Programming My Car

If you have a car with no timing marks on the crank pulley (same as mine), here is an efficient, precise and economical way of looking at the engine's TDC. This task is being done with the engine in the car and the head torqued down. I am so damn lucky I got these tips from WikiHow.com. So there’s no need for me to seek for professional help! And besides, we can do it by ourselves without the help of skillful mechanics. We too can be the best mechanic for our own vehicle!

Now, if your situation is the same as my problem, then follow these important tips courtesy of WikiHow.com. It might help you search for the Top Dead Center in your car! Check this out!

Steps

1. Make an indicator from some clear plastic tubing, a jar of light oil, and an old sparkplug.

2. Break up an old sparkplug and attach a length of clear plastic tubing to it (make it airtight).

3. Remove all the spark plugs.

4. Stick your thumb in the #1 cylinder spark plug hole. Rotate the engine until you feel pressure on your thumb. That's the compression stroke. TDC is at the top of this stroke.

5. Screw in the sparkplug with plastic tubing attached and insert the other end of the tube into a jar of light oil. Continue rotating the engine. Bubbles will appear until the piston reaches the top of its travel. When it starts down on the next stroke, the bubbles will stop and oil will begin traveling up the tube. Stop at a convenient point and mark the tube. Then mark the crank pulley and the engine body at a convenient spot.

6. Rotate the engine backwards and watch the oil recedes into the jar. Continue rotating. As the piston continues past tdc and downward it will again suck oil into the tube. Rotate the engine till the oil again reaches the mark. STOP! Mark the crankshaft pulley where it lines up with the mark you made previously on the engine. You should now have two marks on the crankshaft pulley. The midpoint of these two marks lined up with the mark on the engine is tdc. Whoa! Almost like finding South with a wristwatch. Boy and girl scouts listen up.

Having trouble finding reliable auto repair shops using the Internet? AutoInc. has ranked hundreds of auto repair web sites to come up with the cream-of-the-crop.

Here’s AutoInc Top 10 Automotive Repair Web Sites:

A.J.'s Auto Repair
Salem, Ore.
http://www.ajsautorepair.com/

Bob Anderson, owner: “Our Web site was specifically designed to allow our customers to interact with the process of obtaining their auto repair needs. We have found that on our Web site, we usually get more accurate and detailed information about the problems they are experiencing than we get at the front counter and it tends to speed up the intake process as well.”

Andrews Inc. of Princeton
Princeton, Minn.
http://www.andrewsofprinceton.com/

Chuck Andrews, co-owner: “We created the site to inform and educate Saab owners or potential owners about their chosen brand and how we can help them. We find that a high percentage of our customers use the site regularly.”

British American Auto Care Inc.
Columbia, Md.
http://www.britishamericanauto.com/

Brian England, owner: “We've only received positive feedback. We're trying to get people to make appointments online. (A Web site) should be part of a whole marketing strategy.”

Hontech Automotive, Inc.
San Diego, Calif.
http://www.hontech.com/

Dave Newkirk, president: “As a relatively cost-free way to market your business, every shop should have a site up and running. With a market increasing in tech-savvy customers, it only makes sense to provide an alternate 'channel' for your existing and potential customers to get to know or do business with you.”

Jerry's Auto Repair
Pullman, Wash.
http://www.jerrysautorepair.com/

Jerry Griebling, owner: “We created our Web site, in part, to function as an 'electronic business card.' It used to be hard for you to be taken seriously in business unless you had a business card. It's the same way today with Web sites. We don't try to bowl our customers over with too much content.”

Martino Brothers
Toronto, Canada
http://www.martinobrothers.com/

Jack Martino, co-owner: “We are very proud of our achievements, including our Web site. We believe that more of our marketing efforts will be spent on this style of presentation. We plan to add a crash of the month, some more of our current events, and update our contest prizes and winners.”

