Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
For years General Motors has produced high-performance vehicles across its many lines. If you purchased a Chevy, Pontiac or even a Saturn Redline, in most cases there were engine options that allowed you to have more horsepower at your disposal. In 1996, the Pontiac Firebird came with several different engine options. If you opted for the popular 5.7 liter V-8 you got 285 horsepower under your hood, and if you went with the 3.8 liter V-6 you got 200 horsepower. If you wanted the top of the line Firebird model you purchased the Trans Am. The Trans Am came standard…
The Virago was the Yamaha's cruiser of choice long before Yamaha introduced its Star-series of cruiser-styled motorcycles. Sure, the 1995 Virago 535 was overshadowed by its larger 750 cc and 1,100 cc counterparts, but it was an excellent choice for the urban rider that wanted more comfort and style in his steed. Yamaha recommends that you change your Virago's engine oil every 4,000 miles, and the oil filter every 8,000 miles. Of course, you can never go wrong with changing the filter at every oil change interval to prevent potential filter clogging.
The typical minivan is designed to economically convey its passengers from point A to point B in relative comfort, something that Ford had nailed with its original Windstar van. For the 2004 model year, Ford retired the Windstar in favor of the newly designed Freestar, which was available with either a 3.9- or 4.2-liter V-6 engine. Regular oil and oil filter changes are vital to either engine's ability to operate at peak efficiency. You can use the same oil and filter change procedure for either engine.
For more than 30 years the Chevrolet Blazer was the icon of General Motor's mid-sized SUV's. In 2002 they introduced the Trailblazer to eventually replace the smaller and aging Blazer. For about four years the Trailblazer went through a number of changes, and in 2006 the Blazer was discontinued. In 2006 the Trailblazer was offered in two- and four-wheel-drive versions, and with a range of engines- the 4.2 liter inline six, the 5.3 liter V-8, and the 6.0 liter V-8 in the SS model. No matter which options you had, oil changes were essential. With the tight tolerances of the…
Retro is the future. That's been the operating principle at Chrysler for more than a decade now, and it's proven a successful marketing strategy for cars like the 300C, Charger and PT Cruiser. But, that's all it usually is: a marketing strategy. In this day and age of jacked-up Camrys and minivans, minivans in Halloween costumes and rebadged, round-headlight crossovers, very few revived "classics" can truly claim to descend in an unbroken line from greatness. The Wrangler Unlimited might seem like just another four-door, also-ran SUV to the uninitiated, but tracing its family tree paints an entirely different picture of…
For two decades, Audi's A4 has been carrying the compact executive car standard not just for its parent company, but for the auto industry as a whole. True, BMW's offerings might have been nimbler or sportier, and Mercedes' might have been more powerful or luxurious. However, the A4 has always stayed true to its "executive" status by functioning quietly, efficiently and with as much subtle dignity as a classic suit.
Necessity makes strange bedfellows, and that's certainly true of Volvo's S40 executive compact. At various points in its production related to Mitsubishis, Protons, Fords and Mazdas, this Swede has a fairly planet-wide family tree. Traditionally individualistic Volvo caught a bit of flak for this fact in the beginning, but the S40 eventually proved of both high enough quality and different enough personality to make it an attraction option.
Modern consumers might see it as just another pretty face in the crowd, but Dodge's Neon was the "It girl" of its day. On paper, the Neon wasn't anything particularly spectacular: in every qualitative way, it was just another front-drive compact. But when you compare the sprightly and spirited Neon against its K-car predecessors and contemporary competition like the Chevrolet Cavalier, the excited public reaction to its debut makes a lot more sense. Retired this turn-of-the-century starlet may be, but her spirit and presence will last long into the memories of those who knew her in her prime.
You can tell more about the kind of driver that goes with a vehicle by looking at the kind of stuff you find inside. Inside of a Lamborghini, you're almost certain to find at least one watch that costs more than a Kia. Somewhere in the passenger compartment of every minivan is at least one stray candy wrapper, and rarely will you see a Range Rover without at least one pair of designer sunglasses. For Ford's everyman pickup, must-have stuff must include at least one roll of duct tape, or a screwdriver. Small surprise then that so many F-150 owners…
Honda's beloved Civic has always been a mainstay in the import compact car community, earning itself a staggering array of aftermarket goodies intended to help the relatively inconspicuous machine stand out from the crowd. Nearly every part of the Civic can be modified in some way, for both aesthetic and performance purposes. Even the 1999 Civic's front grille can be changed out for something with more flair. Doing so requires the removal of the front bumper, but this shouldn't deter you from approaching the job.
