Nearly a quarter of a million auto mechanics were laid off or lost their jobs when General Motors and Chrysler closed all those dealerships. Where will all those mechanics go, they are skilled technicians and they know how to work on cars, but there are no jobs for them right now. Until our economy returns and gets back up to speed they are going to have a pretty tough time of it. Many of them want to start their own businesses, perhaps get into the auto maintenance business themselves as entrepreneurs and small-business owners.

This however does not seem likely because right now credit markets are tight, the SBA is not loaning out a lot of money, and getting financing to start your own business is nearly impossible, especially for someone who’s already lost their job and been laid off, and has no real personal income or a whole lot of savings behind them.

Now, they could find an investor to go in business with them, but that is not going to be easy either because people who have money are not interested in start starting a business right now or going into a partnership with the economy is in such a rotten shape. So what is the answer?

Perhaps, they can start a mobile tune up and Mobil oil change business. If they have an existing van, or they know where to get a van inexpensively, then all they need to do is paint it up a bright color with some nice logos and start getting a fleet accounts to change the oil.

Businesses that own delivery fleets, or fleets of vehicles are looking for ways to save money during the recession and they might just hire someone to come out and keep all their vehicles tuned up. This is definitely something to think about.

Lance Winslow is a retired franchisor – Lance Winslow’s Bio. Lance Winslow is formerly the CEO of WashGuys family of franchises for instance one of Lance Winslow’s favorite companies on the team; http://www.windowwashguys.com/links.shtml.

How To: Driveway Oil Change

Having an accident is probably the worst thing that could happen to you and it’s something that could appear anytime. Even though you drive carefully below the speed limits or even when your car is stopped someone who is not paying attention slams into your car. Your car could also be damaged by natural disasters and you can’t predict these things.

If you want to have less worries you could always choose a good auto insurance policy but usually insurance companies solve problems pretty slow, and you probably want your car fixed and running as fast as possible. But if you need a quick solution you have to know that car repairs can get expensive and you always have to search the best repairs for your money. You should always estimate car repair costs before choosing a company that would repair your car. There could appear several cost differences for repair prices in different areas of a country and you should always pick the best choice for you.

If you have a scratched hood, small engine problems, smashed bumper or slightly damaged side skirts, these are problems that could be repaired easily and pretty cheap. But you have to know that minor repairs are pretty inexpensive, but when it comes to severe car damage then you surely have to be really careful when you estimate your car repair costs. There are some companies that overcharge you for your car repair and you surely don’t want that to happen.

A car repair estimate has six major headings: your information and your vehicle information, replacement parts needed for the repair, labor cost, miscellaneous charges, flat fees and a summary of charges. The labor cost is the number of hours spent to repair multiplied with the hourly charge of the car service. You should always check the car repair estimate to ensure that you won’t be overcharged.

In the end, if you’re careful when you’re choosing a repair company, you could get your car back faster and you could always get a good repair price.

Want to discover a proven way to let your car runs on water and save $$ in the process?

By discovering how to run your car on water, you’ll have more money to spend elsewhere! Ain’t that great?

By the way, if you’re running a web site, you can discover how to really increase web site traffic easily!

How to Repair Car Paint Damage : Black Pad Buffing a Car’s Paint Job

Okay, so in our last article, “Brakes – What They Are and How They Work,” we learned a little of the terminology and inner workings of automotive brakes. This time, we’ll examine some of the problems that can occur in a car’s braking system.

The most common problem that happens with automotive brakes is simply wear and tear on the brake pads, shoes, rotors, or drums. When a driver uses the brakes, the brake components push together to create friction, which causes the wheels to slow or stop. This friction slowly causes wear and will eventually result in the need to replace some elements. You’ll know that the time is coming when your brakes begin to make a screeching noise when you brake, your brakes seem to grab or pull the car to one side when braking, you feel a vibration through the brake pedal, or, if the components are drastically worn, you have to depress the brake pedal further than usual.

Replacing worn or contaminated brake pads or shoes is the most common brake maintenance procedure. The do-it-yourselfer can often purchase brake pads for $20-50 per pair, depending on the model of the car and the type of pads or shoes used. Those of us who are less mechanically inclined, however, can expect to pay $100-250 at a service garage. Brakes are always maintained in pairs, so even if only your right front brake is squealing, you must replace the pads on both the front right and left sides.

Eventually, the rotors or drums will also require maintenance. If these parts are not overly worn or damaged, you can have them professionally “turned” for about $8-10 apiece. This process simply grinds away the grooves and rough spots that occur with normal wear. Rotors and drums, if worn or damaged too deeply, cannot be turned and must be replaced. These parts range from $50-150 each, and like pads and shoes, are always repaired in pairs. To have drums or rotors replaced in a service garage, one can expect to pay $300-400, depending on your vehicle and garage.

