July 2022

HID headlight bulb — what the letters and number mean HID bulb designations 1st position: HID bulbs are “discharge” bulbs so the first letter is always a D. 2nd position: Designates the series; 1, 2, 3, or 4 (more on that later) 3rd position: “R” or “S” denotes whether the bulb is designed for use in a reflector style housing or a projector style housing. A bulb for a reflector style housing has an opaque shield that masks off a portion of the light to match a reflector style headlight’s … Read More
The post HID headlight bulb appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

My thoughts on the FortNine Youtube Fuel Stabilizer Test YouTube contributor FortNine has published a video entitled Can fuel stabilizer kill your motorcycle? During the video FortNine conducts some tests on Sta-Bil, Seafoam, StarTron, STP, K100 and ipone fuel stabilizers. The video concludes that some fuel stabilizers do nothing while others cause harm. However, after viewing the video several times, it’s my opinion that many of the “factual” statements made during the video are either outright false or misleading, and the tests conducted do not in any way represent real … Read More
The post My opinion of the FortNine Youtube Fuel Stabilizer Test appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

Rick’s Thoughts on the Project Farms Fuel Stabilizer Testing Video If you’ve seen Project Farms Fuel Stabilizer Testing using Lucas Safeguard Fuel Stabilizer, you know that Todd comes to the conclusion that fuel stabilizer doesn’t stop corrosion in the fuel system and doesn’t prevent fuel degradation. But I disagree with his conclusion and his testing methods. Let’s take a step back and review some of the facts about ethanol, water, and fuel system corrosion before you blindly accept Project Farms conclusions. Facts about gasoline and water Fact #1: All gas … Read More
The post My opinion on Project Farms Fuel Stabilizer Testing Video appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

Knock Sensor — How to diagnose How does a knock sensor work? A knock sensor has a piezoelectric crystal inside that converts vibrations into an AC voltage. The greater the vibration, the higher the AC voltage and frequency. It’s used in engines to detect detonation (knock). The knock sensor can’t discriminate between vibrations from cylinder detonation or vibrations caused by hitting a pothole or rumble strip. So the car’s ECM also monitors the crank sensor. During detonation, there’s a noticeable drop in that cylinder’s contribution to engine rotation. If there’s … Read More
The post Knock sensor — operation and testing appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

Honda CRV P0441 or P04F1 Fix Diagnose and fix Honda CRV P0441 or P04F1 Honda has issued a service bulletin #21-081 to address Honda CRV trouble codes P0441 or P04F1 on the vehicles listed below. Honda has determined that external radio waves cause fluctuation of sensor outputs in the wiring harness that cause the ECM to miscalculate and set PO441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) PO4F1 (EVAP System Low Purge Flow Detected) trouble codes. Fix for Honda CRV P0441 or P04F1 Honda has developed a “sub cord” to replace the … Read More
The post Honda CRV P0441 or P04F1 Fix appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

Car repair and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act What is the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act is a federal law that governs consumer product warranties. It was passed in 1975 and requires warrantors of consumer products to provide consumers with detailed information about warranty coverage. In addition, it affects both the rights of consumers and the obligations of warrantors under written warranties. Magnuson-Moss Act Does Not Require Business to Provide a Written Warranty But if a company does issue a warranty, the way the warranty is written must conform … Read More
The post Car repair and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

How long do tires last? How long does tire tread last? Tire tread life is dependent on the durometer (the rubber’s hardness), tread design, type of roads its used on, whether the vehicle is properly aligned and how well you maintain the tire’s air pressure. • A harder rubber compound will wear slower than a softer compound. But generally speaking, it will provide worse traction in snow and ice conditions (although some modern tire compounds with added silica can improve cold weather traction. • An aggressive tread design can sometimes … Read More
The post How long do tires last? appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

Tire repair guidelines from the tire industry Common tire repair questions Can you repair a puncture in the tire shoulder area? No. The U.S. Tire Manufacturer’s Association, the Tire Industry Association, and most tire manufacturers state that punctures can only be repaired in the tread/crown area. That excludes punctures in the tire shoulder, sidewall and bead areas. Can you repair a puncture using a string plug? No. A plug is considered a temporary repair. It is unsafe to drive for long periods on a plugged tire. A proper repair requires … Read More
The post Tire repair guidelines appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

Windshield cracks and occupant safety — is driving with a cracked windshield a safety risk? The windshield is a structural component of your vehicle Many glass companies state that the windshield provides up to 60% of the strength of your roof and pillars in a rollover. I haven’t been able to find any scientific data to support that claim. However, there are scientific studies to support the fact that the windshield is indeed a structural component. Here just a few citations. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) are U.S. … Read More
The post Windshield cracks and occupant safety appeared first on Ricks Free Auto Repair Advice.

The Mechanic Doctor – Resources for Amateur and Pro Auto Mechanics
Are you looking to buy a car but have a bad credit score? Unable to get a loan from a
The post 4 Steps to Get a Car Loan with Bad Credit appeared first on The Mechanic Doctor.