Setting up a car with a power inverter is easy to do and is a nice feature to add to any vehicle. Adding a 110/120 AC power outlet is useful for for many situations from traveling to simply recharging a laptop. Inverters have different Amps and Watts they can supply depending on the unit bought. Since… Read More »
Having AC power in car or truck is necessary sometimes when a device has no DC inputs or adapter. AC power outlets can be added with a power inverter and can give power to small devices such as laptops. The BESTEK 300W Power Inverter is one such unit that converters 12 Volts DC to 110 Volts… Read More »
Replacing the intake air filter on a 2005-2009 Kia Spectra falls in the Do-It-Yourself category and is an easy task to do. Most car intake air filters are replaced every 15,000 – 30,000 miles. Of course, the environment will make a big difference how often it should be changed. For example, if you live and drive in a… Read More »
There are many good OBD2 scan tools for most any vehicle including Honda’s. Some scanners can only read basic functions while a few have more advanced features that are Honda specific. With the many available below we list some of our favorite options. In full disclosure these units have been sent to us from companies to review which… Read More »
Having a good OBD2 scan tool goes a long way to help troubleshoot a vehicle problem and point to the repair needed. There are many good OBD2 scanners to use that come with different menus, features, and price ranges. Often what works for one person may not work for another so below we list our favorite… Read More »
If you find yourself with a car air conditioner leaking refrigerant it can be fixed by a home DIY backyard mechanic. There are a few ways to approach a leaking air conditioning system. If the leak is slow it likely is small and a can of Stop Leak can be added to a system to help it seal… Read More »
Having a good OBDII scan tool when troubleshooting a Chevy or GM vehicle is a nice thing to have. An OBDII scan tool can point to the problem a car or truck is having. Being able to communicate with the onboard computer will give invaluable data as to what the problem is. What Is a Chevy OBDII Error… Read More »
Automatic Shifters are a specialty performance part that gives more control to a driver and looks cools doing it. While mainly used for drag racing they also can be used whenever more control over a vehicle is needed. If you are looking to get an automatic shifter there are many available with those below some of our favorite… Read More »
If you own a Kia and need a good OBDII scan tool there are many available. Owning an OBDII scan tool is ideal for troubleshooting a car or just knowing why the engine light is on. What Is a Kia OBDII Scan Tool? All modern vehicles including Kia have an OBDII port which communicates with the onboard computer.… Read More »
Having an OBD2 scan tool is useful in many situations when an engine light comes on. But what if you dont have a scan tool and need to know the code? Many vehicles has a built-in diagnostic that will give the code as I recently found out with Dodge cars and trucks. I haven’t tried… Read More »
If the Maintenance Required (MAINT REQD) Light comes on in your Toyota Corolla dashboard it is simple enough to reset. The Maintenance Light usually turns on to remind you its time to change the oil. The car does not know if the oil has been changed, it is a simply a reminder light that a mechanic… Read More »
Having a good VAG-COM scan tool can go a long way to help not only find a mechanical problem but to do some light modding. There are many VAG-COM VCDS scan tools available for Volkswagen, from low cost units to high-end expensive models. Below are some of the more popular options that would be a good… Read More »
Anyone who has an engine light come on will no doubt like to know what the problem is. The standard way is to use an OBD2 scan tool which will give the error code which can then be looked up. But what if you dont have a scan tool? Most vehicles have a built-in diagnostic… Read More »
A Video is at the bottom of the page for a visual walk-through if needed. If you have a 2009-2013 Toyota Corolla and the air conditioning stops blowing cold air it may need to be recharged. This is a common problem with cars as they age with it being a simple fix to add more refrigerant to the… Read More »
If you own a 2005-2009 Kia Spectra and the air conditioning stops blowing cold air it may need to be recharged. This is a common problem with older cars with it being a simple fix to add more refrigerant to the system. I have a 2006 Kia Spectra that needed charge last year so I wrote this post… Read More »
Having a good OBDII scan tool with ABS (Anti lock Brake System) is a nice thing to have while troubleshooting vehicle problems. There are many OBDII scan tools available from low-cost to high-end units. Everyone will have a different requirement from an automotive scan tool. For example a DIY mechanic will not have the need of an… Read More »
When it comes to auto body work deep dents are not easy to get out and either need to be hit from the back or pulled out. Since many dents cant be reached from the back dent puller options are often looked at as the best method. One of these methods is called a Stud Welder… Read More »
