Repair Radiator Hose: How to Repair a Radiator Hose Collapse

If you find that your car has a problem with the radiator, then you may have to repair a radiator hose which has collapsed, or even completely remove part of the hose. When you are confronted by a radiator hose collapse, then you may find that the upper part is completely flat, as though it has been sucked into the rest of the hose. In order to repair a radiator hose collapse, you will need to work out what has caused this problem, and then begin by fixing that problem. If you cannot manage to do this, then your best option is to replace the hose completely.

Step 1 – Work Out What Went Wrong

Begin by working out the cause of the problem. Your first indication that things may not be working correctly could be a leak from the radiator, or some kind of overflow from your reservoir. You should make a note of anything that has happened in the 24 hours before the radiator hose collapsed, as this will give you a good idea of what part of the car needs to be fixed. When you notice that your car radiator hose has collapsed, you should also look at the surrounding parts of the engine, particularly the radiator itself.

Step 2 – Add Some Water

The first thing that you should do is add some water to the car. Fill the radiator with coolant, and then warm engine up so that you can see if the hose becomes normal again. You should keep the car stationary while you do this, and keep checking the radiator hose to make sure that it has not come away from the connections.

Step 3 – Work Out the Problem

When you are looking at the radiator while the engine is working, you should get a good idea of what the matter is with the radiator hose. The main cause of a radiator hose collapse is that the hose is not strong enough to be connected to the radiator, but you may also find that the coolant system has developed a partial vacuum, causing the hose to collapse. Coolant decreases as the car cools after use, sucking the hose into the radiator system.

Step 4 – Replace the Hose

You may have to call out a mechanic to fix your problem, but you can replace the hose with a stronger one before you do so. Unscrew the bolts holding the radiator hose in place using a wrench, or turn carefully with a screwdriver if they are too tight, and then remove your soft hose. Take a stronger one, with a lot more stiffness in the body, and replace it into the engine. Screw the bolts back into position, refill the coolant, and then run the car, taking note of the cooling process, and ensuring that the hose is not sucked in.

How to Install a Power Steering Pump

You’ll know when its time to replace your power steering pump. Your steering wheel will become difficult to turn. If your pump is totally gone, you will have trouble turning this wheel at all when your car is not moving. To replace your pump, follow the steps below.

Step 1 – Locate Your Pump

The power steering pump is located in different places under the car’s hood, depending on the make and model of the car. Check with your user’s guide if you don’t know where the pump is located. If that fails, try calling an auto repair shop that works on your type of car or truck.

Step 2 – Obtain a Replacement Pump

Obtain the right pump. If you prefer a new one you’ll be better off buying it from a car dealer servicing your make and model of car. If you prefer installing a used pump, try some of the local used parts stores.

Step 3 – Install the New Pump

Place a drip pan on the floor under the pump. This will catch any fluid that drips from the pump. Then, remove the pump belt and the bolts that hold the pump in place. Install the new pump and replace the fluid. Finally, turn the steering wheel to force out any air from the system.

How to Install Rear Brake Shoes

Rear brake shoes are often used in today’s cars and light trucks more than disc brakes are used for rear brakes. But, like disc brakes, they can become worn and lose their effectiveness in slowing or stopping the car they are installed on. When this happens, these shoes—or linings—need to be replaced. If you are accustomed to doing some of the more simple maintenance on your car or truck you may want to know how to install new brake shoes to replace those that are worn and ineffective. With the right tools and instructions you should be able to install new shoes on a brake in less than half an hour.

Step 1 – Safety Preparations

Raise your car’s rear end by using a car jack. When you have it raised high enough, slip a jack stand under the frame on both sides of the car. Then lower the car again until its weight is resting on these jack stands.

Step 2 – Remove the Rear Wheels

Before raising your car’s rear end, crack loose each of the lug nuts holding the car’s wheels in place. Then, when your car is raised and is resting on the jack stands, remove the wheels lug nuts and wheels, and move the wheels away from the car. When you have your wheels off, set your car’s parking brake as an extra safety precaution.

Step 3 – Remove the Brake Drums

Turn keeper bolts on your drums in a counter clockwise direction. These bolts are intended to hold the drums in place. When they are removed, pull the drums toward you. They should slip off easily, leaving the brake shoes fully exposed to view. With these drums removed, examine them for scoring or cracks. Examine the wheel cylinder for leaks that might indicate other worn brake parts.

Step 4 – Remove Brake Shoes

Using a flathead screwdriver or brake tool, pry springs from the hooks that hold them to the shoes. Then, turn the center spring bolt, and remove the shoe from the axle.

Step 5 – Attach New Shoes

Press the new shoes onto the brake where they will naturally fit in only one direction. While holding the shoe in place, tighten the spring bolt, then fasten the long springs onto their hooks on each shoe. This will hold the shoes in place.

