Online Edition Monday, August 16, 2004
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Scalloping on tires is the mark of strut or shock problemBy AUTO SCANNER Larry Rub Q: Is there any gasoline company other than Texaco (which is getting harder and harder to find) that puts a good detergent formula in its regular gas? Also, my 1999 Dodge Caravan with 150,000 miles on it - and has never had an alignment - just started to show minor scalloping on the outside edges of the tires. I am sure the mechanic will check the ball joints and struts when I bring it in, but if they are good, how long can they last? I know that an alignment is needed after either of these repairs. Are there any other front-end parts that should be checked before an alignment? A: That’s a great question. Scalloping on a tire is usually caused from a suspension component known as a Macpherson strut, or a shock, depending on the particular year make and model. A vehicle that has a severe toe-in problem will give a similar pattern but more of a scuffed appearance. If your vehicle has ball joints that are serviceable (have a grease fitting), they may last forever if properly maintained. As far as a good gas, most gas stations have excellent detergent packages. Some are very similar. I would say any of the major brands of gas will do your engine well.
Q: I have a 1983 Ford F-250 truck. I recently changed the spark plugs, cap, rotor, wires, points and condenser. Also, I changed the battery, battery cables and starter solenoid. My problem is that now the truck does not crank over, have headlights or any accessories. I didn’t have this problem before I did the work. Do you have any idea what might be going on? A: It is great to hear you did all of that work on this workhorse of a truck. I would bet that the wiring at the starter solenoid got mixed up, especially since there was no similar problem before doing the work. The starter solenoid has three terminals on it that are important to us. The two big terminals are the battery-in power, and the second is the power out to the starter. The third is the wire from the neutral safety switch or key, which tells the solenoid to activate and send power to the starter. On the terminal that has the battery wire, there are several other wires with large hoops on the end that are bolted to that same stud. Disconnect your battery, move the wires to the proper stud, reconnect your battery, and the problem should be gone.
Q: Our 2000 Mercury Marquis has a loud hum coming from the dashboard when the car is going fast, especially on long trips. As soon as the car slows down it stops. What causes this and how can we fix it? A: This car has a known problem with the air bypass valve or the IAC (idle air control) valve. This valve, when it goes bad, causes what is called "hooting." Usually turning the air conditioner on will get the noise started. The repair of this problem, if indeed it turns out to be the valve, involves replacing some tubes with the updated style. Any service facility with an information system such as AllData or Mitchells will be able to find the proper technical service bulletin. Of course, most Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealers can do this as well.
Car Care Tip: If you follow the 100,000-mile, no-maintenance schedule, you will more than likely find yourself in the showroom at 105,000 miles. * * * Larry Rubenstein is a master technician who owns a North Shore service station. His column appears Tuesday in the Biz North section. Write to Larry at the Essex County Newspapers, c/o Auto Scanner, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915, or send e-mail to scanauto@aol.com. nstein
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