Vehiclesforall

Open Question: Is mechanical engineering right for me? This will be slightly long.?

I've seen this question asked many times on here, but never really in the form of how I'd like to ask it, and how I'd like it answered. OK, basic backdrop to sum it up and make it short, I never applied myself in high school because I was one of the kids that I'm sure everyone knew that thought this information would never apply to a real life situation. So I didn't try, maintained the grades I needed to get by. Math was never my strong suit but I have an extremely good work ethic and feel that if I applied myself enough and kept the right attitude I could do it. All other subjects came relatively easy to me when I actually tried, and I come from a back ground of tinkering. My father was a mechanic, I love taking things apart and putting them back together and figuring out how things work and anything to do with making something work easier through applied mechanics has always interested me. I thought for a while that general auto-mechanics would be the route for me, but I feel it won't be challenging enough. The only discouragement I've seen is 1) people not being to hold even a part time job getting into their second year of engineering school. I would have NO other option but to work, no one is going to pay my bills. 2) Coming across forums of engineering graduates, some with their masters, not being able to find work for extremely substantial amounts of time because no one is looking for entry level positions with no work experience even though gaining work experience comes from someone giving you an opportunity to prove yourself. I would realllly not like to waste 4-6 years of my life and over 100k for loans just to be met by a dead end. Any input is appreciated, thanks. Also, ignorant, simple minded pessimists, need not reply, just being real, thanks.

Open Question: Best place to buy a clutch kit?

Doing an engine swap in a 93 civic. Out of the major parts stores around here who sells the best one? Autozone, advance auto, o'reileys, napa, koi, international autoparts.

Open Question: Should I be concerned about my brother?

He plays Grand Theft Auto games specifically to go around on killing sprees. I know this is part of the game but that’s all he does just go around and kill random people for no reason. One thing that is a bit concerning is he takes the time to make sure these people are dead as in no longer moving, if he notices someone moving he’ll shoot them or beat them until they stop or back over them with a vehicle. He's 23

Open Question: 2003 Chevy S10 ZR5 Seat Motor Help?

I have a 2003 Chevy S10 ZR5 4X4 it has power seats, the motor that makes the back of the seat go up and down is down and out. I went to Auto Zone and they said it was a dealer only part, they were right, I called the dealership and they said $1,400,,, I almost fainted. Now here is my question. I have owned a lot of Chevy's and, I know they spread their parts out over many models and years. I cannot find a compatible motor on ebay or anywhere else for exactly my year and model truck. What year and models would work for my truck ? with out getting all clever with the wiring and such. I just want my seat to work. Anyone with a link to the replacement part gets good kudos!

Open Question: Please read the Auto-Zone nitemare, & why do they rent Chinese Tools?

So maybe you read my earlier post regarding the rusty broken rear brake line on my grocery wagon (94 Topaz spare car). I go into Auto-Zone & get a piece of flaired 3/8's break line & compression fittings to connect it. Start off by sayin I have a decent pipes cutter. So auto-zone rents me a flare tool to make the flare in the break line on the car right. This "made in Taiwan" flair tools & many other tool that auto-zone give you to use free(make a 20$ deposit & bring the tool back & it's free rental. Except they fail to tell you that this flare tool isn't worth the dynamite to blow it to hell. The first flair tool that they rented me, I broke that wing nut on the vice right away. I went back up & got another tool from them again & was a little more careful this time not to break it but. I don't see how in God's creation anyone could use this tool to make a "Dual" flare. Why in the hell can't they rent me a Snap-on or a Mac tool. I would gladly pay for the rental, pay to rent the thing if it would actually do the job! I made the flare with this piece of crap tool & I thought for a second that I got the thing to hold hydrolic preasure but, alas, this tool fail to make a decent flair. IDK, I'm just a little peeved because I wanted to get this thing goin so I could work on the other car tomarow. Does anyone know of a good auto-part chain that would actually rent me a GOOD break line flair tool? The Chinese on was nice & shiney,,shiney,,BECAUSE THE GD WING NUTS WERE "CAST IRON". Can you believe it? Cast iron wing nut. Real great tool. I can go get a lousy tool at Harbor Frieght store anytime I want some cheaply made imported tool. By the way, I live in the good ole USA, I thougfht I'd tell you before you asked me what country I'm from on the auto-part store re.. Thanks alot YEAH YEAH. That's the one. Tekton. That's the one that snapped/broke the first time I used it. How the hell do you buy a GOOD flare tool for under 10 dollars? I want to rent at least a Mack or a Snap-on. Have you ever heard of quality, WORKABLE, hard iron tools? The only decent Chinese brand I'd go near is Meketa or how ever you spell it. Sorry, does spelling weally mattar?

