Repair And Fix it

Some car owners wonder if a vehicle can operate without a power steering pump belt or if this function is safe. Not replacing a PSP belt may save money and hassle at first, but it will eventually cause huge problems.

Function

The movement of the engine drives the PSP belt. The belt then transfers engine power to the PSP itself, which puts power steering fluid under pressure. This pressurized fluid amplifies steering wheel movement to make steering the car effortless.

Removal

Removal of the PSP belt stops the pumps function, and eliminates power steering. Technically, a car could be driven without a PSP belt, but its not a recommended practice.

Warning

With power steering disabled, the steering wheel becomes much less responsive and more difficult to operate. Without the circulation of power steering fluid, the steering mechanism will lose lubrication over time, ultimately causing the entire steering system to fail, endangering the life of the driver and others.

When a car is leaking power steering fluid, the leak needs to be found and repaired in order to keep the system working properly. Power steering fluid leaks can allow moisture and other contaminants into the system, which can cause further damage.

Leaking Seals

One of the most common sources of leaks in a power steering system is old seals that have dried out and shrunk. Power steering stop leak additives are designed to soften and swell older seals, causing them to seal the leak. These additives are inexpensive and easy to use to correct minor leaks.

Lines and Hoses

Power steering lines and hoses carry pressurized power steering fluid from the power steering pump to the steering rack. The lines and hoses can become damaged and cause a leak. Car owners should inspect these caully looking for splits, cracks, and kinks. Lines or hoses that are leaking should be replaced.

Worn Parts

The power steering pump and other parts of the power steering system can become worn or damaged and cause leaks. To identify the leak, wipe clean the power steering system, then observe it while a helper starts the motor and turns the wheels. These leaks will require the replacement of the defective part.

If the power doors on your Toyota Sienna stick or stop responding, you may need to recalibrate the doors by resetting the power door system. You can reset the power door system at home to save the time spent at a dealership service center. Resetting the system will reprogram the battery and computer chip so that the doors respond to the door controls.

Instructions

1

Press the sliding door control button on the Siennas dashboard so that the red line on the button is illuminated. Close the sliding doors.

2

Raise the hood of the van, and disconnect the negative ("-") battery cable with a wrench. Wait 3 to 5 minutes, then reconnect the cable.

3

Press the "Open" button on the remote key fob to open the sliding doors. Close the door. Wait 10 seconds, then open the door with the remote again.

4

Close the door, and wait 10 seconds. Open the door with the remote a third time. Once the third cycle completes, the power door battery is reset.

Dodge Dakotas use a rack-and-pinion power steering system. This system uses a pump to drive power steering fluid to the rack-and-pinion. A pulley that runs on the accessory drive belt powers the pump. If the pulley is damaged, the pump will not move fluid into the steering system and the pulley must be replaced. In order to replace the pulley, you must first remove it from the power steering pump.

Instructions

1

Locate the diagram on the underside of your hood that depicts the drive belt routing. Use this diagram to help locate your idler pulley. This will be the lower of the two pulleys on the far right.

2

On the left-hand side of the idler pulley assembly, locate the tension adjusting bolt. Using a wrench, loosen the bolt until you can move the idler pulley assembly enough to relieve tension on the drive belt.

3

Locate the power steering pump pulley. This is the uppermost of the two pulleys on the far right, located above the idler pulley. Remove the drive belt from around the pulley.

4

Place the pulley puller on the power steering pulley. Place the arms of the puller behind the pulley and align the threaded end with the center of the pulley. Turn the nut on the shaft by hand until it is tight.

5

Place a socket and ratchet on the bolt head end of the pulley puller. Hold the ratchet in place and place a wrench on the nut you hand-tightened in Step 4. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to move the threaded shaft into the power steering pulley.

6

Continue to turn the nut until the pulley comes loose from the power steering pump. Remove the pulley from the engine compartment and turn the nut clockwise until the puller shaft comes free of the pulley.

The Power Stroke is Fords top tier diesel truck engine that can generate as much as 800 foot-pounds of torque, thanks to a turbocharger. This device is a turbine that is powered by the exhaust gases to push more air into the combustion chambers. By increasing the amount of air in the engine, the combustion process is made more powerful and efficient. However a turbocharger may eventually need to be replaced, since it is subjected to high pressure that can damage parts like turbine blades.

