Follow the steps below. Read on for more information.

Things You’ll Need:

• Stereo
• Wire cutters
• Tape
• Screwdriver
• Wire Strippers
• Electrical tape
• Wire strippers

Instructions:

Step 1

Take out the old stereo. Unlink the negative cable from the battery.

Step 2

Take off the front paneling of the dashboard. Use the screwdriver to remove the old stereo. Look at the wiring. If the wiring is individually linked, undo every wire by itself.

Step 3

Place the connector in your wiring harness. It connects at the rear of the stereo.

Connecting the Wiring Manually

Step 4

Attach every wire if you are not using a harness

Step 5

Link the positive wire to the connector located on the stereo. Do the same for the negative wire. If you have one wire from your speaker then, you need new speaker wiring. This is very important.

Step 6.

Take the black wire and link it to the stereo. You can use a screw that is close to the radio inside the dashboard. The wiring should be wrapped around metal.

Step 7

Link the red ignition and 12 constant wiring to the stereo. Use the stereo manual to make sure you are putting these in the correct location.

Putting in the Car Stereo.

Step 8

Your connector should be housing all the wiring you need through a harness. You could purchase it separately or use the one that comes with the stereo.

Step 9

Put the stereo into the mounting bracket. If it didn’t come with one, use the one from the other stereo system.

Step 10

Link the harness connector up to the stereo in the back. You will only have one single wire to attach from the previous system at this point. This wire is your antenna wire. Attach it to the stereo. If there is a power antenna wire link it as well.

Step 11

Place the stereo into the hole inside the dashboard. Do not secure it in yet. Test it before you add any screws to it.

Step 12

Reattach the negative cable back to the car battery.

Step 13

Place the key in the ignition and crank your vehicles. Turn on the radio and listen to the quality of sound. You need to verify that all the speakers are working and the radio is functioning properly.

Step 14

Secure the new stereo. Use the screws and a screwdriver to put the face onto the radio and replace the dashboard cover. Enjoy your new radio.

The leak can occur when someone changing oil disregards the im­portance of the washer that was placed on the drain plug by the manu­facturer.

This washer is made of a soft material, such as copper or aluminum, so that it will crush when the drain plug is tightened. The pur­pose is to prevent overtightening of the drain plug, which can damage the oil pan and cause a leak. To prevent this, the washer should be re­placed whenever the drain plug is removed to change oil in the engine. Washers are available from dealerships that sell your make of vehicle and from auto parts stores.

If this advice comes too late and your oil pan currently is leaking, make the repair as follows:

• Drive the vehicle at least 10 miles to heat the oil so that it will flow more readily from the engine.
• Park the vehicle on level ground. Place an automatic transmission in Park or a manual transmission in gear. Engage the parking brake.
• Wear a pair of heavy work gloves to prevent burns. Place a large basin under the oil pan and turn the drain plug with a wrench. When the plug is loose enough, unscrew it by hand.
• Allow the oil ample time to drain fully. Drainage is complete when not one drop of oil falls from the drain hole in one minute.
• Buy a specially made oversize drain plug from an auto parts dealer. The one you want is designed to rethread damaged threads in the oil pan, allowing the new plug to seat properly and seal the leak. Start the plug into the drain hole by hand, and then use a wrench to seat the plug. Stop turning as soon as the plug is secure.

• Pour fresh oil into the engine through the oil filler tube in the en­gine compartment. Consult your owner’s manual or a dealership that sells your make of vehicle to find out how much oil to add. Most engines hold five quarts of oil.
• Start the engine and let it run for a few minutes. Then, turn it off and check to see whether oil leaks from around the plug. If there is a drip, tighten the drain plug a bit and recheck. If there is no leak, check the oil level using the dipstick and add as much oil as necessary to bring the level to or nearly to the FULL mark on the dipstick.

Car manufacturers generally recommend spark plugs having an in­termediate nose length. Such plugs are recommended for normal driving conditions—that is, an equal or almost equal combination of engine idling, slow-speed, and high-speed operation.

Sometimes reports sent to a manufacturer from the field indicate that the intermediate-nose spark plug is ineffective under normal driving con­ditions. The manufacturer will then issue an advisory to new car dealer service departments recommending that a switch be made to a plug with a longer or shorter nose. The engine performance problem you are ex­periencing may be a result of not having this up-to-date information.

A spark plug with a long nose is recommended if an engine is used mainly for stop-and-go and slow-speed driving. An engine that operates under these conditions has a tendency to build up carbon particles. The heat retained by the long nose of this type of spark plug burns off parti­cles that accumulate on electrodes and that can keep the plug from firing.

Conversely, a spark plug with a short nose is recommended if an en­gine is used mainly for high-speed driving. Under this type of operation, spark plugs fire more often, which causes them to overheat, resulting in rapid electrode wear. The shorter nose dispels heat quickly to prevent this problem.

If your engine displays one of the performance problems noted above, jot down the designation of the plugs now in your engine. The designation is written on the upper insulator. To read the nu­merals, you will probably have to remove a plug from the engine. Call the service department of a dealer who sells your make of vehicle and ask for verification that the plug designation is the one cur­rently recommended by the manufacturer. If it is not, make the change.

Even if the designation is still valid, you may not be off the hook. The type of spark plug your engine needs depends on the type of driving you do. Remove one or two plugs from the engine and examine the lower insulator, which is the ceramic part that surrounds the center elec­trode of the plug. If the insulator is coated with soot, plugs are being fouled by carbon. Switch to a hotter, or longer, plug. If the insulator is stark white, plugs are overheating. Switch to a colder, or shorter, plug.

In making the switch from hotter to colder or from colder to hotter, move up or down the heat-range scale one notch at a time. Replace each of the old spark plugs with new plugs that are all of the same designa­tion. Drive the vehicle for several days to determine whether the perfor­mance problem has been solved.

Here is how to remove and install spark plugs, whether they are of the wrong type or are simply worn. Worn plugs will cause hard starting and missing.

• Grasp the boot of each spark plug cable. Twist and pull the boot to remove it from the plug.
• Using an ear syringe, a piece of hose, or a drinking straw, blow dirt out of the spark plug ports to prevent particles from falling in­side the engine as you remove the plugs. Particles can damage pis­tons and cylinder walls.
• Using a spark-plug wrench or a socket wrench of the correct size, turn the plugs counterclockwise to remove them.
• Notice whether the plugs have round or tapered seats. If round, they require seat gaskets. Spark plugs with tapered seats do not use gaskets.

