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If your car is leaking oil and antifreeze with lots of smoke coming out of the tailpipe, the first thing you need to do is pull over. Find out what to do when your car is leaking oil and antifreeze with lots of smoke coming out of the tailpipe with help from an experienced automotive professional in this free video clip.
Tire Wear - What Are Your Tires Telling You. Part of the Auto Center series. Learn what the wear on your tires means so you stay safe on the road.
The Lincoln LS was produced from 1999 to 2006 and is based on the Ford DEW98 platform. Unique in design from other makes and models the Lincoln LS still has all the same major components as other vehicles in the front end, all of which are subject to wear and tear. In some cases, depending on the year of your LS it is possible that any noise your hearing from the front-end could be under a recall notice and may be repaired free of charge. Regardless a noise in the front end is not normal and should be inspected and…
The 1995 GMC Safari van came with a 4.3-liter six-cylinder and a four-speed automatic transmission. Built with the same principles of the Chevy 305 and 350 the 4.3-liter is a push rod style engine that makes use of a distributor, that is driven by the camshaft to current to the spark plugs. In general the 4.3-liter is a strong motor that is likely to last as long as the vehicle it is in, as long as it is properly maintained. A rough idle may not be a serious problem at first, but it causes hesitation on acceleration, a loss of…
There was a time -- a much simpler time -- when you could just open a lock, turn a key, start the car and drive away. Some people miss those days; car thieves. Modern technologies like transponder keys and keyless ignition/entry systems have helped manufacturers like Nissan to make their products both harder to steal and more convenient to use. But the "smart key" question is a matter of degrees, since there's nothing dumb about any of the Maxima's security measures.
Determining the reason why a 2006 Jeep Cherokee Laredo will not start begins with a thorough diagnostic check and inspection of the vehicle. Some of the issues that may cause your Jeep not to start could include problems with the battery, battery cables, starter or fuel system. Additionally, a failure in the engine control system could prevent the ignition from producing a spark.
General Motors first introduced the fully-automatic transmission -- the Hydra-Matic -- in 1940. This transmission paved the way for the development of the Turbo Hydramatic transmissions introduced in Chevrolet vehicles during the mid-1960s. The TH400 was used in full-sized GM cars and trucks up to the mid-2000s. Chevrolet trucks built for the 1992 model year used a four-speed overdrive-capable version of the TH400. A slip-yoke connects the transmission to the drive shaft that spins the truck's rear wheels.
A pulsating sensation when braking signifies a need for maintenance within you vehicle's brake system. However, a slight degree of brake rotor failure has already occurred by the time you sense these pulsations. Brake rotors can warp under the accumulation of excess heat that that can be generated through various causes. The heat creates lateral distortion, or run-out, which is measured in minute increments. The tolerances specified by vehicle and parts manufacturers are extremely tight, with zero run-out as the desired target. Great care is taken to squarely mount a brake rotor onto a lathe spindle to ensure a truly…
Chevrolet's classic ponycar did a lot of growing up during its seven-year hiatus, and most would agree that its 2009 return was worth the wait. The fifth-generation Camaro was all-new from bumper to bumper, playing host to hundreds of tiny refinements that, taken together, redefined the nameplate. But, all-new cars being what they are, some early fifth-gens display a few odd little quirks and failures that have since been quietly fixed in later model years.
The oil sending unit on a Nissan 350Z coupe is an integral part of the engine’s lubrication system. This unit is attached to the front-right side of the engine block, just below the alternator. The oil filter, oil pan, and lower engine compartment are protected by a special undercover that’s attached to the frame with metric steel bolts. The vehicle must be lifted, and the cover must be removed in order to access the oil filter and oil sending unit.
A milky color in an automobile’s coolant could be the sign the engine has blown a head gasket, and may lead to catastrophic failure of the engine. The odd milky, gray or chocolately coloring is one of several symptoms the engine is in deep trouble. Although it is possible another source contaminated the coolant, car owners should err on the side of caution and immediately take their vehicle to a mechanic for inspection.
John Deere walk-behind snow-blowers don't have transmissions like an automatic car, where gears are selected according to the flow of fluid from an internal reservoir, nor like a manual car, where a clutch allows gears to be selected by the movement of a lever. In common with all similarly-designed John Deeres, the 928E uses a friction disc that interacts with a friction wheel; if the traction between these two components is reduced by the migration of lubricants from elsewhere in the machine, the transmission slips. A slipping transmission is fixed by cleaning the two components.
