G&G Pops the Hood Part 2

In part 1 of this series we got the hood open and secured. 

Depending on your car, there are a lot of things to take in. Look around a bit. You can't spot something wrong until you've learned what right looks like. Hopefully by the end of this series you'll be so familiar with your under hood inspection that any problem will be obvious. 

Now we have to start somewhere. Checking oil level is a good place to start. A LOT of cars in the shop these days are low of oil. I know from talking to customers that some don't realize a car can need oil added even when it isn't time for an oil change. Usually the oil level stick isn't too difficult to find. Some are marked, some aren't. 

Ideally your car should have been sitting long enough the engine is cool and the oil has drained back into the oil pan. When the engine is running oil is being pumped to the various areas it is needed. After the engine is shut off it takes a minute or so to drain back to the crankcase. The oil level stick reaches down into the oil and has markings to indicate how much oil is in the pan. When you have identified your oil stick, grasp the handle and pull straight out. Plastic handles have been known to break so don't be over aggressive. Once you have the stick out and in your hand you should see oil on the lower end. Note the condition of the oil. If the oil is terribly dirty you probably need an oil change. Discolored and thick like milkshake could mean coolant is getting into the oil. If the oil doesn't look normal to you then you should let someone more knowledgeable take a look. For our purposes here though we'll continue with how to check the oil level. Wipe the oil off of the stick. There will be a full mark and a one quart low. Insert the cleaned stick fully into place then remove to see where the oil level is on the indicator. The truck below had an oil change a few weeks ago. The clean oil is hard to see in the picture but shows a slight overfill just at the last L in full. About a half quart over. 

Let's try another. The oil condition looks good in this one and it is about half a quart low. Don't add a half quart. Just remember to check later on. Some cars can burn a half quart or so quickly but take a long time to need a full quart. If you try keeping it topped off you would be constantly adding oil to a car that would be fine if left alone.

If you do need to add oil use the manufacturers recommended oil as outlined in your owners manual. Add oil as needed by removing the oil filler cap. A funnel can help prevent spilling to the exterior.

Stay tuned for part 3!

Kenneth Hayes

G&G Auto Repair

G&G Pops the Hood Part 1

Not many people take a look under the hood these days. That seems odd to me since I was taught to keep an eye on fluid levels and check for obvious problems.  I know cars are generally more dependable and longer lasting now but if you run that car out of oil or coolant you will still end up with a major repair problem. I want you to know your way around your car. Let's start with opening the hood.

Most cars have a hood release under the dash that you pull to release the hood latch. 

When you pull the release you are pulling a cable attached to the hood latch. The cable pulls the latch release and a loaded hood spring can then let the hood pop up. 

If the hood release doesn't work as described you probably need some lubrication of the latch. Bump the hood with your hand and/or just grab under the front and pull up. 

Once released, the hood should spring up enough to engage the safety catch. The safety catch is usually a hook that must be released before the hood will open fully.

You may need to both feel and look for the release to see how it works on your car but it isn't usually difficult. Once you have the hood open you need hood support. There are various types of hood support but all are there to keep the hood from crashing back down when you let go after raising it. 

There are hood support rods on some cars. Basically metal rods that prop the hood up. 

Some people choose a custom design.

There are hydraulic supports.

If your hood uses these and you don't feel them helping to raise the hood they need replaced. Or, use the custom broom handle method. 

Kenneth Hayes

G&G Auto Repair

Why is this truck stalling?

03 Chevrolet Silverado Z71 LS 5.3

The complaint is the engine dies (stalls) after the battery failed and after battery replacement. 

The first thing comes to my mind is an idle control problem. The trucks engine computer has been adapting programming as needed to compensate for wear and age conditions. When the battery power is lost so is the adaptive programming. Commonly the throttle bore and plate have been building over time a layer of carbon. Because this happened slowly the computer was able to make changes in idle control strategy and maintain idle. The loss of battery power reverted the system back to factory settings and since there was no carbon then, the settings aren't correct for maintaining idle now. If this is the problem then I should see the stalling being related to a slow idle speed and a slow response to an rpm drop at idle. 

You can see the idle drop to a near stall in this pic when I place the shifter from park to reverse. The iac counts are a rough indicator of how hard the iac is working to maintain idle speed. You can see iac is slow to respond to the rpm drop. So there is probably a carbon problem.

You have to get in there with a rag and some cleaner. Hold the throttle plate open and wipe the area clean.

Now after reassembly we start the engine to clear any excess cleaner and let the idle stabilize. Look now how quickly the iac responds and how easily it maintains idle rpm as I move the shifter this time.

A test of alternator and battery draw and this truck is fixed.

Kenneth Hayes

G&G Auto Repair