The Cirrus was one of three nearly identical models produced and sold by Daimler-Chrysler's Plymouth, Dodge and Chrysler subsidiaries. Originally introduced in 1995 as a direct replacement for the LeBaron mid-size sedan, the Cirrus had proven itself as a capable machine and would remain in Chrysler's lineup until 2000. As with any automobile, the Cirrus requires regular oil changes to ensure that its engine can continue operate reliably. The majority of the tools necessary for the job can be found in most basic mechanic's tool sets.
Maintaining a 1999 Chevrolet Astro van is the best way to prevent your engine from having problems in the future. The engine in this van has a tendency to burn oil. Typically you would need to replace the valve guide seals if this occurs. This would cost you nearly $1,000. Changing the oil as recommended can help prevent this from occurring.
The Grand Am has been a staple in Pontiac's automotive lineup since its inception in 1973 and Pontiac produced five generations before the model's retirement in 2005. The fifth generation Grand Am -- ranging from 1999 through 2005 -- was available with either a 2.2 Liter Ecotec four-cylinder engine or a 3.4 Liter V-6 optional engine. Unlike most cars, which house the oil filter along the side or under the engine, the 2.2 engine placed its oil filter under a cap on the top of the engine near the exhaust manifold.
Pomegranate facial oil needs to be used in a very particular way for the best possible results. Use a pomegranate facial oil the right way with help from a medically-trained aesthetician, makeup artist and beauty blogger in this free video clip.
There are a few different ways in which you can remove built-up facial oil depending on your preferences. Remove built-up facial oil with help from a licensed cosmetologist with over 5 years of experience in this free video clip.
One thing you can say about Ford: it still builds trucks like it used to. And that's usually a good thing, except when it comes to doing things like replacing a damaged oilpan, or removing the oilpan to work on the bottom-end of the engine. Because, like many vehicles, popping the oilpan on this one is going to require moving some serious metal. The procedure below applies generally to all of the engines offered with this chassis, but watch for specific hurdles with your engine/transmission combo.
The best trucks are like ideal sparring partners: big, dumb, tough and patient. The 1996 F150 may not have been as dumb as some of its ancestors, but it was still tough enough to make owners feel fairly comfortable about driving it the way a truck's supposed to be driven. But, sometimes driving it that way means bashing things. Fender: big deal. Oil pan: really big deal. What follows is the replacement procedure for a base, inline-six F150, but the procedures are largely the same for a proper V-8 truck.
Fiats have always been cool in America -- but they do lose a bit of their appeal when it comes time to find a mechanic who actually knows how to work on one. Because the very uniqueness that makes Fiats cool also makes them a nightmare to work on for mechanics accustomed to American cars. Even changing the oil on a Punto is a somewhat upside-down procedure -- and far easier, as long as you know what you're jumping into beforehand.
The Germans are a funny people. On the one hand, one might imagine that the average German has a timetable on his kitchen wall detailing when to eat, sleep and do laundry. On the other hand, BMW sells us cars that have no service schedules indicated for the transmission fluid, no dipstick to check the fluid and supposedly "lifetime" transmission oil. And it does last the lifetime of the transmission -- the same way that your heart will technically last your entire lifetime. But that doesn't mean that you shouldn't read between the lines and perform your own maintenance.
The Honda GCV135 is a vertical-shaft residential-grade small engine, featuring an overhead valve design, 135 cc of displacement and a maximum brake horsepower rating of 4.3 at 3,600 revolutions-per-minute. According to Honda, oil changes should be conducted every six months or 50 hours under normal operating conditions; heavy use may require oil changes every 25 hours. Honda recommends changing the oil after the first five hours of use, or when the engine reaches the first month mark of operation.
The Farmall B is a row-crop farm tractor that was manufactured by International Harvester from 1939 through 1947. Unlike the Farmall A tractor that has an offset-mounted engine and widely-spaced front wheels, the B has a center-mounted engine and narrowly-spaced front wheels. As of 2012, many Farmall B tractors are still in use. The oil in the gasoline or kerosene-powered four-cylinder engine of the B model should be changed on a regular basis to keep internal wear at a minimum.
The 2004 Chrysler Sebring base model sedan came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. The dashboard on your Sebring doesn’t have an oil gauge, but it does have a low oil pressure warning light. The light will illuminate anytime oil pressure is insufficient, which is normally caused by a low oil level or a faulty oil pump. If your oil pressure tests correctly, the switch is at fault and needs to be replaced to shut off the light. The pressure sensor is located on the front side of the engine block closest to the crank pulley…
The radio unit in a 2001 Nissan Maxima sedan is located in the middle section of the dashboard, above the ash tray and climate controls. In order to remove and replace the radio, the center vents, shifter finisher, and various mounting screws must be removed. The most common problems associated with the factory radio are non-working buttons and faulty inner circuitry. Faulty inner circuitry can cause a number of problems such as erratic operation, intermittent power cycling, random volume levels, and an abundance of static feedback from the speakers.