Instructions

1

Turn of the engine and engage the parking brake. Open the hood and place a step stool next to the engine compartment to make it easier to reach the components. Put drop cloths over the fenders to protect the finish. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery to prevent a short circuit.

2

Remove the clips holding the cover of the air filter housing and remove it. Unbolt the bottom of the air filter housing with a wrench and pull the plastic shield out. Unscrew the air intake line O-ring clamp from the front of the turbocharger. Pull the air line off and place it to the side. Unplug the ECU wire from the side of the turbocharger and place it out of the way.

3

Unbolt the turbocharger from the down pipe that leads to the front of the V-8. Then unbolt the turbocharger from the exhaust manifold on the top of the diesel engine. Pull the turbo out caully because it is heavier than it looks. Place the new turbocharger on the exhaust manifold and thread the bolts in by hand. Then thread the bolts in on the down pipe by hand. Once all the bolts are in then wrench the bolts down flush. Plug the ECU wire in on the side of the turbocharger.

4

Place the intake pipe on the front of the new turbocharger and screw the O-ring clamp down tight. Replace the air intake housing and reattach its bolts. Replace the air filter and snap on the top of the air housing. Reconnect the battery cable, remove the drop cloths and close the hood.

Power steering ers to steering assisted by a hydraulic pump, a pulley belt controlled by engine speed, a rotary valve device and steering gears. There are two types of power steering: rack-and-pinion steering and the recirculating-ball steering.

Steering Wheel

The steering wheel is a wheel controlled by the driver of the vehicle. When the driver turns the steering wheel, the wheels of the vehicle turn. The steering wheel is the user-controlled part of a power-steering system.

Rotary Valve

A rotary valve is a device that senses the forces applied on a steering wheel. It is part of a spool valve assembly. The rotary valve has a torsion bar. Force applied to a torsion bar causes it to twist and rotate the inside of the spool valve. The top of the torsion bar in the rotary valve connects to the steering wheel. Depending on the steering system, the bottom of the torsion bar connects to the worm gear or the pinion, which turns the wheels. When the spool valve turns, a port opens and allows steering fluid to flow to the appropriate lines. The lines connect to the power cylinder.

Rotary Vane Pump and Pulley

A rotary vane pump provides the hydraulic power for the power steering. The cars engine along with a belt and pulley run the pump. Retractable vanes inside a chamber of the pump spin and force hydraulic fluid to the outlet for the rotary valve. The pump runs faster when the engine is running faster. Higher engine speeds create higher pressure on the fluid flowing to the outlet. The pump also has a pressure-relief valve that opens if there is too much fluid pumping, such as with high engine speeds.

Steering Gear: Rack and Pinion

The steering gear turns the wheels. In a rack-and-pinion steering system, the pressurized fluid pushes on the power cylinder mounted on the rack. The resulting changes in pressure from the fluid moves the rack, making steering easier. The rack is a long metal piece with a flat side. On the flat side there are teeth cut into the edges. A steering shaft connects the steering wheel with the rack. A pinion gear on the end of the shaft connects with the teeth of the rack. On each end of the rack is a tie rod, which connects to the spindle of the wheels.

Steering Gear: Recirculating Ball

In a recirculating-ball system, steel balls roll between the steering shaft and the rack piston. With assistance from the hydraulic system, the rack piston moves up or down on a worm gear to turn the wheels.

Return Line

The return line directs the fluid from the power cylinder back to a reservoir on the pump.

Harley introduced Road King dressers with an 82 cubic inch Evolution engine in 1993. The models were sold with 88 inch Twin Cam engines beginning in 1999, and since 2006 the model has been shipped with 96 cubic inch Twin Cam power plants. The current model weighs about 815 pounds. They are designed for long distance travel so riders who do a lot of touring are often concerned with gas mileage. After performing basic stage one power upgrades, more power always equals poorer gas mileage. There are, however, a number of suggestions for improving power without seriously degrading mileage on the road.

