Do It Yourself Auto Repair

The alternator in your Mazda Protege keeps the battery alive by charging it while the engine is running. Without the alternator, you would need to jump your car every time you needed to drive it,...

The GMC K1500 is a series of trucks manufactured with power steering as optional equipment. The pump that circulates the fluid can leak or become damaged and require replacement. This replacement...

In this hard economy that we’ll facing today many people are do it yourselfers. One of our biggest expenses is auto repairs. What can we do if our cars need simple repairs or maintenance? How can...

A Ford Probe transmission mount holds the transmission in place and works with the engine mounts to minimize vibration caused by normal engine and transmission operation. The transmission mounts...

Transmission leaks can come from different parts of the transmission. The most common area for leaks is the pan at the bottom of the transmission that holds the fluid. Between the pan and the...

Often times ball joints go on cars. This happens more often than not when the roads you drive are bumpy and gravel. Sometimes an automobile owner can tell when a part such as a ball joint is...

Automobile air conditioners use a compressor to circulate freon through a condenser/evaporator system, lowering the inside temperature through air induction. This compressor can fail and not move...

Fitting bolts through a bumper while installing a trailer hitch is pretty straightforward if your vehicle has a mounting bracket set up for your particular hitch. However, if the bolts won't fit...

Few noises produced by an automobile are as recognizable as the power steering whining noise that sometimes sounds like a squeal. This familiar sound is commonly heard when the vehicle is turning...

How to change a Battery on a 1982 Honda Goldwing Aspencade. It will take about 15 minutes to change. You will learn how to change the battery and clean the terminal ends.

The crank pulley, which is short for crankshaft pulley, will have to be removed from your Honda Accord if you are replacing the timing belt or front main seal. The crank pulley is only held on...

The track bar on a Dodge Ram is known to be a weak link in the suspension of the truck. The factory track bar is not capable of supporting bigger tires, lift kits, or increased suspension travel....

Coil-over shock absorbers use a normal shock body with an attached coil spring to increase the towing or loading capacity of a truck. The shocks are usually placed in the rear, where the loads can...

Chevrolet trucks use torsion bar springs for the front of most four-wheel-drive models. The compact nature of torsion bars allows room for the front differential and CV axles. One advantage of...

Shock absorbers dampen the suspension of most automobiles, and when they wear out they require replacement. Fitting a shock to a car is a simple process once you have removed the old shock. Just...

When fixing your car or something around the home, you may need to reuse a bolt which has been stripped, which means that the threads have been deformed or damaged. You could replace the bolt...

Automobiles are manufactured with shock absorbers at each wheel, to dampen bumps and rough terrain. The function of a shock is to resist the upward motion of the spring, which has the tendency to...

Monroe shocks use a gas-pressurized cylinder to cushion hard jolts and keep the vehicle stable on the highway. These shocks can wear out or leak, lowering efficiency or failing completely. The...

The alternator in your car provides power to the accessories in the vehicle such as the radio, headlights and ignition coils. It does this by creating current from the turning engine belt. Without...

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...

A U bolt is a bolt that is shaped like a "U" -- hence, the name. The top two points on the bolt are threaded and nuts are screwed onto them to secure them to various types of components. On...

Radiator hoses are one of the most commonly overlooked maintenance components within any automobile, until they fail. Radiator hoses are made from rubber, which corrodes over time. To compound the...

Installing a bolt on a Dodge Ram billet grille is similar to installing a bolt on any other component. A billet grille is an optional piece of equipment that can be added to enhance the looks of...

A common problem with the air conditioning system in the Chevy Lumina is leaking seals in the compressor. It is no longer legal to vent air conditioning refrigerant into the atmosphere, so...

The caliper slide bolt, or pin bolt, is the lowermost bolt on a brake caliper. The slide bolt holds the caliper to the caliper mounting bracket. When you remove this bolt, the caliper will swing...

Bolts that break off in a cylinder head are extremely difficult to remove. About the only thing you can do is drill them out. Since there is a significant risk of damaging the threads on the...

