The Complete Idiot's Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care

288 Pages·1999·2.8 MB·English

Contents
E
’
Trouble-Free
Car Care
Second Edition
by Dan Ramsey
A Pearson Education Company
1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019-6785
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care
This book is dedicated to three young ladies: Judy, Heather and Ashley.
May your roads be smooth and your journey trouble-free. God bless.
Copyright © 1999 by Dan Ramsey
All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. No patent liability is
assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. Although every
precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author
assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for
damages resulting from the use of information contained herein. For information,
address Alpha Books, 1633 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10019-6785.
THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO and design are registered trademarks of
Pearson Education, Inc.
Pearson Education books may be purchased for business or sales promotional use.
For information please write: Special Markets Department, Pearson Education,
1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.
International Standard Book Number: 0-7865-4230-6
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 99-65262
02 01 00 99 4 3 2 1
Interpretation of the printing code: the rightmost number of the first series of numbers
is the year of the book’s printing; the rightmost number of the second series of num-
bers is the number of the book’s printing. For example, a printing code of 99-1 shows
that the first printing occurred in 1999.
Printed in the United States of America
Making or distributing electronic copies of this book constitutes copyright
infringement and could subject the infringer to criminal and civil liability
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Contents
Alpha Development Team
Publisher
Kathy Nebenhaus
Editorial Director
Gary M. Krebs
Associate Publisher
Cindy Kitchel
Associate Managing Editor
Cari Shaw Fischer
Acquisitions Editors
Jessica Faust
Michelle Reed
Development Editors
Phil Kitchel
Amy Zavatto
Assistant Editor
Georgette Blau
Production Team
Development Editor
Matthew X. Kiernan
Production Editor
M. Faunette Johnston
Copy Editor
Lisa M. Lord
Cover Designer
Mike Freeland
Photo Editor
Richard H. Fox
Illustrator
Brian MacMoyer
Designer
Scott Cook and Amy Adams of DesignLab
Indexer
Maro Riofrancos
Layout/Proofreading
Angela Calvert
Mary Hunt
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care
Contents at a Glance
Part 1: Understanding Your Car 1
1 How Cars Run: What Makes Them Go? 3
Cars are actually pretty stupid beasts of burden, so under-
standing how they work is easy.
2 Learning About Your Car: What Does What 17
Here’s how to psychoanalyze your car’s personality.
3 Using Manuals: Doing It by the Book 25
Any question you have about your car can be answered by
the book.
4 Cars on the Internet 31
Learn more about your car and how to keep it trouble-free
by going online.
5 Quarter-Million-Mile Car: Fact or Fiction? 41
You can keep your car on the road longer and at less cost
with these easy-to-apply ideas.
Part 2: Maintaining Your Car 47
6 Do-It-Yourself Maintenance, or Getting Your
Hands Dirty 49
Sure you can! Ideas and techniques for maintaining
your car, including the CAR Maintenance System.
7 Finding a Good Mechanic: Who Can You Trust
with Your Car? 61
Finding and hiring qualified help when you need it—
without taking on the national debt.
8 CAR Weekly Check Up 69
Stuff you can do every week to reduce repairs and keep your
car happy.
9 CAR Quarterly Check Up 79
More stuff to do—and how to do it—to help your car run
like new.
10 CAR Semiannual Adjustments 91
Step-by-step instructions for tinkering with your car every
once in awhile.
11 CAR Yearly Replacements 101
Things to do for your car annually or every 12 months—
whichever comes first.
12 CAR: Biannual Replacements 107
How to painlessly operate on your car for fun and profit.
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Contents
13 Body and Interior Maintenance: Keeping Your Car
All Spruced Up 121
Making your car look as good as it runs.
Part 3: Repairing Your Car 129
14 Why Cars Don’t Run: The Little Car That Couldn’t 131
Just like people, cars have common ailments that can
easily be cured.
15 Don’t Shoot! Troubleshoot 141
How to diagnose your car’s symptoms and figure out what
to do about them.
