Auto repair myths

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124

Dude, I love your car :heart:

Thanks.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: feralkid
What's the advantage of using nitrogen?

Portable, no reliance on an air compressor that could fail at a critical time, non-flammable.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt Absolutely no way it was the battery. The alternator, even at idle, puts out sufficient energy to run the engine even if the battery were removed from the car. Unless the alternator is defective as well.

Under no circumstances should a running automotive engine be dependant on the battery to remain running.

ZV

while i agree with you in principle, the alternator tested fine once i got it over to auto zone or where ever. put a new battery in, and it's worked ever since. may have had something to do with the corroded terminals, dunno.

edit: or maybe it was the ECU thing

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

1) That really stupid looking spoiler on your car does wonders for the performance of your front wheel drive vehicle. 99% of the time you are not racing the stupid thing, if you actually do race it. The end result is a lever based action that uses your rear wheel as the pivot thus reducing the amount of down force on your front tires. GENIOUS!!!!!!

2) SUVs handle "better" in the snow, whatever that means.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt Absolutely no way it was the battery. The alternator, even at idle, puts out sufficient energy to run the engine even if the battery were removed from the car. Unless the alternator is defective as well.

Under no circumstances should a running automotive engine be dependant on the battery to remain running.

ZV

while i agree with you in principle, the alternator tested fine once i got it over to auto zone or where ever. put a new battery in, and it's worked ever since. may have had something to do with the corroded terminals, dunno.

Doubt it. The car will run without the battery even connected.

Probably like I posted earlier in the thread: The idle strategy of the ECU was affected by the battery going dead, and that's what caused the stalling problem.
It wouldn't restart simply because the battery was still dead....but it didn't stall because you still had a dead battery hooked up after the engine was running.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Doubt it. The car will run without the battery even connected.

Probably like I posted earlier in the thread: The idle strategy of the ECU was affected by the battery going dead, and that's what caused the stalling problem.
It wouldn't restart simply because the battery was still dead....but it didn't stall because you still had a dead battery hooked up after the engine was running.

hadn't gotten to your post when i replied to his

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Did it all winter with my Mustang. It's pretty easy to match RPM to wheelspeed. You simply shift, bring up the revs before engaging the clutch, and slowly release it. Then, after changing gears, you let off the throttle. No wheelspin. Sure, if you dump the clutch into the lower gear you'll break traction, but you shouldn't be doing that.

Should NOT be done with an automatic, because that will just slam into gear without rev-matching, but on a manual you should be able to match RPM with wheelspeed for the selected gear.

If you invoke ABS, you've already screwed up. I've never had ABS kick in on anything but a panic stop, even in snow or on ice. ABS should not be modulating your braking, even in bad conditions.

ZV

If I gave you the keys to my Z in the snow, there is a 100% chance that you'll be sliding all over the place. There is no traction at all. None. Rev matching is useless because the wheels would still spin. There isn't a chance that the car is drivable in the snow with the tires I have on it.

My car wouldn't make it up my driveway, which isn't even hilly. It also wants to fall down the slope of the road, so you end up on the side of the street. As soon as you start moving, the tail end falls down the crown of the road. Put it this way- there is so little traction that 5th gear still spins from a dead stop with little to no gas required.

The fact that you were able to drive your Mustang all winter tells me that it's much more manageable than my car. Trust me, it's unbelievably bad.

Waaaaaait a minute, 91TTZ = 1991 Twin Turbo 300ZX?

Yeah, that's me.

Text

Vehicle weight matters.
tires matter
sand bags i nteh trunk if RWD matters ALOT

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Other than grades, ALL oil is the same

Hmm, I guess those 3-5 mpg increased gas mileage that I used to see from quality synthetics was a myth then. My Dad sells somewhat boutique industrial and maintenance products, including oil, and the results were noticeable and consistent. I can't vouch for the stuff on the store shelves, but his stuff works.

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Other than grades, ALL oil is the same

Hmm, I guess those 3-5 mpg increased gas mileage that I used to see from quality synthetics was a myth then. My Dad sells somewhat boutique industrial and maintenance products, including oil, and the results were noticeable and consistent. I can't vouch for the stuff on the store shelves, but his stuff works.

Aother moron who can't read heard from I guess... the title for this thread, is "Auto repair myths"...and the topic has been things that are "common knowledge", but happen to be incorrect...MOST people have been able to figure that out...but, apparently, NOT everyone...

 

[Kirby]

This is sorta off topic, but does anyone know how to shift in a MT without using the clutch? I know it can be done and I would never try it, but I'm just curious.

 

[RedArmy]

Originally posted by: nkgreen
This is sorta off topic, but does anyone know how to shift in a MT without using the clutch? I know it can be done and I would never try it, but I'm just curious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powershifting

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004
1) That really stupid looking spoiler on your car does wonders for the performance of your front wheel drive vehicle. 99% of the time you are not racing the stupid thing, if you actually do race it. The end result is a lever based action that uses your rear wheel as the pivot thus reducing the amount of down force on your front tires. GENIOUS!!!!!!

