Do It Yourself Car Maintenance

When diagnosing a coolant leak on your Ford Ranger the best possible scenario will be a busted radiator hose. The worst possible scenario is of course a blown head gasket. When troubleshooting...

The thermostat in an Xterra controls the flow and temperature of your engine coolant. If your SUV takes a long time to warm up, or if it overheats frequently---monitor the temperature gauge in...

Your car's temperature gauge is a diagnostic tool for you as a driver. If it shows high temperatures while driving normally, your car may have a problem with running hot. A car that runs hot is at...

The coolant return hose on your vehicle connects the water pump and the radiator. The hose allows the pump to force low-temperature coolant from the radiator into the engine to keep it from...

The thermostat in your Nissan Frontier is required to regulate the flow of coolant through your motor. The thermostat will send enough coolant through the motor to keep the engine running...

A radiator keeps the engine cool and operating smoothly. Without the radiator the engine would overheat and seize up. Leaks in the radiator should be addressed as soon as possible. Quick fixes are...

The automotive thermostat is a controlled on and off valve. When the temperature of the vehicle gets higher, the thermostat will allow the flow of coolant throughout your motor. This will keep...

The thermostat on the Mazda Millenia is the heart of the coolant system. The thermostat regulates the flow of coolant to your motor and ensures your Mazda runs cool at all times. The thermostat...

The thermostat governs the flow of coolant in an internal combustion motor. When the engine is getting warm, the thermostat will release enough coolant to flow through the canals of the motor....

Check the coolant level when diagnosing an overheating motor. This will usually cause your motor to run hot and possibly blow your head gasket. Immediately check and replace your thermostat if the...

The thermostat housing on your Honda is accessible and, in most cases, very simple to remove and replace. The thermostat itself is responsible for maintaining the temperature of your Honda. When...

To maintain your radiator, you will need to test the pressure on the radiator as well as on the cap. The coolant system of your vehicle relies on pressure to properly circulate air in your vehicle...

A sticking thermostat will cause the Oldsmobile Cutlass to overheat causing serious motor damage. The thermostat controls your coolant system allowing enough coolant to flow through the motor...

Your 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier has two coolant hoses that run between the radiator and engine. One connects to the upper part of the radiator and the other to the lower section. These hoses are one...

The BMW E34 uses a bleed screw to remove air from the cooling system. While some vehicles use a bottom radiator hose or the radiator cap itself for this job, BMW has chosen this simpler method to...

A new thermostat will improve the health of your Ford Mustang. It means that the coolant is flowing properly through all the channels in your motor. The thermostat is a valve that regulates your...

The radiator in a car is a large tank made of copper/brass or aluminum. The radiator is constructed out of a series of small cooling tubes and fins. Coolant is pumped from the engine into the...

Oil in the radiator is usually caused by a blown head gasket between the engine head and engine block. In this condition, the coolant ports and the oil ports are no longer separated allowing to to...

Replacing the water pump is a last-resort repair to salvage your truck's coolant system. To replace the water pump, located above the crankshaft, you must work your way through many parts. The...

Pressure checking the coolant system in any automobile can be quick and easy. The coolant pressure test offered by Snap-on is easy to operate and will allow you to find any leaks in your coolant...

Though the 350 engine is a generally reliable platform, many experience overheating problems with time or modification. There are as many solutions as there are causes for this particular issue,...

Your Ford truck requires that you change the coolant in the radiator regularly to maintain performance and engine life. The radiator coolant is designed to maintain the temperature of the engine...

It’s that time of year again, whether you’re a big fan of winter or not, there are a few things you should do before the winter season is here. At the top of the list should be preparing your...

The Aztek was a sport utility vehicle (SUV) manufactured by General Motors and sold under their Pontiac brand from 2001 to 2006. Adding engine coolant to the Aztek is easily done at home without...

The radiator in your Chevrolet Impala requires regular changing of the fluid to prevent corrosion and damage to the tank. Old radiator coolant in the Impalas system can create destructive...

