Revving Up Your Engines: A Guide to Car Maintenance and Repair

When it comes to car maintenance and repair, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. In this article, we'll explore some common issues that can arise with different vehicles and provide tips on how to keep your ride running smoothly.

First up, let's talk about the Corolla CVT. When Scotty says, "rev up your engines," he's likely referring to the need for regular maintenance of the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). However, some dealers may claim that the transmission has a lifetime fluid, which is not entirely accurate. The truth is, all fluids do get dirty and wear out over time, regardless of their type. So, what does this mean for you? If you're due for a maintenance check, ask your dealer about the warranty on the transmission. If it's still under warranty, you may not need to worry about replacing it anytime soon. However, if it's nearing or has already expired, it's time to start thinking about changing the fluid.

Scotty also shares his personal preference for changing the CVT fluid every 60,000 miles. While this is just a rough guideline, he makes an excellent point: nothing lasts forever, and all fluids do wear out over time. The Corolla CVT is no exception, and neglecting regular maintenance can lead to costly repairs down the road.

Another topic Scotty discusses is the Honda Prelude. If you're considering purchasing one of these iconic cars, be aware that many people don't understand its complexities. While the Prelude may look similar to other Hondas, such as the Accord, it actually has different parts altogether. For example, the Prelude's compressor is distinct from the Accord's, which can make replacement parts more expensive and harder to find.

As a seasoned mechanic, Scotty recommends being prepared for the costs associated with maintaining an older car like the Prelude. The parts may be more expensive than those found in newer vehicles, but if you're willing to invest the time and money, it can be well worth it.

When it comes to inspecting a used Subaru WRX, there are several things to keep an eye out for. Scotty advises buyers to check for signs of head gasket failure, as this is a common issue with these cars. He recommends using a DIY kit available on Amazon to test the head gasket and avoid any potential problems down the road.

If you do decide to purchase a used WRX, it's also essential to inspect the transmission. Subaru's automatic transmissions are notoriously problematic, and buyers should be wary of purchasing one that's showing signs of wear. A standard transmission may require less maintenance than an automatic, but it's still crucial to keep an eye out for any issues.

Carlos shares his own experience with replacing the alternator in his Acura MDX, highlighting the importance of regular maintenance checks. When Carlos had to replace his third alternator within a year, he realized that there were several underlying problems at play. First and foremost, it's essential to check the battery and electrical system for any signs of wear or damage.

In Carlos' case, the problem was likely due to worn-out parts, such as bushings in the clutch master cylinder. By replacing these parts with new ones, he was able to resolve the issue. However, this highlights the importance of regular maintenance checks and being proactive when it comes to addressing any problems that may arise.

For those looking to purchase a used car, Francis shares his own experience with the Toyota Corolla. When Francis noticed that the clutch pedal would sometimes squeak when pressed, he replaced the slave cylinder, hoping that would resolve the issue. However, after replacing the part, the problem persisted.

Francis' solution? Using a lithium-based lubricant to spray the spring and bushings in the transmission. This was an effective fix, and he's been able to avoid the problem since making this adjustment. It's a reminder that sometimes, all it takes is a small tweak or adjustment to resolve issues with your car.

Finally, let's talk about the importance of maintenance and repair when it comes to gasoline versus diesel engines. When hauling heavy loads or towing long distances, diesel engines are often the better choice. They're designed for heavier use cases and provide more power and torque than their gasoline counterparts.

However, if you're only driving short distances or don't need to haul heavy loads, a gasoline engine may be sufficient. In either case, regular maintenance is essential to ensure your car runs smoothly and efficiently. By staying on top of routine checks and addressing any issues promptly, you can help prevent costly repairs down the road.

