Do It Yourself Auto Repair

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular cars on the road today--the car has a reputation for being of good quality, packed with features and built to last a long time with little or no major...

Ford has made a litany of transmissions over its long history, some more durable than others. No matter which type of transmission the vehicle is equipped with, there comes a point where the...

Is that sagging headliner in your car or truck becoming ugly? No one wants to drive around with fabric hanging down from the roof of their vehicle. Its not only an eyesore it can be dangerous....

Vintage Stewart Warner tachometers can operate on a four-, six- or eight-cylinder engine with simple switching in the rear of the tachometer. They come as mechanically-driven or electrically...

When removing a transmission, the truck should be raised sufficiently to work. If done on a driveway, paper should be used to protect against transmission fluid spills as the transmission pan is...

Changing a Dodge transmission can be an expensive proposition, if done at a shop, because it is labor-intensive. You can change a Dodge transmission yourself if you have the time to put into it. A...

When replacing a truck transmission, is it good to remember that the transmission is extremely heavy and awkward. Caution is in order so that it does not drop and cause bodily injury. You also...

Valve cover gaskets can start to lose small drops of oil after about 30,000 miles even while driving. Valve cover gaskets over time become weak and worn out, and you'll eventually start to notice...

The door glass, or window, in a Chevrolet S-10 truck is supported and held in place by two tracks, a side track and a bottom track. Removing the window isn't difficult; in fact, the hardest part...

The axle shaft is a very important part of every vehicle. Although the method to replace one will vary slightly between models, there are general steps common to all.

The timing of the moving parts is critical for an internal combustion engine to function. In a four-stroke engine, the camshaft that opens and closes the valves, allowing fuel and air to enter and...

Fixing a dent in a steel gas tank is not as hard as you might think. While there are some great body shops to help you with this problem, here are some ways to do it yourself and save money.

Axles on a Toyota vehicle are secured to the transmission with a snap ring and held in place at the wheel hub with a drive axle nut. The axles have two joints on them, called CV joints, that...

A axle shaft connects the drive wheels to the transmission. Power is transferred from the transmission to the drive wheels though the shaft. The shaft uses two joints, called CV joints, to provide...

The half shaft on a Subaru Outback transfers power to the drive wheels from the transmission. The half shaft is the shorter of two front drive shafts, located on the passenger side of the vehicle....

You should change your Chevrolet's fuel filter every 30,000 miles, or every two years, whichever comes first. In most Chevys, the fuel filter is mounted outside the fuel tank, so you won't have to...

When building a race car, drag car, or just restoring a classic car, one of the most important items is the fuel tank. While there are companies that produce fuel tanks for every car on the road,...

The steering knuckle on a Dodge is connected to the upper and lower control arm by the ball joints. Ball joints allow the knuckle to swivel, which is used for directional control of the vehicle....

Installing a new fuel pressure regulator on a Toyota vehicle depends on where the regulator goes on your particular model. Some Toyota vehicles have the regulator installed within the fuel pump...

The front axle on a Jeep Grand Cherokee delivers power to the front wheels from the transmission. The axle has two joints, called CV joints, that flex and allow the axle mobility when turning and...

You should change the fuel filter on your Buick vehicle every 30,000 miles; this is part of the regular major tune-up schedule. Always use extreme caution when working on any part of the fuel...

The fuel filter on many Honda vehicles is within the fuel pump-fuel gauge sending unit, which itself is stored within the fuel tank. You will need to remove the unit from the tank in order to...

A bad compressor in your Dodge Caravan's air conditioner will make it harder to get cool air, since the air won't be compact enough to be thoroughly cooled in the condenser. Replacing the...

The manufacturer recommends that the timing belt be replaced every 60,000 miles. From results on the history of this engine, it's important not to exceed this limit. This is an interference engine...

If your Thunderbird fuel filter is clogged, your engine will likely sputter and have reduced power. The fuel filter keeps harmful objects and contaminants from entering your engine; unfortunately,...

