Do It Yourself Car Maintenance

Getting the air out of your truck radiator is of primary importance. Air in the cooling system can lead to overheating, which can potentially lead to severe engine damage. Air can get in the...

The spark plugs in a HEMI 5.7 engine need to be replaced every 30,000 miles. The spark plugs are what create the spark necessary to ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber. When the plugs go...

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...

Several flush kits are available to clean the cooling system of your vehicle. Along with a mild or strong cleaner solution, a kit will help you remove rust and scale formation from inside parts...

The oil in your Jeep Liberty is essential to maintaining the vehicle. By keeping the engine cool and properly lubricated, an oil change every 3,000 miles makes certain that your car works well for...

Drive belts operate the accessories of a vehicle by riding along a track of pulleys. The belts are driven directly by the engine's crankshaft. Drive belts operate the water pump, alternator,...

Diesel tanks have a tendency to attract algae if the tank is allowed to sit for an extended period of time without being filled. This is partially due to the nature of diesel fuel. Algae presents...

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...

Fuel filters are extremely important to vehicles. When a fuel filter becomes clogged or dirty, the fuel attempting to get through the filter ends up becoming stuck. This can cause engine problems...

When an engine is made, it is molded from molten metal. This process involves a cast, which must eventually be removed from the now formed engine. The cooling system is handled this way as well,...

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 term "advance" refers to the amount of time in degrees of crankshaft rotation that any individual cylinder's spark plug fires before the piston reaches the top of its compression stroke. This...

General Motors has produced numerous engines through its various brands, including Chevrolet, the automaker's most popular brand by far. Several 2.2 liter engines have been developed over the...

Ignition timing refers to the point during the engine's revolution at which the spark plugs ignite the air and fuel within the engine's cylinders. The ignition timing must be precisely set, or...

The fuel filter on a Ford Escort is located on the firewall, next to the brake master cylinder. While many vehicles use an in-line filter underneath the vehicle, Ford mounts the filter inside the...

Changing oil in your own automobile can save you money from having some on else do the labor for you. It can seem to be difficult if you are not familiar with automobiles, but it is not that...

Occasionally you must replace the timing belt on your Saab because of wear or damage. Saab recommends that as a matter of maintenance you replace the belts approximately every 60,000 miles. The...

Modern cars have air filters within the engine bay that keep dirt and debris from entering your engine. Over time, these filters get clogged up and require replacement. Most manufacturers...

Motor mounts play a critical role in ensuring that your car's engine and transmission remains fixed to your car's frame. When motor mounts wear out, your engine can separate, causing the engine to...

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a traditional body-on-frame SUV. It has been sold since the 1993 model and endured several redesigns. No matter what year model your Grand Cherokee is, the process of...

The air intake manifold is a crucial part on any car as it delivers the air into the combustion chamber, and allows the ignition of the fuel. Over time the inside of the air intake manifold may...

A simple way to get your rotary engine to start after its been flooded ( too much gas).

Mercedes-Benz has been making durable and economical diesel engines since the 1930s. There are many differences between diesel engines and their gasoline counterparts, most notably the fuel...

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...

A vacuum advance is not so much a device as it is a method that aids in the correct timing of an internal combustion engine. There is a device in most cars called a distributor. It contains a tiny...

The engine in your Porsche 930 is efficient, powerful and smooth when a few necessary pieces are in place. An engine needs compression, fuel and air to work correctly. Keep your Porsche 930...

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...

Many car manufacturers recommend not reusing head bolts, or the bolts that hold the engine's head assembly to the engine block, because over time, they can become brittle from excessive engine...

A blown head gasket can not only cause your Chevy 350 engine to run poorly, but if left unattended could cause much longer lasting and more expensive damage to your engine. To ensure against...

A diesel pump's full name is a diesel injection pump, and like the name suggests, is responsible for injecting fuel into the firing cylinders of diesel engines. It is important to remember that,...

It is a good idea to replace the positive crankcase ventilation, or PCV, valve at your car manufacturer-recommended intervals. The PCV valve is part of a closed ventilation system on your 1988...

Most automobile engines begin to drain your wallet once they go over 200,000 miles. Repeatedly checking and adding oil, blue smoke coming from the tailpipe and clattering sounds may ruin your day....

Although a talented automotive mechanic can find most engine problems by touch, smell and sound, some problems are beyond the abilities of even the most experienced. This is where advanced...

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,...

The key to protecting your engine is the oil. Although a quality oil like Valvoline or Mobile 1 is important, keeping it clean and at the right level is half of the battle to keeping your engine...

Rough idling can be caused by a number of things. If the engine's self-diagnostic system isn't of any help, then diagnosing the problem is a process of elimination. An engine requires three...

Though many find removing the engine of a newer computer-controlled car a daunting proposition, the fact is that it's done every day by backyard mechanics. Removing an Intrepid engine is both...

Spark plug wires on your Chevy Beretta should be replaced every 30,000 miles. The plug wires are responsible for delivering the spark to the engine cylinders from the power distributor. This is a...

The exhaust gas recirculation valve, or EGR valve, recirculates the exhaust gases back into the engine for a more complete burn. A plunger mechanism opens and closes to allow the gases to...

Glow plugs for diesel engines warm the engine block so that your diesel engine can begin running. If your glow plugs aren't working properly, you won't be going anywhere. Therefore, it's best to...

Engine painting can make a dramatic difference in the appearance of your vehicle under the hood. This is important for those that are customizing or restoring a vehicle, and one of the best ways...

A dwell meter is used to check the dwell angle on vehicles with a points-type ignition. Dwell angle is the length of time (measured by the degree of rotation of the distributor cam) the contact...

With the terrible gas prices these days, you want to get the best possible MPG or miles per gallon out of your car, truck, or suv. In this article, I will share with you the best ways to greatly...

You need to have your car's fuel injectors cleaned periodically. Newer, lower mileage cars warrant less frequent injector cleaning than older, higher mileage ones. Cleaning the fuel injectors will...

If you've ever worked on an old motorcycle, you probably found after a few times that it was fairly easy to do. Depending on the manufacturer, you basically needed to have a metric or standard set...

A Ford engine can be rebuilt in several ways. Be it a 4, 6, 8, or 10 cylinder, many companies makes kits in a variety of flavors, from stock to racing. Known as one of the more reliable...

A vehicle's crankshaft sensor sends a signal to the computer to tell it where the engine is in its revolution cycle. The sensor works by picking up the pulses in the magnetic field caused by the...

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...

Taking your 50cc motorcycle to a shop or a dealer for an oil change can be expensive and time consuming considering that with the right tools you can change your motorcycle's oil in the driveway...

The fan belt on your vehicle is designed to operate the fan blades, keeping yor engine cool while it's running. The belt is driven by pulleys around the crankshaft and alternator, turning the fan...