So Fix it

Getting a flat tire is frustrating; not being able to remove the flat tire is maddening. Automobiles are provided with all the necessary equipment to change a tire: a jack to raise the car; a "doughnut" or spare tire to help you get home or to a service station to repair your tire; and a tire iron to remove the lug nuts that are keeping your now wounded or deflated tire securely on your car. The tire iron, or lug wrench, also doubles as a lug wrench key, and is specifically designed to help remove the lug nuts on the tire. Using the lug nut key correctly can accelerate the tire changing process.

Instructions

1

Examine the lug nuts on the tire and determine if there is a locking lug nut. Typically the locking lug nut will have a different head, either rounded or with a design.

2

Place the lug nut key on the locking lug nut, making sure that the key is on the nut securely.

3

Turn the lug nut key clockwise to loosen the lug nut. If the lug nut is on too tightly, step downwards on the lug nut key for added force. Remove the lug nut by unscrewing it.

4

Continue loosening and removing the remaining lug nuts with the lug nut key in the same fashion.

Carburetor cleaner is designed to remove heavy varnish and gunk from the inside and outside of a vehicles carburetor. If the carburetor is not cleaned periodically, it will begin to affect the vehicles mileage and performance. The carb should be cleaned a couple of times a year to prevent buildup and keep the engine running smooth.

Instructions

1

Remove the air cleaner unit from the engine by unscrewing the wing nut. You might need pliers to turn the wing nut if it is very tight.

2

Vacuum off the top of the engine area to prevent dirt and debris from being sucked into the engine while the air cleaner is not in place.

3

Spray the entire carburetor inside and out with carburetor cleaner to loosen the gunk and varnish. Use shop rags to wipe up any heavy grease and gunk loosened by the carb cleaner.

4

Start the vehicle. With the vehicle running, spray carburetor cleaner down the throat of the carburetor and around the outside. The engine will pick up a bit as the vehicle burns the carburetor cleaner. Wait a few minutes and shut off the engine.

5

Spray the outside and inside of the carburetor again heavily. Start the vehicle again and spray more carb cleaner around the outside and inside while the engine is running.

6

Spray the entire air cleaner inside and out with carburetor cleaner. Wipe the air cleaner dry with shop towels. Install a new air filter element and re-install the air cleaner unit onto the carburetor.

Umbrella Seals Cut Down on Oil Seepage

An umbrella seal scrapes against the valve stem and guide as they are moving. This can mean less oil getting through and less blue smoke on engine startup. These valves are a traditional style and are particularly popular on older cars and rebuilds. Some engines do not have room for umbrella seals.

O-Rings Diminish Excess Oil

O-rings do not scrape the valve stem clear of oil, but they do stop excess oil from falling into the combustion chamber after the engine is shut off. Some people feel this allows the guide and valve stem to remain properly lubricated.

Bottom Line

In an older vehicle or one with worn valve stems, an umbrella seal may help reduce engine smoke without an entire engine rebuild. More important is to get seals made of silicone or other advanced materials. Older seals and cheaper seals are made of nitrite, which corrodes quickly.

Your Sportster engine contains thousands of mostly metal parts that move at up to 5,000 revolutions per minute. The three quarts of oil in your Sportster oil tank minimizes friction between these parts, scavenges worn metal and carbon from gasoline combustion and helps carry excess heat out of the engine through the exhaust. Maintenance on your Sportster oil tank includes checking, adding and changing the oil.

Instructions

1

Remove the cap from the top of the oil tank on the right side of the bike. Wipe the dipstick attached to the cap with a clean rag.

2

Inspect the oil on the rag. The blacker it is, the more carbon it contains and the more likely the oil is saturated and worn out.

3

Reinsert the dipstick fully into the oil tank. Remove the dipstick and look at where the oil is on the dipstick. If the oil level is below the mark on the dipstick that says "add oil" you should add oil.

4

Add a third of a quart of 20W-50 motorcycle oil to the oil tank. Read the oil level on the dipstick. If still low, add another third of a quart of oil and read the dipstick again. Repeat these steps until the oil reaches the mark on the dipstick that reads "full."

5

Replace the oil in the oil tank at least every 3,000 miles. Begin to drain the oil from the oil tank by removing the oil filler cap.

