So Fix it

Power steering hoses carry fluid to and from the steering gear to operate the power steering system, and the pump supplies the necessary pressure for operation of the power steering rack or gearbox.

Power Steering Hose

Multiple power steering hoses are in a typical power steering unit. The cost of the parts required to repair the hose ranges from $60 to $100 in a common domestic car, like the Ford Taurus, according to RepairPal in Nov. 2010, and between $15 and $225 for a new foreign car like the Mercedes-Benz CLS550.

Power Steering Pump

The cost of parts for a power steering pump repair in a common domestic car ranges from $120 to $151, and from $210 to $640 in a foreign luxury car; although prices for pumps in auto parts stores can exceed $1000.

Labor

Labor to repair a power steering hose ranges from $100 to $125 for a common domestic car and from $180 to $230 in a luxury foreign car. Power steering pump labor costs range from $120 to $150 for a common domestic car and from $220 to $280 in a luxury foreign car.

Most modern vehicles have sensors within their fluid systems to monitor levels, temperatures and pressures. These sensors --- oil pressure, coolant temperature and brake fluid level, for example --- are under constant pressure and can slowly leak through the threads holding them in place. Loctite 565 thread sealer creates a seal within the threads to prevent this fluid from leaking.

Instructions

1

Remove the component you intend to use the Loctite 565 sealer on, and clean the male and female threads with a clean, lint-free cloth.

2

Apply a medium-sized bead of the Loctite thread sealer around the male leading threads of the component, but do not put sealer on the first threads.

3

Fill the valleys of the threads by spreading the Loctite sealer with a small, firm-bristled paintbrush.

4

Apply a thin bead of sealer to the female threads.

5

Reinstall the removed component. Allow the sealer to cure for at least 24 hours prior to letting any fluid reach this component.

The 1995 Chevrolet Suburban is available with a V-8 engine, which has a cylinder head on each side. The cylinder head forms part of the combustion chamber, and contains the poppet valves and spark plugs. A cracked cylinder head can contaminate the Suburbans oil supply with coolant, giving the oil a milky appearance. The components you need to remove to install a cylinder head on a 1995 Chevrolet Suburban are different for each head. The replacement of both cylinder heads requires up to nine hours of labor.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Drain the coolant from the radiator into a container, and store it for later use. Disconnect the intake manifold and exhaust manifolds from the vehicle.

2

Disconnect the attaching bolt from the air pipe on the right cylinder head with a socket wrench, and detach the pipe. Remove the mounting bolts from the air compressor on the right cylinder head, and push the compressor aside. Remove the fuel line and spark plug wire from the right cylinder head. Detach the ground wire from the right side cylinder head.

3

Disconnect the mounting bolt from the main accessory bracket, and detach the bracket from the left cylinder head. Push the bracket aside to obtain access to the left cylinder head. Detach the coolant sensor wire and spark plug wires from the rear of the left cylinder head.

4

Disconnect the covers for the cylinder heads with a socket wrench, and unscrew the spark plugs from the cylinder heads. Loosen the retaining nuts for the rocker arms, and rotate the rocker arms to obtain access to the push rods. Record the position of the push rods, and remove the push rods from the cylinder heads.

5

Remove the mounting bolts from the cylinder heads with a socket wrench, and lift the heads from the engine block. Remove the gasket from the engine block, and clean any remaining traces of gasket material from the engine block with a gasket scraper. Mount a new gasket to the engine block so that the word HEAD on the gasket faces up. Place the new cylinder head on the engine block.

6

Clean the mounting bolts for the cylinder heads with a shop cloth, and fasten them to the cylinder head by hand. Tighten the cylinder head bolts with a torque wrench in three passes. The first pass must tighten them to 25 foot-pounds, the second pass must tighten them to 45 foot-pounds and the third pass must tighten them to 65 foot-pounds.

7

Place the push rods in their original positions on the cylinder head that you recorded in step four. Move the rocker arms back into position and tighten their mounting bolts with a socket wrench. Replace the covers for the cylinder heads, and install the spark plugs.

8

Replace the components you removed in step three if you removed the left cylinder head. Replace the components you removed in step two if you removed the right cylinder head. Refill the radiator with coolant, and attach the cable to the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench.

