k, feel free to add other repair related bits in this thread.

i need to replace the forward o2 sensor on my wrx, the part from AA and tire king is $200+ but i can get it on ebay / manufacturer for about $140+

labor has been quoted at about $150 or so.... however I've found a pretty good short guide on how to replace it yourself (seems pretty easy) but there's this special 'tool' you're supposed to have (22mm O2 sensor removal tool) but it's pretty cheap ($10 or so).

result: i'm seriously thinking about doing this myself and saving over $200, anyone want to pitch in? (for the actual repair not the costs ofc) sometime later this week. if not, i'm sure i can get a friend or two of mine to help

9/1/2009 11:50:08 AM

Any of the garage rats here who work on shit can do this in under an hour, labor charge accordingly.

Most of us have the tool already.

Most of us also need the money. Contact Jeepman first and foremost. He's close to campus. I am not; I'm closer to Brier Creek, on the Durham side. If he can't do it, I will. Seein's how he is currently between jerbs, give the boy a holla.

9/1/2009 11:57:08 AM

get the special tool or just use an open end wrench

do it yourself, it's not that big of a deal

and I damned sure wouldn't pay someone 150 smackers to do that

9/1/2009 12:00:31 PM

^agreed, especially when i saw the step by step for it

9/1/2009 12:19:04 PM

whats the best way to deal with small paint nicks?

get a rotary tool and clean it down the bare metal/paint then rust prevention goop, the basecoat/primer then touchup paint?

10/15/2009 11:24:21 AM

dig it out with a pocketknife and then touchup paint, wet sand with 2000 grit to flush, then polish and wax

10/15/2009 11:29:55 AM

k

what are those retaining clips called that hold things down? i'm missing some on the splash guards under the left side of the engine bay. i'm not having much luck finding anything online pointing me in the right direction.

10/17/2009 3:45:39 PM

I got one and can help

10/18/2009 2:41:55 PM

I can do it as well.

10/18/2009 10:26:24 PM

^^^

they are in the "help" products section at advance, you can buy kits from napa and carquest, i always call them christmas tree clips

10/19/2009 7:44:38 AM

thanks guys, i already got it fixed for the low low price of a internet bought part ($167) and a refundable parts kit ($30)

thanks though!

^ k, ill go looking, i hate these damn things...

[Edited on October 20, 2009 at 2:49 PM. Reason : s]

10/20/2009 2:49:24 PM

duct tape works too

10/21/2009 8:41:04 PM

oh joy of joys now my trunk leaks....

can't find anything obvious but water is getting in on the left and right sides. seems to be coming from the above as everything looks sprayed down when i open the trunk, so far i'm thinking the gasket thing needs to be taken off and re-siliconed back on or something...

12/3/2009 12:35:23 PM

Has the car ever been rear ended?

I think the trunk deck height can be adjusted for a tighter seal and sometimes cars will leak pretty badly around tail lights or antennas.

12/3/2009 12:43:58 PM

so i got a question.

2002 Camry, 4 cyl, manual.

i'm getting a lot of vibration during acceleration. had the wheels aligned and it still happens, most notably in 4th and 5th gear during speeds >40-45mph.

whats the deal? cv joint?

12/11/2009 4:00:20 PM

could be a bad axle.
Is it only durring acceleration, or does it remain when you get off the gas?

12/11/2009 4:57:31 PM

pretty much just when i'm accelerating. when i get on the gas it feels like i'm in an earthquake.

12/11/2009 5:50:44 PM

Quote :

"most notably in 4th and 5th gear during speeds >40-45mph."

did you have the tires balanced? 40-45 is where vibration from out of balance tires is usually the most noticeable...

[Edited on December 12, 2009 at 9:19 AM. Reason : ...]

[Edited on December 12, 2009 at 9:19 AM. Reason : damn...]

12/12/2009 9:17:40 AM

Quote :

"i'm getting a lot of vibration during acceleration. had the wheels aligned and it still happens, most notably in 4th and 5th gear during speeds >40-45mph. whats the deal? cv joint?"

look at the cv joints and check the condition of the boots. i had that problem and the one boot on the left side was slightly torn and grease contaminated. the right boot was slightly torn, but the grease was fine.

you can also check the play of the cv's by tugging or pushing on them. they shouldn't give very much.

12/12/2009 11:42:33 AM

40-45 vibes are usually tie rod ends for me, higher speeds tire balance and lower speeds tire runout.

