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Backyard Mechanic Articles
AUTO TECH: Small part to save money nets huge bills
February 17, 2012Driveability encompasses a very wide range of vehicle problems, from transmission shifting to hard starting. Driveability problems can cost a lot of money and time and if you ask most technicians, they are also often the hardest type of vehicle problem to diagnose. A while back, I had the task of …
BACKYARD MECHANIC: Winter tires are still kings of the road
February 17, 2012QUESTION: I noticed in the past, you favoured winter tires over studded tires. Have the studded tires improved any? I'm considering the Nokian HAKK R, and the Nokian HAKK 7. The HAKK 7 seems to be an excellent soft tire with studs. Any comments would be helpful. Laird ANSWER: Nokian makes …
BACKYARD MECHANIC: Saturn Ion giving owner the cold shoulder
February 3, 2012QUESTION: I have a 2005 Saturn Ion with about 95,000 km, which I purchased in January 2010. On cold mornings -- basically on cold mornings after damp nights -- when I turn the key in the ignition first thing in the morning, all the lights and the fan will come …
Bigger things predicted for plug-in hybrids
January 27, 2012Long past are the days when a hybrid vehicle was a rarity.Today, you can find hybrid vehicles operating in every part of the country and in all weather conditions. True, they are not as efficient at -40 C driving in Winnipeg as they are at 5 C in balmy Niagara …
BACKYARD MECHANIC: Indicator light signals problem with battery
January 20, 2012QUESTION: My car is a 1992 Buick Century and the problem is the battery indicator light. All the dashboard warning lights glow brightly when the key is first turned on except for the battery indicator light. It only shines very dim. After the engine is started, all the lights go …
AUTO TECH: Auto recycling hits its cost-saving stride
January 13, 2012We are all excited when a new shiny vehicle appears in our driveway, and many are interested in how they are built and perform. It's a different story when a vehicle is no longer roadworthy. Then, that old hulk is traded in, sold or hauled away. We really don't care as …
AUTO TECH: Torque to Yield
December 30, 2011The way cars are put together has changed dramatically. Adhesives, plastic clips and even Velcro have replaced most of the screws and trim nails used to hold panels together in the past. Bolts are still used for assembling most of the mechanical components, but even bolts have changed. Many engines, transmissions …
BACKYARD MECHANIC: Spark plugs may prove to be dirty culprits
December 23, 2011QUESTION: I have a 2000 Volvo station wagon with the five-cylinder turbocharged engine, automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The car has been great but recently I have noticed that gas mileage has dropped and it doesn't start as quickly as it used to. It still seems to run fine. Most …
AUTO TECH: Pace of change seems to be increasing rapidly
December 16, 2011The pace of change in automotive technology seems to be increasing every year. New materials, manufacturing processes and increased computer-processing speeds help this to happen. Concepts or ideas that wouldn't work 30 years ago are now possible. Here are a couple of them. -- Mazda has introduced a new i-ELOOP regenerative braking …
BACKYARD MECHANIC: Install your two new tires on the rear axle
December 9, 2011QUESTION: A friend of mine and I got into an argument. If you have a front-wheel drive and four all-season radials, two new and two not so new, should the newer tires be on the front or the back? Thanks, Allan ANSWER: In an ideal world, you would install four new …