Dayton Daily News

Q:The other day I turned on the defroster in my 1999 Ford Ranger with a 6-cylinder engine. It worked fine, but there was an odor similar to a transistorburning. The odor disappeared after a few minutes. Then I told my wife it smells like a dead mouse, but she disagreed. What do you think it could be? J.G.,Kill Devil, N.C.

A: Since the air conditioning, heating and ventilation system seems to be working fine, the odor more than likely is not the result of an electrical failure. Duringthis time of year little critters look for a place to keep warm. What you detect could be a dead rodent in a system duct. Look under the hood for signs of arodent such as seeds, a nest and fur. Also, bits of a nest might blow from the dash vents. If you find items such as these, it’s likely a critter made his or herway into the heating and air conditioning system. If so, he or she may have made a nest near the blower motor. Removing the motor should give you accessto the duct, and you might find the little guy or girl taking an eternal nap.

Low oil pressure might be problem

Q: My 1998 Honda Civic 4-door with 115,000 miles has been maintained according to factory recommendations for my area here in Minnesota. Lately, once in awhile after I start the engine, it runs rough and hesitates as I begin to drive. Also, the engine idle drops very low, but it doesn’t stall. This lasts about 30seconds. After this brief time, it runs fine.

I thought the trouble was caused by the gasoline, but after burning several tanks, the trouble persisted. As a result, I took the car to my local dealer where atechnician adjusted the valves and cruise control cable. He also tested the fuel to find it is OK. All this work was in vain and cost $300. He also said that the fuel injectors might need replacement, but this will cost $800. Also, I don’t think this is the problem as I believe that a fuel injectorproblem would not last only 30 seconds. Except for this brief problem, the engine starts without a problem and runs fine. What else could cause this? T.R.,e-mail

A: It’s likely that the fuel injectors are fine, so don’t spend $800 just yet. Solving the trouble might be as simple as thoroughly cleaning the battery cables insideand out. The engine computer learns how you drive. Poor battery connections can scramble the computer memory. Sparkling-clean battery connectionsinside and out might cure the condition. Also, don’t forget that during this time of year, the battery is low due to cold ambient temperatures, so anything tha treduces electrical supply such as poor battery connections can cause weird symptoms. Also, it’s possible that the trouble is caused by low oil pressure.

There is an oil pressure sensor that sends pressure information to the engine computer. Ifthe computer receives a low oil pressure signal, it could temporarily cut fuel delivery to the engine. During this time of year, cold engine oil doesn’t flow until it warms up. Make sure the oil level is proper, fresh and clean.

Also, it wouldn’t hurt to have atechnician test the oil pressure to make sure that the oil pump is doing a proper job. If the pump is OK, and pressure is within factory specifications,consider using a lightweight oil suggested by the carmaker. Better yet, pour synthetic oil into the engine. This will solve any oil flow problems that can occurwith conventional mineral oil.

Technician suggests proper repair

Q: The dash airbag warning light in my 2001 Chrysler Sebring with 38,000 miles is on and a chime sounds. I took the car to my dealer, where I was told that a clock spring needs replacement. A service person told me it will cost $285 to repair, which I thought is a lot of money. Is there a way to turn off the chime?G.M., e-mail

A: It’s likely that the technician who examined the vehicle did a proper diagnosis. The clock spring is in the steering column under the steering wheel. When thispart breaks, the airbag computer turns on the light and sounds a chime to alert you to the problem. It also deactivates the airbag system. As a result, if youshould have a collision, the airbags will not deploy and possibly save your life. Since this is an issue of your safety, I can only suggest that you have thetrouble repaired.

Misdirected heat

Q: Heated air doesn’t blow from the floor vents in my 1993 GMC truck. The heat only blows from the dash vents. Someone told me that this is caused by aswitch on the door that blows the heat. I’m confused about this. Can you help? C.T., e-mail

A: What you were told might be true. There are small doors similar to flaps on an airplane in the heating system ducts that direct air from the heater, air conditioner and outside air. If an actuator on a door fails the door won’t move into position to direct air to the center dash vents, defroster or floor. Also, if an actuator fails you may not be able to adjust the temperature.

The doors in your vehicle likely are controlled by vacuum operated actuators. If a vacuum line has cracked or come off an actuator it will fail to move thecorresponding door. A technician should check for broken vacuum lines under the hood and in the cabin under the dash. Also, a broken vacuum reservoir tank under hood could cause a condition such as you describe. He should replace parts as needed. It’s also possible that the dash switch has failed due to excessive wear. If this is the case, replacement is the cure, but there are several vacuum lines onthe switch so they should be checked for faults before replacing the switch.

