Vehicle Maintenace General

[-VorpalAnvil-]

Getting an odd warning light in my 2007 Civic. Sometimes under heavy breaking the "brake" warning light on the dash lights up and goes off after a few seconds. Rebuilt he brakes almost entirely 2 years ago (new pads and rotors on all 4 corners and new rear calipers). Fluid level is fine, no leaks and brake performance feels fine. Do I have a dirty/failing sensor? Can it be cleaned/serviced moderate

Your ABS light?

Looking at online images of my gauge cluster theres a separate "ABS" and "brake" notification, Im for sure getting the "brake" warning.

 

[Bad as Can]

What is the general consensus on Subaru here?

I have mixed feelings about Subaru. The Head gaskets became better after 2010 but they still randomly blow out. 2011-2018 was a rough time for them, lots of oil consumption issues and the CVTs were unpredictable.

2014-2015s had some really bad oil consumption issues to the point where it would burn all oil in the pan and blow the motor. If you ever hear of somebody with a Subaru that lost an engine, that's most likely what happened.

After 2020, I think things are getting better for Subaru but it's hard for me to recommend one when someone askes me what's a reliable car to buy. It's a "reliable" brand that has some pretty big pattern failures.

 

[Seethecoper]

I have an 08 f150 crew cab with the 5.4 V8 gas engine in it. It can haul ~9k but I only use it to haul a little 3000lb trailer to go camping with the family. I know it's well within the truck's hauling capacity, but sometimes I fuss over how hot the engine stays the entire trip. I wanna buy one of those electric fans that goes on the radiator to see if that helps. Will it help? Is there anything else I can do to engine to help it run cooler? Specific radiator fluid, aforementioned fan, etc? I'm planning on keeping this beast until it falls apart on me like a looney tunes but where I'm left holding the steering wheel, so I wanna make sure I don't strain it as much

 

[Bad as Can]

Getting an odd warning light in my 2007 Civic. Sometimes under heavy breaking the "brake" warning light on the dash lights up and goes off after a few seconds. Rebuilt he brakes almost entirely 2 years ago (new pads and rotors on all 4 corners and new rear calipers). Fluid level is fine, no leaks and brake performance feels fine. Do I have a dirty/failing sensor? Can it be cleaned/serviced moderate

Check this electrical connector for corrosion. I haven't dealt with this style of sensor before but it looks like there is a black tab on the bottom that might need to be pushed. I can't find a listing for the sensor but it would probably be a good thing to get from a salvage yard.

Do you use your parking/emergency/hand brake much? The same warning light can also come on if the car thinks the parking brake is on. I've run into issues on my beater car where the switch for the parking brake likes to stay on after I release the parking brake and it keeps the brake warning light on. It might be an issue with that switch vs the one for the brake fluid.

 

[KateHikes14]

I have an 08 f150 crew cab with the 5.4 V8 gas engine in it. It can haul ~9k but I only use it to haul a little 3000lb trailer to go camping with the family. I know it's well within the truck's hauling capacity, but sometimes I fuss over how hot the engine stays the entire trip. I wanna buy one of those electric fans that goes on the radiator to see if that helps. Will it help? Is there anything else I can do to engine to help it run cooler? Specific radiator fluid, aforementioned fan, etc? I'm planning on keeping this beast until it falls apart on me like a looney tunes but where I'm left holding the steering wheel, so I wanna make sure I don't strain it as much

Is it staying out of the danger zone? Because there can be a few things at play, when you bring the whole family you are likely much closer to the max truck payload which is very likely lower than you may think without breaking out a scale or at least looking over the stuff your family is bringing along, three teens and a wife can easily be 600lbs without anyone being too large, and that's not including everything they want to have with them, and everything you have that never leaves the truck.
Without knowing the specifics of what your truck has, I would upgrade the intake first. If it's making power more easily you'll appreciate that always, if the intake is already good enough I'd consider the transmission, it's likely not shedding as much heat as it could when the powertrain is heatsoaked, and if it doesn't have an IC/good IC that's a big difference for total reliability that will spill over into engine reliability as there is some thermal transfer. Next I'd consider if there are any relatively cheap oil pan upgrades, it may be a small help, but it will increase your cooling, all of of this is because the bottleneck with your cooling may be the heat transfer inside the engine, not the heat transfer to ambient.

 

[Thiletonomics]

What is the general consensus on Subaru here? I have personally had good experiences with mine but my sample size is non existent

I have mixed feelings about Subaru. The Head gaskets became better after 2010 but they still randomly blow out. 2011-2018 was a rough time for them, lots of oil consumption issues and the CVTs were unpredictable.

View attachment 6661528
2014-2015s had some really bad oil consumption issues to the point where it would burn all oil in the pan and blow the motor. If you ever hear of somebody with a Subaru that lost an engine, that's most likely what happened.