The BMW 635CSi was manufactured with rear shock absorbers that provide high-speed stability and ride dampening. These shocks can wear out and require replacement, which will take the average...

A stripped head bolt is difficult to remove. If the bolts on your engine head become stripped, usually due to over-torquing, you'll need to drill them out. Drilling involves serious risks but is...

The exhaust studs on a Volkswagen are fairly difficult to remove. While the process itself is simple, it takes an incredible amount of physical force to remove the studs. The exhaust studs hold...

Recreational vehicles and motor homes use shock absorbers to cushion jolts and stabilize highway driving. These shocks can wear out, causing a rough ride and high-speed weaving. The average...

Always make sure that the replacement alternator for the Ford Tempo is of the same maximum amperage. At the same time, look at the pulley and make sure that it is of the same type and that the...

Replacing a cylinder head in your Honda Civic or other vehicle is a dangerous, complicated and difficult job. This particular type of repair should only be attempted by someone with experience...

Removing broken bolts and screws almost always requires the use of a bolt-out or screw removal kit. These are available at most auto parts stores. The bolt-out kits have special teeth on the...

Removing an axle bearing on a rear-wheel drive requires extracting the axles. If the bearing surface on the axle is destroyed, an axle saver bearing is available as an alternative to replacing the...

Each time one of the 350's spark plugs ignite the air/fuel mixture within its cylinder, the resulting explosion sends a tremendous vibration through the piston, connecting rod and finally to the...

The Honda Accord is one of the best selling cars in America. The 1998 model of the Honda Accord was available with either a 2.3L four-cylinder engine or a 3.0L V6 engine. This tutorial is...

The sway bar or stabilizer bar on a first-generation Chevrolet Camaro is a steel bar that connects the lower control arms on the front of the vehicle to the frame. When a vehicle drives through a...

The alternator in a Ford van is a generator that supplies all of the electricity that the van needs. It also charges the battery. Signs of a failing alternator are dimmed headlights, battery...

Replacing the timing belt on a Honda CRV is not an easy task; it's much more difficult than removing the other drivebelts. The main difficulty lies in getting to the belt itself, as there are...

The fuel filter on your Honda Civic keeps harmful contaminants from entering your fuel system and tank. Unfortunately, they are subject to failure, primarily due to being clogged. The 2000 model...

An Isuzu Bighorn alternator should always be tested with a fully charged and inspected battery. A partially charged battery or one with a bad or shorted cell will cause false readings on the...

The 2003 Chrysler Sebring uses an alternator to charge the battery. In addition, the alternator also powers the electrical devices. The alternator is a type of generator that uses a rotor, steel...

Headlight assemblies can become yellowed and worn with age. That is expected, considering they are constantly exposed to the elements. If you need to replace the headlight assemblies in your Ford...

A stabilizer bar has two brackets with rubber bushings securing the stabilizer bar to the frame. The bar uses two stabilizer links, one on each side that connects the stabilizer bar to the lower...

Early-model vehicles use multiple belts to operate accessories, where late-model vehicles use a singular serpentine belt with one tensioning point. Early models need to have the correct tension to...

Many automobiles use gas-powered shock absorbers on their rear axles to provide cushion from harsh road conditions, and vehicle stability at highway speeds. These shocks can wear out and require...

The Toyota 4Runner is an SUV that sits on a truck chassis that uses a live rear axle design with rear shocks and front struts. After years of normal use, the shock absorbers in the rear can leak...

If a front sway bar is to be added to a Chevelle, it is likely that the suspension device was not included in the package when the car was purchased, because the provisions are there. The frame...

Removing the harmonic balancer from a GM 3300 engine is extremely tough.These balancers are pulleys that connect to the timing sprockets through a timing belt. The bolts holding the balancer to...

The crankshaft bolt on a Honda holds the crankshaft pulley to the crankshaft on the driver's side of the engine. The pulley mutes the resonance from the engine, preventing the crankshaft from...