The first part is right, but the second is mostly incorrect. Many cars actually tend to lift as they go faster. A rear spoiler will counter it and it will not cause the front wheels to have significantly less grip. If you were racing and had a skirted front, you get downforce there too. On a front drive, the rear tends to be light, so better distribution of weight via downforce in a highspeed will give it a better feel and undial some understeer.

Of course, a bunch of folks just stick them on the unreenforced decks. You can tell which have gone fast with too much dialed in by the slight dents.

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
A muscle car can only be American.

Hey, if that's what the definition says...

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
Biggest myth of them all...

You should change your oil every 3000 miles. Of course the mechanics tell you that. You're paying them every time you have it done. Change the oil based on your manual, not on a mechanic.

I'm not sure where the correction ends and the myth starts

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Other than grades, ALL oil is the same

Hmm, I guess those 3-5 mpg increased gas mileage that I used to see from quality synthetics was a myth then. My Dad sells somewhat boutique industrial and maintenance products, including oil, and the results were noticeable and consistent. I can't vouch for the stuff on the store shelves, but his stuff works.

Aother moron who can't read heard from I guess... the title for this thread, is "Auto repair myths"...and the topic has been things that are "common knowledge", but happen to be incorrect...MOST people have been able to figure that out...but, apparently, NOT everyone...

Hmm, I guess that 3 hrs/night sleep for the past several nights paid off! :laugh:

Oh, and fvck you.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: jhayx7

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

4) If you have keyless entry and you lock your keys in the car, you can call a friend on your cell and have them use the spare remote to unlock your car if they point the remote at their phone and if you put your cell phone near the car.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!

I'm going to second or third that....BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAA!!!!

That reminds me of a cartoon where they squirt water through the phone and it comes out the other end.

 

[d3n]

Originally posted by: jemcam
The # 1 myth is "If a car frame is damaged, it's totalled and will never be the same".

Edit: I use the word "frame" loosely since most people who perpetuate this myth don't know the difference between unibody and full frame vehicles.

Either one can be repaired and/or have sections replaced safely.

For high end sports cars the shop better be darn good. Even on domestic cars I can usually see misaligned panels from a repair job. If I had a high dollar sports car I would cozy up to the adjuster and try to have him right it off. You would defiantly have a though time reselling it. No serious sports car owner would by it for its former value.

 

[Skotty]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Ha, nitrogen in tires.

What a complete load of B.S. that is. Does absolutely nothing but inflate the tire.

As a point of interest, plain air is already 78 percent nitrogen. Not that it matters.

Possible Myth: Premium gas gives better gas mileage (on vehicles designed for regular).

This myth has been touched on by others, though some were talking performance rather than gas mileage. As far as I know, your car will get best performance and mileage when using the gas it was designed for. Most cars are designed for regular, some sports and luxury cars are designed for premium. If designed for premium, usually it indicates so somewhere on the gas flap and/or instrument cluster. Whatever the case, the octane of your fuel will have a lot less impact than other factors like tire inflation, wind direction, the speed you are driving, etc.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: jhayx7

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

4) If you have keyless entry and you lock your keys in the car, you can call a friend on your cell and have them use the spare remote to unlock your car if they point the remote at their phone and if you put your cell phone near the car.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

 

[BoomerD]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: BoomerD

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: BoomerD
Other than grades, ALL oil is the same

Hmm, I guess those 3-5 mpg increased gas mileage that I used to see from quality synthetics was a myth then. My Dad sells somewhat boutique industrial and maintenance products, including oil, and the results were noticeable and consistent. I can't vouch for the stuff on the store shelves, but his stuff works.

Aother moron who can't read heard from I guess... the title for this thread, is "Auto repair myths"...and the topic has been things that are "common knowledge", but happen to be incorrect...MOST people have been able to figure that out...but, apparently, NOT everyone...

Hmm, I guess that 3 hrs/night sleep for the past several nights paid off! :laugh:

Oh, and fvck you.

ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!

 

[Vetterin]

There is really nothing wrong with your left front wheel falling off..........."they ALL do that".

 

[thetxstang]

Originally posted by: Vetterin
There is really nothing wrong with your left front wheel falling off..........."they ALL do that".

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: RGUN
Its not going to help your CBR

Pretty sure the last time I sat on a 1000RR and looked down, I saw "Premium fuel" on the tank.

- M4H

 

[JonB]

Nitrogen bottles are used at race tracks because Nitrogen is cheap and it is dry. Compressed air has a lot of moisture in it that is hard on air tools. That's why the storage tanks have purge valves at the bottom. When the compressed air cools, the water condenses and goes to the bottom. I've seen tanks that were 25% full of water.

While the posting about tire pressure being more stable with nitrogen is "myth" I'm still up in the air about the affect of high temperatures inside the tire and Oxygen. The 12% O2 in a normal tire vs. the 2% O2 in a nitrogen inflated tire may be less damaging to the rubber liner. I'm not talking road tires on the suburban mini-van, but hard driven tires that GET HOT like at a track. It might make a difference there.

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: daveymark
change your oil every 3000 miles
acetone improves gas mileage
people won't notice that dent with the LeBra on
smoking while pumping gas is dangerous
leaving the engine running while pumping gas is dangerous

myth or not, it is stupid as hell to smoke near gasoline