Payne's Automotive Enterprise
Houston,Texas
http://www.paynesautomotive.com/
 
Mickey Payne, owner: “We created our Web site for the benefit of our customers and have found that they really enjoy being able to check the status of their vehicle online.”

Pennsylvania Body & Frame
St. Marys, Pa.
http://www.pabodyandframe.com/

Matt Herzing, owner: “Everything's there - our technicians' qualifications, our equipment, organizations we belong to, the training we have.”

Stop & Steer
St. Clair Shores, Mich.
http://www.stopandsteer.com/

Jeff Berry, owner: “They don't have to call me during business hours to get an appointment, get pricing, or even talk to me about their concerns.”

Studio Auto Repair & Body Shop
Los Angeles, Calif.
http://www.studioauto.com/

Harry Kirakosyan, owner: “It’s the image of our Web site that shows the quality of repair and customer service our shop provides.”

Bugs, sap and tar are a total yuck! A car with these pieces of crap and waste is intolerable! Yes I know, it’s hard to prevent this kind of stuff from getting into our vehicles. But we need to take them away because the dignity and beauty of our cars are being degraded. It’s very easy to get rid of them. All you need is the right tools and the right stuffs, the easy method and, of course, a lot of patience! You don’t have to be a genius to figure the whole process out, you know.

These little monsters are sneaky that’s why we can’t usually notice them stick to our car. And dude, stop smoking inside your car too as it may add to the grayish tar in your car’s upholstery. Anyway, here are the easy steps on how to remove trash out of your car. But I have to remind you once again, just be patient alright? It’s easy, but it doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t shed a little sweat on your nose.

First, you need the right equipments! Get some denatured alcohol (this is available at the hardware store), a soft cloth (terry is recommended for its softness and absorbency) and elbow grease.

Here are the easy steps on how to remove bugs, sap and tar from your car which I got from wikipedia.com.

1. Wash the car thoroughly. Make sure that all dirt is gone. Use a soft cloth to do this, but rinse it frequently in a bucket to remove gravel and dirt.
2. Use denatured alcohol to remove bugs, tree sap and tar. Soak a small soft cloth with the denatured alcohol then hold it for 10 to 30 seconds over the grime to soften it. The larger the affected area, the longer you should "pre-soak" the area.
3. If it's a bug, simply rub lightly with the soft cloth, moving from the outside towards the center.
4. If it's tar or sap, use the "pre-soak" to soften it up. The tar or sap should be sticky. Using the alcohol-soaked cloth, rub towards the center. Do not rub in a circular pattern as you'll only rub the contaminant further into the surface. The goal is to lift the contaminant, not "grind" it in.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for all bugs, sap, and tar, turning your cloth to a clean area for each bug/tar/sap.
6. Rinse the car entirely to remove any traces of contaminants and/or denatured alcohol (most of this will evaporate).
7. You must wax your car after doing this. The denatured alcohol removes all wax and/or car polish on your car, leaving the bare clear coat to be further contaminated. Follow the instructions on the car polish/wax for proper use.

Extra tips:

• Use a soft terry cloth for best results. Make sure to get rid of as much lint as possible by quivering the cloth out a number of times.

To learn more about car maintenance, visit WikiHow.com!

Ehow.com is just the right site to visit if you are looking for some tips on auto repair. I was actually looking for car parts like that Acura RSX coil over suspension kit and head gasket but because they seem to be a little hard to find, it took me a lot of hours looking for these car parts. Thank God ehow.com had tips on how to locate hard-to-find car parts.

The first thing you need to know is the amount of dollars you are willing to spend over these car parts. Original car parts are really hard to find. But you can also use reconstructed and rebuilt car parts but you should only make sure that these parts are made to be quality parts.

If you already visited the nearest car parts shop or browse the newspapers for the auto part you are looking for but you can’t find any, try visiting a reputable site online. Online websites are the best sources of real time and quality auto parts you just need.

