Do It Yourself Car Maintenance

You thought you were doing a good deed when you offered to take your co-worker to work, but when you can smell him before you can see him you know there's going to be a problem. While a little...

Ceramic coatings are used on exhaust components in order to keep this area of your car from overheating. They are extremely durable, and as long as you do not try to sand them or attack them with...

HID (high intensity discharge) bulbs use xenon gas to produce a brighter illumination for a vehicle's headlights than standard halogen lights. An HID bulb needs a special ballast capable of...

Gas stains on painted car surfaces are a common aesthetic problem. However, this issue is about more than just looks. Gas stains can eat through the finish of your car over time, exposing the...

A knocking sound coming from your engine when you accelerate could be caused by excessive heat and pressure creating a "detonation" in the engine. If this problem continues, you could severely...

Replacing the thermostat in your Mercury Grand Marquis is a procedure that should take no more than half an hour to repair. The thermostat on the Grand Marquis does serve a unique function as...

The coolant system on the Chrysler Sebring is a very basic design. The water pump pushes the coolant through the motor. The thermostat is a valve that remains closed until the temperature of the...

A noisy serpentine belt can be annoying. There are several reasons why a belt may squeak. It could mean nothing, but it could also be symptom of a bigger problem.

Fram filters are designed to collect sediment and debris that is floating through your fuel line. Fram is designed for high performance and fuel injected systems. They are easy to replace. When...

Tank 150cc scooters are usually shipped to their destinations in metal angle-iron crates. Inspect the bike to be sure there was no damage during shipping. Any work that must be performed to the...

Caulk is used as a sealant for exposed seams on both interior and exterior surfaces. The versatile adhesive compound comes in different forms that are suitable for various types of projects....

A vehicle's fuel filter has the responsibility of catching any debris and sediment from the fuel before it enters the engine. The filtration process starts at the fuel tank where the fuel pump is...

Diesel fuel is more prone to sediments and debris than regular gasoline. A diesel truck is more prone to pick up dirt and debris due to the rough nature the motors are used in. Diesel is also...

When the check engine light comes on everyone wonders why. Some just want to know how to get the light to go off. Either way, the process for resetting that light on a General Motors (GM) vehicle...

A Chevy Tahoe is a luxury workhorse that is as likely to be driven to a restaurant as it is to be found breaking trails through the woods. While the Tahoe is designed to withstand the stress of...

There are a few things constant in life: death, taxes, and incandescent light bulbs that go out. Eventually, every bulb will fail, and when they do, they should be replaced. The dome light of a...

You should check your GMC Sierra wiper blades every 6 months to make sure that the rubber compound is intact. Since wiper blades on the Sierra perform an important safety function, you should not...

Changing the oil and oil filter on your Toyota is an important maintenance procedure to properly take care of the engine. Different models and engine sizes on Toyota vehicles feature a wide...

Cigarette smoke may smell bad, but the chemicals and contaminants making up the smoke linger long after the cigarette has been extinguished. Cigarette smoke can get into a car's air conditioning...

In these tough economic times, it makes more sense to keep your current car rather than trade it in. So, if you notice that your car is starting to burn more oil, how do you reduce oil usage so...

Most cars now use a serpentine drive belt system which means there is one large drive belt instead of several small belts powering all of your accessories. The idler pulley provides the needed...

O-rings are designed to help seal fluid from entering one area of a part through another, like stopping water from leaking out of a thermostat housing or to seal an electrical connection from...

The Duramax Diesel is a relatively new motor designed by General Motors and Izuzu. The Duramax can be found in heavy-duty Chevrolet and GMC trucks. This diesel provides plenty of horsepower to get...

Replacing the starter in a Chevrolet does not have to be a complicated task. The starter is a motor that is used to start the flywheel when you start the vehicle. The flywheel in turns sets the...

Tank MotorSports inspects its products carefully before before they are shipped. The Tank 150cc Touring Scooter is shipped in a metal angle iron crate for protection. It is recommended that a...