Step 6 – Replace the Drum and Bleed the Brakes

Slip the drum over the shoes and tighten its keeper bolt. Turn the bleeder nipple, which will open and allow fluid and air to bleed out. When only fluid begins to drain out, close the nipple and top off the fluid in the master cylinder.

Step 7 – Complete the Process

Repeat the shoe changing process with the other rear brake. When finished, test the brakes, make necessary adjustments, then replace the wheels with the lug nuts turned onto the wheel. Finally, lower the car, snug up the lug nuts and remove the floor jacks.

How to Fix a Tire with a Tire Patch

Repairing a puncture or cut in the tread of a tire with a tire patch a safe and really effective way to fix the tire so that it can hold pressurized air again. Adding a tire patch doesn’t have to be overwhelming. While there are usually instructions on the box, you can also follow these guidelines to correctly insert a tire patch into a tire.

Step 1: Find the Puncture or Cut

Re-inflate the tire to 30 pounds per square inch, nothing more. You can do this using a portable pump or one at a gas station. You will need a working tire pressure gauge to do this step.

Examine the tire to find the hole or embedded object. Spray the surface with the detergent solution, and watch for bubbles to spot the puncture location. Mark the spot with a masking tape strip stretching over to the inner sidewall, and draw an arrow pointing to the hole. This way you can easily find the hole when it comes time to attach the patch.

Step 2: Deflate the Tire

Using the valve core tool (you can purchase these little tools at most big box stores and hardware stores), press the valve core tool into the air valve and apply firm pressure. This will allow the air to release from the tire quickly as you deflate it.

Step 3: Separate the Tire from the Wheel Rim

Depress the tire edge next to the wheel rim until the bead is released. The tire bead is simply the rim of the edge of the tire that attaches to the wheel. Pry on the tire bead at intervals with the pry bar around the wheel on each side. Be careful with this step. You do not want to bend or damage the tire or the bead. With help from a handy second set of hands, separate the tire from the rim.

Step 4: Remove the Foreign Object

Next, you will need a tire vise. Place the tire in a vise and tighten the vise firmly so the area that needs to be patched is just above the clamp. Use the handheld vise grip pliers to pull out the embedded object, while wearing your eye protection. Check how the object penetrated the tire so you can patch the hole effectively.

Step 5: Prepare the Hole for Patching

Use a tire reamer to smooth and shape the rough hole so the plug patch will fit snugly. Clean the patch area inside the tire with liquid tire liner cleaner before buffing. After the cleaner dries completely, wipe off any residue. With the portable tire buffer, sand the area bordering the hole larger by 1/8 inch in length and width than the patch size. Dab the vulcanizing liquid solution onto the sanded area, leaving it to dry to a tacky texture.

Step 6: Affix the Plug and Patch

Remove the protective backing from the patch and plug. Push the plug’s metal tip through the hole to the outside tread, and tug it through with the handheld vise grips. Hold it till the plug has adhered to the tire liner, and remove the metal tip. The tacky texture of the glue solution should help here. Then, pull on the plug so the patch forms a vacuum dimple inside the tire.

Step 7: Secure the Patch

Press firmly on the patch in all directions using your gloved hands or the roller that came with your kit until the patch is sealed and secured. Brush a thick coat of the vulcanizing solution over the patch and wait for it to dry completely.

Step 8: Remount and Reinflate the Tire

Mount the tire onto the rim. Refill it with the air compressor, and spray it with the detergent solution to test the seal. Take the tire to a service center for balancing as needed. Then, place your tire back on your car and you are ready to hit the open road again.

Car Door Window Won’t Budge? Possible Problems

Avoid a costly auto repair bill when your car door window just won’t work. Follow these steps to check the many parts involved in your power windows.

First, remove the unclean contacts at the master switch. You will find them at the driver’s console.

If the contacts are clean and the switch is functioning properly, the next suspect is the motor and it must be in need of replacing. Whatever the brand, the steps for replacing a window regulator are similar:

1. Take out the panel of the door with the malfunctioning window.

2. Remove the holding bolts of the regulator.

3. Pull out the old regulator after disconnecting all the wiring. Replace it with the new one you have purchased from a parts supplier. Buy it online to avoid hidden costs when ordering through a dealer.

4. Tighten the bolts holding the new regulator and fix the moisture barrier back into the slot. Push all wires back into their positions before reassembling the door panel.

5.Switch the power window on and the new regulator will operate as you expected.

How to Use Radiator Pressure Testers

A radiator pressure tester is needed to detect holes in hoses, defective gaskets, weak internal seals, or a faulty heater core that can lead to overheating. By increasing the radiator pressure, these issues can all be found through either visually inspecting for leaks or by smelling for the sweet scent of antifreeze.

Step 1 – Cool the Car

Completely cool the engine. Check the owner’s manual for the correct PSI for the radiator. If you do not have the owner’s manual, check the radiator cap. Fill all coolant levels in both the radiator and the reservoir to the fill line to ensure an accurate pressure reading.

