Archive for December, 2007

Toyota Corolla Starter Replacement

One day when you go out to start your Toyota Corolla you may hear nothing, at first, when you turn the key, then all of a sudden the starter will engage and start the engine. As days and engine starts go on you notice that it takes longer for the starter to do anything when you turn the key so you decide to replace the starter.

If you are having problems where your Toyota Corolla won't start, you may want to check one thing before you spend money on a new starter. If you have the time and can check out the starter you have before you need to buy a new one you may find that all you need to do is clean out the starter coil. If you need to remove and replace the starter quickly then consider keeping the old one as a spare and fore-go the core charge.

A year ago I had the same problem with my 1995 Corolla and being pressed for time I bought a new starter and just planned on doing an R and R job. After I was finished installing the new starter I decided to take a look at the old one. I removed the cover over the coil that engages the starter drive along with providing power to the starter itself as the gear moves forward to engage the flywheel a set of contacts moves forward as well and provides a path for the electricity from the battery to turn the engine over. The symptom you heard, or didn't hear, when you turned the key and nothing happened was the solenoid wasn't moving forward to engage the flywheel, so no power would go to the starter either.

After pulling the cover off of the coil I found a coating of rust or corrosion covering the metal piece (armature) that moves in and out as the key is turned. The corrosion prevented the armature from moving so after removing the rust with crocus cloth (a real fine type of sandpaper used on metallic surfaces) the armature moved in and out freely which essentially fixed the starter problem.

Since I had already installed the new starter I couldn't bring it back for a refund so now I have a spare, but if you are having the same symptoms with your starter you may want to try cleaning the armature first.

Removing the starter looks harder than it is. You need to remove it from the drivers side but first disconnect the battery and remove the air cleaner hose going to the air intake. If you have cruise control you may need to remove the cable for that if it goes over the starter because it will hang you up from removing the starter. It's not a five-minute job but you can get it done in 45 minutes.

Bob Crane is the author of http://www.americanwrenches.com - a site that helps many find tools they need for their projects.

Ford Taurus V-6 Serpentine Belt Replacement

On the Ford Taurus with the 3.8 V-6 engine the serpentine belt lasted me around 50K miles before it needed to be replaced. There were no signs of ripping or tearing on the old belt just some squealing when the A/C was turned on. The squealing comes from the belt tensioner being unable to apply enough pressure to keep the belt from slipping. When the belt gets stretched and dried out the tensioner can no longer hold enough pressure on the belt. You just need to replace it.

To replace the serpentine belt you need to relax the tension on the old belt before you can remove it. Before you remove the old belt it would be a good idea to make a drawing, or schematic of the pulleys and the direction the belt takes so it will be easier to install the new belt.

To relax the belt tensioner you will need a half-inch drive breaker bar. On the pulley arm there is a half-inch square hole that the breaker bar end needs to fit into so pressure can be applied to back the pulley off of the belt. Clearance is very tight in that area and sometimes a breaker bar won't fit. On my Ford it was so tight getting to the belt tensioner I had to go to the hardware store and buy a one inch piece of square stock. I took the square piece of stock and stuck it into the tensioner and used a wrench to move it.

That worked out well, I maneuvered the wrench so I could work on moving the old belt off of the pulleys then put the new belt on. With the tensioner still relaxed I slid the new belt on to the pulleys, once the belt was on and seated I started the car and checked the belt to make sure that it was tracking on the pulleys right. It is good the check that one side of the belt isn't out of its pulley because that will ruin the new belt quickly.

Toyota Matrix-Replacing The Serpentine Belt

Like most front wheel drive cars the Toyota Matrix has a serpentine belt that drives the alternator, water pump, air conditioner , and power steering pump. Our 2003 Toyota matrix got to where it had 50,000 miles on it and the old belt started to give symptoms of being stretched because the automatic tensioner was no longer able to put adequate tension on the belt to keep it from slipping when the air conditioner was turned on.

The first "heads up" advice I need to mention is that the book in the auto parts store called for three different belts for the Matrix and the book wasn't clear as to why there were three possibilities so I bought all three with the understanding that I would bring back the belts I didn't need. It was a good thing that I bought all three because the one that I was going to get was too short and I would have had to return to the auto parts store any way, so if you can take the old belt in first you can save yourself a trip back to the auto parts store.

To replace the old belt the first thing that I did was draw a diagram of the pulleys showing how the belt either went over it or under it, and where it went next. I recommend doing that unless you have a shop manual, which I don't..yet. Once you have your diagram drawn you will need to remove the old belt by taking a wrench, that I think is a 15mm and put it on the bolt in the center of the spring loaded tensioner pulley and move the pulley in the opposite direction of the belt to relax the tension on the belt so you can remove it. You need to be somewhat of a contortionist to do this, but it isn't that difficult as long as you have a good grip on the pulley.

