Do It Yourself Auto Repair

Over time radiators rust internally due to acidic and corrosive coolant that has remained in the cooling system for longer than it should have. When the radiator rusts, it could cause a leak,...

An engine's head gasket serves the purpose of sealing the automobile's engine cylinders against water or coolant from elsewhere in the engine. A blown head gasket can allow water or coolant to...

As the cold refrigerant in the air-conditioning system moves through the evaporator and absorbs heat from the passenger compartment, it is then routed to the condenser and released to the outside...

Most of us welcome the opportunity to save significant money by tending to some basic and intermediate car care on our own. Replacing a thermostat can be challenging, but you can be successful if...

Your Jeep's thermostat is small, but very important to your vehicle's engine. The thermostat controls the coolant circulation once your engine has been running. A blocked, cracked or fixed...

The cooling fan on your Ford truck model is powered by the engine and mounts on the water pump at the front of the engine. In some models, to replace or service the fan assembly, you need to...

The cooling system on your Chevy van requires regular flushing to keep the engine running smoothly. If the cooling system is not purged at least once a year, deposits can build up in the engine...

Although the water pump plays an important role in the engine's pulley system, the main purpose of the 350's water pump is to pull antifreeze from within the radiator, distribute that antifreeze...

An automotive breather tank, or coolant reservoir, removes air from the coolant system by gravity induction. The system's highest point is the radiator cap, which has a small hose leading to the...

The vast majority of engine overheating problems can be traced to a defective thermostat rather than a problem with the radiator itself. The thermostat operates like a switch to prevent the...

The air-conditioning condenser sits in front of the radiator on your Buick Regal. Depending on your particular Regal model, you may first need to remove the air duct and possibly the strut brace...

Every time you do an oil change or pop the hood you should take a look at your radiator hoses and make sure they are in good condition. Over time the temperature fluctuations degrade the hose and...

A Mustang's intake manifold is responsible for directing air and fuel into the cylinder heads. The manifold is a one-piece component, which makes it durable. However, the intake manifold uses four...

Leaks are not uncommon as automobile radiators age, even if the radiator happens to be in a low-mileage vehicle. Unfortunately, new radiators can be expensive, even if you are able to save money...

Most light cars and trucks equipped with an automatic transmission feature a transmission oil cooler built into the vehicle's radiator, to minimize operating temperatures in the transmission....

The Chevrolet Aveo is an inexpensive small car that was introduced in 2004. Several Aveo owners have complained about faulty thermostat housings; the housings are made of plastic, rather than...

Replacing the fan motor assembly on your Honda Civic is much easier and faster if you follow the proper procedure. And you do not have to remove the front of your Civic, even if you need extra...

Doing a repair like this can save you a nice chunk of change if you happen to be up to the challenge. It really isn't all that hard, if you don't allow yourself to become overwhelmed at the size...

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...

You should service the air conditioning (A/C) system on your Jeep every 60,000 miles to ensure proper ventilation. You can remove the condenser for maintenance or replacement. If necessary, take...

An engine thermostat is an essential component of the engine cooling system. It regulates the temperature of the coolant and ensures that your engine remains cool. Thermostats work because of a...

When your Jeep Cherokee overheats or makes a kind of "duck" noise, your water pump may be failing. Replacing a bad water pump is essential to the life of your vehicle. This can be a challenging...

A transmission oil cooler is a small, finned radiator that circulates warm oil to stabilize the temperature of the transmission. It is normally placed in front of the primary engine coolant...

A strong water pump on your 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee is necessary to force coolant through the engine block and cooling system. If you are replacing a bad pump, make sure the coolant in the system...

The function of a water pump in a Volvo 740 is to circulate coolant through the engine's cooling system to protect the engine against overheating. The water pump can be visually checked for signs...

The radiator on a Chevy S10 should last the life of the vehicle. However, over time, the radiator may rust for several reasons, most of which involve poor maintenance. The radiator fluid should be...

The heater core on a 1993 Dodge Intrepid is responsible for providing the passenger cabin with heat. Some of the coolant from the radiator is redirected from the radiator system to the heater core...

Many people let their car go to pot for no reason. It's the second biggest investment of your life, and if you treat it right, it can last a lifetime, if you want. Why throw all that away...

The majority of radiators found in Toyotas today are made of composite materials. The core is made of aluminum and the top and side tanks are made of plastic. The top tank and the sides are...

You can take your 95 Grand Am to a radiator shop for repairs, but if it is an old unit and has already been through one or more fixes, it might be a good idea to replace the radiator to prevent...

The heater core in a 2001 Ford Ranger controls the heat that is metered into the passenger cabin. Hot coolant from the cooling system is drained off into the heater core. A fan then blows the heat...

The heater core on a Buick vehicle works in conjunction with the engine cooling system to provide hot air to heat the passenger cabin. Heated engine coolant flows from the engine to the heater...

Given enough time, even a well-maintained engine will eventually need to be rebuilt, which requires that it first be removed from the engine compartment. Removing many types of engines can be...

Acura vehicles are manufactured with a pressurized coolant system that stabilizes the operating engine temperature with a finned condensing radiator. This radiator can corrode and require...

The Chevrolet S10 pickup truck series was manufactured with a twin-core radiator (with automatic transmissions) that stabilizes the transmission fluid's temperature by circulating it through...

A majority of automobiles use an internal combustion engine with a pressurized coolant system. This system has a radiator that stabilizes the engine temperature by circulating coolant through...

The Chevrolet Corvette uses a pumped coolant system with a front-mounted radiator to control engine temperatures. The radiator is prone to corrosion and wear, and will require replacement once in...

Cars engines are held to an acceptable operating temperature by a mixture of antifreeze and water circulating through the engine and radiator. The thermostat and radiator function to maintain this...

Chevrolet vehicles use a pressurized coolant system with a forward-mounted radiator on most models. The coolant is pumped through the radiator, where finned channels keep the fluid at a stable...

A properly working radiator is critical to the health of your 1988 Ford Mustang engine. The radiator helps the engine stay cool by transferring heat from the coolant mixture to the outside air....

The Toyota Tercel was manufactured from 1978 to 1999 in the United States, usually with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder motor. Some early models had a 1.3-liter engine, and a turbo was also offered for...

The Chevrolet Malibu is manufactured with a pressurized coolant system that uses a finned radiator to cool the engine. This radiator is made of aluminum and copper, and is prone to corrosion and...

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...

Bleeding a radiator on a Peugeot 405 is necessary after you've flushed the system. Air can get trapped in the system and that can cause problems with the water pump and cooling cycle. To purge the...

Sometimes radiators leak. It's unfortunate, but it happens. The radiator is responsible for cooling the engine by acting as a heat sink. When the radiator is broken, it usually means that there is...

A car radiator usually fails when it rusts and begins leaking. When this happens, you'll need to know how to seal the radiator so that you can prevent the car from overheating. This is actually...

An old radiator can cause a lot of problems for a vehicle. For one, if the radiator is rusty, that rust can be knocked loose and circulate through the engine which can clock the cooling channels...

The Toyota Tercel was manufactured with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that uses a pressurized coolant system with a radiator and engine-driven pump. The radiator can become corroded or damaged...

The Chrysler PT Cruiser uses a pressurized radiator cooling system that is fitted with a transmission fluid cooler. The twin-core radiator can become corroded or damaged, requiring replacement. An...

The radiator on a 2003 Infinity G35 forces coolant through the engine to draw heat away from the engine. In this way, it acts like a large heat sink. High temperatures, while a necessary byproduct...