Mark, Glad I could help. The article and video you saw is all I have on this particular job. Complete instructions can be obtained from a service repair manual including torque specifications. But basically the following parts need to be removed; Serpentine belt, front spark plug wires, electrical plugs for sensors, throttle cables, throttle bracket, coil bracket to intake/plenum, map sensor, vacuum hoses, upper intake, coolant pipe, fuel rail, front valve cover, top valve cover bolts for rear cover loosened and then the lower intake. This is at the point the specialty tool is used to remove the pushrods. After preparing the surfaces and installing the new gaskets and applying Right Stuff or silicone, the lower intake is slipped into place under the rear valve cover and reassembled. This job pays about six hours book time, but could take much longer if it’s your first one even with the time saved by using the pushrod tool. Good Luck

Thanks. Anyone close to Scranton that can restore this Mustang, can comment here and plug their business and/or website.

Neil,

So others know, the article you’re talking about is on another website that I write for occasionally. The job pays about 7 hours (multiply this times the shop labor rate). The cost of the parts will vary depending on if the parts are original equipment or aftermarket.

Since August of 2008 ( 5 months ago) the noise was only moderate, if it hasn’t gotten noticeably louder you may be able to postpone the repair. However, metal circulating in the oil will continue to cause wear and could cause damage to the ring and pinion gears, which are much more expensive than just bearings, races and seals. Since you say it does whine on acceleration, I would think the ring and pinion is worn already -but that’s not surprising on a Jeep, especially one with 170,000 miles.

Nathan,

If your talking about just the blend door part – then that is available at the dealer. The entire case does not need to be changed just the small section that has the doors built in, just like the picture shows – the door assembly.

We are looking to buy these doors
are there any available after market
the dealers say not available
Must buy the hole box 1,700 on back order
Help please – Tom

what could be the cause of hot air coming out of the passanger side but cold air on the driver side on a 2002 dodge ram?

David, unless you have a tire pressure monitoring system – just lower your tire pressure. Make sure the alignment is within specification, since tire wear, especially edgewear is usually caused by the toe setting being off.

Unfortunately, at any tire pressure your F250 Super Duty is destined to ride like a TRUCK. 🙂

Howard, we actually do under the name of Equus Innova, see the link below.

Equus Innova Scan Tools

Gene, You’re funny and brave. I recommend using a service manual since you admittedly “have no idea where and what to use.” On-line service manuals are available on our Auto Repair Manuals link at the top of the page – pick a subscription that’s right for you.

Once the intake is off you will see silicone on both ends of the intake. Also apply silicone to the valve cover gaskets where the intake meets the heads and valve covers – look for old silicone. Also see my response to Mark above. And if you haven’t already, see our tech article on Changing GM Intake Gaskets with the Pushrod Tool

Kiffin, I’m not sure what the reason is for evacuating and recharging at this time, since there is no mention of any parts being replaced or any symptoms listed of the original concern. However, assuming you are just evacuating and recharging the system, below are basic steps.

1. Measure oil removed when the system has been emptied. The only legal way to empty a system is with an AC recovery unit.

2. Replace the refrigerant oil that was previously measured. Lack of oil may ultimately cause compressor failure, just like running a car motor without engine oil will cause siezing. (old oil not the best, but better than nothing)

3. Vacuum the system down with a vacuum pump. The AC manifold gauges should both be OPEN while doing this. The longer the better, but 15-20 minutes ok.

4. Close both valves – 28-29 inches of vacuum should remain, if there’s no major leaks. Remove vacuum pump. Connect to refrigerant source. Start engine and turn AC on. Start charging the system by opening the Blue valve which is the low side.

No need to jump the low pressure switch. The compressor will come on when enough pressure is in the system for it to run without it being damaged.

Hello Bob,

Thanks for the offer. I think that’s a great deal. I have approved your comment on our about us page, but removed your contact information for your privacy. Just in case you didn’t know, links on our blog are “do follow” so they have value when it comes to SEO (search engine optimization). Would you be interested in creating a custom blog to help promote your site? If so write a 300-500 word article with at least one picture. One idea for a blog post would be to show highlights of how you create a custom tag. You could also occasionally comment on our blogs – as long as the comment is relevant and adds value – and NOT just a generic comment, it will be approved. With an approved comment a link is generated for your URL.

If the offer still stands, I would like a Florida style tag with “DenLors” on it.

Best Regards,

Hey Dennis I have this 2004 Ford Explorer. First the spark plug(#6) broke and that was repaired, but it still has some hesitation during acceleration. Is it possible the injector is defective? Would you be able to help me obtain a wire schematic and a component location for this vehicle

Cleon, I recommend getting a repair manual. You not only will access to schematics and component location today, but will be able to look for help for other problems that come up as well.

