 |
Automotive |
| |
 There is very real danger anytime you go underneath a
lifted vehicle. Be certain to have the proper equipment to
support the car and only lift the vehicle on a level surface.
Blocks and jack stands are the best means of assuring your
safety. Always follow the vehicle and lifting equipment manuals
to ensure proper lifting of your vehicle. |
 Oil Change |
 An oil change is one of the easiest maintenance
items you can do on your car, and requires very few
tools.
Here are the items you'll need:
- 4-5 quarts of oil for a normal passenger car (check your
owner's manual for proper weight).
- Oil filter (the parts store will give you the proper one
for your car).
- Oil filter wrench (available at auto parts stores for
around $5).
- Adjustable wrench or socket set.
- Car ramps or jack and jack stands.
- Tub to catch old oil.
- Tarp to protect ground from oil splashes.
- Empty gallon jug to put old oil in for recycling.
The first thing you need to do is to familiarize yourself
with where everything is on the engine. The oil filter is usually
on the side of the motor, the oil filler cap is always on top of
the motor, and the drain plug is always on the very bottom of the
motor.
After learning where everything is, it's time to get to work!
Start by either driving the front end of the car up on ramps or
jacking it up and put it on jack stands. Be sure to block the
back wheels and set the parking brake so the car won't roll off
the supports.
Once the car is well supported, spread out the tarp underneath
and set your tools and tub under the car where they can be easily
reached.
- Using the filter wrench, remove the filter using caution
to have the pan ready to catch the oil that will spill out
while removing it. Turn the filter with the openings facing
down in the pan so the filter drains out. Tip: Have a Ziploc
bag handy to put the dirty filter into for recycling.
- Replace the old filter with the new filter making sure to
coat the gasket on the filter with a little bit of oil. Once
the filter is hand-tight, use the filter wrench and turn the
filter 1/2 to 1 more turn. Do not over tighten!
- Once the filter is all set, locate and remove the oil
drain plug; once again, making sure the tub is right below
the drain plug. Let the oil drain until it's just a small
drip and replace the plug. Do not over tighten the plug, just
make it very snug.
- Clean up under the car...you're all done under
there!
- Add new motor oil to the oil filler (4 quarts to start
with)
- Remove car from ramps or jack stands. Do NOT start car
until fresh oil is in the engine!
- Once the car is level, let the car run for 3-4 minutes
and shut off. Check the oil level using the dipstick. Add 5th
quart of oil if needed. Close hood and take a drive! You've
done an oil change, and saved your self at least $15!
We strongly suggest putting old oil in a jug and take it,
and the filter to a recycling center for proper handling.
|
| |
| Back to top |
| |
| Tune-up |
|
 Items you will need:
1) Sparkplugs
2) Distributor cap and rotor
3) Sparkplug wires (optional, but recommended)
4) Dielectric grease (usually comes with good grade wires)
Tools you will need:
1) Ratchet and small socket set
2) Screwdrivers (Phillips and flat blade)
3) Sparkplug socket (typically 5/8 for American cars and 13/16
for foreign)
4) Sparkplug gapping tool
5) Sparkplug wire puller (optional, but strongly recommended if
not replacing the wires)
6) Socket swivel for hard to reach areas (optional for most
cars)
How to get the auto parts: To get the proper
parts there are a few items you need to know: car make, car
model, car year, engine size, if the car has air conditioning,
and if the car has power steering.
The car's make, model, and year can be found on your insurance
card or registration card. The car's engine size can usually be
found by lifting the hood and looking around the engine
compartment or underside of the hood for a sticker. The engine
size may be listed in cubic inches (i.e. 350ci) or in liters
(i.e. 5.0L). It's easy to find out if the car has air
conditioning, just look on the heater console on the dashboard.
Power steering is usually standard on every car now, if in doubt,
the auto parts clerk should know (he most likely won't even ask
you this).
Before shopping for parts you need to determine what parts you'll
need. Every car has sparkplugs (except diesels). Most cars have a
distributor cap and rotor. Some newer cars now have electronic
coil packs, which take the place of the cap and rotor. The
electronic coil packs do not need replacing unless broken. Every
car has spark plug wires. It is recommended that all these things
be replaced every 20,000 miles or every 2 years for maximum
performance and fuel economy. If you're unsure about if you have
a cap and rotor on your car, just ask the auto parts store, the
answer should be in their database.
