It was a cold December morning last year, frost still on the ground, when Mrs. Johnson pulled her 2008 Honda Accord into the bay. She said the car had been hesitating on acceleration for weeks, idling rough like it wanted to stall at every stoplight, and that darn check engine light had been glaring at … Read more
It was 7:30 AM on a Tuesday that felt like Monday—rain coming down in sheets, coffee gone cold in my mug, and Mrs. Henderson’s 2012 Honda Accord on the lift doing its best paint-shaker impression. The poor woman’s hands were still tingling from her 20-minute drive to the shop. “It started last week,” she said, … Read more
Quick Answer: Black smoke from your exhaust usually means your engine is running “rich”—burning too much fuel or not enough air. Common culprits include a leaking fuel injector, a clogged air filter, a bad sensor (MAF or O2), or a stuck open fuel pressure regulator. The $3,000 Mistake: A Shop Floor Story It was a Tuesday … Read more
Quick Answer: Blue smoke exhaust is a classic sign your engine is burning oil. The culprit is usually worn valve seals or piston rings, but it could also be caused by a faulty PCV system, turbocharger issues (on turbocharged engines), or using the wrong oil viscosity. Ignoring it will lead to increased oil consumption, poor … Read more
It was a cold December morning in the shop, the kind where your breath hangs in the air like a ghost. I was sipping my third coffee of the day when Mrs. Thompson rolled in, her 2012 Honda Accord puffing white smoke like a steam locomotive. She’d been ignoring the temperature gauge for weeks, she … Read more
Quick Answer: If your engine is burning oil, it’s usually due to worn piston rings, failing valve seals, a clogged PCV system, or internal engine wear. Blue smoke from the exhaust, dropping oil levels, and fouled spark plugs are the most common signs. Some causes are manageable with targeted repairs, while others point to deeper … Read more
It was a Tuesday morning in February, about 15 degrees outside, when a panicked customer rolled into the bay with his 2011 Chevy Silverado 5.3L. The oil pressure gauge was sitting dead at zero, and he’d driven three miles that way before noticing. I pulled the dipstick—bone dry. The engine was ticking like a time … Read more
By a Master Tech who’s chased this ghost across 2,000+ bay stalls Quick Answer: If the starter spins the engine but it never “catches,” you’re missing one of three things—fuel, spark, or compression. Check for 35-45 psi fuel pressure at the rail, a snapping blue spark across a 0.035-in plug gap, and minimum 90 psi … Read more
Quick Answer: A “hard starting engine” typically means the engine cranks but takes longer than usual to fire up. This is usually caused by a loss of fuel pressure overnight, failing ignition components, or sensor data errors (like a bad Coolant Temperature Sensor). The Tuesday Morning Troublemaker It was 7:15 AM on a biting cold Tuesday … Read more
Quick Answer: If your car stalls at idle—especially at red lights or when stopped—the most common culprits are a failing idle air control valve (IACV), vacuum leaks, a dirty throttle body, or a malfunctioning mass airflow sensor (MAF). Diagnosis starts with checking for error codes and inspecting hoses and sensors. Many fixes are DIY-friendly and … Read more