General Auto Repair

The General Motors HEI (high-energy ignition), introduced in the early '70s, became the standard General Motors ignition system after 1974. Its simple one-wire hookup makes it a common retrofit to...

The computing power in today's Dodge Caravans makes them more efficient, more versatile and longer lasting, but each advance in technology puts home auto repair further out of reach for the...

Back in the mid-1980s, a few car makers experimented with talking cars. Your new Nissan 280Z could tell you things like, "lights are on" and "door is ajar." The voice was female, soothing and...

Toyota added an internal air filter to the Tundra beginning with 2007 models. The cabin air filter performs an important function, purifying air inside the truck to reduce or eliminate dust,...

The Subaru WRX model was produced in Japan from 1992 to 2009 and is a model in the Impreza line. The WRX is known for durability, speed and handling in the sports-car world. Speed is derived from...

Did somebody lose their car keys? Don't worry, car keys, no matter what the make or model can be replaced. Some car keys can be replaced on the cheap, others cannot. Here is a quick guide on how...

It is possible to have copies of lost car keys made by contacting your local GMC dealership or locating a third-party car locksmith. Getting replacement keys for older model cars is easier since...

Threads in softer metal, like aluminum, can strip from the base material when you remove and reinstall a fastener repeatedly. To make a threaded hole in softer metal stronger, you install a...

All car batteries self-charge while the car is being driven; however, occasionally a battery that has gone unused for a long period of time, or a battery that was depleted by leaving on the lights...

There are a few different types of steering out there, and one of the older models is known as recirculating ball steering. The steering wheel is connected to a steering box, which transfers...

The Neon was a compact front wheel drive car built by Chrysler from 1994-2005. Neon engines utilize an oil pan mounted underneath the engine to collect oil as it circulates through the engine....

Rivet nuts have a cylindrical body with a flared head. Inside the cylindrical body are threads for locking a fastener to the rivet nut. A rivet nut tool collapses the cylindrical body of the rivet...

A countersink screw has a taper that is largest at the head and reduces in size until it reaches the threaded shaft of the screw. Creating a countersink in the metal allows the head of the screw...

Meeting the needs of children is easier than we think. Anytime you donate a car or any vehicle through our vehicle donation program, you help provide essential needs to the children who need it...

Side marker lights are required on any vehicle driven or being towed on highways. Check with your state rules, but most states require red marker lights on both tail lights, and amber marker...

Due to the design of the Helicoil insert, you need a specialized tool to remove it from the repaired hole. The tool compresses the insert to allow you to remove the insert. Even with the...

The Dodge Caravan utilizes an electrical motor to circulate air inside the vehicle when the heater or air conditioner is in use. Over time, this motor can wear out and need to be replaced. If you...

The Chevrolet Corvette has incorporated a ignition module, which is also referred to as a spark control module, since the late 1960s. The ignition control modules control the spark of the...

Tapping a counter-clockwise or left-handed thread after you have drilled a hole is nearly identical to the process of tapping a standard threaded hole. The only difference is the direction that...

HeliCoil inserts are used to replace damaged threads in metal. The repaired threaded hole will have the same diameter has the original hole allowing you to use the same size fastener in the hole....

Changing the oil in a car or truck is the most important maintenance to do. If not changed regularly or properly, the engine can seize and end up needing to be replaced. When changing the oil, one...

Are Your Headlights not bright enough or yellowish and dull? Here is the answer!!

Help! You've locked your car keys inside your car door, and you can't get in. Since you've probably came to the Internet first, let me give you some simple tips on how to open the door.

Threaded rods, being made of soft steel, are easy to cut, but where possible, using a bolt is always better because of its higher tensile strength. A bolt cutter will make short work of cutting a...

If you're like me, you don't think of what can go wrong with your car until it happens. Jump-starting a car is important to learn, especially if the person helping you doesn't know which cables go...