Unlike most auto maintenance procedures, there is not a typical brake service interval. If your typical commute is on a freeway with very few stops, your brakes may last for many years, while someone who only drives a few blocks in stop-and-go traffic may have to replace their brakes many times over the life of the car. The lifespan of brake components depends greatly upon their use and the quality of the parts. The safest bet is to be sensitive to changes in your car’s braking behavior and have a trained professional check your brakes periodically, such as every time you have your oil changed.

In addition to normal wear, other things can go wrong as well. The brake fluid in your lines and master cylinder can present problems for the car. Brake fluid must be kept at the appropriate fill level and kept free of air bubbles and debris. If brake fluid is low, you may notice that the brake pedal goes down too far, it feels unusually firm or soft, the brakes feels “spongy,” or the car takes too long to stop. The first step in checking brake fluid is to locate the brake fluid reservoir toward the back of the engine compartment and ensure that the fluid is at the “full” line on the side of the reservoir. While refilling brake fluid is a simple fix, the fact that it is low should raise a warning flag to check for leaks that could cause complete brake failure in the future. If low fluid does not seem to be the problem, the brakes may need to be bled. Bleeding brakes removes debris and air bubbles in the fluid that can cause the brakes to not work properly, have the correct pressure, or clog the brake lines. This is typically a two-person job, and requires a bit of know-how.

Like most other car parts, there are also mechanical and hydraulic parts that can go bad and need replacing. One is the master cylinder, which regulates and sends the brake fluid to the rest of the braking system. When this part fails, your brakes will not have pressure and the pedal will push all the way to the floor. Brake boosters may also give out, which either can cause the brake pedal to go all the way to the floor or cause the pedal to be too firm. The booster uses a vacuum to multiply the force you exert on the pedal to be enough to stop the car. If the vacuum is leaky or non-existent, the typical pressure you apply to the brake pedal will not have the appropriate effect on the braking system. A service garage will be able to test the brake booster. Finally, brake lines can become pinched, broken, or clogged and may need to be replaced.

Brakes are obviously an important part of automotive maintenance. Some of the parts may be expensive and difficult for the average person to replace or repair, but there is no more important safety feature of your car. Cutting corners and delays can be acceptable in some aspects of owning a car, but never skimp or put off maintaining your brakes – your life just may depend on them!

Brake pad replacement

From the past few decades, it is observed that the fiber glass made products are more in demand than other glass products. Everyone would like to purchase these products and use them regularly. However, if anything happened to that product, then you need to purchase another product. It is a real, hectic and expensive to everyone. However, there are some esteemed organization are introduced this fiber glass repairing kit, which a beautiful product to repair your good ones. There are so many people are not having much knowledge about this kit. Here are few important points on how to use this kit to repair fiber glass products.

You need to purchase this fiber glass cleaner kit from reputed department stores, auto mobile stores and some home centers also. Generally, this kit contains the polyester resin, hardener, cloth and some necessary tools. This repairing kit is available in various sizes, and you need to purchase this kit depending upon your project. Depending upon the size your project you need to build a mold by assembling materials. To get a very good shape to your project, you need to use plywood, cardboard, Styrofoam and other materials, which are easy to build to give satisfactory results for you. At this point, I request you to cut the shape of organic composition from a block of Styrofoam or polystyrene foam. Please cover with wax paper, or a good, even coat of paraffin wax.

Depending upon the suitable size to cover your form, you need to prepare the fiber glass mat or cloth in sheets to be cut. If the resin applied, the material becomes very flexible. After some time it will dry out, and you can exact shape. You need to mix this resin in an appropriate amount in a metal container that should be a disposable nature. You need to take an extreme care, because the resin generates heat when it sets. In this repairing kit, you will get one can or bucket consists of resin and other can consist of hardener. These two are measured, so you can use this material safely on the equal proportion of each material. Depending upon your project, you need to take the sufficient amount of the resin and hardener in one single container. At this time, you need to stir well this material thoroughly on all sides of the container by using a paint brush.

And now, with the help of disposable brush, you need to spread these resin mixture materials on the layer of the fiber glass to a measure of the thickness up to one fourth inch. When you are brushing these materials, your form completely covers until the material should be finished. If the materials split on any other are, you need to spills with solvent contains acetone before it hardens. Please repeat these steps of applying mat until the project gets thickness depending upon your need. After finishing the project, depending upon your interest, you can finish your project by painting with polyurethane or another material. After finishing the project, you need to peel of the wax paper from the fiber glass, before it gets hard. However, the fiber glass will not support wax paper to stick.

