So Fix it

Finding authentic parts or accessories for an older vehicle that you are rebuilding or repairing can be frustrating. Most repair shops keep only newer car parts and accessories in stock. In some cases, even figuring out the specific brand and model of accessories like car stereos that belong in an older truck can be a challenge. Specific types of resources can help take the guesswork out of the process and help ease a bit of the frustration. Finding original factory parts or accessories--such as a 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser car stereo--requires research from several resources.

Instructions

1

Ask your local Toyota dealer. Toyota dealerships have access to erence materials--such as parts directories and technical specification information--that will help you track down a factory car stereo for your 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser. Your local Toyota dealer may also be aware of resources available to order the stereo, or at least direct you to sellers, resellers or car clubs where you can find it.

2

Check online auction sites. Sites such as eBay Motors, which specializes in cars, parts and electronics, have specific sections for electronics like Toyota Land Cruiser stereos. Although such auction sites offer a comprehensive selection of parts and electronic accessories since they draw from sellers around the world, note that availability of a 1989 Land Cruiser factory stereo will depend on someone else selling it. Because these sites also depend on users to categorize the parts they sell, you may need to search multiple categories for the stereo you need--such as "Parts & Accessories" and "Electronics."

3

Use specialty parts sites. Sites that specialize in particular kinds of parts or accessories are a good source in your search for a 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser factory stereo. Websites like HiFi Sound Connection and Installer.com offer you tools that search their parts and accessories directories by year, make or model of car, or by brand of stereo. Specialty parts and accessories sites also categorize parts by manufacturer and let you scroll through the different models and manufacturing years as needed.

Adding a custom exhaust to your car is a good way to gain horsepower and a more aggressive tone to the exhaust at the same time. You could go out and buy a bolt-on system for your Altima, but if you want to truly customize, youll have to step up and have an exhaust built for you. First, though, youll want to find out what size your Altimas exhaust tubing is. That way you have a baseline to use as you determine how much you want to go up.

Instructions

1

Lift the Altima using the jack and place it on jack stands at all four corners. Make sure there is enough room for you to crawl underneath the car.

2

Locate the section of exhaust tubing that you want to measure. Open the calipers and place them over a straight section of exhaust tubing. Then tighten down the caliper until it contacts the exhaust all the way around.

3

Read the dial or digital gauge on your caliper to find out the approximate diameter. Exhaust tubing sells in average sizes: 2.25 inches, 2.5 inches, 2.75 inches, and so on; there are no odd sizes. Round the number on your caliper down to the next quarter size down, and thats your exhaust tubing diameter.

If you have gotten into an accident or you are repairing a 2004 Dodge Stratus that simply needs a new grille and bumper, you can visit any official Dodge retailer to order replacement parts. However, if you want to try to save some money on these parts, you can order them online instead. Dodges official website does not sell these items online, however there are a number of third parties that sell grilles, bumpers and other parts for a minimal cost.

Instructions

1

Visit a website that sells Dodge parts.

2

Click "Stratus."

3

Select "2004" next to year.

4

Select "Stratus Coupe" or "Stratus Sedan" depending on the model you own.

5

Type "Bumper" in the search box and click "Search." A list of bumper options will appear.

6

Type "Grille" into the "Search" box to see grille results.

The oxygen sensor is an important part of the exhaust system. By sending periodic electrical impulses at different voltages, it informs the cars computer whether or not it burns fuel at its peak efficiency. When the exhaust has lots of unburned fuel in it, the oxygen sensor sends signals around .8 to .9 volts. When too much oxygen is getting pumped through and not enough fuel, the signals are .1 to .3 volts. The perfect air/fuel mixture is around 0.45 volts, and the CR-Vs computer strives to maintain that.

Instructions

1

Place a jack under the front of the frame of your Honda CR-V and lift it. Slide jack stands under the frame and lower the SUV onto the jack stands.

2

Lie on a mechanics dolly and roll yourself under the SUV. Find the muffler. It looks like an oval cylinder with piping running in one end and out the other toward the back of the car, where your exhaust gets expelled from the CR-V.

3

Follow the piping with your eyes from the muffler leading toward the front of the SUV to the catalytic converter. It is a circular cylinder attached to the underside of the car with two bands clamped around it, and it has piping running in one end and out the other. If you have difficulty, the diagram for the catalytic converters and oxygen sensors on 2 Car Pros can help.

4

Find the two sensors bolted into the drivers side of the catalytic converter. The one near the front of the SUV is the primary oxygen sensor, which measures the air/fuel mixture before the exhaust runs through the catalytic converter. The one located closer to the rear is the secondary oxygen sensor, which measures the oxygen content of the exhaust after it has gone through the catalytic converter. Be aware that the Honda CR-V has two oxygen sensors and either can cause error codes.

