#when do you need a transmission fluid change

[philsservice]

Wondering how do you know if your transmission fluid is bad? Ask the experts at Phil's Service if you need to replace your transmission repair.

[autoandfleetmechanic]

Wondering what happens if you don't change your transmission fluid? Call the transmission service experts at Auto & Fleet Mechanic for advice.

[clausenauto]

Do want to know why transmission fluid change is important? Ask the experts at Clausen Automotive to check your transmission repair.

[scientia-rex]

How Much Does Water Weigh?

It's not a trick question. One liter of water weighs one kilogram--the science is set up that way.

How much is a kilogram? Approximately 2.2lbs.

How much of you is water? Approximately 60%, though this varies by organ type.

If you're about 70 kilos, or about 154 pounds, that means you have around 42 liters of water in you--about 92 pounds.

You cannot function with less water than your body needs. Many people, when they think they're losing or gaining "weight," think they're talking about fat when they're actually talking about water. The underlying structure of your body doesn't change that fast. You didn't "sweat out" fat. You dehydrated yourself, and since water weighs quite a bit, that made the number of the scale smaller. Your body is the same, except it works worse when it's dehydrated.

It is normal to see shifts in weight over the course of a day, because your hydration status changes. You wake up and you've been using up water without replacing it, so you're lighter. You have a salty breakfast? The salt gets pulled into your bloodstream by the digestive process and then, thanks to osmosis, more water goes into your bloodstream. Your weight goes up. Fluctuations of multiple pounds are not a sign that your diet is succeeding or failing--it's a sign of the salt content of what you're eating and whether you're drinking enough water.

Diuretics are frequently abused to increase short-term weight loss. Again, the only weight this can take off you is fluid. Diuretic abuse can lead to life-threatening complications, like kidney failure; kidneys need to see fluid constantly to filter your bloodstream, and if they don't get it, imagine a wetlands where you choke off the water supply and silt chokes the channels. It's bad. Kidneys are very bad at healing. Damage can be permanent. You can also give yourself a condition called hyponatremia, which is not at a chemical level a lack of salt, as the name might suggest, but an excess of water--your body dumps so much urine that it takes salt with it and now you don't have enough to go around how much water is still in you. Guess what you need salt for? Neurotransmission. If you go hard on diuretics, you can fuck up neuronal transmission so much that you need to be in the ICU and/or die.

Recognize when "weight loss" bullshit is actually a diuretic, because those motherfuckers do not care if you are seriously injured or die as long as they get their profit off whatever "purge" tea they've just sold you.

(Things that make you shit yourself "thin"? Same deal. By the time food makes it through your intestines, you've reabsorbed all the nutrition you're gonna, even if you're shitting lava thanks to a laxative tea--but what you're shitting out is a lot of water, so yeah, your scale tells you you're thinner.)

[things-about-cars-in-posts]

So I had my dad talking to me about cars today, telling me how I should basically avoid getting any cars except those made by Japanese companies because of how shitty other countries manufacture their cars (mileage and life span)

Do you have any thoughts on this? I don’t know much about cars and I thought of this blog while I was having this conversation so that’s why I send here

Do I have thoughts on this. Do I have thoughts on this. Babygirl (gender neutral) I have thoughts on aspects of cars you wouldn't even conceive of. I have thoughts on aspects of cars that aren't even real. Up the ante, folks! Ask me which cars are most bisexual!

That aside, for my opinion: Italian food is good. But of course, when I eat out in Italy, I don't go to any random place because "this country does this well", because I'm not ordering from a country, or a region, or a city, but from a specific joint - and some of them suck, some dropped or rose in quality, some are exceptionally good/bad with certain things, hell, some serve foreign food and then what's the adage matter now! That's why Yelp doesn't have country reviews.

Much the same, Japanese cars are usually pretty reliable, but Nissan spent the last two decades making a case against that claim (especially with their CVT transmission, a known ticking time bomb they've done fuck all about for years) with the help of whatever's left of the shell of Mitsubishi, and Infiniti is just the luxury brand of Nissan so ditto for it... indeed, another point to make, some cars are just based on, or outright are, cars from other brands. Infinitis are built by Nissan, and usually based on the equivalent Nissans. Except the QX30, which is just a Mercedes GLA - which probably was part of the same deal through which Mercedes got to sell the Nissan Navara as the X Class.

And there's a lot of cross-nationality brand partnerships like that, past and present, like the four-decade-long Mazda/Ford one, or the time Saturn had such a crappy engine they had to get Honda to give them a proper one. And by the way, the guy who posted that? He owns a different Saturn which took 360k miles of bare minimum care like a champ, because reliability can vary wildly within a lineup, and also a Volkswagen that's been a thorn in his side, which definitely wasn't the experience I had with mine, because mine is over twice as old, and a brand can completely change over time too! (You'd think they were run by people or something.)

In fact, reliability changing over time and models is the norm - not as drastically as, say, "older German cars were unstoppable tanks and now they're overly fit-prone electronics messes where everything is costly to buy and dastardly to replace" (which, however, is actually a notable trend), but usually in terms of "in this model, through these production years, this component was overly keen on failing" (as per my Accord post). Part of how Toyota (and by extension its luxury brand Lexus) rightfully earned its reputation of King Reliability is such cases in their production being especially few and far between, and none notable enough to become an automotive meme like Subaru head gasket failures (and no, the Camry dent doesn't count). So, say, Hondas may not be less reliable, just a bit less consistently so (but even there, Honda interiors tend to hold up much better than Toyotas', yadda yadda yay for nuance).

So if you are buying a used car (as you should) it's always important to research for potential common problems (for instance, pre-90s Toyota frames are to rust what the letter X is to Elon Musk) and thoroughly inspect the car, to check that nothing is broken and that it's been properly serviced.

