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Removing the 4.3L engine from an Astro van is a challenging project that should only be attempted by an experienced home mechanic with a capable helper. Find a firm level surface that will support the van on stands and allow the engine hoist to roll easily. Safety should be your first concern. Never place any part of your body under the vehicle or engine that is supported by only a hoist or jack and always use a solid support stand.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative battery cable with a wrench. Drain the coolant into a container for re-use or recycling. Remove the engine cover from inside the vehicle by removing the screws under the hood, the dash lower extension and support rods then releasing the two latches.

2

Remove the hood, grille, headlights, radiator support braces, horn, hood latch mechanism and anything else that will prevent the removal of the radiator and ultimately the engine from being pulled through the grille opening. This includes the radiator and shrouds, air conditioning condenser and air cleaner. Disconnect the radiator hoses and remove the radiator with its supports and shroud.

3

Disconnect the fuel lines. The V6 engine has constant bleed so no special procedure is necessary to relieve the pressure. Be prepared to clean up any spilled fuel. If not already done, disconnect the transmission cooler lines and clean up any spilled fluid. Label and disconnect all vacuum lines and wiring connections. Disconnect the throttle, cruise control and any other cables from the engine.

4

Remove the power steering pump, leaving the hoses connected. Remove the air conditioning compressor. Use rope or wire to support it if necessary. Do not disconnect any part of the air conditioning system; simply lay the components aside. Remove the transmission dipstick if so equipped.

5

Raise the van with a floor jack and support it on jack stands. From under the vehicle, disconnect the exhaust manifolds from the exhaust pipe, remove the bell housing cover, bell housing bolts and the starter motor. Unbolt the torque converter from the flex plate and the strut rods. Remove the engine mount bolts and nuts. Support the front of the transmission with the floor jack.

6

Attach an engine hoist to the lift plates on the engine, then lift the engine a little and pull it forward slightly. If necessary, have a helper separate the torque converter from the engine with a large screwdriver or pry bar. Be sure the helper is out of the way before proceeding. Continue pulling and lifting until the engine is clear of the vehicle. Gently set the engine on wood blocks or an engine stand.

Removing the transmission oil pan from the bottom of the transmission in your Jeep Cherokee is the only way to access the filter inside or drain the oil from the transmission. The pan is located in the center of the transmission, directly on the bottom, ssecured with bolts around the perimeter. Removal can be messy if you are not caul. Work slowly and take it one step at a time.

Instructions

1

Raise the front of your Jeep off the ground with a jack. Position a set of jack stands under the front suspension, and remove the jack.

2

Slide under the center of your Jeep and locate the transmission oil pan on the bottom of the transmission. Place a large oil drain pan under the transmission pan to catch the oil when you remove it.

3

Loosen the bolts around three edges of the transmission pan with a socket and ratchet, but do not completely remove them. Slowly loosen the bolts on the remaining edge of the pan, allowing the opposite side of the pan to come away from the transmission. Drain the oil into the drain pan.

4

Remove all the bolts around the edge of the pan slowly, and then lower it away from the transmission. Leave the drip pan under the transmission for a while, allowing any oil or fluid to fully drain.

The 1998 Toyota Tacoma 4-wheel drive pickup comes equipped with four shock absorbers. The front shocks are part of a coil spring/shock absorber assembly. Separating the shock absorber from the coil spring requires special tools and is potentially dangerous. It is wise to replace the coil and shock as a single unit to avoid having to disassemble the unit. The rear shocks and coil springs are separate units, and you can replace the shocks without removing the springs.

Instructions

Front Shocks

1

Loosen the front wheel lug nuts with a lug wrench. Raise the front of the truck and support each front wheel with a jack stand. Remove the lug nuts and both front wheels from the truck.

2

With a socket wrench, remove the nut and bolt from the lower end of the shock, where it attaches to the lower control arm. If the bolt is extremely tight, attach a cheater bar to the socket wrench to gain more mechanical advantage.

3

Remove the three nuts from the top of the shock/coil assembly. These are the nuts around the top edge of the assembly. Do not remove the center nut.

4

Pull the shock/coil assembly down off the vehicle.

5

Place the new shock/coil assembly bolts up into the holes in the mounting bracket and replace the nuts without tightening them.

6

Replace the bolt and nut on the lower end of the shock, where it connects to the lower control arm. Tighten the nut to 101 foot-pounds of torque.

7

Tighten the three upper nuts to 47 foot-pounds of torque. Repeat the procedure on the opposite shock/coil assembly.

8

Replace the wheels and lug nuts. Lower the truck and tighten the lug nuts.

Rear Shocks

9

Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels and raise the rear of the vehicle by placing a floor jack under the rear axle. There should be no weight on either wheel assembly.

10

With a socket wrench, remove the mounting bolt from the upper end of the shock absorber, where it attaches to the frame.

11

Remove the mounting bolt from the lower end of the shock absorber, where it attaches to the spring seat bracket. Pull the old shock off of the truck.

12

Place the new shock absorber into position. Replace the lower mounting bolt and tighten it to 53 foot-pounds of torque.

13

Replace the upper mounting bolt and tighten it to 53 foot-pounds of torque. Follow the same procedure to replace the opposite shock absorber.

14

Replace the rear wheels and lug nuts. Lower the vehicle and tighten the lug nuts.

The battery in your 8-cylinder Cadillac is dead. A motoring Good Samaritan rolls up and offers you a jump start with his 4-cylinder Japanese import. What are the chances that the 4-cylinder car can start the Cadillac with 8-cylinders?

Background

Jump starting is not about cylinders; it is about power--power expressed in terms of voltage and the amount necessary to crank the engine of a disabled car.

Voltage and Power

A battery stores power as the engine runs and sends a trickle charge to the battery. The power to start a car is delivered by the stored power. If the 4-cylinder car battery is good, it will work.

Safe Jump Start

The jumper cables must be placed correctly for a safe jump start with both car engines off and emergency brakes set. Connect the red/+ cable to the red terminal of the dead battery. Connect the other end of that cable to the red terminal of the good battery. Connect one end of the black/- cable to the good battery. Connect the other end of this cable to a piece of unpainted metal in the engine compartment of the car with the dead battery. Do not connect it to the black battery terminal. Start the car with the good battery and rev the engine. Attempt to start the car with the dead battery. If it starts, remove the cables in the reverse order they were placed.

What Starts the Dead Engine?

Once the jumper cables are correctly in place, the 8-cylinder car is started using the voltage supplied by the engine of the 4-cylinder car. Once the 8-cylinder car is running smoothly and jumper cables are removed drive the car with the dead battery to recharge it. You may want to take it to a place where battery service is offered and have it checked.

A 4.2-liter engine was installed in Chevrolet TrailBlazers during their production run from 2002 through 2009. The engine features six inline cylinders and was fueled with a multi-port injection (MPI) system.

Physical Size

The 4.2-liter Chevrolet motor used in TrailBlazer models was actually 4,195 cubic centimeters in displacement. It has a 93 millimeter bore and a 103 millimeter stroke. The motor has a 10 to 1 compression ratio.

Engine Features

The 4.2-liter motor features a dual-overhead camshaft and variable valve timing. There are four valves per cylinder. The engine has a multi-port injection fuel system with an 8.3-liter fuel tank.

Performance

In earlier TrailBlazer models, such as the 2003, the six-cylinder motor produced 275 horsepower at 6,000 RPM and generated 275 foot-pounds of torque at 3,600 RPM. The horsepower of later TrailBlazer models, using an updated 4.2-liter engine, is higher than earlier models. The 2006 model, for instance, featured a motor capable of producing 291 horsepower.

The Chevrolet 7.4-liter engine is primarily used in Suburbans. When having problems with your 7.4, there are several things to do before taking it to a repair shop. Common issues include the battery, fuel and starter problems. You can diagnose these minor problems. However, a qualified mechanic should always perform major repairs.

Instructions

1

Turn the key in the ignition and listen for any sounds coming from the engine. If you hear "clicking" then a technician should test the alternator on a diagnostic machine.

2

Turn the ignition halfway to turn on the instrument panel. Look over the instrument panel to make sure you have enough fuel to start the engine (if not, add about 1 gallon of gas).

3

Open the hood of the vehicle and look over the battery connections. If you find the battery connections loose, tighten them with a pair of channel locks or pliers. Try to restart the car. If the car will not start, the charge might be low.

4

Use a voltmeter to test the battery. Connect the positive and negative leads of the voltmeter to the positive and negative leads on your battery. Look over the reading. If the reading is under 11 to 12 volts, you need to charge the battery.

5

Connect a battery charger to the positive and negative terminals on the battery. Plug the battery charger into an electrical outlet and let the unit sit for about 12 hours. Try to restart the vehicle after 12 hours. If the vehicle does not start, you need to replace the battery.

6

Get under the vehicle and look for the starter. The starter is a small black box on the right side of the engine. With the emergency brake engaged and the car in "Park," have a friend turn the ignition and listen for a "buzzing" noise coming from the starter. If you hear the buzzing, you need to have the starter replaced by a service technician.