Auto Repair

I'm putting together a glossary of welding and metalworking terms to try to help people who are just getting interested in doing automotive metal work. Sometimes it can be hard to stay focused with all of the specialized terms being thrown at you. Hopefully this glossary will be a decent go-to if you are doing some reading on welding, fabricating and other metal-related jobs. It will continue to grow as we see more information that needs to be added, so you can bookmark it and use it as a resource. Check out the Welding and Metalworking Glossary and start brushing up!

If you're about to do some serious waxing, I recommend a Brazillian. Seriously though, if you are thinking of giving your car or truck a serious wax job this spring, you should check out these tips on safe waxing techniques to be sure you get the most out of your efforts, and make sure you don't accidentally do more harm than good while you're waxing on and waxing off. There's a lot to know about wax!

Car repair is never short on areas of debate. The necessity of flushing your radiator annually is a biggie amongst car people. Old schoolers tend to think that flushing is a good idea to clean the cooling system and replenish the fluid with new stuff. Newer schools of thought are leaning toward a radiator flush being a waste of time unless a problem indicates a clog or other issue. I fall into the "better safe than sorry" category and flush my cooling system. Where are you on this issue?

The question sounds silly to seasoned mechanics: Can you change a blown fuse? But the average driver may never need to know where their fuse box is. Modern automotive electrical systems are many times more stable than they were in the old days, but that doesn't mean a short circuit won't someday cause a fuse to blow. If you aren't familiar with fuse pulling, check out this quick read on fuses so you aren't left in the dark the next time your headlights go out.

The days are warm enough now that you can give your air conditioning system a decent test to see how much cooling it's ready to tackle when the seriously hot days hit us. If your AC doesn't seem to be up to the task of hot weather driving, now is a good time to recharge the system. It's a job that you can tackle on your own using the kits available at most auto parts stores. You'll save big money over the cost of having a professional recharge, and you don't have to wait around for an appointment!

Safety First is a phrase that is tossed around regularly, but seldom do we stop to think about what it means. If you've got safety on your mind every time you work on your car, the chances of a serious injury are close to zero. Slip up and start to work carelessly and you'll be shocked at how fast things can go bad. A vehicle is heavy and has lots of things sticking out that can cause damage to your body. Safety is never a waste of time. Check out this safety primer to get some ideas and get your mind right on auto repair safety.

If your brake pedal is offering you a low quality Wu-Tang impersonation, it may be time to replace a warped brake disc. Vibration when you're braking usually means that one or both of your front brake rotors (or discs) is warped. Not only will this aggravate you every time you stop your car, it can be dangerous and affect the ability of your ABS to function properly. It's an easy replacement, and you can do brake pads while you're in there!

Stick welding may be the crudest form of arc welding, but there's something satisfying about how simple the machine is. If you've been curious about some stick welding basics, check out this explanation and start to understand the greatness, and the limitations, of the original arc welder. If you don't like it, you can at least use the welding rods as drumsticks, or chopsticks.

If you've ever heard your mechanic tell you that you have a bad oxygen sensor, I'm sure you never want to hear it again. Replacing an oxygen sensor can be a costly repair. If there's any way to do it yourself, by all means you should jump in and get it done. This tutorial should help guide you, and let you decide whether tackling O2 sensor replacement is a job for you.

I love MIG welding. It's forgiving enough for a slacker to get good at, but you can do some darn good welding with a decent setup. The cost of entry isn't huge, and the learning curve is such that somebody with a drive to learn can become pretty good at it within a year or so. If you're interested in MIG welding, check out a little information that may help guide you.