Ask a car guy!

Hello everyone ,

If you don't know me i'm Daniel Daisys Human!

I used to be a Ford and Honda Certified Mechanic. I still work on cars on occasion .

I am opening this thread to try to give back help to some of the folks that have helped us in the search for Daisy and the donations for daisies rescuer..

If you need any car advice at all let me know ask away . I may even be able to help you diagnose any issues you may have .

As well if you don't want to post send me a message and for those who have my number well call me

Thanks

also if you message me please bump the thread

Cool. Can you tell me where I can find an upper radiator hose for a '78 Beetle? Also need a muffler bearing.

J/K :-D
That's pretty cool, paying it forward.

Ask the internet. I've had great success ordering parts online, including from junkyards half the country away...

http://www.andysautosport.com/radiator_hoses/volkswagen_beetle.html

http://www.rockauto.com/dbphp/x,carcode,1423178,d,1978_VOLKSWAGEN_SUPER_BEETLE_1.6L_H4.html

This is really cool of you!

I have a spot of paint that chipped peeled off the tailgate of my suv. Can I buy some exterior auto paint and fix it myself or do I need to pay a body shop?

Thanks.

When are you going to post the video that was taken of Michael receiving the money some of us donated for his reward for returning Daisy, just curious, and agree with Posters, very nice offer for the auto work.

ml- There's no such thing as a muffler bearing... ace was just giving him a poke in the ribs, that's all.

Now where's that left-handed screwdriver...?

ctrzaska said:

ml- There's no such thing as a muffler bearing... ace was just giving him a poke in the ribs, that's all.

Now where's that left-handed screwdriver...?

No, I didn't find that. And I totally missed the joke. :-(

marylago said:

ctrzaska said:

ml- There's no such thing as a muffler bearing... ace was just giving him a poke in the ribs, that's all.

Now where's that left-handed screwdriver...?

No, I didn't find that. And I totally missed the joke. :-(

LOL, sorry @marylago. Inside joke for the car people.

And the '78 beetle wasn't equipped with a radiator, it was air cooled..so no upper hose.

When I worked on cars and whenever we'd have new, younger guys, kids looking to apprentice their way through, we'd send them out for those items. Poor guys, they'd drive all of 22 before someone at a parts store would tell them.
I'm sure @Bsnapps has similar stories.

Really? An old-time, er, experienced Ford mechanic, soliciting car questions? If you happen to have an answer for the following, great, and big thanks for offering!!

We have (don't laugh) a 1993 Taurus wagon. We live in Wisconsin, and it was really cold this winter. Two times, when the temp was probably 15 degrees or less, and we hadn't warmed it up much before leaving the driveway, it died within a couple of blocks of the house. Very understandable both times, and I don't fault it at all. One of the times I had had to stand on the brake suddenly, and the other time it was stopped at a light, hesitated on starting up again, and probably the driver pushed too hard on the accelerator for the circumstances.

Here's the thing, though: both times, it then refused to start up again for about 20 or 30 minutes. I was trying to start it every 5 min. or so. It has a newish battery, and was turning over vigorously, but wouldn't catch. Then finally it caught, and drove just fine. Starting up in the driveway has been no problem either, regardless of weather/temperature. It just wouldn't re-start after these two died-in-traffic events.

Any ideas? Our mechanic is a great guy and he and staff are very knowledgeable, but this one has them stumped. DH has also searched online with no luck

Thanks in advance for any ideas. You get a star in your crown for even offering to try.

carolanne said:

This is really cool of you!

I have a spot of paint that chipped peeled off the tailgate of my suv. Can I buy some exterior auto paint and fix it myself or do I need to pay a body shop?

Thanks.

Most auto part store carry touch up brush or spray paint all you need it your paint code which can be retrieved from dealer being provided the vin pretty straight forward DIY brown paper bag and painters tape

ace789nj said:

Cool. Can you tell me where I can find an upper radiator hose for a '78 Beetle? Also need a muffler bearing.

