So Fix it

If youre having trouble with the spare tire holder on your Toyota Sienna vehicle, you are not alone. According to a company press release dated April 16, 2010, Toyota began a voluntary recall of the 1998 to 2010 Sienna due to the possible corrosion of the cable in the spare tire holder. In July 2010, Toyota began implementing a fix for the cable, at which corroded sections are removed and anti-rust agents applied. Although the recall is limited to 20 states, any owner of a Toyota Sienna within all 50 states is entitled to a free inspection of the part. For additional information on the recall, please view the resource section of this article.

Instructions

1

Contact your local Toyota dealership. Ask for the service department. Schedule an appointment for the free recall inspection.

2

Arrive 15-minutes early for the appointment. Explain the problem to the mechanic. Go to the waiting area.

3

Read a magazine for 30-minutes, or talk to the car salesman and learn about the recall.

4

Return to the service department when your name is called. Listen to the representatives explanation of the repair. Ask questions about possible additional problems concerning the recall.

5

Receive your keys. Request a visual demonstration and specific instructions regarding the use of the spare tire holder. Drive off when done.

You can reset the airbag light on your Honda Odyssey right from your home garage, saving you time and money. A Honda Odyssey comes with an on-board diagnostics computer that keeps track of all of the vehicles functions. When the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) light illuminates on the instrument cluster, you need to have the vehicle towed to your mechanic to have it looked at and replaced. Generally, the SRS light only flashes on when the vehicle has been in an accident. If it turns on when there has been no accident, it means the airbag system is malfunctioning and the vehicle should not be driven. But once you have the vehicle fixed, you can reset the light.

Instructions

1

Put on safety equipment such as work gloves and goggles.

2

Locate the MES connector under the steering column. You can find it next to the fuse box. Pull out the plug in the connector and set aside.

3

Use a knife to strip both ends of the coated wire. Touch one end of one wire into one hole on the MES connector and touch one end of the other wire to the other hole in the connector.

4

Cross the ends of the wires together to create a short. Although its low voltage, you shouldnt touch the exposed wires.

5

Place the key into the ignition and turn it on, but dont allow the engine to turn over while still holding the wires together. Watch as the SRS light blinks on then turns off. Separate the wires right away and the SRS light will turn back on.

6

Repeat Step 5 and the SRS light will flash two times and then turn off.

7

Shut off the Honda and wait 60 seconds. Start the engine and notice as the SRS light illuminates then shuts off.

Most people worry more about their engine and transmission problems than they do about their vehicles alignment. However, consideration should be given to the fact that alignment problems can compromise the vehicles traction and even the ability of the driver to steer safely and avoid accidents. There are three basic angles of alignment to address these issues. Since the objective of a wheel alignment is to ensure a proper relationship between the wheels themselves, as well as from the wheels to the vehicle and the road, it follows that the faster a vehicle is going, the more critical these adjustments become.

Toe

Toe alignment can best be explained by a view of the wheels from above. When both front wheels are exactly parallel to one another, with the distance between the front and rear of each wheel being the same, that is erred to as "zero toe" and perfect, in theory. As a vehicle is driven, the normal play in the steering and suspension linkages can change this alignment, depending on whether the vehicle is turning, braking or accelerating. It is for this reason that a slight degree "toe in" or "toe out" is often used to compensate for both rolling resistance, as well as the wear and tear of suspension components. Excessive "toe in" or "toe out" will result in uneven tire wear, due to the edges of the tire scrubbing the surface, as well as a steering pull to one side or the other under certain circumstances.

Camber

Camber ers to the position of the wheels as seen from the front of the vehicle. "zero camber" would be the position in which the front wheels were exactly perpendicular to the road. "Negative camber" is when the top of the wheels are tilted in toward each other and "positive camber" is when the top of the wheels point outward. Uneven road surfaces such as bumps and dips, as well as the movement of the suspension will cause changes in the degree of camber. Depending on the design of the vehicles suspension, the alignment specifications may allow an additional degree of positive or negative camber to compensate for this, just as when dealing with toe alignment. Both excessive tire wear and steering pull are often the results of improper camber alignment.

