Car and Automotive

Playing with the heat settings does no good and a check of the coolant, hoses, and connections reveals that everything is okay. So, what is the problem? More than likely your Ford heater core has died. You jump in your car and head directly over to your Ford dealer to get a price on a new heater core. Within moments you are gasping for air as the man behind the counter looks over his computerized inventory and quotes an outrageously high price. For a moment you don’t know whether to whack the guy over the head or start driving around with a portable heater you plug into your car’s cigarette lighter. Quickly you dismiss either option and decide to take matters into your own hands.

Fortunately a heater core isn’t all that difficult to change yourself. For most cars, a heater core can be reached by pulling out the dash or checking under the hood adjacent to the firewall, locating the unit, yanking it out, and replacing it with a new one. Naturally, you will pay gobs of money through your dealer’s parts department, but you have other options besides visiting the dealer or making a futile

The way this works is by drawing a small current from your vehicle’s electrical system. This is then fed into a reservoir that will contain a mixture of water and a tad bit of baking soda (sometimes a little bit of washer fluid too if it’s cold). Using the electrical current, the water molecules are separated into HHO gas, or Brown’s Gas. This is a very stable, clean burning type of gas compound.

This compound is then directed to your vehicles combustion system resulting in an extremely efficient combination of air / fuel / and HHO gas. This combination burns much cleaner and much more effectively than your ordinary mixture. The result is a dramatic increase in your MPG.

Will it harm your vehicle? Not at all. The mixture actually burns cooler and cleaner, so it will actually extend the life of your vehicle. Will it void your warranty? No again. The hydrogen car conversion is 100% reversible. Any process that is reversible cannot void your warranty. How much water does it require? Not much at all. Just a small 16oz fill of water will last several weeks.

If it runs out, the system will

The most important of these actions can be performed by anyone with the proper equipment and the necessary accessories and best of all it will not cost you over $40. In fact, these tips can be put into practice when it comes to various batteries reconditioning, from car batteries to cell phone and even iPod batteries.

You can even take things further, because if you learn how to recondition batteries, you may even find it to be a profitable business venture on a small scale. There are several things you have to take into consideration when reconditioning a battery.

First, batteries of all sorts, car batteries included, are filled with dangerous acid and proper handling is vital to avoid any accidents. If you injure yourself while reconditioning a battery, consult a medic at once, as many dangerous chemical elements are included in a modern car battery. Batteries nowadays are more environmental friendly than a couple years ago, but they still have components that are dangerous to the environment so dead batteries and batteries’ parts should be disposed of in their proper places.

So let us get started and you will see how easy battery reconditioning

The main cause of having to have a front window replaced is because of cracks that are less than three inches away from the edge of the glass. These cracks can be caused from a rock hitting the windshield and can start out as small as the point on the end of a needle. These cracks can also come from mechanical stress, temperature deviation, or even tension pressure from the interior of the actual vehicle. Front windows may also need to be replaced due to vandalism, weather damage, or cracks that have been ignored and have spread too close to the edge.

The most important thing to remember when realizing that your windshield may need to be replaced is to not wait too long. Your front window is a very vital and protective component of your vehicle. The front glass of a car is there to protect the driver and passengers from anything flying through the air and to hold up the roof of a car. If someone waits too long to have a faulty front window replaced it could shatter or cause some sort of major problem at the most inopportune time, such as when you

The product you choose should be one that doesn’t contain neats foot oil, lanolin, mink oil or any other lard based ingredient, although these are good conditioners, they will have undesirable effects. The animal based products leave your seats feeling greasy and can get on your clothing. So leave the mink oil for the boots. Some people have asked me about saddle soap, well if your trying to soften the leather for tanning, then maybe, but the leather is already tanned, all we are trying to do is replace the oils lost from evaporation not tan the leather. Always remember what you put on the leather stays in the leather.

Conditioning a leather interior of a car is really not rocket science but there is a trick so not to waste your money and effort.

Apply conditioner every 60-90 days depending on the weather in your area, hotter dryer climates need more conditioning. Using a damp microfiber cloth or terry cloth, making it damp keeps to much of the conditioner from soaking into the cloth, or just use your bare hand, it’s conditioner. Start by spraying the cloth or your hand with the conditioner, rub the

For a low pressure condition the first place you should check is the dipstick. If you find that you have low oil levels then your engine can be either burning or leaking oil. A temporary remedy can be gained by adding oil but the problem will continue until you get proper auto repairs to fix the problem. For leaking oil problems you can get new gaskets or seal so the leak will stop. For an engine that is burning oil a wet compression test and/or a leak down test will help determine what the exact problem is whether it be a worn valve and seals or bad engine rings and cylinders.

The pressure sending unit is the next thing you should check if you oil levels are okay. Check the warning lamp or gauge reading once you disconnect the unit. There may be a short to ground in the circuit if the warning light remains lit when it is disconnected. If the gauge reading doesn’t change then you likely have a problem with the instrumentation and not the engine itself.

