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  • Car questions

    Hello all,

    I have a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, and I love the car and want to keep it running until the wheels fall off. While I don't know a lot about cars, I change the oil myself and also rotate the tires as needed. However, at some point more maintenance will be needed, and I hope so of you guys with more car knowledge will be able to help me out with my questions.

    A few days ago, I got a bunch of coupons in the mail from various car repair places for discounts on services. They are as follows:

    1) Radiator drain and refill + inspection of coolant hoses
    2) "Fuel injection service"
    3) Hot oil engine flush
    4) New timing belts
    5) Engine tune-up
    6) Front end alignment

    Now, my car runs just the same as it did the day I bought it, but I always have that creeping suspicion something might be wrong that I don't know about. I have been doing the oil changes myself for 1.5 years and have not taken it into the shop for any reason except an oil change for about 2 years.

    With that in mind, should I get any of the aforementioned services? Which ones are gimmicks and which are legit? Thanks.

  • #2
    Originally posted by Proyas View Post
    Hello all,

    I have a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, and I love the car and want to keep it running until the wheels fall off. While I don't know a lot about cars, I change the oil myself and also rotate the tires as needed. However, at some point more maintenance will be needed, and I hope so of you guys with more car knowledge will be able to help me out with my questions.

    A few days ago, I got a bunch of coupons in the mail from various car repair places for discounts on services. They are as follows:

    1) Radiator drain and refill + inspection of coolant hoses
    2) "Fuel injection service"
    3) Hot oil engine flush
    4) New timing belts
    5) Engine tune-up
    6) Front end alignment

    Now, my car runs just the same as it did the day I bought it, but I always have that creeping suspicion something might be wrong that I don't know about. I have been doing the oil changes myself for 1.5 years and have not taken it into the shop for any reason except an oil change for about 2 years.

    With that in mind, should I get any of the aforementioned services? Which ones are gimmicks and which are legit? Thanks.
    Timing belts are the critical factor. every 100,000km (60,000m).

    Engine tune up every three - four years.
    Same for fuel injection.

    Front end alignment should be fine otherwise you wouldn't get a warrant of Fitness or whatever you guys call it.

    Hot oil flush only if you're middle aged and a woman.;)

    Radiator, should always be filled with glycol, don't touch unless you're loosing fluid, change out fluid every ten years, hose check you can do yourself, same with the fluid.

    On the oil, don't forget to change the filter as well every 2 years.
    In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

    Leibniz

    Comment


    • #3
      From my perspective, changing oil on a regular basis and tyre rotation are always good to do on your own; I trust you renew the filter at the same as the Oil change, and when rotating I hope you include the spare.

      You can do the Radiator drain and hose inspection yourself, remember to use an anti-freeze and not just water, as it contains rust inhibitors and anti-scaling agents.

      Fuel injectors can be cleaned by adding ann additive to your fuel tank, don't do this on a regular basis as the vehicle tends to get used to it.

      Hot Engine flush is a new one on me, whatever it means.

      Timing Chains/Belts are always something to keep an eye on, over time they tend to stretch and break. If they break it normally renders the engine as usless as it usually messes up the Valves etc.

      Wheel alignment only need to be undertaken if you feel the steering wheel shake a certain speeds, or you are getting uneven tyre wear. If you are doing tyre rotation yourself, it would be advisable to get the wheels balanced as the front tyres may (more than likely weill) have different lead weights on the rims.

      Changing the breaks yourself is always an easy job. You could also check your Hydraulic fluids yourself, i.e. Brake Fluid and Clutch Fluid.

      Also do not forget the Transmission Oil to. A point to note when draining oils led it run through your fingers so that you can feel for swarf and checks the drain plug, they are magnetic and will attract swarf (Iron fillings), if you have some there is something not right with the engine/transmission.

      Thats about it from me. Hope this helps.

      Comment


      • #4
        Almost identical Pari.

        Comment


        • #5
          I wouldn't do any one of those, especially the "tune up."

          What the hell is a "tune up?" What's wrong with the way the car is running right now?

          Never do an alignment unless you notice abnormal wear pattern on your tires or excessive road noise.

          Timing belt usually lasts 60000 miles or at least 5 years, on Japanese cars. Don't change it unless recommended by the factory as indicated in your owner's manual.

          Hot engine oil flush? Never heard of it.

          Radiator service might be worth it. But then again I've never had radiator trouble.

          Fuel injector service? Don't do it unless you notice a significant drop in fuel mileage.

          Most of these are not needed. Since you change your own oil, you can inspect the oil to see if it's dirty. That can tell you a lot about your car. Use good synthetic oil. Change oil and filter every 6k miles or 6 months (that's what I do), and inspect your tires when you rotate them.
          "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Parihaka View Post

            Hot oil flush only if you're middle aged and a woman.;)

            Gorra have to check my Doc's Qualifications:))





            Radiator, should always be filled with glycol

            I use vodka......until I clear Customs:))

            Comment


            • #7
              You said that you did take it in a couple of times to have oil changes. That shop probably has mechanics trained well enough to inspect those other items.

