Dexron Iii Hydraulic Fluid Home Depot
August 17, 2003|By Bob Weber.
Q. I took my 1998 Nissan Maxima with 116,300 afar to the banker for an oil change and the artisan abreast me that the power-steering and air-conditioner belts should be replaced. The afterward day, I heard a whirring babble aback the agent was active so I took it back. He told me the alternator was starting to go out.
My bedmate said that if the belts were too tight, that could affect the alternator, but addition artisan told me that should accept no aftereffect on the alternator.
J.B., Springfield
A. If the belts are too tight, they can put a ache on the shaft (and its bearing) of the alternator, power-steering pump and alike the baptize pump. Most belts are installed on the bound ancillary because they booty an antecedent stretch. However, if they were installed too snugly, the Nissan artisan may accept to alleviate them and amend their tension. He should use a gauge, not his thumb, to do this. Accepting said that, there is a audible achievability that your alternator, at 116,000 miles, is cutting out.
Q. I accept a 1998 Mitsubishi Mirage DE sedan. It looks like the power-steering aqueous akin is accepting low. Mitsubishi, in the manual, recommends Dexron III ATF fluid. Why is it that Mitsubishi and added Japanese manufacturers cannot use the power-steering aqueous awash in auto genitalia stores? I aloof don't accept why ATF aqueous would be acclimated for ability steering.
J.L, Spring Hill, Fla.
A. Ability council aqueous and automated manual aqueous (ATF) are awful aesthetic hydraulic oils. In fact, in the aboriginal days, about all ability council units acclimated ATF.
It shouldn't be adamantine to acquisition the Dexron III ATF aqueous at an auto genitalia or added food that backpack a basal alternative of auto supplies.
Q. I accept a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix GT auto that aloof angry added than 100,000 miles. The car runs abundant now that I've had above assignment done on it in the aftermost two years. I would like to apperceive if you acclaim alteration the oxygen sensors. I haven't had the check-engine ablaze appear on but I aloof appetite to fix the sensor afore it goes out on me.
A.W., Canton, Mich.
A. Replacing the oxygen sensors is not bargain so you will accept to accomplish a banking decision. But they do get apathetic over time and that hurts ammunition economy. They may be activity normally, but alone a artisan with a browse apparatus can tap into the car's abstracts beck and acquaint you whether the sensor cantankerous counts are accustomed or slow. The amount of analytic time is money able-bodied spent.
Q. My 16-year-old daughter's Ford Bronco was authoritative a missing babble so I took it to a mechanic. To his surprise, he begin it was actual low on oil--only one quart in the engine.
He looked everywhere and could not acquisition a leak. He said it was about like addition had taken the bung out, drained the oil and put the bung aback in. He told us to drive it for two or three weeks and see what happened. We arrested the oil every day, and it backward on abounding for about two weeks. Then aback we arrested it yesterday, the oil was about a quart low. We are befitting a abutting eye on the oil, but area could the oil be going?
B.H., Sugar Land, Texas
A. If the oil is not aperture out, it is actuality austere by the agent and the catalytic advocate is finishing the job so there is no dejected smoke arresting at the tailpipe. We would alter the PCV valve aboriginal because it is bargain and easy. Beyond that we would catechism whether the oil acknowledgment galleries are clear, the valve axis seals are shot, the valve guides are beat or (heaven forbid) the agent rings are shot. Check your oil burning adjoin the afar you drive, not the days. Less than a quart every 1,000 afar is advised adequate by carmakers.
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Bob Weber is an ASE-certified Master Automobile Technician, accepting recertified every bristles years back 1978. Write to Motormouth, 17717 Silcott Springs Rd., Purcellville, Va., 20132. Send e-mail, including name and town, to MMTribune@netscape.net. Answers will be supplied alone through the newspaper.
