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One of the most common problems with an A/C system is refrigerant leaks and locating them. Finding the source of the leak can be a tedious and time consuming. The leaking Freon could come literally anywhere in the system from tubing to a accumulator to a tiny pressure switch gone bad. The EPA has made it much more stringent rules in dealing with refrigerant leaks. The days of topping off the air conditioner with a few cans of R12 are long over. Now even small leaks must found and corrected. Here comes technology to the rescue. There are several methods air conditioning repair shops employ to locate and fix refrigerant leaks. Each method has its pros and cons and their use depends on the situation. The three most commonly used are a electronic refrigerant leak detector, ultraviolet dye leak detection kit, and ultrasonic leak detector units. Electronic Refrigerant Leak Detectors Electronic Refrigerant Leak Detectors are the quickest and easiest to use of the three methods. Most of the time you will have no idea where the refrigerant is leaking and have to narrow down the possible areas.  An electronic refrigerant leak detector can get you very close to the location of the leak and from there you can get more precise. Some of the better models will allow to crank up the sensitivity once you get the area found. For very small leaks you can wrap the suspected area in cling wrap or a rag to try and contain the refrigerant. When you unwrap the area, put in the refrigerant leak detector and see if you get a reading. Remember, refrigerant is heavier than air and it will sink to the ground. It is best to sniff under tubing and compartments when looking for it. Ultrasonic Leak Detectors These are state of the art leak detectors and are the newest tool to find refrigerant leaks. They operate on the principle of sound detection. Instead of sniffing for refrigerant gas they listen for the sound it makes as Freon escapes the system. To use an ultrasonic leak detector the system should be pressured in order for the refrigerant to leak out and make noise. Also, the work area must be totally silent. Remember it is looking for sound and no background noise is imperative. This is the main drawback to using an ultrasonic leak detector. Very few auto shops are quiet enough to use it effectively. Ultraviolet Dye Leak Detectors This third method ultraviolet dye is injected into the air conditioning system and in theory should escape with the refrigerant. Commonly, an auto shops have an ultraviolet leak detection kit that has all of the tools necessary to complete this task. Generally these kits come with ultraviolet lamp or ultraviolet flashlight, a dye injector, safety glasses and ultraviolet dye. This method is the most technically complex of the three and is the messiest. You have to inject the ultraviolet dye into the system and wait for it to leak out. The dye can be messy and get all over the place. It gets in your A/C system, your refrigerant manifold gauges and you. However once you shine your ultraviolet flashlight and spot the leak, you usually can see exactly where it is. Each method has its pro and cons. For the beginner, I would recommend an electronic refrigerant leak detector and the professional auto shop would be better served with an ultraviolet leak detection kit.

The Lights In A Mercedes Car Are Very ImportantThey show you the way and warn others about your actions preventing accidents and keeping things in the safe side. The primary function of the lights is to provide safety and convenience to the driver. Mercedes made their lights to be one of the most important things in the car. Without the lighting assembly installed a Mercedes is as safe as a blind driver.Lights give the ability to see during darkness providing a good illumination. If your lights are good enough the dust on the road or the foggy day won’t be such a big obstacle. Rain-filled weather conditions will be a piece of cake for you too because even if you feel like swimming in the whole water around you there will still be enough visibility for you keeping you informed about everything that is happening around you.The Mercedes tail lights are another very important lighting system that is available for you when you drive. They are attached at the front and rear part of your vehicle. They come in pairs - left and right. The signal lights or also called turn lights are usually yellow in color and they are one pretty important part of the Mercedes tail lights. They are available to indicate if the vehicle is turning and on what direction it will go next. Everyone who is interested in knowing where you will turn will see indication of that before you turn no matter if he is in front of you or on you back.This simple thing prevents collisions with other cars or accidents with the people walking on the streets. It is good for these lights to be used not only when you make a turn but also when you change lanes because sometimes other drivers will not see you on time especially when you are in the blind zone. It is also considered polite because you provide information on your action and let others know you intentions and the way you will achieve them.One very important aspect of these tail lights is the emergency condition. If you push the “hazard” button beneath the dashboard you will activate a simultaneously blinking of both - the left and the right tail lights. This will inform the people around you that you are having troubles with your car. When an emergency instance occurs the people around you should know that you may not have the full control over your car and accident is likely to occur. Warning them with the lights will help them manage the situation and it will safely let you call for help.On the side view a parking lights are available. They make the vehicle more visible and they are pretty useful when going into intersections or making turns. It allows drivers to see others from greater distances and keep them informed on what is going on around them. This is very important especially in low visibility because of fog, dust and rain or any other thing which could reduce the visibility. On breaking situations the parking lights could also serve as a break lights.One pretty cool solution for Mercedes lights is called Euro Altezza Lights and it is available for many models. It will add the sporty look to your car and it will enhance the prestige of the vehicle. These are performance tail lights with clear or smoked lens in red or amber color provided by special lamps.To benefit from and use the wonderful features of these lights you should insure proper replacement when necessary. You may want to check up with your service provider from time to time to see if everything is fine. This is important because many things on the road could damage or reduce the effectiveness of the lights. For example this could be the dust. Stray objects, snow or rain could become hazardous too. Everything that is interfering with the lights could become a problem. You could not keep all problems away but you could see if you lights need special care after the busy day.There is also a way available for you to protect you tail lights from all the scratches and damages that could happen on the road. With all the stones and stuff flying around it is impossible for something to not hit your tail lights. The solution for you could be to use a proper protection.The Mercedes tail lights guard will keep the scratches to their minimum saving you money on replacement parts. This protection unit is usually made by durable steel designed to fit your tail lights perfectly. The easy installation will help you buy it and install it yourself.This protection will not only help you protect you tail lights. It could add the look you want for you car. Mercedes have that sleek look when you buy it but is it what you want? And what about some cool rugged look to tell the others about you sporty way of living?The tail lights guard will not reduce the illumination of your lights and it won’t help for any dangerous situation to occur and it could be a fine investment. Buy it once and you may not need to wander if you lights are good after a long ride. No matter if you want style for you car or simply some protection the tail lights guard is what you need.If you are a car style enthusiast you should know that there is nothing cooler than a nice lighting system for the car. It doesn’t matter how nice your hood is looking or what a nice wheel rims you have. The lights are what get the attention. This is so even during the day. Just imagine some nice reflection from a car and what it could feel like even in the bright sunny day.