The 2001 Toyota Camry is a four-door sedan with a front engine and front-wheel drive. The Camry was equipped with either a four or six-cylinder engine. The four-cylinder engine was a 2.2-liter in-line engine. The V-6 was 3.0 liters. Engine failure or crash damage may require a replacement engine. You can use your computer to search for a salvage yard selling a replacement engine.

Instructions

1

Open the hood on your Toyota Camry and count the number of spark plugs to determine if it is equipped with a four or six-cylinder engine.

2

Locate the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate in the lower left corner of the windshield on the drivers side of the Camry. The fifth character will be "F" if it is six-cylinder or "G" for the four-cylinder engine.

3

Locate the vehicle information plaque located on the drivers door jamb and verify the model year of the Camry is 2001.

4

Navigate to the Car-Part auto parts locator website. Enter the year, make and model of your car, and your ZIP code, and press the "Search" button.

5

Select the engine type and press the "Search" button.

6

Review the results and find an engine meeting your price, condition and location requirements.

7

Contact the supplier via email or phone to confirm the engine is available as advertised.

The engine light codes, also known as diagnostic trouble codes, on a KIA Optima are designed to provide information about a specific failure or malfunction on the vehicle. These alpha-numeric codes are created by the engine control module and then stored in memory where they can be retrieved at a later date with a scan tool. These codes begin with the letter P and are followed by a four digit number sequence. Each code corresponds to a specific problem that can be identified by using a service repair manual. Most factory repair manuals provide a flow chart that technicians can use to diagnose and correct the problem that triggered the code.

Instructions

1

Turn the engine off, but rotate the ignition switch to the ON position. The dashboard must have power in order for the scan tool to communicate with the ECM.

2

Find the Optimas diagnostic data terminal and plug the scan tool into the terminal. On most Optimas, the terminal is underneath the front edge of the dashboard on the drivers side of the vehicle. In some models, it is under the front edge of the dashboard, but mounted vertically on the right side of pedal area.

3

Turn on the scan tool, then navigate to the DTCs menu. Command the scan tool to read and display the current DTCs stored in the ECMs memory.

4

Write down the codes displayed on the scan tools screen, then disconnect the scan tool and turn off the ignition.

5

Visit your local library and look up the code in the Optimas service manual. Make copies of the code description and the diagnostic flow chart.

Many vehicle owners do not realize that not all the parts in their Ford car were manufactured by Ford. Most major car companies do not manufacture all the parts to their vehicles in-house. Ford has contracts with smaller part manufacturers that build the parts that Ford then installs in its vehicles. These manufacturers often continue to make and sell their parts to other companies, which means you can purchase replacement parts from a variety of sources. The designation OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. When you are looking to buy genuine replacement parts for your Ford vehicle, look for parts that are designated as OEM parts.

Instructions

1

Contact your local Ford dealerships parts and service department. The Ford dealership will have access to all OEM parts and will be able to provide a manufacturer-approved substitution if the OEM part for your vehicle is no longer available.

2

Visit any auto parts store, online or physically, and request OEM parts for your Ford vehicle. Most parts stores stock OEM parts as well as aftermarket upgrades and options.

3

Check local junkyards. If you are really struggling to find a specific part for your Ford vehicle that no one seems to manufacture anymore, you can try to find the part on a junked vehicle that is the same make and model as your own.

4

Contact the manufacturer of the part directly. If you need a specific item and arent having any luck finding it, you may be able to track down which actual factory built the part and send a request directly to them for a replacement. Note than this may not work well if the manufacturer is overseas.

If you have bought or are about to buy a used car, its in your interests to find out as much about the vehicles history as you can. Its impossible to be completely sure of what youre paying for when you buy a second hand car, but if you can piece together as much of the cars service history and records as you can, youll at least know if theres been any serious issues such as a major collision or mileage fraud.

Instructions

1

Ask the dealership or individual youre buying the car from if they have the service history of the vehicle. Professional dealers should be able to provide you with this as a matter of course. If youre buying the car from an individual seller, ask if they have its manual as this will often contain its records.

2

Contact the manufacturer of the car with the vehicle identification number. You might find this in the corner of the dashboard below the windshield, on the inside panel of one of the doors or on the chassis underneath the hood. Most manufacturers should be able to provide you with the cars records, especially if its been serviced by their technicians.

3

Run a Car Fax search. Car Fax works in a similar fashion to a credit reference agency with background information on cars. Youll need the vehicle identification number and it will cost you $34.99, to access the records of one car, as of November 2010. Car Fax has information on all cars and light trucks manufactured after 1981.

