Q: I'm a pizza driver and I drive a '92 Honda Civic. Unfortunately, during the winter, I idle the engine for about an hour and a half three nights a week. Some say that I'm doing major damage to my engine by idling it for so long. Others say that as long as I give the car a little bit of gas every fifteen minutes. I'm hoping you could give me some insight. -- L.G

A: L.G., it's true; it's not good to idle an engine for so long. Yes, it's good to rev the engine every fifteen minutes. It's even better to drive the vehicle at highway speeds for a period of time, too. If your work forces you to idle the engine for a while, make sure to change your oil more frequently. Also keep a close eye on the cooling system. Frequently check your vehicle's fluids for proper fill level and condition. Have them serviced as needed and you should be okay.

Q: I have a '92 Ford E-150 Econoline van. It seems that every time the weather gets cold, the transmission has problems shifting into gear. All summer long, there are no problems with the operation of the transmission. But when it gets cold, you have to race the engine to get it to shift into reverse or forward. What can I do to fix this problem? -- W.M.

A: W.M., I've got an answer, but you may not want to hear it. Your transmission likely needs an overhaul. But before you go that route, make sure the fluid level and condition aren't the problem. The seals in the transmission that are used to keep fluid under pressure for engaging clutches and shifting into gear contract when they are cold. And that problem is likely to be worse if the transmission has a lot of miles on it. In the summer, these seals are expanded enough to make an adequate seal, but in cold weather, apparently they're not. If these seals are the source of your trouble, the only fix is to overhaul or replace the transmission. During an overhaul, all the seals and gaskets are replaced, along with any worn parts. You may want to have a transmission shop take a look at your van. Most will not charge you for a repair estimate.

Q: Not too long ago, you responded to a reader regarding a question about a repair estimate. The reader was told that the repair time was obtained by looking in a "crash book." You mentioned that you were not aware of a "crash book." You referred to it as a "labor time" manual. I have many years experience in the field and I was a claims adjuster. We called them "crash books" and they were used to estimate repair times and costs. The two (crash) books I remember were published by Chilton and Motor. I thought I'd just pass this information on. -- J.C.

A: J.C., thanks for letting me know. I've been working on cars since the early 1980s and I have never heard these manuals called "crash books." Maybe if I worked in a body shop I would have heard that term. Where I worked, we called them "labor guides." But thanks for letting me know that some may refer to them as "crash books."

Questions for Ira Siegel? Call the Auto Adviser Hotline at 708-633-6839 or e-mail Autoadvisr@aol.comAutoAdviser. Ira Siegel is an Automotive Instructor and ASE Certified Master Auto Technician.