Instructions

1

It is common to call the first necessary power improvements to any new Road King the "Harley tax." The Motor Company inhibits the respiration of new motors to better meet government clean air goals. The first power improvement you should make is to your Road Kings air intake. Replace your stock air cleaner with a high flow air cleaner.

2

If your motorcycle is carbureted, rejet your carb, remove the factory installed air-fuel mixture plug on the bottom of your stock carburetor and fatten up the mixture slightly. If your bike has Electronic Fuel Injection, replace your EFI module with an aftermarket model or at least have your stock EFI remapped by a competent technician. Research done by Harley-Davidson in 2007 showed that Road King horsepower could be increased by about 9 percent by remapping alone.

3

Install a high performance, two into one exhaust. What the engine breathes in it must also breathe out. Installation of an efficient exhaust system can also add another nine or ten percent to your engines horsepower. Two into one exhausts help maintain equal back pressure in both cylinders. Replacing your Road Kings exhaust is a basic job you should have no trouble doing yourself.

4

If you spend most of the time on your Road King touring, you should consider a replacement cam or cams. Cams control the flow of air into and exhaust out of your cylinders. They also influence the power range of your bike. If you spend most of your riding time going 80 miles an hour through the wide open spaces you want your Road King to make power most efficiently in that power band.

5

Consider replacing your stock cylinder heads with aftermarket cylinder heads. Head design and porting is a craft that is difficult to perfect with mass-produced products. The shape and finish of your heads greatly effects efficiency of the explosions in your engines. Bigger bangs mean more power. Most after market head makers and porters claim power increases of up to ten percent with their products.

In its most basic form, a vehicles power train consists of two main systems: the engine and the drivetrain. The engine creates the power, and the drivetrain harnesses it to turn the wheels.

Engine

A gasoline internal combustion engine combines a mist made of air and fuel in its intake manifold. When the intake valves open, a spark plug fires to ignite this mixture, pushing the piston downward to turn the crankshaft. The revolution of the crankshaft pushes the next piston up, and the process repeats to continue the rotational motion.

Transmission

The transmission connects to the engine via a torque converter or a clutch plate or plates, depending on the type of transmission. Power from the engine turns the input shaft and then transfers through the transmissions gears to attain the desired output ratio.

Driveshaft and Differential

In some cars, the differential bolts directly to the transmission in a single housing. In others, it mounts on the rear axle and connects to the transmission via the driveshaft. The differential is responsible for flipping the rotational motion of the driveshaft onto the separate axis of the axle turning the wheels.

The power steering assembly on your Mitsubishi has an input section, a section where work is done and finally an output section. If you know what components are present in your cars power steering system, itll be easier for you to understand how the system works.

The Input Section

Steering input is by way of the steering wheel. When you turn the wheel, a shaft in the steering column is also turned. This shaft is connected -- by way of a steering coupler/universal joint -- to the rack and pinion assembly, where your steering input is translated into side-to-side movement of the steering arms.

The Steering Rack

The power steering rack is where your steering input is translated into the side-to-side motion that turns the front wheels to turn the car. At the end of the steering column is the steering rack input shaft, which has a pinion gear at the end of it. As this gear rotates, it meshes with teeth on the steering rack, moving the rack in the required direction to turn the car.

The Output Section

The steering rack is coupled to the steering knuckle at each wheel by way of inner and outer tie rod ends, which allow for suspension travel and knuckle pivot.

Steering Assist

The addition of a hydraulic fluid is what adds the power to power steering. The pump sends fluid to the steering rack, where valves direct it in the proper direction to work against seals that help push and pull the rack when you turn the steering wheel.

Most cars will eventually develop some sort of noise or fault that will require a diagnosis. The Ford Taurus may exhibit noisy steering, which may have a number of causes.

Power Steering

Your Taurus power steering pump could have become low on oil, which will cause it to make noise; check oil levels, and fill it if needed. You may also have a loose pulley, in which case you should correct and tighten it appropriately. Check the hoses for clogs, which can also cause noise; if none of the above solves the problem, your pump may be defective and need replacing.