I would check the factory marks and go from there. Also if there’s any vacuum leaks or if the throttle cable is hung up. Good Luck.

If flushing temporarily helps then the core is probably getting restricted again. If the coolant is really nasty, even a new heater core could be affected. You may end up replacing the core and havng the cooling system professionally back flushed using chemicals and a machine. Click the following for more tips on car heater blowing cold.

Yes, there’s a chance but a stripped timing belt is no better than a broken timing belt. Good Luck.

Cindy, all cars have weak points. Leaks can also cause rubber components to fail prematurely. Petroleum based products like engine oil breaks down rubber that’s in motor mounts. There doesn’t have to be a leak though. The dog bone which is a motor mount that takes a lot of forward and rearward torque stress gets a lot of wear on certain models, yours included. You didn’t mention how many miles the car has, but since you didn’t have the dealer repair it under the factory warranty; the car must be over the (3 year 36,0000 mile) warranty limit although it’s not out by time. Unfortunately, new cars don’t stay new long!

We sell automotive tools and do repair articles, but don’t run a repair shop. Thanks for the comment about bringing the vehicle to us though. The first step is to diagnose the problem. Check codes, do a compression test if needed etc. Not sure how you were pointed in the direction of it being a possible phaser issue. Good Luck.

Sean, most conventional cooling fans that are mounted on the waterpump are hydraulic.Once the engine/fan clutch heats up the fan will be spinning faster. A few now have an electrical wire going to it and works off the computer and temperature inputs. Some have both conventional and an electric fan. Besides checking the fan clutch and condenser for airflow obstruction, I’d check the cooling system in your truck in case the condenser is getting too much heat transfer from the radiator. Good Luck.

sounds like it’s idling too low. Normally the IAC (Idle Air Control) makes the engine idle higher with the AC on so it doesn’t stall out. The AC seems to be working great going by the numbers you gave. Good Luck.

Veronika, Low flow usually indicates just what it says, LOW FLOW… not the more common issue of a leak. The smoke machine that I think you are referring to works good for finding leaks but cannot tell you where the flow has been stopped. I would take the lines off and inspect for raw fuel and possibly charcoal restricting the vapor lines. Charcoal can float and leave the canister and get into the lines and valves. Topping off the gas tank too much when filling up can cause these type of problems. A word of caution about blowing through the lines with a blower; it’s tempting to use compressed air to check and/or clean the lines out, but the EVAP system is only designed to hold about 1 psi of pressure, so you could create leaks if you’re not careful. As far as you’re friend at the repair shop… why not ask him if they are able to tackle this diagnosis and repair? Good Luck.

Veronika, yes there are many things that could cause the code. I mentioned already what I would check first. Repair shops have varying capabilities. It’s best to have a regular mechanic before you have issues that you can trust. Since apparently you have no regular mechanic, you’ll most likely need to call around to several repair shops and try to determine how much experience and how comfortable they are in addressing your current issue. Not easy I know. That’s why; for future reference, I’d recommend sticking with one shop/technician that you can depend on when problems occur. It helps when they know the car’s maintenance history first hand. A starting price for a diagnosis like this could easily be an hour at the shop’s rate. The hourly shop rate varies greatly throughout the country, typically ranging from around $50 to $125 roughly. Labor to change actual parts is figured by book time. Some of the parts on the list of possible failures that you found may require removing the gas tank to access. Other parts can be accessed very easily. So without knowing what’s wrong, it’s impossible to guess how long it would take to fix. Also, some parts may be special order. Be sure to tell the shop that you cannot afford the down time if parts need to be ordered so they need to put everything back together and reschedule if parts need to be ordered. Maybe it will be something simple like charcoal blocking lines like I mentioned before. You’ll never know until someone actually checks the car. Good Luck.

Hi Dennis: I talked to you awhile back re: my 07 Hyundai Accent 1.6 engine, I have a Code P0497 and now a new other code has popped up Code P0451..my question is this, I took the car to Merlins and I was told that the labor for fixing the problem(s) would be $600 to $800 dollars! Is Merlins correct?It seems extremely high, am I wrong??

i have a 2009 toyota camry , we first had trouble with the right front door not locking when using the remote , recently the drivers side is also not locking , but the two rear doors still do , our local toyota dealer wanted $800 to fix just one door , does this sound like a problem with the key remote ( batteries are stil oe and 7 years old ) we have to both lock and unlock these doors manually.

If he is just clearing the drain, it’s possible there’s a lot of debris still inside the case. In some cases the evaporator core needs to be removed to clean leaves and debris out so the drain isn’t plugged again so quickly after cleaning drain. Good Luck.