Bad mechanical information online

Once again it has been too long since I blogged. I'd like to throw out useful information. I've discussed fish diseases, timing your car, and hmmm, perhaps I should do cooking next? Who knows. But after searching for diagrams on line I found out that 90% of people on the inter net don't know sh%t about cars or trucks. The 10% that do break down further, 8% want to charge you and the 2% that are left are insanely busy people.

Some crap I have heard, and read.

But here we go.

"My car squeals when I start it, what could cause it?"

"Probably the water pump, I'd get it changed, and if that isn't it change the belt."

Me: Really? The water pump, you mean the thing that starts to leak when it goes bad? Shouldn't you ask if there are puddles under the car before you diagnose the water pump? And change the belt? You know what I'd bet 100 bucks this is . . . a loose belt. Take fifteen minutes find the tensioner and tighten it.

In response to my timing video, "I bet your car runs like crap and back fires, I just use a timing light to make it perfect."

Me: Ah yes, the timing light, no need to make sure your first piston is TDC, just put the light on it. Cause you know the car will run well enough to use a timing light if your #1 piston is up when it should be down. Oh wait it won't run at all. . . better do something better than try and use a timing light, like set the TDC first.

To get the axle out, can I assume you have the wheel end apart? If so, then all you need is a pry bar of some kind to pop the axle out of the trans. Put the bar behind the CV joint next to the trans and give it a quick pop, should come right out.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ford-Repair-811/92-Topaz-right-side.htm
Ford Repair - 92 Topaz right side Cv axle removelExpert: Dennis W - 4/16/2006

I really want to see Dennis do this. I mean really, in real life. Just pop the cv joint out. Oh it happens, 1 in about 10,000 may come out this easy. I know what this guys problem is all ready. The damn cv joint is stuck at the differential in the transmission. There is no quick pop going to get that out. Get ready to put the pry bar on it, lay on the ground and kick that damn thing as hard as you can and pray the car don't' fall off the stands. Or find a sledge and beat the hell out of it. Every half shaft I've changes had been a night mare, you would swear there was a bolt, clip (sometimes there is a snap ring clip you just have to over power), or a nut holding it in. You can't tell someone a quick pop and it will come right out. No you tell them get ready to battle, your going to fighting that thing for twenty minutes at least.

And one of my favorites. "My breaks feel soft, I am loosing fluid but only a little bit and I have pumped it and don't see any leaks under my car."

"Probably just your brake pads are bad, that makes your breaks work harder and use fluid."

Me: This is absolute genius right here. Bad brake pads make you use more fluid. Wow, I never knew that. Dear god, master cylinders will leak internally, so will boosters. First you can't find the leak because they are "filling" up and then it runs down the fire wall and generally likes to find it's down and meet the carpet. But that is an extreme case. #1, fill the master cylinder #2, pump the hell out of it check the calipers, wheel cylinders, all the lines for drips, puddles, bubbles, what ever you want to call it, but look for fluid. That not it, if I had drum brakes I'd pull the tire and inspect the wheel cylinder. But no find, then check the master cylinder. Not hard, but fun to bench bleed. I really hope this person didn't accept this +5 best answer, they maybe dead now.

Sorry if I sound like a jerk. I get sooooooo frustrated I want to to comment, but either 1. I am not going to sign up just to tell someone they are wrong, or 2. The idiots want to argue with me, which case I hope they execute their plan of attack.

Nothing, nothing makes me happier then when I tell a friend her starter is going bad, and she tells me no it is my alternator, my brother told me that's whats wrong, and two weeks later after a brand new alternator they are having a starter put on.

Now I'm far from perfect. I've misdiagnosed, well generally I start with the cheapest thing and work my way back, unless it is something obvious like a cv joint, or u joints. But a miss or hesitation it is all just maintenance work back. No reason to change a fuel pump out, just to find your fuel filter is so full of crap you can't even blow air through it.

But I suppose this was my rant. I feel better, and I got a blog, yay.

More to come, more and better.