Joints

If the steering tends to make noise only when you turn the wheels, you may notice a knocking noise, which may result from a bad universal joint. The universal joint is a sort of knuckle joint that attaches between the wheel and the axle. When the bearing has gone bad, or the rubber cover has worn out, you will hear the knocking noise when you turn the wheels to the far left or right.

Fluids

Power steering fluid plays an essential role in the smooth operation of the steering system. If the power steering fluid levels have become excessively low, top them off immediately and check them on a regular basis.

Ford offered a power window regulator as optional equipment in the 1993 F-150 trucks. The power window regulator replaces the manual window crank with an electric motor controlled by switches on the door trim panel. Failure of the power window regulator can occur over time because of poor lubrication that increases friction within the system. The friction leads to an increased load and insulation breakdown within the motor. Bad motors are not serviceable and must be replaced to restore power window function.

Instructions

1

Remove the power window control retainer screw from the window control and door lock switch housing, using a Phillips screwdriver. Carefully separate the window control housing from the door trim panel enough to gain access to the underside of the housing. Do not pull the housing any farther than necessary or you risk damaging the electrical connections at the control.

2

Remove the three screws holding the window control and door lock switch, and the wiring in place under the control housing. Pull the housing off the controls. Feed the wiring and controls back through the control opening in the door trim panel.

3

Locate the door trim pushpin on the trailing edge of the door trim panel toward the bottom. Carefully pry out the center button of the pushpin a short distance using a small flat-head screwdriver to disengage the pin, then pull the pin body out of the panel.

4

Remove the screw located within the armrest pull using a Phillips screwdriver. Remove the screw from the top forward area of the trim panel using a Phillips screwdriver.

5

Remove the upper door trim panel from the door. Remove the five screws from the bottom of the lower door trim panel and map compartment using a Phillips screwdriver. Remove the lower trim panel from the door if the truck has the two-piece Lo-Series trim panel.

6

Remove the four screws from the bottom of the trim panel using a Phillips screwdriver. Remove the panel from the door if the truck has the one-piece Hi-Series trim panel.

7

Carefully peel the plastic water shield off the inner door panel. Place the water shield aside, adhesive-side up, in a safe place where the adhesive will not become contaminated with dust or grit.

8

Disconnect the window motor power supply wire from the wiring harness within the door.

9

Locate the drill dimples in the inner door panel over the two unexposed motor drive retaining screws. Check behind the dimples and make certain there are no wires in line with the dimples. Drill a hole through each of the drill dimples using a 1/2-inch drill bit and drill motor. Remove the motor retaining screws through the two drilled holes and the other existing hole over the motor drive unit using a ratchet, extension and socket.

10

Push the motor drive unit away from the inner door panel to disengage it from the window regulator arm. Push the window to the full up position and prop it in place using a short wooden dowel. Remove the old motor from the door.

11

Install the new motor in the door and engage it with the window regulator. Tighten the motor retaining screws to 50 to 85 inch-pounds using an inch-pound torque wrench, extension and socket.

12

Apply two, 1-inch square pieces of pressure-sensitive waterproof tape over the drilled holes in the inner door panel.

13

Connect the window motor power supply wire to the wiring harness. Remove the window prop dowel. Actuate the window motor using the window control, and check for full window operation.

14

Inspect the door drain holes located at the bottom of the door; make certain they are open and free of debris.

15

Install the plastic water shield on the inner door panel. Make certain the adhesive holds the shield firmly in place around the access hole in the inner door panel.

16

Install the lower door trim panel and panel screws on two-piece Lo-Series door trim panels. Feed the power window control and door lock switch through its hole in the upper door trim panel, and engage the upper panel with the lower panel. Install the upper door trim panel screws.

17

Feed the power window control and door lock switch through its hole in the one-piece Hi-Series door trim panel, then install the door trim panel screws.

18

Insert the door trim pushpin body in its hole in the panel. Push the center button of the pushpin in to expand the pin and engage it in the inner door panel.

19

Install the window control and door lock switch in its housing and install the three control-to-housing screws using a Phillips screwdriver. Install the housing on the door trim panel and install the housing retaining screw.

