How To Make Automotive Repairs and More

How to make automotive repairs is to help anyone or any Do-it-Yourselfer fix their issues easier. Not every vehicle or every issue will be in this section. However, you can learn techniques and similar methods for fixing your problem. This is a forever growing "How To" page. As jobs come into the shop and or visitors share their how to experiences, this guide will continue to grow and always be available to all.

There are many online automotive fix it services out there. However, they all charge ridiculous prices and often give scripted answers. I have tested these services with issues my customers have had or sent. The responses were usually lame, and no where close to what the issue really was.

Don't See Your Issue?

Have an issue you are not seeing here? Then contact me and let me try to help. Your questions are beneficial for me and my visitors. Using your automotive issues and solutions, allow me to list it here on this page. This helps others by sharing the same or similar issues. 

Sometimes finding the solution to an automotive problem can seem impossible. Contact me and I will research it if I don't already know it and give you answer. I will then record it here for future visitors. It doesn't have to be only about cars. You will find RodsShop covers trucks, motorcycles, heavy trucks and equipment and who knows what else. 

If you have a repair you want to share, please let me know and I will post it here. You can upload your documentation and pictures straight to me through my contact page.

How This Works

Why this works better than a forum? I will be creating a tab for similar issues as the information comes in. This will make finding the "How To", fix your problem much easier, rather than trying to weed through many lines of chat. Also, there will be no personal opinions and arguments here to cloud the issue. 

Some tabs will link you to a full page with the answers you need. Often, some issues require step by step instructions. Which I will include a tools and supply list. Often it is that tool you didn't know existed that can make the whole job a cinch. 

For any of the auto body information, if you are needing matched paint or if you do not have an air compressor and are looking for a Spray Can Alternative, I have the solutions...

How To Tighten Your Lug Nuts

1998 Lincoln Town Car 4.6L Intake Manifold Replacement

This Replacement Manifold Kit 615-178 Fits Ford 4.6L (8th Vin Digit W, X, 6, 9 By Application) Which runs from 1996 to 2000

Below is the list of cars that this Manifold Kit will fit. These are also the cars that had a recall on the manifold due to this defect. Always check your local dealership to make sure the car still doesn't fall under the recall before doing it yourself or paying to have it done. 

Between 1996 to 2008, the Ford Triton 4.6L and the 5.4L engines had recalls on them. This was due to the fully plastic Intake Manifolds would crack open usually around the water channels. However, many aftermarket  companies took advantage of this and started producing a replacement Manifold and Manifold kits. 

If you are planning to replace the manifold yourself, then you will want to watch this video. I have also provided step by step instructions plus a complete list of tools and supplies you will need to perform this job. 

How To Video

Replace an Exterior Door Handle on Many of the Newer Cars like Hyundai and Kia

A lot of the newer car designs have actually made removing or replacing the exterior door handles a relatively easy task.

Look for a little access plug inside the door jam area, it is normally round. Remove this plug and you will find one bolt or screw that locks the key lock cylinder in place. Once the bolt is removed, the key lock cylinder will pull straight out and the door handle will slide back and come off.

I did a video on how to replace an exterior door handle on a 2013 Hyundai Genesis but this method will apply to many cars today. 

Refer to this video for visual and step by step instructions: 

Need Paint?

Many of these handles if bought aftermarket do not come painted. If you order the handle from the dealer, they can use your VIN number to supply you with a matched, painted handle ready to go. However, the dealer handles are expensive. If you are on a budget, you can purchase aftermarket handles for about half, to more than half of dealer price.

The issue can be that you may not have all the auto body equipment, such as a compressor or spray gun to paint your handle. No worries, as they make the same quality automotive paints in aerosol. These aerosol paints are the same paints you would buy to place in a spray gun. They can be mixed to the exact match of your paint color.  

1999-2010 VW Beetle Exterior Door Handle Removal

This is really quick "How To" on removing the exterior door handle on a 1999 to 2010 Volkswagen Beetle. I will show you where the set screw you need to back out is; pulling the handle end out; how to release the lever cable to the handle and then slide handle out. Refer to the provided recap slides at the end of the video for better visual help. Watching the video "How To Remove The Exterior Door Handle On A 1999 To 2010 VW Beetle" will be your best help.

Steps

Open up the door and look inside of the door frame. Look right behind where the door handle would be and you will see a rubber plug. You can remove this easily with your fingers. Inside the hole is a set screw, it is a T-20 Torx head. No need to take this screw all the way out, just back it up enough to where the Handle End will pull straight out.

