MECHANIC'S CORNER: Chevy Optra Repair & Fix

Chevrolet Optra on the lifter

This week a Chevrolet Optra came in the shop where the driver was complaining about noises from the front wheels and other issues. So the owner had the car get checked out in the shop.

Upon inspection, it showed that there is much wear and tear on the unit. A lot of the bearings as well as stabilizer joints and other portions of the suspension needs to be replaced.

Also it was seen by the mechanic that  the engine was leaking into the oil pan. Having such, there is a need to replace the overhead gasket on the engine to stop the leaking and avoid further damage to the car's engine. A minor fix and no need for an engine overhaul.

This is one perfect example of how regular maintenance is an important aspect in keeping your car running for a long period of time. If you avoid the basic minimal maintenance it might reach a point where you will have to spend more on having your car repaired in the future. So please don't disregard basic maintenance as well as having your unit checked upon observation of anything out of the ordinary like unusual handling or noises upon using your vehicle.

Oil Pan with the leaked oil

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Kia Picanto

Kia Picanto being inspected

This week another Kia Picanto came in the shop with complaints of noise when driving his car. Once again we placed the unit on the lifter for inspection and just like previous experience, a good portion of the muffler has been missing and the remaining portion is barely hanging on.

In this manner, repair is done by replacing the missing portion with a metal tube that would fit the existing tail pipe. To secure the fit, the new tube would have to be welded to fuse the new and old tail pipe together.

Instances like this is caused by normal wear and tear of the unit due to it's prolonged use where the rust and other corrosive materials eat away at the metal which causes leaks and ultimately portions of the tail pipe falling off. Sometimes these things cannot be avoided and instances like this are part of one's maintenance to keep the car running.

Welding the Picanto Tail Pipe

MECHANIC'S CORNER: A Rattling Surplus

Unit being hoisted by the lifter for inspection

This week a surplus Hyundai Terracan came in the shop having rattling issues beneath the vehicle while being driven. So we lifted up the unit and inspected the possible causes of the rattle and found out that the worn-out underarm and bushings were the culprits.

Due to the fact that it was a surplus and the wear and tear of the vehicle over the years, certain parts has given way causing the rattling as it can no longer properly support the weight of the vehicle.

The proper solution is to replace the underarm along with the bushings. Unfortunately since the unit is a surplus, no spare parts are available in the market especially for this kind of model where only a handful of this type of car is running on the street. Therefore in the end, only the bushings were replaced and not much can be done for it.

Damaged Underarm to be replaced

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Mobile Laboratory

Mobile Laboratory being inspected

This week a mobile laboratory from Alpha Diagnostic Center came in with an issue with their air-conditioning unit. There is no air coming out. Upon inspection it was found out that the aircon compressor is busted and needs to be replaced.

So upon replacement, everything is working perfectly. A simple fix for this week's edition of Mechanic's Corner.

Have a great weekend ahead!

Newly installed compressor

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Ford Everest Maintenance

Draining the oil

This week a Ford Everest from the Basilica del Sto. Niño came in the shop for a regular maintenance which involves a change oil as well as replacing the timing belt with a new one.

The role of a timing belt is crucial as this connects the engine to the other components that make up the car, for instance the alternator, compressor, etc. In the event that the timing belt snaps, this is bad news since this will damage your engine instantaneously. Not only that, it will also cost a lot to have this type of engine damage to be repaired as it will entail a general overhaul of the engine.

So to be safe, have your timing belt inspected regularly, and in case you notice and cracks or the belt becoming brittle, don't waste any time and have it replaced before more damage is done.

Timing belt to be replaced

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Hyundai Getz Rattling Noise

Hyundai Getz gets inspected

This week a Hyundai Getz comes in the shop and the lady is complaining about smoke coming from beneath the car as well as rattling noise when driving the vehicle. When we placed the unit on the lifter and inspected it, we found that the rust on the muffler has done it's work and has cut through it.

Damaged muffler caused by the rust

Seeing the damage, the remedy is simple. It's just a matter of welding the muffler back to it's original position and problem solved!

