15 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHad a (possibly expensive) scare today
Reported or suspected cause
plastic lens
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause
It was the plastic lens from a flashlight which was sitting on top of the exhaust pipe in a melted clump of plastic and rubber.
Leading evidence: 'plastic lens' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'plastic lens' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Check every time i pull into the garage waiting' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Once in my teens, I had just changed a flat on my 65 bug.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
Car never let me down, but they summarily replaced just about every part on the car at the dealership.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
I added some UV fluid yesterday and have been driving around and checking every time I pull into the garage waiting to see if any green spots show up.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Dealer claimed that they could not replace the bearing as it was seized (??), and they replaced the entire carrier (remember, this was a DeDion rear suspension with inboard discs).
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
All day today I was driving around running errands and every now and then when I would make a sharp turn I would hear a thunk coming from the left wheel.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
15 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T112012Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
All day today I was driving around running errands and every now and then when I would make a sharp turn I would hear a thunk coming from the left wheel.
Uh oh
.
The more I drove, the more worried I was every time I would hear that
THUNK
. I'm picturing the different possible suspension components I was going to have to address (which I plan to do...in my own time). When I finally got home to check it out...
Back up a bit. A couple of days ago I noticed a slight coolant smell when I pulled into the garage. I checked it out on a lift yesterday while getting some other work done and couldn't find anything anywhere. Mechanic said nothing was jumping out to him either. I added some UV fluid yesterday and have been driving around and checking every time I pull into the garage waiting to see if any green spots show up. I was looking all around the radiators since that seems like where the small was originating, even pulling some of the wheel well guards...AHH, that has to be it.
I look up under the wheel well and I see a damn light shining from somewhere back there. WTH?
I finally get my hand back there and, welp...
.
.
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.
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Found this flashlight dangling from the coil spring behind the wheel.
Yup. I had it hung there to help with finding/removing some screws and not only did I forget to take it out, it was still on! Jeez. I'm getting too old.
The first car I bought for myself was a 1979 Corvette in the late 80s. I pretty much had to work on it every weekend to keep it functioning as a daily driver. One day me and my buddy were out test driving it after some work. All of a sudden we here "ching a ching" as a wrench of some sort dropped to the road and bounced off never to be seen again.
My 986 was purchased with the owner stating me that it had recently been looked at by an indy because of a "clunk" when turning left and braking. I figured what the heck, and purchased it anyways, only to find a golf ball under the passenger seat during my first detailing of the car!
Reminds me of my old Audi S4. For years after I bought it I'd very occasionally hear a clunk from under the seat. Only when cornering really hard at an autocross or track day. Sounded exactly like a wrench rattling around. Could never find anything when looking under the seat. Finally a few years later I took the seats out to install race seats, and when I took the driver's seat out and turned it upside down, I found a nice heavy dinner fork trapped in the seat track mechanism. Guess the previous owner enjoyed a nice meal onboard at some point!
I've done similar things in the past. Most recently I left a paper towel under my PS pump as I was topping it off during the O-ring change,
Once in my teens, I had just changed a flat on my 65 bug. Took my dad for a ride and watched the front left wheel leave and pass us...Who knew the old bugs could balance on 3 wheels in a straight line?
After I replaced my coolant tank I noticed a mild odor of burning plastic or rubber when I stopped at a traffic light. It was the summer and I had the top down. I wasn't sure that the smell was from my car. Eventually I got under the car and saw something that looked like an icicle hanging from my tailpipe. It was the plastic lens from a flashlight which was sitting on top of the exhaust pipe in a melted clump of plastic and rubber.
My dad purchased a new Pontiac in the late 70s that had an occasional annoying rattle coming from the driver's door. He eventually pulled the door panel and found a crumpled up lunch bag with an empty can in it. Apparently a worker had stuffed it in the door on the assembly line.
Along the same lines:
I had an Alfa Milano Verde back in '88 (3.0 liter). Car never let me down, but they summarily replaced just about every part on the car at the dealership. Me thinks it was a way for the dealer to make money from Alfa on warranty repairs. I had a rear wheel bearing start to make some noise. Dealer claimed that they could not replace the bearing as it was seized (??), and they replaced the entire carrier (remember, this was a DeDion rear suspension with inboard discs). While driving it home from the service, my left rear wheel sailed past me at a light, jump over the grass median, and bee-lined for a gas station where a car was stationary being refueled. The tire hit his front fender at God--knows-how-fast and trashed it! The driver was frozen in the car as it all happened in front of him. Turns out he was a young guy driving to Connecticut to meet his future inlaws for the 1st time. Thankfully, I had a set of Momo Star wheels on the car and the lugs were still inside the center cover. I borrowed a floor jack from the gas station, jacked it up, put the wheel back on (not damaged...) and drove home. Yes, the dealer covered the guy's bodywork repair.