After 2020, I think things are getting better for Subaru but it's hard for me to recommend one when someone askes me what's a reliable car to buy. It's a "reliable" brand that has some pretty big pattern failures.

In addition to the old head gasket issues that plagued Subarus, their CVTs have had questionable reliability, although they didn't reach Nissan-levels of awful. The first years of the Ascent had numerous CVT issues that a class action lawsuit was filed against Subaru for those, and Subaru had to increase the CVT warranty on some of their older models.

Some older Subarus also had issues with the batteries going dead easily, due to some sort of parasitic power drain that would drain the batteries. I don't know when, or if Subaru rectified that issue.

Also, the BRZ had issues with them using RTV instead of oil pan gaskets, where excess RTV would get into the oil pick up areas and clog, causing oil starvation. The current-gen BRZs also have issues of oil starvation, notably when making a lot of right-hand turns on the race track.

 

[KateHikes14]

So I'm learning more about 2 stroke diesels. It's very clear from what I've learned that they are heavy, so upgraded front end, but what else is stopping me from having the most obnoxious vehicle on the road?

 

[God's drunkest driver]

What is the general consensus on Subaru here? I have personally had good experiences with mine but my sample size is non existent

Subaru still has the problems subaru has always had. The boxer 4 is needlessly difficult to work on compared to an I4, the CVTs are less durable than autos even though they are better than nissan's complete trash CVTs, and subarus tend to have worse fuel economy than comparable 4cyl shitboxes.

So I'm learning more about 2 stroke diesels. It's very clear from what I've learned that they are heavy, so upgraded front end, but what else is stopping me from having the most obnoxious vehicle on the road?

They are uncommon (it isn't 1980 anymore), there are almost no light duty 2 stroke diesels, most are industrial and don't make much power. The medium duty ones like detroits are probably too heavy for whatever you're driving or building (a 3-71 weighs more than a 12V 6BT). I think the 53 series is significantly lighter, where a 4cyl might weigh what a 6BT weighs, but they're less common.

 

[KateHikes14]

They are uncommon (it isn't 1980 anymore), there are almost no light duty 2 stroke diesels, most are industrial and don't make much power. The medium duty ones like detroits are probably too heavy for whatever you're driving or building (a 3-71 weighs more than a 12V 6BT). I think the 53 series is significantly lighter, where a 4cyl might weigh what a 6BT weighs, but they're less common.

The listings I saw put a 3-53 around 1000 lbs and a 4-53 at around 1250 lbs. Both of those are very painful numbers for something that makes 100 hp and 140 hp respectively, but completely possible with some beefing up, those hp numbers put them right in the middle of the pack for 80s and 90s vehicle. I'm wondering if there are other considerations besides the high weight, fairly low power.

 

[God's drunkest driver]

The listings I saw put a 3-53 around 1000 lbs and a 4-53 at around 1250 lbs. Both of those are very painful numbers for something that makes 100 hp and 140 hp respectively, but completely possible with some beefing up, those hp numbers put them right in the middle of the pack for 80s and 90s vehicle. I'm wondering if there are other considerations besides the high weight, fairly low power.

Transmission choice? Some have non-standard rotation. Other than that they don't need much but the space to exist and fuel to run. They are extremely simple and designed with zero optimization which is why they are ungodly large and heavy for what they do.

 

[waffle]

I have a 2011 Ford ranger V6 manual. Jt sat for about two and a half years with a blown head gasket and I did an engine swap on it because the crank wouldn't turn on the original engine.

The syncros are stuck in the transmission so you now have to start it in first gear. Is there any reliable way to get them unstick without dropping the tranny? I haven't changed the fluid yet. It has about 180k original miles on it.

 

[KateHikes14]

I have a 2011 Ford ranger V6 manual. Jt sat for about two and a half years with a blown head gasket and I did an engine swap on it because the crank wouldn't turn on the original engine.

The syncros are stuck in the transmission so you now have to start it in first gear. Is there any reliable way to get them unstick without dropping the tranny? I haven't changed the fluid yet. It has about 180k original miles on it.

If it's 2wd just drop the tranny, it's less of a big deal on a RWD than the mountain you've built in your head.

 

[waffle]

If it's 2wd just drop the tranny, it's less of a big deal on a RWD than the mountain you've built in your head.

It's a 4x4. I'm about there anyway.

If I go there I'm in total tranny rebuild mode, I'm pretty confident I can do that, I'm just not sure when I'll get it done - and I'm starting to have a pretty pressing need to get the truck back on the road. I'm hoping somebody knows something that will just get them broke loose.

 

[KateHikes14]

It's a 4x4. I'm about there anyway.

