99 Chevy Tahoe Transmission Trouble

Is there a way to adjust the 4L60E transmission on a 1999 Chevy Tahoe?  It shifts too soon and has too much of a soft shift.  Too bad the newer trans' didn't have a vacuum modulator and shift control rod.

Do I need my air conditioning to work in the winter?

Automotive Air Conditioning believe it or not is useful in the winter time. Now I know what some of you are thinking. There is no way I am going to use my air conditioning in the winter. Well that might be true but what some of us out there don't know is that when you select the front defrost, your air conditioning compressor kicks on and starts to work. You do want to be able to see out the front window when it frosts up. I good news is that with today's technology we don't have to worry so much about it using a lot more fuel to operate the AC Compressor. In fact, it uses such a small amount compared to the older cars that I would encourage the use during the summer time. The benefit of cutting down on certain molds and mildew that grow in such climates and would cause damage to your interior far out way the cost benefits in my opinion. And who doesn't want to save money and be more comfortable doing it? So make sure your AC is working year round cause your Air Conditioning isn't just for summer.

Where can I get Truely Free Auto Repair Manuals?

How do I get a free auto repair manual? Where can I find free auto repair manuals? What do I need to do to get a free auto repair manual? Can I get a free auto repair manual online? These are all good questions and plenty of sites attempt to answer these questions. Many sites might have you think you can get auto repair information by simply typing in some select keywords into the search engine and presto, out pops the information you need. But anyone who has tried that knows it can be pain staking and take hours sifting through the fake sites and wannabe sites to know that it isn't that simple using such a technique.

REPAIR MANUALS 

So How Can I get Free Auto Repair Manual Information? FreeAutoMechanic.com has made this a simple task. How? Well, FreeAutoMechanic.com offers free auto repair manual procedures. Just fill in the questions on the form below and an actual person will review your request in the order it was received. You may request repair manual procedures for a specific repair like fuel pump replacement, etc. Since this is done manually it can take days and even weeks since there are so many requests. If you want the entire manual you can purchase it and view it online for just $16.99 and have full access now!

Similar posts:
 http://www.auto-repair-questions.com/2013/03/where-can-i-get-free-auto-repair-manuals.html

How do I fix my linkage?

not sure what its called (i think dad called it linkage) its what controls the gas pedal. that seems to be sticking a bit. i have included pics and circled so you can see what I'm trying to say. when i let off gas it causes truck to idle high, and by looking that piece isn't sitting straight. i can push it to the right a bit so it sits straight and the idle lowers like it should. what do you call that piece so i can replace it or any advice on how to get that fixed where it doesn't idle high?

1999 chevy malibu that broke down on me while driving

Hello. I have a 1999 Chevy Malibu that broke down on me while driving across the street today. was wondering if anyone may have any ideas? the check engine light's been coming on the past few days, a red low light has been coming on, don't know if it means low water or low oil. i checked the oil a couple days ago, but it looked a bit low so i added some to it. I looked at the radiator that same day and looked like there was water/antifreeze in it. dad looked at it today and he pointed out to me the anti-freeze was bone dry!!! he also pointed out the oil was a bit low, that it should be on "full" and not just over the "add 1-qt" line so I filled the radiator, and he topped off the oil but it still sounded like it wants to die when you start it.

this happened after i got gas at Walmart, and Walmart has that additive if you press the button for it. today though the screen showed a bunch of nonsense but nothing for "no" so i pressed the button that normally is "no", but i wonder if what i pressed may have accidentally put the additive in the gas, and maybe that ruined my car? i don't know.

dad was able to drive it surprisingly to a auto repair place for them to look at Monday. anyone have any suggestions what it might be?

90 dodge starts then dies after a few minutes

I have a 90 dodge dakota and it will start but when it starts it wil run fine for bout 45 seconds and then it snuffs itself out but will stay running if i give it some gas but it spits and sputters then will smooth out and stay running as long as i keep giving it gas and when i stop giving it gas it will snuff it self out and i cant figure out what the problem is

Why is my car cranking over so slow in the winter?