Used to disperse the heat which the coolant has absorbed from the engine, the radiator is a device that contains a vertical- or horizontal-finned tubing section connected between two tanks. They have been specifically designed to hold a large amount of water in tubes or passages which give a large area in contact with the atmosphere. This part is also a common term for several types of heat exchangers and is also used in building and in electronics. When you drive your vehicle, the engine thus makes enough heat capable of destroying itself, and the radiator is there to protect your engine from damage and within the correct operating temperature range.

What should be done in case your vehicle’s radiator heats up? Turning off the air conditioner would be first thing to do because by doing so, it will reduce the temperature of your engine. The A/C evaporator could be located in front of the radiator, and this also adds up to the air going to the engine. After doing so, turn on the heater and then set it on the highest temperature setting with its blower on the highest possible setting. By doing such, it cools the engine down through the transfer of heat to the air. If in any case your radiator overheats while you are stuck in traffic, the best thing to do is pull over and stop. Opening the hood of your car would be necessary for it lets the engine cool off. The overflow tank coolant level should be checked. If you find it empty, then probably the radiator could be low on coolant. The pressure of the system should be checked and this could be done by wrapping a cloth around the upper radiator and squeezing it.

It’s happened to all of us, driving along the highway minding our own business, when a chip of stone kicked up by the car in front pings against the window and chips it. It’s one of the most frustrating things that can happen to your car, and considering the size of the damage, it is disproportionately expensive to put right. Many people take their car to the repair shop with a stone chip in the windshield, and then get charged for a replacement at a cost of hundreds of dollars.However, this need not be the case. Under many circumstances, instead of replacing the whole windshield, you can use a windshield repair kit to fix small cracks and chips in the glass at a fraction of the cost.A typical car windshield is made up of a laminate of at least two layers of glass with a polymer resin sandwiched between them This gives the glass huge strength, and in the event of an accident, the resin is designed to hold the pieces of glass together and stop them showering into the car and causing injury.Because of the layered structure of a windshield, crack repair is possible. Usually in the event of a stone chip, only one layer of glass is damaged, with the underlying layers remaining undamaged. This means that it is possible to make the windshield more stable, and prevent the damage getting any worse, without having to replace the whole windshield.If the stone chip has gone through more than one layer of the glass, or is positioned right in the centre of the driver’s field of vision, then you should consider replacing the wind shield completely, because under such circumstances, the damage could cause impairment to the ability of the driver.If you are able to repair the windshield, you should carry out the work as soon as possible after the damage occurs. If it is left too long, the cracks can spread out across the screen thanks to the pressure of the air pushing against the glass when you are driving. As the cracks spread, the glass becomes weaker and weaker, and can eventually simply shatter under the pressure, which is obviously highly dangerous for the driver and any passengers in the car.The actual method of repairing a stone chip or small crack in the glass is simple with the appropriate windshield repair kits. Although different manufacturers package the kit differently, the actual method used is roughly the same.Windshield crack repair is carried out by injecting a clear resin into the crack or chip under pressure in order to completely fill any spaces, then the resin is cured rapidly using a special light that leaves it as hard as rock. If it is carried out properly there should be no distortion of vision when you repair windshield crack damage, and in many cases, the resin bonds so well with the edges of the cracks that the actual damage is much less visible and distracting for the driver.As well as small windshield repair kits designed for a single use, larger professional kits are also available that contain enough resin and equipment to perform up to 100 repairs. Because it is a fairly straightforward task to repair cracked windshields using the proper tools, there are many companies available who will carry out the service on your behalf, although at a much higher cost than doing the work yourself – albeit a lot less than you would have to pay for an entirely new windshield.The windshield on your car is there to protect you at all times, but it must be clear to see out of to help you avoid any trouble in the first place. It is vitally important to repair any damage to it, no matter how small it is, to ensure your safety, and also to prevent it getting worse and potentially costing you a lot of money.

