Car Maintenance

Rust can be incredibly damaging to a vehicle and, if left unchecked, can absolutely ruin the value. The keys are prevention and stopping the rust before it gets worse. Repairing rusted-out...

The lead acid batteries used in automobiles are expensive to replace. However, you can often restore dead car batteries and extend their useful life. The most common reason for a dead battery is...

The fuel filter is one of the most commonly overlooked maintenance components. This can be particularly problematic with the 350 engine, since the fuel filter screws directly into the carburetor,...

General Motor's 350 engine uses eight intake valves and eight exhaust valves. All sixteen valves open and close at specific intervals. If the valves are not adjusted properly the engine can idle...

Oldsmobile is a defunct car company shut down by General Motors in the early 2000s. However, you can still find parts and accessories for the cars. If you were part of an accident, fender bender...

The cabin air filters in your Honda Acura are in the inlet side of the blower motor, which is inside the car, above the glove compartment. Their purpose is to remove all contaminants from the...

There are seven measurements to consider when attempting to measure wheel bolts on your car. Imports employ metric measurements, while domestic cars can feature standard measurement bolts or...

Electrostatic painting, or powder coating, is a newer method for painting metals and certain types of plastics, using electrically charged powders to create a smoother finish and a variety of effects.

Birds, especially in the spring mating season, can be very territorial. If they see themselves reflected in your car's side-view mirror, they become quite aggressive toward the "intruder." They...

Leaky engines are a pain to clean and maintain. But if you have a car or truck that leaks oil, sometimes the biggest victim is the concrete floor. Here's how you can get rid of engine oil on the...

Keeping tires properly inflated is essential to driving safety. Using nitrogen for this purpose usually costs extra, but is it worth it? Nitrogen offers benefits that standard air does not, and...

Ford Motor Co. utilizes paints that are suited specifically to the automotive manufacturing industry. Manufacturers understand that damage can occur to the painted surface of vehicles due to...

Rack and pinion steering is named after the two central components in the mechanism. The rack is a row of teeth along a shaft sealed inside a tube. The pinion is a gear which meshes with those...

Sometimes rain can come on without warning, and if you happened to leave the windows down in your vehicle, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise. Of all things, one wouldn't expect water to...

It is important to replace the spark plugs on your Chevrolet Trailblazer every 20,000 or 30,000 miles to maintain engine performance and fuel economy. However, if you mostly drive your Trailblazer...

A long road trip or a drive in an area that has a lot of insects usually means your car will have bug remains stuck on the paint. A trip to the car wash just does not seem to do the trick when you...

Since its invention in the early 20th century, automobiles have been a symbol of pride and status for car owners around the world. From engine modification parts to seat covers, the auto industry...

Cleaning car headlights can be an easy task, if you know what cleaning products to use. Several retail car care products are available, but these can be costly and not always effective. Instead,...

Car window tint is tenacious and challenging to remove. Tint fades in time from the ultraviolet rays of the sun, and it may begin chipping, cracking and bubbling to the point where it looks ugly....

If you own a car, you should know about the importance of good tires. Not only do they add to the feel and performance of the vehicle, but they are necessary for safety. Like any other product,...

Car mats receive the brunt of food droppings, beverage spills, outdoor debris and cigarette burns. New car mats can make the interior of your car look brand new without you having to spend a lot...

With the "check engine" light on, automotive technicians would have to determine the cause from a relatively wide range of factors, from the innocuous to the serious.

There are several reasons why you might find paint splatters on your car. If your house was painted or a neighbor painted his shed while your car was in the driveway, then you might wake to find...

Remove dirt and grime from your windshield with the following tips. This works best if you are washing your car by hand.

After washing about three thousand cars at a Volvo dealership; I think I have the hang of how to wash a car. There are nuances that are learned over the course of doing so that may not be found...

Campers are constantly exposed to the elements, leaving the roofs susceptible to water and sun damage over time. Liquid EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber is an effective protectant...