• Before installing new plugs, set the gap between electrodes to the specification given in your owner’s manual or on the emissions-system information label mounted in the engine compartment. Slide a spark-plug feeler gauge of the correct size between the electrodes and move it from side to side. The elec­trode gap is set correctly when slight resistance is encountered as you move the gauge.
• To adjust the gap, use the special bending tang that is part of the feeler gauge. Bend the side (hooked) electrode to widen or narrow the gap until the correct setting is obtained.
• To install spark plugs, screw them into the engine until they tighten. Be careful not to cross threads.
• Then, if your engine uses spark plugs that require gaskets, tighten them 1/16 turn with a spark-plug or socket wrench. If the engine uses tapered-seat spark plugs, tighten them 1/16, of a turn with your wrench.

The sixth hose on some engines is a bypass hose between the engine and the water pump. Its function is to direct coolant back into the engine when the engine is cold and the thermostat is closed. En­gines without a bypass hose have an internal passage that directs coolant back into the engine when the thermostat is closed, blocking its path to the radiator.

Some automotive authorities recommend that hoses be replaced every 60,000 miles. Others suggest that an inspection at 60,000 miles and every 10,000 miles thereafter is sufficient to spot a weak hose, which can then be replaced. They contend that it is unnecessary to replace hoses that are still usable.

If you decide to follow the latter suggestion, conduct the inspection with the engine cold. Examine both ends of a hose, around the clamps. Look for corrosive deposits, which indicate that the hose is starting to fail, allowing coolant to leak.

Squeeze the hose from one end to the other to determine whether there are cracks and also to feel the hose for firmness. A hose that feels “mushy” is a hose that is deteriorating internally.

Start the engine and let it warm up. Watch the hose. If a bulge forms, the hose should be replaced.

Follow these steps to replace a suspicious-looking hose and to change coolant that has weakened.

Coolant should be replaced every two years or after every 30,000 miles of driving, whichever occurs first. Allowing weak coolant to remain in use will result in corrosion buildup in the cooling system. Corrosion can clog tubes in the radiator, causing the engine to overheat.

• Let the engine get cold.
• Place a large pan under the radiator drain valve, which is called the petcock.
• Remove the radiator cap by pressing down and turning.
• Open the petcock.
• When coolant stops flowing, close the petcock.
• Loosen clamps holding the ends of the defective hose and slide them from place. You will discard the used clamps, so there is no need to treat them gently. You can, in fact, cut them off.
• Twist the end of the hose back and forth to release it from the fit­ting. If the hose sticks to the fitting and doesn’t come off, cut lengthwise slits around the entire perimeter of the hose with a util­ity knife. Be careful not to cut into the fitting. Then, using a screw­driver, peel the pieces of hose off the fitting.
• When the hose has been removed and discarded, use a wire brush to clean both fittings.
• You are now ready to install the new hose, which should be the same length as the old hose. Place new clamps on the new hose. Then, soak the ends of the hose in hot water. This makes the hose pliable so that the ends can be pushed more eas­ily onto the fittings.
• When the new hose is in place, slide the clamps into position, leaving a ‘A-inch gap between the ends of the hose and the edges of the clamps. Do not place the clamps right on the ends of the hose. Doing so may cause the hose to bulge at this point and release coolant.

• Tighten clamps but don’t ram them down.
• Fill the radiator with a fresh coolant mixture consisting of half eth­ylene glycol and half water. A 50:50 ratio protects engines to a temperature of about -20°F. If a lower temperature than this is an­ticipated for your part of the country, check the owner’s manual for the proper ratio or ask at an auto parts store. Do not exceed a ratio of 68 percent ethylene glycol to 32 percent water, which will protect an engine to about -90°F. Once this ratio is exceeded, the protection factor reverses itself. In fact, using full-strength ethylene glycol in an engine provides protection only to about -8°F.
• Put on and tighten the radiator cap.
• Fill the coolant-recovery tank with coolant to the COLD mark.
• Start the engine and let it run for two minutes. Turn it off and check around the ends of the hose. If coolant is leaking, tighten the clamp a bit more. Repeat this procedure until the leak stops.

Testing this switch to find out whether it is the reason for overheat­ing is not a difficult task. However, you will need an ohmmeter.

Here is what to do:

• To find out whether the cause of overheating is failure of the fan to turn on, start the engine (which must be cold), open the hood, and watch the fan as the engine warms up.
• Let the engine run for several minutes, but ask a helper sitting in the vehicle to turn off the engine if the temperature warning light on the dash should glow or if the needle of the temperature gauge approaches the HOT mark.
• Does the fan begin to rotate during this period? If it does, the cause of overheating does not lie with the cooling-fan switch.
• If the fan does not begin to spin, turn off the engine and wait for the engine to again get cold before testing the cooling-fan switch.
• After the waiting period, trace the wire from the fan motor to the electrical connector.
• Pull apart the connector, disconnecting the fan from the electrical system.
• Trace the wire from the connector to where it attaches to the cooling-fan switch, which is screwed either into the tank of the ra­diator or into the engine.
• Pull the wire off the cooling-fan switch.
• Use a wrench to unscrew the switch from the radiator tank or from the engine.
• To verify that the switch has failed, place the switch in a pan of water, but do not immerse its terminal end. Some switches have one terminal; others have two. If the switch has one terminal, also keep the threads around the terminal out of the water. Place a kitchen thermometer in the pan with the switch and set the pan on a kitchen stove burner.
• Test the switch using an ohmmeter. If the switch has one terminal, touch one of the ohmmeter probes to the terminal and touch the other probe to the threads. If the switch has two terminals, touch each ohmmeter probe to a terminal. The ohmmeter should display an infinity reading.

• Turn on the stove burner. When the thermometer indicates that the water has reached at least 220°F, repeat the ohmmeter test. The ohmmeter needle should swing to 0 or nearly to 0. If it doesn’t, the switch is defective.

If the switch has failed, buy a replacement that is specified for the cooling system of your vehicle from a dealership parts depart­ment or from an auto parts store. Coat the threads of the new switch with pipe thread sealer or wrap them with teflon plumbing tape. This will prevent a leak. Screw the switch in place by hand until it is fingertight. Then, use a wrench to tighten the switch.

