Matthew's Auto Repair Blog

Refusing to bow down to the increasing pressure of major automakers, independent mechanics are continuing their fight for Right to Repair laws. Support continues to build on a state level across the country, but the big fight for 2008 is in Congress. Congressional supporters of Right to Repair laws are gearing up for another attempt at passing this piece of landmark legislation. Representative Edolphus Towns of New York's 45th District has again signed on as the sponsor of HR 2694, a national Right to Repair bill. Towns has been a long time supporter of the Right to Repair, and apparently isn't afraid to stick his neck out for it. It seems to be paying off, as this year more than 40 members of Congress have signed on as co-sponsors, with more supporters waiting to cast their votes -- if he can get it to the Congressional floor. The legislation still needs to wind its way through committee, but if support continues to grow at this rate, we might see a vote on it in the near future.

That's where you come in! It's up to independent thinkers like you to rally for access to important repair information for your car. Why should you have to wait until your car is 5-10 years old to get detailed information on repairs? Even if you don't do serious work on your car, wouldn't you like the option of taking it to an independent repair shop? As it sits, there are lots of you who don't have this choice because the independent mechanics don't have access to the "secrets" of your car's systems until the automakers decide to release them publicly. Sure, they give open access to the independently owned dealer service centers, but if your shop doesn't have the right logo on its sign it's tough luck. It takes two seconds to send an email to your Congressional representative urging their support for Right to Repair legislation and HR 2694.

Don't take my word for it, read all of the gritty info on RightToRepair.org.

Houston is no place to live without air conditioning. When one man's A/C system took a dive, he was quoted a whopping $1200 to repair it. He was perturbed at the estimate, but University of Houston student Scott Dawson kept his cool. He wasn't even sure how long he would keep his car, so the thought of paying $1200 wasn't settling well with him. That's when Scott shifted into high gear and set out to find a better solution. Instead of seeking an elaborate workaround for the car's A/C system, he employed the faithful K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) system and drew up a plan for cool air that was a real money saver. Scott bought one of the smallest room air conditioners and mounted it on the roof of his car. He cut a hole in the roof to pipe the cool air right into the cockpit. To power the unit, he used what's called a voltage inverter (a unit that converts DC power into AC) wired directly to his car battery and plugged the wall unit right in. It worked. Scott now has cool air blowing right on his head while he braves Houston's high temps in traffic. His fix cost around $400. Sure, it's not in any way permanent, and I wonder what would happen in a serious rain storm, but you have to applaud his ingenuity.

See Scott Lawson's A/C system in action at Fox Houston.

Anti-Steering Legislation. Most drivers have never heard of such a thing. Is this a new law banning Big Macs while driving? This may be a disgusting sight but no, this piece of law has a much greater impact on us and our pocketbooks.

When you're in an accident you rely on an insurance company, either yours or the guy that smacked you, to return your vehicle to its state before the damage. We expect them to use quality parts and quality labor for the repairs, you want a fix you can trust! Years ago we saw the insurance industry turned on its head for trying to force inferior body parts on repair shops. The courts decided in favor of car owners, and now in most states they have to pay for real (original equipment) parts if you request it.

The latest attempt at insurance company oppression is called "steering." When you make a claim for a repair, historically you've been able to have a shop of your choosing write up an estimate and make the repairs. Now, insurance companies are trying to restrict the shops you can use to a pre-approved list of facilities. In other words, they're telling you where to get your car repaired. The shops are probably quality establishments for the most part, but if they're getting steady income from all of the insurance company business, who do you think they have on their minds when they're making decisions regarding your repair? Human nature and good business practices say you'll be number two on the list. Anti-steering legislation will stop this practice. It's a good idea and will ensure fairness when it comes to your car repairs.

_{Read more about anti-steering legislation from Automotive Body Repair News.}

It's never too late to take charge of your auto repair and maintenance. This new DIYer is diving right in:

Hello Matt, I just turned 40 and it seems like my life is just beginning. Between my dad and brother I didn't have to worry about auto repair. However dad died and my brother was in a serious motorcycle acident. Well, so now here I go it alone. I was out with my mom who's 80 and while driving down a major highway, my car suddenly started acting like he didn't want to go. I was giving him gas and he wasn't moving to fast. Kinda like he wanted to "crap out" on me. I putted to the gas station, even though I had a little over empty and the light hadn't came on yet. I put 10 bucks in and that brang him over a 1/4. I figured if it was low fuel that would fix him and bam. Got back in and still he "putted". I tried to remember the common problems and came up with HOPEFULLY the cheapest and easiest problem. Spark Plugs! I read your how to change them yourself. And I was smiling when I remembered that years ago my dad, brother and grandfather had all told me that if I ever had to change them, to do them one at a time and the same with the wires. So for now, I send you thanks and hope for the best.
Signed, The 40 year old "try it" yourself-er.

