Bethlehem Auto Repair and Car Tuning

A connector is a connector... right?

2012-06-27T03:12:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Wright, About.com February 28, 2012 Guide

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FacebookTwitterWhen that it is to buy tools, everyone has an opinion. Some people buy the cheapest tool can be found, wait for it to break, then replace it, knowing all the time that there will still be spent less on their junky tools, broken to be if they had bought a real brand begin with. Others want to buy the best can afford even if his tool chest ends up costing more than the family car. I fall somewhere in the Middle as DIY tools go. To see the difference between a disposable tool and a decent, withdraw this comparison of jack.Comments (3) view all PostsSharePrevNextLeave a CommentCommentsFebruary 29, 2012 to 5: 10 pm (1) mike says:

I have worked in maintenance and repair of 45 years. you get what you pay. any device made by one man can be made and sold cheaper by another bu using inferior material poor design and workmanship unqualified. who buys any product on the basis of the price only is mans' legal prey. Nuff said. be careful, take is slow and try to do it right the first time, but if not, do so again until get you right.

On March 13, 2012 at 1: 46 pm (2) Craig Erickson says:

There are all kinds of tools and a wide range of quality. It is very true what it says Matt. I would like to add one reflection on cats.

Tools for your security is one place that you should never skimp. I had a friend years ago who led in race tracks with me. We were instructors. Porsche Club requires helmets. I used to say to those who were opposed to the high cost of a helmet, "If you have a $20 head, buy a helmet for $20"!

When I started working on my own cars for more than 40 years, it was poor and barely starting. But I realized account that a hydraulic floor Jack was something I had to have and wanted a cat really well, sure. I bought a 1

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Learn more about the cars with your friends

2012-04-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

There are several ways to learn more about cars. One popular way is a technical school training. When you register at one of these automotive technology programs you use a recommended text book and hands on experience coupled with the classroom of a teacher who was fortunately a mechanic.

The younger guys that I have never worked with just completed a program of car repair at our local community college. This mechanic is so young, I can say that I have turn key before his birth. He introduced in his book of text and let me be used to study for the ASE tests.

This is the only book that he has bought for its automotive technology courses. He uses it to learn more about the cars in the classroom, but it is also used to work in the future. This gives it an advantage over other students of the class which is where the bare minimum. He finished first in his class, and this is how he managed to get a job with our company fleet.

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So your car will not start

2012-04-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

If your car is having startup problems, or you have a sudden attack of not startedness should take a look at this checklist of non commencement of troubleshooting. It could really help to reduce the problem if its ain't down car starts and it can save you money would be. It is always worth taking the time to see if you can diagnose or resolve a problem before it looked at by a professional. If nothing else, it will be a little more educated and ready to go.

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Five reasons your motor may be overheating

2012-04-29T23:19:00.000-07:00

If has an overheating problem, or if your engine only seems to be working in hot, should withdraw this quick list of things that can cause your engine to accumulate excessive heat. It will not solve all their problems of cooling, but knowing the most common causes of overheating could help you diagnose your problem of hot engine faster and save money

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Install Brake Pads the Correct Way

2012-04-21T19:52:00.000-07:00

Taking a little careful when you install the brake pads will ensure that you will get the maximum life of their. One of the often overlooked elements would be to restore or replace the equipment.

This can ensure the appropriate calibre movement and may also help prevent brake noise and wear uneven pad. Note: at the bottom I added brake and supplies special tools to perform high-quality brakes replacement.

I added a 2 minute video shows the procedure of blocking buffer. Although the video was more than a slap in the face operation and go, it would be a good example how lump sum mechanics to do the work. You can take your time and get the best results. For God sakes replace retention clips if they come with the new buffer. Many mechanical brake shop throw these in the garbage.

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Automotive Multimeter Golden Rules

2012-04-21T12:52:00.000-07:00

A multimeter is hands down, the most useful tool for automotive electrical diagnosis. They call this diagnostic tool a must-have for all mechanics, whether they are professional car technicians or do-it-yourself driveway mechanics.

The reason that this is often said is because automotive meters are capable of performing many standard and advanced auto repair troubleshooting procedures.

Why not take the guessing out of diagnosis and only replace failed components. Most automobile electrical parts can be tested before replacing. Relays, switches, circuit breakers, fuses, resistors and coils can all fail. Learn how to test them and a reliable way to do it!

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See Engine Noise Diagnosis Videos

2012-04-21T05:52:00.000-07:00

Proper engine noise diagnosis is a very important issue to address. In fact improper diagnosis can lead you on a wild goose chase. Note that I added 2 important videos of a true rod knock and a lifter tap at the bottom so you can be clear on the different sounds they make!

