Fix It

The Civic SI is a small sports coupe introduced by Honda in 2003. This stylish addition to the Civic line of vehicles came with optional fog lights. One of the joys of owning a sports car is being able to customize it with your own personal touches. If you are a car repair novice, but still want to experiment, a good project is to install new or upgraded aftermarket fog lights. This do-it-yourself undertaking requires nothing more than some basic tools and a fog light kit.

Instructions

1

Park the vehicle on a flat and level surface, turn off the engine and engage the emergency brake.

2

Feel the top of the hood. If it is still hot wait about 20 minutes before beginning the installation.

3

Place a blanket on the ground beneath the front end. Lie on the blanket and slide under the car so that you can see the back of the bumper where one of the fog lights is attached. Locate the wiring harness plugged into the rear of the fog light socket. Squeeze the sides of the harness plug and pull it free.

4

Use an adjustable wrench to remove the three mounting bolts securing the fog light assembly to the front bumper. Slide the assembly out of the bumper.

5

Insert the new fog light and secure it with the bolts that came with the kit. Connect the wiring harness with the socket. Move to the other side of the vehicle and repeat the process to install the other fog light.

In 2004, Nissan introduced the Titan, a full-sized pickup truck available in the North American market. This truck comes standard with daytime running lights that are set low in the front bumper. If you want to install aftermarket lights either because the originals were damaged or you simply want to personalize your Titan, do not take it to a garage. This repair is easy to do at home making it the perfect do-it-yourself project for a Saturday afternoon.

Instructions

1

Park your Nissan Titan on a flat level driveway or parking lot. Apply the parking brake and turn the engine off. Depending on how long the truck has been running, you may need to wait up to 30 minutes for the truck to cool.

2

Slide under the front end and look directly behind the running light lens. Here you will find an access panel covering the inner workings of the running light assembly. Pry it off with a flathead screwdriver.

3

Locate the wiring harness which connects the Titans electrical system to the running lights socket. Grab the harness by the plug end. Squeeze the two side tabs and pull to release the harness.

4

Unscrew the three retaining bolts holding the light assembly to the Titans bumper. Use an adjustable wrench for this step. Place the bolts aside, but do not lose them as youll need them to secure the aftermarket running light.

5

Slide the old light assembly out and then insert the aftermarket assembly. Secure it with the three retaining bolts. Plug the wire harness into the socket. Snap the access panel back in place. Then repeat this entire process for the remaining running light.

The Nissan Xterra is a compact sport utility vehicle intended for off-road use. Nissan began production of this product line in 2000, and the most recent generation of the Xterra includes 2005 and later models. The only engine available for the Nissan Xterra is a six-cylinder 4.0-liter engine, which has the oil pump on the front of the crankcase. You may need to replace the oil pump if your engine is showing unexpected wear, even though the oil is at its proper level.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable on the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench so that you dont start the engine during the procedure. Place a container under the oil drain in the crankcase and open the oil drain. Allow the oil to drain into the container and replace the plug for the oil drain.

2

Place a second container under the drain for the radiator and remove the drain plug for the radiator with a socket wrench. Wait for the coolant to drain into the container and replace the radiator drain plug.

3

Remove the mounting bolts for the upper and lower oil pans with a socket wrench. Detach both oil pans from the crankcase.

4

Disconnect the mounting bolts on the case for the front timing chain with a socket wrench. Remove the front timing chain.

5

Remove the mounting bolts for the oil pump cover with a socket wrench and detach the oil pump cover. Disconnect the bolts for the oil pump and remove the oil pump.

6

Install the new oil pump and fasten the mounting bolts with a socket wrench. Attach the oil pump cover. Connect the front timing chain and install the cover for the front timing chain.

7

Add a layer of sealant to the mounting surfaces of the oil pans and install the oil pans. Allow the sealant to cure for 30 minutes before you add oil.

8

Fill the crankcase with the proper amount of oil and coolant. Start the engine and check for oil and coolant leaks.

The Jetta has been manufactured by Volkswagen since 1979. Since its introduction, Volkswagen has equipped the Jetta with a stereo system. The Jetta stereo requires a switched power source and a constant power source to function properly. A switched power source is off when the vehicle is off, which prevents the stereo from draining the battery. A constant power source provides continuous power to the stereo, enabling it to retain station presets and the time.

Instructions

Constant Power

1

Open the hood. Disconnect the black negative wire connected to the battery, using a small crescent wrench.

2

Slide the factory radio from the dash of the Jetta, exposing the wires. This procedure will vary by model year. Consult the owners manual for specific directions.

3

Connect a power wire with in-line fuse to the positive terminal on the Jettas battery, using a small crescent wrench. The in-line fuse should be as close to the battery as possible.

