Car diagnostics and car repair

CdShiflett

New Member
ISO: Reliable place to get vehicle diagnostics and repair. Reasonable in price. Lexington Park, Great Mills, Leonardtown area. Thank you
 

glhs837

Power with Control
One of the most cost effective things you can do is some basic diagnostics on your own combined with Advance or Autozone or a $15 OBDII dongle from Amazon. Just some basic stuff can narrow down the possible causes and help you get your vehicle repaired correctly.
 

CdShiflett

New Member
One of the most cost effective things you can do is some basic diagnostics on your own combined with Advance or Autozone or a $15 OBDII dongle from Amazon. Just some basic stuff can narrow down the possible causes and help you get your vehicle repaired correctly.

Thank you. Did the Advance/AutoZone thing. Know it is not the battery, alternator or starter. All though at times it does sound like the battery is dead or dying when trying to start. This is me a female googling and talking with others and now I feel as if it may be the throttle sensor. I bought the vehicle second hand. Off and on it would chug at times going down the highway. Mainly after getting a fill-up. But the past few months it will cut off after slowing down or starting the engine. It may or may not start. Last week it shut off after getting gas, started right away and then cut out a light. 3 tries to start and I could tell with each turn of the key it was slugish to start. Drove it to work and was fine. Later leaving I was half way down Rt 245 and it began to slow down. I would try to accelerate and it would choke. I pulled over, let it idle and tried again. Still acting like it was not getting gas. I finally figured out that with just a little touch of the gas pedal I could go 25 to 30mph. Anything over that, the car would begin to choke up and not go. I told my not mechanically inclined hubby that it acted like it had a restrictor on it to keep it from going faster. He laughed but I know it has to have something to do with it. I did also notice my temp gauge was registering high. But feel that may be a separate problem that has just
developed.
 
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calvcopf

Well-Known Member
Just take it to the car dealer service center. They are familiar with your make and model vehicle and the common issues and how to properly fix them.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
So the auto parts places didn't give you any codes? Is the check engine light on? You don't top off the tank when you fill up, do you? And what sort of vehicle is it. Some, if the tank is topped off, the vapor recovery system can be damaged. Some Dodges especially. If you drive around the back side of the local Dodge dealer, there are usually 3-5 fuel tanks laying out there that had to be replaced because Dodge built part of the system into the tank so you have to replace the whole thing.
 

CdShiflett

New Member
Just take it to the car dealer service center. They are familiar with your make and model vehicle and the common issues and how to properly fix them.

Thank You. I was trying to avoid that. They are usually much more pricey. It's a 2000 Mercury Villager. We have anew vehicles. But I need this one. Can't afford another nor to put a thousand in it.
Well I could put that much in it but I won't!
 

CdShiflett

New Member
So the auto parts places didn't give you any codes? Is the check engine light on? You don't top off the tank when you fill up, do you? And what sort of vehicle is it. Some, if the tank is topped off, the vapor recovery system can be damaged. Some Dodges especially. If you drive around the back side of the local Dodge dealer, there are usually 3-5 fuel tanks laying out there that had to be replaced because Dodge built part of the system into the tank so you have to replace the whole thing.

99 or 2000 Mercury Villager. No to the check engine light. I try to refill before it gets too much less than 1/4 of a tank. I've always noticed that it did it a lot after getting gas. Was wondering if it had sediment in the tank and was being mixed around. I had filer changed and I have put seafoam in the tank.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
Just take it to the car dealer service center. They are familiar with your make and model vehicle and the common issues and how to properly fix them.

Yep, that's why the Jeep dealership replaced a $400 shifter in the wifes 2015 Jeep that did not fix the problem. Which I fixed by replacing a $170 battery.
 

Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Thank You. I was trying to avoid that. They are usually much more pricey. It's a 2000 Mercury Villager. We have anew vehicles. But I need this one. Can't afford another nor to put a thousand in it.
Well I could put that much in it but I won't!