Coolant, or antifreeze, protects a car's motor from rust and corrosion by providing a cooling system that prevents overheating. Honda recommends that the coolant in a Civic be changed every...

The Mazda 3 is a sporty compact car that has been sold since 2004. Mazda recommends changing the coolant in your Mazda 3 at least every four years or 60,000 miles. Engine coolant should be bright...

Your car's radiator and coolant system must be clean in order to keep your call cool. Over time, your coolant system builds up deposits which ruin the cooling system. A simple coolant system...

Proper maintenance on your vehicle will prolong the life of the engine and make the trips to the mechanic a little fewer. All Women should know the basics of vehicle maintenance.

The cooling systems on BMW engines have had a history of problems for a while, primarily with the water pump and thermostat. Over time, the plastic impellers that were used in the BMW water pumps...

Two types of cooling systems, liquid or air, are found in automobile radiators. Air-cooled engines are found on many older cars, but most modern autos use liquid-cooled radiator systems, which...

School is out and summer is here. Now that school is out, it’s time for the annual summer road trips. You don’t want to be traveling with a car that will leave you on the side of the highway. So...

The heater core in a 2001 Volkswagen Passat can be flushed using a common garden hose connected to the heater core hose with a T-shaped flush kit adapter. The flush kits come with several sizes of...

The extreme cold days of winter can be as brutally harsh on your car as they feel to you. Batteries are compromised, antifreeze is challenged and oil viscosity is altered in extreme conditions....

Changing the coolant in your Saturn SL1 is part of the scheduled maintenance routine. Depending on how much you drive the car, the SL1 should have the coolant replaced every two to three years for...

The Volkswagen Jetta inline-four cylinder turbocharged direct injection engine (or TDI) is renown for its reliability and durability, with some engines running over 300,000 miles before needing...

Honda Accords are known for their dependability and durability, and often roll the odometer past 300,000 miles if properly maintained. To keep your Honda Accord running smoothly and trouble-free,...

Without belts and hoses, your car will not be able to operate properly. So let’s take care of these items, follow the steps below to continue.

Your water pump helps your engine to cool down when it is overheating. So today, I will be replacing a water pump. So let’s get started, just follow the steps below to continue.

Your car’s cooling system is vital to your engine’s performance. Without it, your engine would burn up in a matter of minutes. So just follow the steps below to keep your car’s cooling system in...

A worn-out thermostat can cause the 2.7-liter engine on your Honda to operate above or below its normal temperature. The thermostat element may remain stuck in the open or closed position after...

Although there is nothing more superior than a coolant flush to your Hyundai Elantra, a drain and fill procedure will still go a long way in restoring the Ph level and temperature of the coolant....

Preventative maintenance on a car is not only a good way to keep your vehicle running smoothly, but it's also highly recommended for the longevity of the vehicle. By maintaining the car, the...

The engine coolant in a Nissan 300ZX ensures that the engine operates normally without overheating. The coolant flows through a series of hoses and a radiator to draw heat away from the engine and...

Bleeding or flushing an automotive radiator can be done while the radiator is still in the vehicle. Refreshing the coolant will allow debris or dirt to be removed, prolonging the life of the...

Periodically, your cooling system should be checked and the system should be flushed to prevent corrosion. If you fail to check the radiator from time to time, it can impair the performance of the...

Is your 350 engine sporadically running hot? If there seems to be no loss of coolant and the engine still gets very hot, chances are your thermostat needs to be replaced. Follow the steps below...

One of the many brand names of automotive engine coolant (antifreeze) is Prestone. This company has been around for a long time, which helps explain how its name became a generic term, much like...

Its important to drain the coolant to get rid of contaminants that may be inside the coolant. Today we are draining and filling the coolant in an Infiniti G35. So let’s get started, just follow...

If the heater core goes out in your vehicle, it may be necessary to bypass it to keep the cooling system working and to keep coolant from pouring into the passenger compartment. Bypassing is not a...