Auto Repair

The water pump is an essential mechanical part of your Jeep Cherokee. A water pump circulates a mixture of coolant and water through the engine block and back through the radiator to maintain a...

Duramax diesel engines have been installed in Chevrolet and GMC heavy duty trucks since 2001 and are still in production today. Vehicles that are powered by the Duramax diesel engine have been...

Changing the fuel filter on your vehicle is part of a good maintenance schedule, but most don't do it. On the Ford 6.0l Superduty Diesel engine found in the F-250, it's important to regularly...

Most automobiles with electric power windows use a motorized window regulator to move the pane of glass inside the vehicle's door. This motor can wear out from damage or age, and will require...

To replace the ignition switch on your Jeep Wrangler you do not have to remove any covers or panels, which simplifies the task. Still, you must set the switch in a particular position to install...

Nothing can ruin your car's look more easily than a bit of misplaced paint. Whether it's a vandal's spray can, dollops of house paint or some other kind of stain, paint on your car can be an...

Replacing starter wires becomes necessary when wires become corroded over time and do not carry enough electricity to turn the starter over and start the car. The wire harness is relatively...

Removing paint from a car's exterior is one of the first steps to a quality paint job. Getting the paint off, though, is time-consuming and can be frustrating at times. With the right tools, this...

You would not expect a fuel injector on your 1997 Jeep Wrangler to cause so much trouble. But a bad injector can upset fuel distribution, idle, fuel economy, emissions and even engine performance....

Tail light lenses break from accidents, crack from age and can also leak. But even if your tail light lenses are in excellent shape, they can still leak, which causes foggy lenses and other...

Many vehicles feature manual windows. But over time, the original crank handle can strip out, leaving you with no way to roll your window up or down. To fix that, you must install new window...

Bumpers are made of urethane plastic that has a lot of memory. Once the right pressure and mass is put behind the dent, it will pop. It may not pop out perfectly back to original shape, but the...

What we are going to learn to do here by following my few simple steps is to get rid of those unsightly surface rust spots and get your car back into showroom condition. The process is very simple...

Scratches and paint chips are two common problems that most car owners have had to deal with at least once. There are many reasons that your car's paint job may be in need of a little freshening...

The Chevy 350-cubic-inch engine has perhaps been General Motors' most popular engine since its introduction in 1967. It's no longer produced for new GM cars and trucks, but can be purchased as a...

Having to remove the door panel on a Chevy Tracker may intimidate many do-it-yourself enthusiasts. Realigning a window on its track, replacing a power window motor, replacing a powered side-view...

In essence, a camshaft's purpose is to convert the rotational movement of the crankshaft to the reciprocal motion required to actuate the valve-train. What that means is that the cam spins around...

The radiator and cooling system on a vehicle are responsible for cooling the internal components of the combustible engine. To operate, the engine encounters several small controlled explosions in...

A tire valve stem is a simple device that allows air to enter a tire from a pump, and the stem then self-seals to hold air inside. Valves come either integrated with the tire, as in an automobile...

With a worn-out mechanism or electrical contacts, the ignition switch in your 1998 Chevrolet S-10 will fail to energize the starter solenoid properly. The switch is easy to replace, but you must...

Changing the headlights on a 2001 Pontiac is relatively easy and straightforward. You'll need replacement headlight bulbs, which you can find in just about any auto parts store. Bring in your old...

A harmonic balancer is designed to absorb the vibrations produced by the engine. For this reason, the balancer is sometimes referred to as a "vibration dampener." Although the exterior of the...

Subaru's overhead cam engine was introduced in the late '80s and is still used today. Unlike Subaru's earlier push-rod engines that used a chain and sprockets to rotate the camshaft, the new...

A power steering pump belt is used to transfer the rotating energy produced by the engine to the pump, where the fluid within the pump is then directed to the rack and pinion unit. Over time, the...

You get in your car and attempt to start it, but something's not right. It's either not doing anything or it's cranking but not turning over. Many things could be causing this. It could be as...

