Thread: Don't Top Off !!

I have a theory that with older cars it is better to only fix things which are actually broken. Preventative maintenance seems to break other stuff.

Originally Posted by RezDog

Tom, correct me if I'm wrong.
When the check engine light comes on the engine goes into limp mode and you performance drops substantially and so does your fuel economy. Sometimes it is cheaper in the long run to get those things fixed. I had issues with the fuel tank vent and vapour recovery on my Ford truck. Part of my issue was super slow filling. One of the gas stations told me to get it fixed or don't come back, I was tying up their gas lane for too long. That station obviously was not at home. It was pretty costly and Ford said it was my fault for driving my F-250 Super Duty with an FX4 off road package on gravel roads. I don't know what I was thinking.

That happened in one of the ford rangers we have at work but it was the transmission light.
It would randomly go into limp mode which meant not over 2000 rpm. Which was fine if you were already up to speed but somewhat inconvenient otherwise. Turning the car off and on cleared it. But it got progressively more regular till it happened 5 times in about 3 miles.

Some issues will light up the light and cause the computer to compensate in the form of a 'limp mode' or a 'fixed mode'.
Some issues cause noticeable driveability problems, of course. Typically, evap problems will not effect performance.

This rolled-in this AM. '01 4Runner. Evap code PO440.




Am I gonna anally pursue all the options? Nope! Good customer, original gas cap.
Learned a long while back not to trust any but OEM gas caps. Besides, they include the lanyard.
Gave a visual once-over to hoses and components. Called the Tojo folks to send a 41 dollar cap over.
The cap is cheaper than beating my brains out. Just an example.......

Originally Posted by edhewitt

I have a theory that with older cars it is better to only fix things which are actually broken. Preventative maintenance seems to break other stuff.

Preventative maintenance actually increases the chance of failure at least in the short term.

I miss the good ole days of simple auto mechanics. You pop the hood & there were just a few wires which made up the complete wiring harness. You had your lighting, horn & wiring going to a set of points & condenser plus plug wires...........oh & a wire going to the heater or blower motor.
Then the EPA & marketing made it more complicated little by little & now motor companies are making it where you have to take it to a repair technician (modern day mechanic) to get it fixed & it isn't cheap!

Originally Posted by engine46

I miss the good ole days of simple auto mechanics. You pop the hood & there were just a few wires which made up the complete wiring harness. You had your lighting, horn & wiring going to a set of points & condenser plus plug wires...........oh & a wire going to the heater or blower motor.
Then the EPA & marketing made it more complicated little by little & now motor companies are making it where you have to take it to a repair technician (modern day mechanic) to get it fixed & it isn't cheap!

Yes, Steve, but ironically the skills/knowledge of old tech is becoming lost.
Getting hard to find people to work on the old and simple beasts, esp after the owners screw with them.
Setting timing? Adjusting valves? Rebuilding carburetors? Oh and those points!

Becoming a 'lost art' it seems....

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Yes, Steve, but ironically the skills/knowledge of old tech is becoming lost.
Getting hard to find people to work on the old and simple beasts, esp after the owners screw with them.
Setting timing? Adjusting valves? Rebuilding carburetors? Oh and those points!

Becoming a 'lost art' it seems....

Dwell tach and timing light on my bench. Reporting for duty, sir!

**************UPDATE******************

Since its such a busy night on the forum, I thought I would update you on the latest with my 4Runner engine lights. I know that some of you guys have been waiting eagerly for an update.

Last week the lights just turned off on their own. Every since this happened I quit "topping off" the tank. It appears the problem fixed itself.

I've got a 99 Prizm that has had the engine light on for years because of that evaporative fume recovery whatchamahoozit. I clear the code and it comes right back. I've always stopped after the pump shut off so I don't know what caused the problem but mechanics have told me to ignore it. Of course then you never know when a new code is thrown so I try to check them occasionally, whenever I remember it, like maybe three years ago.