Well 40, you're headed in the right direction! The first step to automotive empowerment is grabbing a tool and popping the hood. If your car is due for a tune up, changing your spark plugs is a good idea. In your case, especially considering your low fuel incident, I'd look at the fuel filter. When your gas tank gets especially low, it's possible for debris to be sucked into the fuel lines. Your fuel filter should catch them, but when the filter clogs it will really slow things down. I'd install a new fuel filter and see if that does the trick. Congratulations on your decision to become your own mechanic!

We're all fed up with gas prices. This is old news. Some of us are so fed up we're willing to go to great lengths to ease the pain. This letter comes from a truck owner that can't take it anymore:

I bought a Dodge Ram 1500 a couple years back, and have been driving it less and less because of the appalling mileage. I've also been shopping around for a diesel pickup, and while I can't afford a new one (still making payments on the gas-guzzler), it occurred to me: would a Dodge diesel engine, as is made for the 2500 and 3500 series trucks, be installable in a 1500 gasoline-engine model? Thanks! Chris

Wow Chris, it sound like you are willing to go the extra mile to save some cash on gas. However, I don't think you've chosen the right path in this case. Lots of people have swapped diesel engines into their gas-powered cars and trucks, and many have been very happy with the results. There are a couple of reasons I'd look elsewhere if I were you. The first, and most easy to do the math on, is the price of diesel. Diesel seems to be averaging about 25% higher at the pump than regular unleaded. That's a serious price difference. You'd have to make a huge jump in gas mileage just to break even.

The second, and more serious concern is the conversion itself. The diesel engine you're suggesting weighs a whopping 1,000 pounds, lots more than your gas engine. You'd really be throwing a curve ball at your trucks ride characteristics, and possibly safety, without making some serious suspension changes to compensate for the weight up front. I also think people underestimate the work and expense of an engine swap of this type. It's lots of work, even for a seasoned swapper. You can't just buy the engine, you will need most of an entire donor vehicle to get the correct harnesses, fuel lines, pumps, tank, etc. that are unique to the diesel. Bottom line, sell your truck and buy a diesel if you can't live without one. 1000 pounds for diesel engine. Need donor car, very involved swap.

Today is Earth Day. So here we are, the ones who keep one of the environment's biggest enemies functional, trying to figure out what we can do to recognize this important day. Cars do so much harm to the environment, it's hard to imagine how they would fit into Earth Day and how you as a home mechanic can do your part.

Luckily one of the most effective ways to combat harmful vehicle emissions is something you should be doing anyway -- regular maintenance. Maintaining your car's systems allows it to operate at maximum efficiency, reducing emissions. But there are other things you can do. Did you know that you can recycle your car battery? People who've been working on their own cars for years always seem to have a battery, or four, laying around. You can't throw them in the trash, it's illegal, so they just sit around. As they sit, they may leak acid in both liquid and gas form. This is dangerous to people and the environment. Take your old car batteries to a proper recycling center, you'll prevent harm and the contents of the battery can be reused.

Click here to find a battery recycler in your area. Recycling center search provided by Earth911.org.

This letter comes from a very frustrated Probe owner who recently installed a new car stereo. Stereos can do weird stuff, as you can see by Jeff's story:

I recently bought a new radio for my Probe GT. I also bought the direct wiring harness. The wiring all went together fabulously, I can hear music at a very low level, but the problem is that at any kind of reasonable volume the speakers either cut out or just buzz. I had thought maybe it was the speakers, so i bought normal factory speakers and still the same result. So then i tried to run straight off the battery, red to red and black to a ground. I ran the yellow, or ignition , to the red as well. I think this may be my problem. Should I try to run the ignition wire to just bypass the car's wiring completely? Or do you have any ideas what i can do to use the already installed factory wires? Please help, While listening to the exhaust in my car was fun at first, I kind of get tired of listening to the same song over and over again. I just walk around singing it all day. Let me tell ya, no one is a fan of my humming. Thank you for your time- Jeff