The S80 is a mid-sized luxury car sold by the Swedish auto manufacturer Volvo. Compared with other components on the S80, the door panels are simple to remove for the average person. Rather than...

Performing minor body work on automobiles is within the reach of anybody. Repairing a small scratch yourself requires only minimal legwork ahead of time. The first thing you'll need is the paint...

When a power window fails to operate, it is necessary, given all the components in the system, to narrow the failure down. If a window has failed in only one door, you can safely assume the...

An engine thermostat is an essential component of the engine cooling system. It regulates the temperature of the coolant and ensures that your engine remains cool. Thermostats work because of a...

A car's head gasket provides a seal between the head (where all the valves and rollers are located) and the block (the "main part of the engine" that houses the camshaft and part of the pistons)....

When your Jeep Cherokee overheats or makes a kind of "duck" noise, your water pump may be failing. Replacing a bad water pump is essential to the life of your vehicle. This can be a challenging...

The Ford Windstar minivan was first sold in 1995. Ford undertook a major redesign between 1998 and 1999, making the Windstar available until 2003. Over its nine year model run, the Windstar...

Even for the least initiated among us, the car battery presents little mystery when compared with the rest of the automotive repair world. A dead battery can usually be recharged with a jump from...

When Ford introduced the new body-style F-250 trucks, they soared in popularity, partially because of the super-powerful Powerstroke diesel engine. Routine maintenance for a diesel engine is...

Most people think of their automobile as their lifeline. If this describes you, then following these five basic tips will provide you with a safer and more knowledgeable relationship with your...

It is a wise investment to have a good set of jumper cables in your car. If another vehicle is available, it can turn a situation where you are stranded into a minor inconvenience. For your...

The Lexus LS400 is a popular car, but as it gets older, parts start to break. The hood struts aren't a critical moving part of the vehicle, but if one goes out, it's certainly inconvenient. The...

The 2001 Chevy Impala came equipped with a standard 3.1L V-6 engine, in a front-wheel drive configuration. The wheel bearings for this car are a hub and bearing assembly driven by the drive axles...

The caliper slide bolt, or pin bolt, is the lowermost bolt on a brake caliper. The slide bolt holds the caliper to the caliper mounting bracket. When you remove this bolt, the caliper will swing...

The distributor in a Ford Aspire should last at least 45,000 miles without much trouble. However, over time, the distributor's rotor may burn out or the electrodes may not produce the spark they...

Automotive body rusting is the result of metal being exposed to moisture. This exposure to moisture then permits the surrounding air to oxidize the metal surface. Rust on a car's body will...

The Ford Thunderbird was manufactured with electric power windows, regulated by a small motor embedded in the door. This motor can give out, or have other electrical malfunctions that cause the...

The Chevrolet Suburban was manufactured with a front disc braking system; this system uses hydraulically actuated calipers to apply friction pads against a rotor, which stops the truck. When these...

The oxygen sensor is used to monitor the amount of oxygen in the exhaust system's gas stream. The sensor is located on the exhaust manifold and proper operation is dependent upon electrical...

Hose clamps that are used to attach radiator hoses and other engine system hoses also are useful in other applications. In fact, hose clamps are so effective, easy to work and useful in a wide...

Mercedes-Benz makes some of the most trustworthy and revered vehicles on the road today. Most of the time you will probably want to take your Mercedes to the dealer to get it serviced; however,...

Recreational vehicle windows are typically flat panes of glass held to a window frame with small screws, plastic glass supports and tight rubber gaskets. During the lifespan of the RV, it may...

A head gasket is the part of an internal combustion engine that seals the cylinder head to the engine block. The purpose of this component is to make sure that the compression stays at a maximum...

Founded in 1985, the Saturn division of General Motors began selling cars in 1991. For nearly 20 years, Saturn's vehicle offerings have ranged from compact coupes and sedans to sports cars and...

Chrysler cars and trucks are manufactured with motor-driven window regulators, which raise and lower a pane of glass within a door. Several issues with the power window can lead to its failure,...