A simple search engine search

We all love search engines and this is how many of us find what we are looking for. If you’re in need of a particular fix for your car, go straight to the search engine. For example, let’s say you own a 2005 Honda Civic, and something is wrong with the brakes. If you do a simple search for “2005 Honda Civic brake problems”, you’ll get thousands of results.

The great thing about search is that you’re able to narrow it down to your particular problem, rather than scour though hundreds of pages in a book. This will make it a lot easier for you, and cause a lot less stress for you.

Now, keep in mind that these websites, and videos aren’t always going to be the greatest, but it may give you a great idea on where to start. If you’re having problems finding what you’re looking for, you may want to just go out to the store, and get the manual yourself. You’ll find that these manuals today shouldn’t cost you more than $25 max.

The first step in making sure you can properly change a tire is having the proper tools in your trunk. Every vehicle should have a jack, tire iron and a spare tire in the trunk. Without these, it is impossible for you to replace a tire and be on your way. Be sure to look over the jack and the tire iron and test out their function beforehand so you know how to use them when a flat tire occurs. You may wish to purchase a larger tire iron than what came with your car that can give you leverage and allow you to exert more force when attempting to unscrew the tire bolts. Periodically inspect your spare tire to make sure it is properly inflated.

You may also need to carry a brick or a wooden plank in your trunk, especially if you do a lot of winter driving. You can use these items to place under your vehicles tires for traction and prevent it from sliding in the snow.

Other items that are often overlooked are a blanket and work gloves. A blanket and a pair of gloves can help keep you clean as you’re kneeling on the ground and changing a tire. You certainly wouldn’t want to show up to a wedding or another important function full of roadside dirt and grease.

If a flat tire or blowout occurs while driving, calmly make your way to the shoulder and pull over far enough to maintain a safe distance from passing cars. Retrieve your tire changing items from your trunk, including the jack, tire iron and spare tire.

Place the jack in the correct spot under your car. Most cars have notches etched into the underside frame that are there to let you know where to place the jack. Using the jack in these notches will help ensure your car won’t roll away or be damaged from uneven weight distribution. You may want to use your blanket to lie on as you check where the notches are located.

If your tire has a hubcap, remove it and place it face down next to you. Use the tire iron’s wedged edge to pry it off if need be. Then use the tire iron to remove the nuts that are holding the flat tire in place. Again, this may be difficult, but if you have a long pipe attached to the tire iron, you can get leverage. Keep working at it until all the nuts are removed. Place the nuts inside the hubcap so you don’t lose them.

Now that the nuts are removed, remove the tire from the wheel base by pulling it toward you. Put the flat in your trunk and get it out of the way. Then place the spare tire on the wheel and re-screw the nuts back into place. Make sure they are tightened as much as possible, using the tire iron to screw them in.

Lower the jack and put all the items, including the hubcap and the brick or wooden plank (if you needed it), back into the trunk. You can be on your way with your spare tire properly installed. However, spare tires are usually only rated for speeds up to 55mph for a short period of time, so be sure to have a new tire replacement as soon as possible.

In the meantime, knowing how to properly change a flat tire will allow you to get on your way quickly when the situation arises. Be sure to have all the tire-changing items in your trunk before any trip and you won’t need the assistance of a fellow motorist or a tow truck.

Some are intimidated by working on a car, but the truth is most maintenance can be simply and easily performed with a relatively basic set of tools and bit of determination. The tools on this list will allow you to perform 90% of tasks associated with do-it-yourself auto maintenance and repair:

Socket set

A decent socket set will save you countless hours of struggle and frustration. You don’t have to break the bank, but be sure to get a standard set for your American car and a metric set for your foreign car.

Box wrench set

Box wrenches are the ones with a closed end and an open end. They’re incredibly handy for bolts that can’t be reached easily with a socket.

Screwdriver set

You’ll need screwdrivers to remove all kinds of parts like a fan cowling, mud flap, or door panel. Be sure to get a set with both slotted and Philip’s head variations.

Oil filter wrench

This is easy to overlook, but changing your own oil is one of the best ways to save money maintaining your car, and doing it without an oil filter wrench is ridiculously difficult.

