD gearbox.

Now that the tranny is shot (slip city, followed by violent shifts), I need your advice. The Ford has a lot of new, high quality parts (Michelin’s, o2 sensor, egr valve, coil, water pump, alternator, exhaust, etc), but it’s also rusty as hell from 19 Minnesota winters and the body is beat up from being a municipal truck.

Simple question, drop the cash on a rebuilt tranny or cut my losses?

Thanks in advance!

Sajeev Answers:

Unless the floors are rusting out, I’d keep it. Even then, sheetmetal stock and talented welders are cheap and easy find almost everywhere. A truck is a truck, my friend. There’s a reason why songs are sung, jobs get done, and America is America: the work truck beat to all hell is a symbol of our national pride.

Ok, let’s try to give a technical reason why.  Look at all those new parts!  The exhaust is a big plus. Great choice in tires too.  And if the EEC-IV controlled, 4.9L Big Six was a reasonably attractive woman, I’d marry her on the spot. You know I’m right, son.

Now to the tranny: finding a Ford savvy rebuilder is sometimes a bit tough.  So you’ll have to call around to find one, lest you wind up with an inferior product.  But when you do, and when you drop a decent shift enhancer on it, the E4OD is a great unit. Much like the rest of your parts, spending a good $1000-1500 (not including installation) for a proper rebuild by a proper Ford man is totally worth it.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Jeff writes:

I have owned my 1965 Mustang convertible for 30 years. It has a problem that puzzles my trusted mechanic and me. The right front wheel cover rotates on the rim, counter-clockwise, as I drive, which pinches the valve stem in about 50 miles. I have swapped wheel covers and had the tire remounted on the spare’s rim with no joy. There is no vibration felt in the body or steering wheel or body when driving, nor is there any uneven wear on the tire.

Ideas?

Sajeev Answers:

Quoting the great Ned Flanders, “As the tree said to the lumberjack, “I’m stumped.”

This shouldn’t happen. And while vintage steel wheels don’t have the torsional rigidity of the newest, latest CAD inspired unit, the wheel cap shouldn’t spin around like a centrifuge when you hit a bump. But maybe it does.

I have two bits of advice, the first is free and possibly helpful, while the second could very well fix it.

1. Pull off all the wheel caps and use a pair of pliers to “open the mouth” of the clips that hold the cap to the wheel. There are multiple tabs with “mouths” around the circumference of the cap, they all need a slight bend to get the mouth opening bigger, pressing stronger against the steel wheel. But only a slight bend! No need to induce further metal fatigue to a 46-year-old piece of metal.

2. Replace one (or more) steel wheel with an aftermarket reproduction…or a similar unit from a 1980s vintage Ford Fox Body. The Fox wheels have 20 years less metal fatigue, look significantly more efficient which–if they are anything like the Ford Fairmont from whence they came–might be from computer assisted design. I assume you have 14” wheels with 4 lugs, therefore the base hoops from any Fox Body Ford give you a fair shot at having a stronger, less-flexy wheel…hell, it might even be a touch lighter for less unsprung weight!

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.

Matt writes:

Hello,

I own an 06′ Hyundai Elantra GLS hatchback and tire wear on the front left tire has been much worse than the other three, despite rotating the tires. The outside of the front left tire is worn down so that it is smooth and now I can see a secondary layer of rubber being exposed. At first I thought maybe there was something wrong with the alignment but I took it to three places, one wanted to charge me a $90 “diagnostic” fee so I walked and the other two couldn’t find anything wrong. One place mentioned that since I had directional tires I couldn’t really get a proper rotation and thats probably what’s causing the wear.

My best guess is between the directional design of the tire tread and the nature of my driving it has caused extreme wear on the outside of my front left tire. The other three tires look fine and seem like I could get at least another year out of them. Anyway, my question is should I just replace the front left with an inexpensive replacement and get the remaining life out of the other three or should I just replace all four with an asymetric set? Factors to consider are that I live in the Northeast so I do get snow but it is not a requirement that I be out on the roads when it is falling so snow tires are not important, just a decent set of all seasons. Also I am a student right now so the cheaper option is more appealing to me but not if it is a minimal one. I have about 35k on the tires right now and they are General Altimax HP’s.

Sajeev Answers

It has nothing to do with the tread pattern of your tires. Damn son, you don’t need to pass everyone around EVERY corner!

I’m serious! But it’s all good. Before balancing things out with proper rear anti-roll bars, my rear-wheel drive cars normally had more wear on the front than the rear. It magnified my desire to push my vehicles hard, but not hard enough to induce oversteer and raise the ire of my neighbors…and the local law enforcement. So perhaps I shouldn’t cast stones from within my glass house.

Front wheel drive vehicles are prone to extra front tire wear because those doughnuts have to both accelerate and steer the vehicle. It’ll abnormally wear out the best of rubber. Combined with your obvious lead foot and the Hyundai’s lack of a limited slip differential, the left front wheel takes more than its fair share of tire wear.

What to do? I would recommend more handbrake turns or lift-off oversteer, but that’s pretty terrible advice for a hoon like yourself. The short-term answer is to get one tire to replace the worn out one, as this isn’t an AWD vehicle that demands equal tire circumferences. That’s the easy part.

The hard part? Getting you to chill out when you’re behind the wheel.

Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com . Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you’re in a hurry.