Posts Tagged ‘ATD’

Replacing Valve Guide Seals

Sunday, January 30th, 2011

gChanging valve guide seals in the vehicle.

A common problem among vehicles especially older vehicles is leaking valve guide seals.  They are a cheap item but the labor rate a shop can charge may make it very expensive.  The task of changing your valve guide seals is actually fairly straight forward and can be accomplished in a weekend with a couple special tools.

A valve seal is a simple seal.  There are several different kinds of valve seals depending on the time in which your vehicle was manufactured.  The most effective kind of valve seal is the positive style seal, this fits over the valve guide itself and is stationary.  The next seal is the umbrella style seal, this seal rides with the valve stem and prevents oil from going down the guide.  The last style of valve seal is the o-ring.  This was extremely common on older style engines and was the least effective of any of the seals.  You don’t have to worry if you have o-ring style seals they were still effective at sealing the guide, it is just over time they become brittle due to heating and cooling.

 

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How to Replace an Automotive Alternator

Saturday, November 13th, 2010

Products_Alternator2Replacing your alternator

If your battery on your vehicle is constantly going dead forcing you to have to jump start your vehicle, it is likely that you have an alternator that is not working correctly.

The alternator on your vehicle provides voltage to your vehicle.  This voltage is created and used by your vehicle and the accessories in your vehicle.  The alternator produces more voltage than your vehicle needs and the excess voltage is then stored in your vehicles battery.  The battery will provide a supply of voltage to start the vehicle.  If your alternator is not putting out as much voltage as it should be then it will not have any excess to charge your battery, thus causing you to have a dead battery when you go to start your vehicle.

I suggest that you review this Basic Electronics article before you go ahead and replace your alternator.  A simple test that you can do is to test the voltage at your battery with your vehicle running.  You should have something greater than 13.5 DC Volts, this shows that your alternator is providing enough voltage to charge the battery.

Once you have determined that you need to replace your alternator then you can move onto the next procedure that we will discuss.

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How do I accurately test my Coolant?

Sunday, September 12th, 2010

atd-3705lgAny time is a good time to test your coolant but most important is when winter months are approaching.  I know that there are many other articles on how to check your engines coolant for the proper mixture.  I am not saying that any of these methods are incorrect.

I am going to discuss a method in this article, which I find to be the most accurate method possible.  The problem with some of the other methods such as the floating ball method is that there are many different kinds of coolants out there.  This means that you have to have the exact tester for those coolants to make the gauge read accurately.  Sometimes you may also be unsure what type of coolant is in the vehicle, and you then don’t know what tester to use.  This can also lead to using an incorrect tester and getting incorrect reading that either say your coolant is the correct mixture when it is not, or else saying it needs more antifreeze when it does not.

The method this article is going to focus on is using a refractometer.  A refractometer, such as this ATD3705 Coolant Refractometer or Robinair 75240 I have found to be the most versatile, accurate and economical way of checking cooling systems.

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How to replace my fuel pump? Replacing your fuel pump safely!

Friday, August 6th, 2010

Walbro_255LPH_Fuel_PumpWhen it comes to getting fuel to your engine it is the fuel pumps job to maintain a constant flow of fuel from your tank through the fuel lines into the engine. A common problem with fuel pumps is that they wear out over time and simply fail.  Replacing a worn out fuel pump is not that difficult of a task, but it can be extremely dangerous.  If you think about it you have a tank full of fuel and lines containing pressurized fuel.  This is why it is important that you follow these steps to help you accomplish the task of replacing your fuel pump safely. (more…)

How should I service my car battery?

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

battery Battery Service When it comes to your vehicle the battery is one of the most important items.  It not only starts your vehicle but without it the vehicle will not run. Overtime batteries release chemicals and the terminals corrode and can cause a poor connection resulting in a vehicle that will not start or resembles a vehicle with a poor battery.  It is simple to clean the posts on a battery.  I will describe how to properly clean the posts and maintain your battery to insure that it has the longest life possible.   (more…)