Jack and jackstands

When you’re under 2 tons of steel changing the oil, having a hydraulic jack to lift it and four solid jack stands holding it securely in place makes all the difference.

Mini crowbar and mini sledge

You’ll be surprised how often you need a crowbar to leverage a pulley while you change a belt, or how often that sledge will help you loosen a rusted bolt.

Torque wrench

There are bolts on your car that need to be tightened to a certain level of torque. A torque wrench, which when set properly, literally breaks away at the right torque. Besides, you’ll look cool using it.

Wire brush, utility knife, and pressure gauge

These are for small maintenance tasks such as cleaning your battery terminals, cutting hoses, and checking tire pressure regularly.

Most auto tuning is carried out as a means of personalizing a standard-issue vehicle to suit the preferences of the owner. Sometimes this involves the addition of a body kit to improve the car’s appearance. Other car tuners may remove the standard-issue seats and replace them with bucket, or racing, seats. There are also flashier versions of gas, brake and clutch pedals for cosmetic and/or racing purposes.

Auto tuning can also be carried out to improve the performance of the car. Fuel economy can be improved this way, and tuning may serve to provide more power at high revs, or revolutions, per minute. Most of the time comfort is sacrificed in efforts to improve the handling of the car. Performance modification includes making changes to the aerodynamic on the exterior of the car. This involves changing side skirts and front and rear bumpers or adding spoilers, splitters, air vents and lighter tires.

There are some legal limits imposed on car tuning. Some countries require construction standards that ensure the car provides the driver and passengers with the maximum level of safety. Young drivers on probation, or P-plate holders, may also be restricted from driving modified vehicles. Some countries require body kit parts be approved for safety issues, while others have restrictions of the location and type of modified lights that an owner can install on his car.

While car tuning may be carried out in relation to auto racing, most performance cars are modified for the owner’s own pleasure. For him or her, the experience of owning and driving an improved vehicle outweigh competition.

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Now there are better engineering designs and materials used in the automotive manufacturing process. This has resulted in a decrease in customer complaints because new car parts have been noted to have substantially less problems with leak malfunctions.

Keep Engine Leaks at Bay

For those of you that may be unfamiliar with the basics of engine seals here is a list of what a car engine needs in order to be leak-free.

1. Motor oil

2. Proper compression

3. Fitted gaskets

4. Intact seals

5. Engine coolant

6. Fuel

Understanding Engine Seals

Most of the seals that protect your car engine are designed with double lips so that the motor oil can not leak out. One of the seals is designed to contain the oil, and the other is meant to stop any debris from contaminating the oil system. Although these lipped seals do not move they still have a big job to do because the car parts that they are surrounding are in motion. This is why many automotive techs refer to these car accessories as dynamic engine seals.

You will find dynamic seals used on car parts that are either rotating or belt driven. Two examples of these are crankshafts and camshafts. These are crucial elements for your car engine and it only takes a small leak to create a great deal of damage. An oil leak from a camshaft seal can result in ruined valves and timing belts which are both costly repairs.

How Leaks Begin

Small bits of grit, dust and road dirt are always flying about the exterior of auto engines. If there is a small opening in any seal it can allow some of these contaminants to adhere to the inner surface. Then as the shafts are moving they are being abraded by these particles’ sharp edges.

The constant motion of these rotating and belt driven car parts will soon cause small grooves to form along the sides of the shafts. Now the integrity of the seals and shafts are both compromised. Once these irregular grooves have formed on the metal surfaces, leaking will soon follow.

Fixes for Seals

There are times when worn metal surfaces can be repaired instead of being replaced. Some mechanics are able to grind and weld the shafts until the surface area meats the necessary specifications. There is also a slip-sleeve that is available for some front crankshafts. This product is a fine metal covering that can be applied to the damaged area and will then cover the grooves. These are both elaborate and high priced technical projects that are only suggested for ultra expensive vehicles. Car parts such as engine seals and shafts can be replaced at a more affordable cost.

Gaskets and Engine Leaks

In the past a lot of car accessories and engine parts used gaskets that contained cork. The cork would work for a while but it deteriorated at a relatively quick pace. This material would stop a leak by swelling up and forming a tighter seal, but only after a small amount of oil had leached into the gasket.

