ETCG Answers Questions Live #83 (AMA) 3/1/2017

[EricTheCarGuy]

That’s right, I’ll be coming to you live from the shop tonight to answer your automotive and AMA questions. You can post your questions here and I’ll do my best to answer them at 7pm EST 3/1/2017.

Hope to see you there.

Topic

[Manuel]

Hey Eric, your videos and website help a lot in understanding and doing the procedures for auto repairs. Thank you for that. My question is about the heater core. During the summer, when the heater is not being used, is the coolant in the heater core stuck in the heater core for months until I turn on my heat in the winter? Does that stuck coolant make a heater core go bad? And if it does should I turn the heat on at certain times in the Summer to flush out that stuck coolant? Thank you.

[Grant Bonnell]

Hwy Eric! I’m 18 years old and I love your videos. This is the second question I’ve had and I was so excited to have to answer my first about my 88 dodge d150. Well anyways my question now is about schooling, I’m (fingers crossed) graduating high school this year and am looking at going to the University of northwestern ohio. I thought that was where you had darkmatter pikachu dynoed but I wasn’t 100% so if it was then could you maybe tell me a bit of what you thought of it and maybe something you think is worth mentioning about your own automotive school that could maybe be useful going in to people like us? Such as its a lot of studying or things like that? Also I’m gonna attach a pic of my truck just for fun hoping you like it 🙂

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[Gabriel]

Hi Eric,

I have an intermittent problem with my BMW e46 328i (EU – spec, 12/2000, 5-speed manual, 120000 miles). Long story short, it is difficult to put the car in gear, especially reverse, 1st and 2nd after cold starts in the winter. After cold starts during the summer when it is generally hotter outside there is no problem at all. Basically, whenever the temperatures are below 50F it is a nightmare to get the gear lever to go in the desired position. It requires so much force that I feel like I am going to actually break something… What I have been doing is either leave the car running for like 10 min and then drive, since then the problem is not as pronounced, or shift in 4th or 5th first, and only then without taking my foot of the clutch put it in 1st. Both of these tricks do the job. It should be pointed out that this problem goes away entirely when the engine reaches operating temperature, which usually happens after 20min of driving. Initially I though it was old transmission fluid. Therefore, I got it changed, as well as, the oil in the diff with the appropriate ones at the BMW dealership and the problem still persists. While there, I asked the mechanics about this and they said that it is probably normal and there isn’t anything obviously wrong with my car. Still, somehow I doubt that, as when I got the car about 6 years ago something like this was never a problem. This thing has been happening and has become worse since the past winter.

PS: I also performed your clutch slipping test and the clutch seems fine… There are also no check engine lights and no strange noises come from the transmission either.

[Yuriy]

Hello Eric,
2007 Civic SI, last summer had to replace driver side rear caliper. Now my e brake on that side does not engage at the same time as e brake on right side. Is there a way to adjust left side e brake cable so both sides set at the same time. In addition, sometimes when i use e brake it does not want to disengage right away. Car from North east, so rust can play a part.

[Kyle Andrews]

Hello Eric I have a 2005 Honda s2000 55k miles and in immaculate condition garage kept its whole but after start up shifts from 1st to second has not a grind but a knotch felling and doesn’t change due to high or low rpm shifting once car is warm to operating tep shifts are smooth on both highway and street the only way to prevent the feeling is to shift from 1st to neautral wait a brief sec and go into 2nd. Any clues, tsb, model behavior you might know about? Stay dirty your channel is great

[steve1990]

Hi Eric,
I have a 2008 ford explorer, I was driving home from work the other night and I went to use the rear windshield washer and I noticed the wiper moving very slow, made it about a quarter way up the window and it just stopped and wouldn’t move anymore, I am able to get it to move when I go back there and assist it, originally I thought wiper motor but given that it tries to move, and will move the rest of the way when I help it makes me not so sure,
thanks for your help

[Anthony]

Hi Eric,
I wanted to get your opinion on piston slap. In my case it presents as a knocking noise that only occurs in winter months when the engine is cold. It goes away as the engine warms up. I have no performance issues at all.
This is on a 2004 Subaru Forester with 103,000 miles. I’ve had it 7 years, and this car has had good oil change history since new. This has been a great car and I intend to keep it, the only things needed in the coming year will be new struts and new tires, and so before spending that money I wanted to get your opinion. I do not mind this noise, But want to know if you feel this sort of thing is a harmless noise consistent with age and not a more serious and detrimental condition. Are there any tests you would think of doing if you were checking this car out yourself?

[Ross]

Hi Eric,
My friend has a 1999 chevy k2500 suburban 7.4 that had the dexcool coolant turn into goop in the cooling system. He ran a cleaner through the system and switched to green coolant but now the truck overheats when sitting still. (I’m not sure if it did this before the switch)

The truck also just got a new water pump just before the switch and apparently you’re suppose to replace that clutch thing for the mechanical fan with it, which he did not. I can’t find an obvious obstruction in front of the radiator, but when I looked in the radiator when we were doing the water pump, it looked like mud was in it. My dad said my sister’s 1998 pontiac grand prix needed a radiator after it’s dexcool goop incident, but I don’t want to tell my friend it’s a radiator without being sure of it. How would you go about this problem? It doesn’t loose coolant, just overheats when not moving.

