Diagnosing Car Problems

The Holley carburetor, made for vehicles during the 1950s (and used in many muscle cars of that era), is a device that mixes outside air with fuel from the vehicle's gasoline and reservoir tanks....

The BMW Mini is regarded by its owners and the general public as a fun and durable car. BMW's legendary German engineering helps to ensure that the Mini maintains its composure over thousands of...

Fuel is supplied to the fuel injection system of modern cars and light trucks by an electric fuel pump located in the fuel tank. Theses systems operate at high pressure and when the pump fails, or...

Checking fuel pressure is the first step to diagnosing and ultimately repairing fuel-related problems with your vehicle. If your vehicle has difficulty cranking or runs erratically or rough, check...

The Beretta is a front wheel drive coup made by Chevrolet. The car was in production from 1987 to 1996. Although the Beretta was designed to be a reliable automobile, there are some common...

The LT1 is an engine made by General Motors primarily for high-end sports cars. The LT1 engine was fairly reliable but did have several known issues. If you own a vehicle fitted with one of these...

A car engine seems like a complicated mechanism. But the process of how every gasoline-driven engine works is essentially the same. An engine needs fuel, compression, and a spark to run. If any of...

At first blush, a throttle seems so simple: the right pedal pulls on a cable that's connected to a shaft. This shaft rotates and opens a butterfly valve to let air into the engine. However, even...

The throttle position sensor is one of the most crucial components of any fuel injection system, right after the computer and fuel injectors in terms of importance. GM Sensors have traditionally...

The Ford Econoline van is a popular model made by the Ford Motor Company typically used by businesses to haul equipment. The Econoline van uses a standard fuel pump delivery system that pumps...

The LeSabre shares at least one thing in common with the Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Mustang: it is in the small club of cars that have been in continuous production by the same manufacturer for...

Kia automobiles have been imported to the U.S. since 1992. Recalls due to serious engine problems or failure are non-existent, but several mechanical components in Kia engines have proven to be...

A worn out or damaged component in one or more of several systems like the ignition, starting and fuel may cause a no-start condition on your Ford Mustang. However, most of the time, this is an...

Mazda cars, trucks and SUVs have enjoyed a good reputation for being durable, dependable vehicles. Few have experienced significant engine problems. However, some RX-8 1.3-liter rotary engines...

Though it could just as easily be a case of varying fuel quality as one of planned obsolescence, the fact remains that catalytic converter failure amongst fifth- and sixth-generation (1996-2006)...

Slotting neatly between the Ford F-150 and Chevy S-10, Dodge's Dakota was introduced in 1987 as the everyman's pickup truck. Although a generally reliable platform, the Dakota isn't free of its...

Most Chevy vehicles with fuel-delivery problems are minor and inexpensive to fix. Many fuel problems are due to aftermarket parts that may not fit properly on factory-installed equipment.

The Ford 5.4-liter engine is one of the most common Ford engines ever produced, showing up in some of the company's trucks, cars and SUVs. The engine's most serious problems have been related to...

The Geo Tracker was a light-truck style, small SUV introduced in 1988 as a 1989 model. Although Geo, a subdivision of GM and maker of the famous/infamous Metro, was more known for making economy...

You get in your car and attempt to start it, but something's not right. It's either not doing anything or it's cranking but not turning over. Many things could be causing this. It could be as...

A fuel injector on an Infiniti Q45 can cause a misfire as easily as a spark plug or other problem in the ignition system can. In the past, the cylinders depended on the collective shared fuel...

The fuel pump on a Ford F-150 sends fuel to the engine. However, the fuel pump will eventually wear out. Premature failure is often caused by the gas tank in the F-150 not being more than 1/2 full...

Backfiring can cause serious damage to an engine if the problem is not quickly fixed. The problem can usually be traced to the carburetor or distributor. The carburetor delivers the air/fuel...

A car's O2 sensor is a main component in keeping your car in smooth-running order. There are many warning signs that are caused by problems with your O2 sensor and the following will help you...

The diagnosis of a misfire in an engine can be more difficult than figuring out why the engine won't start at all; misfire problems are normally minor and are often overlooked. The diagnostic...

