Fix It

The casting numbers on the block of a Ford engine help identify the specific engine. The numbers are often useful in mating cylinder heads, determining when and where the block was manufactured and into which mode of Ford it was installed. Locating the casting number is relatively easy if youre physically fit and have some dexterity. The casting number must be decoded to understand the information it contains.

Instructions

1

Angle your inspection mirror underneath the back side of the engine block, where the starter mounts to the engine. Depending on your physical size -- and the specific year, make and model of your Ford -- observation is possible from the top of the engine well. Another option is jack up the Ford up, support it on two jack stands and look for the numbers from beneath the vehicle.

2

Shine your flashlight on the inspection mirror. Illuminate the section of the block where Ford stamped the casting number. This is directly beside the starter mount, where the starter motor bolts to the engine.

3

Write down the casting number down with pen and paper.

Installation of a new catalytic converter on your Jeep Liberty will improve the engine performance of your Jeep. If the converter becomes plugged it can over heat or limit the engines ability to breathe by limiting the flow of exhaust out of the engine. The converter is an important part of the exhaust system and while they are expensive to replace, they are necessary for the engine to run properly. Be sure to allow the exhaust to cool if the Jeep has been running before you start working on it. The pipe and converter get very hot when the engine is operating.

Instructions

1

Locate the front mounting flange from the front exhaust pipe for the catalytic converter. There are two bolts that secure the flange from the converter to the flange on the pipe.

2

Position the catalytic converter so the two flanges line up, insert the gasket between the flanges and insert the retaining bolts. Install two nuts on the mounting bolts and tighten them with a socket and ratchet or wrench.

3

Insert the mounting rod on the converter into the hanger under the cross member located near the center of the converter. This hanger is a rubber hanger that the mounting rod slides into.

4

Slide the tail pipe onto the output pipe on the rear of the converter and install the band clamp. Tighten the clamp with a socket and ratchet until it is tight but do not over tighten it or you will crush the pipe.

5

Start the engine and check for leaks in the exhaust system. If you find a leak, tighten the clamp or bolts needed to tighten up the pipes and close the leak.

The Power Programmer III from Hypertech plugs into a vehicles diagnostic port and asks a series of engine specific yes or no questions. The Power Programmer then makes adjustments to engine settings to maximize performance.

Claims

According to the manufacturer, the Power Programmer III can add up to 120 horse power and 227 ft/lbs of torque to a diesel engine and 57 horse power 60 ft/lbs of torque to a gas engine.

Adjustments

The Power Programmer III can adjust or fine-tune an engines three-stage or duel-fuel tuning, engine rev limiter, cooling fan temperature, transmission shift points and firmness and top speed limiter. It can also make corrections to the speedometer and odometer.

Warnings & Cautions

The Power Programmer III requires a fully charged battery car battery to perform properly and the ignition must remain on. Caully read the manufacturers instructions for details. It is also important to note that the Power Programmer III does not work the same for all makes, models and engines.

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.

The original catalytic converter on the 1988 Chevy K2500 was a flat, broad, pellet-filled component. Chevy used this style converter until the mid 1990s. The bottom of the converter featured a fill plug that would often erode from exposure and leak the ceramic pellets out from inside the shell. While replacement plugs were available, most aftermarket companies replaced the converter with a canister-shaped direct-fit converter with an internal ceramic honeycombed substructure.

Instructions

1

Park the 1988 Chevy K2500 on a level surface, turn the engine off and apply the parking brake.

2

Put on the safety glasses and crawl under the passengers side of the vehicle (behind the front tire) with the shop light or a flashlight.

3

Follow the exhaust tubing on the passengers side to the engine connection. The front pipe of the K2500 features a Y-pipe connected to both the drivers side and the passengers side of the engine.

4

Follow the Y-pipe back to the next component behind it. It will either be a large, broad, flat component or a round canister with an external heat shield spot-welded to the outer shell. This component is the catalytic converter. Depending on the size of the wheel base of the K2500, behind the converter there may be a small to medium length connector pipe leading to the muffler and the tailpipe. The connector pipe routes over the rear axle and out toward the rear bumper, all on the passengers side.