There is a very honest little shop in Callaway..St. Mary's Automotive. The fella that runs that is a master mechanic and very good at diagnostics too, without resorting to simply replacing parts to see if anything changes. Though I'm also a decent mechanic, I take some of my vehicles to him when I don't have the time or later-model skills to deal with something.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
My bet is the distributor.

Distributor bearings go bad on these motors fairly frequently. You can get one for about $110 on RockAuto. I'd recommend getting a tune up while you're at it (plug wire set is less than $15 and plugs are about $1 each both on RockAuto)
 

CdShiflett

New Member
There is a very honest little shop in Callaway..St. Mary's Automotive. The fella that runs that is a master mechanic and very good at diagnostics too, without resorting to simply replacing parts to see if anything changes. Though I'm also a decent mechanic, I take some of my vehicles to him when I don't have the time or later-model skills to deal with something.

Thank you so much. That is only a couple miles from me. I will look into it.
 

Goldenhawk

Well-Known Member
My bet is either a clogged fuel filter or a failing fuel pump. Your description has classic symptoms of fuel starvation. A clogged filter or weak pump will let just enough gas thru to idle or run at low speed, but at highway speed or especially under heavy acceleration it can't get enough fuel.

Checking fuel pressure at the injector manifold is fairly easy for any mechanic. Cost to replace the filter is minimal for most cars; cost to replace the pump can be high if the fuel tank must be dropped (many cars have a fuel pump actually located inside the fuel tank).

https://www.yourmechanic.com/estimates/mercury/villager/fuel-pump-replacement
https://repairpal.com/estimator/mercury/villager/fuel-pump-replacement-cost
http://www.fixya.com/search/p697307-mercury_2000_villager/fuel_filter_located

Replacing the filter is easy enough you can probably do it yourself and the cost is minimal ($15-20):
https://itstillruns.com/how-to-replace-the-fuel-filter-in-mercury-cars-10439.html
Best to do that first, THEN if it doesn't fix the problem, take more steps. Don't let them talk you into the expensive fix first.
 

glhs837

Power with Control
YOU totally knew what I meant. Glad you weren't taken.


Well, I did pay a $100 dollar deductible for the shifter replacement (Jeep picked up the rest under the extended warranty). But of course, I had to buy the battery from Amazon, it being a super duper AGM battery locals wanted $230 for. but had I went back, I would have had the $100 copay, and if they had found the battery, I would have been on the hook for their overpriced version, well over $200 which I know only lasts two years :) But I'll bet they would have kept throwing other parts at it, computers, modules, sensors, who knows. They don't troubleshoot, they swap parts. Anyone Gilligan trusts, I would two, knowing his chops.
 
My bet is either a clogged fuel filter or a failing fuel pump. Your description has classic symptoms of fuel starvation. A clogged filter or weak pump will let just enough gas thru to idle or run at low speed, but at highway speed or especially under heavy acceleration it can't get enough fuel.

Fuel starvation sounds right. Fuel pump IMHO. The problem was/is intermittent which usually points to electrical.
 

Mervmusic

New Member
Try Marks automotive just south of PAX main gate. Incredibly knowledgeable, honest, speedy, and reasonably priced service. I have lived in somd for over 15 years and been their customer over 10. Truly the best in their craft in the area.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Fuel starvation sounds right. Fuel pump IMHO. The problem was/is intermittent which usually points to electrical.

Third on this one. And I don't know why dropping the tank would increase the cost, Its usually no more than a couple bolts and one or two hose clamps.
 

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Try Marks automotive just south of PAX main gate. Incredibly knowledgeable, honest, speedy, and reasonably priced service. I have lived in somd for over 15 years and been their customer over 10. Truly the best in their craft in the area.

Southern Tire and Curtis are good as well in my experience.
 

edinsomd

New Member
There is a very honest little shop in Callaway..St. Mary's Automotive. The fella that runs that is a master mechanic and very good at diagnostics too, without resorting to simply replacing parts to see if anything changes. Though I'm also a decent mechanic, I take some of my vehicles to him when I don't have the time or later-model skills to deal with something.

+100! Been going to Jeff at St. Mary's Auto for years. Family business, honest as the day is long.
 
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