J/K :-D
That's pretty cool, paying it forward.

Funny ace I knew you were a jokester

rto said:

When are you going to post the video that was taken of Michael receiving the money some of us donated for his reward for returning Daisy, just curious, and agree with Posters, very nice offer for the auto work.

It is posted on fb I asked an miler to share from my fb bc I couldn't load it here or YouTube for some reason . Send me a message with your name I'll search you on fb and message it to you

mjc said:

Really? An old-time, er, experienced Ford mechanic, soliciting car questions? If you happen to have an answer for the following, great, and big thanks for offering!!

We have (don't laugh) a 1993 Taurus wagon. We live in Wisconsin, and it was really cold this winter. Two times, when the temp was probably 15 degrees or less, and we hadn't warmed it up much before leaving the driveway, it died within a couple of blocks of the house. Very understandable both times, and I don't fault it at all. One of the times I had had to stand on the brake suddenly, and the other time it was stopped at a light, hesitated on starting up again, and probably the driver pushed too hard on the accelerator for the circumstances.

Here's the thing, though: both times, it then refused to start up again for about 20 or 30 minutes. I was trying to start it every 5 min. or so. It has a newish battery, and was turning over vigorously, but wouldn't catch. Then finally it caught, and drove just fine. Starting up in the driveway has been no problem either, regardless of weather/temperature. It just wouldn't re-start after these two died-in-traffic events.

Any ideas? Our mechanic is a great guy and he and staff are very knowledgeable, but this one has them stumped. DH has also searched online with no luck

Thanks in advance for any ideas. You get a star in your crown for even offering to try.

This is a tricky one could be many things I'll message you with my thoughts when I'm off work

ace789nj said:

marylago said:

ctrzaska said:

ml- There's no such thing as a muffler bearing... ace was just giving him a poke in the ribs, that's all.

Now where's that left-handed screwdriver...?

No, I didn't find that. And I totally missed the joke. :-(

LOL, sorry. Inside joke for the car people.

And the '78 beetle wasn't equipped with a radiator, it was air cooled..so no upper hose.

When I worked on cars and whenever we'd have new, younger guys, kids looking to apprentice their way through, we'd send them out for those items. Poor guys, they'd drive all of 22 before someone at a parts store would tell them.
I'm sure @Bsnapps has similar stories.

I once was that apprentice so I'm familiar with the jokes . Funny stuff

Wow, MOL now has its own version of Car Talk! This is going to be great!

Indeed @bluepool

@mjc
Haven't forgotten about you if you don't mind shoot me a message just so I get a reminder email been really busy at work

mjc said:

Any ideas? Our mechanic is a great guy and he and staff are very knowledgeable, but this one has them stumped. DH has also searched online with no luck

Sounds like ''carburettor ice".

Also Beetles were all air cooled and do not have a radiator.

Dave/Jamie, jokes here aside we really should have an auto section for the many enthusiasts on this board.

marksierra said:

mjc said:

Any ideas? Our mechanic is a great guy and he and staff are very knowledgeable, but this one has them stumped. DH has also searched online with no luck

Sounds like ''carburettor ice".

Wasn't the '93 Taurus fuel injected?

marksierra and alias, I don't think it has a carburetor, but I could be wrong.

ace and others - These jokes are ancient and deathless. In the 1930s in a railroad shop, my dad was sent to the tool crib to fetch white lamp black and a left-handed monkey wrench. As a farm boy, he should have known better, but those impressive old-timer mechanics actually got him to go check it out.

Bsnapps - Can this count as your reminder? (and really, I don't want to impose, so only reply if it interests you....)