Your car can sometimes be harder to start under different weather conditions. General rule of thumb, more batteries go BAD during hot months as compared to cold months. Heat Damages batteries however Cold weakens them. So its winter time and your car turns over much slower than it used to. This issue is from the extreme cold around the battery. Each battery has a CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rating on it. The higher the number the better. ex. 750 CCA is better than 550 CCA in Cold weather. No difference in hot weather. So if you live in an area that has a pretty cold winter, make sure you purchase the battery that has the highest CCA rating.

Should I leave my doors unlocked in the winter?

Is it better to leave your doors unlocked in the winter time? Not a simple yes or no answer for this one. Each individual instance should come into the decision making. If your car is equipped with remote door locks you don't need to worry to much about it as long as you have a strong battery in the remote. Lock them and unlock them with the remote and the weather shouldn't make a difference.

However, if you have to use a door key, I would not lock the door when it is cold enough to freeze rain. Or if it is below 10 degrees. The freezing rain is pretty straight forward. If you can't get your key past the chucks of ice on the outside into the the lock itself, it is going to be difficult to unlock the door. Once you get down to 10 degrees or below things change even on the inside. You unlock your car with no issues in the morning and drive to the mall that is 25 minutes away. On the drive there you run the heat as anyone would do in this kind of weather. You park the car and with out thinking anymore about it, you lock your doors and pop into the mall. After shopping for an hour or two, you decide its time leave before you spend all your Christmas money. You make your way back to your car to find yourself unable to get the key to go into the lock. Now your calling for someone to come and get you .... bummer. 

What Happened? On the drive to the mall all the moisture inside the car was heated and allowed to move about freely. Once the car was parked it didn't take long in the 10 degree or below weather to freeze up, including your locks. So, carry some lock deicer on you in the winter or maybe just leave the door unlocked. 

How to car engine sensors work?

With an ever growing automotive technology it can be difficult to keep up with all the new sensors that the manufacturers develop. As these newly developed engine sensors may improve gas mileage it can sometimes be difficult to understand what they do exactly.

We wondered the same thing and fortunately we found a website that is dedicated to just that and its all about Automotive Engine Sensors. You can learn what these sensors are and how they function. If you have a desire to know where they are located on the engine, they have that too. I have found this resource quite educational and the illustrations helpful in understanding a bit more about what is going on and where the sensors are located. 

What years will interchange with 2005 Chevy Malibu parts?

car broke down and he thinks hes out of gas. we don't hear fuel pump kicking in and think his fuel pump went out. (he has a check engine light on and don't remember what code was) it says something about a sensor on fuel pump that controls float or something is defective. it cannot be replaced separately. we got a salvage where you pull parts off really cheap at a salvage and planning on going there. what years will interchange with 05 Malibu 3.5 engine? it has the new body style but not sure if it will matter. it seems to be a good car other than that and his power steering assist that went out.

water getting into oil in my 4.3 engine

i have been told that is a common problem on the 4.3 engines. i have 88 s10. i thought it was a head gasket, but have not fixed yet. i used liquid glass as a temporary fix.

it seems to fix for about 2 years and i do it again. I was told other day someone said i would guarantee you its an intake manifold gasket instead of a whole head. is the 4.3 bad at having that as a problem? any experience with that? i would rather spend 15 dollars on intake manifold than the whole head gasket set. I know i didn't do the liquid glass right but still helps. it said I'm supposed to flush radiator and run it hot with water first. i just poured the liquid glass into radiator with thermostat open. will that hurt anything? seems to have fixed problem for now.

My Transmission is not Shifting like it used to?

Well if you are one of the few that are fortunate enough to afford a 2004 Mercedes S500 you might want to listen up. These are some pretty good and reliable vehicles but, like everything else, it can have its issues. More often we are hearing complaints form drivers indicating an issue with the transmission.

The Car won't go over 30 mph, the check engine light is on and the transmission doesn't shift properly.

After taking the car to the shop and having computer diagnostics done with a scan tool, we get the codes P2066, P2071-008, P2203 - No Communication, Replaced Transmission Control Module
and Wiring Harness.

The reason the car won't go over 30 mph is for the protection of the vehicle and is put into "LIMP MODE". This is a result of the transmissions incorrect shifting.

