Praise For Auto Repair for dummies "Ms. Sclar stresses preventive medicine for the automotive patient with a bedside manner that any physician would envy." —Reprinted with Permission of The Dallas Morning News "It has dispelled automotive myths and mystique for long-suffering motorists, male and female." —Paul Dean, Los Angeles Times "This book may be easily used as a primer for both understanding auto- motives and performing service and repair on all major car components. If only a few titles are purchased for an automotive collection, this should be one of them." —Library Journal "An auto repair manual for people who think they can't do it themselves." —The Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA " an idiot-proof guide to painless, money-saving car care." —The Toronto Star "An indispensable manual for any do-it-yourselfer." —Auto Advocate "If you're tired of macho mechanics who seem to talk to you in a foreign language, who you suspect may be ripping you off and who never seem to completely-fix your car, then Deanna Sclar has just what you need." —Fort Worth Star-Telegram "Even car owners who consider do-it-yourself car repair with the same trepidation as they would a self-performed tonsillectomy will find valu- able material in this volume .valuable to anyone who drives." —The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA [...]... You'll love yourself for it, and your vehicle will love you, too Believe me, I've been there Auto Repair For Dummies Hou) I Became Intimately \nVoiVed u/ith My Car (and Why fault Want to Bo It, Too) Before I moved to California, I was an ordinary urban cliff dweller: I had only a nodding acquaintance with cars Ours was locked up in a garage, to be summoned forth by my husband for excursions to "the... Chapter 7: From Horses to Hybrids: The Dope on Diesels and Alternatively Powered Vehicles Diesels For Dummies The good and bad about diesels What makes it go? The diesel four-stroke power cycle Diesel fuel The electrical system Caring for your diesel 119 120 123 127 131 132 132 134 138 140 141 142 Auto Repair For Dummies Getting started on a frosty morning Curing a sick diesel Finding a reliable diesel mechanic... — it's really hard not to respond to it as though it were another living thing Of course, how far you go along with this idea is your own business It's not a prerequisite for getting into auto repair, but it helps Auto Repair For Dummies Houl 1 Picture \!ou In order to make this book as relevant, readable, and enjoyable as possible, I envisioned it as a friendly conversation with the kind of person... Instead of a Roof Rack 509 509 510 511 512 512 513 513 513 514 514 Appendix A: A Practical Glossary of Automotive Terms Appendix B: Specifications and Maintenance Records Specifications Record Maintenance Record .545 546 547 Index Book Registration Information 515 551 Back of MXI Auto Repair For Dummies Introduction #•e«a f or many people, getting a driver's license is an event that runs second only... save on fuel, do your bit for the environment, and have a heck of a good time working on your car! V* It's fun because it's so easy and you expected to hate it or be * bored or befuddled Here's How Auto Repair For Dummies Accomplishes These Miracles: By starting from scratch (it even shows you what a screwdriver looks like) 0 By providing step-by-step illustrated instructions for even the simplest tasks... who survived all the experiments and mistakes and grew up to be a fine car and a worthy steed, and to Honeybun, my dream car come true What's So Special about Auto Repair For Dummies It Is Not Written for Confirmed "Do-It-Yourselfers." It Is for You If V0 You have never held a wrench V* You are positive that, in your case, manual labor can lead only to disaster t* You haven't the vaguest idea of how... Repair For Dummies Part V: Helping i/our Car Look Its Best Chapter 23: Keeping Your Car Clean and Beautiful Cleaning the Exterior Washing your vehicle Cleaning and polishing your vehicle Waxing your vehicle Cleaning Your Engine Cleaning the Interior Keeping things tidy Cleaning upholstery and carpeting Fighting stains and odors Repairing tears and holes Caring for headliners Cleaning floor mats Caring for. .. struts 343 344 345 345 346 347 348 350 350 352 354 mitii Auto Repair For Dummies Chapter 17: What to Do If Your Transmission Stops Running Smoothly Troubleshooting Your Transmission Those low-transmission-fluid blues The malfunctioning vacuum modulator caper Keeping Your Drive Train Running Smoothly Taking Care of Your Clutch Undertaking Transmission Repairs Wisely Protecting Yourself from Being Ripped...Dedication For my children, Gina and Casey, who are now old enough for cars of their own May we stay "in tune" forever! Acknowledgments Terry Miller of the Auto Parts and Accessories Association (APAA), Tim Sullivan, Rick Johnson, and Jack Trotter — the "godfathers" of the original edition... Speed ratings Tire quality grade codes DOT identification and registration Other sidewall information Tips for Buying Tires Caring for Your Tires Checking tire inflation pressure Adding air to your tires Rotating your tires Balancing your wheels Aligning your wheels Checking your steering Checking your tires for wear 397 398 399 400 400 401 402 403 403 407 407 409 409 411 411 415 415 Table of Contents . Praise For Auto Repair for dummies "Ms. Sclar stresses preventive medicine for the automotive patient with a bedside. primer for both understanding auto- motives and performing service and repair on all major car components. If only a few titles are purchased for an automotive