question in need of quick answer

Matt7084 · 11-23-2003, 12:59 PM

Hey there

Im dropping my 86 911 coupe off for some servicing tonight, to be done first thing tomorrow morning. The following will be done:

fuel filter
oil change/filter
tranny fluid (providing him swepco 201)
brake fluid (providing him super blue)
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fixing door locks (which are working fine today, didnt yesterday and wont tomorrow)
fixing defroster malfunction (right and center vents dont blow)
fixing windshield washer malfunction (does not spray)
fixing power windows which stopped working when I took door panel off
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my 2 primary questions are this: while he is changing the tranny fluid, should I have him adjust my cable? It did seem to grind when putting it into reverse a lot. What else could it be? I wont have a chance to talk with him but I'd like to leave a note, something along the lines of "grinds into reverse, adjust cable"...?.

Second Q is, I have a full bottle of redline fuel injector cleaner. Is this something that is relatively simple that I should have him do? With 90K miles on it, I dont know when or if the fuel injector was ever cleaned. I also dont know what goes into performing that or if it is even really necessary, and if its something that takes 5 hours to do Id rather not have it done for now.

Also, what oil should I request be put in? Or should I make a quick run to the store and get x quarts of a certain kind of oil?

Regarding the locks, because the locks are working right now and very well could be working tomorrow morning when he takes a look at them, what should I tell the mechanic?? Sometimes they work sometimes they dont?? If it is the plastic ball/cup failure, how could this pop in and out of place randomly?

thanks and let me know anything I should also mention regarding the tasks being performed, thanks!

-Matt

dean · 11-23-2003, 01:08 PM

The note about the cable sounds good. It doesn't take long to adj the clutch cable.
IMO fuel injector cleaner is bunk.
I would think that he has the correct oil for your car
I think the locks might take a bunch of time to fix. But I don't know.

Rot 911 · 11-23-2003, 01:11 PM

Sure have him adjust the cable, doesn't take very long. Read the bottle on the redling fuel injector cleaner. I imagine it is just something you put in your gas tank like Techron. Just read the bottle and do it yourself. I am rebuilding my engine on my '86 Carrera as we speak and with 133,000 miles my injectors were in very good condition, but I have been using techron injector cleaner on a regular basis.

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

Geeze Matt, I hope you arent paying the mechanic very much cause those are things that you can/should do yourself...for very cheap and easy.

To your questions:

[QUOTE]my 2 primary questions are this: while he is changing the tranny fluid, should I have him adjust my cable? It did seem to grind when putting it into reverse a lot. What else could it be?

* How long after you push in the clutch, are you putting it into reverse? Give the tranny a second to spin-down before putting it into reverse and you shouldnt have any grind.

If it is more than a few seconds...then perhaps the cable needs adjusting. Does it grind into any other gear?

Clutch cable adjustment is very easy to do yourself with a couple of wrenches and a set of feeler guages. There is an article on this on the Pelican website.

Quote:

Second Q is, I have a full bottle of redline fuel injector cleaner. Is this something that is relatively simple that I should have him do? With 90K miles on it, I dont know when or if the fuel injector was ever cleaned. I also dont know what goes into performing that or if it is even really necessary, and if its something that takes 5 hours to do Id rather not have it done for now.

* Not sure about Redline...but when I want to clean the injectors, I just add a bottle of Techron injector cleaner to a full tank of gas.

Quote:

Also, what oil should I request be put in? Or should I make a quick run to the store and get x quarts of a certain kind of oil

* Brand doesnt make much difference...but Id recommend that you stay away from Synthetics. Use traditional motor oil (also know as "dyno"). The reason for this is that synthetics contain detergents which can remove deposits around the engine seals. This sounds good in theory....but with an older car, those deposits are needed to prevent leaks. In other words, using a synthetic oil could possibly cause some dripping oil leaks. Traditional motor oils will not cause leaks.

Quote:

Regarding the locks, because the locks are working right now and very well could be working tomorrow morning when he takes a look at them, what should I tell the mechanic?? Sometimes they work sometimes they dont?? If it is the plastic ball/cup failure, how could this pop in and out of place randomly?

* If I were you, I would NOT pay a mechanic to look at the locks....until you have tried a little $3.00 bottle of lock lubricant that you can buy at any hardware store.

My car had sticky locks.... I went to Pep Boys and picked up a little bottle of Lock lubricant (also called lock deicer) and put it in.... wiggled the key around and it fixed the problem.

Id bet $100 that your locks would be fixed this way too.

Matt7084 · 11-23-2003, 01:25 PM

thats a good idea on the locks, Ill try that.

Im paying him 75$ an hour, the reason Im not doing it myself is because I tried to play mechanic and I seem to break everything I touch. Sure I got my sunroof working again after epoxying the cable guides back to the cables, but in the process I blew 3 fuses, ripped the crap out of my headliner, and now the sunroof doesnt close completely and when manually forced shut it is sort of lopsided.

Likewise I have no garage and cannot spill oil or gasoline on my parents' macadem or grass. I would prefer having never worked on a transmission to go into mine with a wrench and feelers, atleast not til I get a new porsche and this one becomes my test dummy/learner car.

OK and the redline question just proved that I dont have a clue about fuel injectors, I guess all I really have to do if I want to use this stuff is pour in down to the line that says 10 gallons the next time I put 10 gallons of gas (93 mobil) in my car...right?

And I was holding the clutch down for a while before putting it into reverse. Its not everytime it grinds, its almost like the locks, it grinds when it wants to. It does not grind into any other gear.

thanks a million -Matt

Matt7084 · 11-23-2003, 01:44 PM

umm regarding that lock lubricant, would WD40 work just the same?

I had a keyjam problem in the ignition in my Olds and sprayed some WD40 into the ignition and it did the trick.

-thanks, Matt

Sonic dB · Sonic dB's Garage

WD40 may work. The stuff I was talking about though, comes in a small little can and it has an extender on it that fits right into the lock. WD40 may be a little messier.

I know where you are coming from regarding garage space. If I had my own garage, Id do more of my own work and my own mistakes too.

Kevin Stewart · 11-23-2003, 02:47 PM

Regarding the vents on the passenger side just above and to the right of the right foot will be a paper hose probably went bad or has been tore, is your heat on the floor all the time, Kevin