P2066 – Fault is Stored in Component N15/3 (Electronic Transmission Control Module)

P2071-008 – Start Enable of DAS not Sent, Check Fault Messages in Electronic Transmission Control Module

P2203 – Internal Electrical Check of Component Y3/6N (Crankshaft Position Sensor)

We tried to access live data and could not communicate with our scan tool. checked the ETC module wiring harness at the transmission connector and found trans fluid had leaked onto the wiring harness. Followed the wiring harness to the ETC Module and removed the connector. Found the ETC module was full of transmission fluid. 

THE FIX:

We ended up replacing the automatic transmission control module and the wiring harness. We cleared all stored codes. Test Drove and she runs like she should.... no more lights on the dash and shifting properly. 

Another Recall for the Ford Escape.

Looks like Ford can't escape the recalls on their own Ford Escape! (pun intended) Now for the seventh time, Ford has had to issue a recall on the 2013 Ford Escape.

Ford is recalling the Escape SUVs from the 2013 model year equipped with 1.6-liter engines because the engine cylinder head may overheat and cause cracks that could allow oil to leak, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A Ford spokeswoman said there were 13 fires reported related to this issue, but no injuries.

Of the affected vehicles built at Ford's plant in Louisville, Kentucky, 139,228 are in the U.S. market, 18,917 in Canada and the rest in other markets, Ford said.

Within that Escape action, a total of 11,821 globally have been recalled because the engine compartment fuel line may have been installed improperly under a prior recall and could lead to a leak. The U.S. market has 9,469 of those SUVs, according to the NHTSA.

Ford had received warranty reports of fuel odor or leaks of Escape SUVs repaired in a previous recall, according to the NHTSA.

No fires or injuries related to this issue have been reported, the Ford spokeswoman said.

All I want is a Mechanics Tool Set for Christmas

 On Sale Now! Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set with Tool Box  Are you ready for the Holidays? This year I want to get my spouse something useful that can be used for a long time to come. They will think of me every time they reach into the tool box and know that I cared enough to get them some top quality tools. And I know for sure that I am gonna see a big smile on their face when they unwrap the tool box under the tree on Christmas morning. Not to mention the motivation to fix a few things around the house. Nothing wrong with a "Win Win" is there? lol  See Product Details

Kawasaki Mule - keep finding gas in my oil

Kawasaki Mule 

I purchased a brand new Kawasaki Mule last year to use around the homestead. I had heard all kinds of great things about this beast. I have been able to load this thing with firewood, hook a log splitter to the back and drive up hill with no problems at all. I have even gone so far as to hook a chain to a full size Chevy truck and pull the truck uphill over 50 yards without a problem. Yeah, the truck was broke down and we had it in neutral but that is still pretty good in my book. 

After about 20 hours I started to notice that it would start smoking out the exhaust on heavy acceleration or climbing hills and even on gentle grades. Anytime I would put my foot in it, the smoke would pour out and my New Kawasaki Mule would act like it was running out of gas and loosing power. 

Being a retired Mechanic of 20+ years, I had an idea of what to look for. Sure enough, the oil level was reading high on the stick well above the full mark and looks milky. This is common to water and or gas mixing with the engines oil. Yes, I have a deep creek and have had this buggy across it several times in this short period of time that I have had it. So I did what anyone should do... change the oil and test it. Fired right up and ran like a champ with no smoke..... wooohoooo!!        WRONG!

WRONG...WRONG....WRONG!!!

Hmmmm, so off to the Google search and forums to see if anyone else had any issues and to see if there was a recall issued on this problem. After many hours of research I found many posts from others with the same problem but no fix and nothing form the Manufacturer on a fix. Being an a mechanic myself was not gonna give up on it. So I changed the oil again and started paying extremely close attention to the use as I am not the only one that operated this machine. The wife uses it in the garden and such... Nothing out of the ordinary was going on.  However, I was able to find a way to keep it from happening. 

