Hot Auto Maintenance & Repairs Posts
How To: Repair air conditioning leaks in your car
If the air conditioner in your car has stopped pumping cold air out, you probably have a refrigerant leak somewhere in the system. In this video you will learn how to find the leak in your A/C and fix it, keeping yourself cool and comfortable.
How To: Fix engine oil leaks by replacing the oil pump seal
If your engine is leaking oil from under the pulley in the front of the engine, you probably need to replace the oil pump seal. In this video Emmy Award-winning mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to do just that at home.
How To: Fix your own drive shaft with new U-joints
If the drive shaft on your car is making clunking noises as you drive, it may be time for a new set of U-joints. In this video Emmy-winning TV mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to install U-joints in your own car and fix your drive shaft.
How To: Repair the clutch hydraulic cylinders in your car
Does the clutch pedal in your car go all the way to the floor? You probably7 have a problem with your hydraulic clutch cylinders. This video will teach you how to diagnose the problem and then fix it yourself at home.
How To: Fix a car that cranks but won't start
If your car cranks but won't start, there are one of two main things that could be wrong: the fuel system or the spark plugs. In this video you'll learn how to figure out which problem your have and how to fix it.
How To: Change a valve cover gasket in your engine
If smoke is coming from your car's engine you definitely have problems. It might not be too bad though, you may just need to replace the valve cover gasket. In this video you'll learn how to do just that with Emmy-winning TV mechanic Scotty Kilmer.
How To: Inspect and repair the radiator cooling fans on your car
The radiator cooling fans on your car are vital to keeping the car cool enough to run and pretty simple to work with. In this video you'll learn how to diagnose problems with and fix the radiator cooling fans in most modern cars. Problems include the fan motor, the fuse, and the control switch
How To: Replace the radiator on your car if it has holes in it
The radiator is one of the most recognizable parts of a car, and one that most people don't have to deal with as much as they did 50 years ago. If yours has holes, you have to replace it, and this video will teach you how to drain and replace the radiator in nearly any modern car.
How To: Change the spark plugs on a modern car
Spark plugs are some of the most important parts of your car. Engines flatly don't work without them. If you're having misfires or other engine issues, watch this video to learn how to check your spark plugs and replace them if need be.
How To: Check the compression pressure on an engine
If your engine isn't generating as much power as it should be, your may have a compression pressure issue. In this video award-winning mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to check the compression pressure in your engine and determine what to do afterwards.
How To: Fix error code P0300 for random misfires on your car
Error code P0300 is one of the most infamous in auto maintenance, indicating random misfires in the engine. This can mean several different things, and in this video mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to figure out where the problem is and fix it.
How To: Tell if you have a blown head gasket in your engine
Gaskets are the most likely parts of nearly any combustion engine to break. Detecting a blown head gasket is nearly impossible without taking the engine apart because they are so deep in the engine. In this video you'll learn how to use a testing kit to diagnose blown head gaskets.
How To: Check and replace a tie rod on your car
Have you ever pulled on one of your car's wheels and noticed a disconcerting wiggle? You probably have a worn out tie rod. Watch this video to learn how you can check and if necessary replace the tie rods in your car.
How To: Use a borescope to diagnose and repair hard-to-reach places on your car
One of the trickiest parts of auto repair is getting access to the part of the car you actually need to fix. In this video, you'll learn how a new tool called a borescope allows you to inspect and repair sections of your car that were very hard to access before.
How To: Change the timing belt on an engine
The timing belt is one of the vital belts in your engine, ensuring that the valves work in sync with the engine. If your is worn out your car will lose performance and your engine might even be ruined! Watch this video to learn how you can replace your timing belt at home.
How To: Figure out what's wrong with your car if it won't start and fix it
If your car won't start you have problems, finding the cause is the most important and immediate task. In this video you'll learn about three things that can make your car not start and how to fix them: a dead battery, a faulty starter motor, and a low gas tank with a potentially damaged fuel pump.