Once the old belt has been removed, using your diagram, install the new belt up to the tensioner so the tensioner is the last pulley the new belt needs to go over. Then using your wrench, relax the tension on the tensioner once again and slide the new belt into place and allow the tensioner to contact the new belt and remove your wrench from the pulley. Double check the belt and make sure that it is fully engaging all of the pulleys before you start the car. People sometimes make the mistake in thinking that a serpentine belt will locate itself on the pulleys once the engine starts and in rare instances that works that way, but a serpentine belt is not like a V-belt with the locating characteristics of a V-belt, but they usually stay in place if they are installed with full contact on all of the pulleys.

1995 Ford Taurus Oil In Radiator

The 1995 Ford Taurus with the 3.8 engine had a recall for faulty head gaskets. I personally own a 1995 Ford Taurus LX wagon that I replaced the head gaskets on myself. Having worked for a dealership selling cars for a while and seeing how the cars in maintenance were treated I decided to do the work myself so after finding oil and air bubbles in my radiator I replaced both the head gaskets.

Once I had the head gaskets off the problem with the recall was obvious. A head gasket is supposed to have a metal ring covering the cutout for the cylinder area and on the original head gaskets that metal ring was missing. Also, on the number six cylinder from all of the oil deposits it looked like that area of the head gets hotter than the rest of the head and that is right where the old head gasket failed. There was a gap in the gasket leading to both the oil journal and one in the coolant journal. I didn't leave it long enough to allow for oil to get into the crankcase, but another few hundred miles and that's what would have happened.


Since replacing the head gaskets three years ago the Taurus has run perfectly and the gas mileage has improved to around 27 mpg highway and 20 city.

If you decide to replace the head gaskets on a 1995 Ford Taurus yourself when you go to get the new head gaskets from the auto parts store it would be a good idea to get the four bolts that hold the plenum on. When I took mine off the bolts were all corroded and I almost broke them taking them out so replacing them is a good idea, but not necessary unless one breaks.

Anti-Lock Braking and its importance

The ABS (Anti-Lock Braking) in one of the most important elements of a modern vehicle’s braking system. It works by a specialized computer activating the brake pumps so that during a powerful deceleration the wheels will not lock-up and you will be able to steer the car under such a circumstance. The situation was different before this system’s introduction. When you used to press powerfully the brake pedal, the system was fully activated permanently and the wheels blocked. This resulted in very numerous crashes, and a popular method among drivers to avoid brake lock-up was to pump the brakes.
With the introduction of ABS however these problems were solved, because the electronics does everything. An ABS fitted braking system will pump the brakes up to 15 times per second. You have to admit that no driver could match this performance.

You might ask yourself how ABS works.
Each wheel is fitted with sensors. They scan continuously the movement of each wheel and when they sense that a wheel has stopped, which is the case with a powerful braking, this sensor will transmit the ABS computer a signal. The computer will regulate the pressure in the braking system for all four wheels accordingly and this way wheel lock-up is reduced.
The computer will direct the braking pump to increase and reduce pressure in the system a few dozen times per second all the time the brake pedal is pressed. The driver can steer the car almost normally, because he will have control of the wheels in avoiding an obstacle, for example.
You can hear and feel the ABS when it enters the scene, you will feel some short movements in the brake pedal and you will hear a distinct sound.

Your breaking distances will not be reduced if your car is fitted with ABS. It has other purposes, to allow you to handle the car in a case when a powerful brake is necessary. There may be situations when ABS braking will actually increase the braking distance of the vehicle. If you have to brake forcefully and an obstacle appears in front of you, you will be able to drive around it and not crush into it.

The entire job is done by specialized computers and sensors. The driver is not obliged to do anything special, just to use the brakes in the normal way, braking and keeping the brake pedal pushed. Do not use the pumping technique when driving an ABS fitted car, because the actual pumping is being done by the system.

The early systems were rear-wheel ABS, which pumped only the rear wheels. They have been used quite some time ago in SUVs and pick-up trucks and are no longer produced. Today almost all cars are manufactured with four-wheel ABS as standard equipment. In this case, the system uses the sensors at each wheel to pump them all, individually, according to the situation. It is the most efficient system, the more precise, but it is the most expensive one to implement. Some less expensive cars are fitted with a three-channel system.

About Author

Dennis runs Car Dealer Check a website dedicated to Car Dealer Reviews and informing people about good car dealers.

Source: ArticleTrader.com

How a Car Alarm Works

What Really Is A Car Alarm And How Does It Seem To Work Like It Does?

With this number of thefts each year, it is no wonder why car alarms are becoming a common item you get in new cars. There are sensors installed into the car that will set off the worst sounds you have ever heard in your life if someone tries to steal it. Most of the keys to start the car are now your remote control system to arm and disable your alarm. Your car will definitely be safe when you are away from it.

