Most Popular
1500 questions
11
votes
3 answers
What material should I look for in an oil drain plug gasket?
I've recently purchased my first car (2004 Subaru Legacy), and though I sent it to the shop soon afterward for routine maintenance, I want to learn and do as much as possible myself. 3,000 miles have rolled by since then, and I'm sending it to the…
Daniel
- 211
- 1
- 3
- 7
11
votes
8 answers
Is the vent from the pcv valve back into the air intake really needed?
After working on my car, I didn't bother to reattached the line from the pcv valve into the air intake before testing the motor. It ran normally. This made me question whether I need to even return it into the air intake.
Basically, can I run the…
Wulfhart
- 705
- 2
- 6
- 11
11
votes
10 answers
Will different tread depths hurt my 4 wheel drive?
I have a Ford F150 4x4. The front 2 tires treads measure 12/32, one rear is 6/32 and the other is 10/32. The dealership told me I should replace the rear 2 tires because the big difference in tread depth will cause the tires to spin differently…
NotDan
- 211
- 1
- 2
- 4
10
votes
2 answers
Do I need a new sparkplug?
I spent some quality time trying to get a Toro mower started. It has a Kohler engine. Many, many pulls and no life.
It had gas leftover from last summer in it (8 months old) and the mower itself is ten years old. So that was working against me. …
nuggethead
- 295
- 1
- 6
10
votes
4 answers
Car stalls when coming to a stop except when in neutral
My 2015 Subaru legacy has been having some issues coming to a stop. The car first stalled after coming to a stop 3 weeks ago and then never happened again until today. The first time it happened once, then I couldn’t start the car until I gave it…
eews
- 101
- 1
- 4
10
votes
3 answers
How can I clean the dirt build-up in my alternator?
The alternator in my '04 Lumina SS is its Achilles' heel. It lasts a few years before it starts to overcharge the battery, after which the only practical remedy is to replace it.
While I cannot be sure of the cause for this, I have always noticed…
Zaid
- 39,276
- 50
- 151
- 294
10
votes
3 answers
Why is my car losing control and vibrating
About a week ago, I had my whole front suspension changed. Both shocks, all tie rods, inner and outer, both upper control arms as well as the sway bar links. Now my car drives so bad. When trying to drive about 40mph my car almost loses control.…
Amanda Shaw
- 131
- 1
- 7
10
votes
1 answer
Engine comparison: How can a smaller/more efficient engine excel over its "bigger sibling"?
Recently, after a discussion with friends, I stumbled over the engines available for a Fiat Panda Mk4 (yes, this is a "long story short" situation and now I'm stuck in a rabbit-hole). And I noticed something strange; a couple of days later it's…
NicApicella
- 203
- 1
- 5
10
votes
7 answers
Jump-starting a car: connecting black to the engine block
I recently found out that when jumping a car, you should not connect the black connector to the recipient vehicle's battery, but rather to a grounded point on the car. The expressed purpose is to avoid a spark near the battery, which may…
Cort Ammon
- 333
- 3
- 10
10
votes
1 answer
Can a head gasket leak cause the cat to plug?
Well, like the title reads ... I replaced the heads on a Dodge Ram V8 5.9L gas engine. It's now running like the cat is plugged. Can blowing the white plume of coolant exhaust out the tailpipe cause the cat to plug?
Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2
- 165,084
- 32
- 259
- 508
10
votes
2 answers
Unknown part fell out of my motorcycle
So I was taking the battery out of my bike (99 Honda Shadow 750 ACE) to ship it this past December, when two parts of the bike I'd never seen fell out from somewhere near the battery case. They sort of look like hair curlers and I suspect maybe they…
neanderslob
- 203
- 1
- 3
10
votes
5 answers
Is an exhaust pipe broken at engine connection fixable by a DIYer?
I took my 1999 GMC Sierra 1500 w/5.3l to a transmission shop to have it replaced. The process requires disconnecting the exhaust pipes going into the engine to get access to the transmission. When the shop put it back, the driver's side pipe…
Stay-at-home-dad
- 351
- 1
- 3
- 11
10
votes
3 answers
My brake fluid all left on short notice. What gives?
During the very cold weather (here in Ohio) recently, I noticed the brakes on my 2000 Chevy Malibu were a little soft, and made a mental note to attend to them promptly.
Then, over the course of 24 hours or so, they went from "a little soft" to "I…
RevKev
- 101
- 1
- 1
- 4
10
votes
4 answers
Are these holes at the bottom of a 1965 VW Beetle Fuel Tank part of its design? Does something go there?
Hi there, I have a 1965 VW Beetle (in Australia) that I am trying to repair. To get it running, it just seems that I just need to repair two holes at the bottom of the fuel tank (it is leaking petrol/gas). Are these holes part of the design (they…
Terrence J
- 203
- 2
- 5
10
votes
2 answers
How does the change oil light system work and does it matter what type of oil you use for it to work properly?
I want to know if the methods a vehicle decides when to turn on the oil change light have to do with the qualities of the motor oil used in the last oil change. I have heard that the vehicle's computer calculates when the oil change light turns on…
Steve Moser
- 311
- 2
- 9