Shopping for parts is easy, and huge price differences can
usually be found among different stores. It pays to make some
comparative phone calls before going to a store. When making the
calls, always remember to get the employee's name, the price of
each part, and if they have it in stock. Write all the
information down, because after calling a few stores it's hard to
keep track of everything. Many stores offer better prices over
the phone than in person to entice you to come in. It's also a
good idea to write down the brand name of the parts when getting
prices. Don't skimp on the parts...buy the better grade. Tune-up
parts are very important to how smooth your car accelerates and
runs. The better grade parts last much longer and are usually
custom tailored to your specific car. Spark plug wires usually
carry the biggest price differences among grades, but it's well
worth the added expense (cheap wires can cause power loss, wet
weather roughness and stalling, and radio interference).
When picking up your parts be sure to have the clerk write down
the proper sparkplug gap for your car.
|
| |
| Back to top |
| |
 It is important to follow these directions in order
and completely. Failure to do so may cause your car to not run
or run roughly. NEVER touch the sparkplug wires while the car is
running, electrocution may occur! |
|
Replacing the sparkplugs: 1) Starting at one
corner of the engine, remove the sparkplug wire by grabbing the
rubber boot that covers the sparkplug and pulling straight
towards you. The boot may be very tight and could require the use
of a puller or pliers if replacing the wires. It is strongly
recommended you use a wire puller if reusing the wires.
2) Using the proper size socket, remove the plug. Take note of
the angle of the socket, this is very important if there is
limited sight of the plug.
3) Use your gapping tool and set the new sparkplug gap to the
setting your auto store gave you (using your old plugs to find
out proper gap will not work. The electrode wears away with use,
making the gap different).
4) Put in the new plug at the same angle it came out. It is a
good idea to start it by hand using just the socket and a small
extension (this avoids stripping the threads in the engine). Once
the plug is hand-tight put the ratchet on the socket and snug it
down well (do not over-tighten!). Make sure to keep the socket at
the proper angle or plug damage may occur while tightening.
5) Replace the wire temporarily if replacing them. If not
replacing the wires, make sure you put a fresh dab of dielectric
grease in the end of the wire then push the wire boot on as far
as it will go, or until you hear a click.
6) Repeat the previous five steps for the remaining sparkplugs.
|
| |
| Back to top |
| |
|
Replacing the distributor cap: 1) Locate the
distributor cap by following the wires from the sparkplugs to the
other end. The wires will end at the distributor cap.
2) Remove the screws or clips attaching the cap to the base. Do
not remove the wires at this point, doing so may cause the firing
order of the car to get out of order.
3) Once the cap is removed, the rotor will be exposed. There are
generally two types of rotors, a slip on type and a screw on
type. Remove the rotor by loosening the screws, or pulling the
rotor sharply towards yourself. Some rotors may have a set screw
around the base, which must be removed first.
4) Replace the old rotor with the new one. It should go on only
one way. If it seems like it's not going back on right, try
rotating it180 degrees and re-installing it. Do not force the
rotor on the spindle. Double check the new one with the old one
to make sure they're the same, if still not going on
properly.
5) Install the new distributor cap. On the underside lip of the
cap will be a notch, line up the notch with the notch on the
base. If the cap rocks or feels at all loose, it is not installed
properly. Remove the cap and re-install after turning it 180
degrees. NOTE- some General Motors distributor caps will have a
coil pack, which will need to be transferred to the new cap. To
do this, remove the plug(s) from the side of the cap, remove the
2 or 4 small screws on top of the cap, lift off the cap, remove
the wires and metal connectors from their seats and lift out the
coil. Reverse this process to install into the new cap making
sure the pick-up and spring are in place when putting coil
in.
6) Transfer the sparkplug wires from the old cap to the new one
by locating the number 1 stamped on the top of both caps.
Transfer that wire first. Continue transferring the wires in a
clockwise direction to ensure that they are kept in order. If
your cap has a wire in the center, transfer that now too.
7) Double check all wires are installed tightly and start car. If
the car runs a little roughly it is probably time for new wires
too. If the car runs very rough or won't run at all make sure all
the wires are connected, and that the wire order didn't get
confused.
|
| |
| Back to top |
| |
|
Replacing the sparkplug
wires: 1) Start by removing all the wires from the
box and lining them up from short to long.
