Auto Repair Help From The Honest Mechanic » Oil Change

Radiator Is Leaking Coolant

Austin — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:41:42 +0000

Dear Sir,
My car has a radiator leak. It has 63,000 miles on it. My mother was the original owner and now I own it. The radiator won’t hold water. My mechanic friend tried to find the leak, but can’t. His equipment isn’t sophisticated. My supervisor from work told me about Barrs Stop Leak. The Chevy House said it will cost $90 for a diagnostic test plus the cost of what ever has to be fixed. I don’t know what to do. I am alone, up in age and very low in finances. Can you help ASAP. Thanks.
Sylvia

Sylvia,

If the radiator is LEAKING you probably just have to replace the radiator with a new one, preferably an aftermarket radiator from your local auto parts store and not the Chevy dealer. If you have a radiator repair shop in your area they may be able to repair the leak or maybe they have an inexpensive radiator they can install. I highly suggest you get a radiator shop or even most oil change shops will be able to perform a cooling system pressure test for you to be sure the radiator is the culprit and not something else. We charge $20 for a pressure test and do it while you wait, so try another mechanic. Bars leak additive DOES work, but only on small seeps not leaks….in my experience.

Should I Buy This Cheap Used Car?

Austin — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:59:00 +0000

Reader Question

Hi Austin,

We had a 1997 Suburban that was recently totaled and we are looking to replace it. We have found one Suburban that is priced very well, but seems to have a major issue. It’s getting coolant in the oil following an oil change. It seems like it might be a blown head gasket or maybe even a cracked block.

I’ll post the seller’s description below. We would like to know the likely culprit as well as the worst case scenario and the probably costs of the repairs. It’s priced well enough that even if we had to put $2000 in it it would be a good buy. Much more than that and it’s probably better to pass. The motor has 116k miles and it’s a 1999.

The seller said:

I changed the oil and filter and after that the oil pressure pegged the needle. The gauge reads up to 80 psi. I was told to put a new filter in as there had been some bad filters that would not bypass and could cause this problem. I did and the pressure returned to normal. After that I started getting coolant into the oil.

Some more questions and a little internet searching and the conclusion is that the high oil pressure pushed out one of the pressed in plugs in the oil galley and therefore is letting coolant get into the oil. I have completely flushed the coolant and oil, with new oil and a filter. It is now sitting with no coolant in it at all.

Thanks for your insight.

Blessings,

Ann

Well hello there Ann,

Thanks for your email. Honestly……I would steer clear of this vehicle, there are just WAY too many good used vehicles on the market with less problems. This engine COULD need a head gasket replacement or some other internal engine repair and your $2,000 could be used up pretty quickly. This is a 10 year old vehicle and there will be other maintenance and repair issues as well as this major one you know about.

If you are DEAD SET on this vehicle….and kinda seems like you are, take it to your local auto mechanic and tell them your concern and that you want a “cooling system pressure test” to see if there is an internal coolant leak. I personally would leave the pressure tester hooked up to this vehicle for an hour or more to make sure there is not an internal coolant leak.

If it passes the test…..then I would take a chance and buy it. if it failed the test and there is a confirmed coolant leak, I would pass.

I have had some great results with this inexpensive over the counter head gasket additive.

Head Gasket Repair

I got my fingers crossed for you!

–
Blessings,
Austin Davis

http://www.trustmymechanic.com

http://www.myhonestmechanic.com

Need Help Finding an Honest Car Repair Shop?

Austin — Tue, 22 Nov 2005 17:23:00 +0000

Reader Question: “Austin, What should I be looking for when selecting a repair shop?”

Pay attention to first impressions.
Picture yourself on a first date. Imagine that you are a woman and are picked
up for a date by a man whose hair is dirty, his shirt is torn, and his car
looks like California after an earthquake. You’ve got an absolute slob on
your hands. He had better be very entertaining, because that first impression
is permanently implanted in your brain.

You probably won’t have a good date,
because that image will haunt you all night long. If you like the person enough
to contemplate a long-term relationship, this aspect of their personality will
certainly be something you will want to consider. Well, hopefully you and your
repair shop will also be able to establish a long-term relationship—and
even though YOU don’t have to bunk with him, your car will.

So don’t leave your car, a huge
investment in your life, in the hands of a slob. I know it is a repair shop
and it gets dirty, and yes, many of the employees have to get dirty to do their
jobs.