That last part is very important, because reliability is not a tickbox, it's a spectrum, and a function of how a car was built and how it was maintained. Carelessness will kill any car sooner or later. Every car has fluids that will at some point need changing, wear items that will at some point need replacing, and the occasional part failure. Even yours. So even when it comes to your car, keep up with that stuff, or it will eventually catch up to you. (And if regular services would tax your finances, look into how to perform them yourself - you'll find it's a lot easier than you thought, you'll give it a shot and it will be very rewarding and save you a lot of money!)

And also, if a hinge starts squeaking, if something starts sagging, if some trim breaks, if you get a dent or scratch, take care of those too. Not because they make your car work less or worth less, but because they foster an indifference that snowballs into neglect. Working on those little things will keep you feeling like your car is nice and your loving effort is going to keep it nice, dammit - in much the same way as it's important to take care of yourself and your environment for your mental health, to keep yourself feeling like you are making it and with your loving effort you are going to keep making it, dammit.

Links in blue are posts of mine explaining the words in question - if you liked this post, you might like those!

[seat-safety-switch]

There used to be a lot more shows about cars that could solve crimes. If you go a few decades back, long before it turned out that “autonomous car’ just meant that they go kind of weird and slow and occasionally kill their occupants in a giant fireball, we used to believe that one day cars would be sentient and help us solve the crime of the week. Folks would lose their identity, or be blown up in a horrible accident and be officially pronounced dead, and then they’d drive a two-door sports car around the world, helping the powerless and assailing those responsible. We need more of that these days.

It’s easy to feel powerless nowadays, when you can’t rely on a second-generation Firebird to come to your rescue when you get into a jam. In fact, if you call for help from a car to solve your latest pickle, that car is probably just going to end up being some racist pickup truck, which will drive through your house, yell slurs at your dog, somehow drink all your beer, and leave a bunch of transmission fluid in your garden. There definitely won’t be any cool eighties electronic music playing over the closing credits on that episode.

I get it. I stopped relying on cars years ago, for things as simple as “getting to work on time” and “not getting splashed with boiling-hot coolant when the heater core explodes in traffic.” Now, if a car happens to do what I want, I’m happy, but if it is unreliable? That’s life, and I have gotten very good at walking home from it. For those of you, who previously believed in the inherent good nature of automobiles, this must be a little frightening to think about. Even the Mustang that can change its paint colour so it sometimes looks like a military Mustang, you ask me? Yes, especially that one. It could sneak onto a naval base, where it will steal nuclear secrets from an overworked technician. Then we’d all be speaking Mustang. Torque boxes. Mod motors. You want your kid to grow up in that kind of a world?

If anyone is going to solve our crisis-of-the-week, it’s going to have to be you and I. The flimsy, fleshy human beings. Cars shouldn’t get involved, especially if the problem has to do with another car. We should be watchful at all times of any attempt for them to collaborate.

[skullythefriendlyskullface]

A Turtle's Guide to Escaping Midtown Precinct South: Part Five

Click here to start from the beginning!

//

As Sun Tzu said, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If your enemy might find out your brother is in a holding cell, then you can count on him to do everything he can to make sure your loved one is in his custody. Therefore, you must make your move before your enemy has the chance to.

As soon as Don got off the subway, he bolted out of the station and sprinted home. He slipped on a few patches of ice along the way, but he was always quick to scramble back to his feet and keep running. Thankfully, none of his brothers were around to witness his clumsiness – especially Michelangelo. It was kind of ironic, though, that the one time he got to work on the Battle Shell in peace was the one time he had to fix it in record-breaking time.

At last, he reached the warehouse on Eastman and Laird. Don grunted with effort as he slid open a window in the side of the building, then slipped inside. He turned on a space heater, slipped off his gloves, then popped open the hood of the Battle Shell and looked inside.

If the transmission was stuck, then the problem was most likely the shifter cable getting stuck in the machinery, but the cable looked fine. Don frowned. Maybe the problem was one of the detent bolts or spring. He couldn’t tell if that was the case unless he removed a few brackets, however.

Don grabbed his toolbox from the side of the room and lugged it back to the Battle Shell. On his way, he ripped off his white beanie cap and replaced it with his headphone set. “Leo, this is Donatello,” he said, as he pulled out a wrench from the toolkit. “I’m in the warehouse fixing up the Battle Shell.”

“Alright,” came his brother’s voice. “You said it would only take about an hour to fix, right?”

“Yep,” Don said. He started twisting the bolts on one of the brackets with the wrench until it was loose enough to unscrew with his fingers. “In fact, it might even take less –”

Leo sneezed, interrupting him. Grimacing, Don pulled his headset off – though at this point, the damage to his hearing was already done. “Bless you.”

“Thanks. You were saying?”

“The transmission is going to be an easy fix. It might even take less than an hour.”

“So, what was the issue? Did the Battle Shell just… need new transmission fluid? Like an oil change?”

Don cringed. There was no denying that Leo was a smart turtle – just not smart enough to know what he was talking about when it came to auto mechanics. “Just worry about the mission and leave the mechanic stuff to me,” he said. “Anyway, I’m going to call the chief of police. I’ll keep you updated.”

He removed the bracket and set it to the side before pulling out his phone and dialing the office of the chief of police. The phone range twice before it picked up. “Chief Alice Torres, speaking,” said a stern woman on the other end.

“Chief Torres, my name is Bishop. I am calling on behalf of a government agency. This line is secure,” Don said. He didn’t bother to imitate Bishop’s deep, raspy voice. His focus was on reciting his lines just like he rehearsed on the subway. Meanwhile, he let his arms move on automatic mode, loosening the bolts on a second bracket.

