Dave’s Free Car Repair Advice

Vehicle maintenance intervals are now more broadly spaced, but even the newest cars require scheduled servicing to stay in top condition. Whether your car is the most up-to-the-minute model or you paid it off a long time ago, the key is to give your car the maintenance it is supposed to receive.

Every car is supplied with a maintenance schedule — in the owner’s manual or in a separate maintenance log book — that details that vehicle’s needs. A few minutes learning the requirements for your car will help you steer clear of the following frequent car-maintenance pitfalls.

I ‘ve had the opportunity to check out a new silicone-based lubricant called Jig-A-Loo, and I’ve been impressed enough that I want to tell my readers about it.

I tried it on about every place on my car that I could think of and found it to make every squeak go away. I found it even more useful on my hand tools at work. Now ALL my tools work really smooth, like my crescent wrenches, pipe cutters, pliers of many sorts, pipe wrenches, and any other device a working man or woman uses.

Subject:  Cadillac Deville Starter Disabled Message

Karl tells me:  Attempted to start car one morning and the message “Starter Disabled” appeared; not kicking over the car. Car will not start. It request key to be removed and reinserted; however that did not work, nor did any suggestions from the manual work.

Karl, here is something I found on-line that may help you. Let me know if it works or not and if not I will go through a logical deduction to find the problem or contact GM for the solution.

Subject:  home clutch replacement

Trish states:  I’m a very confident woman who has worked on my own VW’s and current 1976 (1980 3.0 engine) myself. I have financial constraints that have me unable to pay a mechanic to replace my clutch. My question: How hard would it be for me to do this myself?

Well Trish, it all depends if you have the tools and the mechanical knowledge to do this. To replace a clutch is not too difficult mechanically. The problem is accessing the bolts underneath the vehicle, having the room to move about while laying on your back underneath the car, and then aligning the clutch and pressure plate when assembling the clutch.

Brent asks:

How do you change the fuel pressure regulator on a 1997 Safari? (4.3 Vortec)

Brent, I don’t have that specific motors manual. I would suggest you look at the fuel rail on top of the manifold and look for the regulator which would have a fuel relief line going back to the fuel tank acting as the pressure relief line. If your fuel pressure is low you may have a fuel pump going out or a fuel filter that is becoming clogged up.

Replace the penny test with the quarter test when you check your tire wear:

“Blame it on inflation. For years the de facto standard for determining how much rubber remained on your tires was to use a penny. Depending on how much of Lincoln’s noggin was visible when the coin was placed in the tire’s treads, you knew if it was time for a new set of shoes for your ride.

Now nationwide retailer The Tire Rack says the price of the test has gone up 2500 percent. The Tire Rack claims the so-called Penny Test should be replaced by the Quarter Test if you want to be certain your tires are safe for wet-weather driving.”