Fill the cooling system with coolant. Start the engine, let it run a while, and turn it off. Check around the switch to make certain that there is no leak.

A conventional shock absorber is a fluid-filled sealed chamber that is separate from the coil spring with which it works. A MacPherson strut shock absorber is a fluid-filled sealed chamber that is combined into an assembly with its coil spring. Unless designated otherwise, the term “shock absorber” is used here to apply to both conventional and MacPherson strut shock absorbers.

Despite the term, a shock absorber does not absorb shocks transmit­ted to a vehicle as it negotiates defects and obstacles such as potholes and railroad tracks. Absorbing road shock is the task of the coil springs.

The job of shock absorbers is to counteract the action of springs. If it weren’t for shock absorbers, the vehicle would continue to bounce as long as springs compressed and recoiled.

Coil springs seldom fail. The same can’t be said of shock absorbers. With vehicles that have been driven 25,000 miles or more, the main rea­son for bounce and shimmy when going over bumps is failure by one or more shock absorbers.

Indiscriminately replacing shocks without some evidence of failure, however, is not a wise course of action. You could be barking up the wrong tree and incur an unnecessary expense, because shimmy and bounce can also be caused by a worn or damaged component in the steering or suspension system, by misalignment, or by unbalanced wheel assemblies.

Here is how to find out whether your problem is caused by damaged shock absorbers:

• When the vehicle is on a hoist during an engine oil change, in­spect each shock absorber for traces of fluid on the case, for dents in the case, and for cracks in each bushing. Bushings are donut-shaped rubber inserts that support the upper and lower fasteners that hold the shock to the frame of the vehicle.

• Another way to detect shock absorber failure is to drive over a rail­road track crossing at 35 to 45 mph. If the vehicle bounces or shimmies, shocks are probably damaged.

It is not particularly difficult to replace conventional shock absorbers. MacPherson struts are a different matter, as are shock absorbers in ve­hicles with automatic level control. To prevent damage to the car and possible injury, let a professional technician replace these for you.

If you decide to try your hand at replacing conventional shock absorbers, be aware that you will be working under a raised car. If you do not have the equipment mentioned below to securely support the ve­hicle, do not proceed.

Conventional shock absorbers in the front and conventional shock absorbers in the rear are removed from the vehicle differently.

Working in the front, with all wheels still on the ground, look in the engine compartment to determine whether the tops of the shock ab­sorbers are to be loosened from that position. If dust shields are inserted into access holes cut into the fenders, pry off the shields to reach the fasteners that secure the tops of the shock absorbers to the ve­hicle. If the tops of front shock absorbers can’t be reached through the engine compartment, then they are designed to be loosened from under the car.

With an automatic transmission in Park or a manual transmission in gear, and with the parking brake securely engaged, raise the front of the car, place jack stands under the lower suspension arms, and lower the front of the car squarely onto the jack stands. Then, place wheel chocks firmly against the rear tires.

If you determine that the tops of the shock absorbers are designed to be loosened from under the vehicle, remove the wheel and tire assem­blies to see whether you can reach the fasteners through the wheel wells. If the hardware can be removed from inside the engine compartment, after prying off dust shields, loosen and remove the retainer caps that cover the threaded shafts of the shock absorbers. Then, take off the bush­ings and nuts.

When the tops of the shock absorbers are free, remove nuts and bolts that are holding the lower parts of shocks to the vehicle.

Working in the rear, determine whether the top shock absorber mounts are reached from inside the cargo compartment, from under the rear seat (which then must be removed), or from under the vehicle. With an automatic transmission in Park or a manual transmission in gear, and with the parking brake securely engaged, shove chocks against the front tires. Then, raise the back end of the vehicle. Position two jack stands under the rear axle, with each jack stand placed as close as possible to each shock. Lower the vehicle squarely onto the jack stands. Now, fol­lowing the same steps described above for removing front shock ab­sorbers, remove the rear shock absorbers.

Before installing new shock absorbers, extend and compress the units several times. This is done to expel air, which could interfere with shock absorber action, that may be trapped in a shock absorber tube. When installing new units, make sure that upper and lower fasteners are tightened as much as possible.

Here’s how to replace the thermostat:

• With the engine cold, place a clean pan under the radiator drain valve (petcock), remove the radiator cap, and open the valve to allow coolant to drain.
• Discard used coolant in an environmentally safe way by pouring it into glass or plastic containers with screw-on caps. Label the con­tainers “TOXIC LIQUID: AUTO COOLANT” and call your local en­vironmental or recycling officials for disposal instructions.
• Close the petcock.
• Unscrew the bolts holding the thermostat housing together.
• Before removing the thermostat, make a sketch that notes distin­guishing marks on the thermostat and gasket and their positions relative to the housing. The sketch will help you install the new thermostat in the same way so as to prevent overheating.

• Remove the thermostat and gasket from the housing. Discard the gasket, but keep the thermostat for the time being so you can take it to an auto parts store and buy a new one of the same type that is rated to open at the same temperature. Make sure a gasket comes with the new thermostat.
• Use a wire brush to clean the thermostat housing and housing cover.
• Following your sketch, install the new thermostat and gasket.
• Position the thermostat housing and cover. Insert and tighten the bolts.
• Install fresh coolant consisting of a 50:50 mixture of ethylene gly­col antifreeze and water unless the ambient temperature in your region requires a stronger solution.
• Start the engine, let it run for a few minutes, turn it off, and check for a coolant leak around the thermostat housing. If coolant is leaking, further tighten the thermostat housing bolts.

As time passes, the integrity of the distributor cap can also be com­promised. The distributor cap contains metal pickup terminals that parcel current to spark plug cables. When one or more of these fail, the result is the same as with faulty spark cables.

A distributor cap can also crack, allowing moisture into the distribu­tor, where it can suppress the production of electricity. The result will be an engine that won’t start when it is raining or snowing, or when the rel­ative humidity is high.