An AT&T 2Wire digital subscriber line modem and wireless router uses all solid-state devices that should not make any sound under any normal conditions. If yours is making a clicking sound, it may have an internal short that is making an arc. You should unplug the power and find a repair facility.
Code P0401 on a 2000 Ford F-150 indicates a problem with the EGR system, otherwise known as the exhaust gas re-circulation system. The function of the EGR is to re-introduce burnt exhaust gases back into the cylinders, reducing the formation of oxides of nitrogen, which are harmful to the atmosphere. The EGR is vacuum operated. The system consists of the DPFE, or differential pressure feedback EGR, a vacuum regulator, solenoid and the powertrain control module, or PCM.
The base model 1995 Chevy Cavalier came with the long-used 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The cooling system on your 2.2-liter has a total capacity of 10.7 quarts, so even with a small coolant leak; you can quickly lose enough coolant to cause overheating and damage to your engine. Because your cooling system maintains a pressure of 15 psi during engine operation, it is possible you’re losing coolant only when the engine is running and shortly after until the pressure is lost through the breech. Tracking down your coolant leak can be tricky, but the biggest thing…
Loud noises emanating from your ride can definitely detract from the joy of motoring. Brake sounds add another dimension to this annoyance by raising safety concerns. When this disturbing occurrence coincides with recent repairs, workmanship and materials are called into question. The possibility of looming brake failure may add a sense of urgency to the situation, but some brake noises are somewhat less serious than others. A thorough and proper diagnosis can help eliminate the ruckus and alleviate anxieties. Whether the rear brakes are drum or disc styles, noisy operations should be investigated promptly.
Soundless vibration is an irritating thing; it can signal the onset or manifestation of a problem within the engine itself, or it could just be a little glitch in some ancillary mechanism. But it is hard to say, so you'll need to engage in some proper diagnosis before laying down a penny for repairs.
The 2001 GMC Yukon base model was a two-wheel drive SLE, equipped with a 4.8-liter 275-horsepower V-8. The 2001 GMC Yukon was equipped standard with anti-lock brakes or ABS. The ABS system is connected to the OBD-II diagnostic computer on the 2001 Yukon. The ABS codes can be retrieved in the same manner that OBD-II codes are retrieved. Proper repairs should be performed before deleting any ABS trouble codes.
Mazda equipped the 2005 Protege with warning lights in the instrument cluster on the dashboard to alert you to a problem in the car’s critical systems. The brake warning light and the anti-lock brake warning light – if equipped with optional anti-lock brakes -- indicate problems with the Protege’s brake system. Do not ignore warning lights concerning the brake system as personal injury and property damage can occur because of brake failure or unexpected brake actuation.
If your car vibrates after replacing the clutch, this can mean one of a few very different things. Learn what to do if your car vibrates after replacing the clutch with help from an automotive expert in this free video clip.
When dealing with a 70-mph high-speed vibration, the most common of all is a bent wheel or out-of-balance tire. A little better understanding of a tire’s construction will go a long way in preventing costly problems and instilling a greater insight into safety as related to tires.
Tracking down the clicking noise emanating from your Magnavox television can border on detective work. You must eliminate possibilities until you find the source of the sound, then you can determine the right solution and rid yourself of the annoying clicking sound. Prepare to do your best Sherlock Holmes impersonation and get to the root of the issue.
If you press the power button on your TV and all you hear is a clicking or ticking sound but the television doesn't turn on, that indicates a problem with the power supply. If your TV is under warranty, contact the manufacturer for a repair or replacement.
Diesel truck engines come in domestic and commercial grades, and they run on a thick, oily fuel that has an ignition temperature of about 540 degrees Fahrenheit. Analyzing the color and smell of diesel exhaust emissions can tell you the performance and component conditions of the engine. Diesel engines can emit blue, black or white smoke from their exhaust while running, and each color can indicate a fault with a part or system. White smoke points to some very specific conditions which can indicate a number of component or system failures. A process of elimination is required to find out…
General Motors vehicles such as the 2003 Chevy Silverado use DEX-COOL antifreeze, specification number GM6277M. Since the antifreeze in your vehicle is expected to provide several years of service, it is important to have your engine's cooling system components checked for leaks every time you have the oil changed. Leaks can develop on several components including the radiator, water pump, hoses, heater core and radiator cap.
Bose, best known for its noise-cancelling headphones and high-quality speakers, also makes two lines of headsets. The first line includes four aviation headsets, including the A20, the newest in this line as of the time of publication. The other Bose headset line incorporates Bluetooth technology; this includes the Series 2 headset, the newest of Bose's two Bluetooth headsets. Clicking in these headsets may be caused by the products themselves or the equipment to which they're connected.
