r/MechanicAdvice • • 3h ago

Can someone explain why this spark plug wire boot looks like this and the rest look different?

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17 Upvotes

Trying trying to change spark plugs and cylinder one boot looks different than the rest. It’s a 1998 Honda Honda Accord.


r/MechanicAdvice • • 22h ago

My husband drained the transmission fluid and filled the engine with new oil and the old oil

489 Upvotes

My husband attempted to do an oil change on my 2016 mazda cx9, the next morning I tried to back out of our driveway and i hit reverse and it went in reverse and then i put it in drive and it went into reverse, so then i tried to put it in reverse and it went into drive. I immediately put it in park and turned it off. I waited about 30 minutes and it went into drive correctly and i was able to park the vehicle in a perfect position but then when i put it in reverse to back it up a bit, it just stayed there, rpms did go up, but no movement.
he later called me to tell me he accidentally drained the transmission fluid and added the new oil into the old oiI. after learning this, i didn’t drive the car for two days, and he eventually added the amount of transmission fluid he drained and drained the motor oil and added the new oil. He drove it and checked the levels and everything was fine. We drove it the next day all day everything was good. I drove it to work and back and everything seems fine, i’m just hyper vigilant now on every little slight movement in the vehicle since my last vehicle (gmc acadia) went to shit, transmission definitely went out on me while driving. today he drove it to lawrenceville (we live in powder springs) and back home and everything was smooth. I’m just worried and nervous when i drive the car. My question is; will the car be fine?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 1h ago

Mechanic doesn’t know what’s wrong

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• Upvotes

Hey everyone, I originally took my 2004 Toyota Camry V6 to the shop to get a vehicle speed sensor replacement to solve this issue but it wasn’t the case.

I ended up replacing the transmission as well and I’m still having this issue where my speedometer doesn’t register and the RPM stays stagnant(sometimes drops and causes my RPM to shoot up)

My mechanic tried to trouble shoot and figure out the problem but could do so..

I was wondering if anyone here would know?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 13h ago

Car overheated, filled with coolant twice now coolant is gone after sitting overnight.

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79 Upvotes

Had the death wobble for the first time on my way home and had to come to a complete stop for it to stop. Drove about 3 hours today and had the same thing happen. Noticed my truck was over heating, pulled over and put coolant in it since the tank was empty but the reservoir was full. Drove about another 2 hours and it over heated again, reservoir was empty. Put coolant in it, made it home but there is a small portion of the coolant missing.

Any ideas as to what’s going on? My fan has always ran when driving the truck so I’m wondering what the issue may really be.

2021 wrangler JL 3.6.


r/MechanicAdvice • • 1d ago

My brother dipped my car key and candle wax, and I started my car without noticing

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1.6k Upvotes

I have a 2015 Chevy Malibu and my brother dipped my car key into a candle and I didn’t really notice till I had already put my key in the car. I took it out after and cleaned the rest of the wax out and went in my ignition with a Q-tip and a bobby pin…(sorry) now it’s kind of just a greasy residue and I’m kind of stranded in Indiana visiting my mom and I have a 2 Hour Dr. home tomorrow. I’m 17 years old so it would be a lot of trouble for me to call a mechanic to look at literally nothing. Do you think I’m safe to drive home?
Or anywhere actually


r/MechanicAdvice • • 12h ago

Mechanic used wrong oil

33 Upvotes

Just had my 2009 Mazda 2 1.3l serviced and the mechanic used 0w-20 when the specifications say to use 5w-30. I questioned him on it before he put it in and he insisted it’s fine and it doesn’t matter. I’m not sure whether to believe him.

Is it likely to cause any damage to my engine? Is it safe to use until next oil change or do I need to get it changed immediately?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 1h ago

Plastic Melted Onto Exhaust Pipe

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• Upvotes

Hi friends. A plastic water bottle cover clung onto my girlfriend's exhaust pipe while driving and the plastic seems to have melted on from the heat (idek how it managed to stay attached at freeway speeds). Does anyone know a way to get something like this off without damaging the exhaust pipe itself? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

Car specs: 2021 Rav4 XSE Hybrid


r/MechanicAdvice • • 5h ago

2006 Toyota corolla passenger axle wobbly by transmission boot? Mechanic who replaced it is adamant it's not

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9 Upvotes

r/MechanicAdvice • • 6h ago

Are these brake drum pads unsafe? Would they fail an Ontario Safety Inspection?