If I go there I'm in total tranny rebuild mode, I'm pretty confident I can do that, I'm just not sure when I'll get it done - and I'm starting to have a pretty pressing need to get the truck back on the road. I'm hoping somebody knows something that will just get them broke loose.

Just send it. I have a sign leading to my garage that says stop thinking, start doing. Been way more productive since I adopted that mantra.

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

It's a 4x4. I'm about there anyway.

If I go there I'm in total tranny rebuild mode, I'm pretty confident I can do that, I'm just not sure when I'll get it done - and I'm starting to have a pretty pressing need to get the truck back on the road. I'm hoping somebody knows something that will just get them broke loose.

You have a M5OD-R1HD where they added two bolts to the top, suffer waffle. You might want to lift the ca safely and do that work (Consider changing cab mount bushings as well lmao), the bolt near 12' o clock is damn near impossible to reach (see pic). Supposedly you can get to them by removing shifter/the large al plate holding the shifter boot and going from cab floor, but you can't see them either in that case. But before you do that...


Try removing the shifter and look in, you might be able to slide the syncro rings properly back in with a long flathead screwdriver if it's just stuck. If that isn't working than high chance your syncro bearing is melted stuck on the main shaft and you're fucked without new syncro ring sand possibly an input/output shaft.
Also, do replace your drive shaft center support bearing and u joints while your at it.



I'm similar position to you right now with my 4 cyl diesel. Need to figure out in a single car garage to take out and rebuild my engine and tranny since my turbo blew up (thankfully only exhaust side fan). Whoever wrote in the mechanic's service manual (not haynes/chilton) to have engine removal procedure to be the following is retarded:

Remove the tcase/ drive shaft, unbolt tranmission from engine, rotate the transmission 90 degrees, slide it back and up over a non-removable crossmember, rebolt at angle to engine, pull radiator/ps/ac/pullies, tilt the fucking engine+trans at and angle up and over....

 

[waffle]

the bolt near 12' o clock is damn near impossible to reach (see pic).

I swapped the engine this summer and had them all off. The top two bolts both require about three feet of extensions and a wobble. You get one from the engine bay and the other from back by the transfer case. It's pretty much a two man job because you need a helper to get shit lined up.

I feel you on the rebuild, I thought the Ranger thing was going to be done in a week but it's drag on close to a year with fucking with the clutch/transmission.

 

[Darkholme's Dungeon]

I swapped the engine this summer and had them all off. The top two bolts both require about three feet of extensions and a wobble. You get one from the engine bay and the other from back by the transfer case. It's pretty much a two man job because you need a helper to get shit lined up.

I feel you on the rebuild, I thought the Ranger thing was going to be done in a week but it's drag on close to a year with fucking with the clutch/transmission.

Check your shift forks when you get them out. High chance that 1st gear fork is bent/warped. Very easy to damage those on the M50D-R1s compared to the M50D-R2s.

I put a new clutch in fucking 3,000 miles ago on mine (I have the M50D-R1) and it is now dripping clutch fluid everywhere on the crossmember, fuck the co-centric clutch. Right when I need to use the vehicle cause my diesel turbo blew up.

 

[mounki]

What tools do I need if I want to maintain my own vehicle? Just like a bag of things I can put in the car if I need to work on it

I have a beetle and i love it so much I don't want to run it into the ground. is there a place I can find a manual or something where I can see all the parts of the car? I would really like to familiarize myself with the car / get more comfortable with knowing the machine so I can troubleshoot and fix things. There are quite a few issues with the car that I will definitely not be able to work on but I'd like to learn more about what I can do

thanks

 

[Google.com]

I'm trying to get into figuring out how to fix my car myself I have a P3 body Volvo XC70 it's high mileage but in great condition but honestly I really only know how to swap lights and do the oil. I'm due for a brake fluid flush soon which I heard is a bit of process and needs the car to be jacked up to do properly. Anyone have any jack and jack-stand recommendations, I don't currently own any and online debate on this seems fierce to say the least. I also heard these are a bitch to find a good spot to lift them up by.

Other then that anyone have any recommendations where to start figuring this thing out? I have an auction house nearby and some extra space and money so I've been considering buying a barely functional car down there just to tinker and learn with. Maybe even another older Volvo, not sure. I want to figure out how to get around my car but I only have a day a week to learn and I don't want my actual car to end up out of commission if I really fuck up.

 

[Sperg_rancher]

What tools do I need if I want to maintain my own vehicle?

If you own a honda, you need a 10mm spanner, and a lug nut wrench, and you can take apart the whole car.

Seriously, tho, you need a pair of ramps (EZ to diy), a socket set, a jack stand, and a torque wrench. that's bare minumum to start doing your own stuff.
After that, I'd like to have an OBD reader, some more advanced sockets, oil pan, multimeter, and maybe some other random bits and do-bobs.