You can also visit the local stores or the place where you bought your car. They might be selling the right kind of auto part you need. Classified ads in newspapers and other journals may give you some information as well. Car magazines are best sources of information. Read online blogs and magazines as well - these may contain the information you need.

If you found the best source of your car parts, you should check whether this site or store is selling real time car parts. Ask some of your friends, relatives or better yet, consult a mechanic for you to be able to know whether these sources are selling quality auto parts.

Also look for the following:

• Acceptable condition and price
• Classified ads
• Scrap yards
• Garages
• Dealers
• Auto clubs
• Internet auctions
• Interchangeable parts

Do not over spend on these car parts especially if they are not OE or original car parts. Always look for the best deals so you can also save money.

It won’t hurt if we talk about the simplest things about cars, right? So let’s put aside those VW radiator hoses or that Subaru strut mounts first and let’s try to talk about the basic things about cars… Cleaning your rims the easiest way!

The rims are the reflection of a driver’s appeal and we can’t let our appeal go down the drain because of dirty rims, right? So we need to maintain the beauty and the dazzling appeal of our car especially if it has a totally chromed rim or whether it’s just a plain alloy or whatsoever - we really need to clean them up! Now listen to me as I give you the easy steps on how to clean your car’s rims.

First you need to have in handythe proper tools and equipment for this easy task. Get a spray bottle, Windex® or similar glass-cleaning solution, paper towels and rubber gloves. If these stuff are all set, then you’re ready to clean your rims. So, let’s get it on!

1. First, get a spray bottle of Windex(R) or the same glass-cleaning solution and some paper towels. Place the glass-cleaning solution to the spray bottle.
2. The next simple move you have to do is spray the rim generously with the glass-cleaning solution.
3. Armed with paper towels, wipe from the top down and from the center outwards.
4. Make a finishing pass along the outer lip.

Super simple, right? You can actually do this with your eyes closed! But wait there’s more! I want to give you some helpful tips in order for you to achieve the best results. Okay, so we’re trying to promote recycling stuffs. My advice to you is to try to reuse paper towels to minimize waste. Second, so as to keep your hands away from dirt, always wear your gloves. For best results, try to apply a non-metallic after-market brake pad as a substitute for your glass-cleaning solution.

Well, that’s it for today! Make sure to clean your rims regularly!

When you have a car and you like do-it-yourself repairs, you’ll definitely need auto repair tools. If you are not a professional auto mechanic, you can get away with owning only the basic tools needed for repairs. But before you can use a tool, you must, of course, know what it is for.

One of the most basic tools is the wrench which is also called spanner. But unbeknownst to most, there are a lot of kinds of wrenches. Probably, you only know about the open-ended wrench, the box-end wrench, the combination wrench and the adjustable end wrench. These four are the most common wrenches and I bet that you know what they are.

But do you know what a sink wrench is aside from it being used to fix sinks? Or have you even heard of a golf shoe spike wrench? How about the left-handed wrench? Actually, there’s no left-handed wrench, it’s a non-existent tool that experienced mechanics frequently asked newcomers to look for, kind of a practical joke really.

Anyway, I want to share with you what the sink wrench and the golf shoe spike wrench is. According to Wikipedia:

“Sink wrench: a self-tightening wrench mounted at the end of a torque tube with a transverse handle at the opposite end. Used to tighten tubing connections to washstand valves in ceramic sinks - the nuts are often located deep in recesses. The self-tightening head may be flipped over to loosen connections.”

“Golf shoe spike wrench: a T-handle wrench with two pins and clearance for the spike - allows removal and insertion of spikes in shoes.”

I also would like to share with you other kinds of wrenches you may have never heard of before.