6

Loosen the oil drain hose from the clip under the oil tank with a screwdriver or your fingers. Put a drain pan under the motorcycle.

7

Aim the end of the drain hose into the drain pan. Loosen the hose clamp near the end of the drain hose with a screwdriver.

8

Remove the metal plug inside the end of the drain hose with a pair of pliers. Drain all the used oil into the drain pan.

9

Replace the metal plug and hose clamp and remove the pan. Replace the drain hose in the clip.

10

Place the drain pan under the front of the motorcycle. Remove the black or chrome oil filter on the front right of the Sportster with an oil filter wrench.

11

Drain the oil from the filter into the drain pan. Clean up spilled oil with rags. Discard the old filter.

12

Smear clean oil on the oil filters rubber gasket with your finger to help the gasket swell tight. Hand tighten the new oil filter on the oil filter stud.

13

Add three quarts of new oil to the oil tank.

Exhaust pipes carry fumes from engine combustion out to the rear of a vehicle and away from the driver. Older exhaust pipes obtain holes from age or substances that remain on them without cleaning it off like mud. Sealing a tailpipe with exhaust patch wrap will keep fumes behind you and improve vehicle performance.

Instructions

1

Turn the vehicle off, and let it cool completely. Place dishwashing liquid and water in a bucket to make a soapy mixture. Wash the hole on the exhaust pipe and 6 inches surrounding it to clean any dirt or mud with a washcloth. Let the area dry completely.

2

Place the loose end of the exhaust wrap roll in the clean area 6 inches in front of the repair area. Wrap the roll in a circular motion pulling it taut while working towards the hole and 6 inches past the hole. Overlap the patch wrap by at least 1 inch on each revolution of wrapping.

3

Cut any excess wrap off with scissors. Press the end into place overlapping the last wrap.

4

Start the vehicle, and either let it idle for 20 minutes or drive it for 20 minutes. The heat in the exhaust pipe binds the wrap onto the pipe and itself.

The mounting flanges of metal and plastic parts contain imperfections that allow fluids and gases to leak past two connected parts. Gaskets seal the imperfections to keep fluids from leaking past. In time, heat and pressure cause an installed gasket to bond to one or both mounting surfaces between parts. Permatex gasket remover breaks the bond between the gasket and the mounting surface of the part.

Instructions

1

Move the part with the adhered gasket to a well-ventilated area.

2

Cover the area of the part surrounding the gasket with masking tape, if the part is painted. Permatex gasket remover will damage painted surfaces.

3

Shake the Permatex gasket remover for the time specified on the back of the aerosol can.

4

Turn the can of gasket remover upside down. Press the angled brush located on the top of the can against the stuck gasket. Apply gasket remover to the entire surface of the gasket. Allow the remover to sit on the gasket for 15 to 20 minutes.

5

Scrape the gasket from the part with a plastic scraper to avoid damaging the parts mounting flange.

6

Wipe the mounting surface of the part with a clean rag to remove any gasket residue remaining on the parts mounting flange.

Batteries can generate explosive hydrogen gases when charging, so its important to understand how to use the Everstart 12-amp car battery charger correctly. An Everstart battery charger will bring your battery back to life, if the battery has undamaged cells and will accept a charge. Everstart chargers, which are no longer being manufactured, are older battery chargers that come in different models. Some are made specifically for charging boating and recreational vehicle batteries, car batteries, farm equipment and motorcycle batteries, while others are made for charging any battery type. A 12-amp Everstart battery charger can also be adjusted for a lower trickle charge if needed and set to charge either a 6- or 12-volt battery.

Instructions

Automatic Charging

1

Verify the type of battery in your vehicle. Some batteries are maintenance-free and require replacement rather than charging. Ensure your battery will accept a charge before proceeding. The basic difference between the two battery types is that a maintenance-free battery is a sealed battery with no way to refill the battery with water. These types of batteries require replacement.

2

Identify the negative battery post on the battery -- it is the post marked "-." Detach the vehicles negative cable using an appropriately sized open-end wrench. Set the cable aside. Repeat for the positive battery post and cable.

3

Remove the battery maintenance caps from the battery and check the batterys fluid levels. If low, add distilled water to the battery until the water reaches the bottom of where the cap inserts. Replace the caps.

4

Place the battery charger as far away as possible from the battery, at least the distance of the chargers cables.