“Which government agency?” Chief Torres said. Don imagined a mean-looking woman narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion. “Are you with the FBI?”

“No,” Don answered. “I work with a covert organization dedicated to protecting the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. That’s as much information as I can disclose, I’m afraid.”

She let out a throaty chuckle. “That’s a good one. Can’t say I’ve heard it before,” she said. “But unfortunately for you, misdemeanor prank calls carry a fine of up to one thousand dollars and up to one year in prison time.”

Don figured she would have her suspicions. “At approximately 10:03 this morning, two of your officers arrested a suspect for fare evasion at the subway station on West 4th Street, Washington Square,” he said as a matter of fact. “But that suspect was not an ordinary human. He was of extraterrestrial origin.”

Chief Torres scoffed. “If you think that’s enough to prove that you’re part of some secret organization, then you’ll have to try harder than that.”

“I wasn’t trying to prove anything. I was hoping you’d work with me here,” Don said. “But if it’s proof you want, then I have evidence that could land your precinct in hot water.”

“Oh?”

“You’ve been taking bribes from David Williams, CEO of South Hudson Prison Properties. You send dozens of people to his prisons each year, and in return he pays you handsomely. You enable your officers to use intimidation and coercion tactics to bring up higher charges against the suspects that come through your precinct – in fact, you encourage it. And when one of your former officers, Sergeant Brianna Martin, came forward to expose these practices in your department, you hired a hit against her.”

The other end grew quiet. For a second, Don was worried that he was wrong about those accusations. “Who told you this?” she said at last.

“Like I said, I work for the federal government,” Don said. “It’s my business to know a little bit of everyone’s business.” He removed the bracket and leaned on the frame of the armored van. “I understand if you still don’t want to cooperate, but I also doubt that you want to lose your prestigious position.”

While she stewed in silence, Don took the opportunity to inspect the detent bolts. Just as he suspected, one of them was loose, which had allowed the transmission to lock itself in reverse. This was going to be an even quicker fix than he thought. A pang of guilt tore through his chest. Mikey hadn’t broken the transmission like he thought. It was Don’s own fault. He had messed with the detent bolts the last time he made modifications to the Battle Shell and simply hadn’t tightened it properly. All this trouble because of a tiny piece of metal smaller than his thumb.

“What do you want?” Chief Torres said, interrupting his thoughts.

Don shook his head, as if waking from a reverie. Now was not the time for a pity party, he reminded himself. “I want the alien suspect currently in your custody,” he said. “Now, listen carefully to the instructions that I’m about to give you.”

He gave her coordinates to one of the docks along the East River and told her that it would be their rendezvous. Then he gave more instructions – bring the suspect in an armored vehicle with no windows, only bring along two other officers to ensure the transfer of the suspect, make sure the officers swear to secrecy. She listened to his every word and only interrupted to ask a few clarifying questions.

As they talked, he tightened the detent bolt with some power tools, making sure to mute himself so that she wouldn’t hear the grating buzz of his power drill. He was in the middle of talking and screwing the brackets back into place when he heard a voice behind him. “Donatello?”

Startled, he jumped and hit his head against the hood cover. Sharp pain blossomed on the impact, and he had to bite his lip to hold back a cry of pain. He whipped around to find Splinter standing just a few feet behind him. “Sen –!” Don started. Then he remembered that he was still on a call with the chief of police. “Please hold!” he squeaked before muting his end of the call.

“Donatello, what’s going on?” Splinter asked.

“Master Splinter, I…” Don sputtered.

Leo’s voice came through the headset, nearly startling him again. “Uh oh.”

“Who are you talking to?” Splinter continued. “And what are you doing here? I thought you were at April’s with your brothers.”

“I, uh, was but we needed the Battle Shell for…” Don said. He wasn’t sure what to say. It had never occurred to him that Splinter may come up to the warehouse. “Wait a minute, what are you doing up here, sensei? You never come up to the warehouse.”

“I just had a hunch,” he said, crossing his arms. “And right now, my instincts are telling me that you are stalling.”

Splinter wasn’t wrong; Don still didn’t know what answer to give him. Should he just tell the truth and explain what happened? He didn’t have time for that, not with Chief Torres on hold. And Don definitely didn’t want to be the one to earn Splinter’s ire by explaining what happened. There was just no way to sugar coat the fact that Raph had gotten arrested and was being held by the NYPD – for fare evasion, no less. He wished that his older brother with chime in with some advice in his ear, but Leo remained silent, most likely holding his breath in anticipation like Don was.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have much time,” Don said. “We’ll explain everything when we get back. I promise.”

Splinter narrowed his eyes. “You and your brothers need to be back home before seven,” he said.

“We will, sensei.”

“Seven o’clock precisely.”

“We will, sensei.”

Master Splinter turned around and walked towards the elevator. When he disappeared behind the stone doors, Don finally let out the breath he had been holding. “We’re so cooked,” he said out loud.

“I know,” Leo said with a groan. “I’m almost tempted to leave Raph behind in the precinct.”

“I’m nearly finished with the Battle Shell, and with the call. I’ll tell you once I hit the road.” Don said to him. Then he unmuted himself from his call with Chief Torres. “Where were we?” he asked.

As he answered some more of her questions, he finished replacing the brackets, then closed the hood. “Thank you for your cooperation,” Don said as the call came to a close. “Although few people will know what you have done today, you will have done a great service to your nation. But, of course, I will extend my generosity and offer you payment of up to one and a half million dollars.”

“I’m sorry, did you say million?” Chief Torres asked in a shocked tone.