Fuel filters are a part of the fuel system on cars. They are designed to trap and filter dirt to ensure that the fuel your car runs on is clean. Usually the fuel filters are fitted somewhere...

Some effects of a broken engine control unit (ECU) vary among vehicle makes, models and years, but many symptoms are common among different cars. The ECU is expensive, so it's important to...

Troubleshooting Chevrolet's 350 small-block engine can seem like a daunting task, particularly when trying to figure out what to check first. Thankfully, the 350 uses a fairly simple engine...

Because the Volkswagen Beetle engine is air-cooled, the air delivery system is vital to maintaining the proper running temperature of the car. This makes the fuel to air mixture, regulated by the...

The Ford F-150 is one of the most popular trucks on the road. Over time, you should expect things to break on the truck, and regular maintenance is important. However, there are a few issues...

This article is limited to diagnosing fuel injected vehicles. Further, this article assumes there is no damaged or altered engine wiring, cracked or worn vacuum hoses, nor are there any engine...

Edelbrock carburetors are carefully tuned at the factory to work with the vast majority of applications. However, the carburetor can develop problems over time, usually due to a defective gasket...

The fuel filter is the component that filters the contaminates out of the fuel running to the engine. On most vehicles, the filter is located underneath the hood on the passenger side, secured to...

One of the most critical issues you can have with your automobile is a fuel leak. In addition to the irreversible damage a fuel leak can cause over time, there is a major risk that the leak could...

The Edelbrock carburetor is a square-bore design with a single accelerator pump, two main metering rods, vacuum secondaries, electric or manual choke, fast idle cam, singular float bowl and two...

The fuel pump in a 1999 Dodge truck is located in the fuel tank, and it is a return-less type pump with a regulator as an integral part of the pump. Over a period of time, all fuel pumps will wear...

Ever had the fuel gauge move to "E" after you have just filled up, and then the check engine light illuminate? Its a common problem. The problem could result from a number of reasons. I...

"Take care of your Honda and it'll take care of you" is a catchphrase used often by Honda riders. But even though Honda motorcycles are well known for being powerful, reliable workhorses, they...

Fuel entering a vehicle's engine must first pass through the fuel filter, which is a mesh-like screen responsible for filtering out dirt and debris in the fuel. Problems with a vehicle fuel filter...

A car that turns over but won't start can be a real headache and leave you searching for a solution. With most vehicles, there is a specific testing algorithm that you can follow to diagnose the...

Automotive engines have been improved with the use of sensors and computers to provide reliable diagnostics when they require repair. Troubleshooting the modern engine requires a scanning tool, as...

Starting problems in your Honda Civic can be frustrating to diagnose. When starting your engine, the starter, ignition system, fuel system and engine control computer must all work in harmony for...

The Ford Escort was a subcompact car produced during the 1980s and 1990s. Ford used versions of an inline four-cylinder engine, some carbureted and some fuel-injected, during the life span of the...

Mercedes diesel engines work a little differently than traditional gasoline powered automobiles. The diesel engine does not use spark plugs, but instead, glow plugs. The compression inside the...

If you are in to old school hot rodding or restoration, carburators can be overwhelming to many people. They need not be. With a few simple tools and the right knowledge, you can tackle a carb job.

There are two types of fuel pumps, mechanical and electric. Electric pumps are further broken into four types: plunger, diaphragm, bellows and impeller. A fuel pump draws up fuel through an inlet...

The fuel pump in a 1999 Dodge Durango helps to deliver fuel to the engine by pressurizing steel lines that run from the fuel tank to the filter and rail assemblies. The gasoline from the fuel tank...

I'm just going to write you the basics on a car so you will know if your car is blown up, or needs a head gasket, or just needs minor repiar.

The Cherokee is a unibody, compact SUV first sold in 1984 as an alternative to conventional cars and trucks in the automotive marketplace. It is said that with the Cherokee, Jeep set the standard...

The Malibu is a mid-sized car produced by the Chevy division of General Motors. Named after Malibu, California, the Malibu was first introduced in 1964 as a top line sub-series of the popular...