When a blower motor resistor fails, the blower motor will only operate in one speed; this is often the first and only sign of a faulty blower motor resistor. This malfunction occurs because the resistor regulates the amount of current flowing to the blower motor in relation to the position of the fan speed control knob. Since the blower motor switch in a 2007 Nissan Versa is located behind the brake pedal assembly, a number of components must be disassembled in order to perform this repair.

Instructions

Removal

1

Shut off the engine and open the hood. Disconnect the negative battery terminal with a metric box-end wrench.

2

Open the drivers side door and remove the fuse panel cover. Remove the screws holding the lower panel finisher with a metric nut driver. Pull the lower panel finisher away from the dashboard until it pops loose. Disconnect the diagnostic data ports electrical connector and remove the finish panel from the vehicle.

3

Disconnect the accelerator pedal position sensors electrical connector. Remove the stop lamp switch from the brake pedal assembly by gently popping it loose.

4

Remove the snap and clevis pins from the brake booster with a small flat-head screwdriver and needle-nose pliers. Remove the nuts holding the brake pedal assembly bracket to the vehicle with a metric socket and a ratchet. Remove the brake pedal assembly from the vehicle.

5

Locate the blower motor resistor. It is situated directly behind the brake pedal assembly on the rear of the firewall. It is held in place by two screws and is rectangular in shape. Disconnect the blower motor resistors electrical connector. Remove the screws holding the blower motor resistor to the vehicle with a screwdriver and remove it from the vehicle.

Installation

6

Set the new blower motor resistor in place and reinstall its retaining screws. Reconnect its electrical connector.

7

Inspect the brake pedal assembly for deformations, bends, cracks, and any sub-standard condition. Measure the lapping length of the sub-bracket and side plate with a metric caliper. Ensure that the length is at least 6.9 mm. If any of these conditions are out of specification, replace the brake pedal assembly before proceeding.

8

Set the brake pedal assembly in place and reinstall the nuts holding the brake pedal assembly to the vehicle with a metric ratchet and socket. Reinstall the snap and clevis pins to their original location.

9

Reinstall the stop lamp switch into the brake pedal assembly. Check the brake pedal assembly to ensure that it operates properly.

10

Set the lower panel finisher into place and press down on it until it snaps into position. Reinstall the lower panel finisher screws. Reconnect the diagnostic data ports electrical connector and reinstall the fuse panel cover.

11

Reconnect the negative battery terminal. Turn on the ignition and test the blower motor to ensure that it operates properly at all speeds.

Most modern passenger vehicles use two or more anti-lock brake sensors to determine the rotational speed of the wheels. These sensors relay wheel speed information to the ABS computer and the powertrain control module, or PCM. The ABS and PCM computers use this information to calculate when to activate the anti-lock brake system, engage the traction control, retard the ignition timing and many other actions. When a wheel sensor fails, the on-board computers cannot gather information properly. In this situation, they disable one or more of these systems until the problem is remedied.

Instructions

1

Drive your vehicle to a safe location where you can perform an isolated road test. This could be a large, empty parking lot or a remote street without pedestrians and cars. Youll need to read a scan tool while the vehicle is moving, so its important to be in a safe testing location.

2

Connect an ABS-capable scan tool to the vehicles diagnostic port and turn on the scan tool. Navigate to the ABS menu and select the Live Feed function. Your scan tool may have the Live Feed menu labeled as something different, but youll need to find the menu or setting that allows you to read the live data from the wheel speed sensors.

3

Drive the car forward and accelerate to 15 miles per hour. Glance down at the scan tool and make sure that all of the wheel speed sensors show the same 15 miles per hour reading as the speedometer inside the vehicle. If one of the sensors shows 0, Zero or N/A, then that sensor is not providing the computer with a wheel speed value.

4

Return home and park inside your garage. Turn off the engine and raise the end, front or rear, of the vehicle that has the bad wheel sensor. Support it with jack stands and chock the wheels on the opposite end. Apply the parking brake, if the opposite end is the rear of the vehicle.

5

Crawl underneath the vehicle and locate the wheel speed sensor that wasnt responding. Use a work light to inspect the wiring harness and for cuts, frays and other damage.

6

Disconnect the wheel speed sensors electrical connector and turn the ignition to the ON position. Measure the voltage at the sensors electrical connector with a digital multimeter. Look up the specified value in a service manual and compare that to the value on your digital multimeter. If the value is correct, and the wires arent frayed or damage, then the sensor is bad and must be replaced.

