Ask a mechanic free online

while driving to Cincinnati a couple of weeks ago, a farm tractor passed me going the other way, and knocked something up into my windshield.  Sounded like a gun went off.....anyway  I now have a small hole(didn't go all the way thru) on my driver's side.  Is there anything I can do so that it will not spider out and go across the whole windshield?  I just don't have the money right now for a new one....

Most small windshield nicks can be repaired at glass shops for less than $100.00 which is far cheaper than a windshield however you need to get it done before it does crack. It is a simple procedure for them and usually does not take very long. Call around the auto glass shops for your best pricing on windshield nick repair.   

Here are some fuel saving tips for you that you may or may not know. The biggest waste of fuel in our country comes from the extra mileage that you lose when your tires are not properly inflated. Another big user of fuel and tire rubber is wheel alignment. Is your oil and transmissin fluid full? Better check them too as that can cost some mileage. And that check engine light that you put the black tape over so you would not have to look at, that is telling you that your emissions are out of whack. In other words you car is not performing and burning fuel efficiently. When was the last time it had a tune up? A dirty air filter will suck up the fuel milage. I do not recommend the oil bath air filter systems for your later model cars. The oil mist can get on the sensing element inside of the mass air flow sensor and really throw off the fuel injection system , and everynow and then run some fuel injection cleaner through the fuel system.  Have your brake system checked as a sticking caliper or too tight of drum brakes can also hurt. All of these thing can not only bring you better fuel economy they will also help your car last much longer.

Love it! But, we don't want reality to get in the way of extreme nefarious fantasy.........so, hush.

Coming soon professional shop versus auto parts store diagnostics

DIAGNOSTICS, professional vs. auto parts store. I am not going to single out any auto shop or auto parts store. When you have car problems where should you go? An auto parts store many times will not charge for their diagnostics where as a shop may charge around $80.00 an hour. Some shops will give you a set charge for their diagnostics. I have been out front of many auto parts stores and watched many untrained people more or less guess at what the equiptment was telling them. Most shops are nicely equipped to diagnose almost any problem but it cost them quite a bit. They have to pay highly trained technicians  vs. the parts store people who usually do not make but about a third or less of that. When a technician is pulling information from your automotive computer he sees what the computer sees in the form of readings. The part store computer diagnostics usually is a code reader that will pull up a code, then it is put into the stores computer and it will give you a read out of what is most likely the problem to what is least likely the problem. For instance on an older GM car is scanned and a code 13 comes up, this means lean exhaust. At the parts store the computer will tell you that the oxygen sensor is most likely what you need to buy. At a shop your fuel pressure would be read and if it was fine then more than likely the tech would look for a vacuum leak an injection problem or even an exhaust leak before the oxygen sensor. I seen a customer at one shop that I worked at kept trying to get call in diagnostics done. He had been to the parts stores and kept calling the shop and asking different questions. I asked him why he did not just bring it to us and let us diagnose it for him and his reply was because you guys are too high. About a week later the same car came in on a wrecker. I then asked him did he get it running and he said no. I then asked him how much he had spent on it so far and he said he had put over $600.00 in parts on it. We did the diagnostics for him and it cost him about $120.00. One of the parts that he had replaced was bad when he put it on. It was a $30.00 part that would have been caught before it went on. So I would recomend finding a shop that you trust and stick with them and be happy that they are willing to spend a lot of money for equiptment and training to keep up with your car.  

I need some help... i have a 94 cutlass supreme and the battery indicator, which is normally right in the middle, has been staying at about 1 to 2 notches below that lately. Sometimes when idling you can see it drop even more and then jump back up. Is it my battery that's the problem or maybe the alternator???

It could be either or it could be a loose belt (you would probably hear it though) or a loose or corroded battery terminal. This would really need to be hooked up to what is commonly referred to as a VAT machine to do an accurate test. You can get this done at most auto parts stores for free, but if they don't seem to know what they are doing get a second opinion elsewhere before spending any money on parts.

Hi,

My girlfriend has a 1996 saturn SL, and the mechanic says it needs a new serpentine belt and tensioner. It was sqealing badly so I believe it. But he wants $750 to do it. That doesn't sound right. What is a fair price range for this repair?

Thanks,
Bob

Wow, that is outrageous, price the parts, then you will know about how much to expect. I am guessing you can do a lot better than that if you just call around. I like Hesters on 23rd Street and the shop at 23rd and Meridian (can't remember the name).