Car tips & advices

Oil Leaking, Blow-By, and Excessive Oil Consumption

You check the oil level in your car every week. It’s routine, and part of your automotive repair ritual. But one of those checking days, you notice the oil level is down. No big deal, but... read more

Engine Assembly, Part 6: Completing the Assembly

In our last Engine Assembly segment, we buttoned up the top end of the engine (cylinder heads). Essentially, we constructed a complete "long block." This time in Engine Assembly,... read more

Rear Axle Noise: Isolating the Problem

Rear axle assembly noise can often be confused with the din of the driveshaft, tires, clutch, transmission and even the exhaust system. Luckily, there is a way to isolate the sound of the rear axle... read more

Diagnose Disc Brake Problems

Squeak. Squawk. Squeal. Grind. It's the sound of brakes going bad. But how in the world do you know just what's going on with brakes by the sound they make? In some cases, the sounds are... read more

Spring Car Care for Summer Serenity

Old Man Winter is a common thread for much of North America. It blows cold and much of the continent is regularly blanketed in snow and ice. Motor vehicles plod through all of this, and simultaneously... read more

Engine Assembly, Part 5: The Cylinder Heads

We installed and degreed the camshaft in the last segment of the engine series. In this portion of the assembly, we’ll look at cylinder heads and head installation. There are some words of caution... read more

Garage Safety

There are plenty of ways to be an automobile enthusiast, but to us, at least, the folks who regularly get down and dirty and work on their cars gain the big spoils of satisfaction. Sounds good, but... read more

Vehicle Storage

There comes a time in the life of some cars where they see no use. They’re parked. For many Northerners, it’s almost second nature to have their pride and joy mothballed by the end of October (or... read more

10 Best Car Care Tools

If you're going to work on your own car or truck, there are certain tools you'll need to do each job right and in the least amount of time. Auto enthusiasts and at-home mechanics require specialized... read more

Engine Assembly, Part 2: The Bottom End

In the last (and first) segment, Engine Assembly, Part 1: The Cleanup, we showed how to (fastidiously) clean various engine components, and how to prep the cylinder block for assembly. Here... read more

Wheel Repair and Restoration

Here’s a familiar scenario: You pull into a parking spot and your wheels do a “curb check.” Or maybe you accidentally drive over a deep pothole. Oops, now there’s a dent in the rim. How can... read more

Engine Assembly, Part 4: The Camshaft

In our last segment of the engine build series, we completed the installation of the reciprocating components. This time around, we’ll install the camshaft and degree it. It sounds very racy and... read more