How To: Replace the suspension struts on your car
Suspension struts are vital parts of ensuring your car's ride quality and handling. If yours are old and worn-out, you probably know it. Watch this video for easy step-by-step instructions that will help you replace your suspensions struts yourself at home on nearly any type of suspension.
How To: Inspect and replace the fan belts on a car
The days of the fan belt in cars are no more. Most modern cars have a very similar drive belt, but changing them is a bit of a different process. In this video you will learn how to inspect a drive / fan belt and replace it if it's worn or broken.
How To: Maintain and inspect your car's battery to keep it starting
The battery in your car is more important now than ever before. If yours is dead, not much of your car will work. Watch this video to learn some easy way to inspect and maintain your battery to make sure it works great for as long as possible.
How To: Change the camshaft position sensor in your car
The camshaft position sensor in your car is a finicky machine that can cause a lot of unwarranted check engine lights. In this video veteran TV mechanic Scotty Kilmer will teach you how to replace a defective camshaft position sensor on nearly any car.
How To: Fill a car's air conditioning system with refrigerant
Refrigerant is the stuff that makes your A/C in your car so good at turning hot air to cold. Like almost any substance you fill part of your car with, it needs to be replaced and refilled every so often. Watch this video to learn how to bleed your air conditioning system before filling, then how to fill it with new refrigerant.
How To: Check the alternator on your car if you're having electrical problems
The alternator on your car is arguably the most important part of the electrical system, and if they break even a little weird things can start happening all over your car. Watch this video to learn how to check an alternator and make sure it's working properly.
How To: Install new axle bearings on a front wheel drive car
Front wheel drive has become the standard of the automotive industry for most segments, so you better know how to work on them if you're gonna fix a lot of cars. In this video you'll learn how to replace the axle bearings on a front-wheel drive car.
How To: Inspect a used car and make sure it's not a lemon with simple tests
Buying a used car is a task humbling in it's complexity, but certain parts of it are still simple. In this video you will learn several easy, effective ways of inspecting a used car you want to buy to make sure it hasn't been in a flood or accident and has a properly working engine.
How To: Check a catalytic converter for problems in a car
If you don't mind drilling holes into parts of your own car, read on. In this video TV car talk personality Scotty Kilmer will teach you how you can check a catalytic converter to see if it's clogged using a drill, a pressure gauge, and some small metal plugs.
How To: Replace the rear wheel bearings on a Toyota car
Replacing the rear wheel bearings on a car is a great place to start for at-home mechanics, as you don't need to fully lift the car or work with any really complicated parts. This video will teach you everything you need to know to change out the rear wheel bearings on any Toyota car.
How To: Find electrical shorts in a car with a test light and fix a broken 12v plug
Your car's electrical system is massive and complicated. Trying to find a short in the system might sound like a job for a professional, but in this video you will learn how you can use an $8 test light to locate a shorts in your car's electrical system. It will also teach you how to fix it if the problem is the cigarette lighter, now more commonly known as the 12 volt plug.
How To: Change the fog lights on a Chrysler 300C
In this video we learn how to change the fog lights on a Chrysler 300C. First, take ff the front bumper of the car and set it down on somewhere safe. Remove the bracket that is around the light and use the plastic of the bumper as a bracket. Once you remove the light, replace it with a new one inside. After this, you will need to re-wire the car as you had it before and make sure the bumper is placed back in the car correctly. Once you're finished with this, test out the lights and then use w...
How To: Replace a primer bulb on a Stihl FS110 trimmer
In this tutorial, we learn how to replace a primer bulb on a Stihl FS110 trimmer. First, remove the screws around the top cover. After this, remove the bolts around the bulb on the trimmer as well. Once you take this out, replace the bulb with a new one. You may need to blast the dirt away from the bolts to be able to get inside and remove them easily. Once you replace the bulb, make sure to screw the bolts in tightly around the bulb and around the cover. When finished, you will have a new pr...