MECHANICS' CORNER: Honda City Maintenance

Where spark plugs would be removed and install the new ones

This week a Honda City came in the shop for a basic maintenance, having a tune-up and a change oil. This is important to keep the vehicle's engine in good condition and running for years to come. In addition, having a car that is well maintained allows it to run smoothly and efficiently.

Image of Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil, Oil Filter and Spark Plug

Here, the owner requested for a synthetic oil to be used upon changing the oil. Now typically, this is not common standard as utilizing synthetic oil is much more expensive up to P1,000 - P2,000 more than the regular oil. The upside to this is that synthetic oil last longer, in the sense that you can run your vehicle longer distances prior to changing your oil once again. This is usually advisable for high-end vehicles (as specified by the manual) as well as those vehicles that are used frequently and travel long distances.

Over-all, we cannot highly emphasize the importance of a simple change oil and regular maintenance. It is always better to spend a little on maintenance than spend a lot on repairing or even replacing a damaged portion of the car.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Mitsubishi Pajero Alternator

Installing the new alternator

This week a Mitsubishi Pajero (Surplus) came in the shop and had an issue with the irratic charging rate of the alternator, in which sometimes it charges the battery and sometimes it doesn't.

Diagnosing and repairing electrical and alternators is a tricky thing as there are numerous factors especially with dealing with surplus units from Japan where the vehicle is converted from right hand drive to left hand drive. Given such, the wiring is also tricky to diagnose as it does not follow the typical set-up of those vehicles that are originally left hand drive.

In any matter, the simplest fix to the problem is to replace the alternator with a new one and observe whether the issue still persists. Luckily, replacing the alternator fixed the issue.

Oftentimes in mechanical work, it is not a sure thing but rather more like a trial and error by eliminating one cause unto the next to find the solution to the problem.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Toyota Hilux Transmission Problem

Hilux on the lifter for pull-down of transmission

This week a Toyota Hilux came in the shop having an issue with the lack of responsiveness of the pick-up when shifting gears. Obviously this is a transmission problem and is easily fixed by replacing a few parts within the transmission.

So in order to begin the repairs, it is necessary to pull-down the transmission and disassemble it in order to reach the necessary parts to be replaced.

As seen in the image below: is the clutch disc, clutch brake and clutch pressure (highlighted in red) which is the usual culprits for replacement as it gets worn out over time and heavy use. Once these parts are replaced with new one's, the transmission would be put back together and installed.

Image of the propeller shaft, flywheel and clutch disc assembly to be replaced

When driving your car please be vigilant with any noise, smell or other signs that may alert you that something is wrong with your vehicle. At your utmost convenience, have your vehicle inspected by a professional. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Happy Driving!

Note: When having your vehicle inspected and it seems that the mechanic or shop is providing you with a high expense for the repair other than your initial concern, you can always opt for a second opinion by dropping by another shop and asking for their view. You never know that a fix to your problem is something very small and have minimal costs.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Isuzu D-Max Power Window Problem

Checking the wiring of the power window

This week a 2012 Isuzu D-Max came in complaining that the rear left power window was not functioning. So to diagnose the problem, the side panel of the door was removed to reveal the power window mechanism as seen on the picture.

The first thing that was inspected was the wiring and whether there was a supply of current to the power window. Upon inspection, it was found that there was no problem with the wiring.

The next step was to check the motor itself. There seems to be no physical damage but once the mechanic started banging on it, the motor began to operate. Based on experience, dirt may accumulate in the motor which would hamper it's operations. So banging on the motor would shake loose the dirt and allow it to work like normal.

Motor is dirty and just needs to be shaken loose

Cleaning the rubber channel

Provided that the root cause of the problem was the dirt that accumulated, cleaning the motor along with the rubber channel of the window was done to remedy the situation. As seen above, the motor was shaken loose of dirt and the picture below shows the mechanic cleaning the interiors of the channel utilizing a WD-40 solution to make the window clean and operate smoothly.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Toyota Avanza Aircon Cleaning

Removing dashboard to make way to clean the aircon

This summer aircon maintenance is an important thing to keep the cool air flowing in your vehicle as you drive around town.

This week a Toyota Avanza came in and had their aircon cleaned as part of their maintenance asides the fact that their aircon is not that cool anymore.

