Fix It

The Sebring was a series of mid-size cars that Chrysler produced from 1995 through 2010. The crankshaft in this vehicle has a harmonic balancer, like most modern combustion engines. The harmonic balancer is essentially a counterweight that reduces the vibrations that occur when the crankshaft rotates at high speed. The procedure for removing the harmonic balancer in a Chrysler Sebring requires you to lift the engine to access it.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench so you dont inadvertently start the engine during the removal process.

2

Place a wooden block on a floor jack to serve as a cushion. Position the floor jack under the oil pan and raise the jack to support the engine.

3

Disconnect the three vertical mount bolts on the right side of the engine with a socket wrench. Lower the floor jack and reposition it so you can raise the entire vehicle while getting access to the oil pan. Raise the vehicle with the floor jack and support it on jack stands.

4

Unscrew the lug nuts from the right front wheel with a lug wrench then pull off the wheel. Remove the splash shield for the drive belt with a socket wrench.

5

Place a wooden block on a screw jack, and position the screw jack under the oil pan. Support the engine with the screw jack and disconnect the front and rear through-bolts for the engine mount with a socket wrench.

6

Lower the engine with the screw jack and detach the accessory drive belts from their pulleys. Disconnect the mounting bolt for the harmonic balancer with a socket wrench.

7

Connect special tool 8454 to the harmonic balancer and attach insert 6827-A to the special tool. Pull the balancer from the crankshaft.

The Chrysler Town & Country is the marque minivan in the Chrysler stable. Featuring luxury options typically not available on other minivans in its class, the Town & Country is popular with both families and the reviewers at Edmunds. Proper maintenance and replacement of your Town & Countrys headlamps is a painless process that can be completed in minutes without tools.

Instructions

1

Turn off the engine of your Town & Country and ensure the light selector is in the "Off" position.

2

Raise the hood by pulling the lever under the dash and releasing the emergency catch located at the front of the hood. Prop the hood open.

3

Detach the connector from the headlamp by depressing the tabs on each side and pulling the connector straight back.

4

Remove the headlamp by rotating the bulb counterclockwise then pulling it out of the headlamp assembly.

5

Insert the new bulb into the headlamp assembly and lock in place by rotating it clockwise.

6

Reattach the electric connector to the bulb by gently pushing on the headlamp. Repeat these steps for the other headlamp if necessary.

The Chrysler HEMI engine was first manufactured in the 1950s. Variables in piston design include the piston type, piston pin types and number of rings found on each piston.

HEMI Engines

Hemispherically-shaped combustion engines (HEMIs), first manufactured by Chrysler in the 1950s, were further developed in the 1960s and 1970s. Newer versions are considered lightweight compared to similar engines.

Types

Chrysler HEMI engines use a horizontal slot piston with a steel strut. They use free floating piston pins and have three rings per piston. They are manufactured using an aluminum alloy with a tin coat.

Longevity

Some Chrysler HEMI engine blocks, such as the 6.1-liter engine, come with revised coolant channels and oil jets used to cool the pistons. This decreases wear and increases the devices longevity.

The 1999 Chrysler 300M has two different belts that travel around the accessory pulleys. The first belt is a drive belt that controls the air conditioner compressor. The second belt is a serpentine belt that controls the remaining accessories such as the alternator, power steering pump and the water pump. Both belts are routed around each designated accessory pulley in a method that allows the accessories to function from the same belt. Both the drive belt and the serpentine belt are tensioned by an adjustable idler pulley. If the belts develop any visible fraying, change them out immediately.

Instructions

1

Open the hood and prop it in place to prevent it from falling.

2

Locate the serpentine belt adjustable idler pulley that tensions the serpentine belt on the front of the engine. This adjustable idler pulley will be closest to the top side of the engine. Position a metric socket onto the ratchet and loosen the bolt in the center of the serpentine belt idler pulley.

3

Remove the socket from the ratchet and a both of the 8-inch extensions to the ratchet. Put the socket back onto the bottom of the extension. Move to the underside of the engine and locate the adjustment bolt on the bottom of the serpentine belt idler pulley. Position the ratchet, extension and socket onto the adjustment bolt. Turn the adjustment bolt a couple of turns to loosen the serpentine belt. Remove the belt from all of the accessory pulleys and out of the engine well.

4

Remove the air conditioner compressor belt from the bottom side of the engine also. Locate the adjustable idler pulley for the air conditioner compressor belt on the lower front passenger side of the engine. Loosen the bolt in the center of the adjustable idler pulley with the ratchet and a socket. Remove the socket and position the extensions back onto the ratchet and push the socket back onto the bottom extension.

5

Turn the adjustment bolt on the bottom of the adjustable idler pulley counter clockwise a couple of times with the ratchet, extensions and socket. Pull the belt off of the air conditioner compressor pulley and the other pulleys.

