Well....crap.....

Denverdave

Denverdave

Resident Ragamuffin
Tuesday morning I went to go drive to a local park to get in a short run. My car barely started. It's been struggling the first thing in the morning (is has not been that cold and it has a new battery). So I took it in to my mechanic and asked them to look in on it (along with an oil change, tire rotation).

It sat overnight on their lot and this morning when they tried to start it.....it started right up with no issue at all. Battery, fuel pressure, alternator - all checked out perfect. So it is intermittent. Yuck.

But - they gave me the laundry list of stuff that does not HAVE to be done - but will need to be shortly.
New Tires
New O2 sensor
New catayltic converter
Valve cover has a slight leak.

That is abut $3000.00 plus of work on a 18 year old car with 251K miles on it. It might be time to look at something newer.

Problem is my budget (10k - 12k) doesn't leave a lot to offer in the AWD category with reasonable mileage that I would buy (I won't buy most American models, no Nissan, No Kia, No Hyundai). I can get moer if I go with a FWD model, and honestly you do not need AWD that much around here. But I hate driving in the snow as it is and AWD helps me deal with it better.

So I'm looking at Honda, Toyota, Suburu, Acura, Lexus. Everything AWD in that price range has at least 120K on it already. And right now I average 25K a year on a car so I would be wearing those out in 4 years or less.....

Grrrr.....
 
Denverdave said:
Tuesday morning I went to go drive to a local park to get in a short run. My car barely started. It's been struggling the first thing in the morning (is has not been that cold and it has a new battery). So I took it in to my mechanic and asked them to look in on it (along with an oil change, tire rotation).

It sat overnight on their lot and this morning when they tried to start it.....it started right up with no issue at all. Battery, fuel pressure, alternator - all checked out perfect. So it is intermittent. Yuck.

But - they gave me the laundry list of stuff that does not HAVE to be done - but will need to be shortly.
New Tires
New O2 sensor
New catayltic converter
Valve cover has a slight leak.

That is abut $3000.00 plus of work on a 18 year old car with 251K miles on it. It might be time to look at something newer.

Problem is my budget (10k - 12k) doesn't leave a lot to offer in the AWD category with reasonable mileage that I would buy (I won't buy most American models, no Nissan, No Kia, No Hyundai). I can get moer if I go with a FWD model, and honestly you do not need AWD that much around here. But I hate driving in the snow as it is and AWD helps me deal with it better.

So I'm looking at Honda, Toyota, Suburu, Acura, Lexus. Everything AWD in that price range has at least 120K on it already. And right now I average 25K a year on a car so I would be wearing those out in 4 years or less.....

Grrrr.....
Click to expand...

mojo
 
Cars will struggle to start when you cut them off and the motor stops on or near the compression stroke. Means that the next time you start it the starter motor has to push against the pending built up compression and sound labored when turning over.
 
DinoMikeSr said:
New catayltic converter needed based on...?
Click to expand...

He said he had a bad 02 sensor...

That pretty much does all the explanation by itself. Bad 02 sensor causes the ECU to default into running either super rich, or super lean. Either one will destroy a Catalytic Converter in short order. We just had to replace TWO of them on our 2007 Pathfinder. My own damned fault for ignoring a situation I knew all too well would lead to exactly that outcome. $700 just for the parts (CATs only) after replacing all the other expensive shit that killed them. I can't complain because it's a great vehicle that has served us without fail for 14 years and 160,000 miles. Luckily for me as someone who spent years the "Bidness", I can still get parts on the cheap and can do most of the work myself. Some things I'd rather not tackle, but this was all gravy work as the techs would say.
 
I went through this in January with my Hyundai. First the engine would’t start when cold, but it always started when it was at a shop, so they could̃n’t fix it. Then the check engine light kept coming on, that was a cylinder misfiring. Then a slow oil leak was damaging other parts. All the internal body panels had come loose and it sounded like the car was falling apart if I drove with the stereo off. We waited until a warm afternoon when the engine would start and traded it in to Carmax and bought a 2018 Toyota. I hope they sold it to a junkyard and didn’t just fix the paint and sell it to some poor bastard.
 
OGG said:
He said he had a bad 02 sensor...

That pretty much does all the explanation by itself. Bad 02 sensor causes the ECU to default into running either super rich, or super lean. Either one will destroy a Catalytic Converter in short order. We just had to replace TWO of them on our 2007 Pathfinder. My own damned fault for ignoring a situation I knew all too well would lead to exactly that outcome. $700 just for the parts (CATs only) after replacing all the other expensive shit that killed them. I can't complain because it's a great vehicle that has served us without fail for 14 years and 160,000 miles. Luckily for me as someone who spent years the "Bidness", I can still get parts on the cheap and can do most of the work myself. Some things I'd rather not tackle, but this was all gravy work as the techs would say.
Click to expand...
This
 
Denverdave said:
New O2 sensor
New catayltic converter
Click to expand...
Do you have a "check engine" light, or any codes pending?

If not, the cat may not be too far gone...yet...replace the O2 as soon as you can, then...
Get yourself a bottle (or two) of CataClean...I've seen it have some pretty amazing results...you run your tank down to almost (and I mean ALMOST) empty, pour in the CataClean, and run it as far as you dare (at least 10-15 miles) and then fill up...run a tank or 2 through, then repeat the process...it may open the cat up enough to buy you some time...

If you have a check engine light, but it's recent, it still may work...if there has been an issue for any appreciable length of time there's no saving it, even to buy a little time...
 
jelloman said:
Do you have a "check engine" light, or any codes pending?

If not, the cat may not be too far gone...yet...replace the O2 as soon as you can, then...
Get yourself a bottle (or two) of CataClean...I've seen it have some pretty amazing results...you run your tank down to almost (and I mean ALMOST) empty, pour in the CataClean, and run it as far as you dare (at least 10-15 miles) and then fill up...run a tank or 2 through, then repeat the process...it may open the cat up enough to buy you some time...

If you have a check engine light, but it's recent, it still may work...if there has been an issue for any appreciable length of time there's no saving it, even to buy a little time...
Click to expand...
The light has been on for awhile...I know...dummy...


Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
 
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Denverdave said:
The light has been on for awhile...I know...dummy...


Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Still give it a try as I described...run each bottle of CataClean through it as concentrated as possible (literally no more than a gallon or 2 in the tank) and repeat at least once...and try running a tank or 2 of premium after you treat...it's worth throwing 40-50.00 at it...then clear the codes...

I've had one customer nursing a Honda CR-V with a hard P0200 code for over a year this way, getting it to pass inspection twice...
 
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I had a problem with my 300k mile Jeep starting,and running like crap.
I put in a new catalytic converter, muffler,and pipe. liIt runsruns like a champ now.
It cast about $325 for parts.
I do have a thermostat housing leak too.
I'll take care of that in a few weeks.
 
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Tires & the 02 sensor replacement are just a function of use/wear items essentially

You can do the 02 sensor(s) pretty cheaply yourself or if you know someone that's mechanically inclined. Helps to have a torch and 02 sensor socket
The cat might not be far gone, see after replacing the sensors, like jello mentioned
Unless the valve cover gasket is gushing oil, I'd just watch your oil level and top off an needed occasionally.
 
Denverdave said:
Well - I went ahead and made the move up. Traded the CR-V in a 2012 Toyota Camry with 100K on it. Nice car, better gas mileage, and since cars are not selling right now I got it at a very good price. Cash.
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