Step 2 – Pressurize

Remove the radiator cap and attach the radiator cap extension of the pressure tester. Pump the pressure gauge up to the directed PSI, and set the pressure tester on a level surface.

Step 3 – Check

Visually check under the car and around the engine for drips or leaks in hoses, caps, and gaskets. Problems with the internal heater core cannot be seen, only smelled. Get into the passenger side, turn on the fan, and smell for sweetness. Lastly, check the pressure tester for pressure loss. These are all signs of radiator problems.

How a Distributor Cap Works

Most people don’t take much notice of a distributor cap. It is not something they give a great deal of thought to when thinking about their engine, but the distributor cap is actually a vital piece of the mechanism that involves starting the car.

Inside the Distributor Cap

Inside your distributor cap you will see an arm, usually black, which is known as a rotor. This sits atop the distributor shaft. The rotor ‘rotates’ to varying degrees. The shaft rotates in time with the crankshaft of your engine. The carbon brushes, which you can see inside the distributor cap, make contact with a cable. This cable passes high voltage from the coil to the brushes.

Where it Goes

There are output contacts that make contact with the rotor, which connects, via the distributor cap, to the high tension leads. You will recognize these as the leads which pass between the distributor cap and the spark plugs.

Timing

If one element is out of time or dysfunctional your engine will either fail to start or it will misfire. If you have ever heard the phrase ‘not firing on all cylinders’ you will know this means that one of the spark plugs is failing, but it is not enough to prevent the car from starting— just enough to prevent it from running smoothly. The shaft in the distributor has a cam that maneuvers a contact breaker, so that when the points are opened they produce a high voltage in the ignition coil.

How the Distributor Cap Works

Your vehicle will have a 12 volt battery in it. This battery is kept charged during use of the engine. The battery connects to the electrical system on your vehicle. When you start your vehicle the process seems almost instantaneous, but there is a well timed set of procedures that all take place within split seconds of you turning the key. The sequence begins with the key, which turns the engine and the cam that is inside the distributor cap.

How to Replace a Van Door Lock

If you have to replace a van door lock, the chances are that it will be on the driver’s door. This particular panel receives at least twice as much wear as the other doors and continual use can possibly cause the lock to break. Although you can pay someone to replace the lock, it’s just as easy to do it yourself. It’s a straightforward job and you’ll also be saving money.

Step 1 – Access the Lock

Open the door which needs a replacement lock. Start by unscrewing and removing the armrest and the speaker covers. From there, you’ll be able to take out the interior door panel by removing the screws that hold it in place. Be careful, however, not to break the plastic clips that hold the interior door panel in place.

Now, use your screwdriver to remove the screws keeping the door handle in place. Once it’s loose, use your pliers to remove the plastic retaining clip. With this done, twist the handle slightly and this will allow it to swing free.

Step 2 – Remove the Lock

At this point, you’ll be able to access the van door lock. To remove the old lock, you’ll need to disconnect the rod on the lock mechanism from the core, which is positioned inside the door. Two bolts usually hold the door handle assembly in place. Remove these, ensuring you take time to mark the position of the rod before removing the door handle assembly completely.

Step 3 – Install New Lock

Once the old lock has been taken out, you can install the new van door lock. To do this, take out the old lock core by moving the clip from the snap ring. This will release the lock core so you can take it out.

Put the new lock core in its place and move the clip back to the snap ring. This will keep the lock core firmly in place. Once you’ve checked it’s in the correct position and tightly fitted, you’ll have to refit the door handle assembly. Do this by reconnecting the rod, paying close attention to where you marked the original position.

To finish the door handle assembly section of your van door lock replacement, put the two bolts back in place then connect the rod back to the lock core, making sure it is tightly fitted. Slide the interior door handle back into place and replace the plastic clip to keep it securely in place.

Finally, put the door handle back in place using a screwdriver, position the interior door panel back into place and return the speaker cover and armrest to their proper places. To test the van door lock, close the door and lock it and then unlock it again. The key should move easily and smoothly in the lock and the door should lock and unlock without sticking.

Benefits of a Car Ignition System Upgrade

Your standard car ignition system benefits from an upgrade to an electronic system. A new “smart” ignition system provides cars with more pep with each step on the gas pedal.

Less Maintenance

As no energy passes through the contacts on the points, the contacts will not wear out and need to be replaced. Cars with an electronic ignition system rarely need tune ups. The improved spark capability allows you to enjoy a faster-responding car.

Efficiency

Your car will become more efficient with a new car ignition system. The automobile will not need to use as much fuel to start and to accelerate, helping to reduce gas costs. Reduced exhaust also creates a more earth-friendly car and one with a better chance of passing a smog test.

Simple Conversion

The conversion of a car ignition system takes only 15 minutes when done by a trained mechanic and costs less than $500. You can simply take your car into any mechanic and generally have your car back the same day. Ignition kits are sold online and in car repair shops, allowing a would-be mechanic the chance to upgrade on their own.

If your car has lost its energy and needs a boost, a car ignition system upgrade may be the answer.