So the first step in cleaning the aircon is to remove the dashboard to reach the evaporator located behind it as seen below. Upon doing so, the freon will be drained and will be replaced including the o-rings, expansion valves and other small parts after the cleaning process has been completed.

Evaporator to be uninstalled for cleaning

Removing the evaporator

The process of cleaning the aircon is pretty simple from washing the condenser, evaporator and compressor with flowing water as well as spraying air through the filters to make sure all the dust and dirt is removed. However cleaning the aircon is a lengthy process as many portions of the vehicle would have to be removed and cleaned. On average it takes a whole day (6-8 hours) to fully clean the air-condition.

A clean air-condition unit not only guarantees cool air to flow in your car but also a clean and fresh air without the undesirable odor. So have your aircon scheduled for a cleaning before summer ends and before you get busy with dropping the kids to school.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Overheating Honda Civic

Checking Pressure on the Aircon System

The other week, a Honda Civic came in the shop having an issue with their aircon. One look and it was clear that there was a malfunction on the compressor. Seeing the problem, it was quickly resolved by installing a new compressor and voila cool air once again.

This week, the same unit came back and the owner said that the aircon is doing well except that now the car has a tendency of overheating.

Upon troubleshooting, it was diagnosed that the cause of the engine to overheat is a mistake in the wiring of the fan. Instead of operating in a clockwise motion, the fan was mistakenly wired to run in reverse.

Rewired Fan Wiring

In this regard, the fan operating in the opposite direction creates a lack of ventilation to the cooling system of the car which in turn causes the overheat. To fix the problem, we just rewired the fan to operate correctly.

On another note, it is quite possible that the fan's inability to operate properly may also be the reason that the aircon compressor may have malfunctioned a week prior to this incident. The heat generated due to the lack of air ventilation from the fan may have led to the compressor getting busted.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Leaking Brake Fluid

This week an early 2000 Honda Civic came in the shop with the complaint that there was fluid that was leaking in their garage. Taking a peek under the hood, it was seen that the brake master cylinder has a leak.

A master cylinder is a control device that converts non-hydraulic pressure (from a driver's foot) into hydraulic pressure.

Seeing as there is no damage to the master cylinder except for that small leak, the remedy to this problem is to fabricate a gasket to seal the leak. This was achieved by taking a rubberized material (designed for gasket use - as seen in the image at the right) and cut-out the shape that would make a snug fit to the leaking portion of the master cylinder.

Further inspection also showed that the leak was not only caused by the master cylinder but a leak was also found in one of the brake hoses. This problem is easily resolved by replacing the leaking hose with a new one.

In this modern times, it is common for mechanics to replace parts rather than repair them. However the art of repair is a skill that should not be overlooked and is still an effective and cost-efficient way of taking care of car problems today.

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Aircon cannot beat the heat!

This week a Chevy Aveo drove in the shop and had their aircon checked out. The owner said there was no cool air coming out from the vents.

Upon inspection, we found out that there was a leak with the aircon compressor. Now there are 2 options: (1) is to repair the compressor or (2) to replace the compressor. Provided the experience in dealing with aircon problems, the best option is to replace the compressor as to ensure it's longevity.

Yes, replacing a car part may have a higher cost but that would make the owner more confident that this problem would not arise soon. Unlike if the compressor was merely repaired just to make do, it cannot be guaranteed that it will last as long.

Chevrolet Aveo Aircon Compressor

MECHANIC'S CORNER: Engine Support Problem

This week we had a customer with an early 2000 Honda Civic who had a problem with his engine. The problem is that during idling the car would have intense vibrations and jerk at certain intervals especially when the aircon is operating. During inspection we found out that the engine support has cracks and is damaged.

A bad engine support is no good as it can cause the following problems:

     1) Engine Vibration
     2) Misalignment of the Engine
     3) Engine Damage
     4) Broken Belts and Hoses
     5) Excessive Noise

So if you experience any of these symptoms in your car it would be best, for the safety of you and your family, to have it checked and replaced by a mechanic in an auto repair shop near you.

For more details about the potential damage that can be caused by a damaged engine support, you can visit this link.



Photo courtesy: http://www.agcoauto.com/content/news/p2_articleid/271