Answers to your car questions
QUESTION –
Hello Dennis. I’ve read your column for years and I’ve seen good results from your advice. Now I need your help to steer me in the right direction with my ‘04 Pathfinder gas tank/gas filler line leak. A full tank means leaks on the driveway so I’m only partly filling up. A new gas tank is $1000 plus and I’m a senior on a fixed income. I found an $85 used tank at a junkyard but I’m not sure if it’s the tank itself that is the problem. The major labour cost would be to remove the tank. This truck has only 97,000 kilometres and has been problem free from the beginning. I love this truck. Any ideas?
Thanks, Dave, from Cambridge, Ont.
ANSWER –
A radiator shop is the best place to have someone look at the gas tank leak. Sometimes the spout of the gas tank will leak from the constant usage of the gas pump nozzle. If the tank is not rusted then most of the radiator shops will be able to repair your gas tank. The cost for that repair is usually around two hundred and fifty dollars. If you have already purchased the used gas tank, take that with you and they will be able to determine if it is in good shape and if it can be used. If you cannot find a radiator shop that can do that repair then contact me again and I will direct you to one that can do the repair.
QUESTION –
Hello Dennis, I am local avid reader of your column and I look forward to your trouble shooting/ comments on a regular Friday basis. This time however, I have a question that perhaps you can help me with. I have a 2013 Nissan Murano SV AWD with 167,000 klms on it. It has been maintained very well since new. As you may have guessed, it’s regarding the CVT transmission. When it’s cold, it’s fine. When it warms up, as I leave from stop, it “shutters” two or three times and then smooth’s out. If I put it into L and then switch to D after 10klms per hour, it’s always normal. The fluid was changed at a Nissan dealer at 55,000 kilometres. It almost sounds like an engine mount issue. The dealer tells me that the fluid should be good until 200,000 kilometres. Everyone seems to have a different opinion. Thank you in advance for any assistance.
Bruce from Hamilton
ANSWER – The CVTs were introduced a few years ago sometime around 1989 with some of the overseas car market. The problem with these transmissions is that they are not that easy to repair and can end up being very expensive to repair. Some complaints have been that the transmission appears to be slipping and shuttering as you have indicated that your vehicle is doing. The belt that runs the CVT can stretch and this sometimes can cause the problem that you are experiencing. The wrong oil or dirty oil is one of the main causes of these CTV transmission failures. My experience when dealing with these types of transmissions has found that the oil, if it is not the correct oil recommended or if the oil is dirty, can cause the belt to slip or prematurely wear out. Use the correct oil recommended by Nissan. I would first start out by changing the transmission oil with the proper recommended oil and see if that helps with the start up shutter. There is not much else that you can do so I hope that, by changing the oil, it will stop the shutter that you are getting at start up. If you do change the oil and it helps, I would appreciate you letting me know.
QUESTION – Last month, I took my Honda CRV into a local dealership to have the brakes inspected and replaced as required. A complete brake job was done as per my approval. I was pleased with the result and the cost (just under $1100.). Two weeks later, I lifted the hood to do my monthly inspection, which included checking fluid levels, oil leaks and belt condition, etc. I immediately observed a heavy film of thick gooey oil all over the front compartment between the engine and the front cowling and also on top of the framework above the fans. This was absolutely a new occurrence as I check under the hood monthly. I arranged to take the car back just this last week to have the source of the oil residue located. I picked the car up about an hour later and I was told that dye was put into the crankcase and I was asked to bring the car back in about a week. I was charged for engine shampoo and a clean up, which was not done. I called the service manager the next day and left a message. I never received a call back and two days later, I called the service desk to discuss the issue. The
service rep was very nice but reiterated that I should bring the car back to be inspected next week. As a retired mechanic, I was certain that the oil was not crankcase oil. My theory is that somehow, a technician may have mistaken my car for someone else’s and began to undercoat/ rustproof the vehicle. The oil residue, over three days, morphed into thick grease like substance. I removed as much of it as I could reach with degreaser and then power washed it. I then drove it for about 100 klms and the checked it again. There was absolutely no oil residue in that same area. Do you have any thoughts on this bizarre issue? Thank you.
Allan from Binbrook
ANSWER – Without seeing the residue that you are speaking about, I can only rely on the fact that you are a technician and know the difference between oil and a grease substance. I suspect that you are correct when you said that someone mistakenly was starting to rust protect your vehicle and then realized that they had the wrong car. I also suspect that the person doing the undercoating did not tell management about the mishap. I do not however understand why you paid for an engine shampoo when it was not done. If in fact it was not done then you should have confronted the service manager and I still think that it is not too late to ask about it. Bear in mind, since you are from the technical trade and you know that the person, who made the mistake on your car, can be in trouble simply because they did not follow the general instruction of most dealerships to report any mistake so that it can be rectified prior to the customer picking up their vehicle. The ball is now in your court as to what you should do.