Follow this procedure to replace spark plug cables and the distributor cap:

• On self-adhering labels, write consecutive numbers that corre­spond to the number of cylinders in your engine. Make two sets. For example, if your engine has four cylinders, you should have two labels marked “1,” two labels marked “2,” two labels marked “3,” and two labels marked “4.”
• Look to see whether the ignition system uses an external ignition coil. If so, a cable will extend from the ignition coil to the distributor cap. It, too, should be replaced.
• Buy a replacement set of cables and a new distributor cap from an auto parts supplier.
• Stick the first label marked with a “1″ on one of the cables. Trace the cable to where it connects to the distributor and place the other label marked “1″ on the distributor tower. Follow the same procedure to identify the other cables with their respec­tive towers.
• Align the new distributor cap with the old one so that distinguish­ing features and markings on the caps coincide. Then, unlatch the old cap. Some types are held by screws, others by clamps. Turn the screws to release the cap. If the cap is held by clamps, place a screwdriver between the backside of the clamp and the distributor housing and pry against the clamp until it snaps open. Remove the old cap and install the new one in exactly the same position.

• From the new set of cables, select the one that most closely matches the length of the cable marked “1″ on the engine. Discon­nect that cable from the spark plug and replace it with the new cable. Make sure the new cable is routed to the new distributor cap exactly like the old one. Push the cable into the same slot in the cable holder that the old cable occupied. Attach the cable securely to the spark plug and the distributor. Follow this procedure until all cables have been replaced.
• When you are finished, inspect the setup to make sure cables criss­cross. They should not be parallel to one another, or a condition called engine crossfire will result. Crossfire occurs when a cable serving a cylinder draws current from a cable serving an­other cylinder because the two cables run parallel and close to each other. The spark plug with the induced current can then fire prematurely, which will damage parts in the cylinder. If cables are parallel, disconnect and cross them.

Two other parts of the system can also cause trouble. One is the hose attached to the PCV valve. The other is a dirt trap that screens the air that is ingested by the crankcase to assist in the burning of hydrocarbon vapors.

A malfunctioning PCV system may be signaled by an oily residue on the air filter or by oil in the air-filter housing—a consequence of a faulty PCV component creating a pressure buildup in the crankcase. Trapped pressure forces oil out of the crankcase and into the air-filter housing, where it coats the air filter and/or causes oil to puddle on the floor of the housing.

By itself, the presence of oil in the air-filter housing does not neces­sarily indicate a faulty PCV system. Oil can be deposited on the filter or in the housing if valve guide seals inside the engine are worn. Furthermore, oil isn’t always present when a PCV valve, PCV hose, or PCV dirt trap fails. A closer examination of the system, therefore, is necessary. Here is how to make this inspection:

• With the engine turned off, pull the PCV valve from its seat, which could be in a rocker arm cover, intake manifold, or oil-filler cap. If you can’t locate the valve, ask a mechanic or a ser­vice manager at a dealership that sells your make of vehicle to point it out.
• Have an assistant start the engine.
• Hold your thumb tightly over the end of the valve. If you feel no suction, the valve is clogged. Turn off the engine and replace the valve.
• Even if you do feel suction, the valve still may not be performing properly, because the mechanism inside the valve may be sticking. To check this possibility, pull the valve and hose apart. Then, shake the valve. If you hear a rattle, the valve is okay. If not, take the valve to the parts department of a dealer who sells your make of vehicle or to an auto parts store and buy a new one.
• The next step is to examine the PCV hose for cracks and to make sure it has no kinks that can trap vapors and prevent free circula­tion. Replace a damaged hose.

• Replace the PCV dirt trap, which is inside the air-filter housing. Look for it around the rim of the housing. Again, if you can’t find it, ask a technician to point it out.

With some engines, the dirt trap is inserted in a hole in the rim of the air-filter housing. Simply pull it out of the hole and shove in a new one. Other engines require you to remove a clip on the outside of the air-filter housing to release a hose. You then push the dirt trap out of the filter housing.

The oxygen sensor allows a microprocessor to adjust the fuel system according to the conditions under which the engine is operating. The fuel system is thus able to adjust itself to deliver a leaner or richer mixture as engine operating conditions require. If the sensor malfunctions, the en­gine will run on a leaner fuel mixture when it needs a richer mixture or vice versa. Hesitation on acceleration and/or surging will result.

That part of an electronic engine control system involving the oxy­gen sensor does not begin to function until the engine is warm. There­fore, if hesitation and/or surging occurs immediately after a cold engine is started, the fault does not lie with the sensor. It is only when one or both of these performance problems occur a few minutes after the engine has been running that the sensor becomes suspect.

There is another clue to suggest that an oxygen sensor is malfunc­tioning: The CHECK ENGINE light on the dash glows.

Before consulting a mechanic, you may want to do the tests de­scribed here. One of them may straighten out the problem. If it does, you can replace the sensor yourself.

Begin by locating the oxygen sensor. With most engines, it is on the exhaust manifold and is accessible from under the hood. With other engines, the oxygen sensor is tapped into some other part of the ex­haust system. Getting at it can only be done from under the car.

With the engine cold, pull the electrical wire connector from the sen­sor. Wipe the insides of both halves of the connector, and then press the two halves firmly together. Check engine performance. If it is better, the cause of the performance problem was simply a dirty oxy­gen sensor connection. No further service is necessary.

If cleaning the connector doesn’t help, disconnect the connector again. Use a wrench to remove the sensor from the engine. If the sensor binds in the engine, squirt penetrating oil around the sensor and wait at least 15 minutes. Then, start the engine and let it run for about five minutes before trying to unscrew the sensor with a wrench.

When you finally have the sensor out of the engine, you will proba­bly find oil, grease, or particles clogging the air-intake ports. The sensor may instead be contaminated with carbon, silicon, or lead. In either case, replace the sensor.

Carbon (black, sooty) contamination is caused by an overrich fuel mixture, which indicates a fuel system malfunction. Consult a mechanic, who should troubleshoot the fuel system to find and correct the problem.

Silicone (brownish) contamination is the result of a compound hav­ing been used on the engine—usually RTV (room-temperature vulcaniz­ing) gasket material or a spray containing silicone. Avoid this in the fu­ture.

Lead (silvery) deposits result from the use of leaded gasoline when the engine requires unleaded gasoline. This must be avoided to prevent serious damage to parts of the emissions-control system.

To install a new oxygen sensor, buy the correct one for your engine by giving the vehicle identification number to an auto parts supplier or to the parts department of a dealer who sells your make of car. Ask parts per­sonnel whether the new sensor possesses a coating of high-temperature antiseize compound on its threads. If not, buy a tube of compound and coat the threads yourself. This should also be done when re­installing a sensor you removed from the engine for examination.

With the engine cold, thread the new sensor into the engine, being careful to avoid crossing threads. Tighten the sensor, but don’t ram it down. Turn the sensor with a wrench until you encounter resistance. Then, turn it just 1/2 turn more.