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10 Upvotes

Trying to get this old beater truck I got for free passed the safety on the cheap so I can transfer the title. Trying to do it on a budget. I know i could new shoes on here easy enough, and have the skills to do it, but it seems like there is a fair amount of pad left, but i'm worried that they'll fail me on those chipped corners. thoughts?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 6h ago

Brake pad advice, about a year and a half ago a mechanic told me I had 6mm left on my brakes. I was very confused bc I had replaced them almost a year before that. I then asked for a courtesy brake check about 13k miles ago during rotation and they told me 9mm. How much life is left? Thanks!

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7 Upvotes

r/MechanicAdvice • • 3h ago

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L Smoke under Hoods

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3 Upvotes

https://reddit.com/link/1x6yiez/video/3kuo3sh2bpvh1/player

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.4L 4 cylinder. Noticed light smoke and burning smell coming from under hood. Opening hood saw smoke emanating from rear of engine, toward the line that plugs into exhuast at bottom of the rear of engine. What is that line - it looks damp/black at the connection. See pictures / video. Is this a manifold gasket leak? Coolant? Something Else? How critical is this to fix in a timely manner? Can I try to tighten the valve cover bolts?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 7h ago

New SACHS clutch kit (3000 951 790) — green fluid leaking from dual-mass flywheel?

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6 Upvotes

Hi everyone,
I received a brand-new SACHS clutch kit (part number 3000 951 790) today.
When I unpacked it, I noticed a green, viscous substance on the back of the dual-mass flywheel. It looks like it might be coming from inside the flywheel.
I've attached some pictures showing the substance and the areas where it appears to be leaking.
Has anyone seen this on a brand-new SACHS dual-mass flywheel?
I'm wondering:
• Could this simply be normal grease, or does it look like a leak?

• Could it be a manufacturing defect or damage caused during shipping?

**• Would you install this clutch kit as it is, or return it and request a replacement?**

I don't want to install it only to discover later that the flywheel is faulty.
Any advice or experience with SACHS dual-mass flywheels would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!


r/MechanicAdvice • • 1h ago

Getting suspicious of high repair costs. Should I try another shop?

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• Upvotes

I’ve been going to this shop for awhile. I have an older car that was having some issues and well this is what they quoted me and I’m curious if something like this is reasonable. I declined the repairs but only because I’m planning on getting a new car anyways but sheesh


r/MechanicAdvice • • 1d ago

Hey. Got charged $389 for a serpentine belt replacement. Said it was frayed and could leave me stranded in a few weeks. Did I get totally lied to and totally over charged? 150k miles. 2011 Corolla

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160 Upvotes

Edit: THANK YOU everyone. Went back and politely told them that that was unacceptable to charge me for a full hour of labor and after 30 minutes of politely advocating for myself, they refunded me $165. Thanks Reddit. ❤️

Also: to answer everyone. It was like $225 for labor, $100 for the belt and $50 in “fees” originally 💀

And yes… just the belt….


r/MechanicAdvice • • 4h ago

07’ Chevy Tahoe (5.3) won’t start after disconnecting lights and siren

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3 Upvotes

Good afternoon folks! As the title says I’ve got an 07 Tahoe that won’t start after removing my father’s lights and siren from the vehicle. I was able to run it fine the next day with no issue, but after letting it sit overnight, the car will not come to life. I’ve included a video of be attempting to start the car.

My initial suspect was an automatic starter put into the car, but after disconnecting it, the issue still persists.

My intuition is telling me it’s a bad ground somewhere, but I would like to verify with others before diving any deeper.

any advice or further questions are more than welcome! Thank you for your time!


r/MechanicAdvice • • 0m ago

P0700 code on 2008 Subaru Outback

• Upvotes

I hope this is the right place to ask. My wife’s 2008 LLBean Subaru Outback 6-cylinder has been having random but very hard shifts and today it through this P0700 code with the AT OIL TEMP light. Is this a solenoid issue like google suggests? Is worth getting fixed or should we start car shopping?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 9m ago

1998 Honda CR-V EX possible bad alternator?

• Upvotes

So this is a follow-up to my last post. I brought the crv to a mechanic, and he basically told me he couldn’t diagnose the issue exactly, but he said it could be my alternator or a wiring issue.

