QTDDTOT / SQT

answer my question this time you faggots

My car didn't want to start the other day so I got a jump and went home, then took it to get charged the next day. They said it didn't take a charge so I would have to get a new one. I got a new battery today and I got the alternator tested at the same time, they said the starter was fine, but the alternator had a bad voltage regulator. Apparently, on my car (2008 Camry V6) the voltage regulator can't be replaced without changing the alternator.

The guy at Autozone showed me the screen on his battery-measuring device it said the alternator was putting out 13.9V. I pointed out that that's where it's supposed to be and he said it was fluctuating too much, the "ripple" reading was changing around crazy fast. Now I'm thinking that doesn't really matter and I'm fine, but he also said that if I didn't get it fixed it would kill the battery I just replaced.

My question is this: is it normal for the ripple of the alternator to be changing around so fast? Do I really have a bad alternator? The main voltage reading stayed pretty stable at 13.9, but the ripple was not. What is an acceptable range for the ripple?

File: Mercedes-Benz-C-Class_US-Version-2015-1280-2d.jpg (198KB, 1280x960px) Image search: [Google]

198KB, 1280x960px

>>16002793
Are new Mercedes reliable?

Looking for a decent, reliable, but still fun car to go through college the next four years.
>four doors for insurance
>four bangers, six max
>manual tranny mandatory
>rear wheel drive vastly preferred
My only vehicle right now is a motorcycle, and I am kinda considering just getting a boring car. Have you got any ideas of what would be optimal?

2017 Genesis G80 dealer owner's demo for $38k out the door. V6 awd. Should I do it? I'd be paying $20k down plus $5k trade in and financing the rest just to build credit for 3 years. It has around 3k miles on it

>>16002987
Google it, I thought like 40v. Not sure.

>>16004050
Also it's called AC ripple cause it's non dc voltage fuckin your shit

Will shifting between OD and D while driving at higher speeds (30 or 40+ mph) cause any issues? I generally drive in OD, but if i want to pass someone on the highway, or speed up to get onto the highway, D would be better.

>Opel Astra H
>Yellow blinking light with the car and a wrench
>Internet says there is an immobilizer failure
>Also the click-to-lock/unlock buttons don't work even though I changed the battery so I have to lock/unlock manually

Is this something that I can fix myself without electronics knowledge or do I need to take the car or just the keys to the repairs service?

File: 1998_K2500_Turbo_Diesel_with_NV_4500.jpg (71KB, 600x450px) Image search: [Google]

71KB, 600x450px

Does anyone know the major differences between the GMT400 2500 and 3500? SRW 3500 for simplicity.

I used to have a configuration sheet but I must've lost it. IIRC it was mostly just the rear axle and maybe the transfer case were tougher on the 3500. I'm looking on forums and can't find much consensus.

Call me a retard if I sound like one but theoretically, assuming you had the space in the engine bay and it was the same configuration (FF, FR, RR) could you swap any carbed engine with any other one? I know for fuel injected engines you have to fuck around with the ECU and stuff like that, but a carbed engine swap should be fairly simple compared to that, right? And naturally a new transmission as well but I'm guessing that's less difficult than an engine.

>>16003925
Yes, that's a really nice car. Go for it buddy.

I have a new F-150 but I loathe the wheels, what are some good quality brands for wheels that aren't cheap garbage?

File: 20161015_121007.jpg (2MB, 4128x2322px)

2MB, 4128x2322px

How does rpm relate to fuel usage? Does it vary greatly depending on the car/engine? Assuming youre driving in perfect conditions (flat, level, and straight road, no wind resistance, etc.) how would an engine maintaining 3k rpm compare to the same one at 1.5k rpm?

File: 1474491687643.png (365KB, 513x467px)

365KB, 513x467px

>>16003806
Let the memeing commence

>>16004134
Jesus what the fuck

OD (overdrive) is just an extra gear, it's not a special power mode. Only use it when you're cruising at a constant speed on the highway and dont need to speed up or slow down. Otherwise just stick to "D"

File: 1473296684383.gif (2MB, 470x335px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 470x335px

>>16004886
RPM is rotations per minute, basically how hard your engine is working. The harder it works, the more fuel it consumes. It also depends on what gear you're in. Let's say two cars are going the same speed, one is in first and the other is in second. The engine in second is spinning slower than the one in first, because its a bigger gear, thus a lower rpm. I'm not sure if I answered your question completely, but I hope that this helps.

