1991 GMC S-15 V6 2WD 4.3L

 Auto Repair Articles, Auto Repair Questions, GMC  13 Responses »
Nov 242014
 

Im installing spark plug wires. I have a good idea what the firing order is and need to know how to tell which spark plug wire goes to which spark plug so its the correct length. I bought the truck with the wrong wires apparently because when matching wires up to replace old ones none of my new wires matched the same length of the old wires. In fact the only wire that was the same length was the coil wire. One wire was visibly different from the rest. It was a red 8mm wire and the rest were all black 7mm gauge wires. So I have no idea what goes where and have been told to just start with the shortest wire first and so on but I am still confused on which run is longer then the next. Would it be helpful top take a measuring tape and go about judging which wire that way? I believe the correct firing order is 165432 clock wise from what I’m reading from other forums, if this is false then please inform me of this. Ok while standing in front of the truck the #1 would be to the right and closest to you, #5 being closest to drivers seat or steering wheel. And on the opposite side near the trucks battery or passenger side the #2 would be closest to you on your left, and #6 being closest to the passenger seat . Please help in desperate need to get this truck running right, broke and started new job and at the end of the line for help on this even autozone couldn’t tell me the firing order and they sold me the wires, wanted to slap the kid.

1987 Caprice Classic

 Auto Repair Articles, Auto Repair Questions, Chevy  3 Responses »
Mar 042014
 

I am working on a 87 caprice with a thm200-4r transmission. Ill start out by saying I replaced this transmission for a friend a few years ago and the car did just fine however one day he said he pulled in his driveway and fluid was pouring out from what he seemed to explain the front seal.  Being that he isn’t the brightest crayon in the bow when it comes to cars he continued to let it run.  Afterwards he had someone else remove the pan and im very positive it wasn’t a experienced mechanic but they said there was metal all in the pan “not sure if it was actually metal or the sediment off everything”.  They then told me they put the pan back on and put more fluid in the car put that then it wouldn’t go in gear.   However I towed the car back to my shop and pulled the transmission completely out.  I haven’t tore into it yet but what I notice so far it that the output shaft can be moved up and down about half a inch I know the is far from normal.  If anyone can help with letting me know as to might what have happened here and what I might expect to see when I tear into it I would really appreciate it.  Also if someone might could direct me to a website or two of some diagrams and complete breakdowns of this tranny along with a good place to buy replacement parts.

Easy on the juice: top tips for economical driving

 Auto Repair Articles  No Responses »
Mar 062013
 

For almost every motorist, the rising cost of fuel is an annoying bugbear that refuses to go away. Whingeing about prices at the pumps may be a human right, but there are also steps everyone can take to cut fuel bills for themselves. Here are a few of the main points to remember for economical driving.

1 It’s the economy, stupid!
Have fuel economy as the key factor in mind when choosing a vehicle, whatever kind you’re looking at. In the SUV segment that could mean a Ford Escape Hybrid at 34 miles to the gallon, while for van drivers, the diesel-engine Fiat Ducato is a good choice with an impressive 39 miles to the gallon. Both cars are very resistant, something which makes them a reliable choice even when bought used. Then there is the electric option too, but for most people the fact that roadside chargers are about as common as white rhinos remains a dissuading factor.

2 Become a smoothie
When driving, avoid sudden acceleration and deceleration. Smoothness is the key to maximizing fuel economy, so brake steadily, change to a high gear as soon as you can, and switch the engine off if you’re going to be stopped for a long time. If necessary imagine you have a really pernickety driving instructor in the passenger seat, telling you to do all this.

3 No need for speed
Remember cruising speed (the most efficient speed for fuel consumption) is around 60mph in fifth gear for most cars. Yes it’s tempting to put your foot down, especially if you have an open road and an engine with horsepower to spare, but be aware this will cost you at the pump (around 6% of fuel economy is lost for each 5mph speed increase after 60). So on motorways make the slow lane your natural home and If possible, develop a Zen like approach to other motorists whizzing past you. Chances are they’ll be stopped by road works up ahead anyway.

