Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Driving in winter conditions is something you should prepare for. Here’s Chris Duke's checklist for getting ready for that first cold cruise.
The Regal started out as a top trim level on the Buick Century in 1973, and five years later split off to become its own model. That was good timing, too; while earlier Centuries had been beautiful and stylish cruisers, by 1978 the car was set to devolve into a terrible little hatchback. The Regal, though, went on to both parent the awesome Grand National and GNX, and to carry the Buick performance banner through the company's retirement-home years.
Leaving your child alone in the car for a minute or two can be very tempting. Getting a young child in and out of a carseat and carrying her into everyplace you frequent can seem like a hassle, particularly when you just need to run into a convenience store for two minutes to grab milk. However, it's not a good idea. Even for short periods of time, your child can face serious risks from being left in the car at any time of year, but winter poses its own risks.
Driving has always been a visceral event that places the driver in a connected state with the vehicle. This synergy between man and machine can manifest itself in the form of a constant awareness of the vehicle's many components. Questions form: How are the tires reacting to the road? How much fuel do I have left? Is the engine working at its best? Unfortunately, the window wiper blades receive little thought until you're stuck in a torrential downpour. While your 2004 Nissan Quest's front wiper blades have the duty of ensuring a clear view of the road ahead, the rear…
Removing key lines in InDesign is something you can do to clean up your illustration. Remove key lines in InDesign with help from an experienced designer and illustrator in this free video clip.
2003 Mercedes-Benz C240 vehicles are equipped with a maintenance service indicator that notifies the driver when the vehicle is due for service. This indicator begins the notification process one month before the service is due in order to give the vehicle owner enough time to schedule a service appointment. The C240’s on-board computer measures a number of different variables including drive time, average length of trips, engine RPM, and many other factors to determine when the vehicle is due for service. If you take your vehicle to a shop to be serviced, they will reset the indicator for you. However,…
The 1994 Honda Accord LX was an midsize sedan that belonged to the fifth generation of Accords. The Accord LX was a midrange trim model sandwiched between the base DX and the upscale EX trims. Maintenance requirements for the LX are identical to the DX and EX models. The 1994 model year was the first time the Accord made use of Honda's variable valve timing engine -- VTEC. The 1994 model was available only with the four-cylinder engine that generated 130 horsepower.
The 1968 MG Midget, built in Abingdon-on-Thames, England, by M.G. Car Co. Ltd., is a classic English sports car. As with MGs everywhere, though, some parts are in short supply; often the only way to get a part is from a junkyard. Replacing a key -- if you have a spare key -- is as simple as a jaunt to a locksmith to have a new key made. If you lack the spare key, the barrel of the ignition switch is removable. All you need is a paperclip, a pair of needle-nose pliers and a replacement ignition switch barrel.
Registry errors can reduce system performance, slowing down your computer and rendering your system unstable. A registry cleaner and optimizer such as Symantec's Registry Mechanic can help find and correct errors. If the registry entries associated with the error messages are not fixed or if new errors arise, Registry Mechanic will produce error messages every time you run a scan.
Even when multiple users are modifying records in a database, Oracle databases keep the information consistent by transaction isolation. Queries at the "Read Committed" level of isolation can't access data someone is in the middle of writing or changing – information is only available when it's committed to the database. The Serialization level treats transactions if they happen in sequence, not simultaneously: Queries in a single transaction can't access data changes after the transaction begins except those made as part of the transaction. The "Read Only" level serializes queries but doesn't allow any changes.
The Kia Sephia was the first vehicle sold in America bearing a “Kia” emblem and hit the market in 1994. But it was not the first Kia-manufactured vehicle in the U.S., as the Korean automaker provided Ford with its compact Festiva, which debuted in 1987. The 1995 Sephia came standard with a 16-valve, SOHC, 1.6-liter engine that cranked out 88 horsepower. Performing a basic tuneup on this engine entails replacing the spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and ignition rotor.
Replacing the windshield wiper motor on a 1987 Oldsmobile Delta 88 is a relatively simple project for a do-it-yourselfer. All the wiper linkages under the air intake are secured using pressed-in round, plastic bushings. Very often these bushings become worn and cause the linkage to separate. They can be purchased at any auto parts store; however, they are very difficult to replace without a special installation tool.
