Let’s start off with the official definition of windshield washer spray. It's the spraying of fluid onto the windshield working in conjunction with the wiper blades to clean the windscreen of dirt.
Most systems have the washer pump installed in the bottom of the windshield washer fluid reservoir. Some systems use a constantly running pump where as a few systems such as the older General Motors used a pulsed pumps that operates off the wiper motor. On these systems the washers only worked after the wipers swiped a few times. On most domestic cars the washer fluid is activated by holding the washer switch most often located on the turn signal stalk that is often integrated with the windshield wiper switch.
This article will cover vehicle speed sensor operation as I believe a better understanding of any individual component will help with diagnosing problems that may be related to that system. Since the recent search engine update this site ranks high for queries about vehicle speed sensors.
OEM VSS
Since I have learned to go with the flow when it comes to Internet traffic I also wrote an article that focuses more on
vehicle speed sensor problems. But I still stand by the fact that understanding how this important component works will aid in diagnostics.
This sensor actually tells the computer vehicle speed in kilometers and miles per hour. Speed is an important input to many output controls such as torque converter clutch lock up and the proper flow of EGR gases. The information that is sent from speed sensor is used for other systems, such as cruise control, fuel and spark management that can have affects on fuel economy if the information from the component is incorrect.
Today I am posting the belt diagram for the Cadillac V-8 specifically the 4.6 L engine. In the Cadillac world this engine is nicknamed the Northstar. From what I can tell this belt diagram will work on other Northstar series V-8 engines regardless of the displacement.
1993 Oldsmobile Aurora
For a very short period of time the Cadillac V-8 could be found in some Pontiac's, Buick's and Oldsmobile cars like the Oldsmobile Aurora as 4.0 L V-8. I happen to be a big fan of this engine because of its tremendous power to weight ratio. My first vivid memory of this engine was when it first came on the scene in 1993 installed as the only option on the brand-new Cadillac Allante. I have a full size picture of the Mary Kay Pink Cadillac below.
Without further delay here is your belt diagram for the Cadillac V-8 4.6 L Northstar engine. I hope you click the read more button and see why I like this engine and learn a little more about the history and future of it.
Cadillac V-8 belt diagram 4.6 L
Cadillac v8 belt diagram
Today I'm posting the engine belt diagram for the 3.6 L GM V-6 engines. This time it's personal because this is the option that I have in my 2009 Cadillac SRX. This happens to be the best engine I've ever owned.
2009 SRX Crossover
I don't say this lightly. Because of my advanced age I could be considered old school and really only have respect for V-8 engines. The 3.6 L GM V-6 engines even back in 2009 came in at a respectable 304 hp.
In 2012 they were able to massage another 4 hp out of this V-6 engine to boost the horsepower to 308 making it the most powerful standard engine in a crossover. Considering the 6.6 L 400 cubic inch engine in my Pontiac T/A produced about 275 hp at double the weight you can't help but be impressed with General Motors version of this all aluminum V-6 engine.
Engine belt diagram GM V-6 3.6 L
Belt Diagram GM V6 3.6L
If you must have a 6cyl the 4.3 L Chevy engine is a good one to get stuck with. I mean this from a strength and durability aspect as opposed to efficiency. I have a long-standing relationship with this V-6 engine.
4.3L Mercruiser
The first year that I turned wrenches professionally was 1984. The 4.3 L v6 was installed in all kinds of vehicles at that time. Some notable vehicles would be the Monte Carlo and Buick regal and many other full size 80s General Motors cars. Even cars that were too big and heavy for the engine like the Caprice could be found with this V6 option installed. I remember popping the hood on a 1987 Chevrolet Caprice and seeing such a small engine in the big car.
I was thrilled how easy it was to work on with plenty of room all around the engine bay area. Not only did I have a vortec 4.3 L V-6 Chevy engine in my 2004 Chevrolet Blazer but I also had one of these in my boat. This was a carburetor Mercruiser version of the popular Chevrolet V6. The longer this engine was out the more horsepower it produced over the years.
_It's not often you see engine flywheel problems. But when you do this usually means the vehicle is not going to move anywhere. Whether it’s a worn out ring gear causing a no start or a clutch problem the vehicle is staying put.
