[s-cars] Choosing a mechanic

Tue Dec 11 18:55:43 PST 2007

Floyd,

if there is an autozone near you they have a tool "loaner" program.
You make a small deposit which is returned when you return the tool.

I'm sure autozone will have a compression tester.

HTH
Chris

--- Floyd Noel <floyd.noel at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dohhhhhh! I have to buy a compression tester! Boy I'm green at this  
> stuff. And my pops was a mechanic, too! Ok ok. My face is a bit red
> now.
> 
> R/S
> Floyd Noel
> Sgt/USMC
> 
> On Dec 11, 2007, at 16:38, Vincent Frégeac <s.sikss at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Floyd,
> >
> > Any compression tester will come with basic instructions. In short:
> > - Buy a compression tester.
> > - Remove the plug on all injectors.
> > - Remove the coils
> > - Remove all the spark plugs
> > - Plug the compression starter on the first cylinder
> > - Swith the starter on until the compression doesn't increase.
> > - Take note of the reading
> > - Move to the next cylinder
> >
> > IME, it sounds like head gasket or cylinder ring failure. Valve  
> > guides are
> > another source of burnt oil but it usually smoke for 1-2 minutes  
> > only on a
> > cold start. Once you've tested the compression on all cylinders  
> > once, add a
> > spoon of oil in each cylinder and test again. If the compression  
> > rise on the
> > low reading cylinder, there's a good chance it's the cylinder
> rings.  
> > If you
> > get the same reading, there's a good chance it's the head gasket.  
> > Note that
> > I said "there's a good chance" since I had once false diagnosis
> from  
> > this
> > way to segregate lower end leaks from head leaks.
> >
> > The list will certainly enrich the diagnosis procedure but that's a
>  
> > start.
> >
> >
> >
> > Vincent
> >
> > -----Message d'origine-----
> > De : s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> > [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] De la part de Floyd Noel
> > Envoyé : 11 décembre 2007 14:24
> > À : Tom Green
> > Cc : s-car-list
> > Objet : Re: [s-cars] Choosing a mechanic
> >
> > Yes, I'm still trying to learn everything I can right now. Of
> course,
> > all the resources are scattered. I've been searching for a couple
> of
> > weeks on how to do a compression or leakdown test, to no avail. But
> > I've got the day off today so hopefully I can figure it out. I just
> > took the hose off of the turbo and tried to wiggle the shaft (I
> think)
> > and it wouldn't move, although when I took the hose off there was a
> > little bit of oil in there, but barely any so I think it's a normal
> > amount. I want to replace the spark plugs and see what they look
> like,
> > but I still need to buy new plugs. Plus I read that I should do a
> > compression test while I'm changing them, and I still need to find
> > instructions for that. As far as the smoking goes, it mostly
> happens
> > when it's cold, so I wasn't sure if it was related to that, but it
> > pours out huge clouds of smoke when I'm stopped at lights, etc.
> After
> > the car warms up a bit it's not so bad, but I can still see it
> coming
> > out of the exhaust. Also it reeks of fuel near the tailpipe. And
> the
> > engine bay smells weird, I get a waft of it when I step out of the
> > car, like burning rubber or plastic or something (maybe coolant?) 
> but
> > I'm never low anything, except maybe going through oil quickly. It
> > never seems to leak much, though. So of course any tips or things I
> > can check out myself are appreciated.
> >
> > R/S
> > Floyd Noel
> > Sgt/USMC
> >
> > On Dec 11, 2007, at 8:17, Tom Green <trgreen at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Floyd,
> >>
> >> Sorry, I don't have a personal recommendation for someone in the
> >> immediate
> >> area to do maintenance.  You are in the enviable position to have
> >> 2Bennett in
> >> the area in Davis and Dad's salvage for parts in the Sacramento
> >> area.  You
> >> won't find a more competent and honest outfit than 2Bennett for
> >> routine stuff
> >> or performance work.
> >>
> >> There are many parts that are still best obtained from the dealer,
> >> so a good
> >> relationship with one can be handy.  Several offer discounts and
> do
> >> a brisk
> >> internet or phone order service that may meet your needs. You are
> >> probably
> >> already finding that a ready supply of parts down the street
> >> probably doesn't
> >> exist so you will need to order parts before the repair is
> performed
> >> if it is to
> >> be done in a timely manner, even at the dealer.
> >>
> >> You are the most trusted mechanic for your car, and even if you
> >> aren't doing
> >> the work yourself, the better informed you are about the problems
> >> the better
> >> any service will be performed.  Much of the diagnosis is just
> basic
> >> auto
> >> repair to start with then some of the FAQ advice for specific
> areas
> >> before you
> >> ever need the repair manual.
> >>
> >> All that said, are there any suspects for your smoking problem? 
> Any
> >> problems
> >> with performance?  Smoking on start?  Continuous?  On hard
> >> acceleration?
> >> Oil use?  Type?  Embarrassingly large cloud?  In danger of failing
> >> CA smog?
> >>
> >> After answering all those questions and a thorough troubleshooting
> >> with a
> >> compression and leak down check, you may be no closer to pinning
> down
> >> the actual cause between the usual suspects of turbo or internal
> >> engine
> >> valves or rings without a look (disassembly) because at higher
> >> mileage, all
> >> these will contribute some oil use that is unnoticeable
> >> individually, but shows
> >> up in the aggregate.
> >>
> >> You may be lucky enough to find the turbo shaft wobbles so much
> that
> >> oil would
> >> surely get by the seal and a replacement would eliminate most of
> the
> >> smoke.
> >> Hopefully you will find a straightforward solution to your problem
> >> and a trusted
> >> tech to do the work.
> >>
> >> Tom
> >>
> >>> Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:39:49 -0800
> >>> From: Floyd Noel <floyd.noel at gmail.com>
> >>> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Choosing a mechanic
> >>> To: s-car-list <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> >>> Message-ID: <79916A66-B010-4838-9E08-46B7D2F6328C at gmail.com>
> >>> Content-Type: text/plain;    charset=US-ASCII;    format=flowed;
> >>> delsp=yes
> >>>
> >>> I'm in Santa Rosa, CA, which is in the North Bay of SF. And I'll 
> 
> >>> make
> >>> sure to stay away from the dealers, I've run into a few people
> that
> >>> tried to tell me that my car doesn't exist, or think that it must
> be
> >>> small (since it's an S4). Thanks
> >>>
> >>> R/S
> >>> Floyd Noel
> >>> Sgt/USMC
> >>>
> >>> On Dec 10, 2007, at 12:25, chris chambers
> >>> <fastscirocco_2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Floyd,
> >>>>
> >>>> Stay away from the dealer, odds are they won't have a mechanic
> >>>> that is familiar with your car. In fact they might claim no such
> >>>> car ever existed!
> >>>>
> >>>> Where are you at, it'll make it easier for informed listers to
> >>>> provide a recommended mechanic if they know where you are.
> >>>>
> >>>> Regards
> >>>> Chris
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> --- Floyd Noel <floyd.noel at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Hello Listers,
> >>>>> I am in need of a mechanic for my urS4, and was wondering if  
> >>>>> anyone
> >>>>> that's BTDT had some advice on choosing one for these cars, or 
> 
> >>>>> if I
> >>>>> should just take it to a dealer. There's a lot of smoke coming
> >>>>> out of
> >>>>>
> >>>>> the tail end these days.... TIA
> >>>>>
> >>>>> R/S
> >>>>> Floyd Noel
> >>>>> Sgt/USMC
> >>
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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