Another type of engine gasket was made from RTV silicone and this could create a secure seal but only under special conditions. The silicone base meant that it had to be applied to an engine surface that was absolutely clean and free of any oily residue. Many mechanics had trouble getting the metal surface prepped to these exacting specifications.

Most of today’s new gaskets are made form synthetic rubber compounds. These engine gaskets are reliable and are much less likely to form a leak. This is the type of gasket that is preferred by knowledgeable mechanics and auto enthusiasts.

Gasket Seal Problems

When placing gaskets onto surfaces it seems that many auto techs and mechanics tend to tighten them too much. In order to address this problem there are some newer designs that use metal spacers. These spacers are actually in the gaskets which helps prevent the over tightening seen in the past. Newer car parts such as the cast aluminum engine covers and those made from plastics have also been responsible for protecting gaskets from this common problem.

There are also some gaskets that are more likely to be the source of engine leaks even if they have been properly installed. A car’s head gaskets and those used on the intake manifold are the ones that should be checked first if an engine leak is noted.

Internal Manifold and Head Gaskets

Engine compression, coolants and oil all depend on an intact head gasket seal. The intake manifold gaskets that are on cars are responsible for insuring the integrity of coolants, gas and diesel fumes and air. If these seals are damaged, or compromised you are assured of having leaks from your car that are going to be noticeable.

Engines and Aluminum Car Parts

The fact that so many engine car parts are now made from aluminum is an additional problem. Because of this metal’s expansion and contraction the gaskets must be allowed some movement allowance. This means that a mechanic needs to make sure that when the repairs are done the gaskets are capable of allowing for the movement of internal car parts as the temperature and weather changes.

Torque to Yield Bolts

Gaskets are internal car parts and they are placed in areas where bolts are going to be required. A mechanic can use incorrect bolts or too much torque and this will result in gasket failure. In this type of situation there could be a compression leak or coolant leak from head gaskets as well as warping of the heads. To prevent this from occurring most auto shops are now using the type of car engine bolts that are known as “torque to yield”.

Check and Repair Engine Leaks

No matter how old, or new, your car is you will need to check on any type of coolant engine leak. Just 2-3 tablespoons of an antifreeze liquid seeping into the oil compartment could ruin some vital car parts. Antifreeze and oil is a mix that can ruin the bearings in any car engine.

If you do not want to take your car to a garage you can handle the situation yourself. Certainly there are many different products that you can use to repair gaskets and seals. Your mechanic or auto supply store can help you find the right one for your vehicle. Just remember if you are doing the repairs yourself you need to make sure that you are using a quality product and applying it correctly. Follow the specifications and make sure to clean the surfaces properly and have exact alignment before making the repairs.

How often should you change the coolant in your car? It depends on the make and model. A hard working engine like in a Mini Cooper needs changes done sooner. A Toyota Tacoma, on the other hand, can go a bit longer. Actually, Toyota owners are famous for never changing their coolant!

You don’t want to just change your coolant. You want to flush the system to get the best result. This is a very simple process. That being said, you need to plan ahead or you’ll run into trouble. First, you need to buy the recommended coolant for your car. Second, and this is important, you need to figure out the amount of coolant from your owner’s manual and have containers for double this amount. This will make sense in a minute, but just understand you are going to need a lot of containers.

The first step in flushing your system is to find the drain valve for the coolant system. Place a large container under it, open/remove the valve plug and let gravity do its thing. When the flow ends, close the valve. At this point, you want to fill the radiator and system with water only. Leave the radiator cap off. Fire up the car and let it run for 5 to 10 minutes. Watch the dash for any warning that the temperature is going up above where it normally is.

Once done, it is time to drain the water. This is why you need so many containers! You want to repeat the previous draining process. When done, close the drain. Now you are ready to put in the water/coolant mixture called for by the manufacturer. It is usually a 50/50 mix, but check to make sure. Once the system is full, slap the radiator cap back on and fire up the car. Now go for a short drive until the car is up to temperature. Park it and look for any leaks underneath just to be safe.

That’s it. You’ve just flushed you radiator and coolant system without spending $80 down at the local tune and lube shop. Make sure to dispose of the old, toxic coolant and the flush water in a safe manner.