Ford equipped the 1969 3000 series tractor with an element-type oil filter contained within a two-quart oil filter canister. A spin-on filter conversion kit available for the tractor eliminated the canister in favor of the more modern and convenient spin-on filter. Both filters remove carbon particles, metal salt and other harmful solids from the oil supply to protect the engine bearings from harm. Perform oil filter changes after every 300 hours of operation.
Mercury’s 2001 Sable uses an oil pressure sending unit mounted in an oil galley in the engine block to detect oil pressure within the engine. The sending unit in the 3.0-liter engine is a normally-closed switch that completes the low oil pressure warning lamp circuit to ground and illuminating the lamp when there is insufficient oil pressure. When oil pressure within the galley reaches the specified pressure, the switch opens and interrupts the low oil pressure lamp ground circuit, turning the lamp off. Illumination of the low oil pressure lamp can indicate a bad sending unit, bad connection at the…
If your car is stalling after an oil change, you have a few very specific issues that will need to be dealt with. Learn about a car stalling from an oil change with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
A number of different things can be an indication of bad engine oil. Find out about what can be an indication of bad engine oil with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
If you hear a clicking noise in your car after an oil change, this could be the result of a few key things. Learn what to do if you hear a clicking noise in your car after an oil change with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
Changing the oil in your car on your own has its fair share of both advantages and disadvantages. Find out about advantages and disadvantages of changing the oil in your car with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
Just because an oil filter is in a hard to reach location doesn't mean you can't change it. Change stuck oil filters in hard to reach places with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
The 1998 Buick LeSabre features General Motors’ do-it-all 3.8-liter V-6 engine. The LeSabre’s version of this V-6 engine pumps out 205 horsepower. Part of correctly maintaining this engine is regularly changing the oil. Buick recommends changing the oil and filter in the 1998 LeSabre every 3,000 miles if it endures short trips and frequent traffic, or every 7,500 miles if you use it only for long highway trips. This vehicle has an oil-life monitor that displays “Change Oil Soon” when it is nearly time for an oil change. You must manually reset this light after changing the oil.
The Suburban was an oddity in the automotive realm, as it was one of the few vehicles that two automakers -- Chevy and GMC -- offered with the exact same name. This was an oddity that had a deep heritage beginning with its release as a modified panel truck in 1936 and ending when GMC discontinued the Suburban in 2000. The 2002 Chevy Suburban came standard with a 5.3-liter V-8 engine, and proper oil pressure is an important part of keeping the engine running well. A small electrical sensor, the oil pressure sender, monitors the oil pressure and relays the…
Pressure switches are used to control water flow in plumbing. A common use for these types of switches is in houses that have a well drawn water supply. These switches are controlled by electricity from the main breaker in the installed location. Attaching a pressure switch to plumbing can be done by the DIYer with some knowledge of plumbing who is ready to take on a new challenge.
Applying oil to a Tristar vacuum motor prevents it from running slowly or the motor becoming too hot, thus damaging the appliance. This step is only necessary about once a year if you use the vacuum on a regular basis -- approximately once a week. Tristar began manufacturing home cleaning systems in 1987. These types of vacuums last for decades if given the proper maintenance and operated according to the manufacturer's instructions.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility guidelines, doors that operate with levers are easier to maneuver for individuals with handicaps than standard knobs are. Unlike standard knobs, however, lever-style door handles are installed according to the handing of the door. "Handing" refers to whether a door opens on the left or the right when you're facing it on the outside. If a door's hinges are on the left, it needs a left-handed lever; if on the right, a right-handed lever. Lever sets now often come with universal handing, so you can quickly change the levers to suit the…
Switching the direction of a staircase can open up a new floor plan. You can, for example, change the direction to leave room for a table or doorway where the bottom of the stairs now fits. Just a few square feet of space can make a lot of difference in a room if you want to widen a doorway or build a new doorway on a blank wall. Many options are available, but envision a landing as the connecting point to add one -- or even two -- changes of direction for the staircase.
All 1993 Honda Shadow models relied on a clutch that contained a stack of fiber and steel plates. These plates remained pressed tightly together when engaged and transferred power from the engine crankshaft to the transmission. A push rod attached to a lifter plate on the outer face of the clutch assembly would disengage, or relieve pressure on the plates, when the clutch lever was pulled in, allowing the engine to spin independently from the transmission. The clutch plates, however, will wear over time and lose their ability to maintain grip against each other, causing the clutch to slip as…
Volkswagen has been producing the Type I – commonly called the Beetle or Bug – commercially since 1946. An opposed – Boxer – four-cylinder engine with fuel injection powers the 1974 Beetle. The Beetle does not use an oil filter as commonly thought of, but uses a screen-type strainer retained by a plate that also houses the drain plug. New sump plates usually come with new nuts, copper washers and a drain plug with washer. This makes fixing a stripped drain plug much easier than on vehicles with a conventional oil pan because you can replace the stripped sump plate…
The Jaguar XJ6 is well-built 6-cylinder vehicle that offers good performance and a comfortable ride. However, since it’s one of the more exotic imports, professional servicing can be relatively expensive. Nevertheless, once you become familiar with the mechanical aspects of the vehicle, you can save money by performing normal maintenance procedures, such as changing the oil and the oil filter, yourself.
