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I saw white smoke. When I saw it, I pulled over and checked under the hood. I didn’t see anything there. When I did go over the tire, I definitely felt a significant amount of heat coming from it.
I didn’t feel any play in the bearings. I checked pads and they looked normal. I did see any heat cracks or crystallization on the pads.
For each of my cars I just buy a cheap multi-piece tool kit and then add a few tools that it wouldn’t have.
The tool kits generally run about $25-$40. One set that I have had the following:
- Socket wrench
- various SAE and Metric sockets
- pliers
- needle noose pliers
- 10 regular wrenches (SAE and Metric)
- diagonal cutters
- tape measure
- screw drives with multiple tips and minor items
- Channel locks
- level
- box cutter
The tool kits are generally really cheap, but for the one or two times you actually use them they do the job fairly well.
Generally, if it has an extension it wouldn’t be long enough to do a spark plug swap (at least in the cars that I drive) then I’d add an additional extension. I’d also add spark plug pulling socket.
On three different occasions on long car trips I’ve had to pull over to swap plugs. Somehow at exactly 20K miles since I last changed plugs car starts misfiring with no prior warning. Generally I can drive far enough to get to auto parts store to get plugs.
Cable ties, electrical tape, and assorted fuses helps too.
The other option is to take your older beat up tools from the shop to create a kit and replace them with new ones.
For each of my cars I just buy a cheap multi-piece tool kit and then add a few tools that it wouldn’t have.
The tool kits generally run about $25-$40. One set that I have had the following:
- Socket wrench
- various SAE and Metric sockets
- pliers
- needle noose pliers
- 10 regular wrenches (SAE and Metric)
- diagonal cutters
- tape measure
- screw drives with multiple tips and minor items
- Channel locks
- level
- box cutter
The tool kits are generally really cheap, but for the one or two times you actually use them they do the job fairly well.
Generally, if it has an extension it wouldn’t be long enough to do a spark plug swap (at least in the cars that I drive) then I’d add an additional extension. I’d also add spark plug pulling socket.
On three different occasions on long car trips I’ve had to pull over to swap plugs. Somehow at exactly 20K miles since I last changed plugs car starts misfiring with no prior warning. Generally I can drive far enough to get to auto parts store to get plugs.
Cable ties, electrical tape, and assorted fuses helps too.
The other option is to take your older beat up tools from the shop to create a kit and replace them with new ones.
You probably still have some air in your hydraulic lines. Sometimes these systems can not be bled easily. I’d suggest bench bleeding the master cylinder.
The reasoning for this, depending on how the lines are designed there may not be clear path for the air to get out. 1st Gen Ford Explorers are known for this problem (f%$&ing Engineers). There is a gap in the master cylinder that sits higher than the exit point to the reservoir. There is also a U shaped bend in the line that goes to the slave cylinder. No amount of vacuum, power, or manual bleeding will get the air out. In the video at the end, about half way through shows how to do the bench bleed.
[video width=550 height=309 type=youtube]91IYY_YENRw[/video]
You probably still have some air in your hydraulic lines. Sometimes these systems can not be bled easily. I’d suggest bench bleeding the master cylinder.
The reasoning for this, depending on how the lines are designed there may not be clear path for the air to get out. 1st Gen Ford Explorers are known for this problem (f%$&ing Engineers). There is a gap in the master cylinder that sits higher than the exit point to the reservoir. There is also a U shaped bend in the line that goes to the slave cylinder. No amount of vacuum, power, or manual bleeding will get the air out. In the video at the end, about half way through shows how to do the bench bleed.
[video width=550 height=309 type=youtube]91IYY_YENRw[/video]
I had a similar problem with my Dodge Neon. Chrysler’s official solution was to drill a hole in the floor board to get to the nut. Since I had to make hole I didn’t worry about re-welding a nut back on. In the picture, the floor board was strong enough to hold the wrench in place while I tightened the bolt from under the car to 120 ft/lbs.
I had a similar problem with my Dodge Neon. Chrysler’s official solution was to drill a hole in the floor board to get to the nut. Since I had to make hole I didn’t worry about re-welding a nut back on. In the picture, the floor board was strong enough to hold the wrench in place while I tightened the bolt from under the car to 120 ft/lbs.
I have an update.
I was trying to nail down the possible cause of this. I decide to do a quick test using the scan tool. From a cold start, I monitored how long it would take for the car to get into a closed loop. It about 60 seconds at idle. At 20 seconds or so, the voltages of the upstream O2 would finally move. The downstream O2 sensor responded faster than the up stream, which is weird, because I taught downstream O2 sensors where generally slower. As a comparison, I started my other car which is a newer Ford Focus to see what it would do. It went into closed loop within 2 seconds from a cold start. This was enough evidence for me to at least try an O2 sensor.
Later on in the day, I had to take my Neon out on the Highway to visit some friends. Instead of throwing a lean code, it instead threw misfire code. On the way home I bought 4 new spark plugs ($1.73 each) and a new O2 sensor ($40). Now from a cold start, the Neon goes into closed loop with in 2 seconds just like the other car. I took it for a test drive today and no codes.
Hopefully it should be fixed for now. I’ll have to keep an eye on this.
Thank you everyone for your input and help.
I have an update.
I was trying to nail down the possible cause of this. I decide to do a quick test using the scan tool. From a cold start, I monitored how long it would take for the car to get into a closed loop. It about 60 seconds at idle. At 20 seconds or so, the voltages of the upstream O2 would finally move. The downstream O2 sensor responded faster than the up stream, which is weird, because I taught downstream O2 sensors where generally slower. As a comparison, I started my other car which is a newer Ford Focus to see what it would do. It went into closed loop within 2 seconds from a cold start. This was enough evidence for me to at least try an O2 sensor.
Later on in the day, I had to take my Neon out on the Highway to visit some friends. Instead of throwing a lean code, it instead threw misfire code. On the way home I bought 4 new spark plugs ($1.73 each) and a new O2 sensor ($40). Now from a cold start, the Neon goes into closed loop with in 2 seconds just like the other car. I took it for a test drive today and no codes.
Hopefully it should be fixed for now. I’ll have to keep an eye on this.
Thank you everyone for your input and help.
[quote=”quickNpainless” post=99826]looks to me like your car is never going into open loop. I’m gonna call some bad o2 sensors here but It would be better if the data was graphed. Good on you for posting it regardless.[/quote]
In the data, Frames 11-14 show an open loop while the rest are closed.
[quote=”quickNpainless” post=99826]looks to me like your car is never going into open loop. I’m gonna call some bad o2 sensors here but It would be better if the data was graphed. Good on you for posting it regardless.[/quote]
In the data, Frames 11-14 show an open loop while the rest are closed.
I do have a small coolant leak that I haven’t been able to find. I do have to refill it from time to time. As for the smell, it only occurs when I turn on the AC. Sometimes I can smell it right away once the AC is turned on, and at other times, it takes 30 minutes. When I do smell it, turning off the AC makes the smell go away.
I also tried turning the heat on and I don’t get a smell either.
I do have a small coolant leak that I haven’t been able to find. I do have to refill it from time to time. As for the smell, it only occurs when I turn on the AC. Sometimes I can smell it right away once the AC is turned on, and at other times, it takes 30 minutes. When I do smell it, turning off the AC makes the smell go away.
I also tried turning the heat on and I don’t get a smell either.