Do It Yourself Auto Repair

The Ford Taurus is equipped with an EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve. EGR valves have been used on cars since the 1970s to reduce emission levels. The EGR valve is mounted against the intake...

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...

Recharging an automotive air conditioner is a simple procedure but necessitates taking the vehicle to a garage or oil change facility for professional evacuation. There are inexpensive home...

A car's air conditioning compressor can fail due to a lack of lubricant or a mechanical issue, and a broken compressor usually will have to be replaced. Checking for a broken compressor involves...

The valve cover (also known as a rocker arm or camshaft cover) is a long metal cover that sits directly on top of the cylinder head. Saturn vehicles are equipped with overhead cam engines, which...

The A/C system of most automobiles uses freon coolant to lower the temperature of the car's interior. This coolant requires an amount of lubricant for the compressor and other equipment bushings...

The Chrysler Concorde was manufactured with an optional air conditioning system. This system uses freon coolant mixed with lubricant that is circulated with a compressor. This freon mixture can...

The valve gasket, or more accurately the valve cover gasket, is a common source of oil leakage on the Honda Accord. When the valve cover leaks, the oil runoff can soak the whole engine with oil,...

The idle air control valve (usually referred to as the IAC valve) is an important part of your engine. The valve regulates the average rotation of your engine at idle. If your IAC valve is faulty,...

The throttle body on a Pontiac Grand Prix is responsible for delivering the fuel to the engine. Carbon deposits can sometimes build up on the inside of the throttle body opening and the throttle...

The EGR valve on a Jaguar recirculates the exhaust gases from the manifold back into the engine for a better burning of the spent fuel. When this valve is dirty, you may notice an extremely rough...

The PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) valve is an emission reduction valve found on modern vehicles. Replacing the PCV valve on your Pontiac Sunfire is simple and quick. A replacement PCV valve...

The idle air control valve (usually called an IAC valve) helps maintain the proper idle speed on your vehicle. The Toyota 4Runner idle air control valve is mounted on the throttle body, as it is...

The EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve on your Crown Victoria helps reduce tailpipe emissions and improves engine efficiency. The EGR valve is located at the rear of the engine bay. Cleaning...

The idle air control valve, commonly referred to as the IAC valve, is responsible for adjusting idle speed. The IAC valve works closely with other electrical components to control the air moving...

The Honda Civic may have a reputation as an indestructible vehicle, but it, too, is prone to failure. A common problem with seventh and eight generation Honda Civics is a faulty gas tank door. If...

An oil hydraulic flow divider is a broad term which can mean a number of things, all pertaining to a pressurized oil system. Such systems might be found in high-performance racing vehicles or...

The fuel tank on your Ford Ranger may develop problems that make it necessary to remove or replace it. Some tank leaks, holes or contamination issues can only be fixed with the tank off the...

The idle air control on an Isuzu Trooper is a valve that opens and closes to meter the air flowing into the throttle at idle. When the Trooper is not idling properly, this is a major cause. There...

The idle control valve on an Isuzu Trooper 3.5 is located on the side of the throttle body. The throttle body sits on the back of the engine near the firewall. The valve controls the amount of air...

The idle air control (IAC) valve in a Honda Accord controls the idle speed through the throttle body. When the IAC is dirty, the idle speed will suffer. If it's bad enough, the Accord simply won't...

A standard stamped rocker arm on a Chevy relies on oil to reduce the friction created as it slides across the valve stem when it opens the valve. Anything in the engine that causes resistance...

The valve covers (rocker arm covers) on a V-6 Buick are stamped steel covers attached to the top of the cylinder heads. The valve covers protect the rocker arms, valve springs and valves, and...

You must drop the fuel tank on your 1988 Ford Mustang in order to replace the electric fuel pump or a damaged tank, or to fix leaks. It's important to follow the correct procedure to prevent an...

The valve cover gaskets on a 1988 Ford Mustang keep the oil from escaping the top of the engine, known as the engine head. Over time, the gaskets may shrink and dry up on the outside, while...