The FJR1300 is the premier sport-touring model among Yamaha's motorcycles. The FJR1300 was introduced to the European market in 2001 and was brought to the U.S. in 2003. An electronically adjustable windshield added to the FJR's comfortable, yet sporty look, allowing riders to reposition the windshield as needed to deflect wind at increasing speeds. The windshield can be damaged by road debris or a crash, requiring the replacement of the plastic shield. While the the windshields on FJR models built until 2005 are secured by easily accessible fasteners, newer models use concealed hardware to secure each windshield to an adjustable…
At some point during the winter you're going to have to de-ice your car door in order to get it open. De-ice a car door with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
Headlight adjustment is one of those little maintenance procedures that takes only a few minutes to perform, but can make a huge difference in the driving experience. Headlights can and do go out of adjustment over time, and can prove both an annoyance and a danger to yourself and anyone who has to stare into those lights when you drive by.
In the 2003 model year, Cadillac threw its enthusiasts a change-up by releasing the sporty yet refined CTS. On the outside, the CTS was rather unlike a Cadillac, with its hard body lines and aggressive stance, but on the inside it was decked out like any other Caddy. The CTS came standard with high-end features such as heated mirrors, dual-zone air conditioning, a seven-speaker sound system and variable-speed intermittent wipers. The intermittent wipers park themselves out of view when you turn them off, so replacing the wiper blades may seem tricky at first.
Car scratches can annoy any vehicle owner, since they distract from the aesthetic appeal and reduce value. No two scratches are alike, and they must be treated individually. A vehicle owner should record the vehicle identification number found on the upper dashboard cowl or on the door side panel so he can match the exact repair paint to his car. Touch-up paints are available from dealerships and auto supply stores. A vehicle owner has a number of repair options for scratches.
The thermostat in your engine regulates the flow of coolant. When the engine is cold and the thermostat is closed, coolant flow is restricted. This helps your engine warm up faster. As the engine approaches operating temperature, the thermostat begins to open, allowing coolant to flow. Thermostats are rated to fully open at a specified temperature, for instance, 205 degrees Fahrenheit. A stuck thermostat can cause problems ranging from an engine that takes a long time to warm up, to overheating. There are a couple of simple tests you can perform to check for a stuck thermostat.
Gibson dryers are manufactured by the Frigidaire Company and are available in both gas and electric models. As with other dryers, there can be mechanical issues such as no heat, wet clothes or a drum that doesn't spin.You can troubleshoot these problems and even fix them without the need of a professional technician using a few basic tools. If the motor is broken or other electrical components are damaged, you will need to get your appliance professionally serviced to avoid furthering damaging the dryer.
If you regularly wash your laundry on a low temperature, such as the warm setting -- about 90 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit -- then you risk the growth of a black jellylike slime inside your washer known as biofilm. This slime is made up of deposits of bacteria and fungi that thrive in the warm, moist environment and can cause your washer to malfunction by blocking moving parts. Knowing how to remove this slime can save you time and money in washing machine repairs.
Windshield wipers are powered by a motor that receives 12-volt power through a switched wire. Complete failure of the wipers to work can be a complicated troubleshoot, but working with a motor that still runs on one speed is less challenging. Diagnosis can be time-consuming, but it is not complex and requires only one tool.
Dodge introduced the Stratus, a midsized automobile that replaced the company's Spirit model, in 1995. Originally offered in a sedan model and later joined by a coupe, the Stratus secured a prominent place in Dodge's vehicle line thanks to its ample interior room and perceived value. In 2006, the final model year of the Stratus, the coupe was dropped from the line. Finding wiper blades for a 2006 Dodge Stratus is an easy task, as one size fits passenger and driver side wipers on all models.
Rust is the name for iron oxide, which occurs when oxygen comes in contact with iron. The oxygen interacts with the iron on an atomic level, essentially oxidizing the metal and creating rust. When automotive manufacturers roll vehicles off the assembly line, all metal exposed to outside elements have been painted, including the undercarriage. Over time, this paint chips and flakes away because of faults in the original paint job or from damage caused by road hazards during normal daily driving. Preventing undercarriage rust is an ongoing job, especially in areas that use salt for ice control in the winter.
Wishing that you had kept your snowblower properly maintained is a nagging thought that might run through your mind if you have to take a shovel to your driveway. Snowblowers, also called snow throwers, make easy work of clearing your driveway while also easing the stress and strain on your back from shoveling. Sears provides detailed tune-up procedures for their Craftsman snowblowers, eliminating the guesswork of “when to do what.”
Since 1961, full-size Ford vans have had two official names, Econoline and E-series. Regardless of the names, they both used the same nomenclature when indicating the size of the van, E-150, E-250 and E-350. The 1999 E-150 came standard with a 195-horsepower, 4.2-liter V-6 engine. Unlike vehicles from years past, the E-150 did not require adjusting points, timing or inspecting the distributor; it had a distributorless ignition system that used just a coil, six spark plugs and six spark plug wires. All that was part of a basic tuneup on the 1999 E-150 were the latter two components.