Broken axle not technician’s fault

Q: I drive a 2002 Ford Windstar with 61,000 miles. Last August a front wheel bearing failed. I took the van to a local independent repair shop for repair. Duringthe process of replacing the bearing a technician installed a nut on the axle and walked away to get another part. When he returned the axle was found onthe ground. Upon examination of the axle he advised that the metal appeared to be defective. I showed the axle to a Ford dealer representative. I was told that the technician at the independent shop must have really beaten on the axle to break it as itdid. I also contacted Ford Motor Company but they didn’t offer any help. Enclosed are pictures of the axle. Can you provide an opinion? D.C.C., Rosemount, Minn.

A: I’m not an engineer who specializes in metallurgy but from what I see in the photos it appears to be a long term defect that was waiting for failure. For a technician to break an axle he would have to be a strong as the Incredible Hulk. So far I have not met a technician with such strength. If what you seek is to sue Ford Motor Com. to recover the repair costs you will need to hire an attorney and engineer who specializes in metal fatigue. Thiswill cost a lot more than the repair.

What you might consider is contacting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to file a complaint. If an investigation develops they may want tostudy the axle. This might lead to a recall.

Annoying clunk mystifies repair personnel

Q: About a year and half ago I purchased a 2003 Chrysler Sebring. It now has 25,000 miles on it. Three months ago I began to hear a clunk sound that seemsto come from the left front side. I don’t hear the sound every time I drive the car and I may not hear it until I drive 10 miles.I took the car to my selling dealer where they kept it for three days, but a mechanic couldn’t find any problems.

I drove the car another month and returned tothe shop where a mechanic couldn’t find anything wrong after a week of probing. I was told everything under the car is tight and there should be no safety issues. It was suggested that I return when the trouble becomes worse. The warranty will expire soon and I want this problem resolved. What do you suggest? S.H., St. Paul, Minn.

A: The trouble is that a technician needs to hear the sound before he can diagnose the cause. It appears that he never heard it and checked the suspensionand other parts for security to make sure nothing is falling off. Since tracking down the source of the sound might be up to you consider these suggestions. Sounds often travel through the body.

Something in the rearmight make a noise that seems as though it is in the front. Some Sebrings develop a clunk in the rear brakes when hitting a bump. Other Sebrings make arattle or clunk sound in the front “A” pillar. The “A” pillar is the upright sheet metal post between the front door and windshield. Also, some Sebrings developa rattle or clunk in the doors. Other Sebrings develop a rattle in the dash by the compact disc player. If you listen to these areas you may be able to direct a technician to the source of the noise. Then he can make the appropriate adjustments by followingfactory technical service bulletin procedures to resolve your concerns.

Cruise control and speedometer on vacation

Q: The cruise control in my 1998 Ford Windstar with a 3.8 liter engine quit working and then started working again. Three months later the speedometer quit. I replaced the speedometer but this didn’t cure the trouble. I have checked all the connections. I installed a new ground and replaced the speed sensor. Allthe other gauges are working fine. Can you help? F.G., Wausaukee, Wis.

A: If you have a repair manual, electromechanical prowess and the tools and equipment to troubleshoot the system you should be able to repair the trouble.Your vehicle likely has self diagnostic capabilities. This procedure is outlined in repair manuals. Once you perform the test you should receive diagnostictrouble codes that will lead you to a failed part or circuit.

A repair manual will decode the trouble codes so you know what step to take next. The procedurewill help eliminate guesswork. The cruise control or speedometer may be suffering from a failed relay, actuator, activation switch, stop light switch, servo, cable or perhaps the linkageneeds adjustment. What needs repair or replacement all depends upon what is found during a diagnostic test.

Transmission trouble deep within

Q: The automatic transmission in my 1992 Honda Accord shifts hard and shutters when it goes into second gear. I can control the shuddering by letting off thegas pedal just before the transmission shifts. I have replaced all the motor mounts but the trouble continues. Do you have suggestions? M.W., e-mail

A: The trouble is inside the transmission. This could be caused by an excessively worn seal or bushing. It’s also possible that a valve is sticking causinghydraulic pressure not to be within factory specifications. Hydraulic and electrical tests will determine what needs repair. It’s likely that in this case the trouble will end in disassembly of the transmission, but once atechnician test drives the vehicle and performs tests he may determine an adjustment will cure the trouble. Let’s hope so.

Fuel economy may not increase with aftermarket accessory

Q: I own a pickup truck. I want to increase fuel economy. I’m thinking about purchasing a soft or hard cover for the bed or lowering the tailgate. How much gas will I save? Will lowering the tailgate save as much as a cover? M.H., Norfork, Ark.

A: Placing a cover over the cargo bed or lowering the gate may not increase fuel economy at all. I have not read any independent studies or know if in factany studies have been performed that provide fuel consumption data with a cover over the bed or the tailgate down. However, if you study the designshape of a pickup air flow over the roof should curl behind the rear glass. This might provide a little push which in theory might improve fuel economy. Also,air flow might become trapped at the tailgate and some should curl behind the tailgate. The result might not be any gain or loss of fuel economy.

