Category Archives: In The Shop

Broken Coil Spring

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Dan

When I’m given a used car to look over to find what’s needed to make it sellable, I usually start off with a test drive. But when I got into this Camry, and pulled out of the parking spot, I … Continue reading →

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Tighten Your Lug Nuts

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Dan

Of all the fasteners on a car, some of the most important are the lug nuts. You don’t want a wheel coming off.

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Animals in Cars

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Dan

One of the last things you want to find in your car is an animal. Another bad thing is finding evidence they’ve been there. Animals can do lots of bad things to a car, from chewing wires and hoses to … Continue reading →

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Plastic-Wrapped

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Dan

A customer brought their car in, saying there was a crunching sound when turning. I took it for a short drive to confirm, and did hear a little something.

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Old SSTs

Posted on January 14, 2016 by Dan

Years ago, long before my time at the shop, my dealership used to sell Buicks along with Toyota. A strange combination if you ask me. Relics of that have always been around, one of them being all the old Special … Continue reading →

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Battery Terminal Corrosion

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Dan

Car batteries sometimes get white or blue-green corrosion on the terminals and hold-down clamps. This is a semi-common problem. I don’t see it a lot, but I see it enough for it to not surprise me. There’s a lot of … Continue reading →

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Spiral Cable

Posted on January 7, 2016 by Dan

It may be something you’ve wondered about, or never given a second thought to. How can you have buttons on your steering wheel? Even the most basic of cars have an airbag and a horn button on the steering wheel, … Continue reading →

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Brake Caliper Hangers

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Dan

Hello 2016! I now have an Instagram account @mechanicalmalarkey where I’ll be posting pictures the day I take them, and you’ll get sneak peaks at possible upcoming blog posts. You can also find me on Facebook at Facebook.com/MechanicalMalarkey and on … Continue reading →

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Bent Tie Rod

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Dan

Once again, another car from the body shop came in to get mechanical repairs, and as usual, was major suspension damage.

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Abusing Screwdrivers

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Dan

Probably one of the most abused tools is the screwdriver. It gets used for all kinds of prying, scraping, and stabbing that it’s not designed for.

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