16 Non-Nerd’s Guide to Understanding Your Car’s
Computer 147
You don’t have to wear horn-rim glasses and a pocket
protector to be on good terms with the computer that keeps
your car running smoothly.
17 Do-It-Yourself Repair Without Major Medical 155
Safe car repair is easy when you remember a few common
sense rules.
18 Starting and Ignition System Repairs for the Clueless 163
Easy solutions to common starting and ignition system
problems.
19 Performing Engine Surgery 171
How to transplant organs in your car’s engine.
20 Fuel System Repairs: Fill ’Er Up! 181
Fearlessly finding and fixing fuel malfunctions.
21 Cooling and Lubrication System Repairs: Fixing a
Hot Car 189
Common solutions to engine cooling and lubrication
problems.
22 Transmission Repairs: Those Troublesome Trannys 199
How to solve problems with manual and automatic
transmission systems yourself.
23 Steering and Suspension System Repairs: No More
Swerves or Bounces! 211
Understanding and repairing common steering and
suspension problems.
24 Brake System Repairs: Stop Ahead! 219
How to safely fix disc and drum brake systems so
that you can count on them.
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care
25 Electrical System Repairs: You’ll Get a Charge
Out of This! 227
Fix your car’s lights, radio, and other electrical gadgets
yourself and save a bundle.
26 Exhaust System Repairs: Fixing an Exhausted System 235
You can diagnose and repair common exhaust system
problems with simple instructions.
27 Body and Paint Repairs: Giving Your Car a Makeover 243
Fenders of steel: bodybuilding and makeup for your car.
Appendix: Glossary of Car-Care Terms 249
Index 259
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Contents
Contents
Part 1: Understanding Your Car 1
1 How Cars Run: What Makes Them Go? 3
How Your Car Runs—Assuming That It Does! ................................ 4
The Infernal Combustion Automobile ............................................ 6
Fuel System: How Your Car Digests Gas ......................................... 8
Ignition System: Keep the Spark in Your Life ................................... 8
Cooling System: Cool It! ................................................................. 9
Lubrication System: It’s Not Just Snake Oil ................................... 10
Exhaust System: Why Your Car Burps and Belches ....................... 11
Emission-Control System: Smog Gets in Your Eyes ........................ 11
Transmission System: Getting That Power to Work for You ........... 11
Electrical System: Battery Powered! ............................................... 12
Steering and Suspension System: Keeping Control! ......................... 13
Brake System: Stopping Without Bumps........................................ 13
Other Systems: All the Other Junk You Need ................................. 14
Rocky Road, Maple Nut, or Vanilla? .............................................. 14
Modern Home-Grown Cars ........................................................... 14
Immigrant Cars ........................................................................... 14
Senior Citizen Cars ...................................................................... 15
2 Learning About Your Car: What Does What 17
Just One Big Happy Family ............................................................ 17
Blood Brothers and Kissing Cousins .............................................. 19
Playing the Numbers .....................................................................19
The Great Maintenance Tracker .................................................... 22
3 Using Manuals: Doing It by the Book 25
Do It by the Book........................................................................... 25
Owner’s Manuals ......................................................................... 26
Service Manuals ........................................................................... 27
Doing It Manually ......................................................................... 28
Hell-p! When the Book Isn’t Enough ............................................ 29
4 Cars on the Internet 31
Driving on the Internet ................................................................. 32
What You Need to Cruise the Internet ......................................... 32
Reading Signs on the Internet .......................................................32
Auto Manufacturers Around the World ........................................ 33
Fun Destinations on the Internet .................................................. 34
Creating Your Own Maps .............................................................. 36
Visiting Friends on the Net ............................................................ 37
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Trouble-Free Car Care
Using Other Online Services .......................................................... 37
America Online ............................................................................37
CompuServe .................................................................................37
Using CD-ROM Resources ............................................................. 38
Bring on the Questions! .................................................................38
5 Quarter-Million-Mile Car: Fact or Fiction? 41
Your Car Notebook ........................................................................ 42
Your Workshop ..............................................................................43
Planning ......................................................................................45
