narcimund 0 #26 October 15, 2005 Quotea good family run independant shop might be good for you I tried a similar suggestion above. It's pointless to try. People who go to lousy cheap corporate chains are addicted. They bitch and whine but they argue that it's the only thing available and keep going back. There's no point. People who know better know better and the others never will. First Class Citizen Twice Over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #27 October 15, 2005 Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Reply To -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- your brake fluid should never need flushed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not true. If air has gotten into the brake lines due to a bad seal on the caliper, it requires flushing to eliminate contaminents and air bubbles. I agree that a simple brake pad change, by itself shouldn't create a need for flushing. Also not true.... you dont need to FLUSH (i.e removed from the system and replaced) the Brake fluid if you have air in the system - you just need to BLEED them. On the other hand Brake Fluid is hygroscopic, so if it ever gets contaminated with water, it needs to be replaced, (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jman 0 #28 October 15, 2005 So basically auto mechanics just moved into the number 2 spot of professions i hate, still behind lawyers, and now ahead of insurance agents/adjusters/workers I would put auto salesman above auto mechanics on the list. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #29 October 15, 2005 QuoteQuote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Reply To -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- your brake fluid should never need flushed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not true. If air has gotten into the brake lines due to a bad seal on the caliper, it requires flushing to eliminate contaminents and air bubbles. I agree that a simple brake pad change, by itself shouldn't create a need for flushing. Also not true.... you dont need to FLUSH (i.e removed from the system and replaced) the Brake fluid if you have air in the system - you just need to BLEED them. On the other hand Brake Fluid is hygroscopic, so if it ever gets contaminated with water, it needs to be replaced, Which is why the fluid needs to be replaced. Any leaking seal is very likely due to contaminated brake fluid because of moisture in the system. Also, flexible brake hoses deteriorate over time, and should be inspected as part of an annual safety check. But internal rust-which can't be seen-can also cause brake parts to fail. That rust can form because conventional brake fluid absorbs moisture from the atmosphere over time. Rust inside the brake system can eventually clog brake fluid passages, can cause fluid valves to stick, or cause seal failure. Rust-induced pitting inside master cylinder and wheel cylinders is a major cause of leaks. Rust can also eat away metal brake lines from the inside, leading to a rupture. Such a rupture can cause the instantaneous loss of more than half of a car's braking effectiveness, or cause uneven, skid-induced braking. Many hydraulic system problems can be prevented. If people would flush and replace their brake fluid annually as part of their regular preventive maintenance, they'd avoid a lot of headaches. Hardly anyone does this, but it should be common practice. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #30 October 15, 2005 Quote Any leaking seal... Wouldn't you see evidence of this on your driveway?We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #31 October 16, 2005 QuoteQuote Any leaking seal... Wouldn't you see evidence of this on your driveway? Sure, but by then it's to late. First sign is the brake pedal becomes "spongy" and losses pressure after being applied. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freethefly 6 #32 October 16, 2005 You're fucking yourself if you take a car to a mechanic for anything. Buy a manual, preferably a Chilton Manual, read it and do the work yourself and save your money for skydiving. GODDAMN IT! BE A MAN! You should be able to build a 350 chevy with your eyes closed. Didn't you learn anything in your teenage years or were you to busy learning crap that you have never used. Come on, which one is it. Anyways, buy yourself the book and a Craftsman mechanic tool set and an assortment of testing devices. As far as the antifreeze goes, that should be done every fall. Antifreeze is cheap and you can change it yourself and dispose of the old at any parts shop. On the brake fluid, check what the car manufactuer suggest and follow that. Unless the brakes felt differant or the fluid was turning dark, then there was no reason for a "brake fluid flush" (sounds like a gimmick to snare those with no car knowledge)."...And once you're gone, you can't come back When you're out of the blue and into the black." Neil Young Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #33 October 17, 2005 QuoteIf people would flush and replace their brake fluid annually as part of their regular preventive maintenance, well said. if peeps would just flush ALL the fluids once a year, they would have ALOT less problems with a car in general. what is amazing is, not changing your oil can even cause parts of your car's suspension to fail! not changing oil causes oil leaks, oil leaks onto ANY rubber part of the car RUIN the rubber. not flushing fluids ie: power steering, coolant, trans fluid, brake fluid... causes moisture/debris,and or rust or just wear from the parts they are lubricating, to contaminate the fluid. which in turn causes leaks, which causes all sorts of other problems... peeps always think they are getting fucked, only because they know that there mechanic knows about there car and they dont. well that isnt the mechanic's fault. thats yours. if you dont trust the mecanic you are having your car worked on by, then you are at fault. dont blame them for your ignorance. educate yourself, or find a mechanic YOU trust... it seems it is the american way to ALWAYS blame someone else for there shortcomings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #34 October 17, 2005 While I'm not disagreeing with changing the fluids, I would like to hear how NOT changing fluids causes leaks. If there was a leak, it would leak regardless of the fluid being new or old. As a matter of fact, most oil pan / tranny pan leaks happen AFTER fluid changes, due to either not replacing pan gaskets or fucking them up.Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #35 October 17, 2005 QuoteWhile I'm not disagreeing with changing the fluids, I would like to hear how NOT changing fluids causes leaks. If there was a leak, it would leak regardless of the fluid being new or old. As a matter of fact, most oil pan / tranny pan leaks happen AFTER fluid changes, due to either not replacing pan gaskets or fucking them up. most leaks are caused by contamination. if you would like to come sit and look at every car i work on all day, and make a study out of it, your welcome to.. granted, there are other reasons why fluid leaks, but the most common is contamination eating away at the seals and or making them "hard" so they dont seal anymore. drop something rubber in gasoline, and watch it change shape. cars that use internal combustion engines with gasoline have to change oil because of contamination. if there wasnt any, you could chang your oil every 15,000 miles and be fine. this is also why stop and go traffic requires you to change oil more often. also, engines that use "natural gas" dont need there oil changes as much because it is a "cleaner" fuel. also, all fluids "even coolant" lubricate some parts in some way shape or form. if the lubricant wanst there the parts would seize. well these parts wear even with the fluid, and the debris from the wear contaminates the fluid also, which in turn can cause leaks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #36 October 17, 2005 Ok, that makes more sense....thank you! I see what you meant, now...Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,026 #37 October 17, 2005 Quotemost leaks are caused by contamination. And the rest are caused because the car is British? (Thus spake an MG owner).... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StreetScooby 5 #38 October 17, 2005 Quote And the rest are caused because the car is British? The worst luck I've ever had with a car was a Porsche 914. Guess it was confused who its Daddy was (...am I a VW or a Porsche).We are all engines of karma Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #39 October 17, 2005 QuoteQuotemost leaks are caused by contamination. And the rest are caused because the car is British? (Thus spake an MG owner). i think mg's and jag's were designed to leak, you can reseal any leak on those cars, just to have them leak again in 5 miles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wsinsel 0 #40 October 18, 2005 I have owned and operated an auto repair shop with a parts store, including a heavy equipment and diesel repair facility all my life and I have seen and heard all kinds stories about other places. Sometimes you can be outright ripped off and other times you just have to chalk it up to misinformation on the part of the owner. For the most truth never go to a chain type store for any service. You are begging to be screwed by their lack of experienced mechanics because of their constant turnover rate. Also, they will put every freekin part imaginable on your car to sell the part. They work from sales quota's and commissions. The rest of the time they tell you they change parts and never did so. We work in a small community and all of our customers have known us all their lives. We are the only place in the town, hell, in the county to get some things done, like diesel and tractor repair. People trust us because we don't screw them. We give them bids and estimates and show them all the old parts and keep them informed of any changes as the work progresses and give them the option of decision making along the way. Not all shops are dishonest. I see very little accurate or good advice here. Not to discount our fellow skydivers and would-be mechanics but I would give anyone who writes me sound advice and book times and common practices and maybe even tell ya when they're screwin ya. Bottom line is, find an independent mechanic with a clean shop and a clean location. Ask questions and ask for your old parts. If you find you can trust him, build a rapport with him by being a regular customer. You are much less likely to be screwed, and by the way, don't be the whiney, bitchy, argumentative asshole either. Even I feel compelled to pork those types. Be nice and go back. You'll be suprised how well it works and it can even turn into a system where you get free diagnosis of the problem, no matter what you decide to do. We do just that for our regulars. wsinsel@hotmail.com"It's very important at this point that you don't simply become a passenger." Flight instructor Dennis Anderson speaking about life and crosswind landings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks 0 #41 October 18, 2005 QuoteI see very little accurate or good advice here. and how long have you been doing this? c'mon,.. maybe im missunderstanding what you said. QuoteNot to discount our fellow skydivers and would-be mechanics your not discounting me, ive got YEARS of experience. im not a "would be" tech. actually I assist engineers of a MAJOR auto manufacturer on how to diagnose some of the problems "they" designed. but im thinking i must have missunderstood what you said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wsinsel 0 #42 October 18, 2005 I never said I didn't see ANY good advice. I said I see very little. I did like your advice. I don't mean to discount your post. I've been in heavy equipment for 34 years and have 11 years as service manager in a heavy truck shop, 8 years as a heavy equipment tech(ag and oil field), 15 years in our own business. Sorry, you must have misunderstood me."It's very important at this point that you don't simply become a passenger." Flight instructor Dennis Anderson speaking about life and crosswind landings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #43 October 19, 2005 Quote I never said I didn't see ANY good advice. I said I see very little. I did like your advice. I don't mean to discount your post. I've been in heavy equipment for 34 years and have 11 years as service manager in a heavy truck shop, 8 years as a heavy equipment tech(ag and oil field), 15 years in our own business. Sorry, you must have misunderstood me. Can you be more specific? What advice given did you consider good or bad? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UntamedDOG 0 #44 October 19, 2005 Read the manual that came with your car. It should include a maintenance schedule. Cross reference that with what your mechanic is telling you, then decide for yourself if you want to have the work done on your car. There are plenty of internet forums if you have a specific question about your car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
