Repair And Fix it

The reverse light in your Nissan Frontier is in the lower position inside the rear combination light assembly. When the reverse light burns out, you should replace the bulb quickly for your own safety on the road. Buy a 921 bulb from an auto parts retailer or Nissan dealership and change the bulb at home to be back on the road in minutes.

Instructions

1

Lower the tailgate of your Frontier. Locate the two mounting screws on the inside edge of the taillight assembly. Remove the screws with a Phillips screwdriver.

2

Slide the taillight assembly out and away from the bed of the truck. Grasp the lower bulb and pull it straight out of the assembly.

3

Push the new bulb into place. Align the taillight assembly in the mounting area. Insert the two mounting screws and tighten them with the screwdriver.

4

Repeat the process to change the bulb on the other side. Close the tailgate.

The Volkswagen Passat oxygen sensor controls the amount of fuel burned by the engine. If the oxygen sensor is failing, the car will run rich, burning extra fuel and decreasing your fuel mileage. Volkswagen secures the wiring for the oxygen sensor using cable ties to prevent damage to the electrical wires from the exhaust pipe. When an oxygen sensor fails, it must be replaced. Find a new sensor at an auto parts store or Volkswagen dealer.

Instructions

1

Raise the front end of your Volkswagen Passat and secure it on a set of jack stands. Remove the jack when the jack stands are secure to provide room to work.

2

Locate the oxygen sensor between the manifold and the catalytic converter. The sensor will be protruding from the exhaust pipe with an electrical connection at the top. Pull the wiring harness free of the electrical connection.

3

Remove the cable ties on the harness, making note of where they go. You will need to replace the cable ties in the same locations to protect the wiring from exhaust damage.

4

Remove the oxygen sensor from the exhaust pipe using an oxygen sensor socket and a ratchet. Replace the sensor with a new one. Thread the new sensor in by hand to start so you do not cross thread the sensor. Tighten it with an oxygen sensor socket and ratchet.

5

Torque the oxygen sensor to 41 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

6

Replace the cable ties on the wiring and reconnect the wiring harness to the electrical connection on the sensor.

7

Raise the car and remove the jack stands. Lower the car to the ground.

The clutch is one of the most important parts of any vehicle, letting you shift gears and adjust your speed. When your Nissan Frontiers clutch is working properly, you get the most control out your truck especially while you are driving out in the open roads. All clutches, however, will need replacement at one point or the other. Once your Nissan starts to screech and grind each time you use the clutch, you need to either replace a defective part in your clutch system, or replace the entire clutch system with a clutch kit.

Instructions

1

Lift the truck. Use a hydraulic jack to life the truck. If your truck has a front wheel drive system, lift the front wheels. If your truck has a rear wheel drive system, lift the rear wheels. Support the weight of the truck with a jack stand.

2

Remove the axle. Unscrew the bolts that keep the driveshaft to the differential with a wrench. Once the bolts are removed, you can slip the driveshaft from the universal joint in the differential. Make sure that the wire caps on the universal joint and the driveshaft do not hit the ground, because impact can damage the sensitive pieces. Place a pan underneath the transmission tail housing to protect your floor from dripping transmission fluid.

3

Unwire the harnesses. Unscrew the housing on the transmission and remove any wires that keep the transmission harnessed. Mark all of the wires so that you know where to connect them after you are done fixing the clutch. Also remove the starter which is connected by a wire to the transmission.

4

Support the engine. Place a jack stand under the engine, so that you will be able to take the transmission mount out of the cross member. Once the cross member is free, you can remove the bolts around the transmission bell housing. This will allow you to pull the transmission from the rest of the engine. Do this until the pressure plate is revealed from under the input shifts.

5

Remove the transmission. Unscrew the bolts that keep the flywheel attached to the pressure plate and then remove the transmission fully. Make sure that the flywheel is not damaged, otherwise it needs to be replaced. Also be sure to wipe the crankshaft flange clean.

6

Replace the clutch. Attach the new pressure plate onto the flywheel. Once attached, you can insert the clutch disc and then tighten using the appropriate amount of torque indicated in the packaging of the clutch replacement kit that you bought. Add a bit of grease on the bearings so that you can add the release bearing to the clutch disc.

7

Put parts back in place. Insert the transmission back into place, until the shaft from the transmission enters the hole in the clutch disc. Install the bell housing again using bolts, and then gently lower the truck back onto the ground.