“Of course,” Don said. “We pay handsomely for research and information, and by giving us a live specimen, you are contributing more to alien research than most people have in decades. Unfortunately, however, you may have to incur some upfront costs.”

“How much are we talking about?”

“Twenty thousand dollars. I know it may be a lot –”

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I receive more than that on a monthly basis from Mr. Williams.”

“Well, that amount will help us pay for the transfer of the suspect. I already have a trust fund set up for you to deposit the money into – and I will wire the one and a half million dollars to you by tomorrow at close of business.”

After giving her the banking information, Don thanked her once again and hung up the call. He cleaned the black grease from his hands with a rag, turned off the space heater, opened the garage door to the warehouse, then gathered his gloves and beanie cap and climbed into the Battle Shell. No sooner than he turned the key fob than the engine purred and came to life. He eased the Battle Shell onto the street, then shifted the gears to one, then two as he drove on the road, smiling with smug satisfaction when he found that the gear shifts were as smooth as butter. “Man, I’m good,” he said out loud. “Hey, Leo. I’m headed your way. I’ll be over there in about fifteen minutes.”

“Good. When you get closer, I’ll tell you where to park,” Leo said. Then he sneezed again.

Don frowned as he remembered that Leo had briefed him that he would be hiding on the roof of the precinct. “Stay warm, bro,” he said.

“I’m doing my best,” he said miserably.

As Don got closer to the police department, Leo gave him instructions to get to the parking garage. Don drove in and pulled the Battle Shell into the parking space labeled “VIP Parking,” just like he requested.

“I need you to do one last thing, Donatello,” his brother said. “Do you see the car parked next to you?”

Don peeked through the window of the Battle Shell and did a double take. A bright red Ford Mustang was parked in the chief of police’s parking space. “You mean the 1987 Mustang?” he said. “Do I.”

“I need you to unlock the trunk of that car. After that, you can join April. She’s waiting in her van,” Leo said. “And mind the cameras on the side of the building.”

Don peeked through the windows on side of the Battle Shell that faced the precinct and immediately spotted the camera he was talking about. “Copy that,” he said. He took off his headset and replaced it with his beanie before reaching into the glove compartment. There he kept a spare set of tools for unlocking doors. He opened the van door on the side facing away from the cameras and was immediately greeted by the biting cold. Shivering, he stealthily crouched behind the Mustang and began unlocking the trunk. The cold made it difficult to move his fingers, but after a few seconds of jiggling his tools in the keyhole, he felt an inner mechanism give and heard a click. The trunk opened just a crack.

He placed the tools in the pockets of his jacket and sighed. It was a shame that he couldn’t steal this car just like he had stolen Zanramon’s space cruiser. Part of him was tempted to ask Leo if he could – though given the stakes of the mission and the intricacies of the plan, the answer was going to be a resounding “no.” That wouldn’t stop him from dreaming, though. Don stood to his feet and walked towards the back of the parking garage until he found where April’s van was parked.

April was already in the driver seat, waiting. She unlocked the doors and he climbed into the back passenger seat, sighing with relief as soon as the hot air blowing from the heater met his skin. “Got the old Battle Shell up and running?” she said.

“Yep, she’s as good as new,” Don said. In the end, it was only a ten-minute fix. All the more reason to feel guilty. He hugged his arms to his chest.

“What’s wrong?” April asked, sensing his change in mood.

“Nothing,” he said. “I’m just… I don’t know. Disappointed in myself, I guess.”

“What for?”

“It’s just that, the problem ended up being so easy to repair,” he said. “If I had just fixed it as soon as my brothers discovered that something was wrong, we could have taken the Battle Shell to your place. Raph wouldn’t be sitting in a holding cell right now.”

“True,” April said. “But if he hadn’t gotten arrested, we wouldn’t have found out about the corruption going on in the precinct. And remember, this plan won’t just help Raph. It’ll take down a corrupt cop. We’ll be helping a lot of people.”

“Huh, I guess you’re right,” Don said. “Thanks.”

“Of course, Donny.”

It grew quiet except for the hum of the heater blasting warm air. Don looked out the window at the flurries that rained down hypnotically onto the streets outside the parking garage. After today, they would have helped a lot of people – but only if their plan worked.

Previous | Next (Next Estimated update: September 21)

[jacquesthepigeon]

Not sure if you ever got a response about this and you don’t have to publicly respond but I have my own general guide for what to look for in a used car:

Maintenance—if you’re physically able to change tires, oil, and brakes yourself, that’s ideal. Alternatively, if you know anyone with car maintenance skills, it will be a much more affordable option than bringing it to a shop. If you can’t do it yourself or don’t know a mechanic, figure out how much you’re willing to spend on taking your car in to be fixed professionally. DO NOT just trust the seller’s claims about recent maintenance. Check it yourself or have someone you trust check it.

Electronics—newer cars (2010s and newer) have more electronic components, and thus will need special types of updates to their programming. Older cars (2000s and older) are more analog and have fewer electronic features, but will cost less to repair. NEVER buy a car that has electronic issues.

Fluids—check all fluids before agreeing to purchase the vehicle. Oil, transmission, brakes, coolant, radiator, etc. Check the smell of the fluids, how clear or dirty they are, whether they are full, most recent fluid change/flush. DO NOT just trust the seller’s claims about recent maintenance. Check it yourself or have someone you trust check it.

Sounds—listen to engine sounds before AND after it has been warmed up. If there is a distinct knocking, tapping, or other suspicious sound in the engine, do NOT buy that vehicle.

Research—look up any issues specific to the vehicle you intend to buy. Look the car up specifically by make, model, year, and if possible, VIN. This includes any issues with electronics, transmission/power train, steering, brakes, tires, chassis strength, etc. This is especially important when considering survivability of an accident and the future cost of maintenance. (Most car insurance providers offer a free quoting system and, if you have the VIN, will also provide information about any previous accidents the vehicle has been in.)