>>16004298
Bad relay perhaps. Does the immobilizer still work, or is the light just coming on?

File: IMG_20161015_141500.jpg (199KB, 1080x528px)

199KB, 1080x528px

Can anyone identify the bumper pic related? I just found it in the woods behind my house, I think it was in a tree that fell down.

File: P_20160124_162210_HDR.jpg (3MB, 4096x2304px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4096x2304px

This isn't a typical question, but I'm curious: How do you guys justify spending money on upgrades for your cars? Id love to slap some new wheels and some better suspension parts on my legacy, but I bought the thing for ony $1000.. not to mention everything works fine and it only has 110k miles.

>>16005303

Buy cheap craigslist shit.

Wheels are not hard to find on CL. Suspension bits may be harder since pretty much everyone goes for WRX/STi stuff.

Just drive it like it is and enjoy it. Or sell it and get a WRX/Legacy GT.

What's the best way to clean a carb? I already took it off and cleaned it and it still isn't working right, I suppose I need to give it another shot.

I used carb cleaner and a toothbrush. I've read about soaking carbs. Can I just spray carb cleaner in a tub and soak it in there? Will it fuck up plastic/rubber? I suppose I could line a container with aluminum foil or something. I don't have anything but plastic and cardboard. Would garbage bags or grocery bags work?

>>16005303
Personally I make my decisions on how much the upgrades would offer vs how much just buying a better car would cost. I don't own any vehicle I really care about so I've usually left them pretty stock. If I ever restore something I'm sure I'll upgrade that long before I would decide to sell.

My pop ups won't go down on their on own any idea where to start looking?

>>16005416
Craigslist is a good idea, is there anything in particular i should watch out for with wheels when buying used?

File: impala.jpg (27KB, 800x243px)

27KB, 800x243px

>>16005115
googled a while but can't say I found a specific car. It's most likely from the 1950-60s and the logo outline is from the chevy impala, but none I found matched the look of that (I'm guessing) rear bumper you got there

File: CjEmQbPWsAAKJGu.jpg (28KB, 600x435px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 600x435px

Just want a bit of advice on a car journey I'll need to take soon (I'm a relatively new driver).

I have a university interview at Leeds, I live near Crawley (both UK). I need to be in Leeds at 11am and will leave at 4:30pm. Do you think it is reasonable to do that trip in one day, or should I bite the bullet and just pay for the £100 train journey?

Anyone know if a 2008 Mercury Mariner hybrid has an alternator or Ford Escape(samething)? I can't seem to find one and was wondering if the electric motor charged the 12v battery like it does the big battery. Thanks in advance.

>>16004941
>I generally drive in OD
Thanks for not reading my post before replying

>>16005852
Thanks, 50-60'sChevy would make sense, I found out there used to be a farmers vehicle graveyard of sorts nearby, guy was a diehard Chevy fanatic.

File: hero-renzi[1].jpg (697KB, 1920x1080px) Image search: [Google]

697KB, 1920x1080px

What car is this? I know it's a lambo but what kind?

>>16006290
How many miles is it? It all depends also on how much you value your time

>>16006495
But why not just drive in D the whole time? You don't get any added benefit from doing 30-40 in overdrive, and if you want to feel like Takumi by shifting by hand, get a manual. Stick to D and let the car shift for you until you're cruising on the highway, then maybe pin it in overdrive.

>>16006912
aventador superveloce roadster

About to buy an Evo, wanted one since I was a kid and finally saved up a good chunk of money. I know next to nothing about wrenching/self maintenance and I want to treat the thing right or at the very least keep it in good shape.

Any tips on where to learn how to upkeep your own cars?

>>16006290
sounds like you wanna drive it. drive that shit.

Anyone know of a good way to remove an axel nut? I've tried a breaker bar and was literally standing on it.