The power window assembly in a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox is controlled by a switch thats mounted in a switch panel in the center of the dash board, just behind the shifter. This switch panel contains four switches; one for each window. The switches connect to wires that run to grounds, relays, and fuses within the vehicle. Because of the complex wiring system needed to control the window, its not possible to bridge any of the terminals or manipulate the wiring to raise or lower the window without using the switch. Unfortunately, if the switch fails, the switch panel needs to be replaced in order to raise or lower the window.

Instructions

Removal

1

Grip the bottom of the center column trim bezel. Pull up gently on the bottom of the bezel to detach it from the center column.

2

Work around the column trim bezel, gently pulling up at the edges until the entire bezel is detached from the vehicle.

3

Disconnect any electrical connectors from the back of the trim bezel, including the window switchs electrical connector.

4

Remove the screws holding the switch assembly to the bezel with a screwdriver, then remove the switch assembly.

Installation

5

Set the new window switch panel into position on the bezel. Reinstall and tighten the screws to 22 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.

6

Reconnect the window switch panels electrical connector. Reconnect any other electrical connectors from the car to the bezel.

7

Set the bezel into position and press down around its circumference in order to seat all of the retaining clips. Test the window switches to ensure that they work properly.

Power steering pulleys are usually fitted on the pump shaft by pressing and the assembly is held together with friction. Hence, if you wish to remove the power steering pulley, it cannot be done by hand. The specific tool to be used is a puller that can remove the pulley from the pump shaft. This puller is different from the usual gear pullers with jaws. Various brands of the puller are available; there may be slight differences in the parts, but they function in a similar manner. A few brands also come with tools that can be used to fit back the power steering pulley.

Instructions

1

Study the parts. A power steering pulley puller consists of two half-parts that make up a split collar, a metal sleeve to retain the collar and a threaded bolt which is the puller. If your kit consists of tools to re-install the pulley, therell be a bolt nut assembly, too.

2

Fit on the puller by inserting the half-part that projects more inward below the pulley lip. Close the two parts so the pump shaft is held tight. Fit the metal sleeve over the ring formed by closing the two parts. Push the rounded end of the threaded bolt inside the pump shaft, until it touches the pulley shaft, and tighten it.

3

Position a wrench at the bottom of the threaded puller assembly. On the top side, near the threaded shaft, use a ratchet. Tighten the nut and bolt parts by screwing the puller assembly into the bottom portion; this will cause the pulley to move off the pump shaft.

4

Fit back the pulley by positioning it to sit squarely on the pump shaft. Use the bolt nut assembly provided with the puller kit. Insert the bolt inside the pump shafts internal threading and screw it on until the bolt touches the lower surface. Push the pulley on by rotating the nut assembly along the bolt. When the pulley has reached down completely, the nut assembly stops moving; remove the assembly and check that the pulley is flush with the level of the pump shaft.

An automobile is a collection of systems working together to accomplish a few simple tasks: to stop, go, turn and not fall apart in the process. Each system relies on multiple scientific principles to control and convert energy from one source and apply it to another. A power brake system uses energy from the drivers leg and from the engine to force hydraulic fluid through brake lines. That energy expresses itself on the pistons in the brake calipers, which force the brake pads against rotors. This process completes a complex dance of physics and sheer necessity, expressed in a very ordinary way.

Conservation of Energy

Otherwise known as the "First Law of Thermodynamics," this principle states that energy can never appear or disappear, it can only change forms. When a car accelerates, its using the chemical energy stored in gasoline and converting it into momentum, or kinetic energy. To stop the car, you need to convert that kinetic energy into another form. A braking system uses brake pads to squeeze down on a smooth surface known as the rotors or drums to create frictional heat, thus converting the cars kinetic energy into thermal energy. That heat, at some point transfers to either the air around the rotor or into the components and fluid adjacent to the pads and rotor.

Incompressible Fluids

The difference between a gas and a liquid is that liquids are a solid mass of molecules or atoms, theres no empty space between them. This means that no matter how hard you squeeze a liquid, it never gets any smaller or compresses. Power brake systems use this principle known as hydraulics to transfer energy imparted onto the brake master cylinder or main hydraulic ram to another set of cylinders in the brake calipers. When the driver puts his foot down on the pedal, the energy he puts into it travels through the master cylinder, through the lines, into the brake calipers and ultimately expresses on the brake pads and rotors.