Click on any image to get a lager view.

Once the handle end is removed, the handle will slide back for removal. You will need to pull the handle out a little as you slide it back. Then there will be a cable that you will need to snap loose with a small screwdriver. 

How To Video

How To Change Spark Plugs and Coil Packs 04 – 08 Mazda 3.0L

Quick Steps

How to change the PCV valve 2004 Mazda 6

Here is quick video on how to remove and replace the PCV valve on a 2004 Mazda 6. The job itself isn't that hard, you will need to take two hoses loose, shown in the video. You will find the hose going to the PCV valve can be pulled off. Then remove the bracket on the firewall also shown in the video. The total job shouldn't take you more than 15 minutes if that. 

Note: If you are going to change spark plugs and coil packs, the time to change the PCV Valve would be then.

How To Pack A Wheel Bearing

This is a very quick video to show how to pack a wheel bearing with the palm of your hand. I personally prefer packing a bearing using this method. You can ensure the grease is being pushed correctly and thoroughly through the bearing. However, I do mention a grease packer that you can buy, as well as a bearing race seal installer set. The products will be listed below. There are a couple of extras in this video like how to drive a bearing race in and how to install your grease seal.

Related Tools

How to Replace a 2005 Nissan Sentra Rear Bumper

This video shows some steps of getting the new bumper ready and replacing the old one. The 2005 Sentra in this video,  was backed into a concrete pole. It crushed the corner in and also ripping the rubber beyond repair. In the end of this video, I show where your mounting points are and talk about the ease of removing it.

This can apply to most Nissan cars, as they are usually similar in design. Actually, most manufacturers use this similar method. There are also images below that show precise locations of bolts and clips. 

How To Video

Clips And Bolts

First remove the top for clips. To do so, open the trunk lid and you will see all four. Place a screwdriver in the small slot on the clip and pull up. You may need two small flat blade screwdrivers on both sides and pull up even. The older these clips get, the more difficult they become on removing. They usually get brittle and break.

Remove the two bottom push-in clips from the bottom of the bumper. They set evenly spaced dead center at the bumper on bottom.

You will have (4) bolts to remove. Two on each side in the fender-well area. These take a 10mm socket to remove...

Important Tips

You can purchase the plastic 8mm Retaining clips. You may find they often break apart when trying to release them if they are not already broke. 

Also, if you are going to be painting your own bumper, if you have purchased a new bumper. No matter from factory or an aftermarket, you will want to use a scuffy pad to scuff up the surface and then it is a MUST, to spray the bumper with an adhesion promoter before applying any kind of coating. If you do not use an adhesion promoter, the paint will flake off.

Below are some items that will help you with this job...

Don't Have a Spray Gun or Compressor?

One of the biggest obstacles for many Do-it-Yourselfer's wanting to do body work, is lack of equipment. Not everyone has an air compressor and all the auto-body equipment. It doesn't make much sense either, to go and invest hundreds to thousands of dollars in equipment for a one time repair. 

Luckily there is an alternative, for paint matching and no need for need for special equipment. On this page, look for the tab to the left, "How To Paint Without A Spray Gun"... 

Brake Rotor Removal 1996 Ford E350 Series - Ford E350 Super Duty Brake Rotor and Hub Assembly

This is a short video showing how to remove that huge rotor on a Ford E350 suspension with a Super Duty Brake Rotor and Hub Assembly. It is really a simple procedure and not that hard. I just noticed that I couldn't find a video showing this big ole ugly rotor on YouTube. So, I thought I would shoot one real quick. Unfortunately this video was cut short due to a storm that popped up. However, it does show how to remove the center bearing retaining nut. Also the two bolts that need to be removed to pull the brake pads and caliper out of the way.

How To Change Front Brakes On A 04 Mazda 6

Suggested Materials And Tools

Fixing Peeling Clear Coat On A Bumper Quick And Easy

This video shows fixing the clear-coat coming off a rear bumper of a Honda Accord. It shows how quick and easy this two and a half hour repair was. Using a DA sander with 400 grit sandpaper, and wet or dry 400 grit sandpaper by hand. The clear-coat was sanded and feathered back. Masked off the rear bumper and applied a mid-coat adhesion. Then came the color and then the clear. The whole job cost under $100 for paint, clear and sanding materials. This job came out well enough, it didn't require sanding and buffing.

I use a more expensive gravity fed spray gun so that I can control the texture and orange peel in my finishes. You can also use cheaper gravity fed guns and get decent results. If you are looking to just shoot a small maybe one or two time type project, I would suggest going with a cheaper gun but if you plan on painting a high quality project car or plan on doing many jobs, I would recommend a higher priced gun.