Part 2: Maintaining Your Car 47
6 Do-It-Yourself Maintenance, or
Getting Your Hands Dirty 49
Pickpockets in Overalls ..................................................................49
In Your Driveway or in the Parking Lot ........................................ 50
How To Get Your Hands Dirty ......................................................51
It’s Tool Time! ................................................................................51
Wrenches ....................................................................................52
Socket Wrenches ..........................................................................53
Screwdrivers That You Can’t Drink............................................... 54
Pliers: They’re Not Just for Pulling Teeth ....................................... 54
Lubrication Tools .........................................................................54
Other Maintenance Tools ............................................................. 55
Using Tools To Make a Dent .........................................................55
Finding Parts the Legal Way .......................................................... 56
The CAR Maintenance System ......................................................57
7 Finding a Good Mechanic: Who Can You Trust
with Your Car? 61
The Dealer’s Service Shop: Returning to the Scene of the Crime ... 62
General Mechanics: One-Stop Shopping....................................... 63
Specialized Shops: I Don’t Do Electric Windows!!! ....................... 64
Tune-up Shops: Adjusting Your Car’s Attitude ............................. 65
Lube Shops: Fast Food for Your Car .............................................. 65
Don’t Pollute! And Do It Safely! ....................................................66
8 CAR Weekly Check Up 69
Every Seven Days or Once a Week—Whichever Comes First ....... 69
Check Oil Level (H)........................................................................ 71
Keeping Your Car’s Cool (H) .........................................................73
Can You See Out of That Thing? (H) .............................................73
Check Power Steering Fluid Level (H) ...........................................74
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Contents
Check Brake Fluid Levels (H) .........................................................75
Check Tires and Pressure (B) .......................................................... 76
When the Bottom of the Tire Is Flat .............................................77
9 CAR Quarterly Check Up 79
A Quarter’s Worth of Maintenance ............................................... 79
All Charged Up (H) ........................................................................ 80
Hosing Around (H) ........................................................................ 82
Cool It! (H) ..................................................................................... 83
Shifting Fluidly (H/U) ....................................................................84
Check the Differential Lubricant Level (U) ................................... 86
You’re Suspended! or Steering the Right Course (U) ..................... 86
When Your Car Is Exhausted (U) .................................................. 87
Wiping Away the Raindrops (B) ....................................................88
10 CAR Semiannual Adjustments 91
Semiannual Specials ....................................................................... 91
Dirty Oil and Filter Adjustments (H, U) ........................................ 92
How Much Gas Do You Want? Adjust Throttle Linkage (H) ........ 94
Give Him Some Air: Adjust the Carburetor (H)............................. 95
Stopping on Time: Adjusting Brakes (U) ....................................... 96
The Wheels on the Bus Go ’Round and ’Round: Adjust
Tire Rotation (B) ..........................................................................98
11 CAR Yearly Replacements 101
Keep Firing, or Readjusting the Ignition Timing (H) .................. 102
Belts Do More Than Keep Your Pants Up, or Replacing
Engine Drivebelts (H) ................................................................ 104
It’s Transfusion Time, or Replacing Chassis Lubricant (U) ......... 105
12 CAR: Biannual Replacements 107
Keeping Cool, or Replacing Radiator Coolant, Cap, and
Hoses (H) .................................................................................... 108
Keep It Clean: Replacing the Fuel Filter (H) ................................ 109
Cleaning Up the Air, or Replacing the Air Filter (H) ................... 110
Keep the Spark Alive: Replacing Spark Plugs (H) ......................... 111
Replacing Spark Plug Wires (H) ................................................... 113
Igniting the Fire, or Replacing Other Ignition Parts (H) ............. 113
Replacing PCV, EEC, and EGR Parts (H, U) ................................. 115
Keeping It Automatic: Replacing Automatic Transmission
Filter and Fluid (U) .................................................................... 116
Trans Who? Or Replacing Manual Transmission/Transaxle
Lubricant (U).............................................................................. 117
What’s the Difference? Or Replacing Differential
Lubricant (U).............................................................................. 118
Replacing Wheel Bearing Lubricant ............................................ 118
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