Why clean the throttle body on your Toyota? The Toyota 4 cylinder engine is one of the best in the world, but it has one weak spot. The design of the P.C.V. system is such that blow-by gases get...

The clutch slave cylinder in a Saturn needs to be bled anytime you change the clutch fluid or the cylinder. If air is trapped in the clutch fluid lines, the clutch will not engage properly and it...

Bleeding a clutch slave cylinder is necessary to make sure all of the air is out of the hydraulic lines. Since air (even the driest air) still has moisture in it, you want to make sure that as...

The Ford Escape is available with two different engines. Both engines have idle air control valves and other than location, replacing the valve is the same in both engines. A faulty idle air...

The idle air control valve (commonly called the IAC valve) helps your Honda maintain regular idle speed. The valve is electrical and works in conjunction with the throttle body on the intake...

The valve cover gaskets on a Jaguar XJ8 help to seal the valve covers to the engine head. If the car starts leaking oil, this is usually one of the first seals to fail on the Jaguar. With two...

When replacing an air conditioning compressor on a Ford Explorer, you must use a reclaimer. It is illegal and harmful to the environment to release fluorocarbons into the atmosphere. If you don't...

EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valves have been an important feature in automobiles since the late 1970s. The EGR valve helps your engine run more efficiently and reduces tailpipe emissions....

A worn out or broken valve cover gasket on your GM vehicle can leak engine oil out of the cylinder head and require replacement. Depending upon the particular model you might have to remove one or...

The valve cover gasket on a Mustang keeps the oil in the head of the engine from escaping. It also keeps the oil out of the spark plug wells. When you notice oil leaks at the top of your engine...

The computer on your Honda fuel-injected engine uses the Idle Air Control (IAC) valve to control idle speed. When you fire up the engine for the first time during the day, the engine is below...

As with most other components in a car, it is possible for your break pads to overheat. To help increase the air flow to your wheels and brakes, you may want to remove the hubcaps. This does not...

The EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve is a vital emission-control component on your Mercury Villager. Faulty EGR valves can cause your engine to run rough and decrease fuel efficiency. The...

The valve cover gaskets cover the internal working parts of the upper part of the Jaguar 4.0 engine. This top section of the engine is called the "head." Underneath the valve cover are cams, valve...

The valve cover on your vehicle protects the upper half of your engine, called the engine head, from external contaminates. It also keeps the engine oil inside the engine so that the oil can...

The valve cover gasket in a 2000 Plymouth Neon keeps oil from leaking into the spark plug wells, as well as keeping engine oil from leaking down the side of the engine. When you have an oil leak...

The proportioning valve on a Chrysler meters the brake fluid to the four wheels of the vehicle. The rear wheels normally get less brake fluid than the front wheels because the rear brakes tend to...

The EGR valve opens and closes to release exhaust back into the manifold so it can be reused. This reduces noxious gases and regulates engine temperature. Sometimes EGR valves get completely...

Servicing auto air conditioning makes a good do-it-yourself project, provided you keep a few considerations in mind. You must handle refrigerant properly to avoid legal issues. It's still illegal...

The positive crankcase ventilation valve (PCV valve) on a Chevy Impala is generally located on the engine block. The exact location may vary from year to year; however, it is generally located on...

The knock sensor on a Nissan Altima is designed to sense vibrations within the engine block. These vibrations are due to pre-ignition causing spark knock. This phenomenon occurs when a spot in the...

The timing chain, also known as a "cam" chain, is one of the most overlooked parts of a motorcycle and should be regularly checked and maintained. As its name implies, the timing chain controls...

A valve cover on a vehicle is a steel or aluminum piece, designed to cover the valves and rocker arms of an engine. It usually mounts to the top of the cylinder head. Periodically the valve cover...

Internal combustion engines are marvels of precision machining and fast-moving parts. The timing of the piston strokes with the movement of the valves to eject exhaust and pull fuel in is governed...

The throttle cable on your vehicle is something that gets used quite often. The cable itself is a steel cable that runs from the throttle body to the accelerator pedal inside the vehicle. Over...