Tools and Supplies

Matched Paint And Or Alternative

How To Weld In A Patch Panel

Usually for those looking to weld in a patch panel are usually working on older cars. There are some patch panels made for cars in the millennium. However, more often find this type of work on cars from the 50's to 80's. 

No matter the year, how you weld in a patch panel is still the same process. However, they now make an Auto Body Panel Epoxy that actually works just as well as welding. Better in someways because there is no heat or chances of rusting from the welds. Plus newer vehicles use thinner metals so the epoxy may be a better alternative. 

Things To Know Before Getting Started

How To Video

Tools And Supplies

How To Cut Sandpaper

How to cut and fold sandpaper or how to cut wet or dry sandpaper. This is a quick "How To" on how to fold and rip your sandpapers without using scissors. Cutting tools like scissors can put a curved hardened edge to sandpapers, and that can cause scratches when sanding. To avoid unwanted edges and keep from dulling out scissors, try my method.

I also make note of how you shouldn't write on the back of sandpapers with a hard tip pen. Hard tip pens can actually create an outward impression that can also put unwanted scratches in what your sanding. Magic markers or Sharpies are what I use most to write on my sandpapers to avoid making impressions.

Watch video to see how to cut your sandpaper properly.

Watch Video

Sandpapers

There are a variety of sandpapers on the market but not all are recommended to be used on cars. Many wood working sandpapers can work in body work but may create undesired results. You wouldn't want to use a belt sander on working body filler. Some wood working and craft type sandpapers will either dull really fast or get packed up with debris. This type debris can put serious sand scratches in what you are trying to smooth and surface.

180 to 220 grit sandpaper on a 6-inch DA Sander is most commonly used for the initial sanding. This allows you to sand most imperfections like paint chips, and the oxidized surface down. Once the surface has been smoothed and feathered out, if there are no dents to repair, a urethane primer would be applied. After the primer has dried, you would use 320 to 400 grit wet or dry sandpaper to smooth that surface.

Once the vehicle has been painted, you may want to wet sand the paint. This is called "Color Sanding", it gives the paint a cleaner more factory finish. If the paint finish went on relatively smooth and the orange peel is pretty much where you want it, you can start of with 1500 grit. Then go in steps, going to 2000 grit and then you can finish it up with 3000 grit.

To view a full line of abrasives that I most commonly use whenever I paint a vehicle, click the button below.

How To Replace Ford F 150 ABS Rear Speed Sensor

This is a quick how to on changing out the Rear ABS Speed Sensor on a Ford F-150 XLT Pickup Truck. However this covers 1997 to 2003 F-150 Trucks. The Rear ABS Speed Sensor is located on the rear axle, on top the differential housing.

Even though this information is for the years of 1997 to 2003, the symptoms and diagnostics can apply for other years and models. 

Symptoms of a failing or bad Rear ABS Sensor:

ABS and VSS Sensor

This sensor should not be confused with the Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS Sensor). The VSS is located on the drivers side rear of the transmission and its primary functions are the speedometer and speed signal to the computer. Usually the common issues with the VSS are speedometer operating irregularly or the shifting of the transmission out of sync. I have had in some cases the rear ABS sensor effect these two events.

Ford uses the rear ABS sensor as a speed sensor in conjunction with the VSS and often gives faulty information to the computer, making it difficult to determine which sensor is the culprit. However this isn't that common and usually your codes will identify which sensor needs attention, just wanted to make note of it.  

The VSS and the ABS sensors will cause the check engine light to come on and give the following codes for the VSS: P0720 or P1039 or C1751 or C1752,

The ABS code for the rear sensor should be C1230. The code for the fronts sensors are C1145 for the right sensor and C1155 for the left sensor. Please refer to the ODBII C Code Chart for any other codes you may be getting.

How To Video

Tools And Parts

How To Replace A  1996 to 1998 S10 4.3L Starter

This video shows one method of removing and installing a starter on a 1996 S10 4WD Blazer with a 4.3L V6. This video also includes a few tips to make the job a little easier.

It is a known issue when pulling a starter on this vehicle that the wires to the solenoid are very hard to get to as well as getting the starter out can also be a little hard.

Changing this starter out should take roughly no more than an hour, that is laying on a creeper. If you have a lift, I would cut the time almost in half.

How To Pop A Dent Out Of A Bumper Cover

This is a demonstration on how to pop out a huge dent in a bumper cover. It also shows a few steps on preparation for painting and the end results.

