Fix It

Unsurprisingly, a voltmeter measures the voltage running through any object that has the ability to carry an electrical charge. Generally, voltmeters do not measure solely voltage but come as part of a multi-meter device that can be used to measure other aspects of electrical currents as well, including amps and ohms. If you need to know the voltage of a Delco alternator, you can use the voltmeter component of a multi-meter to take the measurement.

Instructions

1

Find the volt component of the multi-meter. Depending upon the multi-meter, the voltmeter component may have its own ports, or the meter may have one main input and a dial to choose the measurement that you want to take. If the multi-meter has separate ports for measuring volts, you can recognize them from the "V" that marks them. If the multi-meter has only one set of ports, turn the dial to the "V" setting to use the device as a voltmeter.

2

Plug the probes provided with the multi-meter into the appropriate ports. Test the probes by touching the tips together gently. The measurement on the multi-meter screen should not move from "0" or should move into the single digits at most. If it moves more than that, the fuse of the multi-meter is not working properly and should be replaced before testing.

3

Place the black probe of the multi-meter against the negative terminal of the Delco alternator. This terminal stays the same whether you have a negatively or positively charged alternator. It is the screw with the metal arm attached to it.

4

Touch the red probe to the positive terminal on the Delco alternator. In a negatively charged alternator, the positive terminal is the screw that does not have an insulating cover. In a positively charged alternator, the positive terminal is the red wire that stretches between two of the screws.

Paintless dent repair (PDR) is the removal of dings and dents from a motor vehicle body through different techniques. The techniques used in paintless dent repair do not require painting after the dent is corrected. If the paint was damaged at the time the dent occurred, paintless dent repair is not possible. The dent can still be corrected, but a paint job will be required to finish the repair. This is known as "push to paint". Paintless dent repair is often used to correct dents caused by minor damages such as hail damage and door dings.

Instructions

1

Remove a small dent with a the use of glue and a dent pulling tab. Several companies sell paintless dent repair kits which include a hot glue gun with glue sticks and a dent pulling tab with accessories. Buy a kit online or through your local auto supply store. Glue a dent pulling tab to the center crease of the dent. Suction the bridge to the car over the dent so that that the dent pulling tab connects through the center of the bridge. Screw the turning knob onto the other end of the pulling tab. Continue twisting the knob, slowly, until the dent pops out. Remove any glue that sticks to the car with rubbing alcohol.

2

Wrap a small brick of dry ice in a shop towel and gently apply it to hail damage. Slowly rub over and around the dent for several minutes until the dent pops out. This process can take awhile and is not recommended for dents larger then the size of a quarter. Wear protective gloves while handling the dry ice as it can burn your skin. Leave the vehicle in the shade or a cooled garage for at least half the day once you have removed the dent. Taking the car out into the sun or heat too quickly can cause the dent to return.

3

Contact a local PDR company to have your dent removed if you have a medium to large dent. For dents this size, you will only have one chance to get it right and will need a professional to ensure it is done right.

4

Attend a short course on professional paintless dent repair. Institutes such as Superior Auto Institute and M & M Training offer courses which can be completed in a few weeks. You will get plenty of hands on experience as well as access to some of the best dent removal tools available. The information offered through these courses will give you an understanding of the different types of dents as well as techniques to remove them.

5

Obtain a professional dent removal kit and begin practicing. Kits can be bought through online retailers and training facilities. Make sure the kit comes with a door set, a pry set and wire set. You will also need a ball peen hammer and a rubber tipped crowning tool, a window wedge and a tool leverage strap.

6

Buy a fluorescent light that will project shadows onto the surface of a car. The lines and shadows created by the light can be used to gain better insight into the contour of the dent and whether there are any points that are crowning or pressurized. This tool is imperative in successfully and professionally completing a PDR.

7

Ask a local salvage yard if you can practice removing dents on their cars or find yourself a practice car and practice if you plan to use your knowledge of PDR for business.

Smart keys used with Toyota vehicles are electronic devices that allow car owners to unlock, lock and start vehicles without the need of a standard key and key-entry process. The keys emit a radio frequency that is picked up by a vehicle antenna. When the vehicle senses the device is in proximity, the doors are unlocked and the engine can start without the need of a standard key. These devices make Toyota vehicles more technically savvy, but they also come with an array of issues.