4

Route the power wire from the battery through an existing hole in the rear wall of the engine compartment that separates the engine from the seating area. You may need to drill a hole to do this.

5

Route the power wire through the Jettas dashboard to the rear of the radio and trim the excess length with wire cutters.

6

Locate the yellow constant-power wire coming from the back of the factory stereo.

7

Remove the plastic wire coating from the ends of both the yellow wire from the radio and the power wire with in-line fuse. Connect them by twisting the bare wire ends together and wrapping with electrical tape.

Switched power

8

Locate the red switched-power wire coming from the back of the factory stereo.

9

Remove the plastic wire coating from the ends of the switched power wire and a 5-foot section of stereo wire. Twist the bare ends of both wires together and wrap in electrical tape.

10

Route the stereo wire through the Jettas dashboard to the fuse box.

11

Remove the radio fuse from the fuse box by erring to the diagram in the owners manual.

12

Remove the plastic coating from the end of the stereo wire that is closest to the fuse box and attach the bare wire to a fuse tap.

13

Reinsert the radio fuse and the fuse tap together in the fuse box.

14

Reinstall the radio and connect the negative battery cable. Close the hood.

Exhaust hangers can vary depending on the year of the car. Make sure you purchase the right part for your year and model. To determine if your exhaust hangers need to be replaced, look to see if there are any cracks or tears in the rubber. Cracks and tears will allow the bracket attached to the muffler and muffler pipe to wobble back and forth. This can create additional noise from metal hitting metal and weaken your exhaust system due to excessive movement.

Instructions

1

Place a car jack under the designated area where the manufacturer recommends lifting the car. You can find this in the owners manual generally located in the glove box. Jack the car to a level you feel comfortable with to be able to move around under the car.

2

Place a jack stand under the frame of the car. Lower the jack so the car frame rests completely on the jack stand. If you need more than one jack stand, repeat Steps 1 and 2. Note: It is recommended to leave the jack in an area that will support the car (with little pressure on it) in case a jack stand gives way. By doing this, you will have extra protection keeping the car from crushing you.

3

Place your choice of ground cover under the car so you are not working on a dirty floor.

4

Position the exhaust hanger bolt hole to match the position of the bolt hole located on the frame of the car. Screw in the bolt and tighten until secure with either the correct size wrench or socket. Note: Depending on the year of the car, the exhaust hanger could have one or two bolts.

5

Slide the support bracket attached to the muffler or muffler pipe into the exhaust hanger. Make sure the support bracket is secure in the exhaust hanger. Repeat this step for all exhaust hangers.

6

Remove the ground cover. Repeat Step 1 by raising the car with the jack and then remove the jack stand. Lower the jack and remove so the car is now resting on the ground.

The 1996 GMC Sierra (also referred to as a C or K series truck, C for two-wheel drive and K for four-wheel drive) was manufactured with two headlight styles. Some came with old-style sealed-beam headlights, while others featured the newer halogen composite headlight bulb inserts. By 1999, the Sierra finally committed to the composite inserts and has used them exclusively ever since.

Instructions

Halogen Composite Headlights

1

Open the hood to the 1996 GMC Sierra.

2

Locate the two upper headlight assembly retaining screws near the radiator support rail. Remove the screws with the ratchet and a socket.

3

Pull the headlight assembly outward far enough to reach behind it.

4

Disconnect the harness plug of the low beam headlight (outer headlight in assembly) or the high beam headlight (inner headlight in assembly).

5

Twist the plastic base of the headlight to the left until it unlocks from the headlight assembly (about a quarter turn). Discard the headlight.

6

Place the new headlight in the assembly by aligning the tabs on the base to the notches in the assembly, and then push inward. Twist the base to the right until it locks into place. Avoid touching the glass bulb or damage will occur to it from oil in human skin.

7

Connect the harness plug to the plastic base of the new headlight. Rest the assembly inside its cavity and test the headlight(s) before reassembling the headlight assembly and replacing the retaining screws.

Sealed Beam Headlights

8

Remove the four headlight bezel screws with a magnetic tipped Phillips screwdriver. There is a screw near each corner of the bezel. There are two additional screws near the top center and the center of one side of the sealed-beam headlight. Do not turn those screws, as they are the headlight adjusting screws. The magnetic tipped screwdriver will help to avoid dropping the removed screws down into the grill assembly.

9

Remove the bezel and pull the sealed-beam headlight outward far enough to unplug the three-pronged harness plug from the back of the headlight.

10

Plug the new headlight into the three-pronged harness and place it in the headlight cavity.

11

Test the headlight by turning on the switch. Check both low and high beam for operation.

12

Place the bezel over the headlight, and then replace the four retaining screws and tighten them.