AUTO QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

by Bob Hagin

Q.    I am the owner of a 1994 Ford Ranger 4X4 pickup (4.0 liter engine 
and automatic transmission) and have a question regarding some repairs 
that were recently recommended by a dealer. Not long ago I noticed that 
my left front tire was wearing quite a bit on the inside. I was puzzled 
and to see this premature wear because the truck, which I bought new, 
had about 19,000 miles. It had never been off-road. After taking the 
truck to the Ford dealer to look into having the front end aligned, I 
was told that the only way it could be brought back to factory specs was 
through the installation of a "camber coil' or "camber adjuster." I have 
never heard of such a device and am concerned whether or not the $130 
repair is needed.
                        P.G. Lake Arrowhead, CA

A.   According to Ford press kits I've gotten for the past couple of 
years, camber on the Ranger 4X4 is adjustable without adding any other 
parts so before you spend any money, talk to the Ford rep to see if the 
factory will pick up the repair tab. Also get an evaluation from an 
independent front-end shop or an off-road specialty shop. Wheel camber - 
front or rear - is the outward or inward "tilt" of a mounted tire when 
viewed from the front or rear of the vehicle. If the camber is 
"positive," the top of the tire tilts outward. If it's "negative," the 
top of the tire tilts inward. On most modern cars, camber isn't 
adjustable and the only reason they're built that way is that it's 
cheaper to build. But on most pickup trucks, camber is adjustable on 
each side by making minor changes to one of the front suspension control 
arms. Caster/camber adjustment kits specially built for non-adjustable 
suspensions have been around for a long time but I don't think you need 
one on your Ranger 4X4.


Q.   I have two cars, a 1987 Dodge Colt and a 1995 Dodge Stratus. They
both have Japanese engines. The Colt is a four cylinder and the Dodge is 
a six. The dealer makes sure it fills the engine with oil but says it 
must use quarts instead of liters. The engines are always a little bit 
overfilled. I quit taking the Colt there for oil changes some time ago. 
The Dodge is new and I take it to the dealer for service. I've 
complained three times about the overfilling, first when it was new, 
then at the 3000 and 6000 miles services. Each time the manager says 
that there is no problem and not to worry that it won't hurt anything. 
But the owner's manual states definitely "Don't Overfill." What damage 
can occur if the engine is continually overfilled with oil?
                             B.B. Boise, ID

A.   It's been my experience that an overfill of a pint or so of oil 
won't do any harm but when it gets up to a quart or more, the engine can 
have problems. The crankshaft, pistons and connecting rods flying around 
can whip up an overfilled oil sump and build up pressure that the 
various engine oil seals can't contain. The pressure can blow out crank 
seals and I've even seen it overload and blow past valve covers. But 
sometimes the markings on an oil dipstick can be incorrect so the best 
way to be accurate is to refill the engine with exactly the correct 
amount of oil - either in liters or quarts - and then check where the 
level is indicated on the dipstick.


Q.   I recently read that a grocery chain in Germany was importing VW 
Beetles from Mexico and selling them to Beetle enthusiasts there. The 
story was very short and had no details. Is it possible to do the same 
here? Who would I contact? Can I buy one in Mexico and drive it home?
                         D.H. Bridgehampton, NY

A. You'd have to convince the U.S Department of Transportation to make 
an exception in your case and let you bring one in. Mexican-built Bugs 
don't conform to U.S. safety and pollution standards and "federalizing 
one would be a nightmare. Many entrepreneurs have tried it.