He tested the voltage and said the alternator is overcharging the battery at 17–18 volts. He also said my ground cables look fine.

I didn’t go in specifically for a diagnostic on it; I just asked him to look at it before an inspection (didn’t go through with the inspection, and he only asked me for $10 for everything he did)

At this point, I am thinking of just getting a new alternator off RockAuto and replacing it, hoping it will fix the issues so it can go through with an inspection. But if anyone has any experience with an issue like this or any advice, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


r/MechanicAdvice • • 24m ago

F150 2018 , xlt 5.0

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• Upvotes

r/MechanicAdvice • • 27m ago

1998 Dodge 1500 - Radio Issues

• Upvotes

I recently purchased a used 1998 Dodge and have been having issues with the radio producing sound. The radio works (display and all buttons as far as I know) but didn't produce any sound on am or fm.

I had the battery replaced today as it died and then the radio worked, initial lack of sound was probably caused by the old battery. The radio worked fine until I got to my first stop of errands. After getting back in the car, the radio was super quiet even with volume maxed. I got back in the car to go home and the radio wasn't producing any sound, nothing on am or fm, not even static. Do I have to worry about another issue with the battery or is there something up with the system itself?

What would I need to be looking for/ what could have broke that could be causing the issues with the lack of audio?


r/MechanicAdvice • • 29m ago

Could the AGA Tools Clean Oil Vacuum Regulator cause long-term engine damage?

• Upvotes

I’m considering using the AGA Tools Clean Oil Vacuum Regulator with a Milwaukee 2.5-gallon wet/dry vacuum and the AGA Tools Clean Oil Funnel Kit for oil changes.
My main concern is whether using this setup over the long term could potentially cause engine damage, such as damaging seals, gaskets, or other internal components due to vacuum pressure.

Has anyone been using this setup regularly for an extended period? Have you experienced any issues, or do you believe it’s safe for long-term use when used correctly?
I’d appreciate any feedback or firsthand experience. Thanks!


r/MechanicAdvice • • 29m ago

Ac problems 2024 Chevy Trax Automatic

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• Upvotes

r/MechanicAdvice • • 34m ago

Think my trans is slipping

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• Upvotes

I’ve got a 2004 Toyota Tacoma 2.7l 4 speed Auto trans and I’m pretty sure it’s slipping when I’m going from stop to accelerate. I think it’s slipping cause it revs high when the wheels are barely moving then afterward I accelerate faster. Got a video attached.

Appreciate if yall could tell me what ya think 👍


r/MechanicAdvice • • 46m ago

03 mustang gt timing cover scoring

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• Upvotes

I’m doing a timing job on my 2003 mustang gt and I found this grounded circle on my timing cover around the front main seal. The crank position sensor wheel isn’t damaged or grounded down. My research points to this being normal. I’ve seen pictures of other timing covers looking similar but I want a second opinion.


r/MechanicAdvice • • 4h ago

2018 Ford Escape 1.5L EcoBoost won’t start after replacing battery. HELP!

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2 Upvotes

Can somebody please tell me what’s wrong 😭 my car been down for two weeks i honestly was just hoping it was the battery but I replaced the battery, and the lights came back on but when I tried to start it I heard one click. The dashboard lights stay on but my AC and power windows won’t work and the engine won’t turn over. I have had issues with the positive battery cable before. Could it be the cable, a bad ground, or the starter? Has anyone experienced this? I’m trying to figure it out without wasting more money on parts. Any advice is appreciated!


r/MechanicAdvice • • 9h ago

Car stopped running while driving 2012 ford escape

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6 Upvotes

Car stopped running while driving, engine turned off had to pull over. Any idea what it may be ? Bad battery or starter ?

EDIT:

-Car doesn’t crank at all
-Electronics still work
-Fuel is working
-Dash lit up while driving, engine shut off and I had to coast the car to the side of the road
-When I try to start it up, half the lights go out including the in car rgb lights

Note: no lights were on prior, was driving car and it was starting to switch gear, the whole dash lit up engine shut off and i coasted to the side of the road.