Total restoration project won’t be cheap
Q. I have a 1965 Ford Mustang and it needs total restoration. Rather than put the 289 V-8 engine back in I wanted to upgrade to a new driveline. I was thinking of a Coyote engine and modern steering and suspension. The car needs bodywork, paint, and some interior work. My budget is $30,000, but after making some calls shops told me I need to spend twice that. Why do they all want to rip me off? Or is it that they do not want the work?
A. First, this is a little out of my area of expertise, but here is what I do know. Because of the width of the Coyote engine, the engine modification would be cost-prohibitive. You would need to remove the subframe and factory shock towers. Now with enough time, talent, and budget it is possible, but costly. You could do a General Motors LS swap, but you will likely get grief from Ford fans. I would think you would need at least a $10,000 budget to put in a performance rebuild of a 289 or 302 V-8 then add in another few thousand dollars for fuel injection and wiring and gauges. Several thousand more for steering and suspension upgrades. Your complete driveline budget is going to be close to or even exceed your total budget. Depending on how the car is painted, a respray or disassemble the entire body, fix rust, previous repairs and replace body mounts you could spend another $20$30,000.
Q
. I am looking at a 2020 E 350 Mercedes from a Mercedes dealer. When I opened the door, it smelled stupid sweet, like 100 Little Trees were hanging from the rearview mirror. The dealer told us that the original owner was a smoker, and they tried to get rid of the tobacco smell. Is there a way to remove the smell without masking it?
A
. Most sprays will only mask the spray, but you could try Ozium spray or ZEP commercial cleaning products have a smoke eliminator product. Many reconditioning shops use both. Fabreeze is a go-to for smells and you could also rent an Ozone generator. Ozone generators are what many hotels use to eliminate smells. Recently someone sent me a bottle of NoNaste (https://nonaste. com/collections/odor-eliminating-spray). My only test was on a stinky pair of sneakers, and it worked pretty well.
Q
. My car sounds terrible, and my engine light is on. It’s only quiet when I am stopped.
A
. Hard to say, it could be a broken exhaust or even someone stole your catalytic converter, which is part of the exhaust system and has been a target for theft in the past couple of years. At this point, I would consider having a car towed to a garage. If you need a good garage, go to aaa.com/repair to find an AAA-approved garage near you.
Q
. I have a 2013 Toyota Highlander with 60,000 miles. I recently had it serviced at the dealer for an inspection, oil change, radiator flush and a tire rotation. Since this service, the ABS dashboard light will intermittently come on at random times. It can be as soon as I start to drive, or after driving several miles. It does not stay on for more than a few minutes, and sometimes it is lit for less than a minute. I rarely drive this car but do try to take it on one longer ride at least once a week. I feel this issue is related to the recent service, as it never occurred before this. I do not want to spend a lot of money to repair this, as we are considering a new car next year. Would very much appreciate your opinion.
A
. Although none of the items you listed should have caused the ABS light to come on, the car uses four-wheel sensors (one at each wheel) to measure how the brakes stop. It is possible that one of the sensors could have been disturbed during the tire rotation. The brakes will work as conventional brakes and are safe even when the amber ABS light is on. They just do not
have the anti-lock function. I would suggest going back to the dealer, explaining the issue, and having them do a reinspection of the car. It could be related, or it could be an age-related coincidence.
Q
. I have a 2015 Cadillac ATS 2.0T allwheel drive with approximately 42,000 miles on it. Recently the check engine light has been coming on intermittently over the past few months. The mechanics scan shows a lean condition (code PO171) with fuel trims rising at idle. A smoke test showed no leaks and fuel pressure specs are within parameters. The throttle plates were serviced. After the inspection, the mechanic suggested trying top-tier gas only.
A
. The suggestion of top-tier gasoline could be the shop’s thinking that there is excessive carbon buildup in the combustion chamber, although this will typically also show a random misfire code. The smoke test would have shown the most common failure was a leaking PCV hose and valve (part of the valve cover). The second most common problem is a faulty Mass Air Flow sensor. Using a lab scope may show erratic operation which would lead to check engine light and fuel trim issues. At the bottom of the list a slowto-react oxygen sensor, but my money is on the Mass Air Flow sensor. Before investing more time and money, try a few tanksful of top-tier fuel and see if the additional additives make a difference.
Q
. My husband has a 2017 Chevy Silverado, which up until recently ran exceptionally well. We tow a boat to the ramp in the summer and now commute about 50 miles roundtrip to work five days a week. He regularly has his oil changed and keeps his tires in good condition. Recently, he had to have the transmission replaced out of the blue with no advanced symptoms. Is this a common problem? The new issue is he gets gas or oil fumes into the passenger compartment via the vents in the dash. This continues when the truck starts during his commute. All pressure tests for leaks come back negative. This problem has been checked by two separate truck mechanics and nothing is found. What are we missing?
A
. The eight-speed transmission in that truck has certainly had its share of issues. I do not have access to all of Chevrolet technical service bulletins but with the database I use I count more than three dozen to address a variety of transmission problems. Regarding the gas smell, if it is coming through the vents, the air intake for the HVAC system is near the battery. Any oil leak past or present could cause fumes to enter that area. I would also be looking for a fuel-saturated carbon canister. This part is designed to hold and then burn fuel vapor. Overfilling the fuel tank can damage this part.