The Volkswagen Jetta uses an integrated ignition switch to unlock the ignition and start the car. If the switch fails, you won't be able to start the engine, but the key will still turn. While the...

The shock bolt on a Jeep Cherokee connects the wheel hub and lower control arm to the shock. These bolts are made of hardened steel. When they break, they can sometimes be seized up and very...

Removing the exterior door handles on a Chevy Celebrity must be done when you are replacing the handle, or lock assembly. The Celebrity's door locking mechanism must be removed before the handles...

The fuel pressure regulator in your Chevy Blazer is used to help keep the fuel system's pressure constant. If the regulator is bad, the result is often low pressure in the system. Symptoms can...

Drive shafts are found in many rear-wheel drive cars and trucks. Shortening or modifying a drive shaft may become necessary if the vehicle has a different motor or transmission than it came from...

Rust is like cancer for an automobile. When the floorboards of a vehicle begin to rust, you must catch it early or your floorboard will simply rust away. Once the structural integrity of the...

The drive belt operates several components in your Dodge Durango's engine, and the engine can't run without it. While cracks in the drive belts are fairly common, some can be a problem--in...

The door locks on Volkswagen vehicles use a lock rod and latch mechanism that sits behind the interior door panel. You must remove the panel to access the door lock. Use a special tool called a...

Later models of the Toyota Celica had a 1.8L four-cylinder engine. While this engine isn't that different from other Toyota four-cylinders, it does require extra work when replacing the...

Removing rust from electrical leads is necessary for good contact of the leads to the electrical component to which you are connecting the leads. Lead contact can make the difference between a...

Removing engine rust is essential to making sure that the integrity of the engine block isn't compromised. Rust is like cancer for automobiles; it ruins the structural integrity of all engine...

Motorcycle wheel spokes can rust if they are not well taken care of, or if the spokes are prone to rusting because the finish has been damaged. Rust will eventually destroy a wheel, so it is best...

A rusting muffler is almost always doomed to destruction. Mufflers are made of thin metal and rust easily when exposed to high moisture and salt in the air. This happens in the North during winter...

Painting an engine block without removing it requires that you be able to spray the inside of he engine bay and not over-spray the paint on any parts that you don't want painted. This can be quite...

Over time, contaminants can build up along the walls of your car's gas tank. This is a big problem, as it can contaminate the fuel and subsequently damage your engine. If you don't clean out a...

Crank bolts hold the crank pulley to the crank shaft in a vehicle. Removing a crank bolt requires that you hold the pulley still while removing the bolt. These bolts typically require 600 to 900...

Automotive fuel tanks suffer brute force attacks by flying rocks, weather-related deterioration and punctures by sharp road debris, and, in some cases, must be removed from the vehicle for repair...

The dashboard on a Chevy is held in place primarily with retaining screw bolts and screws. Removing the dashboard is a straightforward process but does require the help of an assistant when...

Severely rusted shock bolts represent a danger to both you and passengers of your vehicle if the rust is severe enough to compromise the integrity of the bolt. They should be removed and replaced...

A manual car window can need repair for several reasons. To fix the window, you will need to determine exactly what the problem is. Gaining access to the inside compartment of the car's door or...

Rust is like cancer for automobiles. If you don't catch it immediately when it starts, it will spread across the entire body of the vehicle. Removing rust from steel components is a challenge. You...

Getting rid of rust on car paint is hard. Rust tends to spread rather fast and can hide underneath paint if it begins behind a panel that you cannot see. Since moisture can get to places that are...

Removing stubborn brake bolts is tricky since rust and corrosion often set into these types of bolts. Brake dust, road salt (in northern climates or areas near the ocean) and high humidity can all...

Installing the distributor in a Ford is similar to many other American small- and big-block engines. You must block the distributor correctly. This means that the actual position of installation...

Check the oxygen sensors on a Dodge Intrepid 3.5 after roughly 100,000 miles. If the sensor fails, you will probably notice your vehicle running richer. You'll notice a stronger fuel smell in the...