You can purchase this fiber glass repairing kit through online. There are so many manufacturers are selling this fiber glasses repairing kit from their own web sites. All you need to do a small search in the internet and purchase that kit and save your money and time also.

For knowing detailed information about Fiberglass repair kit. Please visit our website http://www.scenterprisesfiberglass.com/fiberglass-repair-kit.html

A & P Mobile Auto Repair

In 1960, the average auto repair cost for a popular midsize car driven for 15,000 miles a year was about $8,053. After a decade, the cost got cheaper and averaged about $7,770. In 2000, that figure went down to $6,880.

Having your vehicle repaired really does mean that you have to shell out some hard-earned cash from time to time. This is the reason why most people try to keep their cars in tiptop shape through regular maintenance. The continued upkeep of a vehicle helps it perform at optimum levels and lessens the risk of a total breakdown. It also helps fix problems while they are still manageable and do not yet affect a significant part of the car’s systems. It is better to pay for car tune-ups every so often than to rack up bills for a major problem.

Take a look at your vehicle. You will see that it is made up of individual parts connected to form a bigger functioning whole. The performance of a system depends on the efficiency of its parts. If one part does not work as well as it should, the entire car system is affected. This is why it is important to identify damage or malfunction right away. When you recognize a problem early, you are able to solve it more promptly, saving yourself big expenses in the long run.

Here are a few systems found in a vehicle, along with the average cost of their repairs. The four-wheel drive’s differential and transfer case, for example, has an average repair cost of $1100. Containing over a hundred parts, the air conditioner and heater system could incur repair costs as high as $700. The brake system, which is also comprised of more than a hundred parts, has an average repair cost of $350.

When the cooling system breaks down, you can pay as much as $465 on average to get it fixed. Drive axles and differentials have over 70 parts and the price of their repairs falls between $500 and $1000. Repair costs for your car’s electrical systems can reach $800. Troubleshooting your engine costs about $2000. You pay an average of $550 for repairs on the fuel system and $600 for the steering system.

Auto Repair provides detailed information on Auto Repair, Auto Glass Repair, Online Auto Repair, Auto Body Repair and more. Auto Repair is affiliated with Discount Auto Parts.

Basic Auto Maintenance : How to Buy All Season & Snow Tires

BMW parts depict classiness. The style and reliability of these parts make BMW distinguishable from all the rest. It sets new standards for the rest of the field. The BMW brand means revolutionary improvement and fascinating design. This distinctive blend of creative diversity and engineering excellence of BMW parts produce the ultimate machine. The company always stands for a basic and imaginative interest in the field of performance and efficiency. It faces particular challenges in the field of competence. These innovative BMW parts present solutions that will make BMW part of people’s life in the future.

The history of BMW extends back over almost ninety years. Ninety years of history from a fascinating company with a wealth of information about the innovations and pioneering work that has contributed to BMW’s growth which then features exceptional performance and legendary automotive products. The past is still very much alive at BMW and its inspiration provides ideas for future developments. BMW is committed to mark its history for the benefit of those involved and interested. The impressive results of this undertaking can be seen in the activities of BMW mobile tradition together with the BMW Museum and historic archive.

The BMW parts are respected by any automaker in all places because these parts are all engineered with excellence united with the stylish and often extravagant actions. BMW sets a new standard in the parts section. The engineers at BMW have focused not only on the sheer power, but also on the weight and durability to meet the driving dynamics required for different performances.

BMW are equipped with BMW car parts like all season traction, all wheel drive, controls for dynamic brake, electronic damping, dynamic stability, XDrive as well as Hill Descent control. BMW parts may also consist of air filter, alternator, antenna, belts, body parts, brake pads, catalytic converter, clutch, cold air intake, control arm, engine parts, exhaust, fog lights, fuel pump, grille, head gasket, headlights, muffler, oil filter, oil pump, oxygen sensor, radiator, shocks, spark plugs, starter, struts, taillights, thermostat, timing belt, timing chain, turn signal, water pump and aftermarket parts.

No matter what desire, Bavarian Motor Works will meet the needs of customers. Given the BMW parts, innovative driving concept, design and style are not just intended for added cool points but also for optimum performance and efficiency on top.

http://www.autopartsdeal.com/bmw/parts.html

Cylinder Head Gasket Service – Chrysler Mastertech – Part 2 of 4

It never fails. You finally get a new car, or at least one that’s new to you, and someone dings your door or bumper. The four letter words that slip from your mouth aren’t going to help matters much, except they may make you feel a little better. If this is the first time you’ve actually considered getting these dings fixed, then congratulations. You’ve taken the first step in keeping the value of your car up where it should be.

