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This is the last time I try to be helpful, to share something that has worked for me, because now I know I will be "called on the carpet" just so someone else can be entertained. I have better things to do than play word games with someone on the Internet.

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4 Why do they call it "bench bleeding" when it's on the car while you're bleeding it ? My shop manuals show mounting the MC in a vise, on a bench, so that would be bench bleeding. I don't own a vise so I have had success with putting the MC on the booster on the...

Quest is right on. While usually the lines at the MC are at the high point and a minuscule amount of air, if any, gets in, any amount of air is a problem. I'm only satisfied after I've checked at all four wheels, found no air bubbles, and have a firm pedal.

I've always done bench bleeding with the master cylinder on the car, using a kit like the one linked by Quest. Thread in and snug up the fittings, attach the hoses, fill the reservoir with brake fluid, use the little clips in the kit to hold the hose ends below the fluid level, slowly work the...

I've had good luck with replacement Energy Suspension boots. I have them on both ball joints and rod ends on the El Camino. They come in red or black. The polyurethane isn't affected by most chemicals and UV and ozone don't break them down over time. Summit Racing and Jegs are good sources, and...

Here's a tip about receipts that was suggested to me by a store employee: make a copy of it. Most stores now print receipts on thermal paper, and it will fade over time, potentially making it useless if you need to redeem a warranty on a battery. I like to make a copy and keep the copy in the...

I'm able to easily put both my El Camino and Civic on ramps without assistance. I prefer them to a jack and stands for jobs that do not require removing the wheels; they're faster and easier to set up safely. I set the parking brake and block one of the back wheels, then remove the key from the...

My worst experiences with replacing bad batteries has been at Sears. Last time, I brought in an obviously bad one - recharged way too fast, wouldn't hold a charge for even a few hours, much less overnight - and they tried to tell me the battery was good. I'd hate to see what they consider a bad...

I laughed when I priced a battery on the Pep Boys site for my Civic. Not only was the price not competitive with... practically anyone else... but the site said "This is a difficult installation and does not qualify for our free installation offer." It was so difficult it required only a 10 mm...

Brand and manufacturer do appear to vary by region. In this part of Texas, Sam's Club stocks Energizer, and they're made by Johnson Controls (printed on the label). I bought one for my Civic because I couldn't beat the price and warranty. I'll buy one for the El Camino too when I need one.

Originally Posted By: jr047 At least it looks like an M instead of an N. ... though it wouldn't be any better if it was an N. It was early and "stantic" isn't a word either.

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl That is some spectacular gibberish. +1. I also couldn't help but notice that the belt itself appears to be labeled as "ANTI-STAMTIC" [sic]. At least it looks like an M instead of an N. I didn't know static was such a big problem with car belts... but I guess...

I have one in each of my vehicles. Over 10 years ago, I used one to put out an alternator on a colleague's car. I noticed it smoking in the parking lot, got him to come out, and when we opened the hood, smoke was pouring from the alternator and flame shot out when we jiggled the alternator. I...

I was surprised to find that my Honda owner's manual explains how to change the oil and filter and also how to change light bulbs. It may be one of the last cars, though, to not have The Big Black Plastic Thing under the hood, blocking all access to everything. I've long thought manufacturers...

It's actually very easy to change the oil on my Civic LX. I'm able to do it without dripping on any subframe or suspension parts or on the driveway. On the R18A1, the filter is almost straight up and down, on the front-facing side of the engine. The only thing that only slightly limits access is...

I would also replace the entire tensioner. I recently had a tensioner pulley become noisy (and rough when I spun it with the belt removed). I thought about changing just the pulley, but I got the whole tensioner, and was glad I did when I started the engine. With the engine running, the old...

I put a new pair of front hoses on my El Camino earlier in the year. They're Raybestos Professional Grade with "made in Korea" stickers, purchased from RockAuto. They appear to be OE quality, exactly the correct length with perfect OE-type connections on both ends, so they fit without any...

1984 Chevrolet El Camino, 3,600 miles and 10 months on oil. Out: Mix of SuperTech conventional 10W-30 and Mobil 1 10W-30 and ACDelco PF-35 (blue). In: Pennzoil conventional 5W-30 and ACDelco PF-35 (blue).

I see a lot more of it on the airplane engines I fly, than on the car. The aircraft have no PCV system, just a draft tube like pre-1960s cars, and there is a lot of crankcase blow-by because the air-cooled engines don't fit as tight as water-cooled engines with thermostat.

It's crankcase vapors from blow-by gases, made up of water and other byproducts of combustion. I see it every time I remove the dipstick or oil fill cap on my engine (especially the Chevrolet 350), always have, no real cause for concern. You are seeing what the PCV system removes from the...