Manufacturer’s Warranties—this is an extension of research, but it’s vital if you ever have a serious mechanical failure. Most manufacturers will provide a distance-based guaranteed warranty for replacement of parts. (For example, a car’s first owner may be covered for engine replacement up to 100k total miles of use. Meanwhile, any future owners will only be covered up to the original 60k miles driven on the car.) Engine, transmission/power train, and electronic warranties are the most important ones, but some manufacturers will also provide brake and tire warranties.

I have a lot more info stored in my head, but I hope this helps with the basics and what to look out for before you buy a used car!

Paperwork—before purchasing a vehicle, make sure the seller has all the necessary paperwork for you to legally own and register the car. At the very least, this means a title with the correct VIN number and make/model info. Depending on the state you live in, you’ll also need to be sure the former owner submits a bill of sale or buyer/seller form to the DMV. If the VIN number has been taken off the vehicle or the former owner does not have a title, it is likely stolen. Do NOT buy it.

—————————————————————

I love you 🫶

[spookyspaghettisundae]

Who I Am

From afar, every one of her steps fell silent on the grass. She moved like the wind and melted into every shadow.

From cover to cover, she snuck past the creatures. Snarling, growling, feral creatures. Their slavering maws hungered and their mandibles clicked in search for human flesh to feast upon. She avoided every one of them, keeping a safe distance, swallowed only by thick fog.

Before crossing the road, she crouched behind the metal fence. From there, she waited, and watched the movements of those nightmare creatures. Waiting for an opportunity to creep across the asphalt, just out of earshot from the beasts.

Her body was as rigid as the metal bars of that fence, while staying as fluid as water, ready to bolt like liquid lightning. Strands of her blue-dyed hair stuck out from underneath the gas mask on her face.

And as she watched them through foggy lenses, I watched her. As the lenses of her mask fogged up with breath, so did I mine. I breathed in unison with her.

I waited. Observing her every move.

Learning.

To be her.

Who are you?

She is Priya Daniels. Afraid of the creatures, but confident in her ability to avoid them. Perhaps too confident. Brave. Brave for her ability to overcome her fear and act as scout to her newfound friends—her fellow survivors in the mist, hiding out in a fortified old mall.

She is a young woman, and she struggles to speak of all the things she lost. The people she lost in the mist. She does not wish to lose the new company she found, so she risks her life to clear paths for them, to scavenge for supplies, and ensure their survival. And she sits in the light of that locked building they dwell in by day, speaking to her new friends till she falls asleep, while others stand guard.

While I hide in the shadows, drinking in every detail of her being. Hanging on her every word, which I hear on the wind, or through the walls, or through the air ducts of the large building.

I have been watching her for weeks now. Changing. Changing myself to become her.

When I now look in the mirrors of water and glass, I see her in my reflection. I now look just like her. Down to the smallest details, like that small pale scar over her left eyebrow. Or the recent crack on her lip that I saw up close when she was sleeping, which she must have suffered when she fell in a desperate struggle for her life while fighting one of the creatures with her pickaxe.

And the bright crystal blue of her eyes, a precise imitation, down to every last pigment. Staring back at me through the reflection.

Whenever I spoke into the smartphone and played the recordings back, I now heard her voice. I had listened to her speak for long enough, both from intercepting their radio transmissions, and from staying nearby as I followed her around. Down to every detail, such as the tremors of insecurity in front of the good doctor, or her bartender friend. And the way she used words, how she named the young one “Gun Kid”, or how she became short on words when the man with the long hair held her hand, and her cheeks flushed pink.

And I had found every single article of clothing in the abandoned stores to mimic the rest of her appearance, and stolen all other items I needed to pass as her in front of the others.

I have been among them for days. They knew I was a copy. One of them finally noticed. I made some mistakes, and when they spoke to each other afterwards, they realized that Priya could not have been in two places at once.

She was afraid of me ever since. Like this had happened to her before. I am sorry for that. I mean no harm.

They were afraid. Expecting me to do them harm. Afraid of staying alone now, for fear of me copying any of them.

They called me… mimic.

Who am I?

I don’t know, but I am now Priya Daniels. Who I was remains a mystery to myself. I awoke in the mist, in the moss and the underbrush of the forest. Alone, without anybody to give me any answers. Was I born this way, or had I become this way? I remembered nothing from before that awakening.

I could eat their flesh. Some part of me is still curious to learn what it would taste like, and it would be so easy to stalk, and hunt, and kill them, and rip the flesh from their bones, and feast, like the other feral creatures out in the fog.

But I am afraid to. Like her, I subsist on the food that explodes from crinkling plastic bags torn open, and feast upon the fruit of the forests, and the meat of the little woodland creatures I catch in my snares.

I am afraid to embrace the creature I could be. I am afraid to admit that I am not human, like the humans in that mall.

Mimic, am I?

What was my purpose? I could not answer that.

And when I had finally met him, I found purpose.

The Bandaged Man cupped my cheek in his hand like a gentle lover, and asked me a simple question.

“Who are you?” His words billowed out like fabric rasping over the surface of a tree’s bark.

At the time, I had no answer.

Therefore, he answered for me. “You are whatever you want to be.”

He loved me. For all I was, he loved me. I sensed it. From that wicked smile underneath bandaged lips, to the breathy laugh that scraped its way out of his parched throat.

At first, I tried to look like him, but he forbade it. I don’t know if he didn’t want me to look like a skinless man beneath bandages, weeping forever with wound water and dark substance, and mirroring his raspy breathing.