6

Route the new air conditioner belt around the same pulleys including the adjustable idler pulley. Tighten the belt by turning the bolt on the bottom of the adjustable pulley clockwise until the belt is tight. Check the belt tension by pushing inward on the belt. The belt should have no more than a half-inch of free play to be properly tensioned. If the belt is too tight or too loose, adjust as needed. Once the belt is properly tightened, tighten the bolt down tight in the center of the adjustable idler pulley.

7

Route the new serpentine belt around all of the accessory pulleys including around the adjustable idler pulley. Tighten the serpentine belt by turning the bolt on the bottom of the adjustable pulley clockwise until the belt is tight. Check the belt tension by pushing inward on the belt. The belt should have no more than a half-inch of free play to be properly tensioned. If the belt is too tight or too loose, adjust as needed. Once the belt is properly tightened, tighten the bolt down tight in the center of the adjustable idler pulley.

8

Crank the 1999 Chrysler 300M for about fifteen seconds. Turn the motor off and recheck the tension of both belts. If the belts are too tight or too loose, adjust the tension as needed to reach the required half-inch of free play

Chrysler reintroduced the 300 lineup in 1999, with the unveiling of the 300M model. In 2005, Chrysler dropped the "M" from the 300 and completely redesigned this four-door sedan. The 2006 Chrysler 300C came standard with a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 engine that cranked out 340 horsepower. The 300C also came standard with the HomeLink system that could be programmed to open a garage door and even turn on the lights in a home without the owner having to get out of the car. This system, however, does not program automatically. You must follow a programming process for this system to work on your house.

Instructions

Single Code Garage Door Opener

1

Park your 300C near your garage door. Press and hold the two outer buttons on the HomeLink system -- the garage door buttons -- for 20 seconds and observe as "Channels Cleared" appears in the Electronic Vehicle Information Center, located between the speedometer and tachometer.

2

Hold your garage door transmitter about three inches away from the HomeLink buttons. Press and hold the garage door opener button and the HomeLink button you intend to use for the garage door, at the same time.

3

Release the buttons when the EVIC displays "Channel X Trained" -- the "X" indicates the HomeLink button that you programmed.

4

Hold the button you just programmed and check the EVIC display. If it reads "Channel X Trained," with "X" being the HomeLink button number, then you programmed the system correctly. If the EVIC displays "Did Not Train," repeat steps 2 and 3.

5

Repeat steps 2 through 4 to program the remaining two buttons, if needed. Do not repeat Step 1, as this deletes all programs.

Rolling Code Garage Door Opener

6

Follow steps 1 through 5 in the section titled "Single Code Garage Door Opener."

7

Locate the "Learn" or "Smart" button on the garage door opener motor. The exact positioning varies on every model opener, but its typically found near the antenna. Press and release the "Learn" or "Smart" button.

8

Hold the programmed HomeLink button for two seconds and release it. Repeat this step two or three times -- the exact number of times depends on the brand of garage door opener.

Chrysler makes several series of vans under its Dodge brand, including the Caravan, Ram Van and Sprinter. The full-size vans use timing chains, but the Caravan is a minivan that uses a timing belt. A timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshafts synchronized, just as a timing chain does. Timing belts are quieter than a timing chain, but also wear out at regular intervals. A timing belt typically lasts at least 60,000 miles.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable with a socket wrench. Remove any components needed to access the timing belt in your Chrysler van. A late-model Caravan requires you to remove the right front wheel and splash shield for the engine.

2

Disconnect the accessory drive belts and crankshaft damper. Remove the belt tensioner and pulley assembly for the air compressor. Disconnect the timing belt covers with a socket wrench. Remove the right engine mount and bracket from the engine.

3

Turn the crankshaft clockwise to align the timing mark on the camshaft sprocket with the mark on the oil pump housing. The "UP" mark on the left camshaft sprocket must also align with the "FRONT" mark on the right camshaft sprocket. Loosen the lock bolt on the timing belt tensioner with a socket wrench.

4

Place a 6-millimeter Allen wrench into the opening on top of the pulley for the timing belt tensioner. Turn the top plate on the pulley clockwise with the Allen wrench to remove the tensioner, and remove the timing belt from the sprockets.

5

Place the timing belt tensioner in a soft-jawed vise. Press the plunger into its housing to align the holes on the plunger and housing. Insert a 5/64-inch Allen wrench to hold the plunger in place.

6

Place the new timing belt onto the crankshaft, water pump, idler pulley, right camshaft sprocket, left camshaft sprocket and timing belt tensioner pulley in that order. Turn the left camshaft sprocket counterclockwise to take up the slack in the timing belt.

7

Turn the top plate on the pulley for the timing belt tensioner counterclockwise with a 6-millimeter Allen wrench until the notch on the tensioner aligns with the spring tang. Remove the 5/64-inch Allen wrench from the tensioner plunger.

8

Tighten the lock bolt on the tensioner to 220 inch pounds with a torque wrench. Rotate the crankshaft two full turns and align the timing marks again.

9

Replace the components that you removed in steps one and two to access the timing belt. Attach the negative battery cable with a socket wrench.