2) Remove the wire from the sparkplug farthest from the
distributor cap. It may be necessary to remove wire-holding clips
while doing so.
3) Replace the wire with the longest new wire, making certain to
put a dab of dielectric grease inside the sparkplug end of the
wire and route the wire in a manner that it will not rub on
anything along the way. Set the wire into the holding clips to
secure it. Make sure to leave a little slack at both ends to
accommodate normal engine movements. If you don't hear and
audible click when installing the wire ends, it most likely isn't
inserted far enough.
4) Repeat this process for the remaining wires.
5) After replacing the sparkplug wires you may have 1 or 2 short
wires left over. These are for the coil (the wire in the center
of the distributor cap). Choose the wire that most closely
resembles the original you removed. It is not uncommon to have a
wire leftover.
6) Pat yourself on the back...you have just saved your self $100
or more! As a bonus you should have a smoother running car and
should get better gas mileage, saving even more money!
|
| |
| Coolant Change |
| This project deals with automotive radiators,
which reach temperatures of 200+degrees. There is a very real
risk of serious burns. Please use caution when opening any
radiator. Only work on vehicles that have NOT been run in 12
hours or more. |
 Changing your coolant is very quick and can
save you a lot of money in repairs. It is recommended that
you change your antifreeze every year to prevent corrosion of
the coolant system. This project requires few or no tools and
can be completed in 10 minutes. Here's the items you'll need:
- Large tub or pan to catch old coolant
- 1-2 gallons of antifreeze-coolant
- Pair of slip-lock pliers
- Distilled water (1-2 gallons)
- Tarp to catch spills
For this project we recommend having a garden hose handy to
dilute any spills which may occur. Animals and children are
attracted to antifreeze because of its sweet taste. Antifreeze is
toxic if ingested.
Start by covering the ground below the vehicle with a tarp to
protect the surface you're working on. Next, remove the radiator
cap slowly, letting any pressure escape before lifting cap
off.
Locate the drain plug on the bottom or lower edge of the radiator
and remove it making sure the tub is below the plug to catch the
coolant which will drain out.
When all the coolant is drained you may use a radiator flush
product if you choose. Follow the product's directions for proper
cleaning of the coolant system. If not using a flush product go
on to the next step.
Re-install the radiator drain plug.
Locate the overflow bottle which is usually located on the
side-wall of the engine compartment. Using a pair of pliers,
slide the clamp up the hose and remove the hose allowing the
coolant to drain from the bottle to the pan. When bottle is
empty, re-attach hose and move clamp back to the end.
Following the directions on the antifreeze bottle for your
temperature zone; add the proper amount of coolant and distilled
water (most areas a 60/40 or 70/30 antifreeze/water mix is
typical), fill the radiator to the top. Be sure to also fill the
overflow bottle to the "cold" line mark on the bottle with the
mixture. DO NOT use straight antifreeze in your system, 100%
antifreeze will cause corrosion and shorten your vehicle's
life.
Start car and run for 2-3 minutes, no longer, to eliminate air
pockets. Turn car off and check the coolant level, add more
coolant if needed. Replace radiator cap and close hood...you're
done!
|
| Sometimes air pockets get trapped in the
system. These can cause a vehicle to run hotter and possibly
overheat. To remove air pockets we recommend following this
procedure: The following day, or after driving the car for at
least 20 minutes; making sure the car engine is cold again,
remove the radiator cap and let the pressure escape. Add
antifreeze if needed, also be sure to check the overflow bottle
too. You may need to repeat this 1-2 more times to eliminate all
the air. |
| Be sure to recycle your old antifreeze! |
| |
| Back to top |
| |
| Routine Maintanance Checklist |
 This simple checklist reflects our experience
in maintaining vehicles. This list may not agree with your
owner's manual. We strongly suggest referring to your owner's
manual for additional service schedules for your car. Every
vehicle requires different checks at different times. These
are basic items which can be checked by you:
Check every 2 weeks or 500 miles:
- Oil level
- Coolant level
- Top-off windshield washer fluid
- Transmission fluid level (if automatic transmission)
- Tire pressure
Check every month or 1000 miles:
- Check for uneven tire wear
- Air filter
- Time to change the oil?
- All lights for blown bulbs
Check every 2 months or 2000 miles:
- Time to rotate tires?
- Add fuel injector or carb cleaner to gas tank
- Oil door hinges
|
| Back to top |
| |
|
|