Newer car engines rarely burn or leak oil. This is because the factory seals, O-rings, gaskets, bearings and components are new and undisturbed. With higher mileage and age, seals and gaskets break down, allowing oil seepage. Oil can leak past seals and gaskets, to enter the combustion chamber where it burns. Oil leaks not associated with the intake system or combustion chamber can show up as visible leaks on the ground's surface. The difference between leaking oil and combustion-burnt oil can be straightforward and uncomplicated. However, oil that enters the combustion chamber can be the direct result of internal leaks…
Red Jacket makes commercial and residential irrigation and sprinkler systems. The basic system components include a control box, water pump, supply line and several feed lines that disperse water throughout your yard and landscape. It’s not uncommon to hear the control box make noise when the irrigation system is running, but certain sounds can indicate a problem with the system. Knowing the difference between routine and unusual noises can save you the trouble of calling a professional pump installer to have the system inspected.
Alternators provide all of the electrical power your automobile's engine and electrical accessories need to operate. The battery stores electrical power produced by the alternator for engine starting and as a reserve when the electrical load exceeds the alternator's ability to meet the demand. Alternators usually provide years of faithful service but over time will fail due to the normal wear and tear. An undercharging alternator will lead to a number of problems, including a discharged battery.
The Toro Wheel Horse 267 H is a riding lawn mower that relies on the proper operation of its pulley and drive belt to avoid potential issues when transmission "slipping." Transmission slipping occurs when gears on your riding mower either don't seem to activate when you use the clutch or "lurch" in and out.
When you press its power button you expect your MacBook to chime, display the Apple logo, and boot up properly. When it doesn't, you can feel helpless: how can you figure out what's wrong if you can't even start it up? While you may have to take your laptop computer to a technician to get it working again, there are a few things you can try to figure out its problem.
The 1999 Lexus GS300 was equipped with a 3.0-liter V-6 engine. The "Check Engine" light appears when a trouble code is stored in the vehicle's OBD-II computer. OBD-II stands for onboard diagnostics II, and is a system provided in some vehicles to monitor the emissions, exhaust and even the transmission of some vehicles. The codes can be removed from the computer once proper repairs have been made to eliminate the source of the "Check Engine" light. The OBD-II computer is responsible for monitoring several aspects of your vehicle and keeping it safe for operation.
Home air-conditioner compressors can make lots of strange noises when they start operating. The units may rattle, clang, rumble, click or clunk. The noises could signal that the compressor is failing, or the problem could be merely a loose bolt banging around in the air conditioner. The compressor is one of the most important parts of a home ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. If the compressor fails, the system will not operate.
As a driver on the road, it is important for you to know the ins and outs of your vehicle. That is, you should be able to identify when your car may have a mechanical problem that could pose a potential safety hazard to you and your passengers. Responsible drivers take the time to maintain their vehicles, specifically when it comes to automatic transmissions. Keeping the transmission in proper working order is critical for controlling your vehicle.
As tires turn and repeatedly come into contact with the surface of the road, tiny bits of rubber break off and over time these bits add up to significant wear. Ideally, a tire should wear evenly across the entire tread surface, but when a tire is not balanced, aligned or inflated properly, uneven wear occurs. Specific wear patterns appear from each type of problem causing uneven wear, so that it’s often easy to identify the problem.
Power loss has always been a sign of something awry in a car engine and that some part of the system is operating at less than its full potential. Modern computer controls complicate things even more -- the ghost in your machine is ever watchful, ever paranoid and always willing to kill your fun if it sees something it doesn't like.
Engines are precise devices, involved as they are in a constant dance with flame, spark and iron that takes pinpoint timing to pull off. Intake and exhaust backfires may be an indication that some part in your engine isn't dancing to quite the same tune as another. Or they may indicate that said parts are doing nothing at all.
The check engine light on all variants of the 2000 Ford Escort turns on when the vehicle's onboard diagnostics detect an out-of-specification sensor reading. If the light is on but not blinking, the emissions are beyond 1 1/2 times the normal readings, indicating that the driver should diagnose and repair the problem as soon as reasonably possible. If the light is flashing, the onboard computer is indicating a problem requiring immediate attention. Trouble codes for all 2000 Ford Escorts are retrievable from the onboard computer.
Tracking down strange noise in your furnace can be aggravating. These systems can make a lot of noises from many different places. When you hear a humming sound that you don’t believe to be the normal humming of a fan motor or other components, it might be time to investigate further, to make sure you don’t have any serious problems with your furnace. Try to listen closely and find the area where the sound is originating, to narrow down the possibilities.