Here is an example of a mistake I made that taught me this valuable lesson. I had a double knock and believed the engine noise was a wrist pin. I removed the engine and disassemble it only to find out it was a camshaft thrust plate that came loose. I wasted day’s of work that was not needed. I was young when this happened but I think about it often when I hear engine noises.

Sometimes an engine malfunction will reveal itself first as an unusual noise. This can happen before the problem affects the actual performance. Some of these problems include badly worn piston rings or ring lands, loose wrist pins, worn main bearings or connecting rod bearings, and loose valve train components all produced telltale noises that are unique.

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Feature Packed Car code Scanners Under $100 Reviewed

2012-04-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

I have written about inexpensive car code scanners on other pages. But today I wanted to talk about a newer model that has some interesting features at an affordable price point of around $75. The scan tool is made by innova and the model is called the Equus 3040.

Although I do not own this tool I do own the Equus 3120 so I am familiar with this line of products. I first saw the 3040 at a parts store where employees scanned a customer’s vehicle to see what codes were set in memory. What makes this inexpensive car scanner worth writing about to me are the advanced features available for the low price.

Although some features I'm about to discuss are not new to the automotive scan tool as far as I can tell they are new to scanners that are below the hundred dollar price mark. In fact there are so many cool features and problems with them I'm not exactly sure where to start.

Automotive code scanner featuresI guess a good place to start would be with the standard features that you would normally find on a scanner in this price range. This tool will retrieve diagnostic trouble codes and provide on-screen (back lit) definitions in your choice of languages. Like other OBDII auto scanners they are made for vehicles from the model year 1996 and newer.

One of the features that I was most surprised to see at this price point was the ability to read live data. You can pull up a list of sensors scroll around and read their changing values in real time. This is a feature I hate to perform diagnostics without.

There is also a freeze-frame function so that you can take a snapshot during a fault situation and review the data stream to try and pinpoint problem areas. I wrote an article on my blog about the general use of Auto Scanners and Snapshot Mode. if you need more information on that function.

One of the more interesting and possibly troublesome features that are included is the access to Innova repair solutions. This type of auto repair data base is not entirely new to the car code scanners business. As in other companies also have similar options. But again this is the first time I have seen this type of feature in such an inexpensive tool.

Check engine light repair solutions

The ability to connect the 3040 scan tool to your personal computer sounds very cool but this does come with pluses and minuses. The first plus is the needed cable comes with the scan tool.

This is a standard USB cable that you can plug into your PC. The car code scanner also comes with a software disk on CD that will also need to install on the computer. This it when it can get tricky.

Whenever you have a wide variety of personal computers being utilized, your experience will also vary greatly. Some people with old windows 98 computers have a lot of trouble hooking the auto scan tool up to their PC, where others with newer computers have no problems at all. So remember I specified your results will vary.

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What Color is your exhaust smoke?

2012-04-20T15:52:00.000-07:00

What color is the smoke that comes out of your car or truck exhaust? We hope that your answer is "Do not have any smoke coming out of my exhaust pipe". Unless you drive a diesel, but that is a different beast entirely. If you leave a blue streak or a white smoke screen behind as cruise of the Avenue, this quick reference of exhaust fumes will help find out what is causing.
Black = bad
Grey = bad
White = bad

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Not drown your fuel system

2012-04-20T08:52:00.000-07:00

I speak with a lot of men and women who are committed to maintain and repair their own cars and trucks. I can not tell you how many of them tell me that it has never replaced the fuel filter. They tell me that they know what to look and know when the filter is clogged. The problem is with some of the engines at the time that obtain a physical reaction of it, it may be too late. A hunger fuel engine can run lean and half hot lean and excessive heat may mean damage to a number of components of the engine. There are some difficult to replace fuel filters these days, but a large number of vehicles on the road is running standard high-pressure filters of type cannister. They are easy to install and in-line. See the manual repair to see how easy your work will be, then remove this tutorial step by step to replace the fuel filter and save a headache of road in the future.

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My bulbs are Coming Up, time for maintenance of spring

2012-04-20T01:52:00.000-07:00

My son looked out the window this morning and said: "Dad, look!" "The leaves are coming out of the trees!" That means longer, warmer days in the near future. This also means that days come heat and these hot days can be difficult in your car or motor of the truck and other systems. Regular maintenance is their only protection against the conditions of summer trip. Advance in maintenance of spring of the car today and will spend this spring days enjoying the Sun rather than crawl around the Bay of weekend motor.

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Brake Pad Inspection Procedure

2012-04-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Inspection of the Brake Lining

Bethlehem Auto Repairs and Car Tuning

Trim brake inspection should be performed on a regular basis. On some vehicles with aluminum wheels, you can see the caliper and pad brake without removing the wheel with an inspection mirror. Sport wheels such as style 5 spoke make it real easy to see how pad is left.

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Work of Transmission Control Electronic How

2012-04-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

Electronic transmission on modern vehicles controls are impressive. With the advancement of the automotive technology, vehicle manufacturers are able to increase fuel consumption and provide better performance at the same time.
Through the use of these electronic devices transmissions of today have better quality and schedule shift movement. Although the electronic transmission of the function in the same basic way as those hydraulic was back in the 1960s the computer adds a new level of efficiency.

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Find Fast Auto Air Conditioning Leaks

2012-04-19T04:52:00.000-07:00

Finding AC Leaks in a Car

Bethlehem Auto Repair and Car Tuning

In my view auto air conditioning leaks are the most common cause of automotive systems AC not blowing cold air through dash vents.
What can happen, this is the vehicles East of freon leakage and reduce the total pressure in the system. Then the break will be low pressure on the switch unplug the compressor when the low side is detected below 25 PSI.

This security feature is to protect the compressor itself. I have seen professionals and mechanical went to work around the low cut switch for the test. This should never be done and is not recommended.

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Car Doctor

Problems of pressure? Replacement of the fuel pump can help

2012-04-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Wright, About.com GuideApril 14, 2012

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FacebookTwitterIf your car or truck has one in the tank, or submersible fuel pump, is actually easier to replace than the mounted external type. Access is easier, and the whole process is much cleaner (if you care). A good idea is always to consult a service manual before appropriate to embark on an adventure like this, but removed this tutorial to replace a pump of fuel in the tank and you will get some ideas and tips on how to make easy and safe. Comments (0) PostsSharePrevNextCommentsNo all seeing comments yet. Leave a CommentLeave a CommentName

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The 10 commandments of auto repair

2012-04-18T14:52:00.000-07:00

By Matthew Wright, About.com GuideApril 16, 2012

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FacebookTwitterI has spoken of this list of mantras repair car before, but everytime I read I am delighted. These are words to live and laugh while you live. It is a winning combo in my book. Remove yourself and add a little levity to the serious security of the store. Comments (0) PostsSharePrevCommentsNo all seeing comments yet. Leave a CommentLeave a CommentName

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Checking for Brake Rotor Problems

2012-04-14T11:52:00.000-07:00

During execution of an audit of inspection of brake brake rotors should be included in your inspection points. I added a video of fast car repair at the bottom that guide you in the process. Particular attention should be dedicated to each rotor when a driver complains about things like brake noise and pulsations.
Brake pulse or wave felt in the brake pedal when the vehicle slows with the brakes applied is a very common complaint. Most often, this can be caused by excessive lateral exhausted or a perch of the rotor from left to right as it turns.
This can cause pulsation or vibration during all sorts of braking, the brake pedal. Older style disc brake rotors, it would be possible to surface the parties. On newer vehicles with a composite type, they are usually much thinner and if they are able to be resurfaced in all there is a limit to how far you can go.
Inspection of brake rotorsThis, that is why many people will just go ahead and buy new parts. Here is a link to some of the top sellers of brake rotors

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The Gas Cap Code and DIY Check Engine Light Car Repairs

2012-04-14T04:13:00.000-07:00

The gas cap code is a common diagnostic trouble code that might turn on your check engine light. I put together a video discussing a problem my neighbor had with his vehicle after they filled the fuel tank.

It is a common scenario that I see often. As you can see in the ladder diagram from the service manual, action step 1A is to check the fuel cap. Note: By popular demand I added a common evap system electrical diagram at the bottom as well.

You can see the short video and diagram below. But first I wanted to talk a little more about the gas cap code and the possible causes. On some automobiles it is known as the P0440 code.

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Bad air conditioning noise. YouFixCars.com

2012-04-13T21:13:00.000-07:00

Air conditioning noise may indicate the functioning as well as the indication is a development problem or the present. Sometimes I am asked to hear a certain sound that makes the air conditioning system and provide feedback on what it means.

In this article, I will examine both sides of the object. This will include some normal noises or sounds right you'd hear the air conditioner when it works correctly. As some sound that should be studied.

Bad noisesMost people are interested in sounds that their air conditioning system should not make the air conditioning, so we will discuss these first. Grinding noise are perhaps the most common sounds. In this case generally the belt drive is the culprit. Often these belt noise may seem a failure noise.

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A little more about timing

2012-04-13T14:13:00.001-07:00

By Matthew Wright, About.com 30 March 2012 Guide

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FacebookTwitterEngine calendar is a very technical and intoxicating theme. Some people want to know everything about your engine, how it works, why it works that way and what went wrong when it stops. Other people don't want to know anything about this - just want the car fixed. Then there are those people between. They do not care too much for Super technique, but are really curious about the workings of a basic engine. The first moment is for those people. Not much information, but only long enough to get the essence of what is happening to timing-wise everytime I turn the gas.Comments (0) PostsSharePrevCommentsNo all seeing comments yet. Leave a CommentLeave a CommentName

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Do-it-Yourself Car Repair Manuals Online | YouFixCars.com

2012-04-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

This page is about how car repair manuals can help you fix automobiles right, on the first attempt. Don't worry, you do not have to buy anything on this page to walk away with some helpful knowledge. There are free auto repair videos below that contain professional tips and advice for solving car problems.

If you are open minded to buying a service manual don't buy an out dated paper one just yet! Most auto repair shops have stopped purchasing printed books and I think you should to. The standard printed auto repairs manual becomes out of date fast.

At my shop we use these stacks of manuals to hold open doors on windy days. Each one of these books originally cost over $100, what a waste of trees and money. Online programs are a fraction of this cost and contain more information. If you are the kind of person that likes words on paper hit the print button, almost everything is printable! (Demo Video Below)

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Considering an Electric Car Conversion Project?

2012-04-11T04:37:00.000-07:00

I purchased an electric car conversion guide. I have also acquired the perfect automobile for my first electric vehicle conversion for under $200. This leaves me cash for batteries and a strong electric motor, two expensive areas.

I am excited about it and I think this is a great project for the more experienced Diy mechanics that visit this website. Before I dig into the details I wanted to tell you what started this project. I live in the southeastern United States.

A couple of months after Katrina hit it was hard to find gas stations that actually had fuel to pump. We were told by the local news that refineries shutting down along the Gulf Coast caused this disruption of service. And even though supply had returned to normal the prices continued to fluctuate wildly. Some gas stations where charged with fraud.

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Manual Drive Trains Diagnosis Help from YouFixCars.com

2012-04-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

This is the manual drive trains section of the you fix cars website. Although this is one of the latest educational modules to be offered here this area is continuing to grow with new articles.

Below you will find these problem specific articles about the different areas that fall under the category of manual power-train and attaching components. Most of the items that are covered in depth here relate to transferring power from the engine to the drive wheels using a manual transmission instead of an automatic one.

Both rear wheel drive and front wheel drive systems will be discussed. Helpful detailed articles that review basic operation of and diagnosis of clutches, manual transmission and trans-axles, drive axles, differentials, as well as CV joints are posted below. Common problems such as slipping clutches, noise diagnosis and issues with systems such as hydraulic operated clutches are also be included.

What is a manual drive system

Manual drive trains perform the important task of sending the power produced by the engine directly to the drive wheels in an orderly and efficient manner.

A conglomeration of gear sets and shafts change the ratio of power and speed between the engine and its drive axles. In the case of manual transaxles and transmissions the flow of this power is controlled with precision by the driver through a manually operated shift lever and clutch pedal assembly.

Pinpointing the problems associated with these systems will also be discussed in the articles below. I find diagnosing problem areas such as unusual noises or improper operation can become much easier with a knowledge of how these things work.

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Auto Scanner Reviews for DIY Auto Repair from YouFixCars.com

2012-04-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Auto scanner reviews

This page contains auto scanner reviews of code scanners that I personally own or have used extensively. My first review will be of the Actron 9125. This scan tool is a very basic unit (only has two buttons). It reads and erases codes and resets the check engine light.

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Get the Free Auto Repair Guide from You Fix Cars.com

2012-04-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

This free auto repair guide was a report I put together about two years ago. I use to sell it on my original website certifiedmastertech.com. I stopped selling the book because I was bombarded with spam and flaming e-mails from upset auto repair shops.

The guide to the auto repair business report was intended for the automotive consumer. I did sell a bunch of copies and had very happy customers. But many auto shops located the website and were very angry about the subject material.

This was despite many statements in bold that the book was created to help car repair consumers find good honest mechanics and shops. I would think an honest garage would love this free auto repair guide because it also discusses how to forge a long lasting relationship with the good car shops out there.

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