Recent content by bladecutter

They've been this way since the 60's, 70's and 80's. Why are you surprised they still build cars badly today? I learned my lesson just simply watching my parents deal with a 1985 Mercury Topaz in the late 80's, early 90's. I've NEVER owned a Ford product in my life as an adult. Learned my...

Sigh. Cars today are SAFER than they were in the 50's and 60's. 70's, 80's, and 90's, too. They also are more powerful, and consume less fuel and oil, too. Engines and transmissions typically last longer without needing rebuilding, in MOST cases. There are exceptions, of course. The seats are...

Troubleshooting an issue in order to determine the actual cause of an issue isn't just a needed step in the process, it's an art form in it's own right. You have dozens of YouTube mechanics that have made videos that help you diagnose and correct no start issues, that include the fuel pump...

On the Alfa Romeo forums, replace MAF with Battery, and you get the exact same series of posts. So many people replace their batteries while chasing after random issues, without actually testing that their battery is actually bad. What a waste. If they are having a charging related issue, if its...

Might be worth replacing those original wires from 1996. Also, when is the last time the valves were adjusted on this engine?

So, a car that is in for intense work needs to have a test drive performed. A car that is in to investigate the cause of a customer complaint needs to have a test drive performed. A car that is in for an oil and filter change DOES NOT need a test drive performed. This lady's car was in because...

You people are so far off into the weeds with Sherwood, it's not even funny. First off, the owner of the Mazda CX-9 (with the Ford V-6 engine) bought and installed the Amazon fuel injectors himself, while trying to self diagnose and repair a misfire issue with the CX-9. Sherwood DID NOT buy and...

As much as everyone over 50 loves the vehicles that were designed in the mid sixties to very early 70's, it's time to move on from that design aesthetic. People have been living in the past for way too many decades at this point, and you all need to realize that you grew up, and you all have...

Because people love it when the money trickles down on them from above. Oh, wait... I don't think that's money...

Have you considered the Alfa Romeo Giulia?

I don't think you NEED to replace your MAF sensor, since you are not currently trying to resolve a drivability issue. BUT, If you do decide to buy one, take the readings from your car with the current MAF sensor at a couple different RPMS (idle, 1500, 2500), and then when you install the new MAF...

Honestly, Valvoline should have gone to bat with the customer against Hyundai/Kia, trying to claim that 5W-30 would not be sufficient in an engine that the OEM recommends 0W-30. There is no part in an engine that needs 0W instead of 5W, otherwise engine damage will result. Outside of being in...

Wheel studs / wheel lugs just bolt into the wheel hub, not the actual rotor hat. The rotor is just sandwiched between the hub and the wheel. Too much/too little torque on one of the wheel mounting points can alter the runout a tiny amount on thin rotors, and as time and miles accumulate, you...

Between my Cayman, and my Stelvio, the Cayman gets nearly 30 mpg, while the Stelvio hovers around 24. Stelvio beats the snot out of the Cayman when you stomp it from a standstill, but the Cayman sounds and feels like what it is, a sports car. My wife's Abarth will get 32, but then its all snarl...

Don't worry, the prices will only go up more when it's "summer time driving season", and when a refinery or two go "down for maintenance", but then prices will mysteriously drop in about 7 months time, and all of this will be forgotten.