In conclusion, maintaining and repairing your car requires attention to detail and a willingness to take proactive steps when necessary. Whether it's changing the CVT fluid in your Corolla or replacing the alternator in your Acura, there are several things you can do to keep your ride running smoothly. By staying informed, being prepared for potential issues, and taking care of your car regularly, you can help ensure a long and trouble-free driving experience.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your engines, fun lu says do I haveto service a Corolla CVT, dealer saysthat has lifetime fluid, yeah you got tochange that fluid let me tell yousomething, ask them what they mean bylifetime fluid and they say while thefluid is good for the lifetime of thetransmission, then ask them what's thewarranty on the transmission, if they sayit's like a hundred thousand miles orwhatever, if it breaks after that thenyou gotta buy a new $5,000 transmissionso I personally would change it everysixty thousand miles or so, the lifetimefluid is a bunch of malarkey, nothinglasts forever all fluids get dirtyinside spinning gears and stuff they allwear out, they all, there's chains insidethere the chain links wear out they getdirty then there's more friction, allfluid gets dirty needs to be changedeventually and they're just pulling thescam saying it's a lifetime fluidmeaning the lifetime of the transmissionand when it breaks out of warranty yougotta pay for another onemr. live arrow says Scotty 1990 Hondapreludes for a fun car, yay or nay I liketo style, if you like it and you can findone that'sin really good shape it can bea fun car but I got a customer boughtthat same car, he's had nothing butproblems with it because it's so oldyou're talking about almost a thirtyyear old car and here's the thing aboutthe preludes that a lot of people don'tunderstand, the preludes are very similartothe Honda Accords but a lot of theirparts are completely different, forexample, the prelude has a differentcompressor than the Honda Accord back in1990, I could get a brand new HondaAccord compressor, but I can only getrebuilt ones for the prelude and I don'tbelieve in rebuilt ones, so we keptbuying rebuilt ones I kept putting themon they kept breaking, so you got tothink about that on a really old carlike that the parts can be superexpensive, then again let's say you liveup north you don't care about airconditioning, then you don't have to worryabout that stuff the rest of the vehiclesare pretty solidoreo zero seven five says Scotty I'mconsidering buying a 04 or 05 SubaruWRX is there anything to look at wheninspecting the car, now they can be funcars but it's a Subaru with a boxerengine, they are notorious for blowinghead gaskets, you can watch my video howto tell if your head gasket is blown onYouTube, you can buy the kit that I haveonAmazon for like 35 bucks, so you can testif thehead gasket is blowing if it is don't eventhink about by it, now if it's a standardtransmission yeah check to see if theclutch is slipping because they do wearout, but if it's an automatic transmissionyoureally want a road test it well cuzthat's the weakest thing in Subarusare their automatic transmissions they havenothing but problems with them, they don'teven make theown they buy them from Nissan jatco, soit's not like they're even making theirown transmission, so you'd want to checkthat too, Carlos says what's up Scottythis is the second time in one year I'vehad to replace the alternator in my AcuraMDX 2007, what underlying problem couldbe going on, okay first of all alwayshave the battery load tested too, becausethe battery and the alternator work togetheryou got a weak batteryyou're gonna keep buying alternatorsbecause it'll make it work too hard, so havethat load tested to make sure you'rebuying from a quality storethat says quality part, almost all of themareremanufactured not new, and a lot of guysjust do a crap job remanufacturing andthe third thing is, you want to have apro like me if you keep having it overand over again, you put another one atit lasts only a year, you check for some kindof minorelectrical shorts, because if you got badwiring, bad wiring loose connectors thatbuilds up heat, then the alternator hasto put out more power it stains it and itcan burn out faster, those are the threemain things that will make an alternativego bad, one broadcast I'm thinkingabout getting a truck should I get a 99Chevy Silverado or a 7.3 power stroke,first you got to decide what do you wantyou want, you want to have a diesel engineifyou're towing large distances, if you'retowing heavy weights, gasoline enginesaren't made for towing and haulingdiesels are, I'd get the Ford productsanyways cuz they're better made, but if yougo back to 1999 the Silveradov8 gas engines we're decent pickuptrucks, if you wanted a gasoline pickuptruck yeah maybe go ahead and get one ofthose, but if you really wanted haul alot of stuff get the Power Stroke, dieselengines are the way to go if you'regoing to tow stuff aroundFrancis says Scott I got a 2013 ToyotaCorolla ninety five thousand miles and theclutch pedal sometimes squeak when Ipressed it in, I replaced the slave cylinderbut doesn't seem to fix it what could itbeokay well we're talking about squeakinginside the car the slave cylinder is onthe transmission, it could be your clutchmaster cylinder squeaking but more oftenif it's coming onthe inside it's the clutch paddle and it'sgot aspring built-in and they're cheapbushings that are in those things, a lotof times they just wear and then theysqueak, especially when the rubber getsworn and then the metal hits metal, with areally good spray lithium, lithium isreally good for spraying bare metal,spray the spring and all the bushingsthere and then see what happens, ifit goes away and you got a spray at fouror five times a year big deala can of spray cost like seven bucks andit's really good for spraying any kindof bare metal, lithium that's what thelithium lube is really good for, so ifyou never want to miss another one of mynew car repair videos, remember to ringthat Bell!\n"