How To: Bypass a broken air conditioning computer system in a car with a bypass switch
More and more car parts are controlled by computers, and the results are not always what we hope they will be. They often break for what seems like no reason and are expensive to fix. In this video you'll learn how you can fix a broken air conditioning control system on your car with a $30 bypass switch that will be much more reliable than your computer was.
How To: Replace trailer wheel bearings
In this video we learn how to replace trailer wheel bearings. First, place the trailer up on a jack and take the wheel off until you're left with the hub. To remove the dust cap, take a chisel and put it on the hub. Hammer it until it becomes loose and you can remove it. After this, remove the metal retainer from the axle and then you can remove the entire hub. From here, replace the hub with a brand new one and clean off the entire area around it. Once finished, replace the metal retainer as...
How To: Block-sand a primer coat to prepare for auto body paint
Before painting your vehicle, you'll want to sand down the primer coat. This automotive video will show you how to block-sand the primer to prepare you for the actual paint job. It's actually a pretty simple step in auto painting.
How To: Use 3M Finishing Glaze over auto body filler on your vehicle
After you've applied your auto body filler on your vehicle, you'll need to apply a glaze. In this video, you'll learn how to apply a 3M Finishing Glaze. Their new Dynamic Mixing System is a good one, and the product mixes instantly when it exits the tip of the gun.
How To: Replace a slipping clutch in your car or truck
If you're driving down the road in your vehicle (manual transmission), and you step on the gas, but aren't accelerating as fast as you should, even though the RPMs are solidly rising, you may have a slipping clutch. If you think that you clutch may be the problem in your standard car or truck, then Scotty Kilmer will show you how to replace it— the proper way— just like an auto mechanic.
How To: Repair a stripped-out aluminum oil pan on your vehicle
It happens more times than it should— negligent oil changes. This happens most often with aluminum oil pans on cars and trucks, because aluminum is fragile and should be treated with care and a gentle hand, not a torque power wrench. Using an air-impact gun will only cause damage when installing the bolts, causing the oil to leak from the pan.
How To: Perform a power balance test on your vehicle's engine
The engine has a number of cylinders, whether it's 3, 4, 5, 6… 8…. whatever, and each one of those cylinders is designed to produce the same amount of power. If one is not able to produce the same power as the rest, then that cylinder is down and the engine might miss a bit or have a check engine light. If you think this may be the case with your automobile, this video from Eric the Car Guy will show you how to perform a power balance test on your car's engine. It's very helpful in nailing do...
How To: Check and replace a dead starter in your automobile
If your vehicle does nothing (doesn't crank over) when you turn the key in the ignition, then you might need a new starter. In this video, Scotty shows you how to check your starter and how to replace it if it's bad. Your first reaction for a non-starting car may be to jump start it, due to a dead battery, but if your battery is brand new, or if jump starting doesn't work, you'll need to get a starter tester to check out the starter. If it's bad— replace it with a new one! See how!
How To: Sand, polish and buff a paint job on an automobile for a shiny luster
It's not a new technique in the auto body industry, but cutting and polishing is a great way to smooth out your paint job. This two-part video will show you the process of sanding and polishing your auto paint. The first video shows you the steps for sanding the painted surface before buffing, which removes the imperfections after painting. The second video shows you some 3M polishes for buffing the car finish. This will polish the surface into a luster shiny paint job.
How To: Repair a minor dent on a car with body filler & block sanding
In this thorough 30 minute video tutorial, Donnie Smith shows you a method of repairing a minor dent on a car with body filler and also shows you how to block sand the filler. For the novice who wants to learn more about car maintenance, this is the perfect tutorial.
How To: Apply and spray primer surfacer on your car
In this video Donnie Smith shows you how to apply primer surfacer. In addition to the visual instructions on the video, you can follow along with the instructions below from Donnie himself. After watching this video, you'll be an expert on primer surfacing!