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According to my notes, on a 2016 RAV4, the plastic filter housing should be torqued to 18 foot pounds, but the drain plug should be torqued to 30 foot pounds.

Owner's manual for a 2018 Honda Fit says to perform coolant service every 5 years or 50,000 miles. But the car runs fine and has never overheated. Coolant levels in both the radiator and expansion tank are good, and I haven't had to top it off. Radiator cap is clean, still springy, and seals...

Read the fine print for the offer. It could just be a bundle discount to lock you as a customer. Now that Total Wireless is part of Verizon, your devices might already be unlocked, or you may be entitled to have them unlocked for free. https://world-wire.com/total-wireless-unlock-policy/ Even...

Total Total Wireless is owned by Verizon Communications. If your phone is unlocked, switching to Mint Mobile (owned by T-Mobile) would save you (more than) $15/mo.

AAA roadside assistance has (had?) the largest network, including a reciprocal arrangement with CAA (Canadian version of AAA). If my car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and needs to be towed, I feel that AAA should be able to dispatch someone faster than other providers.

I finally dug up my old chemistry lab textbooks. Hard to believe how much I've forgotten. The contents of the two bottles might be quite straightforward. Indicator B is a probably a Bromophenol Blue (~0.01% or less) indicator in an acetate buffer (~0.01-0.1M acetic acid [vinegar], plus sodium...

I'm curious about the nitrogen concentration in fuels and additives, but $365 exceeds my level of curiosity.

I suspect that the scientists working for additive companies roll their eyes at the marketing materials, and respond, "Yeah, sure. That's close enough."

Yes, I've done the math. I was hoping to see some more data that backs up the math and the testing methods.

Pedantic gripes about the Gumout marketing video: PIB does not contain nitrogen, and Ethanol is not an acid. (From what I can tell) PIB and PIBSA do not contain amines, so they--and other cleaners including alcohols and methylated benzenes--would not be indicated via bromophenol blue. However...

Going down the rabbit hole, looking at AutoZone for "Parts Cleaner"... These products are all over the place. ShopPro All Purpose Parts Cleaner #SPPC-15, $5.99 for 15 oz Contains Tetrachloroethane, Carbon Dioxide This is basically old-fashioned chlorinated brake cleaner. It's nonflammable...

Even on ramps, a Honda Fit with a Valvomax is still too low to drain directly into a used 5 quart oil jug. However, a used 4 liter translucent juice container (#2 HDPE) is short enough to fit. Honda Fit only takes 3.5 quarts 0W20, so this works well. Still using a drain pan for the oil filter...

The BG “Deposit Control Additive in Fuel Test” #995DCA (roughly) measures Nitrogen content in a sample, not PEA (or TEA, or PIBA) content. A urine sample would score very high, as the test does not distinguish between PEA and pee (or melamine, protein, etc.). The Indicator B looks not unlike...

My car is really fuel efficient; but my snowmobile and lawnmower are serious gas guzzlers.

How do they prevent people from using the boat gas in their cars? Or from filling up a 40 liter jug claiming that it will be used in a boat?

It's great how folks pursue their interests and passions while traveling. I visited friends in Lviv, Ukraine two months before Covid shut down all travel. We went to a couple gas stations, and I paid more attention to the different types of chips and soda. I assume they had motor oil and...

What a great idea! I did it. Let's keep this young man properly caffeinated.

2025 Subaru Forester, 1111 miles break-in oil change 4.4 qts SuperTech 0W16 and a Fram XG7317 thinking about getting a Fumoto valve (or something similar) for the easiest oil changes EVER

Why is Zerex preferable to Peak?

Naive question about lanolin-based undercoatings: does the smell attract rodents?