• Podging Wrench or Podger: A steel erecting tool which consists of a normal wrench at one end and a spike at the other, used for lining up bolt holes. In the U.S. often called a spud wrench
• Head nut wrench: a flat wrench with a circular hole and two inward protruding pins to engage slots in the nut. This type of nut is used on bicycles to secure the front fork pivot bearing to the headpiece of the frame
• Slogging Spanner: A spanner (both open and ring types are available) with a block end to the handle specifically designed for use with a hammer. Typically used to release large nuts and bolts where the shock of the impact is useful in breaking rust or paint

If you want to learn every type of wrench there is, you can search Wikipedia for it. After getting to know which wrench is which, the next step is to learn how to use them properly. I would like to help you out but that would have to wait for another day.

Cruising around the city in your car is more enjoyable if you have a high end car audio system. But purchasing one means that you would be shelling out a wad of money, and then you would have to go to an auto technician to have it installed. But if you know how to install a car stereo system to your car, you would be saving a lot of money which you can spend on buying more stuff to upgrade your car’s performance.

In order for you to install a new audio unit to your car, it would be better if you have a background on wiring. Of course, it is needed because you would be dealing with wires and whatnot in installing a new electrical system in your car. You would have to make sure that you connect the car audio system to the power source - meaning, you should not be connecting it to the battery directly.

Here are some tips which I found at this site. In order for you to have an easy job of installing an audio system to your car or any electrical load for that matter, it is essential that you take these tips into consideration:

• Always read the instructions for your new stereo before installing it. There may be something special you have to do, or at least some helpful advice
• An automotive repair guide for your car like one from Haynes or Chilton is a very handy tool for any automotive work
• The easiest way to connect wires it to strip about a half inch of the end of each of them, twist them together, fold the twist down so it is inline with the wires, and then tape the area with electrical tape so no exposed wire is showing. Another option is butt connectors which you insert the stripped end of each wire into and then crimp down, but this can often be hard to do if the wires are inside your dash
• The most common reason a newly installed stereo does not turn on is a bad ground. If you have this problem find some other piece of metal that you can attach the ground to in your dash and try again. Also you can sandpaper the surface of the metal before screwing the ground down to make a better connection

If you want a complete step-by-step guide on how to install a new car audio system, you can visit this site. I hope you find it easy to install a new high-end car audio. Having one would surely drown out all those annoying honks and beeps while driving through a crowded city street.

Replacing a car part is never easy especially if your problem is your clutch. For you to finish the task, you should have the appropriate tools before starting anything.

For the rear-wheel drive vehicle, before you start the transmission, the driveshaft, and the bell housing should be detached under the vehicle so you can dig up the clutch. This one can then be unscrewed from the flywheel and then you can change it.

It is recommended to resurface the flywheel. If the flywheel is distorted, uneven, heat discolored, badly worn, and/or contaminated with grease or oil you have to take it out. If ever the flywheel is broken then you have to replace it with a new one.

If you’re going to replace the clutch, you should have a new throw-out bearing. Remember that it is too dangerous if you are going to use an old bearing. The consequence of that will be that you’re going to get annoyed of the noise and you are not going to be sure how well-equipped that bearing is going to be especially when your vehicle runs long distances. Worse, it can cause accidents or car breakdowns.

The pilot the last part of the crankshaft that chains the transmission input shaft must also be checked. It is indeed necessary to replace it if you think that it will no longer help your vehicle move appropriately.

When it comes to reinstalling the transmission, I can say that it is the most difficult task and part of this job. Why? Well it’s quite heavy!

For you to be assisted, better look for a transmission jack or ask someone to get it for you. Remember you have to make sure that your clutch is perfectly aligned along with a pilot tool. This will ensure that the transmission input shaft will not slip out of place, once the whole thing has been secured all together.

When it comes to a front-wheel drive vehicle, replacing the clutch is trickier. You will be engaged in pulling the engine itself or dropping the transaxle. The only thing that you have to do is to have with you an engine hoist to pull the engine or a lift the engine on top while the transaxle is goes out.

I recommend that you check online what’s the best clutch to fit your vehicle, and if you’re lucky enough, maybe you can get a discount when you purchase it.