Using a heat gun and a flat piece of metal coming up from behind the dent, the huge dent is pushed out. It takes several heat sessions and pushing, even cooling with water to start bringing back the original shape. The bumper shape is brought back 90% to 95% to original form.

Tips on sanding and priming are in the video below and then what the bumper looks like after it is painted. One tip I give, always spruce up the the looks of the whole car after a spot repair. It will draw some of the attention away from the previous damaged area and onto a renewed look for the whole vehicle.

How To Video

Tips And Information

I get a lot of questions and have seen many comments about using boiling hot water or if you can use a hair dryer. Here are my thoughts on these two topics. NO to each. 

Boiling hot water is like asking to be tortured or hurt on purpose. On this particular job, I had to lay under the car. Imagine how that would work out if boiling water was being poured with me under it. Even if I could stand elsewhere, why take a chance of burning your skin off to save yourself $20 on buying a Heat Gun?

The other question, if you can se a hair dryer? My answer is sort of, it might be able to work if the dent is small and the bumper cover is made of thinner or more rubber type material. But what you can heat in about 2 or less minutes with a heat gun will take you 15 minutes or longer with a hair dryer. And that is still a big maybe. Then there is the practical side of things. Do buy a hair dryer that can generate some heat cost around $40, a heat gun around $20. No brainer to me.

Prepping the bumper for filler: This bumper had a crack from how far it was pushed in. After popping the dent out, I used a plastic adhesion promoter on the bare sanded plastic areas. Then I applied 2 coats of a urethane primer. I then used a flexible body filler made for bumper covers.

Tools And Materials

Matched Paint And Or Alternative

How To Remove Honda Accord Rocker Panel 03-05

How to remove and install a 2003 to 2005 Honda Accord Rocker Panel. This will also work on other years of Honda's as the 1998 Accord works the exact same way.

The Rocker Panel is sometimes referred to as a Sill Panel. This video shows how to slide the panel forward to remove it and how to snap it back on.

How To Reset The Change Oil Light

Resetting the Oil Change Reminder Light is often a mystery and something that doesn't always get done when you get your oil changed. 

Most car manuals include instructions on how to reset this indicator but some do not. Probably in hopes you will always bring it back to the dealer for a nice dealer price oil change, really aggravating for a automotive DIYer.

Please refer to the information page Resetting Your Change Oil Indicator Light.

Click the Button Below to see your specific instructions on how to reset your Change Oil Light Indicator. The load time is slow as this is a huge table of data. Thank you for your patience...

Spray Gun Alternative

There are many type of small to minor auto body repair jobs. If you are a DIY type person and just want to accomplish a one or two time repair. You may not want to invest in all the equipment a professional body shop would have. Spray guns and air compressors are common to use when doing Auto Body and Paint. However, this type of equipment can run more money than the actual small auto body repair cost. It wouldn't make sense to spend a lot of money in equipment for a one time repair. 

I have already listed alternative sanding equipment to air sanders. Electric sanders are becoming more popular and not that expensive. However, to spray primer and paint, require more than just a spray gun, you also have to have a compressor. Both a gun and compressor can be expensive.

Automotive Touchup has grown to become the nation’s leading provider of specialty automotive aerosol spray paint cans, touch up bottles, pens and more. They have excellent color matching and offer great clears for a better than factory look.

What ATU Offers

Recommendation: For the best long lasting finish, always use the 2K Urethane Clear. No matter using Aerosol or Spray Gun. Regular air dry clears are fine for short term repairs or shooting door jambs and such. Activated clears, (2K), are far superior to resisting UV Rays and the natural elements.  

Headlamp Lens Restore Trick

There are many ways to restore a headlamp lens when it fogs out, hazes or yellows out. Keep in mind, if the plastic lens does this from the inside, it will have to be replaced. 

The best method is to sand the lens with ultra fine wet or dry sandpaper. Grits from 1000 to 3000 work great. Once you have sanded a uniformed looking surface, you can buff the headlamp len out with a buffer. Some lenses can just be buffed out without the sanding, depends on how bad it is.

There are also headlamp lens restore kits. Most work really well, and most come with a UV Sealant to apply after clearing the lens has been accomplished. The methos I am going to show is kind of a quick fix. It works on most lenses and will last a long time provided the lens isn't too far gone. But that goes for any restore kit as well. If the lens has been too badly damaged by the sun, it will haze or yellow back out in a short time.

Click the button below to go to the How To page that will demonstrate the quick fix: