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A rough idle and poor fuel mileage means the vehicle needs a tune up. Once, this may have been so, but it is not true anymore. A ‘tune-up’ will not fix these issues on any modern vehicle or show any performance improvement.
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With auto repair, the flat rate system, is socialized pricing. This archaic method is remotely similar to the way they bill for health care costs. Rather than eliminating waste, the majority are over billed, to subsidize the inefficiency.
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Good technicians learn early, to find problems often requires a closer look than the senses provide. Tools and equipment provide this insight. They reveal things we cannot know without their use. One tool, every serious technician will need in their arsenal, is a good dial indicator.
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Many persistent myths about vehicles continue to circulate. Some are harmless though without merit. Other falsehoods continue to cause harm even decades after they were first introduced.
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Today’s automotive bolts are deceptively complex, and mistakes can be costly. Why do we have fine and coarse thread bolts? What is a torque-to-yield fastener? Knowing these answers may help prevent a disaster.
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With so many demands on today’s technician, the fundamentals of bolts and tightening can get neglected. Everyone knows about torque and specifications, but this is only the beginning. They scatter information and sometimes finding it is difficult. This guide may answer some basic questions about bolts and proper tightening techniques.
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To solve a vibration, we must know what causes it. With so many possible causes, people often waste a great deal of money on trial and error. Using a few simple methods eliminates unnecessary expenses and leads us to the problem quickly.
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The idea of direct injection, for gasoline engines, has been around for quite a while. Many newer vehicles offer it and marketing states it is the wave of the future. Direct injection offers greatly increased performance, but not without a cost.
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The cross-headed type screw is everywhere. They replaced slotted screws, in all automotive applications. Many people are frustrated trying to tighten or loosen them. Stripped heads, and gouged work and sore fingers abound. The key is in knowing, that a Phillips screw driver may be the wrong tool.
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New vehicles are available in a greater variety than ever. Countless options and features separate the different models. Some features please folks looking for them, and aggravate others who are not. Too many choices can be worse than not enough and deciding is harder than ever.
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Manufacturers build vehicles with water resistance in mind. They can operate in a variety of wet conditions, such as heavy rain. Driving through standing water is another matter. It is not of matter of how much water it takes to damage the vehicle. It is shocking how little water it takes to cause considerable damage.
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The idea of ethanol, as a motor fuel, is not new. Henry Ford’s 1896 Quadicycle ran on grain alcohol or ethanol. Early Model T Fords run on ethanol, gasoline or a blend. The U.S. Army even produced and used ethanol as a fuel, in the 1940's. Because of the overwhelming advantages that pure gasoline offers, ethanol virtually disappeared, until recently.
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Evaporative emissions or EVAP systems, vent fuel tanks and help contain fumes produced by fuel. Self-testing is mandatory. Chrysler uses pressure, rather than a vacuum to tests their systems and this can create problems unique to them.
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Evaporative emission systems perform a few simple functions. Venting the fuel tank when needed and disposing of the fumes are the primary purposes. They use an incredible amount of complexity to address these tasks, largely due to Government regulation. This leads to many check engine lights, perhaps more than any other system on the vehicle.
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The red brake warning light, on Jim’s wife’s car is on. Saturday morning Jim checks the vehicle and finds the rear-wheel cylinders are leaking. A big part store on the corner has the cylinders. Several hours later, everything is fixed. Two weeks in the future, the light is back and now the rear brake locks up on application.
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Joe replaces the spark plugs in his vehicle. Next day, the check engine light comes on. The plugs look fine, so he replaces the plug-wires. A brightly glowing indicator says the problem is still present. Cap and rotor replacement shows the same result. Joe is slowly learning a lesson about cause and effect. Proper diagnosis is simply far less expensive than other methods.
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Oil change intervals are one of the most disputed topics in the automotive field. Recommendations from 3,000 up to 20,000 miles are common. Mileage recommendations, without regard for long-term results, are irresponsible. Driving conditions and not mileage, determine oil change needs.
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Automotive suspension component attachment is a critical safety issue. When failure occurs, the result is catastrophic. Problems normally result from incorrect service procedures. Understanding the design is crucial when repairing the suspension.
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People see things in different ways, but most agree turbulent times are ahead. It is not likely the situation will improve under the current government policies. People are not helpless, and changes can improve our situation vastly.
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Filling my vehicles with fuel, is something I really dislike. Not only is it expensive, I also find it inconvenient. This creates a temptation to make either of two major mistakes. I like to get the most miles per tankful that I can. This requires care, because there is damage when we run a fuel tank too low or when we overfill it.
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Doctors use many tests to check an individual’s health. A thermometer can show a fever, but lack of a temperature does not necessarily mean good health. The same is true with automobiles. The lack of diagnostic trouble codes does not mean the engine is healthy. A cylinder compression test can give much useful information.
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The best value in a used vehicle, is three to a five-years-old. Maximum depreciation has reduced the cost and even with minimum maintenance, these vehicles are still in very good shape. More years mean a lower price, but also more potential problems, if maintenance is not current.
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Buying a vehicle is a big decision and a gamble. New or used, risks are still a part of the equation. Many current vehicles have inherent problems, from poor design, excessive complexity and low-quality components. Often, a well inspected, used-vehicle is far less problematic.
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Single or unique-misfires occur on an identifiable cylinder. The power control module marks these with a suffix to the P0300 code. P0307 or P0302 suggests misfires on cylinders seven and two respectively. With such a symptom, the cause is unique to the cylinder named.
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P0300 series codes indicate an engine misfire. They can be very mysterious, and expensive if not addressed logically. With a few simple tools, a little thought, and these tips, most enthusiasts can cure the engine misfires.
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Battery powered, hybrid taxicabs are a common sight in Manhattan today. This may seem high-tech, but in the late 1890's gasoline-powered vehicles were the exception. Battery-powered electric vehicles outnumbered gasoline engines, by a considerable margin.
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Today cars are a part of life. Imagining a time before them is hard. In the late 1890s, things were different. Names like Chevrolet, Chrysler and even Ford, mean nothing concerning motorcars. This is a brief glimpse into that time.
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The truck cranks over but will not start. On General Motors vehicles a bad fuel pump is common and often the first guess. Sometime it is the cause, other times not. It’s an expensive mistake to guess wrong. These tips will greatly increase the odds of being right.
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Vehicles do not always travel in a straight line and wheel alignment must also be correct when turning. Stopping premature tire wear is not as simple as a wheel alignment. Dynamic wheel alignment must be considered when diagnosing tire wear.
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A new set of premium tires wears out in just 20,000 miles. The wheel alignment shop says everything is okay, but is it? Why would tires continue to wear though the alignment is set?
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The portable generator prevents a great deal of hardship during power outages. Many households, in the hurricane prone regions, use these devices. As handy as they are, generators can also turn deadly if misused.
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Insurance is a tool, that allows people to assume a necessary risk, by spreading their cost over a wider basis. The costs can be significant, and sometimes minor changes can mean major savings.
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Many folks have asked for our recommendations for storing their portable generators, now that the storms have [hopefully] ended. We hope the following general recommendations will be of help and of use the next time they are needed.
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Almost everyone would like to save money on having their vehicles repaired. This is possible by taking time to find and learning how to "work with" the right shop. A little knowledge goes a long way, in winning the auto repair game.
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On examination, the integral bearing reveals no bolts attaching it to the knuckle. These bearings are pressed into place with tremendous force. The force necessary to install these bearings can quickly destroy them, if not properly applied.
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When a wheel starts to lock, rotational speed is decreased. The reduction of speed is detected by the wheel speed sensor. This information is interpreted by the electronic brake control module or EBCM. Being an electrical device, the EBCM cannot control the hydraulic brakes, without help.
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Anti-lock braking systems, in one form or another, have been on automobiles since the early 1970s. Today they are on most vehicles, yet there is a great deal of misunderstanding concerning their purpose and operation.
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It would be great if car makers could install a system that would warn the driver of a problem, before it turned into a major repair. A light could come on to advise folks that things were about to go wrong.
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Doing the needed maintenance on a vehicle extends the life and decreases breakdowns. It is not always easy to remember when things need to be done. AGCO has a new service that promises to make this much easier.
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When the flat head V-8 engine was introduced in 1932, it was simply known as the Ford V-8. The revolutionary one-piece casting made eight-cylinder power available, in a cost-effective production engine. The rest is history.
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Up-selling is a common marketing method. With a bargain burger, extra fries and an apple pie are not too big an issue. People can clearly see what they are getting and the price is low, even after the up-sell. Automotive up-sells are a whole different matter.
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Whether repairing a vehicle or just doing maintenance, people sometimes need to purchase automobile parts. This can be a daunting task to the uninitiated. Even seasoned do it yourself types can benefit from knowing a few tricks used by the pros.
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Many folks believe that a long-lasting, trouble free set of tires ends with selecting a quality brand. Actually selecting a quality tire is only the beginning. Shockingly, a new high quality tire can be quickly ruined by improper installation.
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When an air conditioner suffers a failure, proper repair will be expensive. An improper repair will be vastly more expensive. Diagnosis, cleanliness and a full repair are the keys to a long-lasting repair.
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Air conditioner leaks are one of the most common failures. Proper repair can be expensive, but will only need to be done once. Improper repair will cost many times more and cannot sometimes be fixed.
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Two things most people know about automotive air conditioning are, it is hard to live without, and repairing it is expensive. The next few articles give increasingly more complex ways of checking and servicing air-conditioning systems in vehicles.
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When the battery and cables are good and a vehicle will not crank, a few simple procedures can often help isolate the problem.
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Not cranking and not starting may seem like the same thing. They are very different situations, from a standpoint of repair. This Detailed Topic is designed to help those, without special equipment or training, understand the engine cranking system. A later topic will address the issue of not starting.
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Mark Twain once wrote, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Much common knowledge about vehicles falls into this category. Here's a short list of things that just ain't so.
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The lead acid battery has been used to start cars for many years. They are dependable and affordable sources of electric power. They are also lasting less time than in the past, for several reasons. Understanding how they work can help extend their lives.
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