Professional Car Maintenance

A blown head gasket is one of those automotive diagnoses no one wants to hear. That's because a blown head gasket brings with it a hefty repair bill. The bill gets worse if damage has occurred to...

Ask anyone who has had a broken-down car or truck due to "something inside the transmission," and they might tell you that before a transmission technician told them what was wrong, they had no...

The check engine light on a GMC envoy comes on when maintenance is required or when there is a problem with one of the vehicle's electronics-related components. After the maintenance has been...

A twister tool, or safety wire twister, for safety wire is used to twist and tighten safety wire around fasteners. Safety wire is used around bolt heads and nuts in applications where there is no...

A safety wire twister, or safety wire pliers, is a tool used to rapidly and consistently twist and secure safety wire. Used in aviation and racing, safety wire secures fasteners to prevent them...

A wire twister is a versatile tool used for consistency and ease of installing safety wiring, or lock wiring. Wire twisters are also called safety wire pliers. Safety wire, which comes in a...

Replacing the motor mounts on your Sonata is a critical job that must be done from time to time. Taking your Sonata to a professional to have this done will be very expensive and quite time...

Serpentine belts are an essential part of your Honda Civic's engine. These belts connect various parts of your car's internal works, such as the engine block and the alternator, allowing the force...

Changing the fluid in your Honda CRV's differential is an important maintenance task. Ensuring that the differential has clean fluid helps sustain the CRV's performance as well as prolong the life...

Motor mounts keep the engine fixed to the frame of the vehicle. Taking your vehicle to a shop to have a mount replaced can be costly. But to do it yourself is troublesome and time-consuming. You...

An automobile engine demands the utmost precision from the interaction of its many moving parts. The slightest timing errors between valves and pistons can spell disaster, leaving the driver...

The headlights on a Chevy Aveo should be adjusted whenever you replace them. The headlights should be positioned so that they do not blind oncoming traffic, but they must also provide sufficient...

Your car's suspension keeps your vehicle from swerving on the road and helps with braking, steering and handling performance. A faulty suspension can cause excessive bouncing, drifting on the road...

Fiberglass consists of fiberglass mat that is saturated with a fiberglass resin. The fiberglass resin is a thick substance that needs a catalyst to harden. Fiberglass is a very durable material...

Fiberglass is used in many different applications such as cars, pipes, tanks, planes, tubs, pools, and many more. Many times fiberglass is used in place of metal because it's non-corrosive and...

The O2 sensor on a Mitsubishi Montero measures the exhaust gases coming out of the exhaust for contaminants. This information is sent to the Montero's electronic control unit, and then the air to...

Aiming your headlights is necessary after you've installed new headlight assemblies. The headlights need to be adjusted so that they do not blind oncoming traffic. Most headlight assemblies have...

The dash lights in a Ford Focus illuminate the gauge cluster on the dashboard. While these lights should have a long service life, they will eventually burn out from regular use. You can usually...

It is considered ideal to paint a car inside a shop, but sometimes you need to think of new and innovative ways to get the job done if you lack the proper resources or time. You may paint a car in...

The serpentine belt for a Ford ZX2 drives several pulleys on the ZX2's engine. The serpentine belt needs to be checked and replaced when the belt begins to deteriorate. A belt that is fraying or...

The wiper motor on a Saturn should be checked every year to make sure that the motor is not about to fail. The wiper motor sits on the firewall on the passenger side of the vehicle, and controls...

The Honda Passport was designed by Isuzu Motors and released between 1994 and 2002. It was also released by Isuzu as the Isuzu Rodeo. Available more widely with the 3.2-liter V-6 engine, it was...

The check engine lights on a sterling truck will not go off until you reset the diagnostic computer. Service lights warn the driver of service that is needed on the truck, and warn of error codes...

Injector driver modules, also known as IDMs, work with the central computer system and the fuel injection system in a vehicle. Only vehicles with fuel-injection systems will use an injector driver...

Auto accidents are a common occurrence around the world. What if you are not prepared for the costly repairs or how to go about obtaining an auto body shop? Your vehicle is your lifeline in a busy...

