Q&A

Answers to your car questions

QUESTION

Can you help me with a problem that I am having with the used car dealer where I purchased a car about six months ago? The car has been back to the dealer about four times now and the problem still has not been addressed. The problem is that the car is burning oil and blue smoke is coming out of the exhaust when I am going down hills. I have asked on several occasions to see the etest that was done at the time of sale and they still have not produced that to me. I have expressed concern about having to have the car e-tested when I renew my license and they told me to just bring the car to them and they will see that it does pass. Volkswagen may get away with polluting cars but I can assure you that I will not be able to. Can you do something about used car dealers ripping off the public or are you in their pocket as well as all other so called help agencies.

– Ron from Hamilton

ANSWER

I can assure you that I am not in anyone’s pocket. Your poorly thought out remarks in your question reminds me of one politician who was running for a government position and who told hundreds of people that he was going to lay them off if he got elected. You are asking for help and then trying to insult me at the same time, however, I did look into your problem anyway. Your bill of sale differs from the bill of sale from the dealer. The dealer told me that the car was bought “AS IS” and that the cost was much less than that car should have cost you. He also told me that you were aware of the oil burning and that you were a technical person who was HPJOH UP lY UIF FOHJOF ZPVSTFMG 5IF EFBMFS

also told me that you were going to have the DBS F UFTUFE XIFO ZPV lOJTIFE UIF FOHJOF SFpairs and I now wonder how you transferred the car in your name without the e-test. I am not saying that you have not told me all the truth but your copy of the bill of sale does not have the words “AS IS” on it. For some reason, the words “AS IS” is blackened out on the bill of sale that you e-mailed to me. If any of these facts are not correct then you can contact me again.

QUESTION

I had my car repaired at a local body shop in town. When I got the car back there was a very strong odor in the car and it was also dusty inside. When I went back to the body shop, they told me that they did not, at that time, have time to clean it out and I was supposed to call them the next week to get the car cleaned. I called about two days later and they told me that they would get back to me and after the second call, they still have not contacted me. I called my insurance and they told me that the clean up was between the body shop and me. Can you contact them for me and have the car cleaned? I will be away the week of July 18, 2016 so any time in the week of July 25, I can go back to the body shop. – Ela from Kitchener

ANSWER

While speaking to the owner of the body shop, he was quite annoyed that his people did not take the car in immediately and have it cleaned properly for you. He told me that he was having a problem getting good clean up people but that problem he claims, should not have had any bearing on why you were brushed aside. You are to call him on July 25, 2016 and he will make sure that your car is cleaned and he will also give you a courtesy car for that day.

QUESTION

I have a 1946 Chevrolet six cylinder that I purchased from an older gentleman and have for the past six weeks being trying to get it started. To begin with, I am not a mechanic but I have worked on cars for the past ten years as a hobby. I replaced the spark plugs but I think that I got the spark plug wires crossed. I spoke to two different meDIBOJDT POF UPME NF UIBU UIF lSJOH PSEFS JT

654321 and the other mechanic told me that UIF lSJOH PSEFS JT #PUI EP OPU TFFN to work properly because the vehicle keeps PO CBDLlSJOH XIFO * USZ UP TUBSU JU * BMTP DBOOPU lOE UIF UJNJOH NBSL PO UIF GSPOU IBSmonica balancer even though I have cleaned JG PGG $BO ZPV QPTTJCMZ lOE UIF DPSSFDU lSJOH

order and if the timing mark on the balancer is worn off, how do you set the timing?

– Mike from Simcoe

ANSWER

The ignition timing mark is not on the front harmonic balancer. It is a steel ball UIBU JT MPDBUFE PO UIF mZXIFFM XIJDI ZPV

can see through an oval hole on the left rear side of the engine, if you are standing in front of the car. If the vehicle has the original 216 IPSTF QPXFS FOHJOF UIFO UIF lSJOH PSEFS

would be 153624. If it is the original distributor cap, the number one should be marked on the top of the cap.