Feature Articles

Bottoms Up

Bottoms Up

This month we’re ready to turn the Cressida’s straight six Bottoms Up so that we can concentrate on lower engine inspection, overhaul, and assembly techniques.

Tech Tips

Tech Tips

Carburetor Hold Down Nuts; Injector Cleaning; Dragging Honda Brakes; Rear Brake Adjusters; Porsche 911 Cooling Fan Removal

Tech Tips

Tech Tips

Subaru Coolant Loss, Part Two; Toyota Torque Converter Installation; Nissan Maxima Driveability Problems; Supra No-Go; Toyota Tercel Clutch Replacement; Biting Back

Carside Manner

Carside Manner

This month’s issue contains the first part of a two part article dealing with a major overhaul of a Toyota 5M-GE twin-cam six.

Dremel Tool

Dremel Tool

Have you ever wished for a small power tool to reach those tight places where air tools just wouldn’t fit? The Dremel 4100 Automotive Service Kit and accessory Flex Shaft may be what you’re looking for.

Baby Bimmer

Baby Bimmer

After looking at the lead photo for this article on 3-series BMW service tips, you might get the impression that the owners of these cars are a bunch of crybabies.

Return To Sender

Return To Sender

Normally when we toss a letter into the mailbox, the last thing we want is to see it again, undeliverable and unopened.

Head First

Head First

There are still a few misguided car owners out there who think that regular oil changes are a waste of time and money. Oil changes and other scheduled maintenance came at very irregular intervals, if at all.

Mirror Image

Mirror Image

In many respects, the Honda Accord is a mirror image of other transverse engine Japanese cars rolling through the doors.

Carside Manner

Carside Manner

These two guys are the Marx brothers of mechanicking. Click and Clack always send me away smiling.

Brain Teaser

Brain Teaser

Once you’ve sorted through all the clues and found the answers to some of the questions, the rest of the answers will often fall into place.

Tech Tips

Tech Tips

Bolt Location Memory Aid; Subaru Air Conditioning Operation; Volvo Camshaft Bearings; Locating Leaking Fuel Injectors; Mercedes-Benz Door Locks; Leaking Differential Vent; Volvo Neutral Safety Switch

Specialty Tool Roundup: Part One

Specialty Tool Roundup: Part One

I’ve worked with technicians who had whole tool box drawers filled with specially modified wrenches and other hand-made problem solving tools. Somewhere along the way, most of us have had to creatively bend, spindle, or mutilate our tools to finish some particularly frustrating job.

Computer Switch Outputs

Computer Switch Outputs

This article will show you how an automotive computer flips the switches to turn different output circuits either “on” or “off.” We’ll also discuss ways to protect sensitive computer output circuits from death and destruction.

RX-7 Carb and Emissions: Part Two

RX-7 Carb and Emissions: Part Two

There are four spark plugs mounted on the side of the valveless, rotary engine, two seperate ignition coils, an imposing bank of switching solenoids, and enough rubber vacuum hose to make a pair of snow tires.

German Time: Mercedes Timing Chain

German Time: Mercedes Timing Chain

In December’s article describing thread repair procedures on Mercedes aluminum block V8 engines, we promised you a follow up article on timing chain upgrades for Mercedes V8 engines originally equipped with single row timing chains.

Carside Manner

Carside Manner

This month, we’d like to use this space to clean our closet of an accumulation of odds and ends, and bring you up to speed on a number of issues-issues we hope will be of interest to you.

LED Test Lights

LED Test Lights

We’ve been hammering on you for that past few years about the dangers of using a standard test light to troubleshoot delicate automotive electrical circuits.