Thanks for your help!

[Colin Beswick]

good day Eric. 2 questions
1st. will you ever do daily vlog type videos. I like to watch other youtubers vlog channels and think if you did it to it would be super awesome. (See now, and watch how the Magnificent eric the car guy goes to walmart to pick up milk and eggs!!!!!).not gonna lie to you, I would totally watch it.

2nd. have you ever had a close call in the shop, like a near miss, and if so would you like to share your near miss story with us? if not that is ok too.

have a great day and I always look forward to new content from you. yours truly, Colin

[Daniel H]

Hi Eric, Love the oliver vid’s so far keep them coming. My question is i have a 1990 Chevy c2500 with a 5.7L TBI v8, when i go to start it after it’s been running and up to operating temp. it likes to start then immediately die, yet when its cold it will start without fail. I’ve done a complete tune up on it (cap,rotor,and plugs) and it still does it, what can be the cause?

[Lon Willis]

Hello Eric

My Dad’s 1996 Honda Accord 4cyl was recently welded on. The Alternator seized and I replaced it with a reman from (reputable auto parts store) and it started smoking. Checked the battery voltage while it was running 14.4 volts. is this a problem with the new alternator or the ECM as it might have been damaged? Have you seen this before?

timinglight

[Nate Thibodeau]

Hey Erik.. Hope things are going well for you. Having fun with the Fairmont I hope. That’s a sweet project!

Yesterday morning before leaving for work….when I started up, my 07 Dodge Caliber, it suddenly revved up to its max 4000RPM and stayed there. Took me a good several seconds to realize something was wrong and to shut of the engine……only to realize that the WeatherTech molded mat I just reinstalled after cleaning them, was mashing the gas pedal to the floor…..DUH!

My question, does such a high rev for several seconds at a cold(20F) startup …could it have damaged anything?

[David Reyes]

My name is David. Please forgive me for this long message
I have a 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA 5.7L

After a month sitting on the garage I tried to start it up and it will crank but not start.

I check the fuel pressure with a gage and I have Fuel.
I check for Spark on Number one Spark Cable and had no spark.
I proceeded to check Spark coming from the Coil and had no Spark
I then check for the signal coming from the Ignition Module to the Coil and no signal detected. But it did had the 12 volt on the red wire
I got the distributor Cover off and found that the pin that connects to the center port where the coil fires into was broken and no spring motion to the part that was left. (AJA Moment)
I check for the voltage on the pickup coil and the result where steady not fluctuating.
My hypothesis at this point was that when I started the car the piece broke and the hi voltage from the coil become like a (EMP) and damage the surrounding electronics.

I replace the Pickup Coil. Tested it and the voltage fluctuated a lot better than with the old one
I replace the Ignition module and tested it to send a signal to the coil and it did
I replace the ignition coil and tested it to fire and it did.

Put everything back together and give it a try. Since I had taken the distributor out I had to do the basic timing so I disconnected the computer brown cable that control the timing and start the car and it started at his point I believe my problem was over.
I did the initial timing 6 degrees BTDC.
Then I connected the Brown computer cable I started the engine again and this was very bad so bad that it stall and died.

At this point I’m thinking that it may be the computer but don’t know if it’s wrong input or the computer itself. So I decided to replace the computer and when I put the new computer I first started the car with the brown cable disconnected.

Put the base timing again
Then I connected the brown cable back and started the engine and it started at hi Idle for about 30 seconds and then it stall like before. Try a few times and it can’t keep idle with the computer connected.

Since the computer is remanufactured I believe I have some input to the computer bad but need to know what to check next.
Sorry for the long message please help.

[Anthony Barango]

Hey Eric,
I have a 1993 Jeep Cherokee with 273,000 miles on it.
Issue is regarding the power steering.
Sometimes, after a 30-40 minute run on the highway, as I coast off onto the exit ramp, the power steering completely goes out. It will eventually come back, but you can make it come back quickly by raising the RPMs of the engine and then it seems to be normal again.
It’s also somewhat difficult to steer while pulling into parking spots.
I did replace the PS pump several years ago with a re-man one from one of the parts stores (bearing had gone out).
With this info, can we pinpoint if this is a Pump issue or gearbox issue?

Thanks
Anthony.

[Jason Guiry]

Hi Eric,

Do you carry tools or spare parts in any of your vehicles?

I always carry a basic tool set, jump leads, and 1 quart of each fluid for the vehicle in the trunk weather I’m driving 5 mins down the street or a multi-hour journey. For those “I’d rather have it and not need it” moments.

[Author]

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