Recent content by MichiganMadMan

I've had a baffle come loose inside a muffler that I SWORE was coming from the RHS exhaust manifold on a V8 van. Took me a while to find the actual cause, a baffle that was banging around 10 feet away. I think the pipework can do "magical" things with where the sound is generated versus where...

I worked on Diesels at the time this happened and we ended up with the same or higher cylinder pressures. There were points where the engine would rattle so loud that we backed timing off, but with pilot injection it wasn't necessary. We still had the same cylinder pressure limits to calibrate...

I've owned a bunch, but my 2013 Subaru Forester was a bucket. The interior was unbearable. It had so many squeaks and rattles that it sounded like I had the Tupperware aisle from Walmart thown in loose all over. The reverse lockout would give an audible clonk every time I came to a full stop...

Idle mixture a bit rich maybe? Every two smoke I've had will give off smoke signals if you let it run low speed long enough, but the ones that really puffed were because they were a tad rich. Before you start playing with oil mixes, maybe try setting the idle a bit leaner (usually clockwise or...

Just worked on a Honda that was left with fuel too long (years), then previous owner replaced the carb with a Chinese one and had trouble getting it to start. The choke linkage was assembled backwards, but after I fixed that it was still impossible to start. Turned out the idle mixture screw was...

It's the CF-2 flavor. It's still around on shelves up here.

Blackstone VOA. Looks like...oil.

Honda VFR motorcycles from the mid-80's to around 2004 or so. Still nothing like hearing the shrieking straight-cut gear driven cams contrasted with the deep growl of the V4 turning 11,000 RPM to put a smile on your face. The RC51 was also gear driven, if memory serves. I believe it was a...

My 2014 Malibu and 2015 Impala are recommended 5w-20. I'd agree that "most GM's" don't use this grade, though

My E-350 had the passenger side rear rotor just as stuck as yours. Ironically, it lived in New York before I bought it. BEFORE EVERYONE COMPLAINS: I did the driver side first, so I knew there weren't any fasteners hidden somewhere that were holding it on. I tried: Brute force on a pry bar (I'm...

I installed a Hayden severe duty in my E-350 and it was the loudest thing I'd ever heard. It locked in once and never let go, it was deafening on the freeway and cost me some serious MPG. It also smoked the belt from slipping so much. I took it off and threw it away halfway through my 700 mile...

I clean the windshield really well, then polish with Bon Ami 1886 formula and a wet microfiber towel. I'm amazed at the gunk that comes off a "clean" windshield. The surface is much smoother afterwords allowing for an effect similar to Rain-X without the shimmer at night. It also keeps ice and...