If you’ve used a body shop before to repair those imperfections, you may not be too certain you want to go through all that again. While the job is usually done well and your car looks great, the price tag and the time needed for the repair can be high. There is a better way.

Mobile Service Is Fast and Inexpensive

You should consider a mobile service for dent repair on your vehicle because they are fast and inexpensive. These highly trained technicians come to you. There’s no more waiting for the body shop to work your car in. You don’t have to wonder if you’ll be without your car for days. You can have the mobile service come to your home or work and fix the dings that made you so angry! The cost is a fraction of what you would normally pay at a body shop and you won’t be able to tell the difference between the two.

How Does a Mobile Service Fix My Car?

Through a unique process called Paintless Dent Repair, the technician will manipulate the metal from behind the dent. As long as there is no peeling paint and the ding is not located in an area where there is no access, the technician can quickly have your vehicle looking like new. The typical cost is usually well under 100 pounds. Try to get that rate at your local body shop!

In Closing

If you want to get those dings fixed quickly and inexpensively, then a mobile dent repair service is your best bet. This is a good option for leased vehicles too, so you don’t have to pay for damage fees assessed by the leasing company. The cost to fix these kinds of problems is usually much less than the fees imposed by the leasing company. Many people who have rented cars have used this type of service for the same reason. Once you’ve tried a mobile service for dent repair, you probably won’t be back to your body shop!

Finally! You can get your car looking fantastic again! Take care of all those dings and imperfections with mobile dent repair. Cardiff has many mobile services, but you’ll need to know what to look for to find the most experienced dent repair technicians. Get those dents fixed today!

Car Maintenance and Repair Tips : How to Check Your Transmission Fluid in a Vehicle

You’re walking through the local super store and you come to the furnace filters section. You stand there and think “when did I change my filter last?”
Did you know that not changing your air conditioner or furnace filter regularly can cause some serious issues!

Here is a list of the top 5 problems:

1. Increased energy consumption

2. Increased wear and tear on HVAC equipment

3. Chance of life threatening conditions

4. Poor climate control

5. Reduced air quality

1. Increased energy consumption?
When you don’t change your air conditioner and furnace filter regularly the filter loads up with all sorts of contaminants like dust and pet dander, if you have a pet. As the filter starts to load it slowly reduces air flow through your furnace. The reduced air flow causes the blower to work hard, which in turn increases your utility bill.

2. Increase wear and tear on your equipment?
Adding to number one when the air flow starts to be reduced it causes the blower to work harder, which can cause it to overheat. Also when you are running your gas forced air or fuel oil furnace the heat exchanger gets out of its specified temperature range. So when it gets too hot it expands farther then what it was designed for and as it cools it can cause stress fractures. Also if you have an air conditioner the evaporator coil can freeze due to lack of air flow which causes more stress on the compressor. If you fail to notice that the coil has become frozen it can destroy the air conditioner unit and or the blower motor.

3. Chance of life threatening conditions?
As with number 2 when your furnace filter becomes dirty and you are using your gas forced air or fuel oil furnace the heat exchanger can become so hot it causes stress fractures and when it heats and cools the exchanger can crack and leak CO2 into the ventilation system or worse cause an explosion!

4. Poor climate control?

When air flow gets reduced it takes longer to heat or cool your home. Also rooms that are the farthest away may not even heat or cool at all because of the conditioned air not satisfactorily reaching them.

5. Reduced air quality?
Yes, not changing your filter can reduce the air quality because as the filter gets dirty any small air leaks in your duct work can pull dirt and debris into the system and will blow throughout the home.

As you can see, not changing your filter can cause a number of problems. From increased energy consumption to an explosion that could result in death.

Here at Furnace Filters Outlet we try to help people live healthier and happier lives through better products. We carry MERV 12 pleated furnace filters at 50-70% off retail.

How to Change a Fuel Filter : How to Remove a Fuel Filter

Protecting your plumbing against winter will save you thousands of dollars that you will otherwise have to spend on unnecessary repairs. Plumbers in New York list the most common plumbing problems you will run into during winter, and their simple solutions.

Under Sink Plumbing

In many NY homes the kitchen sink is installed on the outside wall of your home. Apart from the lovely view of snow that you get to see out of your kitchen window while washing the dishes, you also get to watch the water lines under your sink freeze. New York plumbers point to pipe insulation as your first defense against freezing pipes. Keep cabinet doors open so that warm can flow inside and prevent frozen pipes. You can also direct a space heater at the open cabinet doors to ensure that warm air flows across water lines.