He asked me to watch the humans instead. To observe all those who explored the mist around the mall. To become them.

To join them.

To pave the way for him, to find a way for him to enter safely.

And I had no other place to be. No other person to be.

Thus, I started looking like a man from the mall who hiked outside alone. He did not walk quietly into the night. Before I could learn to be him, the creatures ripped him apart and devoured him.

Then a woman drove out into the mist alone. She stopped her car and smoked a cigarette and spat curses into the wind. Then she took her gun, and shot at the creatures, and then she exploded in a bright red flash of light that drew all the creatures from miles around. She left them nothing to feast upon. I never had enough time to study her closely enough to be her, either.

And even if I had, I was still becoming.

At the time, I had not yet perfected my ability to assume their appearances, and knew not if it would help me get any closer to the survivors in that building.

If I could, like he wanted me to, I knew I could make a difference. The Bandaged Man seeks to destroy the man responsible for this mist, and the arrival of the nightmare creatures.

I intend to help him. Perhaps, I will then learn who I am. What I am.

Why I am.

All I know is that I exist. All I know is the mist took something from me. My identity. My past. My life.

Now, I can only live through her, the one I watch.

Now, I am Priya Daniels.

Having stayed hidden long enough to make her move, she darted across the street.

Bad luck took her. I never hoped for this to happen. I wanted to watch her for longer, to truly be Priya Daniels.

She made it across unnoticed. But once she stepped foot into the tall grass on the other side of the road, a stray bottle’s glass crunched underneath her foot.

The mist creatures snapped around. They could not even see her, they only followed the sound. The panicked breathing and scrambling as she fled. The grunt of pain as she hurtled through the window into the nearest abandoned building, falling onto more broken glass.

The thud, and the crunching.

All sounds for them to chase. And for me to chase after them.

Their claws scraped over asphalt and heavy legs thumped on earthy grounds in their pursuit of Priya Daniels. One of them screeched as it followed her inside. And the noise they made masked the noise I made, I, Priya Daniels.

Priya Daniels, the other one, screamed.

I was too late to help her. Too late to save her.

I used the bow and arrow to shoot one creature in the back, after which it crumpled into a lifeless heap. The next one was taken by surprise, and the pickaxe to its head incapacitated it with a single, sickening crunch. The last one reacted, lashed out, nearly impaling me with its sword-like spikes, but I won out with the pickaxe, killing it like the one before it.

And yet, I was too late. Priya Daniels was too late.

Priya Daniels lay dead in the darkness of that building.

With tenderness, I removed her gas mask. I cradled her head on my lap and drank in the last details I could glean, despite all the blood on her face, and those lifeless blue eyes.

Then I shut her eyelids so she could finally rest. I respectfully took only the things that would help me be her entirely, and hid her body in the darkest corners of that building.

Priya Daniels was not dead.

Mimic, am I?

I am Priya Daniels.

I am who I am.

[max--phillips]

Ok but do you have any advice for us bimbos *affectionate* when we go to a car mechanic bc it always feels like I go for one simple issue, and end up being told there's almost a dozen issues with my car 💀 when do u kno ur being swindled?😭

Yeah actually I do!! Because it’s happened to me before!

So, best case scenario is they tell you the thing you were worried about isn’t actually an issue and they try to direct you to an entirely different, unrelated problem. For instance: with my first car, which was a piece of shit to begin with, I had some transmission issues at one point and went to a transmission shop to have them look. At my. Transmission. Just the transmission. And a little while later the guy comes out and he’s like “yeah idk your transmission fluid was a little dark but it doesn’t smell burnt or anything so it’s probably fine. The issue you really have is that your entire front end is fucked and needs to be rebuilt.”

At which point you do the same thing you would do to a doctor trying to tell you to lose weight as a magic solution to all your problems (but you gotta kinda stroke their ego a little bit). “That’s a fair observation, and I’ll definitely take a quote on that, but I don’t think that has anything to do with the issue I came in for. Can you please help me figure out why my transmission was slipping/what that noise is/why it’s vibrating so much/whatever?”

At that point if they push back with “it’s probably just a fluke” or “I didn’t see anything wrong with it” ask for a second opinion, either have the same mechanic take another pass at it or ask if there’s another mechanic in the shop who can take a look. If they still give you shit, just take the quote for the work they apparently did want to do and find another shop. Any quotes they give you are indeed just quotes; you never have to talk to them again if you don’t want to. Just don’t pay for anything if all they did was a diagnostic and didn’t actually do any work!! Unless they explicitly tell you diagnostics cost money, which the vast majority of shops don’t do.

Worst case scenario is they start throwing all sorts of technical terms at you for issues that might be related to your main concern. At that point, you’re unfortunately going to need to do some legwork. Ask them for a quote for the work they’re suggesting. Most of the technical BS that they’ve thrown at you should be on the quote. Then take your car to another shop. Do not tell them that you’ve been to another shop or have a quote elsewhere. If they give you the exact same technical BS, chances are fairly good that they’re actually on to something. If they give you an entirely new batch of technical BS, you know they’re probably just fucking with you. There’s still probably some overlap between the two quotes; figure out what that overlap is, and that’s likely the work that actually needs to be done. Honestly, you might take it to a third shop just to rule out that one of the two shops was on to something & the other was just bullshitting you.

Some other various tips:

Read the reviews online! If there are a ton of complaints about being overcharged for unnecessary work, don’t go there!

Ask your friends! Chances are good someone you know knows a guy. If you’re still worried they might try to swindle you, bring the friend who recommended them to you with you!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This means do preventative maintenance on your car. Get your oil changed (highly recommend getting full synthetic, you can usually go about 5k miles between oil changes), get your tires balanced and rotated. There are some special maintenance things for higher-mileage vehicles (ie with 100,000 miles or more); you can usually find that kind of thing in your owner’s manual.