The low-pressure switch is a vital safeguard component in an HVAC installation. The system transformer delivers a 24-volt current to the thermostat, which in turn instructs the air conditioning unit when to operate. The low-pressure switch -- often called the “low-refrigerant switch” -- is located between the thermostat and the air conditioner, and is intended to prevent the system working if insufficient Freon is present for safe operation. If the wires to the low-pressure switch are faulty, the system does not run.
The 1996 Chevy blazer came standard on all trim levels with a 4.3-liter v-6 and a four-speed automatic transmission. At 100,000 miles your blazer is due to have the engine oil and coolant changed as part of the recommended maintenance schedule. Your cooling system has a total capacity of 11.7 quarts if you have an automatic transmission or 11.9 quarts if you have the optional five-speed manual transmission. The engine holds a total of 4.5 quarts of oil, including the filter, which also has to be changed when you change your oil.
Many new Harley-Davidson Sportster owners, especially those who are converting from another motorcycle brand, may not be able to find their motorcycle's oil filler cap since it is not located in the customary place along the side of the engine. Instead, the Sportster relies on an external oil tank to feed its V-twin engine. The oil tank is re-filled through a pop-up flush-mounted filler cap under the right side of the rider's seat. Removing and replacing a damaged oil filler cap, or simply removing the cap to check the oil level, is a simple task that can be accomplished by…
A small four-stroke engine with a splash and drip lubrication system powers the Coleman Pulse-Sport 1850 electric generator, made by Powermate. Oil in the engine cleans, cools and lubricates the moving parts, and is essential to maintaining the longevity of the engine. Powermate recommends changing the oil after the first 20 hour break-in period and then after every 50 hours of running time. Perform oil changes using common tools.
Ford's sixth-generation -- 2000 to 2007 -- Taurus had a lot going for it in terms of practicality, reliability and user-frendliness. Its Vulcan and dual overhead cam Duratec engines were both time-tested designs by this iteration, and the AXOD transaxle had been in use since Ferris Bueller defined the words "day off." But if you want your Taurus to last longer than Cameron Frye's ill-fated Ferrari, then you'll definitely want to pay close attention to the kind of lubricants you pour into your aging bull's valve cover.
Motor oil lubricates, protects and cools internal combustion engines. Without it, the engine will grind internal metal components together, overheat the engine and destroy it in a manner of minutes. The basic job of motor oil is to circulate a thin film of oil between metal components throughout the engine to avoid virtually all metal-to-metal contact. Motor oil has different viscosities to provide a thicker or thinner grade of oil to adapt to different hot or cold environments.
An engine that exhibits low oil pressure at an idle or higher rpm has excessive clearances in some part of the engine supplied with oil. The oil pump does not supply pressure as much as volume. This is very similar to a garden hose insofar as when the hose has no nozzle or anything restricting its flow, it has little pressure. Place a nozzle on the hose to restrict the pressure and the result is obvious. The same applies with the oil pump; restrict the flow with tight clearances and the result is high pressure. Minimal oil pressure must be…
A bad motor camshaft can have a number of negative effects on your vehicle. Find out if a bad motor camshaft can cause oil consumption with help from an automotive expert in this free video clip.
The American Motor Company's Eagle may well be the first crossover vehicle domestically produced in viable volumes. Although the term "crossover" had yet to be bandied about, the Eagle had landed. High ground clearance and full-time four-wheel drive were not features found on other domestic sedans or wagons at the time of the Eagle's production run. Discovery of fuel or combustion gases in the crankcase may seem a fatal symptom for this groundbreaking car, but some causes need only simple repairs or maintenance procedures. Extensive repairs may be worth the time and trouble to an enthusiast of this make and…
The 2010 Saturn Vue with the 3.6-liter six-cylinder made use of a traditional spin-on type filter located on the front side of the engine. Saturn recommends replacing the engine oil and filter every 3,000 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. When replacing the oil and filter, it is imperative to use 5W-30 synthetic engine oil that meets GM standard GM6094M. Anytime the oil filter is changed, the engine oil should be changed at the same time.
If you think of your engine block as a big iron bell, then you'd do best not to ask for whom the bell tolls -- it most assuredly tolls for thee. Banging noises in the oilpan very rarely signify anything good; in fact, they usually indicate that something heavy is hitting something else in the bottom half of your engine.
