Recent content by Jim Mesthene

That's a classic symptom of an EGR system that is plugged or disconnected.

One year from a Transmission? That's a success story? For Valve Body or Governor problems, additives can work, but often it's too late to save the friction surfaces. Lubegard is recommended by several manufacturers; see the Service Bulletins on the Lubegard site. If you like Tranny-in-a-Can...

Unibody is GM's name for monocoque construction, in which the body is the frame. When your Unibody gets bent, it means the frame is bent. A big open box gets knocked out-of-square very easily. It's just as easily pulled back into square by a Frame Straightener (not a Unibody straightener).

Federal law requires that car ventilation systems fail in Defrost mode. Whenever there is a failure in the flaps the system will revert, wholly or partially, to Defrost. The most common failure is insufficient vacuum to pull the flaps, usually because of a broken or loose vacuum line.

I think you have a bad ground. It can make all your sensors wrong.

That's called a bad ground, and that's how you diagnose it. Improve the grounds (clean the old ones or add new ones) until your voltmeter reads less than 0.1 volt at any ground point.

I was a professional mechanic for 27 years and bought tens of thousands of dollars worth of Snap-On tools. You're not a professional, you can do well with a couple of hundred. Flip through a Harbor Freight catalog and get basics (wrenches pliers etc.). As you break them or find them inadequate...

More accurate MPG figures.

If you do have carbon buildup on the intake valves (it could happen), try feeding the same amount of water into the vacuum line using the same technique as the Seafoam. It will clean carbon just as effectively. If it's a recurring problem, you should try to find out why you are getting the...

That's exactly what I do 5-8 times a year. Then I pull the trailer through the woods a little way. I was a dealership mechanic for 27 years, I've seen sludge. You can leave a sludged up valve cover under running Safety-Kleen for 12 hours and it won't come off without a scraper. Pouring a little...

Better luck at what? What "stuff"? Where does the "stuff" come from? How do you know it's the "stuff" that's fouling the plugs, and not the Lucas and Seafoam "stuff" that's fouling the plugs? Why does my '96 work perfectly when I haven't addressed the "stuff" issue at all?

My '96 has 147k. It starts instantly, idles perfectly, never has noisy or clogged injectors, has no engine noises and gets more than 22 mpg on the highway. I change the oil every 10k (Mobil 1) and use the cheapest gas they sell at the local Shell station. Additives are clearly not needed. Why...

The improved fuel mileage easily pays the difference in the cost of the oil. Measure it for yourself.

I worked in dealerships for more than 20 years, and went to several manufacturers' A/C schools. Nobody ever recommended that procedure. Certainly nobody said that you need to get all the old oil out except in the case of some R12 to R134a conversions. Take it to a qualified A/C specialist.

Your car has more than 20,000 pieces. It makes no sense to spend your money ensuring that 20 of them last 10 years.