Do It Yourself Auto Repair

Engines have become more durable in recent years, but the average shelf life of an engine is still only about 15 years. High performance engines, like many of those used in Jeep vehicles,...

The Toyota Camry was first produced in 1980 and continues to be one of the most popular car models sold. The timing belt on the Camry requires replacement about every 90,000 miles. The timing belt...

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...

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...

The process to replace the crankshaft position (CKP) sensor on many Buick models is rather involved, since you must remove the drive belt and balancer/pulley from the crankshaft. Then you will...

The computer on your Pontiac 3.8 model uses the crankshaft position (CKP) sensor to control ignition timing. Consequently, a bad CKP sensor will have a direct impact on engine performance....

The sole purpose of a crankshaft pulley is to transfer the rotating energy of the crankshaft to each of the engine's powered accessories via one or more rubber belts. Because the crankshaft...

A harmonic balancer is designed to absorb the vibrations produced by the engine. For this reason, the balancer is sometimes referred to as a "vibration dampener." Although the exterior of the...

Subaru's overhead cam engine was introduced in the late '80s and is still used today. Unlike Subaru's earlier push-rod engines that used a chain and sprockets to rotate the camshaft, the new...

Most Volvo 740s utilize a timing belt rather than a timing chain to keep the camshaft synchronized with the crankshaft's turning motion and to maintain exact valve timing. For the uninitiated, the...

Setting the ignition timing on a 350 engine means you synchronize the rotation of the distributor with the rotation of the crankshaft. This ensures that the spark plug at each cylinder fires at...

The crank sensor (properly known as the crankshaft position sensor or CKP) on a GMC Sierra is a small magnetic sensor that measures the rotation of the crankshaft. The crank sensor measures engine...

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...

Ford's 289 small-block engine uses a very simple design, but mistakes in the building process can still be made. Perhaps the most common mistakes when rebuilding a 289 include failing to ensure...

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...

1999-2000 Ford, Mercury has Spark, has Fuel, won't start- Replace Timing Belt

While timing belts and timing chains accomplish the same job, they are made of different materials and have varying lifespans. The Volvo 850 does not use the steel, long-lasting chain, but a...

The timing belt on a Toyota 4Runner truck needs to be changed every 30,000 miles. As is the case with many vehicles, and Toyotas in particular, the real challenge in changing a timing belt lies in...

The GM 3.1 crankshaft position sensor is a cylindrical-shaped sensor located behind the crankshaft pulley. The sensor has three wires on its connector. One outside wire is the 12V power and the...

Because engines create a substantial amount of power, they also generate a tremendous amount of vibration. Left unchecked, these vibrations will quickly rattle the engine apart. The harmonic...

The term "ignition timing" refers to the point at which the spark plug is fired by the coil, and is measured in degrees of crankshaft rotation. This common adjustment is critical to the efficiency...

The 22-RE engine is found in Toyotas and has been in service for many years. The crankshaft retaining bolt is a standard-thread bolt with 215 foot pounds of torque. The bolt is not accessible...

The Crankshaft Position (CKP) sensor monitors crankshaft position and speed. Your vehicle computer uses this information, along with data from other vehicle sensors, to maintain ignition timing....

The crankshaft position sensor (also known as the crankshaft speed sensor) monitors engine RPM and assists the crankshaft to maintain proper timing and engine valve clearance. A faulty crankshaft...

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 harmonic balancer from a Chevrolet 500 absorbs the resonance generated by the Chevy's crankshaft. This resonance would destroy the crankshaft without the balancer. The balancer also functions...

This procedure covers the 1984 through 1995 Honda Civic 1.5, VTEC 1.5, Civic 1.6, Civic 1.6 VTEC, CRX 1.5, CRX 1.6 and the Prelude 2.0. It is recommended that the timing belt is replaced every...

Mazda has produced many engine types over the years--the timing belt replacement is specific to a particular engine family. The sequence of events, however, is the same, for the most part, which...

The rod bearings mount between the connecting rods and crankshaft rod journals. They provide a space for oil lubrication and protection against premature crankshaft and bearing wear. However, when...

The harmonic balancer mutes the vibrations created by the engine, what is called resonance. Without the balancer, the crankshaft would snap in half. The balancer is held in place with three bolts...

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...

The harmonic balancer on a Pontiac works to mute or absorb the resonance created by the engine during normal engine operation. The balancer is held in place by three pulley bolts on a Pontiac. To...

The harmonic balancer is a pulley (sometimes referred to as a "crankshaft pulley") attached to the end of the crankshaft. It is responsible for balancing out the resonance created by the engine...

Many cars have what is called an overhead cam shaft, which moves the valves of the engine. Running this overhead cam shaft is a thing called the timing belt. Car manufacturers make these out of...

Most Volvo 850 timing belts should be changed at 70,000 miles or every five years. The 1993 model has a wider belt and will require replacement every 50,000 miles. For the novice, the timing belt...

The crankshaft position sensor on your Chrysler vehicle is part of the ignition system and monitors engine speed. The engine computer uses electrical current signals from this and other sensors to...

The harmonic balancer on a Chevelle is also called a crankshaft pulley. The balancer is a pulley bolted onto the end of the crankshaft on the driver's side of the vehicle. The crankshaft is...

The crankshaft sensor on 1999 and earlier model Nissans is located in the bellhousing, on the radiator side. It faces in toward the ring gear on the flexplate. The 2000 and later Nissans have the...

A timing belt makes sure that the valves in the engine open and close in proper relation (timing) to the pistons' up-and-down movement. Replacing the timing belt will keep the pistons moving in...

A timing belt makes sure that the valves in the engine open and close in proper relation (timing) to the pistons' up and down movement. When a timing belt breaks, that proper relation is lost, and...

The crankshaft pulley bolt on a Honda Accord holds the harmonic balancer in place. The balancer is a pulley that absorbs the resonance from the engine and prevents the crankshaft from failing...

When an engine is running, a tremendous amount of power is transferred from the pistons to the crankshaft. Powerful vibrations resonate throughout the engine from this production of power. Left...

Engines rarely seize, but when they do, it is almost always due to a long period of nonoperation. When an engine seizes, one or more pistons have literally become stuck against the cylinder's...

The crankshaft pulley on your car or truck drives the serpentine belt. It also doubles as a harmonic balancer. The pulley absorbs the resonance from the crankshaft generated by the engine. When...

The crankshaft bolt of a vehicle holds the crankshaft pulley in place. Also called a "harmonic balancer," the crankshaft pulley acts to reduce resonance generated by the normal operation of an...

The harmonic balancer in your Toyota Celica is the crankshaft pulley. The balancer helps to reduce the effect of resonance that originates from the natural combustion cycle in your engine. This...

The timing chain connects the crankshaft to the camshaft. The crankshaft sprocket is half the size of the camshaft sprocket. This means that the crankshaft must turn two times for every one...

The crankshaft position sensor helps regulate and determine the timing for a car's ignition and fuel injection system. While it can vary depending on the vehicle, the sensor is usually mounted...

The crank pulley on your vehicle drives the serpentine belt; or, in vehicles with a separate accessory belt, it drives the accessories. It's also used as a harmonic balancer for some engines. A...

For a car's engine to run, the spark plugs must fire precisely when the piston reaches the top of the compression stroke. Modern cars use a crankshaft position sensor (or crank shaft sensor) to...