The three types of fuel filters have the following characteristics:

• One type of filter, which is completely visible, is connected to and is part of the fuel line. This is called an in-line fuel filter.
• Another type of filter, also visible, is screwed into the carburetor inlet. This is also called an in-line fuel filter.
• The third type of fuel filter is inside the carburetor inlet. This is called an internal fuel filter.

If a fuel filter has not been replaced for some time in an engine that hesitates on acceleration and/or idles rough, replacing it now may solve the problem. Here is how to do this job for each of the three types of filters:

In-Line Filter #1

• With the engine cold, place a rag under the fuel filter to catch gasoline that may drip as you remove the part.
• Using pliers or a screwdriver, release the clamps.
• Pull hoses from the fuel line to release the filter.
• Note the arrow on the new fuel filter that shows the direction of fuel flow. Place the filter in position with the arrow pointing to­ward the carburetor.
• Attach hoses to the fuel line and slide clamps in place to secure the filter to the fuel line.
• Remove the rag and start the engine. With the engine running at idle, check around filter hoses to make sure that no gasoline is leaking.

In-Line Filter #2

• Stuff a rag under the filter to catch gasoline that may drip.
• Remove the air-filter housing from the carburetor.
• Unscrew the fuel line from the fuel filter.
• Unscrew the filter from the carburetor.
• Screw in and tighten the new filter, attach the fuel line, remove the rag, start the engine, and check to make sure that no gasoline is dripping.

Internal Filter

• Stuff a rag under the fuel line at the carburetor inlet to catch gaso­line that may drip.
• Remove the air-filter housing from the carburetor.
• Unscrew the fuel line from the carburetor inlet.

• Unscrew the large nut that holds the filter inside the carburetor inlet. The filter, which is equipped with a spring, will pop out. Discard the filter, but hold onto the spring. New fuel fil­ters usually don’t come with new springs.
• Insert the new filter into the carburetor inlet so that it presses against the spring.
• Screw on the large retaining nut. Turn the nut as far as you can by hand, then tighten it with a wrench.
• Attach and secure the fuel line, remove the rag, and start the en­gine. With the engine running at idle, check around the fuel line to make sure that no gasoline is leaking.

As fuel burns, temperature inside an engine can rise to a point at which it acts as a catalyst for nitrogen and oxygen molecules to fuse and form NOx. The EGR valve is used to divert exhaust gas to the cylinders. This gas, being relatively cool, keeps heat in the cylinders below the crit­ical point at which fusion occurs.

A faulty EGR valve will introduce exhaust gas prematurely, diluting the strength of the fuel mixture in the cylinders. A lean fuel mixture de­grades engine performance. Exhaust gas leaking into the cylinders causes an engine to idle rough and also causes one or more of the other perfor­mance problems.

The weakest component of an EGR valve is an internal diaphragm that pulsates to meter exhaust gas to the cylinders. This rubberized part can develop a crack through which exhaust gas will enter the engine when it isn’t supposed to. Here’s how to determine whether this is what has happened and, if so, what to do about it:

Locate the EGR valve. It is usually under the carburetor or throttle body, on the intake manifold, or behind the air meter of an engine equipped with a multiport injection system. If you can’t find the valve, ask a mechanic to point it out.

If the valve is raised high enough off the engine, make sure the en­gine is cold to avoid burning yourself and touch the bottom of the valve to establish whether its diaphragm is exposed. If the di­aphragm is exposed, the bottom of the valve will feel soft and flexible. If the diaphragm is concealed, the bottom of the valve will be metal.

If your EGR valve has an exposed diaphragm, buy a spray can of car­buretor solvent. Start the engine and let it idle. Obviously, the idle will be rough. If it wasn’t, there would be no reason to suspect that the EGR valve was shot. Remember that the one performance problem that pre­vails with a faulty EGR valve is rough idle.

Aim the can of solvent at the underside of the valve and spray the exposed diaphragm. If the diaphragm has a crack, the solvent will seal it and engine idle will become smooth, thus confirming that the EGR valve should be replaced.

To test an EGR valve with a concealed diaphragm, follow these steps:

• With the engine turned off, disconnect the hose from the EGR valve vacuum fitting.
• Attach a hand-held vacuum analyzer to the fitting.
• Pump the handle of the vacuum analyzer until you encounter re­sistance and get a reading on the meter. Watch the meter for about 60 seconds. If the needle drops, the diaphragm is damaged. Replace the EGR valve.
• If your engine appears to be equipped with a backpressure EGR valve, remove the valve from the engine.
• Place the base of the valve on a piece of cardboard and trace its outline to make a template.
• Cut out the template and punch holes in it that coincide with the positions of the bolt holes in the valve.
• Coat both sides of the template with chassis grease, which you can buy from an auto supply store.

• Place the template on the engine in the spot occupied by the EGR valve, put the EGR valve on top of the template, and bolt the valve and template to the engine.
• Start the engine. Has rough idle disappeared? If so, the EGR valve is bad. Install a new one.

To replace a damaged EGR valve, make sure the engine is turned off. Remove the bolts holding the valve to the engine and take off the valve.

Stuff a rag into the hole left in the engine to prevent dirt from falling inside. Then, use a wire brush to clean around the hole. Re­move the rag and install a new EGR valve, using a new gasket. Tighten bolts securely.

One way to determine whether your car is equipped with halogen or conventional sealed-beam headlights is to examine the trim around the headlights. If there are no screws, you have halogen bulbs.

A halogen bulb is more expensive than a conventional sealed-beam headlight. However, it provides a brighter beam and usually lasts for a longer time. Halogen bulbs are also easier to replace when they burn out.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the hood and look at the back end of the burned-out bulb. You will see a serrated locking ring, which is the bulb socket.

2. Turn the ring to release the socket and bulb. Usually, the ring must be twisted ‘A turn to the left.

3. Holding the socket in one hand and the plastic bulb holder in the other, pull the two apart.

4. Buy a new halogen bulb of the same designation as the old bulb.

5. Insert the new bulb into the socket. Make sure they lock.

6. Line up the socket and bulb with the opening in the lens and push it in until you are able to engage the serrated locking ring.

7. Turn the ring (usually to the right) to lock the halogen bulb and socket in the lens.

Do not touch the glass of the new halogen bulb with your bare hands or allow it to come in contact with any dirty surface. Dirt and body oil transferred to the glass surface will cause a halogen bulb to fall prematurely. Hold the bulb by the plastic terminal housing.

