More car questions for those who will share opinions...??

[mrfixitchapman]

Thanks for the info MrFix!

So I think I will start using my hand guage more. I need to read up and see if I have Direct or Indirect tho. Oh, I don't check fluids weekly, but maybe monthly. And I think I will roll on to 7500 miles and call it then even if the computer says I have more left.

Surely you have an opinion about fuel additives, like injector clearner every oil change...??

Your car should have been equipped with a direct tire pressure sensing system. Look in the owner's manual for the details. Oh, and some cars use different pressures for front tires and rear tires. And you can be a few PSI over without tripping the warning. Many GM cars use a particular sequence to reset the monitor system after tire service or rotation. It'll be in the manual.

Our shops have found that the best value for injection system cleaner is the Gumout Injector Cleaner and Valve Deposit Remover. More engine performance problems are caused by intake valve deposits than by injectors getting dirty. The only proviso is that we recommend one treatment every 10,000 miles or so. And we recommend using the additive this way, use twice as much as the label says. I believe that it tells you to add one bottle for every ten gallons, we use one bottle for every five gallons and we use ten gallons of fuel as our basis. So, when you have ten gallons of fuel in the tank add two bottles of additive and run that tank down to empty. Don't add more fuel, you'll dilute the mixture to the point that it becomes ineffective. Fill the tank with fresh fuel and drive away. The other additive that we have had good luck using is Techron. It's a Chevron product, and it's availability is kind of hit-and-miss around here. We get Gumout at Wally World. Most modern gasoline blends have pretty good detergent additives. For us the problem is cold temperatures, (it gets to -20F pretty often in winter), and short trips. Cold metal in the engine causes a lot of fuel condensation, which in turn causes a lot of deposits. We do use a different detergent for cleaning injectors that show poor spray patterns, but intake valve deposits are still a bigger problem for us.

DC

---------- Post Merged at 09:13 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 09:12 PM ----------

Sounds like a decompression algorithm. Do we adjust the conservatism setting, or is this a gradient factors system?

You COULD just use the tables.......

DC

 

[Tigerman]

The answer should be in the cars service manual..
Which in my case states 20k km which is 12,4k miles..

For the record, you should NEVER EVER let the oil run so low the low oil warning light goes off as that means youre well under minimum and might already inflict damage to your engine - not to mention the walk back home cause you have to park the car and get more oil for it is gonna suck

---------- Post Merged at 03:20 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:16 AM ----------

...
For us the problem is cold temperatures, (it gets to -20F pretty often in winter), and short trips. Cold metal in the engine causes a lot of fuel condensation, which in turn causes a lot of deposits.
...

Not to mention you freeze your ass off all the way to where you wanna go, just to feel the engine JUST getting warm enough to start blowing hot air instead of freezing..

 

[DandyDon]

For the record, you should NEVER EVER let the oil run so low the low oil warning light goes off as that means youre well under minimum and might already inflict damage to your engine - not to mention the walk back home cause you have to park the car and get more oil for it is gonna suck

Yep, the oil light is a last ditch warning. Should never get there.

Other problems come up of course, and as spread out as we are here - we have AAA 200 mile free towing. Everyone who drives here should have some auto club, or be prepared to just pay. Some of the plans are too cheap & limited, but AAA has taken good care of my family. Some new cars are being sold without spare tires you know.

 

[Tigerman]

yeah... Mine was sold new with either spare tire or a cheap quick-fix kit that wouldnt get me to the nearest neighbour
I bought mine used, but not before checking that the guy who sold it did the smart thing and pay a few bucks extra for a spare tire..

 

[DandyDon]

I have a mini spare, but don't want to use it if I can avoid it. I carry a little plug in compressor and a plug kit.

Thinking about AAA: I once saw a farmer shut down a cotton harvest crew to go get his wife who'd broken down 100 miles away. We shared a radio system and she was pissed! He did not have any choices. Anyone can have a flat tho, and I do not want my daughter changing one on a hiway, nor do I want to. My old 95 F-150 used it a few times the last year, then my 2007 Impala nearly had to until I found & fixed the bugs, but my daughter is driving a 2001 Impala - even more important for her & the grandkids.

We have another German exchange student this year, except he is actually a US citizen born here while his dad was over as a student. He is taking Driver's Ed now. I guess they are going to let him drive their cars.