Q: I have a 2002 Chevy Astro van, all-wheel drive, with 51,480 miles. There is a low-speed scrubbing, shudder on corners. Transmission oil and filter and transfer case oil were changed about 10,000 miles ago. I just changed the front and rear differential oil to see if that helped, but it didn't. Could a bad axle cause this? CV boots are intact. Is there a sensor problem?
A: First I would like to see you unplug the ABS sensor, which will of course disable the ABS. If the problem is still there, take a harsh look at the CV axle outer joint. More likely than not, it is locked up. This is typically seen on the Chevy Blazers, but you may be experiencing the same problem. It should take you about an hour to replace the axle if that's what the problem is. It's nice to see axles have come way down in price, and most can be purchased for less than $100.
Q: I have a 2003 Suzuki Vitara, 5-speed, 4WD with 72,000 miles, purchased new in 2003. I've been hearing a clattering (valves?) frequently. I used an oil additive in the last oil change at the recommendation of a guy at NAPA. It sounded better for a while, but seems to have gotten worse. Should I try the additive again and wait? If this is the valves, can they be adjusted? What is the approximate cost of the job? When does the timing belt require service? What is the approximate cost of that?
A: Your Suzuki does not use a timing belt; it uses a timing chain. I fear the rattling you are hearing is the timing chain tensioner. I have had to rebuild a few Suzuki engines due to problems like yours not tended to. Any kind of rattling noise, especially from the engine bay, should be looked at by a professional as soon as possible.
Q: Car Care Tip: Since there seems to be quite a bit of confusion concerning timing belts vs. chains, refer to your owner's maintenance manual, or ask your local professional, so as to avoid catastrophic damage.
¢¢¢
Larry Rubenstein is a master technician who owns a North Shore service station. His column appears Tuesday in the Biz North section. Write to Larry at Salem News, c/o Auto Scanner, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915, or send e-mail to scanauto@aol.com.
my 2003 Pathfinder. I bought this new and it has been a terrific vehicle with nothing but (knock on wood) routine maintenance. I now have a bit over 80,000 miles on it and it still runs like brand new, however for the last year or so I have had to add 1/2 to 3/4 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles. It doesn't seem to be 'burning' oil (there's no noticeable exhaust smoke), so I am curious if this is a common problem. The manual calls for 5W-30 oil, and I faithfully change it and the filter every 3,000 miles. Would using 10W-30 help, or should I stick to the specified grade?
Second, I was under the impression that this vehicle has a timing chain. The owner's manual for things such as this is pretty much useless, so I checked online and have found conflicting information. Can you clarify whether?
A: I took a look through technical service bulletins in my Alldata information system, and Nissan does not yet recognize this oil consumption problem and is not posting a technical service bulletin. You are correct, your vehicle does use a timing chain. The oil use is probably from valve seals, and you need to make sure your vehicle is not running too hot. If it gets worse, you may want to have an engine test performed and correct the problem.