It is important to note that the repair is actually the severe service maintenance procedure suggested by vehicle manufacturers to prevent slippage from occurring in the first place. Manufacturers claim that per­forming this service every 25,000 miles, if you operate your vehicle under severe driving conditions, will prevent failure of an automatic transmis­sion. Severe driving conditions are the following:

• Operating a vehicle primarily in stop-and-go city traffic most of the time.
• Operating a vehicle more than half the time in stop-and-go city traffic when the ambient temperature is 90°F or higher.
• Using a vehicle to tow a trailer.
• Driving a vehicle primarily in a dusty environment.
• Driving a vehicle primarily over hills or mountains.

These severe driving conditions cause fluid in an automatic trans­mission to overheat and become contaminated. The fluid then loses its ability to protect delicate parts of a transmission, which will sustain damage.

Periodically draining and examining automatic transmission fluid in a vehicle used under one or more severe conditions will allow you to de­tect the onset of trouble. If failure has already occurred and a transmis­sion is slipping, replacing the fluid could also resolve the problem.

Whether you are attempting to repair an automatic transmission that is slipping or have decided to implement a maintenance program to ward off trouble, the following describes what to do. Suppose, however, the problem you’re having is not a slipping transmission, but a fluid leak from around the transmission pan. The same instructions can be followed to repair the leak.

• Drive the vehicle at least 10 miles to heat the transmission fluid.
• Park the vehicle on a level surface, shut off the engine, place the transmission shift selector in Park, and engage the parking brake.
• Jack up the front of the vehicle.
• Place a support stand under each front control arm and lower the vehicle onto the stands.
• Ram chocks against both sides of each rear tire to prevent the ve­hicle from rolling back.
• Place a large pan under the transmission pan.
• Remove the bolts by starting at a corner, so that the corner drops lower than the rest of the transmission pan, and allow fluid to flow into the other pan.
• Take out the remaining bolts and remove the transmission pan.
• Before discarding the fluid that remains in the bottom of the trans­mission pan, inspect it for particles, color, and odor. Slosh the fluid back and forth. The presence of fine black and/or brass residue is normal. However, if larger pieces are visi­ble, pour the fluid containing the particles into a clean jar and take-it to a transmission specialist. The specialist will be able to deter­mine what should be done to prevent damage from progressing to an advanced stage. Fluid should be red. If it looks muddy and/or smells like var­nish, filling the transmission with fresh fluid may straighten out a slipping condition. Incidentally, if fluid is white, the transmission oil cooler has a leak that is allowing coolant to mix with transmission fluid. Take the vehicle to an automotive radiator shop to have the cooler re­placed.
• Continue the repair by peeling or scraping off the gasket from the rim of the transmission pan and from the rim of the transmission body. All of this material must be removed or it will prevent the pan from seating securely to the transmission. This will cause a fluid leak.
• Using a nonflammable solvent, which is available from an auto supply store, wash the pan.
• Locate the transmission fluid filter inside the transmission. It is out in the open and easily reached. Remove the screw(s) that hold the filter in place and take the filter out of the trans­mission. If the filter is made of paper or felt, replace it. If it is made of metal, wash it in nonflammable solvent and put it back into the transmission.
• Place a new gasket on the rim of the transmission pan so that the holes in the gasket align with the holes in the rim of the pan. Make sure the gasket lies straight as you place the pan against the body of the transmission, and insert the bolts.
• When all bolts are in place, tighten a bolt using a wrench. Then, tighten the bolt that lies diagonally across from the one you just tightened. Follow this pattern to tighten all the bolts.
• Remove the automatic transmission fluid dipstick. Wipe it with a clean cloth and place it where it won’t become dirty.
• Insert a clean funnel into the dipstick tube and pour in one quart of the type of automatic transmission fluid recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. This information can be found in your owner’s manual. Use only this fluid, as any other type can cause transmission damage.

• Reinsert the dipstick and pull it out again to check the fluid level. Continue filling the transmission in this manner until the fluid level hits the FULL mark on the dipstick.
• With the dipstick seated in the dipstick tube, start the engine and let it warm up for five minutes. Then, move the transmission shift lever through all gears and back again toward Park, pausing mo­mentarily between each shift. Keep your foot planted firmly on the brake pedal to prevent the vehicle from moving.
• With the shift lever again in Park, turn off the engine and withdraw the fluid dipstick to check the fluid level. If it has dropped below FULL, add enough fluid to bring it back to that mark or a little below. Be careful not to exceed the FULL mark. Too much fluid in an automatic transmission will cause the transmis­sion to slip.
• Over the next few days, check the fluid level often and keep an eye on the ground where you park the vehicle. If the level drops and/or you notice fluid on the ground under where the transmis­sion was positioned, the pan is leaking. Tighten the bolts a bit more. If the leak persists, you may have damaged the gasket and should install a new one.

Draining the transmission will not get rid of all the old fluid. Some will be trapped in the torque converter. If the torque converter in your car doesn’t have a drain plug, you will have to repeat the drainage procedure twice more after driving the vehicle in increments of 5,000 miles. There is, however, an easier solution. Have a 1/2-inch threaded drain plug installed in the transmission pan at a transmission shop.

With a drain plug in the transmission pan, drive the vehicle for 5,000 miles so that the fresh fluid you put in the transmission mixes with the old fluid trapped in the torque converter. You can then drain fluid by simply removing the drain plug.

The heart of the EVAP system is a charcoal canister that absorbs va­pors, which enter the canister from the fuel system through hoses. As the engine runs, vapors are drawn into the cylinders and are burned. The performance problem and odor of gasoline arise if the can­ister cracks, if one of the hoses is damaged, or if a filter inside the canis­ter clogs.

Here is how to repair a vehicle’s EVAP system:

• Find the charcoal canister.
• Using self-adhering labels, identify each hose in terms of the can­ister fitting to which it is connected. Later, each must be reattached to the correct fitting.
• Loosen clamps and pull off hoses.
• Loosen the bracket holding the canister, and remove the canister from the vehicle.
• Inspect the canister for damage. Pay particular attention to the area around hose fittings. If you find a crack, take the component to the parts department of a dealer who sells your make of vehicle and buy a new one.

