General Car Maintenance

The General Motors Turbo-Hydramatic 350 (TH350) is a mid-mounted 3-speed automatic transmission for rear wheel drive vehicles. Towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission requires that careful...

Rust on a car or truck is a big problem, and if left unchecked, can destroy a vehicle. But if you treat it early, the rust can be stopped. Doing this can take a little time, depending on the...

The Ford Escape Hybrid was introduced in 2004 as a gasoline-electric hybrid powered version of the Ford Escape SUV. The vehicle proved to be popular, and Ford is working to develop a "plug-in"...

Removing the roof rack from your Ford Explorer is a quick and simple task. The rack is held on by six to eight screws; removing the screws will free it. This will leave open new ideas for...

While decals often add a custom look and cool graphics to a vehicle, they have a limited lifespan. The sun's rays, rain, snow, and other elements eventually take their toll and the decals need to...

An engine's spark plugs are an essential part of the ignition system. The plugs deliver the spark that ignites the fuel and air mixture in the cylinders. Fouled or old plugs can often run rough,...

Along with winter comes winter storms and frozen car windows. Running the defroster will eventually melt the ice away, but will likely take more time than you have available. Scraping the ice away...

Keeping your vehicles battery free from corrosion is very important. Corroded terminals result in poor electrical flow. This will also result in your vehicle not starting. Here are some basics in...

If you are many of us who drives a car, you have to know that repairing a car can be costly. Therefore, one must always remember to have his/her car maintained. This will increase the life of your...

The temperature is dropping and leaves are falling, winter will upon us in no time. During winter with snow and ice, driving conditions can become very hazardous and wreak havoc on your car or...

In most applications, the oil pump is found inside and above the oil pan and is actuated by gears either on the end of the distributor or the crankshaft. As the engine spins, the gears in the oil...

It's moving time. And you're looking at car transportation options. In your considerations you're presented with two options: Using a car dolly or a car carrier. There are the advantages and...

Vehicles equipped with vacuum advanced distributors (usually older models) have a "pod" on the side of the distributor, with a rubber hose attached to it. The hose connects directly to the intake...

Replacing the catalytic converter on a Ford Ranger will result in cleaner emissions from the exhaust system. The replacement of the converter will also help the truck pass any required emissions...

Trailer light laws require you to have operable taillights and a visible license plate light on all trailers pulled by vehicles. State and federal regulations also require all trailers to have...

Mufflers are designed to reduce an engine's noise level. Mufflers are a component of the exhaust system, a series of tubes and chambers that reflect the motor's sound waves. This technology...

If your headlight lens is plastic, as the majority of them are today, then it is subject to scratching and a general dulling. Over time, plastic headlight lenses tend to turn cloudy and murky,...

Grease guns are not only a handy tool, but they are just about the only way to get grease into bearings. Bearings are used in pretty much all machinery, so you can see what an important service...

The grease gun is a basic tool. Almost everyone has seen them hanging on the wall somewhere. They seem simple enough: You squeeze the handle and grease comes out, right? Well, there is more to...

Drilling and tapping a hole in metal is a simple process that, if performed correctly, will result in a structurally sound threaded connection. The size of the drill bit used to create the hole is...

On the hot, hot days of summer you count on your car's air conditioning to make the interior air tolerable. Key to the proper functioning of that system is the compressor, which is at the heart of...

Removing paint from fenders is one of the more difficult tasks that car owners are eventually forced to face. Many common methods involve harsh scrubbing and unhealthy chemical cleaners and...

Most every bolt on a car has a specific torque setting required by the manufacturer to be considered "tightened down." Torque specifications provide guidelines for specific areas and systems in...

When a drive shaft must rotate through an angle, a universal joint is used to transfer torque across that angle. Universal joints can become faulty over time and in most cases when they start to...

Carbon fiber is a synthetic material used in across many different industries. It is strong, very lightweight, a largely inert material, and can be created in many different shapes and textures....