Jeff, it sounds like you're radio is doing what we call "clipping." This means that the internal amplifier isn't getting enough electrical flow to handle high volumes. You were smart to test it on the battery. To fix it, you should try a couple of things. First, I would check the ground connection in the dash. You can do this by taking a volt meter and running the positive side to the battery (might need some extra wire to make the leap) and the negative side to the ground wire on your radio wiring. If you aren't sure, they are probably labeled on the wiring that came with the new radio. It should read 12 volts. If it doesn't, you have a faulty ground wire. You can install a new ground wire to anything metal that isn't isolated by a washer or other nonconductive material. Basically any easy to access screw. Check it with the volt meter to be sure. i would just attach a new ground wire to the car and then run it to the new radio. If it's not the ground connection, you probably have a weak positive connection. Again, check it with the volt meter. Check the 12V+ constant wire (usually red, but should be labeled 12V+ or something), then check the 12V switched wire with the ignition turned on. This is the wire that makes your radio turn off when you turn the car off. If all else fails, you can run new positive wires, but unless you've done some wiring, you should proceed with caution because a misplaced wire can cause a serious meltdown, or fire. Trust me, I've been there -- 3 amps running off a single positive cable. Hey, I was only 17!

As the temperature rises, so does the wear and tear on your vehicle. Heat is one of your engine's biggest enemies, and summertime brings it by the barrel. Luckily, we don't have to stress out about it. Our cars are so well designed they can function in temperatures from below zero to above 100 degrees. That is, as long as we humans can remember to maintain them.

Oil and coolant are the most important things to take car of when the season changes. Both of these fluids aid in keeping your engine cool. If either is low or out of spec, heat buildup is inevitable. Too much heat can lead to plenty of time on the side of the road, and some steep repair bills. Your summer maintenance checklist tells you to change your oil and check your coolant. But did you know that it's not enough to just check the level of your coolant? You need to check the mixture, as well. If your coolant-to-water ratio isn't right, you won't get maximum cooling power. You can easily test your coolant mixture using a simple tool from the auto parts store. It's cheap, and will give you peace of mind for those summer road trips.

_{photo CC licensed by FoundPhotosLJ}

Last fall I was given an LED shop light to review for this site. I was sceptical, because other LED miracles I'd tried had proven to be less than impressive. My LED banana ripener was a real disappointment, and the LED in-shoe air freshener didn't cut it at all. But being a progressive, free thinker I agreed to give it a shot. My review of the shop light was mixed. It worked well enough, and seemed very durable. But it lacked somewhat in brightness when compared to my fluorescent shop lights.

Now, after six months of on and off use in the shop, I'd like to upgrade my review. It's still not as bright as my other lights, but its usefulness in other ways is worthy of note. It's cordless, which didn't seem so important to me until I really began to enjoy its 100% portability. And the batteries -- wow. I kid you not, I charged this light fully the day it arrived, and it continued to provide light until this week when I decided to recharge it (it was still shining brightly). I don't use it every day, so I can't say it will last months for everybody. But used occasionally you're going to forget to charge it because it never dies. It's the perfect emergency light with the ability to survive for what seems like forever holding a full charge.

I hereby upgrade my review from three to four stars. There you have it.

Safety and suspension go hand in hand. Jim's Taurus problem is a perfect example of how skimping on regular maintenance can compromise your car's safety:

Matthew: Recently I acquired a 2002 Ford Taurus automatic. When I accelerate into a passing gear the car veers off to the left. I had it aligned, but that did not solve the problem. The car has 48,000 miles on it. Could the problem be in the axel, or should we look elsewhere? Jim -- St. Louis, Missouri

Jim, There are a couple of things going on here. When you say the car veers to the left, do you mean that you feel a slight pull in the steering wheel, or does it want to send you into the guard rail? Since the Taurus is front wheel drive, it develops what is called "torque steer." This happens because the rotation of the engine is affecting the front wheels (lots of physics basically). If it's noticeable but completely manageable, you may just be experiencing a little torque steer. If it's worse, you probably have some worn suspension components. The most likely culprits are lower ball joints or suspension bushings. Inspect all of the suspension components for play and you should find the culprit. Torque steer is magnified when you have worn bushings and other components. The Taurus SHO even had special bushings to eliminate torque steer in the more powerful engine.