4 Lighten up
Cars consume fuel when they have to do extra work. Don’t drive around with a boot full of stuff you don’t need to be carrying, or an unnecessary roof rack attached. Also, be very aware that operations like defrosting and air conditioning do consume fuel, so don’t use them more than you need to.

5 Don’t forget the TLC
Maintain your car well. It can’t be stressed enough that a poorly tuned engine nosedives in efficiency. You may think you’re saving money by never visiting the garage for a service, but you’re probably losing it not only in faster depreciation of the car’s value, but at the pump as well.

Why is my gas mileage worse in the winter?

 Auto Repair Articles  No Responses »
Jan 212013
 

With fluctuating fuel costs we are all effected when it comes to fuel mileage. As we move into the colder winter months it can be anticipated that our fuel mileage will be worse. There are several reasons your fuel mileage is worse in the winter beyond obvious reasons such as letting the car warm up at idle for longer periods in the morning. Some would argue the tire pressure, but with tire pressure monitors on just about every car since 2005 we all stay on top of that for the most part. Some would argue the road conditions, but they get cleared pretty fast on the highways these days. So what other reasons?
The basic mechanics of how the engine operates is the largest factor. Engines today use electronic sensors to run the engine. It relies on these sensors to tell the engines computer how much fuel to inject into it and at what temperature. It also uses sensors to tell it how good a job its doing so it can make changes for you at different temperatures. So the Engines computer is set with a base parameter when it comes to the Air/Fuel ratio it needs to maintain the best possible fuel mileage it can deliver. When the Air temperature is colder you can fit more air into the same space and in order to keep the same air/fuel ratio the engine must have more fuel added. Once the engine warms up the outside temperature doesn’t change much even when it gets closer to the engine so you will continue to keep getting worse fuel mileage.
You can expect that once the outside temperature returns to warmer summer days that your fuel mileage will return.

Here is a great example:

How much worse?

Have a gander at these calculations for a Honda Civic hybrid at 60 MPH in varying ambient temperatures:

MPH—–AMBIENT-TEMP—–MPG (US)

60————95———-52.98
60————85———-52.62
60————75———-51.16
60————65———-49.12
60————55———-47.22
60————45———-44.67
60————35———-43.05
60————25———-41.54
60————15———-39.41
60————05———-38.09

Look at the extremes: the coldest MPG is 28% lower than the warmest. (Source: hybridcars.com.)

Author: John Helton

Typical Road Handling Problems

 Auto Repair Articles  No Responses »
Apr 272012
 

Road handling depends on many factors, more or less variable. Some are strictly related to how the car is actually built and how its characteristics contribute to better road handling. Others are external factors that are out of the control of the driver and the car, such as the weather conditions. There are also subjective factors such as how familiar the driver is with the car or how comfortable and stable his position and support is while driving. But, irrespective of all these factors, road handling problems occur and drivers must face them in traffic. It is vital that you have a car you feel comfortable with when driving and smaller cars are known to be much easier to handle. For any new driver it is important to learn in a smaller so that is easier to get to grips with driving.
Bump Steer and Road Handling
Bump steer can be caused either by the wearing of the suspension or by the features of the suspension that cause it to rise and fall as a result of uneven road surfaces. The effects of bump steer depend on factors such as un-sprung weight, steering linkage, type of differential, tires, tire pressure, angular inertia, frame rigidity, and suspension type.
Excessive Load Transfer and Road Handling
Total weight transfer is calculated as the sum of the front and back in steady cornering. It is determined by the ration between the height of the car’s center of gravity and the axle track. The car will roll over if the weight transfer is the same as half of the loaded weight. In order to avoid such events, the steering of motors must be handled carefully and turn rate must be reduced. Road handling becomes even more difficult.
Slow Response and Road Handling
Road handling is affected by the slow response of motors when turned in a particular direction. Normally, motors react immediately to steering changes and that is why road handling is especially aggravated by slow response. Road response can be caused by body roll, high slip angle tires, yaw and roll angular inertia.

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