An auto body repair or restoration project can often come to a sudden halt if welding is required. Welding requires extensive specialist knowledge and expensive equipment that many enthusiasts might not have. There are also instances where auto body panels cannot be repaired by welding because of fire risks. This leaves car enthusiasts with little choice but to find an alternative method to execute the repair and there are some simple fabrication techniques that provide excellent results with the need for welding.

Instructions

1

Take a P80 sanding disc and place it onto the pad of a random orbital sander. Sand the damaged area thoroughly until a surface of bare metal has been exposed around the repair. Ensure that an additional two to three inches of additional exposed metal is sanded back beyond the area to be repaired. Paint edges should be feathered out to assist with the priming process at a later stage.

2

Mark a square two inches outside the damaged area with a metal scribe. Drill a half-inch hole into the middle of the square to allow access and use an air-fed nibbling tool to cut out the square, making sure that the guide stays just within the confines of the scribed line.

3

Take a panel flanging tool and create a flange around the cut area of the auto body panel. The flange needs to be deep so that the addition of a metal patch will produce a flush surface. Apply a light coating of zinc spray to all bare metal as a means of protecting against corrosion and while this is drying, find a suitable piece of scrap metal in the same gauge as the auto body panel and cut out a patch that will fit exactly into the flanged recess. Use a piece of cardboard to act as a template if required.

4

Lay the metal patch into the flanged hole and secure into place on the corners with masking tape. Take the drill and make a series of holes through the patch and the flanged area, making sure the patch stays in place. Two to three holes on each of the four edges of the square will be sufficient. The holes need to be big enough to accommodate the rivets you will be using in the next stage.

5

With the patch still held in place, insert rivets into the holes and activate the rivet gun so the metal patch is secured to the flanged recess. Complete all the way around the square until every hole has a rivet attached to keep the patch in place. Use a panel hammer to tap down any high spots and to ensure the heads of the rivets sit below the surface of the auto body panel.

6

Apply a coat of galvanized body fill over the repaired area. Leave the filler to dry then sand down with a flat block and P80 grit sanding paper. Several applications of body filler may be required before a completely flat surface is assured.

Misfires are a common problem among cars, particularly older ones, when a lack of spark, fuel, air or compression occurs. Diagnosing and fixing a misfire takes skill because of the multiple components involved in the control of just one necessary element of combustion. Modern cars such as a 1996 Saturn have an on-board diagnostics system that can help find the source of the problem quickly if one is detected by a sensor. Misfires are characterized by a rough idle, reduction in power and poor riding comfort at speed and require immediate attention to avoid serious engine damage.

Instructions

1

Open the hood and disconnect the negative terminal from the battery using a wrench. Set it safely aside.

2

Hook up an on-board diagnostics scanner to the Saturns on-board diagnostics II port. This is usually located under the drivers steering wheel column on either side. Turn the car to accessory and enter the scan mode of the scanner. Search for codes indicating injector, fuel or air delivery failure and replace components as necessary. Also scan for oxygen sensor codes giving higher than normal readings; these indicate a possible spark delivery problem.

3

Remove the cylinder 1 spark plug with a socket set and check it for discoloration using a spark plug color chart. Dry plugs indicate a lack of fuel, while wet spark plugs indicate a lack of spark. Replace the spark plug with a new one, ensuring to coat the threads in anti-seize compound.

4

Inspect the cylinder 1 spark plug wires from the distributor to the spark plug for cracking and exposed metal. These change the resistance in the wire, causing spark failure. If replacement is necessary, order an entire set and replace all spark plug wires to maintain uniform resistivity to all cylinders. Also check the distributor for signs of wear and replace as needed.

5

Remove the cylinder 1 injector connector at the wiring harness and inspect for corrosion or wiring damage and repair as needed. Check the resistance of the injector by attaching multimeter clips to the injectors metal connectors and turning the multimeter to the 200-ohm setting. Compare with the manufacturers specification for that particular injector to ensure the electrical components are working.

6

Reinstall the cylinder 1 fuel injector clip. Remove the entire fuel rail with the injectors attached and coil wire. Turn the car over with the fuel rail off and inspect the spray pattern of the cylinder 1 injector. If a fine spray does not come from the injector, have it professionally cleaned or replace it.

7

Run a compression check whether the misfire continues. Use a compression tester specifically for car motors. Poor compression indicates a leak in the cylinder and will most likely mandate a check of the valve train or an engine rebuild.

