Your guide to the "Ask Scotty" community forum.
- Before you post...
- How to search before you ask.
- How to post a photo
- Accessing Scotty's helpful videos
- Be respectful
- No drama please. Leave it at the door
- Participating in the community
- Special forum topics
Scotty Kilmer
Categorized Videos
As of today, Scotty has over 3,000 videos on a variety of topics.
To see if Scotty has a video about YOUR question: CLICK HERE
Choose a playlist category like car repair, car buying, truthful reviews, tools, etc.
Scotty shows you how to change fan belts, struts, brakes, and much more.
You can search Scotty's video library for keywords, such as "oxygen sensor":
Desktop:
Mobile:
Special Topics
- Automotive News
- Tech Corner - Interesting or educational articles/videos about cars and technology.
- User submitted troubleshooting resources
- Member rides - Our members share photos and discuss their personal vehicles.
- Member Reviews - Personal reviews
- Online communities - Other discussion sites for particular vehicles
- Feedback - Give feedback about this site
- Video ideas - Things you would like to see in a Scotty video
- Vintage Films - Educational films from the dawn of the automobile.
Please understand you are coming here looking for help and to take advantage of Scotty’s expertise as well as other mechanics that participate in the forum. We do what we do because we love it and we love helping people. We take time away from our other activities, jobs, our families and loved ones to spend time on here helping others. If you didn’t need help you wouldn’t be here asking for it, so don’t get upset if you get answers or advice you don’t like or agree with. Everyone has thier own way of doing things and opinions, know that and respect it please.
How to post your photos (free)
You can visit one of these websites and upload your photos there.
- https://imgur.com/
- https://postimages.org/
- https://imgbb.com/
- https://servimg.com/
- https://fastpic.org/ (Russian)
- https://imgbox.com/
- https://freeallup.com/
- https://pasteboard.co/ (no signup required)
- https://www.imagefruit.com/ (no signup required)
Video hosting:
Then, simply copy + paste the 'direct' image link into your question.
For example, the image link :
will be displayed like this after you submit:
Before you post ...
- Register:
If you decide to sign up for an account, DO NOT enter your email address as your display name or nickname, if you don't want to be targeted by spam, scams, phishing attacks and other account hacking. Use a unique password (we aren't responsible if it's compromised and you used the same password on your bank account). Beware of scammers posing as Scotty! They will attempt to lure you to various social media sites.
Do not type your email, physical address, phone number or any other personal information into your question. We do not contact people in any way shape or form. You must come back to the page where you posted your question to see the responses. - Read the forum rules.
We expect everyone to know them, and offenders will be removed without warning. - Read the FAQ:
We have a list of the most commonly asked questions in the forum. Check the list before you ask. If you ask questions from the list, you will be sent to the FAQ. - Search:
Use the search box in the top right corner and search keywords about your problem. There is a very good chance that somebody has already asked the same question, and the solution has been posted. Our generous members have volunteered their precious free time to write thoughtful answers, so please don't make them repeat themselves. - To post a question:
Click on "Submit Your Question HERE", and then the red "Ask a question" button. Write a brief description of your problem in the title. Avoid titles like your car model, or "Help me" or "I have a problem". You will receive more help with a specific title such as "car shakes when I come to a stop", or "How do I fix squealing brakes". Type the main body of your question into the larger box below.
Do yourself and us a favor: Use good online etiquette and punctuation. Nobody wants to read a run-on solid wall of text. It will probably get ignored. Do not shout at us in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
DO NOT press the red "Ask a question" more than once. Press once, then wait for the website to process your submission (spinning icon top right). Be patient as it could be busy with traffic. Mashing the button will cause your question to be flagged as spam.
One question per post, please. (Rule #9) You will get less answers if you lump them together anyway.
Do not post duplicate questions. (Rule #10) Repeating questions will result in being banned from the site.
- Vehicle details:
Please, please... Always provide your vehicle info, even if you think it doesn't matter. Scotty only answers questions once, and the more info you provide, the more accurate his/our answer will be. Get it right the first time. We can't help you properly if we don't have all the details. At minimum: Year, Make, Model, Odometer reading, Transmission. Engine type, related aftermarket accessories etc. and the more additional information about the problem that can provide, the better answer you will get.
For instance, if you need help identifying a sound, tell us approximately where it's coming from, when it happens, and what it sounds like.
If you have an electrical problem, tell us your battery voltage etc.
If your forgot to include some information in your question, that's OK. Just use the comment button to add it in.
- Troubleshooting details:
If you are asking about a problem that you have already started working on, then please list all the troubleshooting you have already done. It can be very frustrating when a member takes time and types out an in-depth, thoughtful answer, with detailed troubleshooting steps, and you reply "I've already done that". So please, don't abuse our time. Tell us everything that lead up to the question up front
Describe your vehicle symptoms, not your theories. Example: Don't word your question like this: "will replacing this solenoid help my torque converter slip". Instead you should ask "how should I fix hesitation on acceleration". We need the whole story. - Photos/video:
Troubleshooting a problem via internet without the vehicle in front of you is challenging enough. When you start describing "that metal thing, is hitting that rubber part , which isn't pointing in the right direction", we have no idea what you're talking about. Take SEVERAL good pictures with your smart phone. Upload them to a image sharing site and paste the direct image links into your question. Better yet, if it's something that moves, or a sound that you hear, then upload a video to Youtube.com and post the link. It's really easy with the app. This will help immensely with troubleshooting. - Be polite:
This really goes a long way when asking for help. People here volunteer their free time to help you because they enjoy it. They could be doing something else. Sometimes you may not get a satisfactory answer. Misunderstandings happen. Restate or clarify your question, or just thank them and solicit additional answers. Don't treat people like your personal servants. We appreciate constructive criticism, but if you are rude, then we will ignore or poke fun at you. Drama won't be tolerated at all. If you don't like something, you are always welcome to leave. - Give credit:
When your question has been resolved, click the check-mark icon next to the best given answer. This will (1) update the status of the question so everyone knows it was solved and (2) credit the person who provided the best answer. If you figured it out yourself, then please help out others: post the solution. - Stay on topic:
Stick to the subject of the topic. Do not derail or hijack people's questions. Do not use a car question as an opportunity to preach about unrelated things or things you want get off your chest. Avoid polarizing topics like race/religion/politics etc unless it directly pertains to an automotive question. (for example, legislation about repairing/selling cars). - Don't feed the trolls. They feed on your attention. Let a moderator deal with them.
Thanks and have fun!
Participating in the Community
Voting
Answering questions
You think you know the answer to a question, and you want to join in. That's great. The community is all about helping each other out. Please just follow this one simple rule:
- Enter your answer at the bottom of the page in the box labelled "Your Answer". If you use the "Add a comment" box to post an answers, it will be deleted.
Please use context. If you are replying to a particular portion of a question, highlight it, and click the quotation (") marks. This will quote the author's text in your reply.