Exhaust Gas Recirculating valves (EGR) were first introduced in the 1970s as a way to reduce exhaust emissions that were not being cleaned by smog control devices. When the temperature in the...

Customizing an old truck can be an enjoyable hobby and a ideal way to bond with your children, especially if you let them participate in the decision making process for customization. You will...

Hydraulic floor jacks are constructed from a horizontally placed pump jack assembly that lays between two metal support pieces. Below the metal supports are four metal wheels. The wheels allow the...

Fuel filters serve much the same purpose as oil and air filters, but they are specifically designed to protect your vehicle's gas tank, fuel lines and fuel injector or carburetor.

Replacing the alternator belt can be tricky. It is important to remember that you can remove certain parts to make more room to get to the belt. The Dodge Neon is a compact car, so space is tight;...

Fuel is proving to be one of the most important and scarce assets in the world today. In this situation, it would be really great if we could help ourselves and a whole lot of people by saving...

The CV (constant velocity) axle is similar to a driveshaft's U-Joint, in that it uses a flexible joint to allow power transfer through a rigid shaft at varying angles. A CV joint varies only in...

Along with blinker fluid and muffler bearings, "rust proofing" seems like one of those terms unscrupulous used car salesmen and mechanics use to pry one from his hard-earned dollars. The fact is...

Several different types of refrigerant have been used since the advent of car climate control systems. The very first compressed coolant was ammonia, which remained dominant until the invention...

The thermostat in your Audi regulates water flow to the engine and controls the heater. The thermostat is basically the same in all vehicles, as it controls the temperature and is designed to...

The Jetta is a small car manufactured by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979. Redesigned several times, the Jetta continues to be a popular mid-range car in the United States and around the...

Long ago A sports car enthusiast's preferred means for providing a car's propulsion, a manual transmission provides the driver with a direct connection to the motor's power and allows for more...

Painting automobiles is a tricky undertaking. There a several things that can go wrong: paint drying too fast, running paint and bubbling paint. Knowing how to troubleshoot these issues can save...

One of the few faults of the Toyota MR2 is that it was built with sealed-beam headlights (as most cars were in 1991), and this type of headlight is bulky and tends to burn out more often than the...

Window tint is aesthetically pleasing and has its benefits, but it also has its disadvantages. It's nice because it limits the amount of harmful UV radiation that penetrates into the vehicle....

Fiberglass auto body panels are a godsend when manufacturing vehicles with a low gross weight. Painted fiberglass poses a challenge if you want to strip paint completely to repaint your vehicle....

When traveling by land vehicle, it's easy to notice the bumps and dips in the road. The suspension system's use of struts and shocks allow it to travel safely without causing major damage.

Pro's and cons of rebuilding, problems with buying used, and the awful cost of buying new.

With the uncertainty of the cost of fuel many Duramax diesel owners want to look for ways to improve mileage on their vehicle. Improving mileage can be accomplished depending on how you use your...

Trying to quiet a loud muffler or exhaust? Unless you have a muscle car or some sort of high performance car, a loud exhaust system can be embarrassing. Here are a few tips to quiet that loud exhaust.

Hydraulic floor jacks make lifting vehicles a solo task. Whether changing a tire or lifting the vehicle to change the oil, a floor jack is part of the do-it-yourselfer's tool repertoire. The...

American automaker Ford has produced the Escape sport utility vehicle since 2001, with the hybrid version arriving for the 2004 model year. While offering increased fuel economy and a long list of...

Changing the fluid of a Honda Civic continuously variable transaxle (CVT) transmission is important in the overall maintenance plan for your car. You should change the fluid every 30,000 miles or...

Knowing your truck's axle ratio is important information if you are reprogramming you speedometer computer or want to replace the gears to retain your truck's stock acceleration after installing...

Whether a trailer is pulling horses or a boat, the safety of the cargo inside depends on proper maintenance of the trailer's wheel bearings. Greasing the bearings must be done at regular intervals...