Ask the Car People.SM


A Mechanic's Life - Tales From Under the Hood

3515 messages,  Last post on Jun 18, 2013 at 2:06 PM

You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum.

What is this discussion about? Auto Repair, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan

     This topic is primarily for professional mechanics, current or retired, or ardent amateurs who would like to share the suprises, victories, tricks and challenges of working on the modern automobile. All Forums members are invited, of course, to ask technicians about their work, or comment on your own experiences dealing with mechanics.
 
If you have a maintenance or repair question about your vehicle, please use search to find one of our Maintenance and Repair discussions, or ask a question in Edmunds Answers.

Messages Page 82 of 353

#804 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [srs_49] by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Jan 10, 2013 (10:02 am)

Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 10, 2013 10:07 am)
Officer, my self-driving autonomous car just drove itself to the chopshop.

#805 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [srs_49] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 10, 2013 (10:14 am)

Replying to: srs_49 (Jan 10, 2013 10:07 am)
the user interface on the 2014 Impala looks exactly like a smartphone screen. You can have multiple screens and you can save your favorite apps. You can even swipe the screen icons from the center display, with your finger, and that screen will appear in miniature in your dashboard display.
 
Ford drivers their "infotainment" center through bluetooth & an android phone---funny though, to drive it with an iPhone, you need a cable!
 
I didn't actually see an armrest that tweets when I touch it with my elbow, but I'm sure it's coming. What with 'google glasses" and all, I expect drivers will soon be watching movies...

#806 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [Mr_Shiftright] by isellhondas

Jan 12, 2013 (3:51 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 10, 2013 7:49 am)
It sounds like you have a great shop.
 
Other places would have strongly suggested that you spend the 1700.00.
 
Besides, since this is so common it probably would have started howling again at some point.

#807 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [isellhondas] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 12, 2013 (5:32 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Jan 12, 2013 3:51 pm)
The only downside is if I wanted to sell the car I have to spend the time to convince the new buyer that the noise is of no consequence. Some buyers will care, some will not.
 
But really, who in his right mind would spend $1700 to fix an intermittent squeak that goes away when the car warms up?

#808 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [Mr_Shiftright] by thecardoc3

Jan 13, 2013 (4:47 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 12, 2013 5:32 pm)
But really, who in his right mind would spend $1700 to fix an intermittent squeak that goes away when the car warms up ?
 
Well that of course depends on who's $1700 they think they can spend. Your potential buyer would be happy to try and spend your $1700...
 
So why are they going to a dual mass flywheel in the first place, and just what does the noise it is making really mean?
 
Here is one style of a dual mass flywheel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnaXB8q3uzQ
 
The advantages of these is a lighter flywheel can be used and it des a fantastic job of dampening out variations in crankshaft speed, especially at low rpms. Another advantage to these is better acceleration, and less gryoscopic effect which really comes into play with a small light car, turning high engine rpm's and turning tight corners. In essence it's a performance upgrade, while it makes low speed driving more pleasant. Until something goes wrong that is.
 
Here is a site that sells solid flywheels to eliminate the DMF. There are a lot more of them, I just grabbed this one off a google search.
 
http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopcart/MN01/POR_MN01_Tclutc_pg1.htm
 
A little squeek is of course not really a big deal, but a banging sound, or worse banging and then no sound at all means the flywheel has failed and now the crankshaft speed pulsations will be directly transferred into the gear box, and that can and does cause damage there.

#809 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [thecardoc3] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 13, 2013 (10:11 am)

Replying to: thecardoc3 (Jan 13, 2013 4:47 am)
Oh I have no objections to the *theoretical* merits of dual-mass flywheels, nor do I doubt the ability of German engineers to come up with a great explanation as to why it is necessary on this car--having any noise or vibration in the transmission of a small FWD supercharged car would be very annoying indeed.
 
However, in the EXECUTION of this brilliant little device---ay, there's the rub.
 