• Turn the canister over to find out whether it has a filter, which should be replaced before you reinstall an undamaged canister.
• Inspect hoses and replace any that are cracked.
• Install the canister and connect hoses to their proper fittings, mak­ing sure that clamps are secure.

If this fails to solve the performance prob­lem and to eliminate the gasoline odor, replace the canister. A canister without a filter has an estimated life expectancy of 50,000 miles.

Most owners of vehicles with fuel-injection systems can determine whether this problem is causing one of the performance conditions listed above by using an instrument called an EFI-LITE (or NOID-LITE). You can buy the particular design of EFI-LITE that fits the shape of the connectors used by your fuel system from an auto parts store or directly. The instrument costs less than $10.

Although they look different, fuel injectors of throttle body systems and those of multiport systems work the same way. Fuel is delivered to the injector. When the injector receives an electrical charge, the solenoid opens the valve, allowing fuel to spray into the engine. An electrical disruption will prevent this from happening.

Here is how to use an EFI-LITE to uncover a disruption in electricity to fuel injectors:

• With the engine turned off, pull apart the connectors that join the electricity-delivery wire to one of the fuel injectors
• Plug the EFI-LITE into the connector to which the wire is attached.
• Have an assistant crank the engine as you watch the EFI-LITE. If the light gives off a pulsating glow, the electrical system is working properly. Reattach the wire to the fuel injector and test the next in­jector.

If the EFI-LITE does not glow, or if the beam it emits doesn’t pulsate, the reason is often a short circuit caused by a bare wire in contact with a metal part of the engine. Examine the wire leading to the fuel injector to determine whether insulation has been rubbed off so that the wire is pro­truding. If a bare wire exists, wrap it with electrician’s tape, which is avail­able from hardware stores, to make the repair.

In most engines, the valve plate is inside the long nose (or snorkel) of the air-filter housing. The vacuum diaphragm is on top of the snorkel. The heat-sensing switch is inside the air-filter housing.

The vacuum diaphragm controls the closing and opening of the valve plate. The heat-sensing switch transmits “orders” to the diaphragm as to when the valve plate should be closed and opened.

The vacuum diaphragm works to keep the valve plate closed so it blocks the flow of air to the carburetor when the temperature of the air is less than 105°F. Instead, the air that the engine needs to run properly until it warms up is drawn into the carburetor from the exhaust manifold through an opening in the underside of the air-filter housing..

As the engine warms up and raises air temperature to above 105°F, the heat-sensing switch orders the vacuum diaphragm to release its hold on the valve plate. The plate opens to let air, now heated, reach the car­buretor. When the plate drops, it falls over and seals the opening in the snorkel through which hot air from the exhaust manifold had been get­ting to the carburetor.

If the system isn’t working right, the valve plate can stay open when it should close. This will allow cold air to enter the carburetor, causing the engine to hesitate on acceleration and/or stall. Conversely, if the valve plate stays closed when it should open, the air from the exhaust manifold, which becomes increasingly hot as the engine warms up, will mix with gasoline. The mixture can get hot enough to start burning prematurely. This will result in detonation.

To determine whether one or more parts of a heated-air inlet system are causing a performance problem, wait for the engine to get cold and do this:

• If the snorkel has a duct attached to its mouth, release the clamp and remove it.
• Have an assistant start the engine as you shine a flashlight inside the snorkel to watch the valve plate.

As the engine starts, the valve plate should be closed over the throat of the snorkel. As the engine warms up, the valve plate should open. If neither of these things happens, one or more parts of the heated-air inlet system are malfunctioning. Here’s what to do:

Replace the air duct

Poor engine performance will occur if one of the ducts transmitting air to the snorkel is damaged. Inspect ducts closely, especially inside the folds. If you find a hole or a split in a duct, release the clamp on each end, pull the duct free, and replace it with a new duct.

Replace the vacuum diaphragm

With the engine turned off, remove and inspect the hose attached to the vacuum diaphragm. Replace a dam­aged hose.

Connect a hand-held vacuum tester pump to the hose fitting of the diaphragm and pump the handle until the meter records at least 10 inches of vacuum. If the meter needle begins to drop, indicating that the diaphragm is failing to retain vacuum, replace the air-filter housing or, if possible, replace the diaphragm this way:

• Drill out the rivets holding the diaphragm to the snorkel.
• Lift the diaphragm off the snorkel and release the linkage that se­cures it to the valve plate.
• Buy a new diaphragm from the parts department of a dealer who sells your make of vehicle. It should come with a retaining strap that you can wrap around the snorkel and secure with bolts.
• Engage the linkage to connect the new diaphragm to the valve plate, place the diaphragm on the snorkel, and secure it with the retaining strap. Position the strap so it covers and seals the holes in the snorkel that were made when you drilled out the rivets.

Replace the heat-sensing switch

If the ducts and vacuum di­aphragm pass their tests, failure of the vacuum plate to function as it should probably lies with the heat-sensing switch. With the engine shut off, lift the air-filter housing off the carburetor and turn it over. In most heated-air inlet systems, two hoses are attached to the fittings of the heat-sensing switch. One hose connects to the vacuum diaphragm, the other to a fitting on the engine. Inspect hoses and replace them, if necessary.

To replace a heat-sensing switch, use self-adhering labels to identify which hose is attached to which fitting of the switch. Pull hoses from the fittings. Release clips holding the switch to the air-filter housing. Turn the housing over and remove the switch.

Obtain a new heat-sensing switch of the same type from the parts department of a dealer who sells your make of vehicle. Position the new switch, secure it with the retaining clips, connect each hose to its correct fitting, and place the air-filter housing back on the carburetor.

If the lens is shattered, you can use lens repair tape, which is avail­able from auto supply stores. The result isn’t particularly attractive, but the tape will prevent water from getting into the socket, causing corrosion and ruining the light.

The advantage to repairing damage with tape is that you don’t have to remove the lens. However, by removing it you can make a neater re­pair with Form-a-Lens™, which is available from auto supply stores. This repair compound is a plastic material that closely resembles and blends with the lens. Here is how to use it:

• If the taillight lens contains ridges, use modeling clay to make a mold before removing the lens. Do this by spreading clay over a part of the lens that is intact. Press the clay down to imprint the lens ridges into the clay. Peel off the mold carefully so as not to disrupt the impression.

• Remove the broken lens from the vehicle. If assembly screws aren’t visible on the face of the lens, look in the luggage compartment or on the underside of the bumper. This also is the case if you have to remove a parking lens to replace a burned-out taillight or rear turn-signal bulb or to replace a cracked lens.