Interference

When the smart key is within acceptable vicinity of the vehicle, the antenna on the vehicle will pick up the signal transmitted from the key. This signal allows the car to unlock the door or engine to start. When the key is not within range of the vehicle, the car remains locked. Because electrical signals from the key are sent through the air, similarly to radio frequencies, there is a chance they could encounter interference from other electrical frequencies. It has been reported that gas stations, military bases and airports, all locations with heavy radio frequencies and traffic, can interfere with the functionality of the smart key. When in a location with interference, the smart key may not function remotely and will require the traditional use of the key to unlock and start the vehicle.

Battery Replacement

Smart keys function by emitting a radio frequency to the vehicle, requiring batteries as their source of power. Toyota smart keys remain dormant or powered off until they receive an electrical ping from the vehicle that prompts the key to send a signal back to the vehicle. Theoretically, the battery power of the smart key would only be used when in the process of entering or operating the vehicle. However, numerous electrical devices such as cell phones and Bluetooth devices transmit electrical pings. When a smart key is near other devices that emit pings, the smart key does not remain dormant and uses small amounts of battery power. Over time, the battery power will diminish in the smart key, requiring battery replacement. The more your key is around other electrical devices, the more frequently it will require battery replacement.

Smart Key Replacement

Smart keys are unique to each Toyota vehicle that they are programmed to unlock. A Toyota smart key could not unlock another Toyota vehicle, as the keys are unique to each vehicle, just like standard keys. When a smart key is programmed, the key and the vehicle must both be adjusted and tuned to the same radio frequency. When replacing a smart key, the replacement process is not the same as with traditional keys. A vehicle owner can expect a large bill and a trip to the Toyota dealership to replace a smart key. To replace one, the vehicle requires reprogramming at a dealership and then the new smart key must be programmed to match the frequency and codes of the vehicle. For a smart key replacement, a vehicle owner can expect to pay a few hundred dollars to a Toyota dealership or Toyota authorized service mechanic.

Car headlights are an essential part of safely running a vehicle. Since headlights are electrical fixtures powered by your cars electricity, they share all the problems associated with electrical fixtures.

Physical Issues

The most obvious issue that can affect your headlights is the bulbs. They can burn out like any other light bulb. Any damage to your cars front end can damage your bulb or its connections. You can check these; also check your fuses to see if one has blown.

Electrical Issues

Electrical issues can be thought as a line of electricity which begins at the battery, goes to the alternator, the fuse box, the light switch and finally ends at your headlights. Any lapse in this continuity can cause problems. Check each aspect sequentially. Begin by starting the car. If it starts, the battery isnt the problem. If the car idles, the alternator isnt the problem. If the fuse is good, you have ruled out everything up to the relay, light switch and bulb. If the bulbs are fine, the problem is most likely the switch.

General Motors is one of the Big Three American auto manufacturers, all of whose vehicles have problems from time to time, including design defects with a fuel sending unit or other parts. GM has a customer assistance center to accept public complaints. There are a few ways to try to resolve issues with this large corporation. Car owners who have mechanical or design issues with their fuel sending units should learn the process for filing a complaint through either the dealership who sold the vehicle or through GMs national complaint process.

Instructions

1

Write out the complaint about your GM fuel sending unit, either by hand or on a computer. Put down your observations and why you think there is a problem with this car part. This includes the full history of problems you have had with the fuel sending unit.

2

Make extra copies of the complaint letter so you can send the original to GM. You should also have a copy available for the GM car dealership and your lawyer if you choose to hire one.

3

Visit the dealer who sold the GM car. Even if you do not have a warranty at that time, or bought the vehicle used, the dealer may be able to resolve the problem. You can also determine if there has been a recall on the GM fuel sending unit or any related car parts.

4

Find the specific customer assistance center telephone number for your GM model. On the General Motors website, there is a "Frequently Asked Questions: Maintenance, Service and Repair" page. Click on the "Who do I contact if I have a concern with my vehicle?" link to find the list of phone numbers for each GM car model.

5

Call the customer assistance center with your car models assigned phone number if the dealership cannot or will not resolve the problem. You may also wish to file a national GM complaint if you have reason to believe that there is a design defect with a particular models fuel sending unit.

6

Send the complaint letter as follow-up correspondence to the phone call. This ensures that GM cannot claim that you never called to make a formal complaint. You may wish to send this as certified mail to ensure that it arrives at GM. This is another layer of protection to establish a record of your complaint. Send the complaint letter to:
General Motors Company
P.O. Box 33170
Detroit, MI 48232-5170

An All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) is a four-wheeled vehicle designed for driving on uneven terrain. Manufacturers of ATVs include Honda, Yamaha, Polaris, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Arctic Cat, Can-Am, John Deere, Kymco, Bennche and OLink. ATVs are designed for recreation and enjoyed by many consumers. However, engine problems are a major concern.