The Volvo Penta 2003 marine engine, whether used in inboard boats or inboard-outboard boats, can overheat and suffer significant damage. The causes of overheating in the Penta engine fall into four main categories, ranging from difficult-to-repair electromechanical problems to simple things like spending time chasing fish that hide from you in shallow places.
A stuck "Shift" key causes bizarre behavior in Microsoft Excel; it can also prevent editing cells and performing calculations. In some cases, there may not be a problem with your keyboard. A misconfiguration could cause similar results, even if your "Shift" key is working normally. If the key is indeed stuck, you can likely fix it with a simple procedure.
Peerless oil and gas-fired boilers are used to heat water for home use. While not made by Honeywell, they may have Honeywell parts, such as thermostats. Safe boiler operation depends on the unit operating at the correct pressure and temperature. Checking the pressure gauge on the unit is simple if you know where to look. If the pressure reads higher than the suggested limit, check the manual for your model on how best to proceed, or call a certified technician to fix the problem.
The 599 cc engine used by Yamaha's 2001 YZF-R6 was fed via a quartet of Keihin CVRD37 carburetors. Like most motorcycle-specific carburetors, the CVRD37s used a float-based fuel supply, which used a floating valve that allowed more fuel into the carburetor's fuel, or float, chamber as fuel levels decreased. Under normal circumstances, the floats required little attention aside from periodic float level check. The check itself provides the current fuel level setting in each carburetor, which, if altered, could affect engine performance. A special fuel level gauge is necessary for this test, as well as a familiarity with the R6's…
Natural ways to de-ice car windows protect the integrity of the windows and improve visibility as quickly as possible. Learn about natural ways to de-ice car windows with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
De-icing a car is very important, especially during the cold winter months of the year. Learn how to de-ice a car with help from an expert in the automotive industry in this free video clip.
Some drivers take for granted the small components in their vehicle that make driving much more pleasant. One is the windshield wiper switch. On the 2000 Escort ZX2, the wiper switch has five different positions, and each makes the wiper-and-washer system do different things by increasing and decreasing amps flowing to the components or changing which component is getting electricity. When this switch fails, it can make for a dangerous drive should you get caught in a rain storm. There is no reason to put off installing a new switch -- it is a straightforward task.
The Nissan Xterra is a popular SUV sold in the United States since 2000. As a traditional body on frame truck, it possesses superior off-road prowess compared with more street-friendly crossover-type vehicles. A common issue on the Xterra is squeaking and groaning from the vehicle's hood, caused by a misaligned or dry hood latch. By adjusting the latch in conjunction with lubing the latch assembly and hood stops, you can cure any audible squeaks from the Xterra's hood.
Repair shops, whether they're auto, mechanical or otherwise, typically have a large number of customers, so comprehensive accounting software helps to keep your orders organized so you get paid. When choosing the right bookkeeping software, talk to your shop accountant about the features he needs, then look for industry opinions to narrow your search. Don't leave something as important as bookkeeping software up to a blind choice.
A multimeter is a device that can be either digital or analog and has the ability to measure voltage, continuity and resistance. By placing the leads on either side of the circuit, readings indicate if and how much current is flowing through that circuit. When testing an appliance such as a washer or dryer using a multimeter, you are testing the circuits in the unit. For these types of tests, set your multimeter to its lowest ohm setting. Ohms are indicated by the Greek symbol for Omega.
Car batteries rely on chemical reactions to generate power, and cold weather slows down chemical reactions. The winter season greatly reduces battery capacity, reducing battery power up to 50 percent at a time when your car's chilled engine actually needs more power to get started. The prospect of a dead battery on an icy road is not a welcome one; always include battery maintenance as an essential part of your car's annual winterization process.
When you install an application on a computer running OS X, the application is installed to a specific location in the computer's file system. If the application is improperly moved or relocated, you will prompted with an "Application Moved" error message when you attempt to launch the application from a shortcut. This error can be remedied by finding the application shortcut's new destination using the "Application Moved" error prompt window.
There is an obvious reason why a windshield is transparent; to drive safely you need to be able to see where you are going. As the Florida Department of Highway Safety points out, a windshield should be kept clean because sunlight bouncing off a dirty windshield can momentarily blind you, and poor visibility leads to accidents. Well-adjusted windshield jets significantly increase the effectiveness of the wipers, and in many places, it is a legal requirement to maintain them correctly.