THE FIX : 

Anytime the Kawasaki Mule is not in use it Must be parked on a flat level surface or with the back end UPHILL. Yep, that simple. If you park with the front end up hill, the gas flows and fills the engines crankcase. Park with the front end down hill and it does not. Tested and proven! Now have over 120 hard working hours on the meter and no more gas in the engine. I am still working on a more useful fix but for the money, this one is doing just fine. Hope this helps anyone that is having the same issues. 

Best Automotive Scan Tool

This has got to be one of the best deals on a scan tool that I have ever seen. Plugs right into your Data port on your dash just under the steering wheel. Pulls up any codes you might have due to your check engine light being on. 

See more product details

Toyota Continues Vehicle Recalls

 More than a year after Toyota Motor Corporation  recalled 780K vehicles to fix a problem in the rear tie rod, the company has recalled the vehicles again after reports that the problem remains, reported The New York Times. The company had recalled 18K 2010 Lexus HS 250h autos and 760K Toyota RAV4 SUV of model years 2006 to 2011 in Aug 2012, following several complaints.

Inspections by Toyota and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revealed that the nuts on the rear suspension arms were not fixed firmly, which could lead to corrosion and cause the arms to separate. While Toyota believed that the problem had been solved after the recall, some dealers reported otherwise.

 Recently, Toyota recalled 369,000 vehicles worldwide, including about 235,000 in the U.S., roughly 74,000 in Japan and 37,500 in Europe to fix a hybrid-system problem. The SUV transistors get overheated in the hybrid system, which makes the vehicle halt abruptly.

Toyotais also recalling 169,000 vehicles including Lexus IS 350, IS 350C and GS 350 made between 2006 and 2011, to repair an engine bolt defect. These vehicles also face the problem of halting suddenly as bolts get loose in the variable valve timing control device.

lights are coming on at night when the car is parked and engine shut off

I have a 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette. My lights are coming on at night when the car is parked and engine shut off.

I've noticed this a few times. Today, my battery is dead as I guessed it would be. The dead battery seems to happen when I spend more than 2 days without driving it. I last drove it Friday evening. About to call AAA for a jump, then drive it around a while.

It has the lights that have a sensor on the dash that senses when it's dark, but they're only supposed to come on when the engine is running.

I don't know how often this is happening. Occasionally when I've noticed it I've tried using the fob to arm and disarm the alarm. This will shut the lights for a few, then they come back on.

I'm starting to think I should maybe shine an LED light on the sensor at night when parked.

Any ideas?

Looking for an idler pulley set up for my truck

I have a 1995 GMC K2500 Suburban with a 7.4 motor. A couple weeks ago the idler pulley almost self destructed. I first thought I had spun a bearing (crankshaft) but it was the idler pulley. What I'm looking for is the hardware to bolt a new idler pulley on. None of our local auto parts nor GMC dealers carry that. It might be a junk yard item but what are the chance of finding a 1994-95 only 7.4? Any suggestions?

how to get an oxidated truck box to shine again?

I bought a diamond plate toolbox for my S10 from someone on craigslist and it had a lot of oxidation and stuff from sitting outside. i have tried to clean it with dawn and warm water, turtle wax, used brasso with steel wool (i know it would scratch it but didn't see any) and nothing seems to clear it up. what would you recommend to clean the diamond plate up and get it to shine again?

885,000 vehicles recalled by Toyota over airbag problem.

Toyota is recalling 885,000 vehicles over a defect that could prevent airbags from deploying in a crash.


According to Toyota the latest recall was caused by a potential short circuit that could cause airbag warning lights to turn on and, in some cases to disable the airbags themselves so that they might not deploy in an accident. In some instances, however, the airbags could also deploy inadvertently.
Toyota said the problem is due to water leaking out from the air conditioning condenser unit onto the airbag control module. The leak could also result in additional problems, potentially causing a short circuit that would disable the power-steering system. In this case, it could become difficult to turn a vehicle, especially at lower speeds.

Toyota said the issue has led to two "minor" injuries and no accidents.
The recall covers 2012 and 2013 Camry sedans and hybrids, the full-size Avalon sedan and hybrid and the Venza crossover.

The maker will directly notify owners in the weeks ahead and dealers will make repairs at no charge. The fix requires the application of sealant and a new cover to prevent water from leaking onto the airbag control module.