Frozen Oil Lines

During winter the oil burner tank will sometimes freeze because of water that is in the fuel. Your first step to avoid freezing oil lines is pipe insulation. Homeowners that have already insulated their oil lines should want to call their professional plumbers in NY to remove any sludge and water from their oil tanks.

No Hot Water

Sudden cold showers during cold weather are a sure way of getting the flu. Short hot water supply can be a result of two main problems in your water heater – a faulty part or low temperature settings. While you can raise your temperature settings, fixing a damaged part in your water heater should be done by your professional NY plumber.

Freezing Pipes

Over a million of plumbing pipes freeze and bust during winter. Lack of insulation is the number one cause for freezing and bursting water lines. Yet improper installation can also cause your exposed plumbing pipes to freeze in cold weather. Heat tape, fiberglass or foam rubber sleeves are great pipe insulators.

New York Plumbers
888-317-4264
http://www.new-york-plumber.com/

1995 chevy small block freeze plug

An increasingly popular modification RZR owners are doing is removing the plastic spacer that is on the crank shaft in the drive clutch assembly. This can increase your to RZR’s top speed by as much as 10 mph.

The RZR’s transmission is a pulley based constant velocity transmission (PVT) that consists of 3 major assemblies, the drive clutch, the driven clutch, and the drive belt. The drive clutch and the driven clutch both consist of two conical shaped pulley halves, called sheaves. The transmission operates by sensing centrifugal force that cause shift weights to push against rollers that push the movable sheave closer to the other sheave to pinch the drive belt. The closer the two sheaves are pushed together the further out the belt is pushed.

Removal of this spacer allows the two sheaves to come completely together where the belt would move out to the largest diameter on the sheaves. We have found this will increase your RZR’s top speed anywhere from 5-10 mph. Some will say this is going against the original design of the transmission, but we speculate that it was designed without the spacer and was added on later as an easy way to limit the RZR’s top speed for liability reasons. We have heard some arguments that removal of this spacer will decrease the life of your drive belts, but we have yet to have any issues. A proper break in period at lower speeds for the first 100 miles on a new RZR or after a new belt is installed is highly recommended to ensure a longer belt life.

Removal of the plastic limiting spacer is a simple process that requires a clutch compression tool that can be purchased through your local Polaris dealer (part # 8700220)

1. Remove driver and passenger seats.

2. Remove panel that is behind the seats to gain access to the outer clutch cover.

3. Remove the push rivets and fasteners holding the rear seat base and remove from vehicle.

4. With a screw driver loosen the clamp that holds the clutch outlet duct to the clutch cover and slide it off.

5. Remove outer clutch cover screws and remove clutch cover.

6. Remove drive clutch assembly by removing the clutch retaining bolt that threads into the crank shaft. (Facing the rear of the vehicle the drive clutch is the clutch assembly on the left) To remove the clutch retaining bolt you will need to secure the drive clutch assembly, aka the spider cage to keep it from spinning. A wooden hammer handle slipped into the spider cage works well for this. The clutch assembly is pressed onto the crank shaft and can be fairly easy to knock loose by tapping on it with a rubber hammer. (This is where the factory service manual would tell you to use a drive clutch puller, which you can order through your local dealer, part # PA-48595)

7. Once the drive clutch assembly is removed take it to a work bench where you can install a spring compression tool. Once it is clamped down you can loosen the 6 3/8″ bolts that hold the clutch cover plate on. Once bolts are removed you can then loosen the spring compression tool unloading the clutch spring and then remove the cover plate. Before removing the cover plate use a sharpie to mark where it is aligned with the drive clutch assembly. They need to be bolted back together the same way because it is the way they were balanced from the factory.

8. After the cover plate has been removed you can slide the main clutch spring off and then remove the plastic spacer that sat inside it.

9. With the plastic spacer now removed slide the clutch spring back on then with the clutch spring tool compress the assembly back together until you can get the 3/8″ bolts started. Tighten them the rest of the way torqued to 20 ft pounds.

10. Reinstall sheave assembly by sliding it back onto the crank shaft, then re install the clutch retaining bolt that threads into the crank shaft. Be sure you have the lock washer, thick washer and the plastic collar on the way they came off making sure the plastic collar centers in the clutch shaft as you tighten. This bolt needs to be torqued to 40 foot pounds.

To learn more about Polaris RZR’s visit http://www.polarisrzrheadquarters.com where you’ll learn everything you need to know about Polaris RZR parts, accessories, and long travel suspensions.

Proper Clutch Adjustment