>>16004134
no issues. its fine. perfectly good use of your tranny. no more wear than your tranny automatically shifting between the other gears it uses. drive how you want

>>16007166
Find a forum dedicated to your car, it will likely have a shitton of user guides and advice.

do turbo builds have to be expensive? i get that an aftermarket ECU, BOV, turbines and an intercooler will cost almost 2000$

am i missing something?

>>16006290
Consider a few things:
Driving Negatives:
-staying awake
-is your car reliable
-sitting in traffic sucks
-price of fuel
-return trip might be exhausting
Positives:
+blasting music
+sense of freedom (stop if/when you want etc)
+driving in the whee hours of the morning is comfy

Train:
-possibly boring
-more expensive
+you can sleep whenever


Personally I would drive and do some fun shit on the way back.

>>16002987
before getting technical I'll give you the real world, what to actually do answer.

just drive that shit. batteries generally come with an unlimited 1 or 2 yearish warranty. which means that if it goes, you can return it for a free replacement even if it was due to a faulty regulator... your own negligence, whatever. I've done this. they're not gonna go out and test your car to see whose fault it was... hence "unlimited" warranty.

as far as the technical.... I dunno
>>16004050
40v? not sure what the fuck this guy is talking about. also not sure why you can't replace just the regulator but I'll take your word.
the reason your not getting a straight forward answer here is that its a weird question. Generally, alternators either work or they don't, and if the regulator goes, you either don't get close to proper output, or your battery over charges and you smell a weird smell and you battery dies immediately.
these are the normal symptoms for a bad regulator... not some autozone guy talking about ripple. he may be right, but you got nothing to lose by trying it out on a new battery, like I explained. your alternator itself is generally working,

>>16002793
What is the CFM output from one of the AMG GTs turbos, at peak?
What about the W222 S65 AMG?

How efficient are their intercoolers at peak?

>>16007207
next step.... get a 3 or 4 foot pipe, put it around breaker bar, then stand on that shit and bounce.... much more leverage... you can usually get it like that. if not, try to think of a friend who is either heavy or has air tools

>>16007278
I'll try putting on another pipe I have laying around. I weigh 210 btw

>>16007222
danke.

File: 1461245249431.jpg (105KB, 1280x800px)

105KB, 1280x800px

Anyone knows a for sure reason why a car's a/c would blow warmer during the day but cold as fuck at night? Been doing research and haven't found a definite answer as to why my car does this. Also how much would it cost to fix?

SN: My in-cabin air circulation button turns on, flashes, then turns back off. I don't know if that pertains to the problem stated above but it's something I noticed as well. Thanks in advance guys!

>>16002987
An alternator makes AC voltage your car works on DC voltage. The regulater (rectifier) converts the AC to DC. Yes this will kill your new battery. Will also cause other problems; such as flickering eletronics. But as another anon said.. your new battery will have a warrenty. If you tight on cash just leave it and fix it when u can.

File: Galant is kill.jpg (63KB, 960x720px)

63KB, 960x720px

>>16006290
clean your windshield on the inside if it has any dirt at all.
make sure to stop in between and think about what you're doing if weather conditions are not right and stop for coffee and doughnuts if you're getting tired.
>"but i don't drink coffee"
you will start drinking it when you get a job or during exams. might as well start now

don't end up like my galant

>>16003806
Anon euro tech here. I work at a indy euro shop. We dont get to fix the new stuff thats still under warrenty, but I will say that they have gotten so cheap looking. Plastic drain plugs and oil pans. Ya thats never gunna cause a problem.

File: foam blaster.jpg (64KB, 1280x720px) Image search: [Google]

64KB, 1280x720px

i want to buy a foam washer. anybody know of a good one thats a "2 in 1"? that would be a regualr water hose nozzle and it would have a second piece that is a adaptor to make it a foam gun

so i could use it as a foam gun first then remove the second piece and it would then be a water nozzle alone


anyone have pic related from chemical goys?

