What happens if your brakes won't bleed?
If you're doing it the dirty way, makes sure the person in the car pumps the pedal a few times and stays down, and when you crack the bleeder be fast about it, if you wait too long to tighten it air could get back in the system. Sometimes it takes a few rounds to get them right. Obviously make sure the master cylinder stays full. If you're sure you're doing it correctly, an internal leak in the master cylinder could be the source of your problem.
How do you tow a car without damaging it? What precautions need to be made for 2 or 4 wheel drive vehicles with their parking brakes on to be able to tow it without causing damage?
Front-wheel drive vehicles can be towed quite simply by suspending the front wheels- either on a wheeled tow dolly or on the towing arm of the recovery truck. The parking brake (which acts on the rear wheels) must be released as the rear wheels must be free to roll. Automatic transmissions can be left in park in this case as the drive wheels are not rotating during the tow.Rear-wheel drive vehicles can be towed using this method as well, but the rear wheels must be suspended. The car is therefore towed backwards with the front wheels on the ground. The steering lock must be engaged with the front wheels pointing straight.Part-time 4x4 vehicles can also be towed by the above methods. The transfer case must be shifted to 2wd mode, and the driven axle lifted. Full-time 4x4 vehicles can't be towed with this method.With a manual transmission, flat towing with a tow rope or pole is possible. A second driver is needed to steer the towed vehicle, and the gear lever is simply left in neutral. This isn't possible to do for any distance with an automatic, as without the engine running many automatic transmissions can be damaged by towing.The most common way to tow a car without damage is to load it onto a flatbed tow truck. If the parking brake is applied and/or automatic transmission is in park, wheel skates can be used to allow the vehicle to be winched onto the back of the truck.
What size hex wrench is needed to remove 2005;3.8L;dodge caravan front & rear brake calipers?
10MM allen hex bit socket.
What car is better a suzuki XL7 or a Suzuki Grand Vitara?
Okay, the XL7 is the better in just about every way then the Grand Vitara for only about $2000 more. The XL7 has a modern and efficient 3.6L V6 with 250 HP/Torque (so plenty of power), while the Grand Vitara has an outdated 2.7L V6 with only 185 HP/Torque. And even though it's 400 lb's heavier and has much more power/speed the XL7 only loses 1 mpg overall and puts out less smog/pollution. The XL7 is much more roomy and can seat 7, while the Grand Vitara can only seat 5. I can find a single reason not to go with the superior XL7, unless you simply find it too big for you. I notice that often times these small SUV's are so close in price to their mid-size version that I could never go with a Tucson when a much nicer Santa Fe is only a couple grand more and just as efficient. I think the XL7 like the Hyundai Santa Fe and new Toyota Rav4 are the best value and quality mid-size SUV's on the market, you can't go wrong with any of those 3.
What was the worst car you've ever owned/driven?
Worst car I ever drove has to be a customers Corvette. It had had NO maintenace done on it. The seat springs were all shot (as the customer was all of 400lbs) and he had put books underneath the seat for support. The shocks and struts were all blown giving a floaty feeling going down the road, that is when it was busy blowing smoke out the back and stalling. Oil leaking from every gasket on the motor and bad u-joints on the driveshaft and rear axles. Every surface was covered with a sticky film and cracked. Seat covers were torn and there was an undescribable odor permeating the interior. The front a arm bushings were bad, the two rearmost bolts holding the body to the frame had rusted off and only one of the sterio speakers worked...AND HE WAS PROUD OF HIS "VETTE"!!!
Why is transmission fluid in my coolant?
Mike Allen hit the nail on the head.The transmission cooler “lives” inside one of the tanks of your radiator. Most modern radiators have end tanks. Older cars have the tanks on the top and bottom. Regardless, you can tell where the tranny cooler is by looking for a pair of steel lines that enter the tank. The tranny cooler is the only interface where coolant and tranny fluid could possibly be intermixing.In order to fix your problem the radiator will have to be replaced; the tranny cooler is built integral to the radiator and not a separately replaceable component. It will no doubt be strongly suggested you flush and replace the transmission fluid …possibly replace the fluid filter …and flush and replace the coolant. This might cost the better part of $1000 …like 6 or 700 …depending on how expensive the radiator is.And like Mike suggested you need to get it fixed. I’ll go one better …like yesterday.
How much would an automatic to manual transmission swap cost?
It depends on what vehicle and what manual transmission. In general, on a rear wheel drive vehicle, swapping out the auto for a stock style manual isn’t terrible. Stock manual transmission assemblies can run anywhere from $1000 to $2000 on common vehicles. Removal and replace usually takes between 5 and 8 hours. Adding a clutch pedal and mounting a cylinder depends on the vehicle and again, whether it is aftermarket or stock bolt in. The problem is, you can’t always just bolt stock replacements back in. If the parts aren’t modular, then adding a pedal can take some time.Swapping out the flex plate for a flywheel and installing a clutch only adds about 15 minutes to the overall labor time.I doubt that manual and auto trans on any vehicle are exactly the same length, so the driveline probably needs to be cut and re-welded. This part of the job would be outsourced by most shops and may run 100–300 bucks. Measuring everything properly so accurate info can be given to the driveline shop takes time. Pinion angles must be checked with the new driveline and in some cases must be adjusted which sometimes requires different spacers being installed under the rear axle.Measuring and cutting a hole for the shifter and boot takes time. Re-wiring the neutral safety switch takes time as well.So, you have the parts cost of transmission, pedal assembly, reservoir, clutch fluid hose or cable, clutch kit, flywheel, driveline modification, any additional brackets that must be bought or made, shifter boot and neutral safety switch swap.Then you have the standard labor of removing and installing the trans, plus the extra labor of making everything work. The extra labor cost is very hard to pin down without knowing what vehicle and if you are going with nice, aftermarket parts or trying to stick with stock parts.Trying to covert a front wheel drive vehicle to manual has potential to be easier. It would be (possibly) easier and cheaper to just buy a complete motor/trans assembly and swap out the whole thing. Sensors might need to be modified and some holes cut in the firewall, but anything can be done.So, I dont know. On old trucks you might be able to do it for 2500 if you buy all new components. On newer vehicles it gets more and more expensive the newer you get as more and more components must be modified or swapped.
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 happens if I overfill my power steering fluid?
Most modern power steering system has a pressure relief built into it. Most are in the cap. The fluid will expand with heat and the pressure relief will let it over flow out of the system. Then you have a mess. That’s it. No harm done. To the system at least, but not good for the environment.