I have a chevy malibu automatic, it seems that while I am driving my car pauses like it is shifting gears. Could this be a misfiring piston or something else?
So I found out what it is. My car has a leak in the manifold, which I dismissed because I got it fixed 2 yrs ago by a mechanic I was recommended to. I took it to the dealer to get an oil change and inspected and was told the $1000 news. And since it has been two years since going to the other place the parts are out of warranty and not much I can do but pay to get it fixed.
Hint: Dealers are no better (or worse) than independent mechanics for almost anything you might need done on your car. They will almost always charge more per hour and often more for parts and supplies. They also tend to look at repairs a little different than the independent.
A dealer may well recommend work that strictly may not be needed, but could be connected to the problem or maybe replace a part when a little repair would fix it ALMOST as good a new.
There is no need to bring your car to the dealer for any service other than service that is going to be paid for by a recall or original warrantee. During the warranty period be sure to have all required (as listed in the owner's manual) maintenance done and to document all maintenance work.
I suggest that most people would be better off finding a good independent (Not working for a chain) mechanic.
Note: Never ever use a quick oil change place. They are fast cheap and very very bad.
Is it pausing because it IS shifting gears? Can you provide a better description?
The manifold or the intake manifold GASKET???
Can you describe the symptoms leading up to the diagnosis?
Did you just bring it for an oil change or ask the mechanic to diagnose a specific problem?
PostScript: Tardis was apparently typing at teh same time I was. I was unaware of the previous post. But having read it, I’m still not clear as to what was going on. And I saw no answer to the “when was the transmission last serviced” question in the original thread.
No disrespect intended, but your post leaves me wondering exactly what the mechanic did, what prompted him to do it, and exactly what he found. Diagnosing an operating problem or a disappearing coolant problem and finding a leaking intake manifold gasket is very different from diagnosing an exhaust leak and finding a carbon trail on an exhaust manifold. I’m unsure from your post exactly what transpired.
And, is there a question to the second paragraph of your post?
I was made aware a couple years ago that the gasket in the chevy manifolds a notorious for leaking and mine had started to, so I got the upper and lower intake fixed. And thought that I had solved the problem. Recently I have been noticing there are brief pauses when driving, trying to accelerate. I did not believe that it was just shifting of the gears because I know what that feels like and I have had the car for a long time.
I am letting my parents borrow the car for the winter because I don’t really drive it that much and can get away with using public transportation to get groceries etc. So I decided I would take it in to the dealer and have them do an oil change and with that was a 27 point inspection, which I figured would be good because they would tell me something like maybe my timing belt or something. But no, they wouldn’t even do the oil change because the leak is bad and it is not the start of a leak but a full on flow. So I need to get it fixed soon. Now I know that dealers try to get you to get things fixed that you probably don’t really need and I know that they charge more, now that I know what is wrong I will take it to another mechanic in the town I moved to.
There was no other question. I posted the question a while ago about the pauses I experienced while driving, thought it may be misfiring pistons, but I just thought I would update with what I was told was wrong with the engine.
I am going to a garage that has won multiple awards for being the most honest mechanic in town.Hopefully it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.