5

Plug in the battery charger, but dont turn it on.

6

Attach the chargers red cable to the positive battery post identified with a "+" near the battery post. Attach the negative or black cable to the engines frame. Do not attach the negative cable to the carburetor, fuel lines or sheet metal on the vehicle.

7

Adjust the amperage and volt settings to match the battery being charged. For instance, if charging a 12-volt battery, select 12-volt and the amperage charge, if charging a 6-volt battery, slide the button to the 6-volt setting. For amperage, choose the amperage at which to charge the battery. Everstart chargers equipped with a 12-amp charge capacity will also have the ability to set the amperage at a lower, "trickle" charge and "medium" charge setting. Slide the switch to a 2-amp charge or "trickle" charge, as this is the most effective means of charging your battery. It will take longer to charge, however, it is the safest means of charging a battery. Slower amperage charges also prolong the batterys life.

8

Turn the battery charger on. When the charger is done charging, it will automatically quit charging the battery. Turn the charger off.

9

Unplug the Everstart battery charger and remove the charger cables from the battery, ensuring not to touch the cables between both posts. Reattach the vehicles negative cable to the batterys negative post first using an appropriately sized open-end wrench and then reattach the positive cable.

Manual Operation

10

Follow Steps 1 through 7 in the previous section to hook up the manual battery charger.

11

Turn the battery on.

12

Review the amps section of the dial to determine how many amps the battery is accepting. As the battery charges, the amperage will return to "0." Because the battery charger will not shut off, you will need to pay attention to the dial on the battery charger. Unplug the charger when the amperage reaches "0." If the battery will not accept a charge after first turning on the battery charger, and it continues to read "0" amps, the battery has dead cells and will require replacement.

Multimeters perform a variety of tests on electrical systems in the home and on cars. An automotive multimeter has an added function of measuring the revolutions per minute (RPM) on a vehicle with the use of an RPM inductive pickup. This accessory clamps on each of the spark plug wiring harnesses to read each spark that is initiated by a spark plug and display it in the RPM format.

Instructions

1

Turn off the engine on the car and open the hood.

2

Insert an RPM inductive pickup plug into an automotive multimeter with the negative and positive signs facing you in the bottom left jack holes. The positive lead plugs into the RPM jack and the negative portion of the lead plugs into the amperage jack underneath it.

3

Turn the rotary dial on the multimeter to "RPM (1) (2)" to turn the meter on. The current RPM setting of 1 or 2 will appear in the display on the right side. Press the oval button in the center of the rotary dial to change from RPM 1 to RPM 2. RPM (1) reads the revolutions per minute on engines that fire once per every two revolutions. The RPM (2) setting is for engines that fire on each revolution.

4

Clamp the inductive pickups front lead to a wire above a spark plug top.

5

Clamp the second spark plug wire in the back of the inductive pickup to the end of the wiring harness that leads to the distributor near the distributor cap.

6

Start the engine. Read the RPM speed on the digital display.

A two post lift can provide the clearance necessary to complete automotive repair tasks that cannot be achieved with an ordinary floor jack. This type of lift allows total access to the vehicles undercarriage, making general auto repair tasks such as changing the oil or installing an exhaust system much easier to complete. Knowing how to properly use a two post lift is important from both an operational and a safety standpoint. Without proper instruction on how to use the lift, the operator can easily be injured.

Instructions

1

Make sure the swing arms are moved backwards and out of the way. Move the vehicle into the service bay and park it in between the two posts that make up the lift.

2

Locate the vehicles lift points underneath. Swing the arms under the vehicle and position the pads under the lift points. Consult the owners manual for your vehicle if you do not know where the lift points are. Check the screw pads to insure the swing arms make contact with the lift points at the same time.

3

Locate and press the button on the power unit to raise the vehicle until the tires are 6 inches above the ground. Move to the rear of the vehicle and push the rear bumper up and down. If the vehicle bounces on the pads or otherwise feels unstable, lower the vehicle to the ground and reposition the pads as necessary.

4

Press the button on the power unit once more to raise the vehicle to the desired height. Lower the lift until it rests on the safety lock.

5

Lower the vehicle from the lift by raising it a half-inch to free it from the safety lock. Pull the cable release and hold on to the lowering handle. The vehicle will slowly descend to the ground.