Hi there,

I typically do not replace the oxygen sensors unless there is a problem with them, like a check engine light that is ON the dash. I have heard of shops replacing them on a “routine maintenance” type of basis, but I think that is more of a sale pitch than anything else.

It is true that the main function of the sensor is to control fuel consumption, but will replacing the sensors periodically improve fuel mileage and save money….I really don’t think so, not enough to pay for the sensor replacement anyway.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Dear Austin,

I am really frustrated as the garages I went to do not have a clue on my problem.

“I am driving Toyota Echo 2000 with 80,000 miles. The car is automatic drive. When I shift the automatic transmission to D, N, R or P mode and the AC is off the sound/response of the engine is ok.

But while the Brake being applied, the AC is on and if the automatic transmission is shifted to D or R then there is huge vibration!!! The vibration is little less if the automatic transmission is shifted to P or N. When the automatic transmission is on D or R mode and the Brake is released the vibration suddenly increases but disappears as the car moves on”.

Pls help.

Regards,

Suman

Hey there Suman,

The first thing I would check if you came to my shop would be your Throttle Body, and we would clean it as needed. The throttle body is basically in charge of regulating the amount of fresh air that enters the engine.  This part can become dirty and the moving parts inside can stick, causing erratic idle speeds, dying at idle complaints and rough idle complaints.
Since the A/C compressor puts more strain on the engine when it is running, the idle speed must be increased to compensate for this additional load on the engine. If the throttle body is dirty and not operating properly it will not increase the idle speed enough, and the idle will be rough….this is the vibration you are feeling.

Here is more about the throttle body, and a link to a picture

<a href=”http://www.trustmymechanic.com/auto-repair/11/1991-toyota-camry-engine-dies-at-stops-with-ac-on.html”> Throttle Body Cleaning</a>
Ask your mechanic to inspect and clean the idle speed control motor and the throttle body for you. This should be done as part of routine maintenance ANYWAY. I would charge you about $110 for this repair.

If you still have a vibration after the throttle body cleaning, I would inspect the base idle speed and see if it can be increased just a small amount to smooth out the idle, and I would inspect your engine and transmission mounts for wear.

The engine and transmission mounts are large pieces of rubber that bolt the engine to the body of the vehicle. This rubber can break and wear out over normal use and cause the engine to move around more than it should. This movement will be felt in the cab of the vehicle as a vibration and the steering wheel will sometimes shake as a result of these worn parts.

This repair is more costly, so rule out the other two suggestions I mentioned first.  Hopefully a throttle body and idle speed motor cleaning will resolve the issue.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

I have a 1992 Honda Accord and the fan continuously runs after being shut off and it appears to be draining the battery. When I boost the battery, as soon as I hook up the cable the fan in the car starts running.

Insight into this problem would help a lot.

Cheers.

Dario

Good day to you Dario,

This could be tricky to diagnose.

There should be a radiator fan relay in the under hood fuse box. I would first try to swap out that relay with another relay (if there is another one in the fuse box that is similar…usually there is) or buy a new relay and pray that it solves your problem.

There is also a “cooling fan timer” located inside the vehicle in the driver side of the dash. This is going to be much harder to diagnose….and I am not sure how expensive a guess that will be to replace. If the relay does not solve the problem, I would call your local Honda dealer parts department and tell them your problem and see what they say. They should know which parts fail the most and what they sell the most of.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.

MD

Why hello there MD,

Yes, this can happen over the life of many oil changes….although it is usually caused by a mechanic who over tightens the drain plug or cross threads the plug onto the pan. In many cases you can buy and install an oversized drain plug made just for this situation. You can buy these plugs at your local auto parts store, or you can have your mechanic use a tap and die to enlarge the oil pan hole just slightly and then rethread this new hole to fit a slightly larger drain plug.

The dealership will probably NOT want to repair the problem but rather sell you a new oil pan…they are in business of selling new auto parts not repairing old ones. If you can, you might want to take the vehicle to an independent repair shop (not a dealer or a national franchise) and get them to repair the oil pan for you like I mentioned above.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Is the engine compatable with the 5sp. manual from the 1.0 ltr 3cyl metro, or will I run into major problems? Or, if the tranny wont mate to the bigger motor, will a motor/trans combo (1.3 ltr and trans) fit in the geo? Again, thank you for your time and infinite knowledge!

