We love our engines
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
It was 7:30 AM on a frigid Tuesday in February when Mrs. Henderson’s 2012 Honda Civic rolled into my bay on the back of a flatbed. The temperature had barely cracked 15°F, and she was in tears—her daughter needed the car for college finals that afternoon. “It just died on the highway,” she sobbed. “No … Read more
It was 7:30 AM on a Tuesday in February, coldest day we’d seen in Atlanta that winter. My coffee was still steaming when Mrs. Johnson rolled her ’08 Honda Pilot into the bay, engine clattering like a toolbox down a flight of stairs. “It just started making this noise yesterday,” she said, but I knew … 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
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
Tuesday morning, 7:30 AM. A ’98 Civic rolls into my bay with the customer white-knuckled and frustrated. “It keeps dying at every stoplight,” she says, her voice cracking. The poor girl’s been nursing this thing for weeks, restarting it in traffic like she’s playing Russian roulette with rush hour. One quick scan, a $47 part … Read more
It was 3:47 PM on a sweltering Tuesday in July when Mrs. Henderson’s 2012 Toyota Camry rolled into my bay. “It’s making this weird hissing sound, and the idle keeps dropping so low I think it’s going to stall,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow. I’ve heard this story hundreds of times, and my … Read more
By ASE-Certified Master Automotive Technician A Rainy Tuesday Misfire Mystery It was 7:45 AM on a rainy Tuesday when Sarah pulled into my shop in her 2016 Honda Civic, the check engine light blinking like a frantic strobe light. “It’s shaking like crazy,” she said, her voice filled with concern. “I’m afraid to drive it … 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