Repair And Fix it

Its not difficult to time a four-stroke. Youll need to make a habit out of checking the ignition timing mechanism. This is a vital part of figuring out the present state of your engine. To begin a four-stroke engine timing check, all thats required is access to a single spark plug.

Instructions

1

Locate the magneto. The magneto is the section where each plug wire converges. Select the closest cylinder to you. Assign that particular cylinder as the main cylinder. Locate the center of the compression stroke. Take off the spark plug and remove it from the cylinder.

2

Put a finger on the spark plug hole. Use the wrench against the crank bolt. Now turn the wrench clockwise. Take the pencil and place it into the hole. Push it forward until the tip of it reaches the top of the piston. Move the crank forward and backwards to locate the highest point of the piston. The cylinder will be dead center. Switch out the wire and spark plug.

3

Locate the erence mark on the crankshaft pulley. Place marking tape on the crankshaft pulley. Clamp down on the spark plug wires inductive pickup. Make certain that it goes to the main cylinder. Clip down on the positive battery terminals red wire. The negative battery terminal should be place on the black wire.

4

Turn on the engine. The timing light should now be pointed at the crank pulley. Do this while the engine idles. Shut off the engine. Put another mark onto the pulley. This mark should correspond with the second mark. Start the engine again.

5

Confirm that the second pulley marking tape section aligns with the marking tape lines on the engines block. Shut the engine off. Detach the vehicles timing light. The degree wheel should now be placed on the crank pulley.

The location of the vehicle in winter will affect the type of oil chosen during colder months. Hawaii, for example, stays relatively warm all year and therefore there is less need to change oil weight with the season. Consulting the owners manual for the specific vehicle will reveal what the manufacturer recommends (for instance, the owners manual for a 2001 Honda Civic recommends using 5W-20 oil year-round, but 5W-30 is acceptable if 5W-20 is not available).

Numbers and Letters on Oil

The numbers on motor oil show the oils viscosity rating and range from zero to 50. The oils weight is the "viscosity index" on a scale up to 100 degrees Celsius. The lower number, often followed by a W for "winter", corresponds to the oils ease of movement during colder temperatures. The higher numbers correspond the the oils thickness and ability to maintain that thickness even at higher temperatures. Numbers such as 5W-30 have a wide range, from below -30 degrees to over 100 degrees.

Age of the Vehicle

Older vehicles, whose engines have high mileage, are often recommended to use or switch to an oil that is thicker. This will help limit the noise produced by older engines, as well as reducing the overall oil-consumption by the vehicle and prolong its life. The improved lubrication of the engine helps protect it from wear due to long-time use and age.

Regional Differences

Many newer vehicles, less than 20 years old for example, are recommended by manufacturers to use one type of oil year-round, such as the 5W-20 in a 2001 Honda Civic. If the location, however, suffers extremely cold winters (temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, for instance) local auto parts stores and mechanics will have regionally-appropriate recommendations for oil weights. Not all manufacturers will account for such temperature extremes in the owners manuals so consulting local experts will prove helpful.

The 1986 Ford F150 shipped from the factory with two four-wheel drive hub options; automatic locking hubs and manual locking hubs. With manual locking hubs, you need to get out of the vehicle and manually lock the front hubs before the truck will engage the four-wheel drive. With automatic locking hubs, all you need to do is engage the four-wheel drive with a lever and they will automatically lock within a few revolutions of the front wheels. While automatic locking hubs are a nice feature, some owners actually prefer the manual locking hubs because they are less prone to malfunctioning due to their simpler design.

Instructions

1

Stop the truck shift it into park, or first gear for trucks equipped with a manual transmission. Apply the parking brake.

2

Exit the truck and rotate the locking switch at the center of the wheel hubs to the lock position. If your truck doesnt have these switches, then you have automatic locking hubs and can skip this step.

3

Shift the transmission into neutral. Move the four wheel drive selector lever to the left, then down into your desired four wheel drive range. Use 4-LOW for low speeds below 15 miles per hour and increased torque. Use 4-HI for driving at road and highway speeds.

4

Shift the transmission back into drive, or first gear for trucks with a manual transmission. Release the parking brake, then drive forward 20 to 25 feet to engage the four-wheel drive hubs.

The Quad 4 series of engines by General Motors had four cylinders with four valves per cylinder. They were in production from 1987 to 2002, and appeared in various GM vehicles from this period. The 2.4-liter version of the Quad 4 engine was an option on the Chevrolet Cavalier from 1996 to 2002. The procedure for replacing the fuel injectors is generally the same for all Quad 4 vehicles.

Instructions

1

Open the filler cap on the fuel tank to relieve the pressure in the fuel tank, and disconnect the electrical connector from the fuel pump. Start the engine, and allow it to idle until it stalls.

2

Crank the engine for three seconds at a time until the engine fails to start. This ensures that the fuel system is completely empty. Remove the negative battery cable with a socket wrench. Attach the electrical connector for the fuel pump, and fasten the filler cap to the fuel tank.

3

Disconnect the resonator for the air cleaner with a socket wrench, and detach the fuel lines from the fuel injectors. Disconnect the electrical connectors for the camshaft position sensor and the fuel injectors. Detach the vacuum line from the fuel pressure regulator.

4

Disconnect the mounting bolts for the fuel rail with a socket wrench, and remove the fuel rail from the intake manifold. Twist the fuel pressure regulator back and forth to detach it from the fuel rail, and discard the O-ring on the fuel pressure regulator. Release the retaining clips from the fuel injectors, and remove the fuel injectors from the fuel rail.

5

Coat the new O-rings for the fuel injectors with engine oil, and mount them to the new fuel injectors. Install the new fuel injectors to the fuel rail, and attach the retaining clips to the fuel injectors. Connect the fuel rail to the intake manifold, and tighten its mounting bolts to 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

6

Mount a new O-ring to the fuel pressure regulator, and install the regulator to the fuel rail. Tighten the mounting bolts for the fuel pressure regulator to 53 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.

7

Attach the fuel lines to the fuel injector, and plug the electrical connector into the fuel injector. Connect the vacuum hose to the fuel pressure regulator, and attach the electrical connector for the camshaft position sensor. Install the resonator for the air cleaner with a socket wrench.

8

Connect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Turn the ignition switch on for two seconds, then turn the ignition off for ten seconds to pressurize the fuel system. Check the vehicle for fuel leaks.