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How To Charge Your Car Battery

Joshua281 — Thu, 18 May 2006 08:53:00 -0500

Generally, there are four ways to charge a car battery.

How To Install a Car Battery

Joshua281 — Fri, 19 May 2006 11:25:00 -0500

Installing a car battery is a simple task that can be performed by anyone who is strong enough to lift the battery into place. Car batteries generally weigh around 40 pounds, depending on battery size. Installing your own battery can save you both time and money. Though many places offer free battery installation when you buy from their in-stock selection, the process is not always quicker than simply doing it yourself.

How To Cook Food on Your Car Engine

The2 — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:44:56 -0500

You might wonder why you would ever want to cook food on your car engine. I say, why wouldn't you?

It can be a practical solution on long road trips: Now you won't have to eat that crappy fast food. Or it can be something to try just for fun. It's really easy to do. All you need is aluminum foil, a car and some food.

Decide what you want to cook. You can cook almost anything on your car engine. It works like a slow-cooking microwave, so, depending on how long you'll be driving, you can make most meals work. I wouldn't suggest soup, but other than that, have at it!

I chose a chicken sausage since I knew it was pre-cooked (so I wouldn't kill myself if I messed it up), easy to wrap and wouldn't take long to be ready.

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How To Replace a Starter

Joshua281 — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 16:39:00 -0500

Changing a starter can be a difficult, time consuming job. Check several other parts before you decide it's time to change the starter.

How To Remove a Car Stereo

Joshua281 — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 13:18:00 -0500

Many people have found that it's easy and relatively inexpensive to upgrade sound components in their cars. Head units, or stereos, are the most common component to be replaced. It's a job that should take a full afternoon for a do-it-yourselfer. One of the first things you'll have to do when you want to replace your head unit, is to remove it from your car. How you remove it depends largely on the type of stereo and the type of car that you have.

There are really two main methods for removing a car stereo:

Spring Mounted Clips
Inside stereos held in place with this method are 4 small clips that prevent the stereo from sliding out of the dash. You will need to buy a pair of DIN tools in order to remove the radio. These are simple tools that are U-shaped. At the top of the "U" are small poles that engage the clips in the stereo. Once inserted properly, you should hear a "click," and the radio should simply slide out of the dash.

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How To Install a Car Amp

Joshua281 — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 21:36:00 -0500

Installing a new amplifier is a great way to upgrade your car sound system. Amplifiers take a small electrical signal to make a big signal. The big signal makes for big sound coming out of your speakers. Once you have acquired all of the necessary parts, plan on taking a full afternoon to complete this job.
Here's how:

How To Replace a Fan Belt

Joshua281 — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 08:28:00 -0500

The name "fan belt" is a bit of a misnomer nowadays because the belt drives much more than just a fan. It is frequently called an accessory belt. The fan belt goes around a pulley attached to the flywheel and powers accessory pumps and motors such as the water pump, air conditioner compressor, alternator, power brakes, and the power steering pump. Some cars have one large serpentine belt that drives all of the accessory motors. Other cars divide the work more evenly by employing the use of two belts.

Regardless of whether your car uses one or two belts, you can change your fan belt with some time and a few simple tools that you already have around the house. Here's how:

Routine inspection: You should inspect the belts every time you look under the hood. Look for cracks and frayed sections. If any part of the interior of the belt is cracked, or if any part of the cording in the belt is frayed, then you will need to replace it.

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How To Install a Car Stereo

Joshua281 — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 08:08:00 -0500

Replacing an old stereo is a great job for the do-it-yourselfer. You can save a few dollars on installation fees that many stereo shops charge. Stereo replacement is easier in some cars, especially larger cars like SUVs, because they have a little more working space behind the dash. If you haven't yet bought your stereo components, take a look the "Find What Fits My Car" tool at crutchfield.com.

How To Replace Windshield Wipers

Joshua281 — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 21:59:00 -0500

It's probably a good idea to check your wipers every six months. You probably won't want to wait until you can't see out of your windshield before changing your windshield wipers. In fact, most people end up waiting too long to do this basic car maintenance and have to change their wipers in the rain. If your wipers are beginning to show signs of wear, it's probably time to replace them. You can change them in just a few minutes.

Inspect your wipers: wipers should not be cracked, ragged, torn, or have any jagged edges. When they crack or tear, they become flimsy and cannot effectively remove water from your windshield.

How To Tell If Your Car Speakers Are Blown

Harry255 — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 18:04:00 -0500

Your car stereo is one of those things that you take for granted until something goes horribly awry. When you get in your vehicle you expect to be able to turn it on and your favorite station or CD will start like it always does and sound good. If it doesn't go on or if what you hear is different than usual (in a bad way), maybe you have a blown or partially blown speaker. Let's investigate!