>>16003806
no,no and no

i used to work at a MB dealership for 5yrs. its a hit or miss with mercedes

>>16007298
maybe your freon level is low. nights are always colder then the day. hopefully you dont have a AC leak in your car because AC repairs are expensive but of course prices depend on make and model of your car and the shop you bring it to

>>16007288
you'll get that shit then. hit with penetrating oil the day before to increase you chances. and have a big breakfast.

>>16007019
Because the highway runs through the entire town, and the limit is usually at least 15 higher than the other roads. Its also the only road maintained worth a shit, so i drive on it far more than the side roads

>>16007327
Should get better as the last of the Daimler-Chrysler trash dies out.

>>16003882
focus

>>16007440
Seconded. The newer Focus are nice cars.

There's not really anything good, new-ish, and relatively cheap with 4 doors besides the FR-S and RX-8.

Even if you have 70k to spend, you can't get much of a new 4 door RWD car that's good. That segment is just riddled with awful cars now days.

so a couple months ago i bought an integra gsr that burns and/or leaks oil. this morning i checked the oil, the dipstick said there was literally no oil in it, this being about a month after filling it up to full the first time. anyways, i filled it up with roughly 3 liters, which i figured should be close to full. tonight i check the dipstick, and the fucker says it's at DOUBLE the max fill line. what the fuck

my friend says it might be that the oil tank isn't fitted properly? can anyone confirm/deny pls

>>16007333
Thank you!

>>16007327
I currently work for Mercedes.

They're reliable, provided you service it with Mercedes.

You need to understand how much of the vehicle has been replaced with software programming, it's mind-blowing how much mechanical equipment has been replaced with software.

The purpose is that any environmental circumstances the engineers find might have an adverse effect on the vehicle, can be adapted with programming to avoid damage in those circumstances.

If you merely get your vehicle serviced by a third party shop, they can't update the programming.

Say Mercedes engineers determine that at certain temperatures the engines timing reacts in a bad way and starts running the engine too hot/cold.
The engineers will adapt the software to account for that, which then gets released to Mercedes service centers worldwide.

If you go to a mercedes service location, no problems, the software is updated and the issue is stopped before it can cause an issue.

If you go to a basic garage, your vehicle doesn't get adapted, and you will experience those failures they were trying to adapt the vehicle to avoid.

North American vehicles don't get this issue, simply because of how crude they are. No caveman ever worried about updating their stone axe.

As other manufacturers catch up, they too will suffer the effect of worrying about adapting software to keep the vehicle operating within specs.

File: sad pepe.jpg (10KB, 263x192px)

10KB, 263x192px

>>16007638
i guess it depends on where you live. i live in NYC so the cars we have here are POS. i met guys who worked at dealers in long island and new jersey and have told me the work they did in NYC is nothing like where they came from. in rich areas they always work on new cars compared to NYC where some people try to take care of the old beaters they got and the city streets are mean to cars with all the pot holes.

but you are correct. they are reliable as long as the dealership fixes them not some random shop. i'v seen shops put double seals on the oil filter housing and drain plug and my favorite which is putting directional brake pads in the wrong place. i miss working with mercedes but the auto industry is a very shit field full of greed. i miss going to thier school in montvale, NJ, watching vidoes on learning and performance. pls hold me fellow anon

>>16007594... yeah... I can deny
few things... the "oil tank" is not a thing
.... the dipstick does not go all the way to the bottom of the oil pan , you could have like 2/3 the right amount of oil and it wouldn't show up on the dipstick. so you had oil in the engine, then you added a shit ton of oil, now you have too much,
car is probably fine. drain oil till your at the right mark.

>>16002793
ugh, finally

>what new windshield wiper blades should i buy?

>is harmon kardon on a BMW any good? I don't care about looking Elliot tier

>should I get a spare set of winter tires now that it's raining like a bitch (currently wearing summers) and if so should I get a second set of wheels for them? what's the usual thing to do here? I have a garage to store the wheels in.

>>16005460
Anyone? The leeds faggot got like 4 replies why not this?

>>16007848
Any

Don't know care

Yes, get dirt cheap steelies for your snow shoes and keep your rims nice 4 spring

Bought a used car off a dealership.
As soon as I drove off the lot the service engine light came on. I shit you not. How fucked am i?

