New noob from Austin TX

[Roots]

Just thought I'd pop in and say hi, I'm new here. I live in Austin TX and have owned a 98 Contour SE that I bought used about 3 years ago. Unfortunately I haven't been taking great care of it because I was in grad school (and hence very poor and very busy), but now I'm ready to fix up my car the best I can. I'm hoping to learn more about automotive maintainence in general here as I'm a neophyte in mechanics. Problems I'm currently addressing with my car include:


1) Check Engine Light: Low O2 sensor (O2 sensor being replaced by mechanic)

2) Check Engine Light: Fuel recirculation problem (3 engine parts being replaced by mechanic)

3) Dim headlights (trying to clean lenses and buying new headlamps....might have to buy whole new assembly )

4) Frayed driver's seatbelt (causing my car to fail TX state inspection test )

5) Brakes squeak for first minute or so that the car is started (think I need to replace the brake pads)

6) Horrible squeaking when opening the rear passenger doors (just needs to be greased I hope)


You'll probably find me posting for specific help about some of these problems soon.

[LUCA]

Welcome!



If you have a junkyard near you you can get a new seatbelt there. That would be the cheapest way to go.

Who's rear passenger door hasn't creaked at one time or another? Spray some PB Blaster or WD 40 on it and then open and close (not latched) a bunch of times and it will stop squeaking. You can also use a lithium grease in place of the spray and the results will probably last longer.

There is a how-to on clearing the headlight haze. It involves wet sanding with 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit wet sandpaper. If you decide to get new give Bill Jenkins @ Team Ford a call, he gives the CEG community a discount on parts, just tell him you are on the CEG to get it.

Tell us, is your car a stick or auto? 4 or 6 cyl?


Hang around here, do some searching and in no time you will be tackling the repairs by yourself.

[Ray]

Welcome.

What part of Austin? Not often I get to see a fellow weirdo on here.

[Roots]

Thanks for the tips LUCA. My car is an auto 6 cyl.


I live in North Austin near the intersection of Parmer and Mopac, Ray.

[Ray]

Ah... nice to hear. I've got family at Braker and.. well.. between Mopac and 35.

My home is actually west of Austin, out 290 towards Dripping Springs (in Blanco, Tx)

[Roots]

After spending $580 to fix two issues that were causing my Check Engine light to come on, I drive it off the lot and roughly 6 miles later, the Check Engine light comes back on. !!!

[AliasJerk]

After spending $580 to fix two issues that were causing my Check Engine light to come on, I drive it off the lot and roughly 6 miles later, the Check Engine light comes back on. !!!

sounds like they forgot to replace one of the bad sensors, 6 miles is just far enough for a reset engine computer to run all of its diagnostics, the mechanic should have tested the car more before he said it was done, thats their own negligence.

[Ray]

If you aren't doing the maintenance yourself (and don't want to...)

check out "M.E. Gene's" garage at 52nd/Airport. (a Shell station with a garage built in... been there for 40 years or so..)

My Brother in Law is the manager there, and was the ONLY one to touch my car on things that I wasn't up to doing.

Talk to Jason Candelas.. he is honest, and up front. He'd rather you know the REAL deal and fix it the right way, than to pretend and jerk you around like the stereotypical mechanic.

[SVTLAY]

What up's man so that sucks that you are having all those probelms. I live in austin too and have a good mechanic in south austin that has worked on my car many of times and will fix it right. His business is gallegos automotive.
Talk to carlos @ #512-282-7575. If not hit me up and maybe i can help with some things.