Category Archives: In The Shop

Malfunctioning Ignition

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Dan

An older Civic was towed in to the dealership because the ignition wouldn’t work and they wanted a new key cut. I was handed two keys for the car, one was an aftermarket key, and the other was a Honda … Continue reading →

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Red Means Racecar, Right?

Posted on August 15, 2019 by Dan

Most people leave their cars looking the way they came from the factory, but some people like to personalize them. A lot of the time, their modifications are to make the car perform better, or just look like it performs … Continue reading →

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Doing a Hack Repair the Right Way

Posted on August 8, 2019 by Dan

The repair order said that the right turn signal was out, replace the bulb. Usually when bulbs are out it’s just a bad bulb, but after throwing one in, it still wasn’t working. Obviously this meant it had to be … Continue reading →

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Cracked Brake Rotor Hat

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Dan

Sometimes brake rotors don’t want to come off of the hubs. I’ve posted about this in the past. When the center, also called the hat, doesn’t want to come off of the hub, hitting the rotor with a hammer can … Continue reading →

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Tapping in Tight Spaces

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Dan

I was installing a trailer hitch on a used Honda Pilot, and as I knew from previous experience, the provided holes were rusty. A thread chaser wouldn’t thread in because of the rust so I had to use a tap, … Continue reading →

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Honda Key Remote Screw Removal Tip

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Dan

The batteries in key remotes go dead after a few years, and they’re usually pretty easy to replace. Sometimes the screw doesn’t want to come out. I’ve known about this hack for a few years but never had to try … Continue reading →

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The Most Unusual Job of the Year

Posted on July 11, 2019 by Dan

This was a weird one. I’m not entirely sure how to describe everything about this one, but if anything fits the name Mechanical Malarkey, it was this job. Let’s start with the original customer complaint.

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Oversize Wheels and Tires Are a Bad Idea

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Dan

Some people like to customize their car, to make it more their own, or to show off a little. A common modification people make are bigger wheels. Sometimes sticking to the stock tire diameter isn’t big enough for their tastes, … Continue reading →

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Over-Pressurized Tires

Posted on July 1, 2019 by Dan

Most cars have tire pressure specifications between 30 and 35 psi. Maintaining the correct pressure is necessary for long tire life and good performance. Usually when cars come into the shop their tires are a little low or a little … Continue reading →

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Working on Family Minivans

Posted on June 27, 2019 by Dan

It usually doesn’t matter whether a customer has kids. If I’m doing any kind of work outside the car, or on the engine, it doesn’t matter. But then if I have to work on the interior, it can make things … Continue reading →

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