We love our engines
Quick Answer To test a fuel pressure regulator, you’ll need a fuel pressure gauge and basic hand tools. The three main testing methods are: 1) Static pressure test (engine off), 2) Running pressure test (engine at idle), and 3) Vacuum test (checking pressure changes with vacuum applied). Normal fuel pressure typically ranges from 35-65 PSI … Read more
Quick Answer: Your car’s air intake system delivers clean air to the engine for combustion. A clogged air filter or leaky intake tract can rob power, hurt fuel economy, and trigger check engine lights. Replacing an air filter takes 10 minutes and costs $15–$40. Ignoring intake issues can lead to $500+ repairs. The Day a … Read more
It was a Tuesday morning in late October, the kind where you can see your breath in the shop before the heaters kick in. A customer pulled up in a 2015 Honda Civic with 87,000 miles, complaining about a rough idle and occasional stalling at stop lights. “It feels like the car wants to die,” … Read more
It was a Tuesday morning, about 20 degrees outside, when Sarah rolled her 2016 Honda Civic into my bay with that unmistakable stumbling idle. She’d been dealing with it for three weeks, and now the check engine light had finally joined the party. “It feels like the car’s about to stall every time I stop … Read more
The $3 Filter That Nearly Killed a $28,000 Engine It was sweltering in the Bay Area last August—104°F with that dry, dusty Central Valley wind blowing through the shop doors. A woman pulled up in a 2019 Toyota RAV4, saying it “just doesn’t feel right.” Hesitation on takeoff, rough idle at red lights, and that … Read more
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
Quick Answer: Oxygen sensor failure usually shows up as poor fuel economy, rough idle, or a check engine light. Most O2 sensors last 80,000–120,000 miles. Replacement is typically a moderate DIY job costing $80–$250, versus $250–$600 at a shop. That Cold Morning When the Check Engine Light Wouldn’t Quit It was a gray Tuesday morning, … Read more
Last Tuesday afternoon, a silver 2015 Honda Accord rolled into my bay with the check engine light glowing amber on the dash. The customer—a schoolteacher named Maria—told me her car had been “acting weird” for two weeks. “It hesitates when I step on the gas, and sometimes it just surges forward like it has a … Read more
From a master tech who’s replaced 500+ MAF sensors: here’s exactly what fails, how to test it, and whether you can clean it or need a new one. Quick Answer MAF sensor problems typically show up as rough idle, hesitation, or poor fuel economy. Cleaning works 30-40% of the time if the sensor is just … Read more
Opening: The Day the Engine Started Stuttering It was a sweltering July afternoon in the shop, the kind of heat that makes even the most seasoned mechanics slow down and grab an extra Gatorade. I was elbow-deep in a Toyota Camry’s timing cover when my service writer, Jake, walked in with that look—the one that … Read more