A Few Email Thought Provokers...
Things that make you go "Huh!"
#1102: Hood Sag
Original Air Date: 01.08.2011
Description:
This week on Car Talk, John in Massachusetts is concerned because his Accord's hood seems a little down, literally. It's sagging in the middle. Can Tom and Ray offer an explanation that doesn't send the bogosity meter off the charts? Other items of concern: Sandra fears for her engine's life after she accidentally put five gallons of diesel in the tank, and Natalie fears for her own life, after putting a large dent in dad's Chevy Venture while he was away. Also, a question from the Auto-Ethics Department: should you tip the guy who pumps your gas at a full-service station? All this, plus a Puzzler from the Rising Floodwaters series, and lots more, this week on Car Talk.
Review this Show | 5 Reviews | Need Help Listening? View Call Details
This Week's Puzzler
Can you rescue a family of four and their dog, who are all trapped on an island?
Last Week's Puzzler
You're given a hundred dollars and told to spend it all purchasing exactly a hundred animals at the pet store. How many of each animal do you have to purchase? Find out!
Show Open Topic
Tom and Ray share a few "thought provokers."
Links from
Login or Register to rate and post comments
Show Review - 1440
by Anonymousoil
by dave02can you explain the diffrence in oil regular or synthetic also is there a high milage oil thanks david
Dent on the Honda Accord hood.
by AnonymousHaving been a previous owner of a 93 Honda Accord, I know what causes the mystery dent on the hood. The metal on the hood is very thin and easily deforms due to its flat nature. But by itself, it will not deform. I found out going to my car one early morning to see my neighbor's big overweight cat soundly sleeping on the warm hood.
Did you guys goof?
by jhwaaserNatalie called about having damaged her dad's car while he was out of town. You thought honesty was the best solution. But the direct answer to her question would have been to tell her that her local high shool vocational auto body shop could repair the car at very low cost, with students working under supervision, and should do a suitably good job on that age vehicle. Then there was Thais. I'd nominate her for Stump the Chumps. From her description I thought that her problem was like an old Caravan I had where the tranny would not engage until the engine was revved up quite high, thus resulting in the formula one starts she described. Even a sticking throttle would not create starts with that ferocity. She did later say that the throttle was sticking, but that would not rule out a tranny problem, and you never even suggested that. The Caravan quit a few minutes after I stopped at a tranny shop and asked about it, and he didn't think it was anything to get concerned about. I had to have it towed, and buy another vehicle. Thais needs to have it checked out if that is similar to her problem.
Favorite Moment: The staff list at the end....
the gas gague operation
by jlambertThe gas gague problem on January 15 show is explained here. The gague gloat is at the top and completely submerged when the tank is full. You have to burn a sertan amount of gas before the float starts to go down. I have noticed this on my motorcycle. I fill the tank and can ride about 50 miles before the gague moves off the full mark.