Automotive FAQ

Question: My car has developed a problem that I cannot find a solution to. It is a 1991 Honda Civic Special Edition (Canadian Model), 1.5L, 180,000kms. It is basically a DX with power steering and no AC.
To the problem…
The car stalls. It only stalls when warm, and only when [...]

Question: Is there any simple way to fix a crack on exhaust manifold other than replacing it with a new one? I’ve seen people fixing other parts of the exhaust system with muffler bandages. Will that work for the exhaust manifold too? [...]

Question: I’m looking for info and experiences, good or bad, on the Civic wagons of the late 80’s with “real-time” 4wd. I believe they were only made for a few years. Did Honda quit making them ’cause they stunk? Does the viscous-coupling approack work well? What about the 6 speed transmission? [...]

Question: :I’m seeing a lot more cars lately with lengthened axles, and usually very small diameter wheels to go along with it. On some, they stick completely out of the car.
I dont know the why, but the *how* is that they are just running wheels with the wrong offset.
What does [...]

Question: Well, my very point which everyone seems to miss, despite my bad math and just taking a guess at it, is that if the feds did a good job in the first place of insuring that manufacturers would produce long-lasting, reliable emission control components, there would be [...]

Question: I give up. I’ve tried greasing up the ball joint removing tool(fork)  and  the boots but the tool still tears the ball joint boot.
Whats the trick?
thanks in advance for your reply
Answer: With most Honda cars, it is better off to replace the whole control arm  when the ball joint is bad.   buy the right [...]

Question: Is there anything about oil filters for a Toyota Celica that is so  much different that you would have to go to the dealer to get your  oil changed?
I thought you could get an equivalent filter from other sources.
Anyone with a Toyota that can answer this question, and maybe  explain what if anything is [...]

Question: I’ve got a 1990 Mitsubishi Galant GSX AWD non-turbo five-speed with 106,000 miles. 2.0 DOHC engine. Depending on how hard it’s driven it consusmes up to a quart of oil every 800 miles on the highway. There are no major oil leaks but if you pop the hood [...]

Question: I’ve noticed that when my CV joint boots crack, the CV joint is ruined  and I have a $500 repair bill for the joint.  I know the boots will fail, but is there a way to prevent the CV joint  from being ruined? I am hearing no noises yet the boot is ripped and [...]

Question: I was surprised to read that the 2 bottom trim levels of the
new Passat do not come with automatic headlights. You have
to spring for the third trim level (called Lux) to get the automatics. Kinda surprised me. All trims are turbo, though, even the bottom trim. [...]