On the other hand, if there is a cover over the bed air flow might continue to provide a bit of a forward push behind the cab. Also, air will not becometrapped in front of the tailgate but likely will continue to provide a bit of a push behind the gate. The result might be a slight gain in fuel economy, but then theincrease in gross vehicle weight of the cover might offset any fuel economy gain because the engine has to move the additional weight.

Consider this make sure the truck is in top running condition with fresh oil, clean air filter, finely tuned engine, proper tire inflation, a fresh supply of enginecoolant and properly functioning thermostat. Then drive sensibly and keep track of the fuel economy. After a few tanks of gas lower the tailgate and beginanother test to see if fuel economy increases or decreases. If it increases leave the gate down especially on the highway when air resistance is greatest and latch it when you’re tooling around town.

Speedometer out of calibration

Q: I have a 1991 Ford Explorer with 139,000 miles that gets about 20 miles per gallon. It also has a 5-speed manual transmission without overdrive. I am veryconscious of the tachometer. I monitor miles per hour and engine revolutions per minute. On real cold days 2000 rpms equals 70 mph. As the enginetemperature reaches operating temperature 2000 rpm and the speed drops to 63 mph. In the summer the speed drops even more. 2000 rpm produces 60mph.

I thought the clutch was slipping so I’ve replaced it twice but this didn’t solve my dilemma. Despite the difference in speed and rpm the fuel economy remainsabout 20 miles per gallon. What’s up? J.F., e-mail

A: This indeed is odd. Despite this it appears the clutch is operating just fine. If it wasn’t it would be slipping and it wouldn’t be too far down the road it wouldburn up and leave you stranded. It appears there is something amiss in the speedometer. The cable might need lubrication or perhaps a gear in thetransmission is excessive worn. Also, after all these years it’s feasible the speedometer has lost calibration or maybe you routinely change tire sizes fromsummer to winter.

To find out if indeed there is something wrong in the speedometer a technician should perform tests. Or, you could ask a friendly cop to zap your truck witha radar gun to find out if there is a problem in the speedometer. If there is you can have it corrected at your favorite repair shop.

Fickle fuel gauge

Q: When the fuel gauge in my 2001 Ford Ranger with a 3.0-liter V-6 engine reads half full the gas tank only takes five gallons of gas. According to my owner’sguide the fuel tank capacity is 16 gallons.
To fix the trouble I replaced the fuel pump to no avail. Can you help? B.D., Grand Island, Neb.

A: This indeed is a problem because you could think the gas tank has a huge reserve so you don’t have to fill up when the gauge reads empty. You could runout of gas way out in the boonies! The gas tank in your vehicle actually has a 16.5 gallon capacity, but the fact that your gauge says the tank is half full when only five gallons have beenconsumed is not unusual. What we call a gauge really isn’t a gauge, it’s an indicator.
As such it isn’t as accurate as a gauge. Be this as it may it is possiblethe new fuel pump assembly is not the correct one for your vehicle. It’s also possible the part that was installed is not an updated unit that is supposed to cure such discrepancies. On top of all this it’s possible the dash unit has a fault. It’s very unlikely that the wrong fuel tank is in your truck but it sure wouldn’thurt to check as I have seen this problem in the past. Ask a technician to consider these suggestions. He should consider performing diagnostic tests on the system and he might consider the possibility that thefuel sender in the gas tank might not be the proper part.

Carbon deposit causes tapping sound

Q: My 1997 GMC CK1500 has 92,000 miles, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, power windows and a 350 c.i.d. V-8 engine. I change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. The other day when I started the truck I heard a tapping sound from the driver’s side of the engine. I shut it off and restarted it but the noise didn’t go away.

I live about 15 minutes from work so I drove the truck to work. About half way to work the noise stopped. I think there may be a lifter going bad. Is there an additive I can pour in the engine to cure the problem. Do you think a faulty lifter is causing the noise? How much will it cost to repair? D.H., Anchorage, Alaska

A: Find the closest glacier, park the vehicle on it, exit and wave goodbye to your truck. Who knows maybe in a million years it will slide all the way to California.Just kidding but from what you describe it would be very unlikely that a lifter is the cause of the tapping. Usually if one lifter fails it doesn’t recover as yoursdid. What might have happened is a small piece of carbon dropped off a deposit and bounced around in a cylinder for a while.

The driving you do is hardlyenough for the engine to reach full operating temperature especially this time of year. As a result carbon deposits can form and cause weird conditions such as you describe. Also, since you change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles it’s not likely that sludge and varnish accumulated to impair the properoperation of the valve lifters.

If an accumulation of carbon is the cause of the tapping consider using a top engine cleaning chemical. These are available at many auto supply stores.Follow the directions on the chemical container and the deposits should be gone. After the treatment change the engine oil and filter to remove residue from the cleaning. Also, it might be a good idea to replace the spark plugs as the chemical treatment can leave deposits on the plugs that can impair properfunction which can lead to engine misfire.