12/12/2009 6:58:55 PM

fixed: o2 sensor, trunk leak

new issue: coolant leak

apparent cause is a hairline crack on the upper portion of the plastic tank ('02 WRX) gonna go get it checked out at Bull City Radiator off of 70 (very close to where I am), apparently it has been slow leaking for several days (only noticed it 4-5 days ago but couldn't find the source until it overheated coming back from work and started steaming, went almost no where on hot though...)

any ideas on what this is gonna run me? i can find the radiator online for $190 but what do you think the labor is gonna be and how difficult, i have a mechanic friend that might be able to help but i don't want to overstep with a pain in the ass job and not compensate him decently for it.

1/5/2010 12:47:27 AM

1/5/2010 1:00:11 AM

i hope that will work actually, getting the whole system checked out. will know the extent of the damage soon.

1/5/2010 10:00:27 AM

Plastic welder! AWESOME!

1/5/2010 12:05:31 PM

radiator is pretty easy to do yourself. Just need a decent bucket to catch the coolant when you drain it.

1/5/2010 8:46:43 PM

2 things, first i hear a high pitch warblely squeal that stops after the first 30 seconds or less after the engine starts (i think it's the belts that i know i need to get done (damn expensive))

second, the steering has this odd stutter along with a perceivable squeak when turning from stopped, no effect when driving)

ideas?


oh yeah update: radiator was toast in several spots, got it all replaced and refilled for ~400, i know i know...

[Edited on March 1, 2010 at 12:07 PM. Reason : s]

3/1/2010 12:06:09 PM

^ check power steering fluid

[Edited on March 1, 2010 at 5:28 PM. Reason : is it worse when it is cold outside?]

3/1/2010 5:28:00 PM

yep, seemingly only does it when it is cold and only when it's first starting up

3/6/2010 12:25:41 AM

Fucking rear power windows on the civic (01 4dr; EX I think) are being a nuisance.

I'm thinking the relay may be crapping out. Does anyone know where exactly the power window relay is located on these things?

I've tried googling to no avail. The Haynes manual says it should be in the under the dash fusebox, but doesn't give a diagram. And none of the diagrams in the car (neither the panel cover nor the owner's manual) show relay locations.

More details (words)...

I haven't been able to control them from the front in forever, and today some co-workers managed to get them to roll down from the back, but they wouldn't roll back up (although they would continue to roll down further until they got completely open, which is crazy weird). I got out the Haynes book earlier, fiddled around with the fuses and tried this http://autorepair.about.com/od/fixityourself/qt/honda_mcu_reset.htm. Magically one of the windows started working again. The other is still stuck.

4/20/2010 8:53:50 PM

How often should shocks and struts be replaced?

I'm at 107k on a '04 4runner, all original stuff.

Also, what about hoses and belts. Google is giving me conflicting information on the timing belt. Some sites indicate it's a normal timing belt that should be changed at 90-100k, and others claim it's a timing chain and does not need to be replaced. n00b question, what am i looking for under the hood to tell?

4/21/2010 9:36:50 AM

If it's an '04, then it should have the 1GR-FE engine (4.0), which has chain driven cams.

Its predecessor, the 5VZ-FE, had a timing belt with an unspecified change interval (unless you did severe service with a lot of idle time, start/stop, etc., in which case it's 90k miles).

Change shox and struts when the hell ever you feel like it. If you think the ride quality is starting to suck, then change them. I just did one of those a couple of months ago.

4/21/2010 9:52:37 AM

Thanks, that helps. I probably wont bother until my budget is in a better situation.

glad I don't have to worry with a timing belt.


thanks again.

4/21/2010 9:59:08 AM

Quote :

"Fucking rear power windows on the civic (01 4dr; EX I think) are being a nuisance. I'm thinking the relay may be crapping out. Does anyone know where exactly the power window relay is located on these things? "

two things, get a tube of shin-etsu silicone grease from honda, pull the door panel and clean the old stuff off, apply to rails. if you can take the cover off of the regulator or cable pulley, put some white lithium grease in there. light amount.

second, take the switch out of the drivers door panel and the one out of the door with the window.

check the leads and if they are burnt, clean them with an emry board. spray some contact cleaner on them, put them back in. that should help some. if the regulator or the cables are messed up, then you'll pretty much have to replace them.

4/27/2010 2:40:57 PM

^ thanks for the info...I think I narrowed it down to either fucked up wires or a combination of fucked up wires and switches. I broke out the hayne's and tested the motors on both back doors. They work fine if I ground on a new wire running from my trunk.

It started raining before I could finished testing, but I think I'm going to have to re-run at least two wires The driver's control power line for one of the back windows is dead and on the other side one of the wires is causing a 2-6 volt drop.

4/27/2010 5:04:14 PM

i forget, but on mine there was a control box that the window wires ran to. that could be bad also. they might have redesigned it, but who knows?

4/30/2010 4:12:39 PM

there is all types of win in this thread.

5/5/2010 4:00:23 PM