• Once the lens has been removed, clean it with a mixture of water and vinegar or with window cleaner. Then, dry it.

• Cover the face of the broken section of lens with the clear plastic film that comes in the repair kit if the lens has no ridges. For a lens with ridges, cover the face of the broken section with the clay mold.

• After mixing the plastic repair compound according to the instruc­tions supplied with the repair kit, turn the lens so that the rear side faces up. Pour the repair material into the hypodermic needle that comes in the kit. Then, inject the material into the broken section through the bulb hole until the section is filled.

• Let the material harden overnight.

• Peel off the clear plastic film or clay mold, wash the lens to remove residue, and put it back on the vehicle.

You will need these supplies: wax-removing solvent; a sanding block; a tack cloth; 80-, 240-, and 400-grit sandpaper; glazing putty; spray cans of zinc chromate and finishing primer; and a rubber contour squeegee.

Here is what to do:

• After washing and drying the body panel, clean it with wax-removing solvent.

• Use 80-grit sandpaper attached to the sanding block over the dam­aged area. Keep the sanding block flat against the surface and apply moderate pressure. Move the sandpaper in a back-and-forth motion. Do this until you produce bare metal. Then, wipe the area clean.

• Using a piece of 240-grit sandpaper attached to the sanding block, sand the area again to remove scratches in the metal that were made by the 80-grit sandpaper.

• The next sanding step is done to get the area as smooth as pos­sible. Use 400-grit sandpaper attached to the sanding block. Keep the sandpaper wet.

• After sanding, wash the area with plain water and wipe it with the tack cloth, which will remove fine particles.

• Let the surface dry completely.

• Cover moldings and adjacent panels with newspaper held in place with masking tape. This is done to guard against primer overspray.

• Hold the spray can of zinc chromate primer parallel to the area, at a distance of 10 to 12 inches. Moving the can back and forth, spray the primer onto the surface until all bare metal is covered.

• Let the primer dry.

• Scoop a glob of glazing putty onto the edges of a rubber contour squeegee and spread it onto the surface. Use moderate pressure so that the putty will stick. Move the squeegee in one direction only.

• After the putty dries, sand it with 240-grit sandpaper attached to the sanding block. Sand until the putty is level with the surround­ing surface. Run your hand over the area to make certain no high spots remain. Then, inspect the putty for the presence of pits or rough areas and to determine whether you inadvertently sanded off too much, leaving a low spot. If necessary, apply another layer of glazing putty and repeat the sanding operation.

• Attach 800-grit sandpaper to the sanding block, saturate the paper with water, and sand the repaired area of the panel until the sur­face is as smooth as possible. Dip the sandpaper into water fre­quently.

• When you are satisfied with the smoothness of the panel, wash it and then wipe it with the tack cloth. Let the surface dry com­pletely.

• Apply the finish primer, using the same technique described for application of the zinc chromate primer. The panel is now ready for painting.

Products fall into three categories: compounds, cleaner-waxes, and polishes.

Compounds and cleaner-waxes contain abrasives. Cleaner-wax has a minimum amount of abrasive, polishing compound (not to be confused with polish) has more, and rubbing compound has the most. Rubbing compound is used only when the paint on the vehicle is in such bad condition that if it fails to do the job, there is no alternative but to repaint the car.

Polish contains no abrasives. It possesses a cleaner that will remove dirt but not faded paint.

The first step in selecting a product is to identify the type of paint on the vehicle. There are three categories of paint. The following describes each type of paint, which product to use, and ways to use it.

Clearcoat/Basecoat Paint

Pigmented paint is used for the bottom coat. This is called the basecoat. The top coats of paint contain no pigment. They are transparent, which is why they are called the clearcoat. The clearcoat protects the basecoat from the sun’s rays and keeps it from getting dirty. In fact, just washing the vehicle, especially by hand, will remove dirt from the clearcoat to allow the luster of the basecoat to show through.

In time, however, the top layer of clearcoat can fade. Removing this layer will expose the layer beneath it.

Clearcoat layers are comparatively thin, so you must proceed with caution when dealing with basecoat/ciearcoat paint. When washing no longer produces a satisfactory result, first try to restore the luster of paint with a polish, which is nonabrasive and will not remove paint. If this fails to produce the desired effect, step up to a cleaner-wax, which is mildly abrasive, and then, if necessary, to a more abrasive polishing compound. Rubbing compound should not be used on a clearcoat/basecoat paint; it will rub right through the clearcoat layers.

Apply any product with a light hand. Don’t use heavy pressure or a machine. Doing so will cause all the clearcoat to be rubbed off.

Metallic Paint

Use a polish specifically formulated for metallic paint. Do not use an abrasive product.

Enamel or Lacquer Nonmetallic Paint

To restore the luster of a nonmetallic, nonbasecoat/clearcoat paint job, use polishing compound. If that proves unsatisfactory, use rubbing compound.

Whichever product you use—polish, cleaner-wax, or compound— the best result is attained by first hand-washing the vehicle. Try to do the job on a cloudy day. If this is not possible, park the car in shade.

Apply the product to one section at a time, the area of which should not exceed two square feet. Use a circular motion if the product is nonabrasive, a back-and-forth motion if it is abrasive. If an applicator is not provided with the product, use a terry-cloth rag. Read the manufac­turer instructions on the container to find out whether the applicator should be damp or dry. Use clean terry-cloth rags to remove the product before it hardens. Then, buff the surface with another clean rag.

When applying an abrasive product near the edges of doors, fenders, hood, and trunk lid, use no pressure. Otherwise, you may rub off the paint, which is thinnest at these points.

The following measures will help you obtain satisfactory results when using an abrasive product:

• Cover moldings and hood ornaments with masking tape.
• To remove deep scratches in the paint that may be revealed after the faded paint has been removed, saturate a piece of 600- or 800-grit sandpaper with water and rub the scratch using light pressure. Then, wash the area with water from a garden hose.
• If the paint still appears dull after the initial treatment, more of the faded layer needs to be removed. Repeat the treatment.
• After the paint’s luster has been restored, wax the vehicle. Wax protects paint from the sun’s rays. It does not make the vehicle “shine.” Contrary to popular belief, applying more than one coat of wax is a waste of time. In applying a second coat, you will only rub off the first.