Do It Yourself Auto Repair

Torque refers to the "tightness" of a bolt or nut. Heavy trucks use specific torque specifications to make sure that important components don't come loose during normal vehicle operation. Use a...

Prepare to remove the engine on your Subaru Outback days or weeks in advance of the actual task by getting organized, gathering the necessary tools and setting up your garage or place you intend...

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...

Installing standard transmission bolts must be done using the correct torque procedure. When you bolt the engine to the transmission, these bolts are responsible for keeping the transmission from...

A torque wrench is an essential tool for anyone repairing machinery. Torque wrenches can range from inexpensive beam-type models to ultra-expensive dial types, but for home use the best choice is...

If the alternator on your vehicle goes out, you wont be able to keep your battery charged for long. The Hyundai Sonata has fairly easy to access alternator, and changing it doesn't take that long....

Torque wrench calibration is important to the safety and effectiveness of your home and car repairs, as well as the functionality of the torque wrench itself. Use your torque wrench safely and...

Torque ensures that a fastener properly holds a given part in place. Without a torque wrench, you have no knowledge of the exact amount of force you apply to the fastener. Click style torque...

An impact driver isn't absolutely essential but if you want to work on cars quickly and efficiently, it is a necessity. It becomes even more of a necessity when you work at an automotive repair...

Using extensions when torquing bolts may be necessary if the bolt is in a hard to reach place. The extension will allow you to reach the bolt while the torque wrench allows you to torque the bolt...

When installing a set of heads on a Chevy, the surface preparation is important to prevent leaks. The surface on the head and the block must be free of gasket material, dirt, dust and all grease....

The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a popular sports-coupe. The Eclipse was introduced in 1990 and has undergone several body style changes. All models of the Eclipse have a fuel pressure regulator. The...

The control arms in a Passat connect the wheel hub, tie rod and shocks. The control arms use bushings to help control arm travel during normal driving. Over time, these bushings fail. Usually,...

The CRX was a popular compact hatchback that Honda sold from 1984 to 1991. The car was built from the Honda Civic platform and shared many components with the Civic. All models of the Honda CRX...

An automatic transmission converts linear motion into rotational force. Unlike a manual transmission, an automatic transmission uses computers and a torque converter to connect the engine to the...

Oil is the life blood of your vehicle's engine. Oil lubricates many of the moving parts to reduce friction and engine temperature. Keeping the oil flowing will add years of life to the engine, and...

The wheel hub on your vehicle is responsible for tying together the suspension and securing the brakes and the wheels to the driveshaft. All in all, the hub assembly does a lot for your vehicle....

The Honda Civic is one of the most popular compact cars on the market both today, and for a couple of decades. It is the second oldest continuously produced Japanese automobile to be sold...

It happens to home mechanics all the time. You're replacing a part and you realize that putting it back on is not as simple as taking it off. Bolts, such as the manifold bolts in your Kia Sedona,...

Torque converters are used in automatic transmissions, with a similar function as a clutch in a manual transmission. The torque converter works with an automatic transmission to measure ideal...

The oil pump in a vehicle disperses oil into an engine's internal parts, providing them with lubrication to ensure operating efficiency. A faulty oil pump can limit your engine's functions and...

The starter motor, better known as a starter, uses electrical power to give spark to your engine. The spark allows the vehicle to crank smoothly and reliably. Before starters, drivers were forced...

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 you are a do-it-yourself ...er..., sometimes you may have to improvise the tools that you need. For example, let's say that you are tightening the nut on a wheel, axle, brake caliper, or any...

An engine's valve cover's primary purpose is to prevent dirt and debris from entering the valve train, and ultimately the engine itself. However, a valve cover also prevents the oil which...

Heads need to be torqued properly so they do not warp, crack or blow a head gasket out. Torquing properly also prevents the head bolts from stretching too far. Heads are made of aluminum and cast...

The camshaft in your vehicle has lobes running along the length of the shaft called "cam lobes." These lobes rotate with the camshaft and press against a rocker arm. The rocker arm pushes valve...

The alternator keeps the battery in your Pontiac going, constantly recharging it as you drive. The battery will quickly drain if the alternator is bad, so it must be replaced in that case. The...

Doing it yourself is becoming more and more popular, and car repairs are no exception. In this article you will learn the steps to replacing a hub bearing on the very popular Chevy Trailblazer.

The wheel bearings on a Saturn SL2 are hub bearing assemblies. This means the bearings are integrated with the hub and lug studs as a single assembled unit. Although this simplifies the process...

Internal components on the starter motor of your 1993 Ford Mustang wear out after a long period of service. The starter armature may short or open, brushes may stop conducting current or the...

Use the star method to torque car tire lug nuts after replacing a timing belt and water pump. Tighten tire bolts with tips from a certified auto mechanic in this free video on car engine repairs.

Setting the correct torque on a click style torque wrench is pretty easy. There are generally two different types of torque measurements on a click style torque wrench, depending on its size and...

A torque wrench is an absolute necessity for many automotive and small engine repairs. This tool helps ensure that fasteners, such as cylinder head bolts, are all tightened to the same tension....

The strut to steering knuckle mounting hardware on your PT Cruiser uses serrated bolts. Make sure to hold them firmly in place with a back up wrench and only turn the nuts when removing. Once you...

As an engine operates, it creates extreme vibrations as a result of the power it produces. These vibrations can, over time, damage the internal components of the engine. For this reason, an engine...

Install the torque converter on the input shaft of the automatic transmission. The torque converter has two slots that must line up on the input shaft. The inner splines of the torque converter...

A torque wrench measures how much "twist" is being applied to the bolt to ensure it's not over- or under-tightened. In most torque wrenches, a torque value is set into the wrench and then the...

The small-block 289 engine was probably the most widely used Ford small-block engine during the 1960s. The engine was available at a modest 200-horsepower and a higher-performance version of close...

Changing the timing belt on a Pathfinder is part of the pertinent maintenance schedule. The timing belt should be changed every 105,000 miles. The mileage recommendation is based on the previous...

The engine on your Dodge Caravan drives the pump on the power steering system to assist you every time you want to steer the vehicle left or right. When power pump components wear out or develop...

The intake manifold of an engine distributes the air/fuel mixture into the individual cylinders. Over time, the ability of the intake manifold to distribute this mixture efficiently can be...

The Expo engine is an interference engine. If the Mitsubishi Expo 2.4 timing belt were to break or come off with the engine running, it would cause catastrophic damage--the pistons would hit the...

Following these procedures will produce an engine that will be every bit as good as new, as long as you don't take any short cuts. This is not an expensive proposition when compared to the...

Building an engine is a precise procedure that requires close tolerances and the careful checking of each procedure to ensure the proper fit of all components. Care is necessary in handling of the...

Weber carburetors are used to regulate the mixture of fuel and air that is drawn into the cylinders to be combusted. It is important for a carburetor to be installed properly, because an improper...

If you are lucky enough to own a classic Dodge with a 440 engine, the engine is probably old enough to require a rebuild. In today's age of computer controlled engine systems, finding an...

The manufacturer recommends that the timing belt on 1982 through 1989 2.0 Nissan 200 SXs be replaced at 60,000-mile intervals. This recommendation is a result of a study of the service history of...

The original equipment manufacturer has not recommended a timing belt replacement interval for this engine. Typical trade practice indicates that belts should be replaced at 60,000-mile intervals....

The manufacturer recommends that the timing belt on the 1997 through 2000 3.0 Mitsubishi Eclipse be replaced at 60,000-mile intervals. This is taking into account the previous service history on...