The automatic stability control component of the suspension system in approximately 1,970 2006 Hyundai models is the focus of a recall that began on July 29, 2005, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA campaign ID number is 05V316000

Identification

Problems with rear suspension are more likely to occur on models equipped with 3.3-liter engines and electronic stability control. Sonatas and Azerras produced from May 5, 2005, to June 10, 2005, are among the affected vehicles. Strut problems are not as common on the Hyundai I4.

Electronic Stability Control

Electronic stability control identifies over-steering and activates the front outside brake. In the affected models, ESC may be activated unnecessarily. Testing revealed that the hydraulic electronic control unit required reprogramming in accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. Owners of the affected vehicles may also experience a thunking or klunking sound.

Solution

Hyundai dealerships may recommend installation of a rubber bushing on top of left and right rear strut mounts or replacement of struts. This particular job requires approximately 30 minutes of labor.

There may be a few different reasons why a muffler on the exhaust system of your vehicle goes bad. Although many new systems are constructed of stainless steel, mufflers can deteriorate from the inside out due to condensation built up inside of them. External muffler deterioration can occur on cars driven on roads where salt is used in excess during winter. No matter what the geographical region, the muffler and other exhaust components are going to require replacement after extended use.

The Basics of Muffler Installation

Every model of every make of car and truck has its own unique exhaust system. This presents certain challenges when trying to replace a muffler. The position of the muffler on most cars is near the back bumper, on the left or right side. However, on a light truck or SUV, the muffler may be found directly behind the catalytic converter, about halfway down the exhaust system. This type of system employs a longer tailpipe that hops over the rear axle.

Before removing the muffler, its important to inspect and study the system to determine what you have to work with, and how youre going to put it back together, as close as possible to its original positioning. Exhaust systems are caully measured and employ flex pipe sections (an accordion-shaped pipe section covered in mesh), or rubber hangers with pipe and muffler hooks (or all of the above). The positioning of the hooks and hangers is important to ensure the system is restored properly after installation of any new exhaust component. The flex sections and rubber hangers are integrated on exhaust systems to allow movement of the system when the motor starts and under heavy torque demand. Engines move around in their cradle quite a bit, and if the exhaust system didnt allow for the movement of the engine, they would snap off.

When installing a new muffler, youll need to make proper measurements to ensure the new muffler is positioned exactly, or as close to exact as possible to the original. This will ensure that the rest of the system is not tweaked slightly due to the new muffler installation. There is very little margin for error allowed on exhaust systems these days.

Flanges, Clamps and Welds

Is the muffler attached to the pipes in front and/or behind it by flange connections, clamps or is it welded? Knowing the answer to this question will determine what tools you will need to successfully install the new muffler.

Flange connections may seem easier to work with, but the bolt or stud connections will undoubtedly be rusty and difficult to separate. Oxyacetylene torches will easily cut through the old bolts or studs, but are dangerous to use unless the car is up on a commercial lift.

Clamp connections present a challenge once the clamp is removed because the clamp has crimped the connection in a circular fashion. This crimp needs to be worked out enough to allow separation of the pipe and muffler. Again, use a torch to heat up the crimp (cherry red) and then move the muffler back and forth and lift it up and down to decrease the crimp.

Welded systems also present their own challenge. Very rarely will you find a system welded to the muffler that allows you to cut the pipe in front of the muffler with an exhaust cut-off tool, and then rehang the muffler without compromising its positioning. In many of these cases, special pipes need to be made in order to attach to the inlet of the muffler and to the exhaust pipe. Another easier, but less cost effective suggestion, is to replace the system, from the catalytic converter back, in sections. Most all aftermarket exhaust systems feature the systems in separate components, to make it easier to reinstall.

Not an Easy Job for the Back Yard

For the do-it-yourself exhaust enthusiast, working on an exhaust system while laying on your back is not a fun job. Trying to tackle the challenges presented in Section 2 is going to be frustrating and youer going to lose strength and leverage. Exhaust systems can be hard enough to work on when theyre on a commercial lift, but youll have more strength and leverage and more mobility to move when working with torches.