The Volkswagen Passat has been sold around the world since 1973, although it wasn't always called the Passat in America. The American Passat had an identity crisis; it was first called the Fox,...

The cabin air filter in the 2003 Honda Accord is simpler to replace than the earlier versions of the model. Cabin air filters have been integrated in import cars for a while longer than in...

Expensive gas causes driver's to contemplate improving their vehicle's mileage. The Ford Explorer is an SUV introduced in 1991 to take the place of the Ford Bronco. According to Fuel Economy.gov,...

The strength of your golf cart is determined by the batteries---the stronger the batteries, the more power your golf cart will have. As with all batteries, you must eventually change the batteries...

Rusted bolts are a pain to remove, and trying to get out a rusted Allen bolt is even tougher. Unfortunately, you'll probably loose the bolt in the process, but if you do it right, you can get the...

Car polishes and glazes are basically designed to do the same thing: give your car's paint a better shine. However, they accomplish this goal in two very different ways. When looking for a...

Filters are an important part of any mechanical device. By removing impurities and ensuring that clean ingredients are used in the cars' drive train, the right filters can increase gas mileage,...

Cars are not supposed to leak antifreeze, also known as engine coolant. The fluid runs from different parts of the engine to others and is always contained. If you see this greenish fluid on the...

A diesel pump's full name is a diesel injection pump, and like the name suggests, is responsible for injecting fuel into the firing cylinders of diesel engines. It is important to remember that,...

Tires can affect your stopping distance, traction, handling and even gas mileage. So it's important when purchasing tires to ensure the tires you are purchasing for your car work well with factors...

The procedure to replace the cabin air filter in the Subaru Outback has been simplified from the earlier models manufactured between 2000 and 2004. However, it is still not one of the easier...

The later model Volkswagen Passat features a cabin air filter. Located in the engine compartment (and not to be confused with the engine air filter), the cabin air filter maintains the quality of...

Jeep owners have a love-hate relationship with their Wrangler windows. Whether its that difficult zipper to close or the constant scratches from the trail, we always want to keep our Jeeps in the...

I just had to run down to the RMV and it was total chaos. I had no idea where to go, what to do and even where to find the place. As the customer service of the RMV goes down you need to go in...

Claying your car is an oft-forgotton, yet essential, part of detailing any vehicle. Why do it? If you run your fingers over the vehicle right after it has been washed, and it feels like anything...

Cigarette smoke is one of the toughest odors to remove, especially from your car. The odor is absorbed into your upholstery and a thin film of tar often coats the plastic panels in your car. While...

Automotive batteries, like other parts of an automobile, need to be maintained regularly. Even a so-called "maintenance-free" battery must be charged at regular intervals, which is normally done...

The fuel filter on a Ford F-250 is a small metal cylinder located along the truck's frame. The fuel filter must be changed periodically to keep dirt and moisture from clogging the fuel injectors....

If your Ford Windstar van is experiencing poor fuel mileage, there could be many reasons or combinations of reasons. Proper maintenance is the first preventive measure to ensure that the vehicle...

It is a good idea to replace the positive crankcase ventilation, or PCV, valve at your car manufacturer-recommended intervals. The PCV valve is part of a closed ventilation system on your 1988...

All too often, we hear about vehicle accidents due to brake failure, where the driver ran into another vehicle or a person, or even off the side of the road. To help avoid such a situation, it's...

When you drove your shiny new car home from the dealer everything looked great. From the high gloss on the headlights to the glow on the tires, the entire car looked perfect. But after a few days...

One of the best ways to keep an automobile looking its best is to occasionally treat it with a wax product. Wax protects the vehicle's paint from debris and guards against fading while providing a...

Regular fluid changes are crucial to keep an Audi's automatic transmission performing reliably and smoothly. Over time, the fluid in an automatic transmission becomes dirty, which can lead to...