              A lot you can inspect yourself such as the fan belt (usually a Serpentine belt on newer cars as yours), brake fluid level in the master cylinder, changing out the air filter and checking your coolant.

              I don't know what part of the country you live in, but if you have snow in the winter this is the time to take it to a radiator shop to have it flushed and refilled with a good anti-freeze.

              Fuel injectors last for ages (as they did on my 97 Dodge Dakota) and it would only be necessary to take it in if you start running rough or your gas mileage is going downhill appreciably. The fuel injectors should be professionally cleaned at a reputable shop that has the proper equipment to do it. They are not just a screw plug with a hole in it.

              However, rough running and the "CHECK ENGINE" light is on could also (and most likely) mean an Oxygen sensor has given out. My old Dodge Caravan only had one Oxygen sensor that gave me a heck of a time. My Dakota has three in it and I already had to replace two of them. Some cars have as many as five or six Oxygen sensors.

              So take it to a well recommended shop (perhaps even a dealer if you have heard good reports of him and has the parts in house) that will run a full computer check on the car and tell you exactly what is wrong.

              As for rotating your tires, that's a nice idea. But balancing of the wheels is very important and should only be done at a reputable tire service center.

              Last but not least, front end alignment is important but generally not necessary unless your front tires show EXTREME wear on the outside edgy or ANY wear on the inside edge. The alignment of the front tires of a modern car is designed to have a slight toe-in and will show wear on the outer edge after some time. They could be re-aligned for wear dead center, but that's only good for the open road of hundreds or thousands of miles. The reason for the toe-in is for ease of steering.

              Final words: All those ads you get in the mail may or may not be from reputable or well trained service shops. Your best bet is the phone book so you can call and compare prices and guarantees.

              Or look up a buddy you know that is into cars, cars and cars. He will probably know the best places to take yours to.

              At least, that's what I do.
              Able to leap tall tales in a single groan.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Chaobam Armour View Post
                Almost identical Pari.
                :))
                In the realm of spirit, seek clarity; in the material world, seek utility.

                Leibniz

                Comment


                • #9
                  I wouldn't be surprised if the "Fuel Injection Service' wasn't an additive poured through the valve body like Ironduke's post of a couple of weeks ago. And as for the "Hot Oil Engine Flush" my guess would be some additive that's put in the engine oil and run for a short time before changing the engine oil.

                  What I didn't see on the coupon listing was replacement of the Fuel Filter and Automatic Transmission Filter replacement, both necessary to keep the car running well.
                  Both can be done easily at home.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hello there. Just a few words of caution. If you still have the owners manual that came with your Cobalt check it for the service requirements according to your mileage. The coolant is probably Dexcool long life and should be replaced with a similar product. It's good for a long time but can get corrosive. A cooling system flush and thermostat replacement go hand in hand and might not be a bad idea. This may be worth using the coupon because refilling some vehicles can be tricky. Some have bleeders and some have the system cap lower than some parts(d@m you, heater core) Plus, you have to properly dispose of the old coolant. The hoses are a good thing to check also, something that could let you down and cause more expensive damage to your engine. The tuneup is probably replace the spark plugs and give you a printout analyzing your engine. Check your manual, plugs are good for quite a while. Hope this helps a bit.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks guys. Other people also told me the hot engine oil flush is BS. I'm coming up on the 5 year, 70,000 mile mark (yes, I drive a lot), so I guess it would be a good idea to get the coolant flushed and replaced, and it is Dex-Cool. I'm going to take the car in to have the brakes checked out no matter what within the next few weeks, and while I'm there, I might have them rebalance and align the tires since that hasn't been done in more than two years.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Having read up on the Car, it doesn't sound to reliable.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Whenever I put mine in the shop and get it home, two more things go wrong with it, so I avoid putting my vehicles in the shop as least as possible.

                          My advice...ditch the cobalt and take a taxi ! :))

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Julie View Post
                            Whenever I put mine in the shop and get it home, two more things go wrong with it, so I avoid putting my vehicles in the shop as least as possible.

                            My advice...ditch the cobalt and take a taxi ! :))
                            Thats how Mechanics make their money, especially from women.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Proyas View Post
                              1) Radiator drain and refill + inspection of coolant hoses
                              2) "Fuel injection service"
                              3) Hot oil engine flush
                              4) New timing belts
                              5) Engine tune-up
                              6) Front end alignment

                              .
                              those coupons are bait, "come for 10$ oil change, and we'll find 300$ worth of problems" lol.

                              radiator flush wouldn't hurt once in 5-7 years, but if you change oil yourself, you can do that too.

                              fuel injection service, you don't need it, unless you positive they are the problem, better off just changing them, i had many cars, some had 160k on them, none needed injectors cleaned.

                              hot oil engine flush, bull crap.

                              timing belt, needed, after 60k, but make sure you got belt not chain, chains don't need replacement.

                              tune up, needed every 30k or so, you can do it yourself, not hard, if you know how to use tools.

                              front end alignment, unless your car pulls, or ball joints\tie rods were replaced, no need to do. the best thing is to do 4wheels alignment right after installing all new tires.

                              and finally, as Julie said, the less you bring a car to a shop the better.
                              "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!" B. Franklin

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