Ever since Charlotte Bridgewood invented the electric storm windshield cleaner – the first electric windshield wipers – in 1917, with their widespread use starting in 1923 -- drivers have become used to flipping a switch to wipe their car’s windshield clean. One downfall to electric wipers is that it is yet another electrical component to break. When the wiper motor stops working in your 1990 F-150, you may be relieved to know that this is a straightforward process, thanks to the simple nature of this Ford pickup.
A PROM, or programmable read-only memory, chip is notable because it can be programmed only one time. Once you program it, the common wisdom goes, it is set that way for good. This is not entirely accurate, however. The chip does not get set; the chip battery does. Removing the internal battery essentially wipes the PROM clean, and replacing it with a new battery allows you to program it again from scratch.
The windshield wipers used by a Toyota 4Runner are responsible from ensuring a clear view of the road directly in front of, and behind, the vehicle during bad weather. The wiper blades are made of rubber and will crack or tear over time, reducing their ability to clear water, mud or snow from the windshield. As a precaution, you should inspect wiper blades for damage at least monthly. If the blades are ripped or torn, they must be replaced immediately.
Modern automobiles are equipped with a liquid cooling system designed to remove waste heat from the engine and disperse it into the atmosphere through the radiator. The radiator cap pressurizes the system to raise the boiling point of the coolant, and a thermostat controls the coolant flow through the radiator to maintain the engine at the proper operating temperature. Damaged cooling system components and low coolant level can cause the engine to overheat and lead to severe engine damage.
If you live in an area that experiences heavy snowfall or strong winters, chances are you will end up being stuck on ice or snow at some point in time. There are several methods to help you gain traction and get your vehicle off of the ice and moving down the road again. When trying to drive on ice, tire spinning is your biggest enemy, so accelerate as slowly as possible to get moving, and always remember once the vehicle is moving on ice, it can be impossible to stop and you can very easily lose control of the vehicle.
The washing machine inner tub where the clothes get cleaned fills and drains multiple times during a wash cycle. A pump is responsible for draining all of the water out between fills. Occasionally a clog can hinder drainage. Other times a bad pump or frozen pulley can prevent proper drainage. Proper troubleshooting will help check the cause of the drainage problem.
Electrolux dryers use an electronic keypad to control the dryer temperature, cycle and drying mode. If the keypad or the control panel behind it breaks down, the machine displays a "key stuck" error. Key stuck errors ultimately require the help of a technician, as the electronics probably have to be replaced. Before calling your technician, troubleshoot the machine yourself.
Cub Cadet lawn tractors have been cutting lawns since 1961. The original tractor was produced by International Harvester and had a 38-inch cutting deck. As of 2011, newer Cub Cadets -- made by MTD -- are available as the smaller Series 1000 tractors or the larger Series 2000 units. Both series come with a wide array of cutting deck widths. The 44-inch cutting deck was available on some 2000 Series tractors, such as the 2206. The cutting blades on these models can be removed for sharpening or replacement, but you must have the correct wrench size for the blade retaining…
GE Appliances is a division of the General Electric Company that manufactures appliances for residential customers. GE washing machines feature a safety component, known as a lid switch, that prevents the appliance from agitating when the lid is open. Some GE washers use a magnetic lid switch component. If the magnetic lid switch is faulty, the washer may fail to agitate even when the lid is closed. You can perform a simple test to determine whether the magnetic lid switch on your GE washer is functioning properly.
Riccar manufactures a variety of vacuums and central vacuums, zone heaters and air purifiers. Riccar’s line of vacuum cleaners is equipped with indicator lights to alert you when parts require replacing to help the vacuum run its best. The vacuums also have a six-year limited warranty. To tune up a Riccar vacuum, you need to clean and maintain the filters, brush roller and hose.
The quality of life in motor homes and RVs is substantially enhanced when owners can park or store them level. Life on a slant for any length of time quickly becomes annoying and inconvenient. Many models include hydraulic leveling systems manufactured by HWH and available as OEM options or aftermarket installations. As in all high-pressure hydraulic systems, maintaining the proper oil level in the reservoir of the HWH 200 prevents air from entering the system. Failure of the jacks to fully extend is the primary symptom of insufficient hydraulic oil and air in the system.
Marvel-Schebler carburetors mix fuel and air in the right proportions so that fuel burns efficiently in an engine. They control the exact proportion of air allowed into the engine. With a well-maintained carburetor, your engine will run efficiently. On the other hand, a carburetor in poor condition may cause your engine to fail completely. If you are looking to fix your engine, it's important to first identify this component.