Just always remember that it is important to check your engine at the first sign of

Laminated Glass

Windshields are made of a completely different type of glass than the rest of the windows found on your vehicle. The windshield uses what is called laminated glass. Used since 1927, laminated glass is created by placing a thin sheet of adhesive plastic between two layers of glass. This transparent plastic is called polyvinyl butyrate, or PVB, and is infused with the glass using extreme pressure and heat. The PVB sheet holds the glass together in the event of impact, and prevents the windshield from shattering. This helps prevent further injury to the occupants that may be caused from the shattered glass.

Tempered Glass

On the other hand, all the remaining windows of your vehicle, including the rear window, are constructed of tempered glass. This tempered glass is manufactured using rapid heating and cooling methods, which strengthen the glass. When the structural stability of tempered glass is compromised, it does not shatter; rather, it breaks into small, pebble-like pieces which are dull, and do not cut like shattered glass.

So what does this mean to you? Well, in a few words, laminated glass is repairable, but tempered glass is not. This is

When you go to an auto repair facility you are essentially paying someone to diagnose and repair your vehicle for you. Even if you have a company that has competent and honest workers you will still have to pay the high cost that comes with auto repair facilities. Today the average labor costs is between sixty and ninety an hour. Only half of what you pay goes to the actual technician.

One scam that is common in auto repair facilities is to charge you a standard “flat rate” estimate for your car. While this in itself is not bad, the problem is some companies will take less than the estimated flat rate time to work on your car and yet still require you to pay the flat rate. The flat rate is supposed to be determined by the year, make and model of your car and the estimated time it will take to do work on that vehicle. The best company will charge you only for the actual time it takes to fix the vehicle.

To make sure you get a good auto repair facility it is best to stick with a company that your family

Major Stores

Pretty much every major auto parts store has an online version, where you can search their entire nationwide database for parts availability, order the part and have it sent to you wherever you are. It’s highly convenient and makes it easy to compare prices. Some major chains that have sites include, NAPA Online, Advance Auto Parts, Auto Parts Warehouse, AutoZone, CARQUEST, Pep Boys and many more. Nearly all of them offer online search and shopping options. Some of them even offer a low price guarantee on certain parts and provide you with news, information, rebate deals and special online only deals.

Manuals & Auto Repair Information

There are many resources online that may help you install your auto part. Check out 10w40 for manuals and information for many makes and models of vehicles.

Auto Forums

You can find information on your make or model of vehicle as well as ask questions and get answers about repairing and maintaining it. You will also be able to talk with other auto enthusiasts. Some popular auto forums are Automotive Forums, AutoForums, CarForums, Autoforum Universe and the forums at Automotive. You may be able to

First, 98 % of ALL service centers are overcharging. This includes dealerships, local shops and franchises. Stating that dealerships charge four to six times higher unfairly singles out this portion of the industry. We need to watch out for every type of service facility. While it’s always easier to focus on the big, faceless name of a dealership, it’s unwise. Your local mechanic who you pass in the grocery store is just as likely to rip you off.

Surprisingly, in many respects, a dealership is often less expensive. To be clear, I am not siding with dealerships. Again, no matter what type of facility one services a vehicle, some type of price-gouging will occur. Having said that, here are some common myths about dealership prices.

Myth One: The parts are more money.

This is not true. Dealers, for the most part, stick to MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) guidelines. Guidelines, as abused as they are, are better than none. Local shops have no guidelines. They can charge whatever they want.

We’ve all been taught that aftermarket parts are less expensive than factory/MSRP parts–this is not true. A frequent “case in point” is air filter

ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COOL

Once you have pulled over and turned the engine off, be sure to turn on your hazards to alert people of your position. This is especially important at night. Keep all car lights on in the evening if you are ever pulled over on the edge of a street. Many people make the mistake of opening their hoods right away and touching the radiator cap; this is a huge mistake! The car engine and radiator will be very hot and can cause second and third degree burns. Always allow your vehicle to cool off for at least fifteen minutes, depending on the amount of time spent driven prior to the break down. This way you can protect yourself from accidents and injury.

CHECK FOR FLUID LEAKS

When the vehicle has completely cooled, check around and underneath it for any signs of leaking. This could indicate a wide variety of issues, from a cracked radiator to a faulty radiator hose. If there is no sign of leakage, take a look at the oil. Remove the dipstick and concentrate on the color. If it is dark brown and sludgy-looking, this means the

Depending on the product, injection services clean naturally forming carbon deposits from the fuel injectors and fuel rails–some will even clean the fuel tank, and valve carbon deposits.

Do they work?
In short, yes. Provided it’s a premium product (such as BG), and the service is performed correctly. Fuel injection services can do amazing things. They can improve fuel efficiency, increase horse power, and repair some performance concerns, although this last benefit is rare.