First produced in 1968, the Ford 460 used a pair of one-piece exhaust manifolds to direct the engines exhaust gases to the exhaust pipes. Between the cylinder head and the exhaust manifold is a gasket designed to prevent exhaust leaks. When the gasket fails, often a puffing sound can be heard as the exhaust gases leak out of the manifold. More often than not, however, the first indication of a manifold leak is the strong odor of dangerous exhaust gases inside the vehicle. For this reason, a new gasket should be installed immediately.

Instructions

1

Remove the exhaust manifolds securing nuts or bolts with a socket wrench and with an open-end wrench. Although the design of the 460s exhaust manifold remained the same throughout its production, there were variations of its fasteners. Some manifolds used only retaining bolts, while others instead featured studs and nuts. With either design, both types of wrenches are necessary to remove the fasteners. Use the open-end wrench to access the fasteners that the socket wrench cannot access.

2

Pull the exhaust manifold off the cylinder head to access the manifolds gasket. Tap on the bottom of the manifold with a rubber mallet to dislodge it if the manifold is stuck.

3

Peel the exhaust manifold gasket off of either the cylinder head or the manifold, depending on which surface the gasket adhered to. The portion of the gasket which failed can be identified by a black burn mark.

4

Position a new exhaust-manifold gasket onto the manifold or, if the engine instead features studs, slide the gasket onto the studs and against the cylinder head. The 460s exhaust-manifold gasket is self-sealing, meaning that gasket sealant must not be applied to the gasket.

5

Place the exhaust manifold against the cylinder head, then tighten the exhaust manifolds fasteners to between 30 and 35 ft-lbs. of torque with a torque wrench.

If you happen to live in an area where salt is applied to the roads during the winter, your Jeep Wrangler will eventually develop rust holes. Unfortunately, these holes will get worse unless you patch them. The only permanent way to deal with rust corrosion is to replace the part; however, if youre short on cash, a few other options are available that require only a bit of time and money.

Instructions

1

Locate the rust hole. Sand several inches around it down to bare metal with the rotary sander.

2

Place a metal patch over the hole. Overlap the hole at least one inch in all directions.

3

Apply a generous layer of body filler over the metal patch. Flatten and allow it to dry.

4

Sand the patch smooth and paint it.

If a BMW radio is disabled, it is important to take the correct steps to fix it or the radio will not function properly. If a vehicle is stolen or if the battery dies and/or is replaced, the radio on the vehicle will reset and become disabled. This safety function is in place to deter potential criminals from stealing the vehicle and is meant as a safety mechanism for the owner.

Instructions

1

Locate the vehicles personalized radio code in the cars manual. The radio code is usually located on a small white sticker on either the front or back cover of the owners manual.

2

Place the key into the ignition and turn the vehicle on. Turn on the power button for the radio.

3

Use the station preset buttons to enter the radio code into the system and press and hold the "Volume" button to complete the code. If entered correctly, the radio will become enabled and ready to use normally.

A cars engine is the beating heart of its overall functioning, and engine bearings contribute to its core operation. If the bearings become worn and eventually fail, the engine itself will stop as well.

Identification

Engine bearings work along with the crankshaft and connecting rod to allow the pistons to move up and down through its rotation. If the bearings seize, the pistons stop working, shutting the entire engine down.

Features

Engine bearings are typically replaced, not fixed. The cause of the failure can be lack of oil, overheating or even debris. Since it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of failure, it is recommended to replace all bearings to ensure proper functioning.

Considerations

Another reason for overall replacement is the consideration of labor costs. The cost of repairing a bearing, as opposed to simply replacing it, can be much more due to the time involved for a mechanic to physically take it apart and reassemble.

Side mirrors are an important part of every car. These mirrors allow you to safely view behind and to the side of you as you drive. However, side mirrors are easily damaged, since they stick out from the sides of the car and can be cracked or broken. Side mirrors are so important when driving that replacing a cracked side mirror may help you avoid accidents. The glass portion of your side mirror is easy to replace in just a few hours.

Instructions

1

Purchase a replacement mirror for the side mirror on your car. These mirrors can be ordered online or from an auto parts store.

2

Carefully pry the cracked or broken mirror from the side mirror plate. Wear gloves to protect yourself from the broken glass. Use a small flathead screwdriver to pry up the pieces of the mirror. Scrape remaining glue from the side mirror with a utility knife or adhesive remover.

3

Load a tube of silicone caulk into a caulk gun. Cut the top off the tube and spread a quarter-sized amount of the caulk onto the side mirror plate.

4

Press the replacement mirror gently into place on top of the silicone caulk. Tape the mirror in place with masking tape. This will hold the mirror while the caulk dries.

5

Allow the silicone caulk to dry for approximately four hours. Remove the masking tape and clean the mirror prior to use.