95 Ford F150
_Sometimes we see rear main seal leaks work their way onto the flywheel surface causing a slipping problem. But the other day I stumbled onto a good one you don't see every day. How about an engine flywheel problem that caused slipping of a newly installed clutch.
I was called over to a friend’s house to see what went wrong with his clutch installation side job on his 95 Ford F150 pickup. He installed a complete clutch kit and had the flywheel resurfaced at a machine shop. The truck would move forward slightly when the clutch was let out but it was clear that it was slipping badly with all new parts.
_It's been a long time since I've seen a bad starting safety switch on a vehicle. But today I have seen one on an older Nissan 300ZX, a 1989 300ZX to be exact. I call it the starting safety switch but often this part is called the neutral safety switch.
neutral safety switch
_It is a normally open switch that prevents the starter from operating when the transmission is in any other gear except park or neutral. This eliminates the possibility of a situation that could make the vehicle move forward unexpectedly or in reverse as well.
These starting safety switches or neutral safety switch whichever you want to call it are more commonly used with automatic transmissions but in this case of the 89 Z it was a manual transmission vehicle.
I am familiar with the Nissan ZX as I owned a 1988 model. In fact I have written quite a bit about my
Nissan 300ZX problems. And although I had a lot of problems with my little sports car this was not one of them. I had to find the component location diagram and verify the color of the wires to properly by pass and test the switch.
_Where to find the safety switch
I am going to give it one more shot at convincing people that a service manual can be worth the $12 it costs to gain access to it. I totally understand that these are bad economic times. But there are some occasions when spending a few dollars can save many more.
service manual diagram
I know how it feels to be broke. When the economy crashed in 2008 I was not immediately affected. But now that we are at the end of 2011 I am totally engulfed in the destruction that the crashing economy has caused. I purchased (what I thought was) an affordable home in 2007. It was the cheapest house in town (and crappie). I paid 185K and put 20k into it to make it livable. Now I have abandoned houses on both sides and the house is valued at $55,000. I know what it's like to be underwater.
So when people send me questions and I tell them they should
find a cheap service manual they e-mail me back and say... what "do you think I'm rich". I say it's only $12 and they say if I had $12 I could buy a new car. I then tell them that if I had to do this specific repair that I would find a service manual to follow. If I didn't follow the service manual I could do damage to the vehicle and extend the repair time.
You already know where to get tires cheap but may be hesitant to give it a try. I know how you feel because I finally made my first tire purchase online. It just seems easier going to a local tire store and put on what they have in stock.
09 Cadillac SRX
What pushed me over the edge was nobody in town had matching tires for my 2009 Cadillac SRX in stock ready to go. When they tried to hard sell me into
bogus house brand with all kinds of extras like a
lifetime alignment package, I wrote an article about
getting tire estimates and what to look out for.
Since my vehicle only needed two tires I wanted to match the ones that I would be keeping on the vehicle. Even though they where a popular Goodyear Eagle model tires the size was a bit odd and no one in town could get them quickly. When I got price quotes I was shocked at the cost and the wait time.
We know
where to get cheap tires online. The Tire Rack runs ads on TV and is probably the most popular site in operation when it comes to getting tires online.
A quick side note: I wrote a popular article a couple months ago about how to know
when to replace tires it can shed some light on tire replacement.
A good question about spark plug gap from a site visitor. He was replacing spark plugs on his Toyota vehicle and noticed that the plugs he was removing had a much larger gap than the plugs he was installing.
spark plug gap
The difference in gap was so drastic that he thought may be something was wrong, or he had received the wrong replacement spark plugs. The Gentleman decided to buy the correct
automotive special tool and gap them as stated in the service manual.
His e-mail question was why the distance was so large on the old plugs that he removed and so small on the new ones. On his vehicle the spark-plugs last 100,000 miles. In that time the center electrode or the tip of the spark plug wears and a large gap is created. After 10 years 100,000 miles this can be noticeable even with the naked eye. Also
not all new plugs are gapped correctly at the factory or can change during shipping.
How to Gap spark plugs
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