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Dirty fuel injectors have become a big selling point for popular fuel additives and gas companies. A few gas companies say that they add chemicals to their fuel that will help keep your injectors clean and make your engine run better.
Picture of fuel injection cleaning kit
Fuel Injection Cleaning Kit

Some companies selling fuel injector cleaners state that they will increase fuel economy and restore engine power. All of the above statements may be true if you actually have dirty fuel injectors.

Before you pay more at the pump for gas or go out and purchase additives and cleaning solutions it would be nice to determine if they are actually needed.

Testing the flow rate and the efficiency of the injectors can not only be performed but can verify whether cleaning is necessary. I have more information on fuel injector testing on my you fix cars website.
 
 
Below will be a 5.7 L engine belt diagram that you can use to get your belt put back on. Since this is one of the most popular GM motors of all times I thought it would be a good thing to post.

Picture of the 5.7 L engine drive belt diagram

engine belt diagram 5.7L image
Belt Diagrams
This engine better known as the 350 small block is one of my favorite all-time engines. I and my friends use to joke that this engine was so popular that you could get valve cover gaskets for it in the grocery store.

Even though General Motors has moved on and replaced this engine with lighter weight larger displacement power plants the old 5.7 L remains a favorite for hot roders and truck drivers alike.
 
 
Here is the 5.4 Liter belt diagram by popular demand. Engine belt noise is a common complaint on many vehicles and many different engines. The Ford 5.4 L engine is no different in this respect. 
5.4 L engine belt diagram
5.4 L engine belt diagrams
Ford came out with some tactics to help technicians deal with this common problem. Please take a minute to read them before installing a new part on your engine.

There are many causes that can force serpentine belts to become noisy. Sometimes this is due to pulley misalignment or even a wobbling accessory pulley. Also incorrect alignment of the drive belt can result in noise and premature wear.
 
 
Often when an engine will not start the first thing to pop into somebody's mind is "it must be the fuel pump". I often have the same train of thought. And many times replacing the fuel pump is the answer to a no start condition.
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Electric fuel pump

But the percentage of times that a fuel pump will cause a cranking no start condition is most likely less than 25% (just educated guessing).

I suppose the actual failure rate of the fuel pump would be determined by year make and model of the vehicle.

But because the fuel pump is so often replaced before pinpoint diagnostics are performed I thought that I would discuss the subject of how a fuel pump circuit works.

Fuel pumps and no starts

Vehicles for around the last 20 years have in tank mounted electric fuel pumps. So this will be the type of fuel pump I will discuss in this short article.

Electric fuel pumps and circuits will vary greatly depending on the vehicle year make and model. Most of these fuel pump control circuits are tied to the vehicles main computer.
 
 
Car noises such as squeaks and rattles are at the top of the complaint lists from consumers that purchase new automobiles. Working as a line technician at a dealership for 20 years much of my time was spent hunting down these annoying sounds.
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Car noise help button

In the 80s and 90s sub frame vehicle construction was not as solid as they are today. Squeaks and rattles are complained about less today then just a few years ago.

As a mechanic or even a vehicle owner trying to hunt down one of these annoying sounds directional hearing skills will be your most effective weapon.

This page will discuss types of sounds that your car will make and help to dissect the noises to send you in the right direction to solve the problem. I would like to start off with an example of a rattle and squeak on my own personal car that drove me crazy and was difficult to find.

Squeaks and rattles on my T/A

It's funny that I have to go back so far and talk about my 1979 Trans Am, but this was a challenging car noises to find. My Trans Am was a sub frame car that was built in the days when this technology was relatively new. The torque of the big block 6.6 L engine and the fact that the car had removable T-tops made the entire car weak.
 
 
Still snowing in your area? When it warms up you may want to know how to find auto ac freon leaks. This would be one of the most common problems causing the Ac to blow warm after a long winter of not using it.
 
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UV leak detector
A dirty sticky spot on an ac line or fitting should catch your attention. The Freon contains the oil charge necessary to lubricate the compressor.

The presence of oil around and AC fitting or line is a strong indication of freon leaking. My first step in most auto repairs including auto AC leak diagnosis is to perform a solid visual inspection of the entire system.

Although this is always my first step for diagnosing Freon leaks it is not always effective in finding the problem.

In fact, this visual inspection will only uncover large to extremely large leaks. And by far the most common car AC problem would be small leaks that allow Freon to escape over long periods of time.
 
 
Lets talk about testing automotive AC. Although it is still winter our thoughts will soon be thinking of spring and summer. It is a common condition that after a long winter season of not using your automotive air conditioning it may not seem to operate correctly when you do turn it on that first warm day.
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ac test guages

Testing automotive AC can be tackled in the driveway by a DIY car mechanic with some experience wearing comfortable safety glasses. Performance testing the system is a good place to start.

Performance testing provides a measurement of air-conditioning system operation and efficiency. It is recommended that a manifold pressure gauge be used to determine both the high and low pressures in the automotive AC system.

These manifold gauge sets have really come down in price over the last few years. Although professional grade sets can cost well over $100 a good DIY set can be had for fewer than 50.

This could be considered a good investment that will return big rewards over time on several different vehicles.

Automotive AC pressure readings

The desired pressure readings will vary according to the temperature during the time of testing.
 
 

Many mechanic career opportunities exist that are not well known. I am currently employed as a fleet service technician servicing mostly diesel equipment. I have been doing this for the last five years and it's a good job.
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New car dealer

Prior to this my mechanic career had taken me the route of the new car dealership technician. I held this position for about 20 years and worked for about six or seven different new car dealerships. It is commonplace to switch jobs several times in a mechanics career.

Although there are always exceptions to the rule. A real life example would be my first dealership when my mechanic career first started. Me and my best friend were hired right out of high school by a local Pontiac dealership.

After we completed our training and passed our ASE certification tests I moved on for more money. My buddy stayed planted at that dealership and still works there today.
 
Fixing Old Cars 01/09/2010
 
The popularity of fixing old cars rises and falls with the state of the economy. Once again people are leaning towards repairing that old car as opposed to buying a new one.

Some adventurous people have decided to try to fix it themselves.

Diy auto repair

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TPS Sensor
These bold people willing to learn a new skill, truly earn my respect and admiration.

There is no question that do-it-yourself auto repair can save money if applied properly.

The trick is to perform only the work that is needed and avoid replacing parts that are not required.

It is very tempting to start throwing parts like a throttle position sensor at the vehicle in the hopes it will solve the car problems.

This procedure usually leads to disappointment and expenditures that would have exceeded having someone else fix the car for you.

My main advice is to learn about your vehicle. Spend the money and purchase service manuals or reference materials that will support your repairs.

Since your relationship with your car is most likely a long-term affair this would be considered a good investment.
 
 
Although modern vehicles are packed with electronics that look like they belong on the space shuttle this does not reduce the need for routine maintenance and service.

Some would say that this modern automotive technology has made service requirements more important than ever.
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car computer
Although the computer systems can make adjustments to cover up some problems, the vehicles computers cannot replace parts that wear.

The onboard electronics cannot tighten loose bolts that have come loose from vibration. No more than they can change engine oil or flush cooling systems.

Simple problems such as these can set off a chain of events and cause heart problems that will continue to worsen if not addressed.

Even if these problems do not stop you from starting and reaching your destination they can cause issues with overall performance and efficiency of the automobile in question.

Various maintenance procedures usually are performed according to a schedule recommended by the vehicle's manufacturer. Car mechanics would reference these services as preventative maintenance.

If the vehicle's owner fails to follow the recommended maintenance schedule provided by the carmaker problems may result.