Whenever an automotive manufacturer produces a vehicle, they publish what is called a Factory Service Manual (FSM). The FSM provides step-by-step procedures for completing maintenance and repair...
Many a DIY'er has been there before - you've just completed several hours of hard labor replacing several key suspension components and all you have to do is get the wheels on before you can drive off in to the sunset when disaster strikes! What type of disaster? None other than a stripped thread...
Sway bars are critical to good handling in corners. They connect the suspension components on either side of the car and help the vehicle ride flatter through curves. As a car starts to lean outward in a turn, the load on the outside wheel's suspension components creates torsion in the sway bar....
During a rainy week I noticed water coming in around the front dashboard area. It seemed to be coming from the headliner near the top of the windshield in a few spots, mostly from right above the rearview mirror. I kept a hand towel nearby to protect the area when the car was parked but noticed...
While leading our class at Watkins Glen during the second 9-hour race with American Endurance Racing on April 24, our BMW E30's engine stopped working. It was pulling hard in 4th gear going up the esses and then, BANG! After getting towed back to the pits and pulling the valve cover, we diagnosed...
Has your Saab 9-3 rear window strip seen better days? Mine was disintegrating and becoming an eye sore: Ordering a new strip for a 2004 Saab 9-3 Arc (SAAB 12789697) helped me figure out how this attaches to the rear window. The c-channel attaches to the window while the rubber flap helps to...
The OM616, OM617, and OM617a inline diesel engines came equipped in a variety of Mercedes platforms starting in the mid-1970's on through the mid-1980's, at least in the U.S. marketplace. With over a decade of production you can imagine the sheer number of these engines that were produced, but...
In case you haven't read the article yet, we broke a connecting rod in our relatively stock BMW M20B25 during our last race at Watkins Glen. The engine may still be salvageable, but with only about a month before our next race at Palmer Motorsports Park, I thought it may be best to find a good...
When the OM61X equipped diesel cars were being produced back in the 1970's and 1980's, Mercedes-Benz knew that the diesel fuel available could often be rather dirty - full of particulate matter that could clog and damage the lift and/or injection pump. While less common this can still be the case...
Having owned two S40s, a C30, and a recently purchased V50, I have acquired quite a bit of experienced with P1 maintenance and common problems. While also having examined hundreds of Volvos when shopping for the perfect cars, I have developed a fairly solid check list for examining potential...