I won’t eat in a dirty
restaurant, or take my kids to a school riddled with graffiti-why take your
car to a filthy dirty shop?

Let’s face it, cleanliness plays a
major role in our lives, and your auto
garage should not be an exception.
Don’t think that because the shop is a little dirtier or not as fancy as
some of the other shops that you will get a better price. I know of a few shops
in my city that are very dirty looking inside and out and they charge a higher
hourly rate than most other shops.

A new customer of mine told me the other
day that the reason she visited a competitor was because they “looked
cheap.” She soon found out that looks can be deceiving, and she felt
over-charged for service that she had requested. Customers who don’t know
what to look for may perceive this shop to be a “good ole
boy” repair shop where the mechanics spend all their time
working on cars and not on cleanliness. You are probably saying to
yourself “I just want my car fixed, why should I care about thier house keeping
habits”…you should!

I have heard this is true in certain
ethnic restaurants, that the ones with the best food have the dirtiest
kitchens. Where’s the logic there?
So do you believe the service from these shops will be less expensive than
the clean and fancy shop with the neon signs and the well-kept lawn? Probably not!

We are looking for a shop that we can call
home for a long time. You should feel comfortable in this shop while wearing
white tennis shoes or new penny loafers. A clean shop will attract clean and
well-educated mechanics, service writers, and any other shop personnel. Dirty
shops attract dirty people. We are looking for honest, outgoing, and
easy-to-deal-with people who will bend over backwards to please us. These
quality people are not working at shabby, out-dated, or untidy shops. In my book I give more advice on how you can find a quality shop at a fair price that WANTS your
business.

What Should My Tire Pressure Be?

Austin — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Checking Tire Inflation Pressure

When vehicle manufacturers select a tire size for a vehicle, they evaluate the vehicle’s gross axle weights, the anticipated use of the tire, and the tire diameter and width. Adjustments to these factors give the manufacturer a way to improve handling and appearance. This is especially true for performance tire sizes. The size selected is rarely limited to only one capability (i.e. carrying the vehicle’s weight).

The tire usually needs to have additional load capacity as well. This extra capacity is important because without it all of the tire’s performance would be used up just carrying the weight of the vehicle and little would be left for durability at high speeds or responsive handling. For all vehicles produced since 1968, the original tires sizes and inflation pressures (including the spare) are listed on a vehicle placard. This placard can be located on:

The driver-side door or door jamb (Ford vehicles on the rear passenger door jamb)
Glove box or counsel door
Fuel filler door
The engine compartment

Additionally, some manufacturers also list the original tire pressure in the vehicle’s owner’s manual. If a car’s inflation pressure has varied from that which was recommended by the manufacturer, it’s likely that the tire’s wear and performance characteristics have also changed.

Under-inflation

If your vehicle’s tires are under inflated by only 6 psi it could lead to tire failure. Additionally, the tire’s tread life could be reduced by as much as 25%. Lower inflation pressure will allow the tire to deflect (bend) more as it rolls. This will build up internal heat, increase rolling resistance and cause a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%. You would find a significant loss of steering precision and cornering stability. While 6 psi doesn’t seem excessively low, remember, it usually represents about 20% of the tire’s recommended pressure.

Over-inflation

If your tires are over inflated by 6 psi, they could be damaged more easily when running over pot holes or debris in the road. Higher inflated tires cannot isolate road irregularities well causing them to ride harsher. However, higher inflation pressures usually provide an improvement in steering response and cornering stability up to a point. This is why participants who use street tires in autocrosses, track events and road races, run higher than normal inflation pressures.

Effects of Time and Temperature

Tire inflation pressures change due to time and temperature. Tires lose about 1 psi per month due to air escaping through the rubber as it stretches. If you were to check your tires only every six months, it would not be uncommon to find them under inflated by as much as 6
psi. Tire inflation pressures also fluctuate with changes in the outside air temperature. This occurs at a rate of about 1 psi for every 10°F (plus or minus). So the tires you set correctly with an 80°F ambient temperature will be under inflated by 6 psi at 20°F.

If you add the variations of time and temperature together, it is easy to understand why a tire’s inflation pressure should be checked frequently. Improper inflation can cause tires to wear irregularly and can void manufacturer’s warranty.

Another advantage of checking tire pressure frequently is that it allows a slow leak to be found and repaired before it permanently damages a tire. Tire pressures should be checked once a week, preferably before the vehicle has been driven. Spending about two minutes a week will help you get the optimum performance your tires can offer!