In parts of the country that experience below-freezing temperatures, a fuel line freeze-up in your automobile is a real possibility. When water vapor mixes with residual fuel left in the fuel...

The installation of freeze plugs can be a fairly simple task. There are very few steps and minimal effort involved. This is a useful skill to have because regular maintenance on your car's...

Replacing the connecting rod bearings is a routine part of an engine rebuild. The bearings provide the surfaces on which the crankshaft and the piston's wrist pin ride and are a crucial aspect of...

An engine's connecting rods are the components that connect the crankshaft to the piston. As the crankshaft rotates (which corresponds to the engine's RPM), the connecting rod and piston is pushed...

During the past decade, concerns about the negative effects of vehicle emissions on the environment have increased. Every vehicle on the road is required by law to undergo a smog emissions...

Connecting rod bearings are extremely important components of any engine, whether it's a Toyota or a Ferrari engine. Rod bearings ensure that the rods operate smoothly around the crankshaft on one...

If you drive a Chevrolet, then locating a dealer can offer you top professional care on your car. Dealers can also sell you a car, buy your old car, or perform anything from major repairs to oil...

Choosing a new color to paint your car is a relatively easy task. With color guides available at auto paint companies and at online sources such as MAACO.com, you can compare colors and find a hue...

Making your own hydraulic hoses will save you money because you will do the work yourself and your machines won't be idle while you wait for a shop to make a hose. If you make more than 20 hoses a...

When you register a car, you may be required by your state's Department of Motor Vehicles to have a smog check performed on your car. Instead of having to find a auto mechanic that also does smog...

Chrome and alloy wheels have long been a source of problems for slow leaks and bead leaks on cars and trucks. While they look nice and add to the overall appearance of the vehicle, they are prone...

Snap-on has a long history of making professional grade auto mechanic tools that are reliable and designed to make a mechanic's job easier. Its line of torque wrenches is no exception. Whether you...

Regardless of whether they are providing electricity to power a car or an entire city, alternators essentially work in the same way. Through the use of coiled copper wire and magnets, an...

Most home mechanics avoid replacing their own brake lines because of the seeming difficulty of bending the brake lines. Those who have tried to do this know how easy it is to kink the line and...

People tint their car windows for a variety of reasons. Some do it for privacy while others for controlling the temperature of their vehicles. Others do it for reasons of vehicle safety because...

Clack, clack, clack. That's the sound you don't want to hear when driving a front-wheel drive vehicle. The loud clacking noise you hear when turning means the constant velocity joints are shot. A...

Cylinder plating refers to coatings that are given to engine cylinders or the metal piece in which cylinders are drilled or formed to give the pistons space to move. This is one of the most easily...

Checking an engine for blow by requires expertise not usually found in a do it yourself set-up. Certain steps will require precision instruments and expert knowledge to read the instruments and do...

The modern internal combustion engine is a remarkable device in many ways. It is literally the engine of our mobile society, bringing goods to market and people to wherever they need to be. Even...

Cylinder head rebuilding tools fall into one of three basic categories: Assembly/Disassembly, Measurement and Machining. For a quick rebuild of stock cylinder heads in good condition, the only...

The Accord is one of the most popular sedans produced by Honda, a leading Japanese automobile manufacturer. This car has gained notable recognition since its inception in 1982, mainly because of...

Many versions of both the Dodge and Chrysler Neon have had head gasket problems and failures. According to AA1Car.com, many Neons experience head gasket failure fairly early in their lifetimes,...

The muffler on a Dodge diesel mutes the resonance created by the engine. Over time, the muffler may need to be changed due to corrosion or rust caused by excessive moisture in the air. The muffler...

The serpentine drive belt wraps around the pulleys on the car's engine and drives the cooling fan, the alternator and numerous other parts, If the tension on your car's belt is not correct, it can...

Gel coat consists of polyester resin that's pigmented to match any color needed. Gel coat is used on fiberglass applications such as boats, hot tubs, showers and pools. Gel coat is a very strong...