Caster

Caster alignment is best understood by viewing the angle of forward or rearward tilt of the steering axis from the side. "Positive caster" would be to the rear and "negative caster" would be to the front. Caster is often ignored, due to the fact that it has the least effect on tire wear. It has more to do with the stability of the steering, the effort required to steer and the returnability of the steering wheel to its center position. Positive caster is usually perred, for ease of steering return and stability. It is worth noting, however, that a difference greater than half a degree of caster from side to side can cause a vehicle to lead to the side with the least caster. Wear and tear and ride height are both factors that can affect caster and road crown can often be compensated for with slightly more positive caster on the left side.

Additional Factors

Consider that anything that creates uneven resistance or friction can cause both uneven tire wear and crooked steering. A good example of this is underinflated tires, which can bulge up on the sides, causing both of these conditions. A frozen brake caliper on one side can also cause a pull to that side. Any loose or worn steering parts, such as steering rack mounts, or suspension parts like tie rod ends can contribute to similar conditions as well. Remember that checking all of these things first to make sure that they are in proper working order will prevent further problems down the road.

The Dodge Neon is a compact car manufactured by Chrysler and sold under its Dodge brand. The 1998 model typically had a four-cylinder 2.0-liter engine with a single overhead camshaft. This type of engine has a timing belt that synchronizes the rotation of the camshaft and crankshaft, so that the cylinders fire at the correct point in their combustion cycle. You should replace the timing belt on a 1998 Dodge Neon after 102,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable on the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench so that you dont accidentally start the engine. Remove the cover for the timing belt cover. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing mark on the crankshaft with the mark on the housing of the oil pump.

2

Place the long end of a 3mm Allen wrench into the pin hole of the timing belt tensioner. Rotate the tensioner counterclockwise with an 8mm Allen wrench until the handle of the 3mm Allen wrench slides into the hole.

3

Detach the timing belt from the crankshaft and camshaft. Hold the camshaft sprocket in place with a spanner wrench. Remove the mounting bolt for the camshaft sprocket and disconnect the sprocket from the camshaft.

4

Connect the camshaft sprocket to the camshaft and tighten the mounting bolts with a socket wrench. Turn the crankshaft sprocket clockwise to align its timing marks, then turn the crankshaft sprocket three notches counterclockwise. Turn the camshaft sprocket clockwise to align its timing marks.

5

Install the timing belt onto the crankshaft and continue in the counterclockwise direction. Place the timing belt on the water pump sprocket, idler pulley, camshaft sprocket and belt tensioner pulley in that order. Turn the crankshaft clockwise to take up the slack in the timing belt and align the timing marks on the crankshaft.

6

Remove the long handle of the 3mm Allen wrench from the pin hole in the belt tensioner to apply tension to the timing belt. Turn the crankshaft two full turns clockwise and align the timing marks. Replace the timing belt cover with a socket wrench, and connect the negative battery cable.

The crystalline structure of cast iron varies depending on the rate the steel was cooled. Cast iron drills differently than other types of steel due to the variations in the steel structure. When drilling rolled steel, the material drilled from the hole will work in a spiral from the tip of the drill bit. Cast iron emits numerous small chips of metal. Occasional hard spots in the cast iron can break the tip of a drill bit if you apply excessive pressure on the tip of the bit. Tapping a hole drilled in cast iron requires care to avoid breaking taps in the hole when you encounter a hard spot.

Instructions

1

Find the size of the fastener you need to thread into the cast iron on a drill and tap chart. Follow the line on the chart representing the fastener size to determine the drill-bit size. For example, a 1/4-20 threaded fastener on a drill and tap chart will show a 7 drill bit as an ideal size for the tap.

2

Secure the drill bit from the set into the chuck of a variable-speed drill motor. Coat the drill bit with cutting fluid.

3

Drill the hole into the cast iron by pumping the trigger of the drill motor to keep the rpms of the drill motor low. Coat the drill bit with additional cutting fluid if smoke appears in the drilling area.

4

Install the correctly sized tap into the T-handle tap wrench. Coat the tap with cutting fluid.

5

Insert the tip of the tap into the drilled hole. Pour additional cutting fluid along the tap and into the hole. Turn the tap wrench clockwise to start tapping the hole. Twist the tap wrench 1/2 turn counterclockwise if the tap binds in the hole. Continue alternating between clockwise and counterclockwise until you have a tapped hole. Remove the tap from the hole.

