Ask the Auto Doctor
Q : SR5 I have pickup a 1991 with Toyota 120,350 miles. I don’t drive the truck much and it’s stored in a garage. Last autumn, I would get it out and warm it up for 5 minutes before driving. About three minutes into a trip, the engine would rev up very high and would not stop for four minutes. During that time the thermostat would climb to double its normal reading (about halfway on the gauge). After about four minutes the engine would idle normally and the temperature gauge would return to normal. Why was this occurring? — Victor
A : First, this vehicle was available with either fuel injectors or a carburetor. Depending on which type your truck is equipped with, here is my advice: If your truck has fuel injection, then the idle air control motor and coolant temperature sensor need to be examined, making sure the coolant is full. If the engine has a carburetor, then the choke needs to be looked at. There is also a high idle speed adjustment setting on the carburetor. Note, today’s scan tools will not work on the old OBDI system that your truck has. You will need to find a shop with an older scan tool with OBDI capabilities.
Q : I own a four-cylinder 2013 Honda Accord EX-L with 31,700 miles. The dealer informed me that it is time to change the transmission fluid. When I questioned him as to why (only 31,700 miles) he said are that different today’s than transmissions past transmissions and the fluid should be changed at 30,000 miles. When I asked him if he checked the fluid he informed that it couldn’t be checked manually. Is all of the above true? — Marty
A : Yes, I agree with the dealer on the transmission fluid change. Though your Honda has very low mileage, it is five years old. This simple drain-and-fill procedure is easily facilitated via your Honda’s drain plug and will require about 3.5 quarts of fluid to refill. The cost is around $90 on average. Honda transmission fluid must be used.
Q : I have a 2002 Ford Focus ZTW that smells like bad eggs, cuts out, and is getting very poor gas mileage (160 total miles per tank). Help! — Glenda
A : The bad egg smell is from the catalytic converter trying to clean the unburned gas going into the converter. The first step is to have a technician check for any fault codes in the computer, even if there is no “check engine” light illuminated. The problem can be as simple as a vacuum leak, bad spark plug, or plug wire. A full engine performance scan may be required to view all of the sensor values.
Junior Damato is an ASE certified Master Technician. Email questions for publication to info@motormatters.biz