Clicking Noise

In an ATV.com forum, the owner of a 2008 Polaris 700 X2 complained about a clicking noise in the engine when the truck idled. He believed that the clicking noise came from the lifters. A dealership informed him that the clicking sound is a normal two-stroke engine noise. Another ATV.com user reported an AC 500 with engine noise on YouTubes " 07 Polaris Sportsman 800 engine noise" video, with recommendations to top it off with Castrol oil. In some cases, a bad seal may cause an ATV to run low on oil, and if this occurs, the engine must be repaired before it overheats.

Deteriorating Wire Harness

Owners of a 2008 Polaris Sportsman 500 Touring experienced a deteriorating wire harness after ownership of less than two years, as reported on ATV.com. The wiring harness completely fell apart. As wire after wire broke, electronics stopped working--including the ignition.

ATV Does Not Start

User daylow2347 of TexasATVs.com installed a float needle and diaphragm to resolve a starting problem, to no avail. Opening the drain, pinching off the fuel line and draining it dry while attempting to crank the ATV, as well as spraying starter fluid into the carburetor also did not work. Causes appeared to be a wire or spark plug problem. When the plug was cranked with the wire connected, a spark occurred. Suggestions included pulling off the spark plug, unscrewing the cap that clipped onto the plug from the wire and cutting 1/8 of the wire before the cap was placed back on. ATV starting failure may be caused by either a fuel or ignition problem.

Brake Actuator Problem

Symptoms of an engine brake actuator problem include noise when the vehicle is turned on or off, or when the quad is shut off. On Kawasaki Brute Force or Kawasaki Prairie ATVs, flashing indicators usually alert owners of an engine brake actuator problem. However, based on reports on ATV forums, the indicators may not flash on the gauge. According to KawieRiders.com, a solution is to clean the motor and all related electrical parts.

Backfiring

If the engine backfires as it gets warmer or as deceleration occurs, the engine may be extremely lean, according to WeeksMotorcyle.com. Engines become lean with increased airflow after changing their mufflers or exhaust systems. Another cause of backfiring is a weak spark.

The first Nissan Maxima was actually a top-trim Datsun 810; it reached U.S. shores in 1977. In 1981 the Maxima became its own model line; in 2010 the Maxima was in its seventh generation (eight if you include the Datsun 810 Maxima). The 96 Maxima, which has been known to have some common problems, is of the lines fourth generation.

Grinding Noise

Some 1996 Maxima owners reported a grinding in the rear brakes of their vehicles. Mechanics discovered that the parking brake kept pressure on the rear tires even after release. This required installation of new brake pads and a new brake cable.

Engine Knocking

There have been two causes identified from unusual engine noise in the 1996 Nissan Maxima. A reported "knocking" was found to be due to a defective on-board computer that had to be replaced. While a loose timing chain caused an unfamiliar "rattle." The timing chain fix required a new chain guide and tensioner.

Stalling Out

Corrosion on the cooling sensor of a 1996 Nissan Maxima has been found to be the cause of a stalling and hard-starting problem. This cooling sensor must be replaced to resolve the issue.

Poor Idle

Where electrical wires bend into the strut tower, mechanics have found broken wires that have caused failure in the starter and air conditioner. This hard bend of the wires into the strut tower has resulted in cut and broken wires in the 1996 Maxima.

There is nothing more worrisome than strange noises emanating from your car. Whether it is a rattle, squeak, pop or crunch, it is safe to assume that whatever is causing the noise is not doing your vehicle any favors. Transmissions are complicated mechanical devices with hundreds of moving parts. While you may not be able to sort out exactly what is happening by sound alone, you should be able to get a decent idea of where the problem lies.

Instructions

1

Listen carefully to the noise your transmission makes. Correctly identifying the source of transmission noise depends on the type of sound you hear, so note whether it is a rattle, crunch or another noise.

2

Take notice of when the sound occurs. Noises that occur while shifting could be related to the clutch linkage or clutch shaft pilot bearing, while a low rattle in fifth gear could be caused by the way your car is built.

3

Pay attention to whether the noise is consistent or occurs at seemingly random times. For instance, if your transmission emits a loud clunking noise every time you shift into reverse, the problem is significantly different from the occasional squeak from your clutch. Consistent, loud noises are a source for concern.

4

Allow your vehicle to idle in neutral. Listen for any signs of engine failure or other problems. The sounds you hear may seem to be related to your transmission, but may in fact be issues with your transaxle, wheel bearings or CV joints. Letting the car idle in neutral for a while helps separate engine problems from transmission problems.