Speaking of oil changes: for the love of god stop going to overpriced ass chain shops (Take 5, Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Jiffy Lube, etc). Literally go to Walmart (as long as your Walmart has an auto center) and ask for a full synthetic oil change. This will be just as good & not cost nearly as much.

If you must go to another shop to get your oil changed and/or tires balanced and rotated, they’ll probably try to sell you wiper blades. You can say no. You should say no. Buy them at Walmart, on Amazon, or from RockAuto. They will be a million times cheaper. And they’re very easy to change; most of the packaging comes with instructions, but YouTube is your friend—just search your year make & model and “how to change wiper blades.” (Ex: how to change wiper blades on 2013 Honda Civic.)

(If they try to sell you anything else, you can say no to that, too. An oil change is just oil & your oil filter. If they’re nice they might also top off your coolant and windshield wiper fluid. You don’t need to have them replace your cabin air filter or wiper blades or anything (although if your car is always stinky and you can’t figure out why you might wanna replace the cabin air filter bc it can help with that))

Know the penny trick for your tire treads!

If they try to sell you tires and Lincoln’s head is still pretty covered, they’re bullshitting you.

(Tires usually last about 10k miles unless something wack happens like you pop one or something)

(I can make a post about what to do when you get a flat tire if y’all want??)

Uhhhhhh that’s all I got rn, hopefully this is helpful!! If anyone else wants to chime in please do!!

[philsservice]

Wondering what are the signs of a broken transmission in your vehicle? visit our Phil's Service auto shop to replace a transmission.

[autoandfleetmechanic]

When should transmission fluid be changed? Call the experts at Auto & Fleet Mechanic for advice about the recommended transmission repair.

[clausenauto]

Are you wondering what happens if you don't change your transmission fluid? Call the transmission service experts at Clausen Automotive for advice.

[schearers]

4 Things to inspect if Your Porsche Displays ‘Transmission Emergency Run’

Modern cars are installed with certain systems that monitor different activities and warn the user if there is any faults. Warning signs are shown at the dashboard to alert the user. The warning signs are either in form of picture of a particular part or in the form of a message. In this article you will gonna know about a warning message - ‘transmission emergency run’ that comes up at the dashboard and what to inspect.

What do transmission emergency run mean?

When a message ‘transmission emergency run’ comes to the dashboard then there can be many issues in your transmission. Your transmission have either got overheated or making vibrations. Many Porsche owners complain that their transmission slip out from gears while such message comes out. One reason for this message to come can be that your Porsche control module might have stored some trouble codes due to which such error message pops up at the dashboard. Resetting the codes have solved many such problems but if the message still comes, then you may have to diagnose the problem after inspecting the gear box.

What to inspect if the ‘transmission emergency run’ message comes up?

Old battery

Mostly an old and exhausted battery is the culprit to make transmission emergency run message come up. So first you need to inspect if your battery in Porsche in good condition or not. Check the battery terminals, check if there is any leakage from it. At last check the voltage of the battery. If your battery cannot hold charge, they it would have a very less voltage.

Sometimes even a good battery can also die due to over discharge. This happens if some electrical accessories like lights are left on overnight. This would lead to draining out of energy from the battery unnecessarily. If your battery is not much old and also have no damages or leakage, then it may have got discharged. You need to just charge your battery at Porsche service shops.

Temperature sensor

The temperature sensor can also cause the message to come up. The work of the temperature sensor is to detect the temperature of the transmission and informing the control module. If the temperature sensor is faulty then it would not send correct signals and hence lead to illumination of certain warning lights, messages and storing of error codes. Check the temperature sensor to know if it has to be replaces or other fixes like cleaning can solve the problem.

MAF sensor

The MAF or mass air flow sensor is present in the air intake system detects the amount of air to enter into the engine. If the sensor is dirty or faulty then it can lead to transmission emergency run with other error messages regarding the transmission. So a MAF sensor inspection is also needed.

Gear oil

The gear oil or transmission fluid is the vital component of the gear box. It has to be inspected on regular basis and changed if it is old. A bad gear oil can lead to various transmission problems including transmission overheating too. So you need to check the gear oil level and its color.

Battery connections

A battery also makes the transmission to engage. But if the connections to the battery is loosened or damaged at cables, then it has to be fixed by mechanic.

What to do?

Many times, in Porsche, due to error, such messages comes up. So resetting the error can make your car run like before. You can try restarting your car. Just turn off the engine and take out your keys. Wait for some minutes and then turn your car on and start the engine. This method is found to be helpful for many Porsche owners. But if the restarting doesn’t solve the problem, then take an OBD2 scanners to have all the trouble codes checked. Porsche scanners are best for scanning the Porsche cars. So read the trouble codes to know the exact issue that causes the message to come up.

Conclusion

Better get your car fully inspected at a Porsche service center to get a best fix for your car. Porsche are specialized vehicles so require to be scanned by Porsche scanners and get repaired by repair kits provided only by the Porsche service centers.

[hayeseuropean]

When, Why and How to Change Your Transmission Fluid in Porsche

Transmission related problems have become common in most of the cars. A substance which keeps the transmission parts protected is transmission fluid. When this fluid gets older in your transmission or gearbox, it loses some of its properties and has to be replaced. In this article you will get to know why, when and how you can replace the transmission fluid in your Porsche car.

Why do you have to replace the transmission fluid?