If the auto transmission cooler lines are leaking in your Ford Mustang, you will need to replace them with new lines. Your transmission cooler lines are hoses running from your Ford Mustangs transmission to the radiator. These hoses are used to transport hot transmission fluid to the radiator. Once the fluid gets to the radiator it will be cooled down for recirculation throughout the engine. If your cooler lines are leaking, it will ultimately result in a low level of transmission fluid. Insufficient levels can cause severe engine damage due to overheating and grinding gears. Plan on about one hour of time to repair these lines.

Instructions

1

Move the car to a level surface. Jack it up onto two jack stands. Allow for at least 30 minutes for the engine to cool before going underneath the vehicle.

2

Find the transmission drain pan underneath the vehicle. This large metal pan will be surrounded by bolts. Position your collection bucket below the drain pan. Unscrew the drain bolt in the middle of the drain pan using the socket wrench. Allow the drain pan to empty for 10 to 15 minutes. Screw the drain bolt back into the center of the drain pan.

3

Identify the transmission cooler lines, which run from the transmission to the bottom of the radiator. Determine the number of lines your car has, typically one or two. Utilize a flare nut wrench to remove the nuts connecting the hoses to the transmission and the radiator.

4

Replace all old lines with new hoses. Utilize the same nuts to reattach the lines to the vehicle.

5

Open the hood and find the transmission dipstick. Remove and put a funnel into the tube. Fill with the proper amount of transmission fluid as indicated in the owners manual. Remove the funnel and replace the dipstick before closing the hood.

In an automobiles exhaust system, there are several types of flares. One is used at the end of an exhaust pipe to join another pipe. The other, an applied flare, is usually used for aesthetic purposes while also producing increased thrust as the accelerator is depressed. A leak at the junction between two pipes, when a flare is involved, can result in differing compression rates.

Safety

Many people consider replacing any part of a vehicles exhaust system to be a relatively easy procedure, consisting mainly of removing one pipe from the bottom of the vehicle and replacing it with a new one. While for the most part this may be true, its also important to consider that the exhaust system on a car removes the heated air from the engines combustion system. This means that its used to remove super-heated air from the engine. Taking this into consideration, the engine and the exhaust should be turned off long enough to have completely cooled before any part of the car is worked on.

Leak Location

The first part of fixing an exhaust leak, especially at a flare, is locating the leak at its point of origin. Almost anyone can tell an exhaust system is leaking, but unless there is an obvious hole in a pipe, the leak often cant be readily spotted. The inexperienced mechanic may end up applying sealant to a point that isnt actually leaking. This is not only wasteful, but it can also actually increase the compression created through the leak, in turn, increasing the noise created by the leak.

Sealant Requirements

Once the leak has been located, the next step is to determine whether or not the leak point requires some form of hardening sealant to be fixed. If the connection between two exhaust pipes isnt secured tightly enough, it should be fitted properly before any type of sealant is applied. If the connection or the junction point between the flared end and the smaller pipe or the flared tip and the muffler outlet is tightly secured and still leaks, then a hardening sealant can be applied at the junction of the flared end and the smaller pipe. Once this process is complete, the sealant should be allowed to completely cure before the vehicle is turned on.

A titanium header is part of a motorcycle located on the exhaust. Some headers are made of steel, while others are made of titanium. Titanium is the most expensive type of exhaust, but it is also the lightest. Since a titanium header is the lightest of any type of header, it can be bent back to its original shape even if you have seemingly ruined it.

Instructions

1

Remove the titanium header from the motorcycle. This will make the process of bending it much easier and you will be able to get a better grip on it. Locate the bolts holding it in place and loosen them with an adjustable wrench. Turn the bolts counter-clockwise with the wrench to remove them from the motorcycle.

2

Pull off the titanium header by hand and set it aside. Wipe it down with a clean rag. Remove all visible dirt and debris from the surface of the titanium header. This will make it much easier to bend and grip.

3

Locate the bend or dent in the titanium header. Turn the header over and hit the titanium on the bend or dent with a rubber mallet. Have a helper hold down the titanium header while you strike it as hard as you can where the dent or bend is located.

4

Strike it repeatedly until the dent pops back in. If there is still a bend in the titanium header, bend it back by heat. Plug in a heat gun and position it 4 inches from the surface where the bend is located. Move it back and forth near the bend until the titanium heats up.

5

Put on gloves and form the titanium back to its original shape. Grip it on both ends and carefully pull it back to exactly how it used to be. Reattach the titanium header with the same bolts.