There are some exceptions to the rule. There are some makes and models where the muffler can simply be cut off and a new one retrofitted back on by employing sleeve connections and clamps. This is hardly ever the rule. And the newer the vehicles, the more complicated and technical the exhaust systems are going to be.

Safety Concerns

There are many safety issues to consider when removing and installing a muffler on a vehicle. Safety glasses or goggles should be worn to prevent rust from getting into your eyes. Safety gloves made of thick leather should be worn to prevent injury to your hands, or when using a torch. The vehicle should be lifted and supported properly on a commercial lift or on jack stands and car ramps. While removing and installing a muffler, youll be shaking the exhaust system around, and a vehicle not properly supported can fall and cause serious or fatal injuries.

A Dana type 35 differential gear is a widely used rear gear in off-road vehicles. Extreme driving conditions can damage important parts, such as the rear gear. You will need to rebuild a Dana 35 rear differential gear after a major break as this is the only way to fix a broken gear of this type. The problem is common, but the fix is easy.

Instructions

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface then raise it with a jack and set it on jack stands. Remove the wheels with a lug wrench and set them aside. Remove the brake drums by hitting them with a hammer and pulling them free from the wheel studs.

2

Use a wrench to disconnect the drive shaft by separating it at the universal joint. Separate the springs from the rear axle housing with the wrench. Remove the differential cover by unscrewing the bolts with the wrench then drain the gear oil from the housing into a catch pan. Always recycle waste fluids according to local environmental regulations. Scrape the old gasket off the differential housing with a paint scraper while the oil drains.

3

Unscrew the Dana 35 center pins locking pin with the wrench to release the center pin. This locking pin is located on the outside of the housing on the back of the rear axle. Remove the center pin from the gear carrier inside the axle housing. Go to one end of the axle and push in on the end. Return to the differential and pull the clip off the end of the axle you just pushed in. Repeat for the other end then pull both out of the axle housing and set them aside.

4

Loosen the carrier bolts of the gear. Remove these bolts and pull the gear carrier out. Some gears will have shims wedged around the carrier to prevent the gear from moving from side to side. If the carrier does not come out easily, you can gently pry it out with a screwdriver. For hard to remove carriers, use a pry bar but make sure you do not damage the housing.

5

Remove the oil ring gear and replace it with a new one. Torque the retaining bolts to 70 foot-pounds. Reinsert the carrier into the housing. Lubricate the bearing caps with gear oil. Reinstall both axle ends, replace the center pin and tighten the locking bolt on the outside of the axle housing.

6

Install a new differential gasket and secure the differential cover back into place. Fill the differential with gear oil through the fill cap located on the outside of the Dana 35 gear housing. Raise the vehicle with the floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the vehicle onto the ground.

A damper bolt is a small bolt on the crank assembly of a car which helps facilitate rotating of the crank assembly and ensures your car is operating properly. The damper bolts hold the damper in place, with the damper attached to the motor of a car. Even if you installed your damper bolts tightly and turned them down all the way, they may still vibrate. It is important to fix the vibrating on the bolts to ensure your car is safe to drive.

Instructions

1

Pop the hood of your car and locate the serpentine belt, a single, continuous belt used to drive various devices in the car. Attach a 13mm wrench to the tensioner pulley on the inside of the belt and rotate it downwards to pull off the belt.

2

Pull the tensioner pulley out away from the car and set it aside so you can put it back on later once you have properly tightened the damper down in place. Locate the damper underneath where the tensioner pulley was and find the three bolts holding it in place.

3

Inspect all of the bolts and determine which ones are loose. Match up the size of the bolts with a wrench. The bolts will likely be 13mm so use the same wrench you used to remove the tensioner pulley and tighten down the damper bolts.

4

Slide the wrench over the top of the loose bolt and turn it clockwise to tighten it down in place. Continue turning until the bolt is as tight as you can get it by hand. Repeat the process for all of the other bolts just to verify they have been tightened down enough.

5

Slide the tensioner pulley back in place and tighten it down with the wrench. Turn on the car and test out the damper bolts to verify they are not vibrating while the car is running.