BUT: 

In some cases, the problem was caused by spiders.

 Sometimes, their webs can create a blockage in a drainage tube coming from the air conditioning condenser. That can cause water to drip down onto an airbag control module, causing a short circuit. That, in turn, could cause the airbag warning light to light up on the dashboard and it could even cause the driver's side airbag to deploy, something that happens with explosive force.
In some cases, there could also be a loss of power-steering force, Toyota said.

The vehicles involved are model year 2012 and 2013 Camrys, Venzas and Avalons, including hybrid versions of those cars.

log splitter will not start

So I bought a Brand New Huskee 22 Ton Log Splitter in fall of 2012. I had just bought this property of around 12 acres and mostly trees. The place had been vacant for over seven years. Heavy wooded with all kinds of over 100 foot tall trees and fallen trees. The house was already equipped with a whole house wood burning fire box. This was gonna be great fun and good exercise. Had no issues with this log splitter during it initial use. Wasn't until after the first 5 uses that I noticed things coming loose. First it was the Hydraulic fluid fill cap, then I noticed the return line leaking, then I noticed the filter leaking. A Went over everything like I probably should have done(guess checking the engine oil level wasn't enough).

 I thought, well, not to big a deal right. Wouldn't hurt to check all the fittings before each time I use it. I put up a few cords of wood and was happy about it. Then As winter ran longer than expected it was time to once again get out the Log Splitter. I thought no problem until I went to start it. It was difficult to pull being cold out and the engine oil being cold and thick. So I pulled and pulled to no avail. I moved on to the starting fluid and got her to fire... wasn't fun and with it being so cold, my lungs were now cold and tired and most of the energy I had saved up to split wood was now spent... Not looking forward to this every winter.

 Winter turned to spring, then to summer and finally fall once more. I had cut down a few trees over the summer and it was now time to split and stack wood. Pulled and pulled the start cord on this 190 cc* Briggs & Stratton® engine. You guessed it... NO START. I quickly got out the starting fluid and she fired but would only stay running while spraying the starting fluid into it. Had plenty of gas, but none getting to the carburetor.

 Took the carb. apart and found the main jet clogged, cleaned it out and ran fine the rest of that day. two days later and clogged again. At this point I can only blame the fuel for introducing dirt into the carb.

 I plan to add a screen at the fill cap location on the tank and also plan to run the gas tank completely empty after each use to minimize trouble starting. After all, it splitts wood well when it does run.

just bought 05 Malibu with the new body style. the power steering assist stopped working and had too many miles for the recall to fix it. took to salvage and got the right one. i got steering column right into the steering assist really easy yesterday and the power steering was bad on it. took it back to salvage and i cannot get the steering column back into it. is there any tips you can give to get it in there? the gears in the power steering have plastic over it and they keep breaking off and wont work either. i would appreciate any help. thanks.

Labor Time Question - How much should I charge my customer?

To be fair to my customer, how much labor time should I deduct for each rear brake replacement when no bearing repacking was done? Can I consider it "a wash" and NOT deduct any labor time since the rear brakes were in horrendous condition (both because of the two leaking wheel cylinders and because of corrosion and neglect? Lastly, are all flat rate times PER axle/brake/each?

2003 Ford Focus will not start unless I hit the gas.

Hi i have a 03 focus..when i go to start it first thing i turn key and it will not start unless i hit the gas and keep it reved a little..after its warm it runs fine and starting it for the rest of the day does not require me to hit the gas ..any ideas?

Need Help with a Rewire?

I bought myself a 96 ford ranger xlt. At some point in its history it was broken into and stolen via a hot wire. Needles to say considering the steering column is $170 it was never fixed and I bought it without an ignition. To start it I have to use a screwdriver to push the slide forward and then cross the solenoid under the hood. This wasn't so bad considering I bought it for $500 and it ran when I bought it. It still runs but when I occasionally stall it(yup it's a stick) it's a real bugger to restart quickly. I am more than happy to have a hot wire switch from the solenoid to a switch on my dash put in BUT mildly frightened to do it myself without some instructions. Can anyone help?

