Fuel Quality Problems
Battery powered fuel siphon
Sometimes although not often fuel quality problems can cause extremely hard-to-find engine drivability problems and repeat failures of fuel system components. Described below will be an effective way for you to check the basics of your fuels quality.
Keep in mind that you will need an accurate fuel sample from the vehicle you want to test. Although there are several safe ways to remove fuel from your tank I recommend that you pick up a special fuel siphon hose from your auto parts store. Or I have a link to the one pictured to the left at the bottom of the article.
You will also need a glass cylinder that is graduated in milliliters (also available below). In order to keep the testing simple it is best to use round numbers. Your graduated cylinder should hold 100 ml and have a cap to prevent tainted results. Don’t worry you do not have to be a scientist to conduct this test but you will need a gas sample and a graduated cylinder. Read more
Rear Differential Maintenance
Rear Differential Cover
Rear differential maintenance and changing the fluid is not required as much these days as with many other maintenance services on modern vehicles. But completely ignoring the differential is not recommended in case problems should develop.
A regular maintenance routine includes inspecting the gear lubricant level and condition. You can check your owner’s manual for recommended intervals and your auto repair manuals for specifications as well as the types of fluids to be used.
In the case of rear wheel drive vehicles different types of gear oil are used in different makes and models. Since there is no filter inside fluid can become contaminated with metal flakes and moisture.
Most rear differentials will have magnets either mounted inside or as part of the drain plug to help remove metal particles from the circulating lubricant. In some limited slip rear differentials special lubricants that contain a friction modifier are required. Read more
CV shaft rubber boots
CVshaft Assembly
The CV shaft rubber boots are one of the weak links in the longevity and survival of front wheel drive axles. If the boot stays intact the grease stays inside and the joint can last the life of the vehicle.
On the flip side the CV joint rubber boot can be damaged and the grease can be slung out by centrifugal force. The lack of lubrication can cause premature wear of the CV joint.
If the boot is damaged enough it can also allow water and dirt into the joint and at that point the joint and shaft will probably be ruined very quickly.
These CV shaft rubber boots need special care when you are servicing your vehicle. The following tips may save you some trouble down the road. And reduce the need to either replace the boot or replace the entire shaft assembly.
Read more
300ZX Clutch Problems
Clutch Kit Parts
My 300ZX clutch problems began with a rear main seal leak. It wasn’t long after the clutch started slipping that the Z wouldn’t move at all. When I put the vehicle up in the air to check it out I saw what was going on.
The rear main seal wasn’t leaking very much but it was enough to cause the clutch to fail. Oil and friction material such as the type that is contained on the clutch disc don’t go well together.
The clutch disc friction material actually begins to soak up the engine oil like a sponge. A slippery spongy clutch is the opposite of what you need to move the vehicle properly.
This type of clutch problem is actually quite common and happens to many manual transmission vehicles from manufacturers both foreign and domestic.
300ZX flywheel problems
I pulled the transmission and remove the clutch and pressure plate. I could see that there was some heat scoring and a bluish color to the flywheel surface. I decided to send the flywheel out to be resurfaced at a local machine shop. Read more
Brake Fluid Inspections
Brake fluid inspections are an important yet easy to perform vehicle safety check. Often car owners will complain about brake system problems, in particular about the way the brakes feel or sound. The car owner should have a basic education on things that they can check themselves as well as being able to recognize signs of a problem.
DOT 4 Brake fluid
Checking the brake fluid is a good place to start and can tell you more about the condition of the brakes than you may realize. Brake fluid is the lifeblood of any hydraulic brake system and is responsible for proper operation.
Brake fluid not only serves as a lubricant to the many parts that it comes in contact with it also fights corrosion and rust in those components and brake lines.
On the negative side brake fluid readily absorbs moisture. This is known as a hydroscopic fluid, and is why brake fluid should be sealed properly and not stored in open containers.
Keep in mind that a mechanic should perform a complete inspection of the brake system including rotors, calipers, pads and road testing the vehicle to confirm any complaints.
But this doesn’t mean the average car owner can’t get involved with their own automobiles well-being.
Checking the brake fluid Read more
Car Battery Loses Charge
Battery terminal problem
It is very frustrating when a car battery loses charge over several days of the vehicle not being used. It is also not good for the battery and if this continues to happen in many cases replacement will be necessary.
The most common cause of the battery going dead after sitting for a short while would be a drain from the electrical system on the vehicle. Most often this can be traced back to a light in the vehicle that is either left on or will not turn off automatically.
A couple of examples would be a glove box light or a trunk light. In most cases these types of courtesy lights are supposed to turn off automatically. When they don’t the car battery loses charge.
The automatic operation of these courtesy lights is controlled in most cases by a pin switch but in some older vehicles you can still find the old-fashioned mercury switch. Testing of these items is further explained below. Click on read more. Read more
Car Battery Cleaning and Safety
Car Battery Safety Label
Car battery cleaning and safety are two important issues to address for car owners that like to get involved in the maintenance of their own automobile. When I say involved this does not mean you have to be a full-fledged driveway mechanic.
Performing some of the easier tasks yourself can increase the reliability of your vehicle as well as reduce trips to the auto repair shop. A few weeks ago I provided a post about car battery facts. You can visit the post to get all of the details but basically it discussed why batteries go dead and how long you can expect them to last.
Since these are issues that affect many drivers I thought I would take it a step further by providing links to the needed tools (below) as well as discuss how to prolong the life of your battery by cleaning it.
But also more importantly to identify the Dangers of working with batteries and provide some safety tips. Note: When in doubt let a professional do it! Ask them to show you how, so you can do the next battery service. Read more
Free Auto Repair Manuals
Paid for auto repair manual
Is there such a thing as free auto repair manuals? I receive several e-mails a day asking me to send free car repair manuals for specific vehicles. Of course I do not have any or the right to send copyrighted material for free (And I don’t) but it is a good question.
My mother always told me that nothing in life is free. But since I have seen advertisements for free car repair manuals around the net I decided to check into it and see if my mother was wrong.
There are several websites that state they have free repair manuals for your individual vehicle. I went to a couple of these websites to check it out for myself. I spent a couple of hours visiting several different locations with mixed results.
At one of these locations I typed in the year make and model of the vehicle I was looking for service procedures and diagnostic tree charts for. It brought me to a page that said click here to download. When I clicked on the button a pop-up was generated.
The box that opened up stated that I would have to jump through some hoops to get what I wanted. There were six necessary steps that needed to be completed before I would receive my free download. The first step was to join an Internet movie database that had some type of contract. The other five steps also included signing up for scary long-term agreements.
Is there any free auto repair manuals?
The next site I went too seemed a little better. Read more
300ZX Frame Bushing Repair
Z31 model repair manual
The 300ZX frame bushing repair was surprisingly the hardest repair I ever performed on my two-door Nissan sports car. The rear suspension on the 300ZX z31 model is quite complicated and very different than your average American car.
The rear suspension is completely independent. And out from the differential are rear CV axles. The rear suspension is completely adjustable including rear Castor, camber and toe as well. In fact negative camber is often seen on the older models due to coil spring sag. This can cause tire wear as well as poor handling.
My problem with the rear suspension was the right rear frame bushing deteriorated from dry rot and completely let loose. This is a major supporting point for the rear suspension and is largely responsible for holding everything together back there. Note that in the Nissan service manual they called this item a sub frame member insulator.
Repairing the 300ZX frame bushing
I will include some pictures of what the z31 rear suspension looks like (below) on this type of car. But take my word for it this repair was completely necessary. The rear frame bushing Read more