Finding the right OBD II scan tool to work on a Volkswagen Passat is easy enough, some with more features than others. One of the things that VW Passat’s have unique is VAG-COM VCDS which goes beyond industry standard OBDII codes. All vehicles 1996 and newer have an OBDII port which started with OBD version 1,… Read More »
Having the right tools goes a long way in doing auto body repair and getting he job done quickly and right. One of the more common tools is the Random DA (Dual Action) sander. A DA spins and is moved about sanding off paint or rouging in bondo on a car or truck body. Most… Read More »
Having a good OBDII Scan tool can help greatly when it comes time to troubleshooting a car. They display the error code that points to the problem a vehicle is having. There are many OBDII scan tools that give basic engine codes with most unable to read ABS, SRS, or transmission errors. Transmission codes are in the P0700… Read More »
System Too Lean (Bank 1) Below is the basic causes and common fixes for a P0171 OBDII error code. What Is a P0171 Error Code? A P0171 code indicates there is a fuel/air mixture problem on bank 1 of the engine. The term Lean means the cylinder is receiving too much or too little air creating a… Read More »
A P0301 error code is a misfire that spark plug 1 is not sparking correctly. Other P030 errors point to other cylinders not working correctly for example P0302 code is spark plug 2 misfire, and P0303 would be spark plug 3. P0301 Error Code Causes Bad Spark Plug Spark Plug Wires Bad Coil Fuel Injector P0301 Error Code… Read More »
If you find yourself alone after changing out brake pads or a master cylinder and have no help to bleed them, there is few ways to do it alone. This happens to many DIY mechanics as most people disappear when its time to go to work. Luckily there are some easy options. Here are some of… Read More »
Bleeding a new car or truck master cylinder is necessary to remove any air that is in the unit. It is easy enough to do for a handy DIY type person with the right tools. Of course call a professional if in-doubt. It is best to bleed the cylinder before installing it since the rod usually does not… Read More »
Vacuum leaks that give Evap codes can be a pain to find at times and cause an engine to not run correctly. If the leak is small enough it can often be ignored but an engine light will come on which is not good in many scenarios. An Evap Smoke machine is an easy answer to… Read More »
A leaking plastic radiator can be fixed with DIY kits or even with a soldering iron. Often when a leak is seen on a plastic radiator many think it must be replaced, when it can be repaired at home easily. Repairing a leak is an easy task that most any DIY backyard mechanic can do. … Read More »
Checking the brake fluid on a 2012 Toyota Corolla is easy to do and falls in the DIY category. The 2012 Toyota Corolla’s uses standard DOT 3 Brake fluid that can be bought at any automotive parts store or online. The top of the refill cap has DOT 3 on it to verify the fliud type. If you… Read More »
Resetting a Toyota Highlander Maintence REQD Service light is easy to do with a few steps. The light often comes on and needs reset after an oil change or similar. Below are both quick steps along with the steps with pictures if needed. Button Used and Location The button used To Reset Light Maintenance Light is the odometer… Read More »
Replacing a Headlight Bulb on a Toyota Camry 2007-2011 is an easy task that most any DIYer can do. There are 3 bulbs with the inner one the running light, the center one the headlight, and the outer one the turn signal. The inner and center headlight bulbs are replaced the same way and have the same… Read More »
Resetting the Service light on a 2011-2015 Mini Cooper is easy to do. The Maintenance light can come on for a variety reasons and will need reset, mainly after an oil change. A series of buttons are pressed in the right combination of steps to reset the light. These same steps are used for other service lights that… Read More »
There is a video at the bottom of the page for a visual walk-through if needed. If you have a check engine light come on in your Jeep Wrangler there is built-in diagnostics that show the code. After the code is read it can be Googled to find the problem. The steps are simple by… Read More »
Since their introduction OBD2 Bluetooth scanner tools have become a favorite among part-time mechanics and professionals to find and fix engine problems. They are low-cost engine diagnostic tools that can help troubleshoot a problem. For example if an engine light comes on which gives no indication to the problem a small low-cost OBD2 adapter code scan tool can… Read More »
A video review is at the bottom of the post. The KW680 OBDII automotive scan tool is a popular low-cost unit. It can read and clear a vehicles engine codes and is easy to use which makes it a good unit for home users or backyard mechanics. This unit was sent to me to review with… Read More »
Having road side emergency lights is something that is nice to have when broken down or back tail lights stopped working. Using them when being broken down is no doubt the time they are used the most but I have also used them in many another scenarios. For example a trailer I was towing one time had the… Read More »
A video is at the bottom of the page for a visual walk through. This unit was sent to me to review with my honest opinion and results below. Congress passed the clean air act in 1970 and started the epa, however it wasn’t until January 1st 1996 that all vehicles were required to have OBD (on-board… Read More »