Open Question: Any help on as to why my 97 Vortec 5.7 is blowing black smoke out of the pipes?

I have a 1997 k1500 silverado with about 204xxx miles. This last fall i replaced the fuel pump and screen. Ever since, it has started rough, idles rough while "cold"(it actually sounds like a cammed four-barrel), has a strong exhaust smell, blows noticeable amounts of liquid out of the pipes (idle in one spot for a couple minutes and you can see wet spots behind the pickup) and has more recently started blowing black smoke out of the pipes when under load or while cold (while passing on the highway if i accelerate too hard and let it kick down) and i know it sounds crazy but the smoke is black as night and there is a black buildup on the inside of the exhaust pipes that resembles coal. I have also noticed that it is sometimes balanced between pipes (true-dual exhaust) and sometimes the smoke is biased towards one side of the engine or the other. The fuel pump was a universal pump i got from oriellys auto parts and i did the full process myself. I am wondering if a loose hose or hole in a hose coming from the fuel pump assembly (vacuum hose maybe) could cause that or something else. I understand the black smoke is from the engine running too rich but i have no idea how to tell what is causing it. Any advice is greatly appreciated! All plugs and filters are good and last oil change was about 500 miles ago.

Open Question: Think you can't be jailed for not paying your bills, think again?

Although the U.S. abolished debtors' prisons in the 1830s, more than a third of U.S. states allow the police to haul people in who don't pay all manner of debts, from bills for health care services to credit card and auto loans. In parts of Illinois, debt collectors commonly use publicly funded courts, sheriff's deputies, and country jails to pressure people who owe even small amounts to pay up, according to the AP. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jailed-for--280--the-return-of-debtors--prisons.html We are back in the dark ages. States that do these things have had their legislators compromised by lobbyists who wine and dine them to pass or to keep such laws in operation. The people are not in power its those with money who get whatever they want placed into laws and bills all over this country and in Washington also. How many of you or your descendents have student loan debts? How many have debts trying to survive?

Open Question: can i use an Ignition Lock Cylinder from a junk car?

i need an ignition lock cylinder for my 1996 chevy cavalier (manual trans) and apparently there's not an auto parts store on the planet that carries it in stock and they have to special order the part wich will take anywhere from 7-10 days to deliver.. my question is can i go to a junk yard and pull one out of a car there or should i get a new part?

Open Question: What's wrong with my Jeep?

I have a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it stalls on me about once a day. My car itself, is giving me the code p0320 but I took it to autozone and advanced auto parts to get it checked and I got a p0725. Are these two codes related? I think it has something to do with the crankshaft position sensor but I don't know where that is located on my jeep.

Open Question: Do you think I did the right thing? Was in the auto parts store this morning. An older man comes into the?

store with two children. A girl, about four, a boy, about one and a half. As soon as he walked into the store he called attention to himself because he was screaming at the children saying things like "shut the hell up", "I'll beat your ass", "mother f_ _ _ _ _ _", etc. The kids were running all over the store. The little boy walked outside of the store, and was outside by himself. If I hadnn't screamed for the manager to go outside to grab him, he would have gone out into the parking lot and gotten hit by a car. The man did not even know the child had gone outside. He clearly was not watching the kids. They were a bother to him, and he just kept cursing at them, and telling them to shut up. This went on the entire time they were there. When he left, I followed them outside. After he put the kids into the car, he hit them, cursed at them, and was behaving even worse than he was in the store. I called 911. Gave the plate number, explained the situation, and I am hoping children and youth get involved. Do you think I did the right thing?