Thursday, October 29, 2009

Online Car Repair & Maintenance





Just how important is car repair and Maintenance? Do we really need to spend money on our cars? Can't we just put gas in it and drive it forever? The answer to these questions can best be answered with another question. How long do you want to be able to drive your car?



Without proper maintenance your cars life may be short lived. Sure, if you are just going to trade it back in at the end of your 36,000 mile warranty you can just put gas in it and drive it. But with today's economy there isn't to many people buying new cars. So I guess we are going to need to be able to rely on that car for a good while yet and that's where proper car repairs and maintenance can help insure reliability for a long time.



The basics are simple: change the oil regularly, rotate your tires, check your fluids and filters. How often should you do this? Mary says her dad told her that he heard from a friend that you only need to change your oil every 7,000 miles. Well, Lets refer to the above question, How long do you want to be able to drive your car? You can change the oil every 7,000 miles but the engine probably won't last much longer than 120,000 miles before the sludge costs you an engine ($5000.00). You should change your oil every 3,000 miles to insure proper engine lubrication and not worry about the engine for up to 500,000 miles. But, Mary said he owners manual said she could wait longer....  That may be true, but lets think for a minute. The owners manual comes from the manufacturer who is only going to warranty the engine for a short period of time. After that your on your own and the manufacturer only makes money if you have to buy another car..... I think you get the idea. When you have your oil change is perfect time to rotate the tires and check your fluids. Car Maintenance can and will save you money in the long run and help your car deliver many years of reliable driving.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

2001 Chrysler Intrepid battery light on





I went to a mechanic a month ago and replace the alternator because my battery light came on.  After about one month, the battery light came on again.  I went to the same mechanic and he said that the oxygen senor is faulty.  If I unplugged one oxygen sensor and I did not fix that one oxygen sensor. Will the car still run and won’t shut down?  What are the problems that the car might cause?



Response:



the battery light coming on has nothing to do with an oxygen sensor. I would suggest going to a different shop and having it retested.

An Oxygen sensor has nothing to do with the battery light. If you unplug an oxygen sensor it will still run but have bad gas mileage and the check engine light will come on.



Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I have a `99 Chevy S-10 4.3X with a P0300 code

I have a `99 Chevy S-10 4.3X with a P0300 code. Multiple cylinder misfire. Also a P0171 and P0174 - system too lean banks 1 and 2. I`ve tried to fix the misfire problem with no luck. New plugs, wires, Distributor cap and rotor, coil and control module. Engine does miss but is drivable. The other two codes I have no idea what to look for. What can I do to fix these problems.



A P0300 OBD DTC code indicates a random or multiple misfire.

•Faulty spark plugs or wires

•Faulty coil (pack)

Monday, October 19, 2009

Hybrid Electric Car Models

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) use two or more energy conversion technologies. This is usually a combination of a conventional engine with extra batteries driving electric motors.



Hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) use “two or more energy conversion technologies.” Often, this means coupling an internal combustion engine (ICE) with a secondary source of stored electrical power such as batteries. The different power sources are then used separately or in tandem to deliver an optimum combination of power and fuel economy. The objective that has led to the development of hybrid vehicles involves delivering every greater fuel economies as the amount of allowable harmful emissions trends towards zero.



There are a number of different types of hybrid vehicle that have been released onto the market. Here is a sample of some of those HEV types. Not all of these models will have been made available outside of the United States, and those that have been released may be known by a different name in other regions.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Hybrid system components





A permanent magnet brushless motor/generator is mounted adjacent to the engine. A smaller motor/generator replaces the engine flywheel. The motor control unit controls the delivery of electric current to and from the battery and the electric motors.



The internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle is designed to operate only within its most efficient operating range, typically between 2000 and 4500 rpm. Its construction has lighter internal components than would otherwise be required, resulting in an efficient engine with low friction qualities. It may also incorporate other fuel efficient technologies such as shutting down selected engine cylinders, multi runner intake manifolds, and throttleless intake manifolds. Read more

Monday, October 12, 2009

Find the Free Auto Repair Manual You Need Online Now

You can easily get a free auto repair manual for whichever repair need you might have. You need an internet access and have to follow a certain procedure searching for auto repair manuals, but when you have done this procedure a few times it will be very easy to find the right instructions for do it yourself auto repair and it won't cost you a dime. Just go to http://freeautomechanic.com/repairmanuals.html



The place online that you can get automotive repair manual information FREE !!! Just submit the vehicle information you want and we will email it to you. We can not, of course, send you a full blown copy of a repair manual due to copy right laws and publisher disapproval. But, we can send you specific sections or parts of a manual.This is a free service that is here to help those that need it. As this is a free service it receives an overwhelming amount of requests and may take up to a week or longer for a response

Thursday, October 8, 2009

What should you expect when driving a Hybrid Car





When the vehicle is moving off from a stationary position, and when travelling at low to moderate speeds, the main electric motor/generator drives the vehicle. At these speeds the internal combustion engine operation is less efficient and is normally used only to charge the battery.



During normal driving, the combustion engine starts and drives the generator & the power divider. Power from the generator is used to drive the electric motor. The motor control unit controls the power divider so the drive remains at its most efficient.



When accelerating, as well as using power from the combustion engine, the control unit draws power from the battery and directs it to the electric motor/generator, providing more power to the wheels than the combustion engine could supply on its own.



During deceleration and braking the combustion engine is <  Read More >

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

battery went dead I jumped battery, now only the alarm comes on when turning the ignition





I have a 1997 Ford Explorer and the battery went dead. I jumped battery, now only the alarm comes on when turning the ignition. alarm goes off, but engine won't even turn.



Answer:



Buy a new battery or charge the one you have. Remove old battery or disconnect the one you have. Turn ignition key to the "on" position and leave it there while you connect the new battery or charged battery. Start car.





With the key being on when you connect the battery the computer knows its OK to start.

Monday, October 5, 2009

ABS Light is on and I don't want to spend anymore money to fix it





I have a 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 with the ABS Light on. The codes say both speed sensors are bad in the front. I replaced both spend sensors and the light is still. The shop wants more money to look at it and I don't want to put anymore money into it. Is there a way to just unplug the bulbs so that I don't have to see the light?





Answer:

Yes and No. This truck does not have bulbs, it is equipped with LED lights. But you can take the dash apart and remove the circuit board from the gauge cluster and clip one leg of the LED and it will no longer light up. I do not recommend clipping both legs in case you want to reconnect it later.

Friday, October 2, 2009

AC heater blower only works on 2 speeds





I have a 1991 Toyota Camry and the heater or AC blower only works on two speeds. I looked for the fan blower motor resister but could not find it...the fan speed works on the 2 higher speeds only.



Response:

The resistor is located under the blower motor housing. It can be removed by removing the 2 holding screws. Review the diagram above for reference.