Recent content by PTguy

If a lead acid battery has the caps to add water to the cells, it is a flooded lead-acid battery. Yours has the caps, yes? Only the remote always-on start unit adds any load to the battery. All the electrical load including the others are powered by the engine's alternator while the engine is...

Good call unless you could get a very reasonably priced extended service contract for the car. The problem with the water pump on that Ford engine isn't the pump...they'll fail on any car. The problems are that the engine needs to be pulled to change the water pump, and when the pump leaks it...

I was able to get an extended service contract (what is often erroneously called an extended warranty) for less than $2k from my credit union. The fine print does not limit the covered engine repairs to "oil lubricated parts" so it'll cover a cracked head. It'll also cover other repairs except...

You may be able to see the back of the head and look for coolant or dried green residue. A mechanic's mirror (like an oversized dentist's mirror) and a flashlight may help.

A dealership service department that has acted like a blind squirrel looking for an acorn. They have shown you that they have not earned your trust nor your business. The engine thermostat is a modulating valve that controls how much hot coolant goes to the radiator to be cooled and how much...

It is good to use a lab that includes a test for insolubles in the oil. The gasoline direct injection can cause some very fine soot that gets past the rings and into the engine. This soot is too small to be caught in the oil filter and is abrasive. The soot, if in significant quantities, will...

It is very rare for a thermo expansion valve to fail. Are you sure this is the problem? (Just speculating, but I'd expect to find it under the dash near the evaporator. Follow the liquid line until you see it.)

But this was Mazda's poor design. The head should never crack except maybe overheating from a cause within the owner's control. This was 100% Mazda's fault, just like the defective rear brake calipers that did not fully release when the parking brake was switched off. It was my cost to...

bTwix, do you have the data showing the parts charged to the job? If ATF and gear oil were used, they were charged to the job. You'll see that.

melsee, you are in a tough spot. I agree with JPL, the cracked cylinder head can be spotted from the outside looking at the back of the engine where the turbocharger attaches; one will see dried green coolant. Disassembly of the engine is not needed for diagnosis. €2,000 = $2,150. €9,000 =...

The throttle body can use a good cleaning occasionally. This is an example of one brand. https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Mass-Air-Flow-Sensor https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Throttle-Body

I've had cars where pushing the parking brake pedal down one click was enough to shut off the DRLs but not actually engage the brake. This is great for night use at inspection gates, ferry loading and other places that don't want any lights in the eyes of the attendants. Parking lights are...

The best way to warm up an engine is to drive it easy as soon as it will drive smoothly. A lengthy idling warm up is not good. Except in frigid conditions I start the engine, buckle my seat belt, then drive easy. In frigid weather I might give it a minute of idle warm up, then drive it away...

Take a look under your dashboard. Is there a switch at the park brake lever? Does it have a plunger that is supposed to be pressed in by the park brake lever? Does it contact the lever? Does it push in smoothly? If so, perhaps the innards of the switch have retired and you need a new switch...