The 2002 Sea-Doo GTX is equipped with an electronic maintenance light, just like the check-engine light on a car's dashboard. When it comes on, it's telling you something is amiss. After you resolve the problem, you must clear the light so it's ready to alert you to the next problem. Clearing the light requires you to gain access to the programming in the Multipurpose Electronic Module, or MPEM. To do this, you need a "black box" -- called the MPEM Programmer -- to communicate with the Sea-Doo.
The 2002 Volkswagen Beetle was available in a GL, GLS, GLX and S sub-model. The available engines were a 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, 1.9-liter turbo diesel four-cylinder and a 2.0-liter in-line four cylinder. The 2002 Beetle has an onboard diagnostic computer called an OBD-II, which will provide you with the reason your "Check Engine" light is on. The OBD-II monitors several aspects of the engine and emissions, and the "Check Engine" light illuminates when the computer senses a fault in one of the many systems of the car.
Oil-burning furnaces are among the standard options for home heating. They rely on liquid fuel, which is vaporized and burned to produce heat. While this process is relatively simple, it relies on complex components such as furnace nozzles to happen efficiently, reliably and safely. Furnace nozzles have several dimensions that control how they operate.
In emergency braking situations -- called “panic stopping” in some parts of the United States -- wheels can come to a complete stop while the vehicle is still moving, especially on wet or otherwise slippery road surfaces. Such skidding markedly reduces driver control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration describes anti-lock brakes as “Keep(ing) your wheels from locking up, so your car maintains directional control around hazards if you can’t make a complete stop in time.” A fault with this system, as indicated by the ABS light illuminating, should be addressed immediately.
Pulsing brakes are a direct result of the rapid shifting of the brake assembly against the braking surface. The rotor or drum brake surface must be flat to enable smooth braking. Braking surfaces that have significant variation due to warping, damage, uneven wear or misalignment cause the brakes to unevenly be applied. As the brake pads contact the high spots, the brakes grab slightly. When the brake pads leave the high spots, the braking strength is reduced. As the wheel turns rapidly, the brake pads have uneven pressure between the high and low spots, causing pulsation.
Refrigerators are available in side by side models, top freezer models and bottom freezer models. Regardless of which model you have in your home, you can experience noises coming from the refrigerator. A constant creaking noise may be normal or it may point to something you can fix. Troubleshooting this on your own will help you determine the cause.
Insulating a chimney may seem somewhat counterintuitive. Numerous types of insulation present fire hazards in the home, and chimneys provide nothing if not fire. However, special types of insulation are available for chimneys. This special insulation is fire-resistant and impervious to extremely high temperatures. Three main reasons exist for insulating a chimney -- creosote buildup prevention, draft improvement and energy saving. Different types of insulation provide different benefits.
Motor oil provides the necessary lubrication for an engine's moving parts. The oil acts as a lubricant that allows the pistons to move in the engine block without creating excess wear. The Society of Automotive Engineers, or SAE, classifies oil by viscosity and engine manufacturers provide a recommended motor oil viscosity for use in a particular engine. Mileage and weather can dictate adjustments in the proper viscosity of motor oil used in an engine. The difference between 10w-40 and 5w-30 motor oil is in the ability of the oil to cling to the engine's moving parts, which dictates the best…
A buzzing noise coming from a Jacuzzi can potentially indicate several very different problems. Identifying the exact location the noise is coming from does help increase the ability to correctly diagnose the issue. As with most Jacuzzi issues, you should refrain from using the Jacuzzi until the problem is addressed. However, most buzzing issues do not usually make using the Jacuzzi hazardous.
The 1999 Jeep Cherokee was available in both two- and four-wheel-drive drivetrains. It came equipped with either a 2.5-liter in-line four-cylinder engine or a 4.0-liter V-6 engine, based on the model package. The 1999 Cherokee uses an onboard diagnostic computer called an OBD-II control computer to collect data from several sensors on the Jeep. If your "Check Engine" light is on and you are having intermittent cruise control issues, an OBD-II scan of the vehicle is needed. The cruise control system does create OBD-II codes that will cause the "Check Engine" light to illuminate.
Since the early '80s, the "check engine" light has been a fixture on the dashboards of passenger cars and light trucks. It is a source of curiosity for many drivers, who have different opinions about what it means when the amber-colored engine-shaped icon lights up in their vehicle. The "check engine" light in a Chevrolet Tahoe can mean many different things, depending on whether it is flashing or steady.