>>16007986
Carbs destroy the environment, anon. We don't support those.

I've got a white Holden Cruze and everytime I wash my I notice faint yellow spots on it while it's still wet. If I put some pressure on it I can get most of it off but I never seem to completely scrub it off. What is it and is there an easy way to get rid of it?

>>16007986
Soaking it in a plastic tub is fine. Just leave it for 2 hours

>>16002793
My Tesla wont start because it says it needs software update and my son tried to install a game in my car and the virus in his flash drive fucked my car's OS. What do?

>>16008449
Go to vatozone
Free code read
Evaluate level of fucked

Prob just a downpipe O2 sensor or something

>>16008449
Also your gas cap might be loose

>>16007594
Your friend is talking about stuff he doesn't understand. On most of my cars, the dipstick only shows the first quart. For what it's worth, next time if the dipstick is completely dry, add a quart and check before going apeshit

How well can a 80hp vehicle go uphill with around 4 people inside?

Anyone here tint their own windows? How'd it look after a few months? How was it/was it difficult? I understand it'll come out better to get pros to do it but I just want to learn. Might car mods is making it look way easier than I think it will be.

>>16009741
Absolutely fine unless your car is fucked. There are 3500-4000 lb cars today put down 100whp and they run fine.

how often should i change my engine oil? 300k+ 4.8L v8 running full synthetic? 4k km or? thanks

Best SUV or minivan to live in? Sorry.

>winter average 20-40
>snow conditions
>mountain conditions
>city/suburb stealth needed
>need a bikerack on the back
>low budget (2-6k)
>average 80-90 summer, low humidity

File: ionredline.jpg (36KB, 500x332px) Image search: [Google]

36KB, 500x332px

What do you fags think about Ion Redlines? I've been looking at one around my area and i wanted to know your opinion on it.
https://www.nlclassifieds.com/Automotive-Cars-Saturn-2005-Saturn-Ion-Redline-Marystown-Newfoundland-NLCId2064297

Why do drift cars have big ass wings at the back even professional ones, surely you want less grip at the back or is it used to pull it out the corner?

I'm working on a KA24e and we got it to start but then it sputtered to a stop after a few seconds then wouldn't make combustion again. Any idea where to look next for what's causing it?

File: IMG_0389.jpg (1MB, 3264x2448px)

1MB, 3264x2448px

>>16002793
Anyone ever install an aftermarket radio in a 79 Trans am? If so can someone walk me through the installation because I'm awful at wiring shit. Pic is of the radio cables in my Trans am.

>>16011364
They're basically a cobalt SS supercharged. You wanna spend the extra money and get a cobalt SS turbo

>>16011364
Just bought that one from Raleigh last week.

Looks like crap but damn it's pretty fast for a $3k car. I like it. But it's my first stick car so I'm not sure you'd care about my opinion lol.

>>16011699
Thanks, it doesn't look that bad for me, Just something about it catches my eye. How do you feel about the gauges being in the middle? Is it inconvenient?

I've seen videos of super powerful Toyota supras overtaking lambos and ferraris on highways. Can you really mod a 'normal' car to out perform a super car like that, or is it just straight line speed? I tried racing a heavily modded Supra in Forza 4 and found that it was terribly overpowered and had no traction.

File: Red_Ferrari_F430_Spider_steering_wheel.jpg (2MB, 3264x2448px)

2MB, 3264x2448px

>>16002793
is the wank over manual transmission just nostalgia or is there something detrimental about automatic paddle shifts

File: 1425347116982.gif (266KB, 400x400px) Image search: [Google]

266KB, 400x400px

Why do turbo cars blow a puff of black smoke on shifts/launch etc.

my googlefu is giving me a few results saying its running rich and fuel is left unburnt when coming off throttle

>>16007816
>>16009724
lol thanks guys. yeah i really fucked it up, didn't know the dipstick was only about a quart. i drained a good amount out so i should be good now. bit of a costly mistake, but at least i'll remember in the future. makes me happy that it isnt burning nearly as much oil as i thought it was either

>>16012774
you just have to assume the car knows best

>>16012774
they physically feel better to drive.

