July 6, 2007
Q. My ’95 Civic was overheating, so I had the head gasket replaced and a tiny crack repaired on the block. There was also some warping that was machined. The car worked fine for a while, but it is overheating again and I can smell the anti-freeze. I put some radiator leak stuff into the radiator and it helped a little, but I still have to drive with the heat on full blast and the windows down to prevent overheating. This stinks in El Paso during triple-digit desert heat. Is all lost with this car, or is it worth trying to fix it some more?
A. Start with a check of the cooling system. It is possible the overheating problem could be caused by a partially clogged radiator. The bad news is this second round of overheating may have caused some additional cylinder head/engine block damage.
Q. My 2003 Nissan Maxima has a squeaky noise (sounds like a bird) coming from the rear wheels. The car has 61,000 miles on it and I purchased it used with about 30,000 miles on it. The noise is there whether I go slower or faster. Should I have it looked into right away or do you think it can wait?
A. Little noises can over time turn into expensive repairs. The noise could be a brake sensor (warning the brake pads are wearing out) or a wheel bearing starting to fail. You should bring the car into a repair shop and road-test it with one of the technicians to identify the noise. Once the noise is identified, ask for an estimate to repair the problem.
Q. I am thinking of buying a Honda Accord hybrid. What do you think of this car?
A. I have always been a fan of the Accord but the hybrid, in my opinion, just doesn’t offer a good value. During my last road test of a hybrid Accord, the average mileage was just 30 miles per gallon. Compare this to a conventional Accord that gets about the same mileage and is several thousands of dollars less. Honda recently announced that the redesigned 2008 Honda Accord will not include a hybrid variant.
Q. I recently purchased a new GMC truck that runs on ethanol. Then I found out there are no ethanol stations in the Boston area. If we are so concerned about saving fuel, why are there no ethanol stations? What is going on?
A. E85 is 85-percent alcohol, derived in most cases from corn, and 15-percent gasoline. Your truck’s engine, like all that I’m aware of, is not optimized for ethanol and consequently you can expect up to a 20-percent increase in overall fuel consumption. The delay in Massachusetts seems to stem from a regulatory issue. The way I understand it so far is the 15-percent base stock of E85 has to meet the same reformulated fuel standards as other gasoline sold in Massachusetts and this doesn’t seem to be the case.
Q. Nearly a year ago, I heard that adding acetone to gasoline would cause a fairly dramatic increase in fuel economy. Since then, I have heard just about nothing. Is there any truth to this?
A. In theory, the acetone is supposed to reduce the surface tension of the gasoline and result in a more complete combustion. In my opinion, adding acetone will do little or nothing to your car’s fuel economy.
Q. The “check engine” light is always coming on in my Honda CRV. I have had it tested and the code shows a problem with the emissions system. The first thing that gets checked is the gas cap and it is always loose. I put in my own gas and always click the cap three times. What’s wrong?
A. The first thing I would do is replace the gas cap. When you get gas, don’t be shy about tightening the cap. Three clicks is the minimum; turn the cap until you are sure it is tight.
