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1500 questions
18
votes
12 answers
Do mobile air conditioners exist for cars?
Even if my home has no integrated air conditioner, I can add one in my room by buying a mobile air conditioner. But if my car does not have any air conditioner, can I create cool air with an equivalent device, like in a cigarette lighter?
user55307
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18
votes
4 answers
Maintenance tips to prolong engine lifespan for short trips
I just sold my car and will soon purchase a new one (probably a used one with 1-2 years on it). I decided on a Volkswagen up! with an EA211 1.0 TSI engine.
I have heard from many different people (at least here in Brazil) that Volkswagen’s engines…
swineone
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18
votes
3 answers
What is the proper way to bleed brakes and replace the fluid?
What is the proper way to replace the brake fluid in a car? What tools are required? I want to make sure I do not get any air or bubbles in the system as this is something that needs to be done right the first time for obvious safety reasons.
Troggy
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18
votes
9 answers
Can I drive a car with only water and no coolant if it has a leak?
Recently, I was informed that a car I share ('02 Nissan Sentra) was close to overheating. I was told it gets close to the upper limit very quickly upon running the car. When I inspected the vehicle, I realized that the coolant overflow was empty and…
Travis J
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18
votes
6 answers
Where does the power in an idling engine go?
When the engine is running, but the vehicle is not moving fuel is still being consumed, where does the energy go?. I am guessing that it goes in rotating the flywheel and crankshaft and stuff, but I am not so sure. Any detailed explanation would be…
Nitin Tiwari
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18
votes
5 answers
Should I depress the clutch pedal when braking to a stop?
When coming to a stop, will depressing both the clutch and brake pedals cause any damage to the engine or transmission? Is there anything mechanically wrong with doing so?
Frankay Olama Olingmot
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18
votes
7 answers
How to find a part lost in the snow
How can one go about finding a very small part lost in the snow? — while working on my motorbike, one of the battery leads fell out and I can't find it. Buying a metal detector for the sake of finding a piece of metal less wide than my pinky finger…
errantlinguist
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18
votes
1 answer
What are these metal clips where my wheel rims meet the tires and what are they for?
I had a leaky tire, so I took it in to be checked for a puncture. The guy found no puncture but found it was leaking air where this clip met the tire:
That clip had been there since I bought the car, I never really paid it any heed. The tire guy…
user56reinstatemonica8
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18
votes
5 answers
What should always be replaced when rebuilding an engine?
If the purpose of the rebuild is to bring the engine back (or as close as feasibly possible) to its original performance, what are some things that should always be replaced?
This obviously depends on the condition of the engine, so let's say a…
tgun926
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18
votes
8 answers
How often should I replace windscreen wiper blades?
I bought a second hand car 18+ months ago and there was no information on how recently the wiper blades had been replaced. This wasn't an problem as the blades weren't obviously worn and they did their job perfectly adequately. The back wiper did…
ChrisF
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18
votes
6 answers
How can you tell if the engine is not brand new?
My MazdaSpeed 3 engine blew up, so I bought a new one. When I saw my new engine, it was painted in gray color. My previous mechanic said it was brand new and he bought it from a company from eBay. When my new mechanic saw the engine, he said it…
Noel Milang
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18
votes
3 answers
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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18
votes
4 answers
What can I do to combat wire embrittlement?
I live in a very hot climate where temperatures regularly touch 45 deg C and the heat in the engine bay area means that under-hood wires, especially the thinner ones, endure high levels of thermal fatigue.
As a result, when working on older cars…
Zaid
- 39,276
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18
votes
4 answers
How can an oil plug just fall out after three months and 3,000 miles and the car has just 35,000 miles on it, 2014 Ford Escape
We had an oil change done at a quick lube type shop. After nearly 3 months and 3,000 miles driven, the oil drain plug fell out, resulting in blowing up the entire engine. There was no oil leakage or any sign of trouble up to the point where the plug…
Park City
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18
votes
6 answers
Will higher octane fuel improve towing power?
According to Will higher octane fuel improve gas mileage? higher octane fuel does NOT notably improve fuel efficiency.
Will higher octane fuel, increase power while towing?
I looked online and found two different answers.
Will using a higher octane…
James Jenkins
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