First you need to know about the role of transmission fluid in vehicles. Transmission fluid is a transparent, red coloured fluid used in your transmission for the purpose of lubrication of moving parts, prevention of overheating and increase longevity of the gear box. It helps the gearbox to carry out its work smoothly and effortlessly. Transmission fluid is like a tonic for gear box. The transmission fluid also has validity. If it becomes too old, used or impure, then it has to be changed. As the transmission fluid flows throughout the transmission, dirt and debris may get accumulated inside it with time, also older fluids fail to carry out their work effectively. Replacing the transmission fluid makes the transmission last longer and you will not have to take your car to diagnose transmission failure. Using the same fluid for years without changing it will cause the transmission to slip, the gears will get worn out and overheat, then the transmission may fail.

When to replace the transmission fluid?

Generally in Porsche cars, the transmission fluid is to be replaced once for every 30000 miles. In some models, it is recommended to replace the fluid for every 100000 miles. But the life of the fluid also depends on how often you use your car. Here are some signs that your transmission fluid needs replacement.

The colour of the fluid becomes dark brown or light pink, opaque or becomes cloudy or dirt and debris or other residues in the fluid.

Transmission begins to slip

Unusual grinding sounds from transmission.

Transmission begins to overheat

Also note that you have to also replace the transmission fluid filter with the fluid. The filter lasts for 30000-50000 miles.

How to change your transmission fluid?

To change the fluid you need to have automatic service transmission kit for your Porsche model. This kit has all those parts that are to be installed after replacement. You must have the following tools - 240Torx, level, 17 mm hex, 10 mm socket/ratchet, torque wrench, bead thermocouple digital temperature sensor, catch tray, lint free towels, gravity oil fill. You will get these all from local auto parts stores.

Steps

1.  The vehicle is raised and the under plastic shield id removed to access transmission pan

2.  Level on the oil pan is placed to check if the car is level, fore and aft, side to side.

3.  Then drain the fluid by opening the transmission drain plug

4.  To reduce spillage and drain more fluid, pan is made to tilt down towards the drain by loosening the pan bolts.

5.  Other pan bolts are also to be removed. You will see three bolts that attach filter to the valve body. You have to unbolt them to remove the filter along with seal O ring.

6.  New filter is installed and bolted. Then new gasket is to be installed.

7.  The transmission pan is reinstalled and use thread locker while bolting the old bolts.

8.   Pour the fluid through fill hole till it drips from the fill. The fluid should be of 3-4 liters.

9.   Start the engine and allow it to idle. Adding of fluid should be continued.

10.  Shift the gear lever from park to D, wait for 3 seconds, then turn it to R and wait for 5 seconds.

11.  Engine should idle and check the fluid temperature by the temperature sensor while adding the fluid. Pouring of fluid should continue till it drips from the hole and the temperature comes near to 40 degree C.

12.  Put the hole plug with a sealing ring and torque it to 70Nm.

You should be very care full while following these steps of changing the fluid. Never work under the car if you are alone.

Conclusion

If you do not get the tools, then you can get the work done in authorized service stations for Porsche. If you take your car for transmission service then the transmission fluid change will be done in an affordable price.

[oliviajames1122]

TIPS FOR HIGH MILEAGE CAR MAINTENANCE

Indeed, newer cars are made to last. The majority of today's vehicles have a minimum life span of 150,000 miles. A car is deemed to be high mileage if it has travelled at least 75,000 miles. Age can also be used to assess if a car has high mileage or not in addition to mileage. Older vehicles are therefore regarded as having a high mileage. Older cars require more frequent maintenance than more recent ones do to ensure optimal performance on the road. Search for car repairs near me and book an appointment now to find out more.

What is a high mileage vehicle?

High mileage vehicles are those with at least 75,000 miles on the clock. To keep them operating at their peak and on the road, older vehicles need more frequent maintenance than newer ones do. A car may be deemed to have high mileage based on age as well as mileage, which is something else to bear in mind. Search for car repairs near me and book an appointment now to find out more.

How to Extend the Life of a High Mileage Car

Keep an Eye on Your Vehicle's Oil

Your car's oil is like its heart if the engine is its beating heart. Thus, the most important thing you can do to keep your high mileage vehicles running better for longer is to replace their oil at the recommended intervals and use motor oil that is especially made for high mileage vehicles. Search for car services near me and book an appointment with a qualified mechanic now.

Regularly Check Your Fluids

You should routinely check engine fluids in addition to the engine oil. This entails changing the transmission fluid and oil as well as checking the coolant level in your radiator once a month. This is fairly well-known yet frequently overlooked.

Take Care of Your Tyres

If you take good care of your tyres, they will look after you. The tyres should be rotated as directed, maintained at the recommended air pressure, and replaced as needed. When your tyres are in good condition, your suspension will last longer and the rest of the car will be under less strain. Newer, properly inflated tyres also provide you a significantly better chance of avoiding a collision. Search for car repairs and book an appointment with a professional mechanic to fix any issues at hand.

Examine The Belts And Filters.

Replace or clean dirty or expired air filters to maintain optimum combustion. Additionally, make sure to inspect and replace any belts that might also be displaying wear and tear.

Look after Your Car’s Exterior

In terms of extending the lifespan of a car with a high mileage, cleaning your car may seem minor. However, regular car washing really eliminates impurities and stops rust. Since the underside is not painted and is subject to wintertime exposure to salt from the roads, it is especially crucial to do this. Your outside will look brighter after waxing, and it will also be protected from rust and damage to the paint job.

Improve Your Driving Habits

Several driving habits, such as rapid acceleration or deceleration, harsh starts, and slamming on the brakes, result in significant needless wear and strain on your car and reduce its lifespan. These are commonly referred to as aggressive driving. Driving carefully, moving slowly, and doing things smoothly are all necessary to extend the life of a high mileage vehicle. Search for car mechanics near me and book an appointment now to sort out any issues with your vehicle.