i dont even know where to start

[wompwomp61]

1994 c220. 71,850 miles.

here we go. its long overdue for its oil change. i'm just shy of 5,000 miles. i'm doing it tomorrow.

when the car hasnt been driven for 10 minutes there is a sound that comes from underneath the car when i turn to the left. it clicks..kinda. it sounds like something is rubbing. a friend said its a hub. after 3 or 4 minutes of driving..the sound is gone. then back again after 10+ minutes of not driving.

there are sounds coming from the engine that i never want to hear. sounds like a very light knock. i have no idea why.

yesturday it sounded like metal was scraping around when i drove very slowly. not from the brakes..it was the engine. it stopped when the car was at a stop..then driving slowly again i heard it. just think metal pieces flying about somewhere.

i know the mas has been acting up since i've had the car, too. cant you spray carb cleaner or brake cleaner on it? to help clean it a little. or into the intake?

i'm thinking it needs a tuneup..bad. but i dont have the money to spend on unnecessary parts. i've heard 200 and 300 for the a and b servicing, respectively. but i've heard 800+ too. this is information from this site. which is closer to the truth?

i'm about to put this car up for sale..so i'm not looking to have it run 102%..i'd just like it to sound nice.

there's an independant european shop right by me..you think they'd charge me much to have the car checked out nicely??

[jnenad16]

indy shops usually charge 1-2 hrs of labor for a thorough checkup, meaning engine, trans, brakes, suspension, body...if you can afford that, it would be a good idea to have it checked out. as for the tune up, that you can do yourseft. spark plugs, air filter, fuel filter, oil change w/filter is all DIY. as for the mas, I dont recommend it, but if you want to clean it, do not use carb or brake cleaners, use electric cleaner, because you dont want any residue left on the mas. when you do oil change, I highly recommend you do an engine flush as well. buy a bottle of engne flush additive at your local parts store and follow the instructions on the bottle. this may resolve the ticking noises coming from the engine, that is if the noise is coming from the lifters, but after the flush, you must replace the oil filter as well, nut just the oil.

nenad

[mayagman]

I've experienced a number of little gremlins myself. As Nenad said, a good tuneup will fix a lot of them. As for ticks and rattles, I've found a few things to be helpful

-Check all heat shielding throughout the engine bay and along the exhaust tunnel. Ensure it's attached tightly and doesn't rattle against its fittings.

-Check your belts and device pulleys for integrity. Ensure that they're serviceable and that there's nothing blocking the path of the moving belt.

-Ensure there are no stray wires or vaccuum hoses being hit by the fans under the hood.

-Check engine mounts to ensure servicability. Google for 'engine mount checkup', etc to see how to do this. Basically, if theres plenty of 'meat' (plastic) remaining on the mount, it should be fine. If not, it will knock around and such.

-Jack the car up and carefully spin the front wheels. They should turn resonably freely. If there's an undue amount of resistance, you should look into either a brake malfunction or wheel bearings. I have replaced wheel bearings twice on my car. You will be sure of their failure when they begin to make a 'groaning' noise while driving, especially at high speeds. (Easy DIY job)

-Lube all chassis points and suspension points that require it. If you are unsure of the locations, search around or pick up a haynes manual.

-Also ensure your exhaust is secured and the mounts are not worn

Other than those few things, You could have an indy mech look over it as nenad said. Sending it to the dealer will probably bring back a laundry list of 'serious' problems. Most little pings and noises are nothing major, but your mechanic will be able to tell you if anything is.

Cordially,
-Maytag

[wompwomp61]

for the oil change...is the filter difficult to get to and get out? where is it.

[jnenad16]

the filter cartrige is inside filter housing, which is closed with a black plastic screw-on cap. its on the driver's side of the engine from the top.

nenad

[mayagman]

Don't let the dealer tell you you need the oil filter wrench.
I don't know who's dumber, them for telling me, or me for listening. It's a $35+ piece of metal that grips the oil filter housing. You don't need a wrench, and it shouldnt be too much tighter than hand tightened from what I understand