General Auto Repair

Engines require three things to run: air, fuel and spark. Though the main throttle butterfly controls the majority of the engine's airflow, all engines must include a provision to feed the engine...

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...

The Rio is a subcompact car produced since 2000 by South Korean automaker Kia. The Rio was redesigned for the 2005 model year and in 2009 it is offered as a four-door sedan and five-door...

All cars require maintenance and repairs to keep them running smoothly and safely. Making small repairs yourself can help prevent long-term problems and is a good way to save unnecessary trips to...

When changing the fork oil in a Harley-Davidson, it is advisable to use Harley-Davidson oil or an equivalent. This procedure works on all but '02 through '06 models with a cartridge on the left...

Seized bolts that snap off flush with a part's surface create a frustrating, time-consuming issue. The majority of bolts seize due to corrosion in the form of rust. Rust forms when fasteners from...

The Mercedes-Benz S320 is one of the trims of the automaker's full-size, flagship sedan, the S-Class series. It made its debut in 1994 and lasted until 1999. The S320--and by extension, trims of...

The heater core on a Chevrolet S10 pickup is a small radiator located underneath the dash on the passenger side of the cab. Heated coolant travels from the engine to the heater core through heater...

Although it has been around since the mid-1960s, production on the Chevrolet Malibu--more commonly known as the Chevy Malibu--was halted in the early 1980s, only to be resurrected as a more...

The Honda MAP sensor measures the amount of air flowing into the engine. In this way, the sensor is able to help the Honda ECU (central computer) adjust the fuel ratio for optimal fuel efficiency...

The Mercedes-Benz C230 is one of the trims of the automaker's compact sedan C-Class series. It made its debut in 1997 and was produced as the sports-oriented coupe (Kompressor) in 1999 and 2000....

Few things can ruin the beauty of a car than ugly scratches in the clearcoat finish. Clearcoat is the layer of transparent film that covers the paint of the car, adding a layer of protection to...

Making its debut in 2001 for the 2002 model year, the Buick Rendezvous was Buick's first entry into the SUV market. The vehicle was marketed as an amalgamation of the features of a minivan, with...

Bolts and other fasteners seize up predominantly from corrosion. Corrosion forms on the fastener as it ages or is subject to repeated bouts of heating and cooling. The corrosion locks the fastener...

If there is one thing you don't want to be leaking in your car or other vehicle, it's gas. A leak or hole in your car's gas tank is not only going to supply you with a bad smell, but is also...

How to find an auto repair shop and mechanic you can trust

The most commonly encountered type of battery corrosion is in car battery connectors, but connector corrosion caused by leaking alkaline batteries in household electronic devices is not unusual...

The GMC Acadia holds the distinction of being the first crossover SUV manufactured by General Motors Truck Company, a division of General Motors that specializes in trucks, vans and SUVs. The...

Making its debut in 2003 to replace the Oldsmobile Bravada, the Buick Rainier is a midsize SUV offered by Buick, General Motors' (GM) entry-level luxury brand. It shares the same platform with the...

The Mercury Mariner is a compact SUV manufactured by Ford's luxury division, Mercury. It is thus the luxury division of the Ford Escape. It is designed as a crossover SUV in that its size is...

The GMC Savana is a full-size van manufactured by the General Motors Truck Company, a division of General Motors (GM) that specializes in trucks, vans and SUVs. It shares a platform with its more...

A torque wrench is a device designed to tighten bolts to a specific tightening or torque specification. This measure of tightness protects both the threads of the bolt and the threads of the...

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...

Discovering that sugar has been put in the gas tank of a car may cause extreme panic for the vehicle's owner. This is largely because legend has it that the sugar will melt in the tank and then...

MAP (manifold absolute pressure) sensors are employed on more than half of all fuel-injected engines and are used to regulate air-fuel ratio by measuring manifold vacuum pressure vs. outside air...

The driveshaft, also known as a propeller shaft, on a C4 Corvette is the long tube that takes power generated by the engine and delivers it to the rear wheels. The drive shaft must be removed if...

Condensation forms as an air compressor pressurizes air. Air dryers remove some of the condensation, but condensation will still travel into the air tool connected to the air compressor. When the...

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...

Damage to threads occurs when the fastener is cross-threaded, over-tightened, or frequently inserted and removed from the threaded hole. Replacing the damaged threads with a threaded insert allows...

Originally known as Per-Lux in 1962, Pertronix ignitions has always been on the cusp of electronic automotive conversions. Enduring its fair share of birthing pains through the early years,...

One of the biggest expenses of a new or used car is the cost of professional repairs and maintenance. While regular service is necessary to keep a car safe and running its best, many of the work...

The speedometer is an important part of the car engine as it indicates the speed of your vehicle while on the road. A faulty speedometer can cause major driving issues, which can lead to...

As technology dictates the cadence of all things mechanical, so has it dictated the march of automotive repair. Though once upon a time, the savvy mechanic might have utilized a dwell meter and...

The Toyota Camry remains one of the best selling cars of all time, a mid-size sedan known for it quality, reliability and value. Various engines have powered the Camry over the years including a...

Sooner or later every car on the road will need maintenance or repair service. While car repairs can be expensive, many of the most basic tasks can be performed at home with simple tools. In many...

An engine power flush is a procedure in which a high-pressure solution is flushed into an automobile engine in order to clean out contaminants that could harm its performance. Performing engine...

The door lock or lock cylinder on a car or truck is a small metal cylinder you insert the vehicle's key into when you want to lock or unlock your door. Lock cylinders usually need to be replaced...

The Pilot is a crossover sport-utility vehicle manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda since 2003. For the 2009 model year, the Honda Pilot was redesigned. It has been offered in several trim...

The A4 is a compact executive car produced by German automaker Volkswagen and is sold through its Audi division. Between 2001 and 2009, the A4 was offered as a convertible based on the B6 and B7...

The Ford F-250 belongs to the popular F-Series pick-up truck line-up manufactured since 1948. Initially, apart from its size (it traditionally weighs 3/4 tons), the F-250 was virtually...

Making its debut for the 1998 model year from the Ford Motor Company's luxury division, the Lincoln Navigator was the first full-size luxury SUV as well as Lincoln's first SUV. It joined the...

Making its debut in the minivan market for the 1993 model year, the Mercury Villager was the result of a joint venture between the Ford Motor Company (luxury division Mercury's parent) and Nissan....

Introduced for the 2004 model year, the Nissan Titan was automaker Nissan's debut in the full-size truck market. Manufactured at Nissan's Canton, Mississippi plant, it competes with the offerings...

A door hinge pin on a 1979 Chevrolet Camaro is the pin that connects the two door hinge brackets. This part allows the door to swing open or closed. These vehicles are equipped with heavy steel...

Identification of Chevrolet crankshafts can be made in several ways. Two common ways are from the actual casting number on the part or by physical dimensions and features of the crankshaft.

Removing rust from cut glass is essential if you want the glass to be clear enough to see through. Although rust isn't generally associated with glass, rust can be deposited onto glass surfaces...

Copper components are rare on modern automobiles. However, if your vehicle does use any copper for lead connections or for components, and the copper is starting to corrode, you must remove the...

Over the years, Ford Expedition owners have reported a variety of problems with the defroster in this vehicle. Frequently the problems lead to a common cause, but troubleshooting is complicated....

Automotive body repair is a very specialized process. Welding, sanding, alignment, and attention to detail are all part of the body repair process. Cars are made of several pieces of metal with...

Sold between 1994 and 2002, the Honda Passport was a compact SUV, marking Honda's entry into the truck market. However, the vehicle was produced by another automaker, Isuzu. In fact, it was also...