Tech Tip: Servicing GM’s 3800 V6 Engines
The Buick 231 cu. in. 3.8L V6 engine has had a production run lasting more than 30 years. Like the small block Chevy V8, this engine has undergone many changes over the years to keep it abreast of changing consumer expectations and emissions regulations. The first Buick 3.8L was offered in the 1975 model year Skyhawk, Apollo, Century and Regal. The engine was based on an earlier 198 cu. in. V6 that Buick introduced back in ….
BTE Offers Line of Racing Transmissions and Components
BTE not only builds fine transmissions and converters, but also the parts that make them work. BTE offers a variety of Powerglide planetaries designed for the weekend bracket racer or the full sportsman racer. The planetaries come in short or full length versions. BTE offers two series of ….
Cartridge Wheel Bearing Service
Wheel bearing service on import front-wheel drive cars with cartridge-style wheel bearings can be a challenge if you don’t have the proper tools. The wheel bearings are pressed into the knuckle and are impossible to remove unless you have a hydraulic press or a puller designed to push the wheel bearings out of the hub.
Brake Pulsation Questions Causes, Rotors, DTV
Brake Questions Answered by the editors of BRAKE & FRONT END 1. What causes runout? Brake Rotor runout can be caused by several things: variations in manufacturing tolerances, sloppy resurfacing procedures, a buildup of rust and corrosion between the rotor, hub and wheel, and uneven torque on the lug nuts. 2. What else can cause
Servicing GM’s 3800 V6 Engines
The Buick 231 cu. in. 3.8L V6 engine has had a production run lasting more than 30 years. Like the small block Chevy V8, this engine has undergone many changes over the years to keep it abreast of changing consumer expectations and emissions regulations. The first Buick 3.8L was offered in the 1975 model year
Tech Tip: Inspect the Cooling System When Replacing the Water Pump
Water pumps work hard. As the miles add up, so does the wear and tear on the pump shaft bearing, seal and impeller. Erosion inside the pump can wear away the vanes on the impeller, causing it to pump less efficiently as the impeller is eaten away. This may lead to engine overheating on hot days or when the engine is working hard. If the water pump seal becomes worn ….
Tech Tip: Are You Unnecessarily Replacing Starters and Alternators?
How many starters and alternators are replaced unnecessarily every year because of misdiagnosis? Nobody knows for sure, but suppliers of both new and remanufactured rotating electrical parts tell us more than half of their warranty returns have "no fault found" when the parts are examined. Many of these returns are from DIYers who lack diagnostic know-how, but some are from professional technicians who apparently lack the ….
Brake Caliper Diagnostics
The owner of a 2004 Malibu says that there is a squeaking noise coming from the right front wheel. A quick inspection shows that the master cylinder is low on fluid and the pads are down to the sensor. You tell the owner that she needs to have the brake pads replaced. She responds that
News Update
MAHLE Clevite Celebrates First NASCAR Win With New Decal At 2008 Daytona 500 When Ryan Newman took the checkered flag at the 2008 Daytona 500, it was also a milestone event for MAHLE Clevite, Inc. It marked the first time the company’s new MAHLE white decal entered Victory Lane in NASCAR competition. The company announced
Complete Brake Jobs
Restore Brake System Integrity For Better Performance And Safer Driving The rate at which the brake linings wear out depends on the frequency of use, how hard the brakes are being applied, the temperature of the linings and the wear characteristics of the friction material itself. Consequently, a set of brake linings on one vehicle