I have been having some driving problems in my Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser, and I had it checked by a friend. I was told the cause of the problem was that my clutch is slipping, and he suggested that I bring the car to a mechanic. What are the symptoms of a slipping clutch, and can I do the repair myself?

Clutch slippage is the condition when the clutch and the flywheel have some difficulty engaging with each other, causing the failure of power transfer from the engine to the wheels. This is the reason one of the most common symptoms of clutch slippage is poor performance—the wheels are not getting enough power. If you experience shifting difficulty, then this is another symptom of slippage. This kind of problem would often call for the replacement of the clutch, but know that the process can be a bit complex. You must only attempt this if you have sufficient experience working with clutches. Otherwise, you might cause more damage to your ride.

I've been doing a series of maintenance and repairs in my vehicle, and one thing I'm looking at doing is flushing my car's transmission fluid. However, one of my buddies told me this is not advised as this can cause damage on my transmission seals. How true is this?

Actually, a transmission fluid flush is highly recommended for vehicles after about 30,000 miles of driving. This is to ensure that the system will remain clean without any contaminant. The concern of your friend is valid. Some car owners are against flushing the transmission because the process forces the fluid into the valves and other orifices in the tranny, and this has a possibility of forcing debris into the small openings and causing clogs, as well as damaging the seals. However, know that this process is already outdated—most shops today already use a modern process that does not force the fluid to drain it. The new process uses the pump in the system so that it is the one that will let the fluid drain.

I am suspecting a leak in the AC system of my Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruiser, but I'm not sure where the leak is. Is there any effective DIY process in AC leak detection? I don't want to have to pay a mechanic just to find the leak.

Before you think about diagnosing the leak in your AC system by yourself, you need to check whether it is allowed in your state to work with refrigerants. Some states have rules governing this because refrigerant can be harmful to the environment. Once you have determined that it is allowed, all you need to do is to spray soapy water solution along the AC lines. When there's a leak in an area, you will see bubbling in the said area. Do this along the entire line to ensure that you cover the whole area and address even the smallest leaks in the system. This is a simple way to detect AC leaks. You may choose to flush the AC and replace the refrigerant once you have the leaks fixed; just be sure you dispose the old refrigerant properly so that it won't damage the environment.

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