Catalytic converters are used in almost every modern internal combustion engine (gasoline or diesel) to filter toxic elements out of the engine exhaust. This mainly works by using a catalyst such as platinum or rhodium to chemically bond oxygen to the toxic chemicals, thus rendering them harmless and keeping them from being released into the atmosphere. Catalytic converters can be damaged by coolant leaks and overheating, and are sometimes stolen for the precious metals they contain, and since most countries require their use by law, they must be replaced immediately. They have a front inlet pipe and a rear outlet pipe, which can look similar. It is critical to identify which pipe is which before installation.

Instructions

1

Look up proper catalytic converter to buy for your make and model of car in a parts guide or at an auto shop, where it will have part catalogs for your car. The catalytic converter you purchase will be made specifically to fit your car.

2

Consult a diagram of your cars exhaust system once you have purchased the new converter, so that you can see where the converter needs to be installed. Note the shape of the converter and compare it to the diagram. This will tell you which pipe should face forward and which should face backwards. The forward-facing pipe is the inlet, and the rear-facing pipe is the outlet.

3

Mark the inlet and outlet on the new catalytic converter with a piece of chalk or a pencil so that, when you remove the old converter and get ready to install the new, you will immediately know which pipe goes forward (inlet) and which faces back (outlet).

Your cars VIN number (Vehicle Identification Number) is a complex form of vehicle identification, as individual as a fingerprint. Starting with the model year 1981, all vehicle VIN numbers have been standardized. Every VIN number stamped into an engine block since 1981 has 17 letters and/or numbers, each letter and number conveying a different piece of information about your vehicle. VIN numbers are typically placed in several locations within each vehicle. One location is on the engine block itself. VIN numbers are stamped into an aluminum strip and riveted to the engine block at the assembly plant, when the engine is mounted onto a chassis.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of your vehicle and inspect the engine block. The engine block is the large metal jacket that covers your vehicles engine.

2

Spray the (warm) engine with engine de-greaser and allow the de-greaser to sit on the warm engine for approximately 10 minutes if the engine is so greasy that it may be obscuring the VIN number. Wipe the de-greaser off with one or more rags or brush the de-greaser off with a metal brush and then wipe with rags. The idea is to get the engine clean enough to see the VIN number.

3

Look for a 17-digit number (if your vehicle was manufactured in 1981 or later) either stamped directly into the metal of your cars engine block or (more commonly) stamped onto an aluminum plate or band and riveted to your cars engine block. The number is usually identified as a VIN number.

4

Check the front of the engine block first as this is the most common (but not only) place for vehicle engine VIN numbers to be located.

5

Inspect the drivers side of the engine block after inspecting the front of the block.The VIN can be located either above or below the level of the spark plugs. Use a magnifying glass to inspect hard-to-see places.

6

Search the passenger side of the engine block last as VIN numbers are rarely placed on this side of the block.

7

Compare the VIN number you find on the engine block with the VIN number on the drivers dash, just inside the windshield. These numbers should match unless the vehicles engine has been replaced.

Auto parts for a car, such as a 1991 Chevy Classic, are found at local dealerships, junkyards and online auto-part stores. Due to the complete renovation of this model, all auto parts for this car were created in 1991. There are only 217,462 known models of this vehicle, therefore, a transmission for this model, may be in a short supply. A 1991 Caprice Classic is either equipped with a 8 Cylinders E 5.0L TBI OHV or 8 Cylinders 7 5.7L TBI OHV engine; this must be located before you begin your search for the transmission.

Instructions

1

Call the Chevrolet dealership and ask if they have an available transmission for your car. When placing a call to the dealership, mention the year, make, and model of the car, as well as the engine type. If the transmission is available, set up payment and shipping options. If it is not available, ask the dealer if there are similar dealerships in the area that carry the part. If an adequate transmission is not located, ask the dealer to refer you to a junkyard.

2

Visit your local auto junkyard. Junkyards carry used auto parts with a different range of prices, depending on the condition of the part. Call the junkyard and tell them you are searching for a transmission. Tell them the make, model, year, and engine type of the car. If they successfully locate the part, ask if you need to take the transmission out yourself, or if it is already dismantled. If they require you to take it apart, bring adequate tools or a mechanic. If the auto part is not available, locate another junkyard or widen your search to an online shop.

3

Search for auto parts online. Go to your preferred search engine and enter "Auto parts online." Select a few of your results to browse through. When searching on the website, you are prompted to enter the make, year, model, and engine type of the vehicle. After locating your vehicle, a list of parts will appear. Select "Transmission." Select the transmission you are interested in purchasing. At check-out, payment options are given, such as a credit or debit card. Enter your information. Select a method of shipping and handling. One day shipping will arrive the next business day and standard day shipping will take three to five business days. Shipping costs may run you up to $300. You dont need to be a professional to buy a transmission online.