If you notice that your steering wheel is loose and sloppy when you drive down the road, you may have a worn upper ball joint and upper control arm. Unlike the case with lower ball joints, which require specialty tools that are quite expensive, a home mechanic can replace the upper control arm and ball joint in part of an afternoon.

Instructions

1

Loosen the lug nuts on both of the front tires. Do this before attempting to lift the vehicle off the ground or the tire will spin as you try to loosen them.

2

Raise the vehicle off the ground enough to lift the tires off the ground and place jack stands under the vehicle. Finish removing the tires once the vehicle is secure.

3

Remove the cotter pin from the upper ball joint using a needlenose pliers. You do not need to save the cotter pin; you will use a new one for installation.

4

Use the appropriate wrench to remove the castle nut at the top of the ball joint. Turn the wrench counterclockwise to remove the nut from the ball joint.

5

Separate the ball joint from the steering knuckle using a two-jawed puller and remove the upper control arm from the vehicle.

6

Install the new upper control arm assembly into the strut tower and connect the upper ball joint into the steering knuckle.

7

Install the tires onto the front of the vehicle and lower the vehicle to the ground.

8

Torque the nuts on the control arm and front wheels once the car is lowered to the ground. Torque the upper control arm to 47 foot-pounds. Next, tighten the castle nut to 32 foot-pounds and then tighten it enough beyond that point to install the new cotter pin. All of the wheel nuts should be tightened to 80 foot-pounds of pressure.

The crankshaft position sensor -- also known as the CKP sensor --detects crankshaft position and rotation on the 2005 PT Cruiser. The sensor relays this information to the electronic control unit and helps determine ignition and fuel injection timing. Wear or damage to the crankshaft position sensor can lead to poor performance or even a non-running condition. The sensor is above the front motor mount so some disassembly is required to replace it.

Instructions

1

Set the parking brake and chock the rear wheels. Turn the ignition switch to the Off position.

2

Jack the front of the vehicle up. Support the vehicle using jack stands.

3

Locate the sensor on the front of the engine just below the starter. Locate the bending strut and structural collar just below the sensor.

4

Remove the five mounting bolts from the strut, using a ratchet and socket. Remove the strut from the engine. Remove the three remaining bolts from the collar, using a ratchet and socket. Move the power steering hose aside and then remove the collar from the engine.

5

Lift up on the locking tab on the sensor electrical connector. Unplug the electrical connector from the sensor.

6

Wipe the surrounding area using a clean rag to remove any dirt or debris that may find its way into the sensor hole.

7

Remove the sensor retaining bolt, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the sensor out of its hole.

8

Lubricate the O-ring on the new sensor with clean engine oil. Insert the new sensor in the hole and push it in with a slight twisting motion. Align the sensor mount with the bolt hole and install the retaining bolt. Tighten the bolt to 80 inch-pounds, using an inch-pound torque wrench and socket.

9

Install the electrical connector onto the sensor terminal. Ensure that the terminal lock snaps into position.

10

Hold the collar in its position between the transmission and the engine oil pan. Move the power steering hose into position below the collar. Install the collar-to-oil pan bolt through the forward hose support and collar bolt hole and then tighten it finger tight.

11

Place the bending strut in its position and start the upper strut-to-transaxle bolt. Do not tighten the bolt at this time.

12

Insert the lower strut-to-transaxle bolt through the strut and collar and start it. Do not tighten the bolt at this time.

13

Install the strut-to-block bolt on the passenger side corner of the strut and then tighten it finger tight.

14

Insert the collar-to-oil pan bolt through the rear power steering hose support and rear collar hole and then tighten it finger tight.

15

Tighten the three collar-to-transaxle bolts to 75 foot-pounds, using a foot-pound torque wrench and socket.

16

Install the remaining two strut-to-engine block bolts. Tighten the remaining five bolts to 45 foot-pounds, using a foot-pound torque wrench and socket.

17

Remove the jack stands and lower the vehicle using a jack.