Thursday, October 31, 2013
Safest Way to Look for Vacuum Leaks
When your car engine hesitates, rattles and shakes when you idle, it might be the result of air entering your engine. This will cause your car to run inefficiently and is typically caused by a vacuum leak. Finding the vacuum leak in the safest manner possible can be tricky, because it can be caused by a broken or cracked vacuum line, a leaking manifold, a leaking carburetor gasket, loose or missing carburetor crews, and open carburetor fittings.
Instructions
- 1
Start the vehicle and leave the engine idling. Maneuver your hand over the choke housing, cupping it to create an artificial choke.
2Notice the idle speed after cupping the choke housing. If the idle speed increases, you have a leak.
3Take a length of vacuum hose and place it by your ear. Place the other end near the running engine, and listen for the leak. Make sure you dont come close to the fan or the fan belts.
4Mix cleaning solvent with auto transmission fluid, about 50-50, in a garden sprayer or a similar device. Spray this mixture all around the intake gasket. Youll notice an increase in engine speed, if a vacuum leak is present -- along with white smoke coming out of the tailpipe, from the automatic transmission fluid.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
How to Look Up Ford Part Numbers
Ford is a domestic auto maker that produces a range of commercial and consumer level of autos and trucks. Many of the parts that go into these vehicles are proprietary to the Ford vehicle. Ford uses alpha-numeric indicators for these parts; these numbers assist with looking up the proper parts for the particular Ford in question. If you need to locate part numbers for a particular Ford vehicle, get the Fords Vehicle Identification Number, also called the VIN and enter it into Fords online part locator.
Instructions
- 1
Open the driver side door of the Ford vehicle. Look to the side of the drivers side door to find a series of letters and numbers. This is the VIN. Some Ford models have the VIN under the hood, next to the battery.
2Log onto the Internet and direct your browser to the Ford Parts website (see Resources).
3Enter the VIN of the Ford into the VIN information box. Wait for a list of parts for that Ford, along with the Ford part number indicator.
4Go to a Ford dealership that has a maintenance and service department if you do not have access to the internet. Bring the VIN of the vehicle and give it to the desk clerk in the service and parts department. Ask the clerk to print out the parts number you need for the Ford vehicle.