Apparently what I'm hearing is a vibration in the DM flywheel itself.
 
this is one case where, when the MINI dealer says "oh, they ALL do that"--he's probably 90% correct.
 
The Porsche dual-mass flywheel had other problems, far more serious. They just seem to disintegrate.
 
if you ever want to feel like drinking DRANO, pay someone to do a flywheel and clutch on a Porsche 928.
 
Some interesting observations:
 
1. Did you read the comments under the video simulation of a DM flywheel---everyone hates them!
 
2. Pelican parts makes it quite clear that there are risks involved in replaced a DM flywheel with a solid one: (I also corrected their spelling errors)
 
" Installing the solid flywheel may increase noise from the transmission. Professional installation recommended."
 
I'd sure go for professional installation--it's a devil of a job, and I'd sure hate to have to do it twice-----12.5 hours labor.

#810 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [Mr_Shiftright] by thecardoc3

Jan 14, 2013 (1:00 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 13, 2013 10:11 am)
The Porsche dual-mass flywheel had other problems, far more serious. They just seem to disintegrate.
  
if you ever want to feel like drinking DRANO, pay someone to do a flywheel and clutch on a Porsche 928.
 
There are times that I don't see some of the blessings in my life as clearly as I should. But If I ever have the kind of money where I could own a Porsche, I wouldn't have to pay someone else to do it. I looked up the parts and labor and checked the R&R routine. That looks easy compared to some of the things I've done through the years.
 
Did you ever do a rebuild on a Northstar? Rethreading the block alone takes longer than the Porsche clutch job. How about injectors on a 6.0 DIT? There's a reason that we preach "Just say no to 6.0".
 
I'd sure go for professional installation--it's a devil of a job, and I'd sure hate to have to do it twice-----12.5 hours labor.
 
Again, today this isn't extra-ordinary by any means. Try doing a transaxle on a Toyota 4-Runner. You're dropping the engine, transaxle and final drive out the bottom, and then you have to divorice and re-marry all three at the same time.
 
We haven't even touched what the hybrids and now electrics are bringing to the party.
 
 Did you read the comments under the video simulation of a DM flywheel---everyone hates them!
 
There are times that I can tolerate the whiners, but usually I just skip them.

#811 of 3515 Think oil filters are all the same? by thecardoc3

Jan 14, 2013 (6:53 am)

An engineer who has been working pretty hard to help techs and shop owners make the right decisions for their customers alerted us to this advertisement over the weekend.
 
http://www.brakeandfrontend.com/issue/article.aspx?contentid=102226
 
Then he asked (and made us go find out on our own) if there was anything notable about it.

#812 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [thecardoc3] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Jan 14, 2013 (10:00 am)

Replying to: thecardoc3 (Jan 14, 2013 1:00 am)
Well it's the parts prices on the Porsche that hurt...the labor isn't so bad on the 928...something like 6 or 7 hours. But $1000 for a clutch disk (retail) is a bit much. I think the whole job cost me $2200 or so. And $1200 for a radiator and $1600 for a water pump.
 
Nope never tackled a Northstar but I've studied the engine and i want no part of working on it, that's for sure.
 
As for the 12 hours labor on the MINI, I guess there is labor and there is TEDIOUS labor---you know what I mean---the difference between straightforward R&R and knuckle-busting R&R.
 
RE: OIL FILTER --- well, my first reaction was: Given that your average Hyundai already runs 175,000 miles routinely with no engine failure, using "plain ol' oil and filter"---what exactly is the goal here?

#813 of 3515 Re: Pressured to not do your best [Mr_Shiftright] by isellhondas

Jan 14, 2013 (10:47 am)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Jan 14, 2013 10:00 am)
Those Northstars were notorous for leaking oil at the rear where the block mates together. I guess all of the earlier ones do this sooner or later.
 
My buddy was quoted someting like 4500.00 to fix his. This would have exceeded the value of his car.
 
Luckilly, a delivery truck ran into him and totalled his Cadillac.

Messages Page 82 of 353

To POST a message, please Sign In.

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement