Vehicle Maintenace General

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If you connect the starter directly to the battery will it spin? If no the starter or battery is bad, they can both be tested at the parts store.

Can you start it by putting the key to run and hot wiring it like above? If so something in the starter circuit is bad. It's likely the solenoid, a relay or the ignition switch. It can also be a bad wire or corroded connection, though. It could also be the immobilizer thing, but that's lower probability
 
So, driving around and the mirror part of the left side mirror just sort of fell off randomly, luckily it got stuck in the frame and I was just pulling into the parking lot not on the highway so I managed to grab the mirror before it fell completely off the car. Gorilla glue good enough to glue it back onto the frame or some other type of glue I should be using?
 
So, driving around and the mirror part of the left side mirror just sort of fell off randomly, luckily it got stuck in the frame and I was just pulling into the parking lot not on the highway so I managed to grab the mirror before it fell completely off the car. Gorilla glue good enough to glue it back onto the frame or some other type of glue I should be using?
I'd use e6000
 
Shoot, I was hoping it was because the issue would've probably been the clutch switch (easy fix). Anyways, you should still try a jump start because batteries can do crazy things, like there can be enough power for lights but as soon as you turn the key, the voltage drops and it won't turn the starter.

Next thing is to go to the interior fuse box. The starter relay (R1) has the same part number as the defroster relay (R9) so you can swap them to see if the starter relay went bad.

View attachment 7234038View attachment 7234037View attachment 7234039

Next theory is that I believe the keys in these old Ford actually have a transponder chip in them. Do you have a 2nd key that you can try in case the chip in your primary key somehow went bad?

Lastly that brings us to the option that the starter might've gone bad. Do you have a multi-meter or test light by chance? We can walk you through how to test if the starter is getting power.
Thank you for the extremely detailed advice. The stupid metal box the fuses are in covers up the exact ones I need to swap. It's got these two awful little fucking nuts my ratchet can't get off. No matter how much I wrench them they just squeak and don't pull out. I'm gonna have to wait for a friend to help me get them off just so I can try the fuse idea. But I really do appreciate it.
 
Thank you for the extremely detailed advice. The stupid metal box the fuses are in covers up the exact ones I need to swap. It's got these two awful little fucking nuts my ratchet can't get off. No matter how much I wrench them they just squeak and don't pull out. I'm gonna have to wait for a friend to help me get them off just so I can try the fuse idea. But I really do appreciate it.
Sounds like they are just spinning. See if there's something you can do to bind the back of the bolt. Hard to say without seeing, but you could also temporarily jump out the fuses, but just know when a fuse blows there's always a reason, and ignoring it is a good way to triple the repair cost.
 
The transmission in my 2011 honda accord went out. I only have a budget of $1000 for repairs. Will I be able to get this fixed, or am I fucked?
 
The transmission in my 2011 honda accord went out. I only have a budget of $1000 for repairs. Will I be able to get this fixed, or am I fucked?
You can probably get a used transmission for around $500 at the pick-and-pull, are you a bad enough dude to get one and swap it?
 
You can probably get a used transmission for around $500 at the pick-and-pull, are you a bad enough dude to get one and swap it?
Bad enough to get one, probably not bad enough to swap it myself. I've never done anything more complex than changing a battery. I'm blessed to have a mechanic who's not a total scumbag, so I might be able to convince him to go for a used one. Still waiting on him to get back to me with an estimate.
 
Well I made the mistake of being lazy and also using too much adhesive. Instead of taking the assembly apart and removing the plate it glues to and gluing the glass back onto it on a flat surface. I decided to just glue it on while it was still on the car. This was stupid because I used too much glue and it all dripped down and now the entire mirror is glued into place, looks terrible, and is now jammed in place and can't move. I'm going to have to spend time to disassemble the entire thing and clean off all the extra glue with rubbing alcohol. I feel very stupid right now.
 
Bad enough to get one, probably not bad enough to swap it myself. I've never done anything more complex than changing a battery. I'm blessed to have a mechanic who's not a total scumbag, so I might be able to convince him to go for a used one. Still waiting on him to get back to me with an estimate.
You'd probably need at least $3k to have him put in a used transmission. I'd get a 2nd opinion from a transmission shop if you can. They might be able to try a fix without removing the transmission from the car.
 
You'd probably need at least $3k to have him put in a used transmission. I'd get a 2nd opinion from a transmission shop if you can. They might be able to try a fix without removing the transmission from the car.
I didn't even know transmission specific shops were a thing. Thanks, I'll try this.
 
Bad enough to get one, probably not bad enough to swap it myself. I've never done anything more complex than changing a battery. I'm blessed to have a mechanic who's not a total scumbag, so I might be able to convince him to go for a used one. Still waiting on him to get back to me with an estimate.
Even removing a transmission from a junkyard car is quite a feat, requiring a transmission jack to brace the very heavy thing from falling as you undo the last bolt. Unless you are really desperate I would not go to a junkyard looking for a tranny. Remember you usually don't know why the car is in the yard and you might go to all that effort only to find out all the synchros are blown or it just sometimes doesn't go into reverse when it's cold in the morning. If you drop the transmission, there is a 100% chance it will at least need a rebuild, and it might just be scrap metal, especially if it's an automatic. Rebuilds are more expensive than junkyard transmissions and guys who can do them are becoming harder and harder to find.

If you have no experience working on cars, you're better off seeing if a transmission shop can get you a better deal. If it's too expensive, trade in the old car for a beater that will get you around for a few months while you live on ramen and pick up as much overtime as you can to buy a used car in better condition.
 
1000003243.webp

>Change valve cover gaskets on subaru EZ30D
>Flat 6 so its tighter than the virgin mary
>Gasket uses rtv and specific tourque sequence to tighten
> 4 hours later get done see leak
>WTF
>didn't change out 20 dollar pcv
>pull pcv looks like a clogged artery
>high pressure blew out gasket have to repeat
> moral of the story change your pcv valve if the car is old.
>Fuck.
 
Even removing a transmission from a junkyard car is quite a feat, requiring a transmission jack to brace the very heavy thing from falling as you undo the last bolt
Absolutely, it can be sketchy. Most of the yards I've been to don't allow jacks of any kind either. The nicer ones have rolling gantries you can rent but they don't provide any kind of rigging so if you need a strap or shackle you gotta bring your own. Then you have to roll it a half mile and depending on the setup you might(probably will) need to pull the engine with it.

In my younger years I was desperate and dropped one myself by hand. I pulled the back seat out of the car, slid it under the trans and was able to support it enough to thread out the last 2 bolts out that I left finger tight. Was able to pull it back and gently lower it onto the seat then drag the seat out so nothing got damaged. It was out of some little 4banger econobox so the trans was probably less than 150lbs. Wouldn't do it again though, if it would have rolled it would have landed right on top of me, mostly in the face and neck area.

Biggest thing I hate about UPulls though is a lot of them you have no idea why the car ended up there so you could very well be pulling the transmission that sent it to the graveyard in the 1st place. Even the ones that give some kind of warranty you have to go through the trouble of installing it before you realize that it only goes in reverse or whatever.
 
I was hoping someone here would have a good idea for me.

I have a 2000 Ford focus with a ZTECH engine and it won't start at all. I replaced the alternator less than a month ago and I know the battery isn't dead because the lights turn on and I charged it.
I'm assuming you checked your battery cables and terminals for corrosion, cleaned and tightened them up after swapping your alternator. Also check your grounds, it could be something as stupid as that preventing your car from cranking.

The hum is likely from your fuel pump, or the sound of your starter solenoid failing. Considering your car is 25 years old, that's worth testing along with the fuses. Voltage drop, and whatnot.
 
View attachment 7244653

>Change valve cover gaskets on subaru EZ30D
>Flat 6 so its tighter than the virgin mary
>Gasket uses rtv and specific tourque sequence to tighten
> 4 hours later get done see leak
>WTF
>didn't change out 20 dollar pcv
>pull pcv looks like a clogged artery
>high pressure blew out gasket have to repeat
> moral of the story change your pcv valve if the car is old.
>Fuck.
I hate PCV systems. Second thing after a Fumoto valve any time I get a new car is an oil catch can. Engine runs better, less wear on the engine, and you still get the "environmental benefits" of having a PCV. Condensed water goes in the hazardous waste jug and oil goes in my motor oil burner.
 
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