False Estimates
This scam happens when mechanics give you a low initial repair estimate, only to hike up the costs when you come to pick up your vehicle after repairs have been done. The excuse for the extra costs will usually be that new problems were found during the work and they needed immediate fixing. Most people end up paying the hiked up price because they have no way of verifying the legitimacy of the mechanics’ claims. Get all estimates in writing and signed to avoid falling victim to this scheme.

Shady Highway Shops
Car shops located along the side of the road cater to car owners whose automobiles break down in the middle of the highway. They will sometimes charge exaggerated prices and bill you for extra repairs because they know that you’ll likely pay the extra money rather than get stranded in the middle of the highway.

Hook Deal Scams
When auto shops advertise ultra low or free deals on oil changes or tire rotations, their plan is to get you in for the low-cost/free service and then convince you to purchase more expensive repair services based on the recommendations they come up with after inspecting your car. Dishonest mechanics will sometimes make up problems or cause them themselves in order to get your money. If a suggested repair doesn’t seem right, get a second opinion before agreeing to the job.

Unnecessary Part Replacements
Some mechanics will try to convince you that a part of your car needs immediate replacement, when in fact the part is not broken and works just fine. To avoid falling victim to this scam, always ask to see the part that supposedly needs replacing. If it doesn’t look broken, get a second opinion. And ask to keep the old part to make sure that a replacement was actually performed.

Along with making money on the finance interest rates, car dealerships make a tremendous amount of money on the sale of extended warranties. Sometimes, you really don’t know what you’re buying. You don’t know if the warranty that you’re buying will cover your air conditioning system or if it will only cover the internal parts of an engine. He can get really confusing and finance managers are very good at confusing you when it comes to the types of benefits that you are actually purchasing.

When you can compare the exact benefits that are offered by various extended warranty companies, in the comfort of your own home, you are better able to make an informed and educated decision. Used car extended warranty contracts are very good things to have, but you should take time to make an educated decision and make sure that the warranty that you are choosing is one that you really need and is giving you the best value.

Used car extended warranties that are sold through car dealerships are sold at an inflated price that can be 400% to 500% more than the actual cost of the warranty if you were to purchase a direct. You can save a lot of money by comparing quotes from multiple companies without having to actually apply for anything.

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Regardless of how many miles are on your car, you can save a lot of money on repairs by buying an extended service contract for your car and by buying it direct you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars versus buying it through a car dealership.

Most people only even think about extended warranties for a car when they are sitting in a dealership finance office and it is being offered to them. The fact is that 90% of people could avoid hundreds and thousands of dollars in both the cost of an extended warranty as well as an unneeded repair bills if they simply knew where to go and what to do. There are companies that can offer you an extended warranty for a new or used vehicle regardless of when you bought it or you bought it from.

Unlike health insurance and life insurance, there is no background check on your car. If you’ve had transmission problems or other costly repair bills and your vehicle is now in good working condition, you can inexpensively buy an extended warranty that will cover the cost of small and major repairs. It’s not expensive and can be the best hundred bucks you’ve ever spent.

There are legitimate companies that can offer you a real value in a solid contract that will pay 100% of major repair bills with no deductible. The same used car warranty that you would pay $1000 for a car dealership can be purchased for a small fraction of that amount if you purchase it directly. It’s a great way to save money and to be protected from outrageous repair bills.

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Take into consideration that some companies can offer you coverage with no deductible for major repairs while, other companies will have very high deductibles. You should always read the fine print in any service contract offer as there are many stipulations and things that can be deceiving.

You should also consider what level of coverage that each company is offering. This is were it can get confusing for some people. Some contracts will offer bumper-to-bumper coverage that cover everything that a new car warranty covers, there are some companies that offer an intermediate level of coverage that covers major repairs with the addition of smaller items, while others only cover the basic powertrain.

Just like life insurance, used-car extended warranty quotes can be deceiving. Fortunately, there are legitimate companies that want you to understand what they offer. The most convenient way to discover the details and to make a good decision based upon facts is to use an online comparison website that will give you quotes from multiple companies all in one place. This is convenient, fast and allows you to see exactly what cost you for an extended warranty on any vehicle with any mileage. Always remember, read the fine print.

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