HowToDoThings.com Maintenance & Repair

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 Change Brake Pads

Joshua281 — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:25:00 -0500

A brake job, or changing your brake pads, is a great do-it-yourself job. Before you begin, it's important to remember that the brakes are the single most important system in your car. Take plenty of time to familiarize yourself with the brakes on your car before you begin to work. Also, it's a good idea to work on one side at a time in case you have trouble. That way, you have one side to use as a reference. We'll assume that you want to know how to change the front disc brakes on your car since front brakes provide most of the stopping power.

Preparation

You'll need to buy brake pads before you begin this basic car maintenance project. Make sure they come with an anti-squeal device such as a shim, or buy some specially made fluid to add to the back of the brake pads.

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 Cigarette Odor

Staff468 — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 16:08:00 -0500

Cigarette odor... unmistakable, pervasive and - to non-smokers and even many smokers - unpleasant to say the least. In cars, homes and businesses, an ongoing battle rages to keep allergies under control, create a more hospitable environment or prevent girlfriends from knowing the truth... Are you fed up with aerosol air fresheners that just layer a nauseatingly sweet odor over the static cigarette odor? Tired of commercial products that don't deliver on their promises? To all of you, whatever your reasons, we at HowToDoThings have some tips for getting rid of that troublesome cigarette odor so you can breathe easier.

Launder whatever you can. If an entire room smells like last year's bachelor party, you should wash or dry-clean everything possible in order to maximize cigarette odor removal.

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How To Repair a Flat Tire

Joshua281 — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 19:59:00 -0500

Nobody likes to get a flat tire, but the reality is that flats happen. When you do, there's no need to panic, though, because you have several options for fixing most tires.

What not to fix: Sometimes, such as when you have a blowout, the tire will go flat and it cannot be repaired. If the tire explodes, is lacerated, or has significant damage, no attempt should be made to repair the tire. It must be properly disposed of so that it can be recycled. Also, if the sidewall of the tire is damaged or cracked, don't bother trying to repair it. Get that tire replaced and have the tire company dispose of the old tire. Finally, tires with less than 1/16th inch of tread should be replaced rather than repaired. (You can measure your tread depth with a tread depth gauge.)

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How To Do a Honda Engine Swap

cjadidas@yahoo.com — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 21:46:52 -0500

Do you own a Honda Civic? Are you dissatisfied by your Honda Civic's D15 stock engine performance? Do you want to change your engine to B16, B18, K20 etc., but don't know how? Are you one of those speed-addict guys who want to have more power on your Civic? If your answer is yes, this may help you change your engine into much higher power and push your car to the limits.

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 Change Automatic Transmission Fluid

Joshua281 — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 11:49:00 -0500

Changing your automatic transmission fluid on your own can save you a few dollars. Transmission fluid helps to cool the transmission, and a well cooled transmission should last 100,000 miles or more. If you decide to change your automatic transmission fluid, be sure to dispose of the old fluid properly and take precautions to prevent any fluids from contacting your skin or getting into your eyes.

Check the fluid level: Open the hood, start the car and let it idle. Leave the transmission in Park. Always check transmission fluid levels when the car is running. If you try to check the fluid levels when the engine is off, you'll get inaccurate measurements.

Brush away any dirt, grease or grime that could fall into the dipstick tube. Now remove the transmission fluid dipstick and read the level indicated. New transmission fluid looks red. Old transmission fluid is much darker, almost black.

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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 Replace a Timing Belt

Joshua281 — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 12:14:00 -0500

Changing a timing belt is not an easy job. It will require the average back yard do-it-yourself a full weekend to remove all of the parts necessary to reach the timing belt. If you're not confident, or if you can't spare more than one weekend if the job takes longer than expected, you might be better off taking the car to a mechanic.

Indications: When and why should I change it?