Whether or not fuel injection services will do all the above “every time” is another story.

I have even seen fuel injection services quiet horrendous carbon knocks–a knocking noise from the engine due to excessive carbon build-up coming in contact with internal engine components.

Are they worth it?
Maybe. It really depends on the condition of the vehicle. If the service achieves any of the advertised claims, it may be worth it. In truth, most cars don’t need it. The consistent use of quality fuel, and proper vehicle maintenance should be all that is necessary to keep a car running properly.

However, consistent use of cheap gas and poor adherence to an auto maintenance schedule, as well as certain

Was it squealing? That could be as simple as the pads wearing down. No big deal, right? Was the pedal sticking? That’s a little bit of a bigger issue because that is a sign of a faulty master cylinder. It is safe to say that if they lock up with just a slight bit of pressure, you need to get to mechanic as soon as possible.

Since brakes are one of the most important parts on a car, you need to be cautious if you notice anything strange. If you can’t stop or slow down, how are you going to drive? A typical car has two forms of braking; the primary one, which is your pedal, is used when the car is running and on the road. While the secondary one is usually referred to as the emergency or parking brake and is used to keep the car stationary, or in case of an emergency. It is important to perform routine check-ups and service your vehicle regularly to avoid having to use your emergency brake.

Assuming your car has drums as opposed to discs, you may need to add shoes to your brake repair to-do list.

Many people doubt the value of a chip repair. Paying fifty bucks for a chip repair that is barely the size of a nickel seems unreasonable. However, most do not realize that the windshield is very fragile to internal stress. It may look impenetrable, but when subjected to road and temperature stress, the chip can easily become a crack. Searching recent forums, an Acura owner’s tolerance of “an annoying little rock chip [had] finally become a long streak across the middle of [his] windshield.” (1)

Your Windshield

As with all things, let’s begin with the basics.

Windshield glass is a type of laminated glass. It consists of two layers of special composite glass with a laminate in between the layers. The laminate usually is made from a form of vinyl plastic, which is in simple terms, a very strong plastic. The laminate acts as a sticking board for the inner and outer layer of glass, which serves to hold both layers together and provides a surface in the event of shattering for glass fragments to adhere to.

A black frame, referred as the ‘frit’, lines the outer edges of the windshield, commonly 2-3 inches

Checking your Engine Oil, Transmission Fluid, Power Steering Fluid and Brake Fluid levels

The first thing is to locate your dipstick, in a manual vehicle there is only one, but an auto will also have one for the transmission fluid so be sure the verify which one it is engine oil before filling. (It should say on the top). It is usually colored plastic knob that is formed into a loop or has a rounded top that your finger can fit through to make it easier to pull out.

Use a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe the end clean so you can inspect it and tell where the fill and empty lines.

Insert the dipstick back into the engine, then pull it out again. The dipstick will go down into the engine sump and tells you how much oil is there.

You can then read how much oil is there. The ideal oil level is at the full mark. If the oil is above the halfway mark it is safe to leave it as there will be enough oil, but take note of this and check the level again after a few

First, determine what the problem is. Are they dim, not working at all, hard to see with at night, have water inside, failed inspection? If they don’t come on at all either you have a burned out bulb or an electrical problem. An electrical problem can be expensive and very labor intensive to fix – but they are usually vary rare. So lets first look at the bulb. The bulb unscrews out of the back of the headlight lens on most newer cars (on older cars with glass headlights the whole lens is the bulb and you just replace it with a new glass replacement $10 – $20 at Walmart). After removing the bulb, look at it. Does it look burned out? Is it black, melted, discolored? If so, replace with a new one. You can purchase replacements at your local automotive store or Walmart for under $20. Insert the new bulb or bulbs and make sure not to touch the glass part of the bulb with your fingers – the grease we emit on our fingers will cause the bulb to wear more quickly or even blow. After installing the bulb try the lights. 99% of the

Many consider a catalytic converter to be a godsend. With pollution levels ever climbing, the U.S. government acted to reduce harmful pollutants in a step to clean up the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency was formed by the Nixon Administration and the agency was instrumental in passing the Clean Air Act to help America control pollution. Since 1975 virtually every passenger vehicle has come equipped with a catalytic converter.

As helpful as catalytic converters can be, they can be problematic. Besides failure, which generally goes unnoticed until your vehicle flunks its next inspection, it is the intense heat of the unit that can cause problems.

If you work on your own vehicle, you need to let your car cool down completely before working near the exhaust system. Catalytic converters get very hot, as hot as 1800 degrees, and any burn sustained from touching a hot converter can be very dangerous, even deadly.

Motorists have also learned that a catalytic converter can be a fire hazard. For the past three decades police and fire department reports have indicated that many car fires have been started because a motorist parked their car over dry leaves. Even when