Differential Pressure as Energy

Most power brake systems use vacuum suction created by the engine to pull on a diaphragm, which is connected to the back of the master cylinder. When the driver pushes the brake pedal, a valve opens in one chamber of the diaphragm. Engine vacuum pulls on the diaphragm and subsequently the master cylinder piston, imparting energy of its own to the braking system, thus reducing the amount of energy the driver must expend to push fluid through the lines.

Vacuum as an entity doesnt actually exist; "vacuum" is a term to describe the absence of air and air pressure. When the vacuum valve opens in the diaphragm chamber, atmospheric air pressure, which is about 14 psi at sea level, pushes on the other side of the diaphragm membrane. The engine itself actually provides the energy, since it took energy from the gasoline to create the vacuum in the first place. Atmospheric pressure is just a static factor. Think of this like doing a push-up. You, as the engine, actually provide the energy that causes your body to move; the floor or atmospheric pressure, is simply the surface upon which you express that energy.

Propeller size is referenced as to diameter and pitch. The diameter of a propeller is twice the distance from the hub to the tip of a blade. The larger the diameter, the more power necessary to turn the prop. Most small recreational boats are limited to a specific diameter because of engine design, weight and hull design.

Pitch and Effects of Pitch

Pitch is the main concern from a performance perspective. Pitch is defined as the distance a prop travels through the water in inches per one single revolution. A good illustration of pitch can be made with a wood screw. A wood screw with its threads far apart, or coarse threads, threads quickly into the wood but takes considerable effort to turn the screw. Conversely, a screw with the threads closer together or fine threads takes many more turns to install but with much less effort.

The propellers pitch has a direct effect on the performance of the boat. The original prop generally is the most efficient for overall performance if the engine came with the boat. An engine replacement may need a prop evaluation. Engine horsepower and rpm, the weight of the boat, hull design and intended usage determine prop pitch.

Pitch and RPM

Outboard engines run between 5,000 and 5,500 rpm at wide-open throttle, whereas inboard or IOs run in the 4,500 too 4,800 rpm range. This is the range where maximum horsepower is made. Horsepower is a product of rpm. A 100 hp motor produces much less at low rpm. The best performance possible is achieved when the engine reaches its wide-open throttle limit rpm but does not exceed it. A prop with too low a pitch generates great acceleration but allows the engine to over-rev, which easily can cause damage. The top speed also suffers. A pitch that is too high causes the acceleration to suffer and create undue manifold pressure within the engine, which also can be damaging.

Choosing the Correct Propeller Pitch

The diameter and pitch is embossed on the propeller hub for identification. A common pitch for most small boats is in the 28- to 19-inch pitch range. If your engine rpm is too high at wide-open throttle, the pitch must be increased. Conversely, if the rpm is too low, the pitch should be decreased. One inch of pitch change is equal to 200 engine rpm. If your engine wide-open throttle rpm is 5,500 according to the tachometer or owners manual, and it currently is operating at 5,100 rpm, the rpm needs to be increased by 400. Reducing the pitch by two sizes brings the rpm up to its limit. This increases the top end speed and pulling power for skiers. The opposite is true for an engine running higher than recommended.

Considerations

If pulling skiers is the major concern, a lower pitch prop may be used as long as the rpm is monitored and kept within limits. This brings the skiers up much faster. If speed is the main concern and the boat is not heavily loaded, a higher pitch increases the speed but slows down acceleration and upper rpm. Remember that the higher the pitch, the more load on the engine.

Tips

Propellers are constructed in three types of material. Composite props are the lightest, offer some flex, and are the cheapest. They are not repairable should the prop strike anything. Aluminum props are the most common. The are heavier than composite, offer some flex, and are a little more expensive and can be repaired cheaply. Stainless steel props are the most expensive and hardest to destroy. They are very difficult to repair. Props are offered that consist of a separate hub with replaceable blades. These are perfect for pitch changes as needed or repair.