How much does a rear differential cost to get replaced?
As everyone here says, you dont give enough info to answer accurately. To start though, for every model car there has been published a suggested time for a competent mechanic in a shop to r+r (remove and replace) or otherwise service all the parts in a car, that information also gets collected and put into aftermarket books available online. You can start by calling a dealer for the car you have and asking the book time to do the job- that will be a number of hours- that you multiply by the hourly rate to get a cost. I see 4 hrs mentioned, that is by no means standard across all models!As differential gears usually last the life of a car, buying the assembly used is likely a reasonable option, swapping out the whole unit is usually a much less technically demanding job that can be accomplished by casual mechanics, correctly assembling and shimming the internal gears should be done by an experienced shop.I see some have answered assuming it is a solid axle car, lots of modern cars have IRS (independent rear suspension), so the hours of required labor needed are all over the place.
Will Chevy 8 lug wheels fit Ford or dodge?
Realizing that wheels and the axle flange mounting surface are two different things, I don't know how quite to answer this.In the truest sense of the question, if you were to take a Chevy 8 lug WHEEL and try to put it onto a Ford or Dodge axle with a different lug pattern, of course it wouldn't fit.If you're asking if you you can use a Chevy 8 lug wheel on another manufacturer's wheel mounting surface that has a different bolt pattern size, yes you can. There's aftermarket companies that make wheel adapters (SpiderTrax is an example), or you could get creative and do it yourself (if DIY inclined).Join a forum for the type of vehicle that you have. Post a "newbie" question and ask (no matter what type of vehicle you own, I'd suggest joining Jeep Forum - Jeep Enthusiast Network - we're the kings of modified mix and match parts).
Auto Repair: How long should brake service normally take?
There is also the issue of skill. Some shops have newer guys do simpler jobs, like maintenance. So it's also very likely the guy was having some trouble. Even at an independent shop 2 hours was about the tops for 4 wheel brake job. We'd order the parts and take it all apart, if machining needed to be done get it started and move to something else. By time the parts arrived you'd hopefully be able to put some stuff together. You check the parts and if they're right, get it together, if they're wrong you get new parts ordered. The worst I ever had was a brake job that came in around 2, checked it and needed front pads, rotors, and rear drums and shoes. Took it apart and moved on. Checked parts when they came... the rears were all wrong. It was 4 already because delivery gets busy near the end of the day. Assembled fronts and waited until 530 to get rears again. Made sure they were right, gave old ones as exchange and put rears together. It was almost 6. Got the car ready for a brake flush(also sold), performed the flush and let the writer know. It was almost 615 and the customer waited the entire time, needing to get to class. That was the worst.Typically it's 40 minutes in a dealer setting for all 4 without machining, about 60 with. You check them, get parts, and assemble. That's it. Machining is typically very easy if you know what you're doing and you get started ASAP so you can work and machine. In a smaller shop you can hear when they're finished to remind you about them. If you forget though nothing happens and time is wasted.So what you want to do is not wait for your car to be done if you can. Let the shop worry about issues and you can get on with it. If you're on a tight schedule and need the car consider returning when you have more time, brakes very rarely need to be done immediately, as it is with most vehicle repairs.
What are reasons your steering wheel won't lock?
I assume that you are referring to your steering wheel not locking in position after you stop the vehicle and take out the key?There are several possible reasons for this.1. The cog that fits into the detent on the steering column is broken and needs to be replaced.2. The detent on the steering column is worn or broken3. You have not turned the wheel far enough for the cog to find a detent. Pull the wheel first to the left, and then to the right to find the spot.4. The actuator from the solenoid to the cog is broken.To repair this will require the cover on the steering column to be removed, and probably need to have the steering wheel removed as well. Take it to a qualified shop or dealer for this. Incorrect actions could result in damage to the parts, or even the deployment of the air bag on the steering wheel. The exact disassembly required will differ for each manufacturer and possible model of vehicle. If you have a Chilton's manual for your vehicle, you can look up the repair to see what is involve.
Why is my car shaking and the check engine light flashing?
A shaking vehicle AND flashing MIL ("check engine light") sound like the vehicle is misfiring on at least one cylinder. As @Anna Nguyen, @Brendan Sinclair, @Antoun Nabhan and others have said, it could be an ignition related problem. It could also be fuel-related. If one or more fuel injectors are clogged or dead, that would also cause a misfire in the affected cylinder(s). These are relatively cheap/easy things to check and fix.Other causes (which could be more complicated and more expensive) to fix include contaminated fuel, a bent intake or exhaust valve, a broken valve spring, a damaged piston/connecting rod, and on and on.I recommend getting a scan tool and checking the codes which are causing the MIL to light/flash and I also strongly recommend NOT driving the vehicle until the problem is fixed. If you continue to drive the vehicle as is, you will exacerbate the problem. Dumping unburned fuel into the exhaust due to a misfire will overheat and kill your catalytic converter. A more serious problem like a bent valve can eventually cause you to crater your engine (i.e.: completely destroy the engine).