6

Thread the fastener into the tapped hole. Run the tap through the hole if the fastener does not thread readily into the hole.

The BMW E30 was a series of compact executive cars manufactured from 1982 to 1994, including the 325. The most common engine in the 1987 325 was a six-cylinder 2.7-liter engine with a single overhead camshaft. The crankshaft in this model drives the camshaft with a timing belt, which makes less noise than a timing chain. BMW recommends replacement of the timing belt in a 1987 325 after no more than four years.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal using a socket wrench. Disconnect the cap, rotor, inner cover and seal of the distributor. Remove the mounting bolts for the distributor guard plate and remove the guard plate.

2

Turn the crankshaft clockwise so that the arrow on the camshaft sprocket aligns with the timing mark on the cylinder head. Drain the radiator and disconnect it with a socket wrench.

3

Disconnect the splash guard below the engine. Detach the drive belts for the alternator, power steering motor and air conditioner. Remove the mounting bolt for the crankshaft pulley with a socket wrench and disconnect the crankshaft pulley. Remove the vibration damper.

4

Remove the bolt on the crankshaft hub with a socket wrench, detach the crankshaft hub with a gear puller. Disconnect the mounting bolt and adjusting bolt on the alternator bracket, and push the bracket out of your way. Detach the top dead center transmitter from the engine.

5

Disconnect the bolt on the lower timing belt cover with a socket wrench, and detach the cover. Remove the bolts for the roller of the timing belt and push the roller towards the timing belt to relieve the tension on the timing belt. Tighten the upper bolt for the roller of the timing belt tensioner to hold the roller in place. Disconnect the timing belt from its pulleys.

6

Turn the crankshaft to align the camshaft timing marks, if necessary. Install the new timing belt onto the crankshaft sprocket and proceed in a counterclockwise fashion.

7

Loosen the upper bolt for the roller of the timing belt tensioner to place tension on the timing belt. Turn the crankshaft one full turn clockwise and align the timing marks again. Tighten the upper roller bolt with a socket wrench, then tighten the lower roller bolt.

8

Replace the lower cover for the timing belt with a socket wrench. Install the top dead center transmitter and the alternator bracket. Connect the crankshaft hub and tighten its retaining nut to between 281 and 309 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Replace the vibration damper and the crankshaft pulley. Tighten the bolts for the crankshaft pulley to 17 foot-pounds.

9

Connect the guard plate for the distributor with a socket wrench. Replace the seal, rotor and cap for the distributor. Attach the drive belts for the accessories and the splash shield below the engine. Connect the radiator and fill it with coolant.

The Dodge Ram is Chryslers series of full-size pickup trucks that has been in production since 1981. The number in the series indicates the rated carrying capacity of the truck, such that a Ram 1500 is a 3/4 ton pickup. The 2005 Dodge Ram has an antilock braking system, or ABS, like most late-model vehicles. The brake controller, or hydraulic control unit -- HCU -- contains a microprocessor that calculates the amount of force that the brakes apply to each wheel in an emergency stop.

Instructions

1

Use a socket wrench to remove the housing for the left front turn signal. Disconnect the panel under the housing. Unplug the horns electrical connector and remove the access cover for the horn.

2

Disconnect the mounting bolts on the reservoir for the windshield washer fluid with a socket wrench. Detach the hose and electrical connector from the pump for the windshield washer. Remove the reservoir from the vehicles engine compartment.

3

Remove the battery and the power distribution center from the vehicle with a socket wrench. Disconnect the mount for the battery and power distribution center, and remove the mount from the vehicle. Detach the wiring harness from the HCU. Remove the fittings for the brake lines, and detach the brake lines from the HCU.

4

Disconnect both mounting bolts for the HCU with a socket wrench. Tilt the HCU up, and pull it from its bracket.

5

Install the new HCU to its mounting bracket, and torque the mounting bolts to 11 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Attach the HCU brake lines, tighten the fittings to 115 inch-pounds. Connect the electrical wiring harness to the HCU.

6

Install the windshield washer reservoir. Attach the electrical connector and hose for the reservoir. Fasten the reservoirs mounting screws with a socket wrench.

7

Replace the mount for the battery and power distribution center with a socket wrench. Install the battery and power distribution center. Attach the horns electrical connector, and replace the access cover for the horn. Install the left front turn signals panel and housing.