The alarm systems of today work in a particular way and provide you with protection in about the same way. Some alarms are very complicated to understand because of the technical advancements of it and others are so simple you can put them in yourself. Either way, be prepared for the thief stealing the cars to be able to figure this out and stop the alarm before it goes off. The basic alarm is a series of sensors installed that when triggered, will set off an alarm to deter whoever has malicious intent on taking your car. A simple alarm runs through the driver side door to sound off when it was opened. Simple installation of a switch, a few wires, and the siren part of the alarm is usually all that is required.

The more complicated alarms have a more involved installation to them and are usually best left to professionals. This is because the amount of sensors installed are not only run by a simple switch but now added to the mix is pressure sensitive sensors, and motion detection pieces. Instead of one simple siren sound, your system has more than one so you can customize it for your needs, a battery for only use with the alarm so it can still operate even if your car battery is disabled, and a computer that watches all of the goings on with the alarm and causes it to go off when something is not right. The most important part of these systems is the computer. It is not a large unit like you would think but very compact. This computer shuts down certain switches to the lights, siren, or horn when you disable the alarm. The particular alarm you choose will be different from another brand because they each choose their own types of switches and components they attach to the computer itself.

It is so important to use another source of power for your alarm because some of the time, your car’s battery power may be cut by a thief. They think because they disable the regular battery connection to the alarm, it will be safe to steal. When there is another power battery hidden in the car, the alarm is still going to work. It would take them a few minutes to find the other source and thus it would take too long to be comfortable in knowing they will not get caught to steal the car. This extra power source also will set off the alarm if it is activated. This means when your primary battery source is cut or disabled, the alarm will sound.

The choice is really up to you. The more expensive the car, the more you need a better alarm. Each will range in price from under a hundred dollars to upwards of a thousand or more. When you decide to buy a vehicle, see if there is a way you can have one already installed in it. This will not only give you protection, it will be covered under the car’s warranty. You might even get a break on your car insurance also.

About the Author
Dennis runs Car Dealer Check a website dedicated to Car Dealer Reviews and informing people about bad car dealers.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Ford Taurus _ An Economical and Durable, and Inexpensive Car

The Ford Taurus is one of the most overlooked cars when someone is shopping for a dependable and economical used car. For a family just starting out on a tight budget looking for a family car and you are on a budget you really need to take a close look at a used Ford Taurus to fill your transportation needs. The Taurus is both economical and safe to drive while being highly dependable as well. Plus, the Taurus is a great looking car.
With the costs of everything going through the roof the need for a family to save money is extraordinarily high and a good place to start is on one of the biggest ticket items that a family has to deal with and that is a car, right behind a house and mortgage expenses.
The original Ford Taurus was discontinued from production in 2006 for a short while and then came back totally re-designed so to find the really great deals you need to look for models manufactured 2006 and earlier. There are like new models on dealership lots that have been returned from a lease contract that are worth consideration because the terms of a lease require that the car be maintained according to the schedule that can give a buyer peace of mind about the cars history.
The Taurus is a popular car with car rental companies which is good for the used car buyer because when a rental company updates its fleet it puts a lot of vehicles on the market which can actually depress prices allowing for a buyer to get a really good deal. That is why there are so many Taurus’ available on used car lots everywhere and at a surprisingly reasonable prices that could end up saving you thousands of dollars.
The money that you save could be put away for your child’s education or possibly to pay down some other debt. The stress of not having to meet a big car note each and every month will be worth the small sacrifice of driving a used car.
Many of the Taurus’ can be found with barely any miles on them. I have even found a few 2006 models going for way under ten thousand dollars with little over ten thousand miles on them. With that kind of service life left in the car you can almost own it free after a couple of years. Doing that would free up your finances to take care of needs that would otherwise go unmet if you needed the money for large car payments.
I personally own a 1995 Taurus Wagon that I bought new in July of 1995 and it has not given me any trouble at all and I use it like a truck sometimes when I have to haul building supplies. Of course, I wouldn’t advise using the Taurus like a truck on a regular basis but it can pull it off in a pinch.
If you do decide to look into owning Taurus take your time and pick one out that is in the best overall mechanical condition because that is the most expensive to fix should something go wrong. Some slight body wear won’t affect the performance and you will most likely get used to it. After all it is not brand new and even a new car can get a dent as soon as you drive it off the lot.
One thing to look for before you decide to buy a Taurus is to make sure that all of the recall work, if any, has been completed. Usually, the factory pays for any recall work, but it is still better to get that all taken care of before you decide to buy. It would be one less thing for you to worry about afterwards.

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Bob Crane is the author of http://www.americanwrenches.com - a site that helps many find tools they need for their projects.