10-15% Ethanol use?

ok we have been having a problem with my grandpas 94 f150. its hard to start and had a misfire in it at first. we chagned spark plugs and wires and it got even worse. we called autozone and they said its probably bad gas in it. they said its going to just get worse starting september 15th of this year. the goverment is requiring all gas stations to use 10-15% ethanol. is there anything you can recommend to do for our cars? i really cant afford going to autozone and getting fuel stabilizer every time i get gas. the manual says not to use anymore than 10% ethanol or it will damage it. cars say on the doors also now to not use more than 10% ethanol or that will void warranty(could be wrong about the %). is that just a way for the government to help manufacturers to rip people off on their warranty? i needed gas really bad once and was worried about making to gas station and closest was ethanol at the time so i got some just to stop myself from running out. it turned my check engine light on and didnt go off for over 3 tanks of non ethanol gas. thanks

OBDII code p1614 2001 KIA

A customer came with a code p1614 which my reader says there is no description. Google says its Low return voltage. Any ideas??????

Oil Pressure

A customer of mine is experiencing an oil light coming on after his 97 Doge Ram 1500 with a 5.2 engine warms up. He has replaced the oil pump and the oil sending unit and it still does the same thing. The gauge shows the pressure drops slightly after warming and no lifter noises. Any idea????????

high crankcase pressure because of rings

Hi,I have a 1995 Pontiac Gran Prix with a 3.1 engine with 127.000 miles on it.I just got it out of the shop having some work done on it and I noticed on the bill, high crankcase pressure because of rings, the car doesn't smoke or use oil, is this something to worry about?

4.6 v8 spark plug blow out

Got 01 grand marque bout 115 k spark plug blew out #6 bout 1000 miles ago just wondering what the steel insert is doing to My engine My car runs like crap now. Cant afford the kits from lock n stitch Or timsert could I but the aluminum insert and just replace it that way. from what i understand this a common issue with the 4.6, 5.4 and the v10?

what to check this time?

ok, this is the 2001 Ford Escape that we put a t-stat in a few weeks ago. he told me that he also added something called "liquid glass." He say it has been running fine since then, but today when he was almost at work it started running rough. He has to go up a small hill, and he said it strained so hard he wondered if it was going to make it. When he got to work, it stalled out like it was hot, but the gauge and light still say it wasn't. Additionally, he said it didn't feel overheated like it did last week. It was hot because he was driving it but not hot enough to have overheated. Now when he starts it, when it's at a low idle it makes a weird tapping, almost like a chirping noise. It run badly, and when it goes down to idle the oil light flickers. At higher revs, the oil light stays off.

Engine Misfire

4.3 v6 tbi vortex 350 engine misfires when warm. Changed timing chain and gears, plugs and wires, cap and rotor, ignition coil pack, plugs and wires again and now here I am. Still misfires engine gets bouncy and shaky then misses it isn't constant but doesn't dissipate. Iv noticed a very sweet pungent smell recently ( coolant ) I'm out of ideas here Whats left to Fix

2001 Ford Escape Overheating

Dave was driving it home from work about a week ago. He exited the interstate, and when he reached the stop sign at the end of the ramp the car died. I went out to give him a jump, and we ended up adding a bunch of water to the car. He says the "hot" light never came on, but I never know whether to believe him. When I was following him home, at one point I aw a lot of either smoke or steam coming from the exhaust. But not all the time. When we got home we found a plastic Y connector that connected two hoses in front had broken. We got that replaced, but the car still isn't right. It was idling rough, wanting to die, and running hot. I know you're thinking "head gasket" because I am too. But there's no smoke coming from the exhaust, and he claims the oil doesn't look milky or anything. He replaced the thermostat today, and it seemed to be ok. He took it on a test drive - about 30 miles away, and what would have been 30 miles back. But at about the 27 mile marker on the return trip, he got to a stop sign, and it stalled again. I had to go out and give him a jump. But it was not low on water. He claims the "Hot" light did not come on. He drove it home, and it died on us again about 1/4 mile marker, and would not start. It acted like it was hot, but no light. I pushed him home and here we are. What should we check?