Author Archives: Dan

Flat Tires

Posted on October 15, 2015 by Dan

A flat tire isn’t a fun thing to get when you’re driving, but sometimes it can be a pain for the mechanic fixing your tire. Most flat tires I’ve seen are just a puncture and usually we can just plug … Continue reading →

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Subaru Oil Filter

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Dan

There are a lot of times that a mechanic has to wonder what the engineers that designed the car were thinking. Bolts barely accessible with any wrench, parts in odd places, etc.

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged | 1 Comment

Water Damage

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Dan

We had a very heavy rainstorm a couple months ago. I had parked in a low part of the parking lot, and I was very glad I had waterproof boots when I went out at the end of the day.

Posted in In The Shop, On The Road | Tagged | 1 Comment

Don’t Stack Wheel Weights

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Dan

I was doing a tire rotation on a Sienna minivan, and when I was all done and pulling out of the shop to park it, I heard a ticking noise. It’s always a bad feeling when there’s a new sound … Continue reading →

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Pet Peeve: Wheel Corrosion

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Dan

If there’s one thing I hate to find when working on cars, it’s wheel and hub corrosion. Aluminum and steel have this thing where if they touch, they get all corroded.

Posted in In The Shop | Tagged | 2 Comments

DIY Heatshield Repair

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Dan

Customer said he wanted us to look at a heatshield under the car that he had temporarily resecured. Spiderman duct tape. It actually was holding pretty well, but I removed it because I thought I heard it hitting the exhaust … Continue reading →

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Tool Review: Grey Pneumatic Duo Sockets

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Dan

They’re grey. They’re for use on pneumatic tools. And they are sockets. Duo? I first heard about these from EricTheCarGuy. Grey Pneumatic is a company specializing in impact sockets. Their Grey Pneumatic are a cross between impact sockets and your … Continue reading →

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Using Tools Right

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Dan

I like doing things right. That means that I want to use tools the right way. I don’t like using cheater bars on wrenches, though once in a while I will if there’s no other way to get enough torque. … Continue reading →

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Honda Civic Starter Diagnosis

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Dan

One day my dad’s 2001 Honda Civic wouldn’t start. Turn the key, dash lights up, engine doesn’t turn over. Now as a beginning mechanic my diagnosis skills aren’t too great, and I’d had a couple minor failures, but I’ll always … Continue reading →

Posted in At Home, Family Cars | Tagged | 1 Comment

Breaking Brakes

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Dan

My sister’s 2003 Subaru Forester had developed an extreme vibration when braking. I’d never felt worse, the entire car would shake. I took it to work on my day off to change the front brakes, and when taking the old … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Cars, In The Shop | Tagged , | 3 Comments