Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [wear]

64 questions
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Why don't we rotate tyres but you rotate tires?

Is planning a regular rotation of new tyres over their lifespan a good or bad plan? From many posts I've seen here and elsewhere on the web, motorists in the USA seem to see rotating tires as a task which ought to be undertaken at regular intervals.…
Steve Matthews
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Will engine braking damage my transmission? How can I tell?

I drive a manual transmission '08 Honda Fit. On my daily 17 mile commute to work, there are three long hills that I can coast down, each about a half mile long. Going down these hills, I've done two different things: I take it out of gear and let…
yhw42
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Is it true that most of the engine wear during its life time occurs during a cold start up?

I have heard this idea several times, but is it true? Theories I read about why that might be true: The engine is running rich at startup because it is running in open loop, which can cause damage to the piston rings as the excess fuel wipes oil…
method
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Is high engine load bad?

I drive a 4-speed automatic with a 1.1L 70 HP engine. Naturally, I very frequently find myself in situations where pressing the gas pedal deeper doesn't increase acceleration (i.e. maximum engine load). Some of these situations include going uphill…
glibg10b
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Does drifting damage a car?

Sometimes when it's wet outside and there are no cars or pedestrians nearby I will take corners hard and drift. I'm aware that drifting has a safety risk and wears out tires. It also places some lateral force on the bottom of the tire, torquing the…
Reinstate Monica
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For how long should I idle at a stop?

As I approach a stretch of road that has been single-laned due to roadworks, the sign-flipper spins the sign to STOP. Having been through these roadworks before, I know I'll probably be waiting at least 3 minutes, probably more. If I leave it…
Digital Trauma
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Is it normal for brand new brake rotors to look a little rusty

By looking at these images, would you think these parts are used? There is a very slight lip at the edge of the surface where the pads will rub.
TecBrat
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How to tell if you have a bad clutch?

I drive a 2004 VW Passat B5.5 that I bought used with quite a high mileage so it has therefore had a relatively large amount of usage (at 118k miles). I am curious to know how to tell if the clutch is going bad in older cars because I cannot…
Max Goodridge
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If my brakes overheat, do they need to be replaced?

Let's say I take my car track racing, and during it, the hard braking leads my brakes to massively losing stopping power due to them overheating (a likely outcome on stock brakes). Or likewise, I take my car down a gigantic hill and don't use engine…
andrewb
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Rotating tires based on time or miles?

Question: I am confused about the tire rotation schedule for modern cars. Everywhere I have looked recommends a tire rotation every 3000 to 5000 miles or 6 months. I understand why a tire needs to be rotated every 3-5 k miles but don't understand…
Jim
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Blipping the Throttle

I have a 2004 VW Passat with a manual transmission. I have heard that "blipping" the throttle can be a good thing to do in order to achieve smoother downshifts whilst driving. What does this mean? How do you do it? What are the advantages and…
Max Goodridge
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What precautions should I take when using snow chains?

I have purchased some snow chains, but the manual provides fitting instructions, and it only says to remove them when the road is completely clear of snow, and never drive faster than 40mph (about 65kph). Are there any other precautions that I…
George
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How can a damaged caliper prevent other calipers from fully pressurizing?

I've got a 2013 CR-V. During a recent service, I asked a tech to take a look at what might be causing a weird smell to come from one of the rear wheels. During the initial look, he noticed that there was a lot of heat coming from that same wheel as…
pcronin
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Sufficient Oil Distribution after Cranking for a Long Time?

It's getting about time to de-winterize the ski boat this year, and I got to thinking about what happened last year. It has a carbureted Chevy 350, and the winterizing process involves spraying a can of preservation goop into the intake until it…
AaronD
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Reasons car loses ability to accelerate with time?

My car hasn't done vast amounts of miles (short of 60000), but already at 30-40000 I would say I noticed it's ability to accelerate has dropped. It is still OK for my use and the fuel efficiency is good (60+ US mpg, 70+ UK mpg). I am guessing…
nsandersen
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