@mjc

do you have any fuel smell?

if so there may be an issue with a sensor on the tank its a vapor sensor all possibly a vac leak. have your mechanic do a test for that!

as well the distributor may be on its way out or a relay of some sort connecting to fuel or spark .

it is not uncommon for a distributor on the way out to go on the fritz and cause the spark to shut down.

as well not uncommon for a fuel pump to have issues with delivering gas on hills if tank is not at least quarter full .
the old taurus had a recall on the fuel pump . now has been replaced with a turbine pump check the recalls from ford if you are original owner . i do not know to what extent the recall is for your vehicle if any .

try to give me some info on things that have been crossed out so far by your mechanic and or things he has tried so i can narrow things down ...

also any check engine light? if so what was the code or codes .. thanks

CEL - don't tell ANYBODY, but the CEL is constantly blinking because (long story) the air bag is disconnected. We are using the Car Talk suggestion of putting electric tape over the light.

I do remember a momentary fuel smell (unburned gas?) the second time the problem happened. Most of the time the windows were closed, so if there was a smell, I wouldn't have known.

I will check about the fuel pump. I *think* it has not been replaced. (fuel pump on our previous Taurus was replaced, and the new pump made a noticeably different sound. I don't think this one makes that sound.)

Many thanks for your ideas!! I don't know what they already checked; mostly I think they were trying to duplicate the problem, and couldn't. I'll suggest they check vapor sensor, fuel pump, and distributor next time it's in. Someday, I'll have to let the car go, but hopefully not yet. It's been behaving beautifully since I resolved to let it warm up longer, and the weather is also getting warmer (actually, less cold).

Thanks, Bsnapps!

We need a new SUV that seats seven - what's the best new SUV to buy? Looking at GMC Arcadia, Honda Pilot, etc. Was looking at Nissan Pathfinder, but it was named one of the 10 most unreliable cars by US NEWS...

Hey, over here in the back. Your thoughts, sir, on a 2012 Ford Focus Hatch. Seems to get good gas mileage.

wunder said:

We need a new SUV that seats seven - what's the best new SUV to buy? Looking at GMC Arcadia, Honda Pilot, etc. Was looking at Nissan Pathfinder, but it was named one of the 10 most unreliable cars by US NEWS...

Honda pilots are decent SUVs but then again more vehicles are decent with proper maintenance . Do you need an SUV plenty of vans come all wheel drive these days . Nissan quest is good ! Toyota sienna ! The highlander is an SUV by toyota it's good and Arcadia is good as well . But again a lot of vans these days come fully equipped al about same price as the lower model SUVs !
Sorry for delay been working a lot

arjay said:

Hey, over here in the back. Your thoughts, sir, on a 2012 Ford Focus Hatch. Seems to get good gas mileage.

My brother has one he loves it 36 mpg I believe he gets however my father owned a Prius c and at 6'3 plenty of room and in the city he gets with battery and engine comb about 65 mpg but yes the focus is a decent vehicle as long as it was well maintained make sure to car fax and check service records

Question about snow-pile damage on a Honda Civic 4-Dr (2010):

I think I did a little damage to the car on a big icy snowpile this winter. A piece of the body between the front passenger wheel and the headlights partially popped out. I was able to push on it, and snap it back in (it looks fine, but seems not quite as flush to the lights as on the other side.

However, it also looks like the plastic around our wheel-well got bent out of shape from the hit, but it doesn't seem to be impinging on the wheel itself. It used to fit along the inside of the piece of body that snapped out, but now the wheel-well trim is bent in some places, so it doesn't fit together nicely.

Anything to look for in the bent wheel-well lining, or with the part of the body that snapped off, to indicate if it needs body work, or if it should be OK if left alone? I do hear something vibrating a bit on that side when I hit a bump (not sure what it is), so that is my cause for concern.

I could take a photo if that would help.

@mjc, A previous car of mine once died at 11 pm on the Edens Expressway outside Chicago. I had it towed to a nearby gas station and the next morning it started fine and the mechanic asked me why it was there. The gas in the tank was very low, the weather was very cold and apparently the fuel line froze and then thawed out in the morning. Maybe you had a similar problem in the cold?