Car Blog

Question: I have a 2002 jaguar s type, 4.0 L with the codes 705 and 125 coming up...what does this mean? Answer: P0125 - Insufficient Coolant Temperature for Closed Loop Fuel Control P0705 - Transmission Range Sensor Circuit Malfunction (PRNDL Input) These codes are generic OBDII codes from the following site... http://www.carclinicmagazine.com/fault_code_library.html I would guess from the first code your coolant sensor is shot, or the wiring is bad to the sensor.  The second one related to the transmission shifter location, which the sensor may be in the transmission or the console where the shifter is.  I don't have a Jaguar manual handy to tell you specifics.  Alldata repair manuals are an excellent source for this kind of specific info. http://www.autoeducation.com/alldata.htm

It's time to start ripping apart my latest project so what better time to test the newest tool from B&D. Will report back when I have some panels off and I see how the tool performs. Well I guess I should make the disclaimer first,  Black & Decker was kind enough to supply me with the new Ready Wrench for me to evaluate.  You can buy one at Ace Hardware stores and many other places for around $30. I like the idea of the tool, and the tool seems to be very well built.  The idea is to carry one tool that fits a variety of sizes.  (Metric/SAE)  However, my first thought was that the wrench would slip when putting any torque on a bolt, due to the rotating head design.  I must say I was surprised when I turned the wrench for the first time on a rusted bolt on the old 1954 Ford Panel truck.  It did not slip and loosened the bolt with ease. Since the tool is designed to fit metric and SAE nuts and bolts, it fits loose on SAE fasteners, so if you have a rusted or slightly worn nut, it won't grab it like it should.  This is the compromise with this tool, and many others that claim to fit metric and SAE fasteners. The other issue I have with this tool, is the size of the head.  It does not allow you easy access to nuts and bolts if they are buried, or have something close by to get in the way.  I ran into this when taking the back doors off of the truck.  I had to grab another regular wrench to finish the job. So as with anything in life, it's a compromise.  If you have newer nuts and bolts, out in the open this wrench may be worth it.  But if you are working on something old and rusted, get a good set of dedicated sized wrenches.

Question:

I need the position of the rotor caps. I assumed they were indexed and did not note position upon removal twice. 1987 Porsche 928 S4 32v V8 (2) rotors on end of camshafts.

Answer:

I dont have a specific procedure for your vehicle, but its pretty
much the same for any car. You first need to bring the engine to TDC
(top dead center) TDC is when cylinder #1 is at the top of the
compression stroke and the spark plug is ready to fire. You can pull
the spark plug from cylinder one, feel for compression by placing your
finger over the spark plug hole and turn the engine until the timing
mark comes up to TDC. The timing mark should be close to the
crankshaft pulley and is usually cast into the front cover. If you
dont feel air escaping the spark plug hole, you are coming up to the
top of the exhaust stroke, rotate the engine another 360 degrees and
you should then feel the compression.

Once you know you are at TDC, you can align the rotor so that it
points towards cylinder #1s plug wire. As for the other rotor cap,
you would need your firing order to determine which other cylinder is
firing at TDC.

Check out the following site for some specific instructions...
http://jenniskens.livedsl.nl/Technical/Tips/Files/pirtle_tbelt.pdf

Question: I have an 03 Ford Expedition and I have been experiencing pulsating in the steering wheel, I have turned the front rotors twice and in no time they are back the same way. So, I replaced both the front rotors and calibers, and its still not right. When I was bleeding the whole brake system, I noticed that the rear did not bleed like the front did, the pedal did not go all the way down. My question is what determines the amount of pressure that goes to the front verses the rear? I think that my problem is that the rear brakes are not being applied enough, thus causing the front to work harder and get hotter than normal, causing them to warp easier.

 

Answer:

There is a proportioning valve ( or sometimes called a modulator valve
) which in modern vehicles is usually combined with the ABS functions.
It should be located immediately after the master cylinder and is
usually an aluminum block. Your brake system should apply more
pressure to the front brakes, which is where most of the braking
occurs. You can test function of the proportioning valve by doing a
low speed panic test and see if the front or rear brakes lock up
first. Do it in an empty parking lot and have someone watch from a
distance to see which wheels lock up. With ABS, it wont be easy to
see. I would say 20 - 30mph would be all the faster you would want to
go. Again, be careful, make sure the parking lot is empty.

When you replaced your rotors, did you tighten the lug nuts with a
torque wrench? Improper torquing of the lug nuts can cause rotor
warpage over time.

Ever wonder why you have to rotate your tires???

We have a new guide on tire rotation just posted !

Even if you dont do your own tire rotation, we offer some good advice on what to do when taking your car to a tire shop.