A missing or burned-out tail light is a dangerous thing, not to mention unnecessarily costly if you get a ticket for it. Fortunately, Lincoln made replacing the tail lights in any of its...

Most of the time cleaning the inside of a car is a fairly straight forward process, but what if there is a rancid smell that simply won't go away and is too strong to ignore? No worries - there is...

The digital caliper, also known as a digital micrometer, electronic caliper or digital Vernier caliper, is used to provide precise measurements i industrial and manufacturing settings. Many...

In order to keep your engine running well, you should change your spark plugs regularly, and you can easily do it yourself. It’s a lot cheaper than having a mechanic do it. This will also help you...

Accidents happen all of the time, and whether it be from a collision or brush with someone's wet paint, it is quite easy to soil your car with an unintentional dab of paint. Luckily, this can be...

Aircraft fasteners are famous for holding together critical parts, but if the fastener gets stripped, it becomes a problem to remove the parts. Complicating things is that most fasteners are made...

The Cash for Clunkers plan has been such a huge success that the government ran out of money for it far quicker than they expected. Thousands of cars have been consigned to the scrap yard for...

Weather stripping protects your car from wind and moisture, keeping the elements away from your door and windows. Door seals are needed to keep your window mechanisms in good working condition and...

Spark plug wires are an essential part of your Chevrolet Prizm's performance. The spark plug wires are connected to the spark plugs and bring the electrical spark in order to ignite the fuel...

Proper operation of your floor jack depends on good maintenance. Replace the hydraulic oil in your floor jack every three years and check the operation of the floor jack each time before using it....

The rear suspension of most trucks has been comprised of generally the same technology for over 50 years. The leaf spring provides a decent ride, but can hold a very heavy load without having...

The belt tensioner on a vehicle is an important part of the drive belt as it is used to tighten the belt. Drive belts need to be replaced once they are worn out, and if not replaced they may break...

A reliable way to identify a Chevrolet motor is through the engine block casting code. This code identifies the engine as manufactured by Chevrolet, as well as what year it was cast and what its...

From time to time we get stuck somewhere with a car problem and realize that there’s no repair shop nearby. Mr. Turtledove went through seven years of college and experienced many kinds of...

Performing tasks like replacing a strut seem daunting at first, but in reality, it's not that hard, and only a few simple hand tools are needed. The entire job should only take about 30 minutes to...

Headlights take a lot of abuse. They can get chipped or broken. Plastic models can fade and discolor from the sun, and sometimes they just don't look great. Fortunately, it's pretty easy to remove...

Looking for some cheap used Porsche parts? Since all your money is probably going to your car payment, finding extra cash to buy expensive Porsche parts can be tough. New porsche parts can cost a...

Heating the coolant in an engine block can help get your vehicle started in cold weather. The heater is plugged into standard household electrical power through a power cord that is connected to...

The front and rear wheel studs replacement procedures on a Mustang are slightly different. However, both require wheel and brake drum/rotor removal, and installation of the actual stud is the same...

The 2002 Chevy Impala employs an OBD II (on-board diagnostic) diagnostic link connector (DLC). The implementation of OBD II systems standardized the DLC connection between all vehicles to allow...

The mass air flow sensor in a Ford Contour is attached to the air filter housing on the right side of the engine compartment. From time to time, contaminants from the environment will coat the...

Making your car last as long as possible is the name of the game these days. Over time, car ceilings, or headliners, can pull away from your car roof. Not only is this unattractive, drooping...

Seat belts are one of the most important safety features on your Toyota car or light truck. If the belt material is frayed, cut or torn, or the retention brackets are broken in any way, the belts...

The PCV valve (Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve) is a uni-directional valve that continually evacuates gases from inside your automobile engine's crankcase. The PCV valve is a small, simple...

A few years back while taking a strategic pricing seminar, the instructor shared the knowledge that some auto dealerships set up their business model to make most of their money from vehicle...