>>16012591
probably just because they were on highways. drop a hellcat engine in a shitty civic and itll beat a lot of stuff on a straight road. try it on a track (without any other modifications besides the swap) and youll either lose, die, or both

>>16012774
driving manual these days is just a dick waving contest. automatics used to be much slower than manuals, but auto is much faster than manual now so there's no point to it aside from maybe saving a thousand dollars on sticker price.

>>16003925
>3k miles on it
>2017 MY
>The year is still 2016

Do people not research before buying a car?

>>16013340
Fuck me I'm stupid. Did not read the entire post.

>>16013340
>I have no idea what a model year actually means

>>16013261
How much could you modify it to perform better on a track? It seems like eventually you'd run into problems with the shitty aerodynamics of the body.

2007 honda fit.
hit curb like an idiot (front left wheel) , side wall has SMALL tear.
not going flat , and if i look under the tear, i see just rubber. do i need to change my tires ?

it's not very deep

>>16002793
my car front breaks squeal when I'm not applying the brakes, it has happened for the past couple of weeks but I work pretty solid so I havent had a chance to get it serviced

does this mean the pads are worn and it's on the wear pad or are my breaks out of alignment

it was the FR for a while now it's the FL

>I drive a FWD sedan

>>16014166
Don't use goo. You can most likely find a small local shop that will repair it for less than $20. You'll be happy you did.

>>16014564
Brake cylinder on the wheel could be sticking.

Hey /o/ I'm having trouble diagnosing an issue...

My brother has an 03 montero sport and it eats through radiators whenever its driven for more than 30 or 40 miles at a time. Clearly this points to an overheating issue...

The other thing is it steadily drains coolant. I don't mean leaking, I mean that it feels like it's all getting evaporated because radiator is running too hot.

So that narrows it down to maybe 3 things for me.
>bad water pump
>a thermostat?
>the dreaded head gasket

Anything else I'm missing? And how do I go about diagnosing?

I already looked through the coolant and didn't see any oil in it, but on occasion I'll get white smoke out of the exhaust, which kind of leans me towards the head gasket. I just want to know for sure before I do/pay for an engine rebuild and find out that it was a much simpler problem

>>16014564
put the car in neutral, brick the tires so they don't roll away on you, and boost the car up (if fwd boost up front if rwd boost up back) and try to spin the tires with your hand. see if one tire is much more resistant to spinning than the other. If so, it is indeed a brake sticking. Go from there.

File: BLkr81Dgfg1.jpg (350KB, 1080x1082px) Image search: [Google]

350KB, 1080x1082px

Any reasons not to buy an E92 33i c?

>>16014692
335i*

>>16014567
i've heard they won't touch side wall damage it that true

What is bettet for a first car..

CTS or 350z

t-the cts is 'easier' to drive rite?...

>>16014715
The 350z is plenty easy to drive, just in a really lame way. It's basically a muscle car without any muscle.

>>16014739
Anything else i should consider, maybe cheaper? Not really into mx5s so i was looking at shit like minis, tsx, old ass c320/230, scion tc, lancer, accord...

>>16014771
You can get an RX-8 for stupidly cheap for what they are. A 2009+ is best and going to be much more reliable, though. Those are the best value.

Otherwise something like an older WRX, but reliability. Idk. There's not many good cars at all from like 2005-2010 that were worth a shit. Those were dark times. Maybe something older like an E46?

>>16014783
How bout 12' Genesis/10' Challenger/11' A4..

Id have to push the budget but

>>16014801
V6 Genesis, right?
That and the Challenger are alright.
The A4 is underpowered as fuck in America. Why pay 3 times as much for something that's inferior in every way to the RX8 besides the fuel economy?

>>16014804
Yea v6 (itd have to be 2010 tho), i guess between the genesis and the challenger id go genesis.

>>16014839
The v6 Genesis is a better car than the 350z/370z. I have no idea how their reliability and shit is, though.

Nissan is so good at fucking up.

Does anyone have a UK version of the cheap first/used cars infographic in the sticky