Tinting your car's windows can be a daunting task, but well worth it in the end as you can save the interior of your car from sun damage and make your vehicle look very stylish. Window tint comes...

If you take pride in your car, you always want it looking its best. For exterior car maintenance, few tools are as effective as the rotary buffer. Also called a circular polisher or high-speed...

The key turns in the ignition, and nothing--no starter whirring, no solenoid clicking, no sound whatsoever. Strangely, the interior lights do not momentarily dim as you try to start either. These...

A Gy6 engine is a four-stroke single cylinder head engine with two valves. This gasoline engine is commonly used in all Chinese 125cc and 150cc scooters. Lance, Flyscooters, Tank, Buddies and...

The elements, accidents, or simply age can all be factors in the occurrence of chipped paint areas on your vehicle. While chipped paint areas can be unsightly, it is possible to repair the area....

On most vehicles, the front suspension is held up by a coil spring and travel is damped by a shock, but on some, they are one assembly, known as a coilover shock, or a strut assembly. To properly...

The Ford Ranger uses an electric starter to engage the flywheel. This is the first process in the complicated inner workings of an internal combustion motor. The flywheel engages the crankshaft, ...

Replacing a damaged fender panel on your Dodge Ram can help improve the appearance of the truck. You can remove the fender using only a ratchet and socket. The fender protects the important...

Adding window tint to your vehicle helps to increase gas mileage and cool down the interior temperature of the vehicle as well. But over time, some window film can start to turn blue or purple, or...

You might think that the wheel bearings of your Isuzu aren't a critical component, but they are. If the bearings aren't greased properly, they can seize, causing the wheel to seize and potentially...

Installing the rear shocks on a car or truck is a straightforward and quick procedure, provided you buy the correct-size shock for your vehicle. Two bolts hold the shocks into place: one on top...

Removing the ignition key cylinder is a straightforward task. This repair is essential if you have broken a key off in the switch or want to re-key the ignition system. You can buy the new...

Removing the driveshaft when towing your Silverado can save excess wear on your transmission and differential. The driveshaft itself is easy to remove and re-install. Before removing the...

Sometimes your car's air conditioner doesn't cool properly. The most common cause of this is a lack of refrigerant in the cooling compressor. This is a simple thing to fix, but you need to be...

Manual transmissions utilize a clutch to engage and disengage the power from the engine to the transmission. This is necessary so that when you are at a complete stop, you can rest at idle without...

Changing the transmission filter on your Jeep Grand Cherokee should be part of your annual car maintenance routine. A clogged or dirty transmission filter can reduce oil flow to your transmission,...

Transmission fluid cools and lubricates the transmission's interior components. As the fluid travels through the transmission, it picks up small metal particles produced by normal wear and tear....

The electrical system in your car serves a vital function--it connects the various engine sensors with the electronic control module (ECM, or "brain" of the car) and provides power to operate the...

The wiper blades on your Ford Explorer should be inspected once every six months, according to Ford Motor Company. The replacement interval depends on how frequently the blades are used;...

If you can't afford a replacement part at a car dealer or body shop, or if you are working on a project car, getting used parts may be your best option. Your local junkyard may have the perfect...

Flash rust is rust that appears quickly--literally overnight--and can occur on any surface including stainless steel. Generally, flash rust is a result of small iron particles that have become...

For your engine to stay at the proper operating temperature, the coolant needs to be working as it should. As time goes on, the coolant breaks down and becomes diluted with contaminants. A coolant...

Alright girls - The question of the day is as follows: Why pay Valvoline or Jiffy Lube potentially double what you would spend to change your oil yourself? Ok, so we have 2 questions of the day:...

Our standard vehicles use a 12 volt battery to store power for starting the motor and for powering vehicle components. When the battery dies (is depleted of its stored power) the vehicle will not...

An Ohm meter, which is part of a multimeter, can only check a spark plug for a short circuit or a breakdown of insulation resistance. A good spark plug should show an open circuit between the...