Fixing A Major Engine Problem:

Rebuilding A GM 4.3 V6 Engine
To Fix A Rod Knock

A while back my 1999 GMC Jimmy developed a connecting rod knock. The car was too valuable to send to the boneyard, but with a book value of $3,000, it wasn't worth enough to justify a remanufactured engine. And a used engine from a salvage yard seemed risky.

How To Change The Oil In A Snowblower

Changing the oil and cleaning the spark plug are important maintenance procedures that should be done every 25 hours of operation...

Changing Engine Oil In A Craftsman Lawn Tractor

Keep the mower running longer by changing the oil, lubricating the front axle, cleaning the air filter and checking the spark plug.

Changing Automatic Transmission Fluid In A Dodge Truck

Changing the ATF is just as important as changing the oil... the main difference is the service interval.

Transmission service isn't difficult: Just drop the pan, swap the filter, install the pan with a new gasket and add new fluid. But read the whole story first...

Rear End Maintenance:

Changing Rear Differential Fluid

It doesn't need to be done very often, but the heavy gear oil in the differential should be drained and refilled every few years.

How To Replace A Car Battery

Actually, it's a good idea to remove the battery every year or two and clean it.

A dirty battery can drain itself down over time. Dirt and oil on the battery case can let a small electric current flow between the positive and negative terminals that can slowly discharge a battery.

New Front Brakes:

Replacing Front Brake Pads On A
1996 GMC Yukon

GM Full-Size Truck/SUV...

New Back Brakes:

Replacing Rear Drum Brake Shoes
On A 1996 GMC Yukon

GM Full-Size Truck/SUV...

Replace Shock Absorbers On A 1999 GMC Jimmy or Chevy Blazer

When shocks leak oil or let the vehicle bounce excessively on bumps, it's time to replace them.

• Replacing Front Shocks
• Replacing Rear Shocks (shown)

Replacing Worn Front Wheel Bearings -
GM 4x4 Truck / SUV

The wheel bearings on GM's light trucks are similar to front-wheel-drive cars, and the bearings are sealed inside a hub assembly which must be replaced.

The trick to this repair is buying a really big socket for the really big nut on the front axle.

Removing The Valve Body On A
'93 Dodge Dakota

To fix a broken gear shift detent mechanism, the valve body needs to be removed. I found the cause of the problem and fixed it for nothing more than the price of a fluid change.

Charge Light On:

Replacing An Alternator

When the electrical system voltage measures only 12 volts with the car running, it's a sure sign of alternator failure. A properly-functioning alternator should produce around 14 volts.

Fixing A Coolant Leak:

Replacing A Water Pump On A
1999 GMC Jimmy or Chevy Blazer

After 155,000 miles the water pump seal finally started to leak. Read about the difficulties of working on this tightly-packed engine, and a tip on making the pump installation go more smoothly, such as moving the air conditioning compressor.

Replacing The Distributor Cap And Rotor
On A GM Truck

This 1996 GMC Yukon wouldn't start whenever the weather was damp and the engine was cold. Warming up the distributor cap with a heat gun would get the engine to start, but the proper fix was to just replace the worn-out distributor cap and rotor.