Ron

Howdy there Ron,

Personally I think you are just asking for a super huge headache….will it “work” maybe, I really don’t know what will fit and what won’t. I would call a few junk yards in your area and ask them if they have the Hollander system that will tell you which parts are interchangeable, most large junk yards will have this computer system and can answer your question. I could think of many other ways to better spend your time and money…like a newer vehicle.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

I love the idea, and would really like to turn my engine over to run on water or hydrogen BUT when the technology catches up some more. I don’t think we are quite there yet, but seems we are close.

I don’t know who this guy is, but it seems that lots of really good ideas we use and take for granted today were developed by accident in a laboratory or just from a dream of an average person who wanted to solve a problem.

I thought this video clip was fascinating because this guy set out to find a cure for cancer (which his idea for that is awesome too) and ended up finding a possible solution to our energy shortage.

Watch the video and let me know what you think.

My father’s Dodge Dakota 1996 model has been strangely running hot and not losing water, I use it for driving around town (going to work and the local college).

First off the radiator’s only a year and a half old so I’ve come to a decision (or rather my dad has) that its not an issue with the radiator.

It started to run hot when I was on my way to the college, the first thing I noticed was that the heater was running cold, but the fan was still blowing, and it was slowly raising in temperature.

I left it alone when I got to the college, it did not run on the H, I was always told never to let it get to the line before the H. I went to my classes and return several hours later and attempted to drive it home.

After I got stuck outside of town coming home from the interstate, I phoned my father and explained what happened. He brought the truck home after I left it at a local bar.

My father flushed the radiator (All the pipes are at their correct tension; not squishy and stuff) noting that there was rust in it and replaced the radiator cap (which was corroded) and the next day I drove it.

It ran hot again. So he took the thermostat out the next day, found it all gunky and nasty… So he replaced it and again flushed the radiator.

…Again the same problem, it ran hot. So he flushed the system yet again and flushed out the bottom radiator hose.

I drove it today, and the same thing happened, it ran hot yet again.
My Algebra teacher suggested that it could be the head-gasket, but my father said that it shouldn’t be as he has driven many other vehicles many more miles than we’ve have with the dodge… None the less he’s stumped and I’m becoming more and more concerned with the issue of an ill-feverish-dodge dakota! Please help!

-Dana

Yo Dana!

Have you read my article on overheating? I think you should do that first, and see if you can narrow things down a little bit.

Engine Overheating Article

The first thing you should do is get a cooling system pressure test. This will check for a coolant leak somewhere in the system, which I suspect you have….a coolant leak or a coolant restriction in the system somewhere like a clogged up radiator.

Read the article, get the cooling system pressure test and if you still have questions email me back with your findings and I will try to assist.

I don’t suspect a blown head gasket at this point, since you did not mention anything about the engine running bad, white smoke out the tailpipe or a check engine light that is on…all of which are symptoms of an internal coolant leak like a head gasket.

Blessings,

Austin Davis

Cheap Mosquito Spray…Worth a try???….I’LL TRY ANYTHING!!

I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared.

The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well. It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children’s swing area, and the standing water nearby. During the summer, I don’t

leave home without it…..Pass it on.

OUR FRIEND’S COMMENTS: I tried this on my deck and around all of my doors. It works - in fact, it killed them instantly. I bought my bottle from Target and it cost me $1.89. It really doesn’t take much, and it is a big bottle, too; so it is not as expensive to use as the can of Bug-spray you buy that doesn’t last 30 minutes.

So, try this, please. It will last a couple of days. Don’t spray directly on a wood door (like your front door), but spray around the frame. Spray around the window frames, and even inside the dog house.

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah’s Ark

One : Don’t miss the boat….
Two : Remember that we are all in the same boat.
Three : Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
Four : Stay fit When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
Five : Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
Six : Build your future on high ground.
Seven : For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
Eight : Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
Nine : When you’re stressed, float a while.
Ten : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
Eleven : No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting…Pass this along and make someone else smile, too.

A few funnies to make you smile

How can you tell when a Catholic is driving too fast?

A Jewish Olympic Swimmer

Family on holiday in Australia for a week and a half when husband, wife and their 15 year old son decided to go scuba diving. The husband is in the navy and has had some scuba experience.

His son wanted a picture of his mum and dad in all their gear so he got the under water camera ready to go. When it came to taking the picture the dad realized that the son looked like he was panicking as he took it and gave the ‘OK’ hand sign to see if he was all right.

The son took the picture and swam to the surface and back to the bo at as quick as he could so the mum and dad followed to see if he was OK. When they got back to him he was scrambling onto the boat and absolutely panicking.

When the parents asked why he said ‘there was a shark behind you.’ The dad thought he was joking but the skipper of the boat said it was true but they wouldn’t believe him. As soon as they got back to the hotel they loaded the picture onto the laptop and this is what they saw.