It is usually a cold engine, which is exposed to extreme weather that most often is difficult to start. However, hot engines sometimes have problems too. Hot engines can be tough to start, and many people do not know how to deal with this situation when it occurs. With the intention of overcoming this dilemma, it is important to know exactly why it happens. The most common reason why a hot engine will not start is because the problem is related to fuel. When your car engine is too hot, fuel cannot circulate well, due to the way vapor obstructs it workings and therefore the engine just will not start, as it should. You should keep your engine running at the correct temperature and to protect its alloys and metals, you need to use a properly designed coolant. A car engine will keep gaining temperature until it has been turned off. During this time is when the highest concentration of vapor is circulating around and chances are, that it shall obstruct the engine to a greater extent. Obviously, when and if you are driving in hot weather and have just turned off the car engine you may experience start problems. The solution is simple; you must wait for a few minutes until trying to start it again. The most sensible solution of course, is to use a high quality engine coolant. Fuel injected engines do not experience this problem as much as other engines, because the fuel remains inside the injectors under high pressure. Owing to this, fuel injected engines do not become so easily subjected to vapors as other engines. Therefore, the vehicle does not have the same issues when it comes to starting a hot engine. It may be time to change over your old vehicle to a newer model with fuel injection.Another reason why you may have an engine, which is hard to start while hot, is that it may be due to seasonal weather as refiners change from one fuel blend to another. Petrol refiners often change a higher volatility fuel to a lower one when summer approaches. This is simply because hot weather causes fuel to evaporate more quickly. If refiners change back to a higher volatility fuel, while vehicles are still exposed to days of extreme temperatures, this may cause swift evaporation of the fuel which, in turn would create too much vapor within the engine.

There really isn’t all that much to it, yet some people still find themselves trapped by the side of the road because they don’t know how to change a tire. It’s a relatively simple job that requires very few tools, almost anyone can do it and once you learn how to change a tire you won’t have to worry about hoping for the kindness of strangers to get you back on the road again.The key really lies in the preparation: make sure, at the minimum, your car is prepared with the following:Either a full size inflated spare tire or a temporary spare tire.A jack that fits your car and your owner’s manual to tell you the proper placement of the jack to avoid damaging the frame of your car.A lug wrench to loosen and tighten the lug nuts.And last but not least - a tire gauge.Things like a pump, in case your spare has gone flat or some WD-40 or other penetrating oil (for lug nuts that are difficult to break) can be good additions to your tire changing tool repertoire, but usually aren’t as necessary as the above mentioned items.Now we’ll get into the specifics of learning how to change a tire. First things first, you’ll need to pull off of the road (preferably to a flat, level surface). Turn off the engine, put your car in park and apply the emergency break. If you’re on the shoulder or side of the road, still in proximity to the flow of traffic, you’ll want to put on your hazard lights.Get your jack, the wrench, the spare tire and your owner’s manual and make your way over to the flat. You may or may not have to remove a hub cap depending upon the wheel of your car, if you do the lug wrench usually has a flat blade opposite the head to pry away the cap.While the car is still on the ground, begin to loosen the lug nuts by turning the wrench to the left, or counter clockwise. Unscrew the nuts until they are each loose enough to move by hand, but not quite until they are all the way off.Check your manual again to ensure proper placement of your jack and follow instructions for jacking the car high enough to give yourself room to work when removing and replacing the tire.Once the car is off the ground you can completely unscrew the lug nuts, I usually like to put them inside of the removed hub cap to ensure that I’ll remember where they are when I need them again.Take off your flat and replace it with your full size or temporary spare, then go to the removed hub cap and retrieve your lug nuts. Don’t tighten any one lug nut all the way before addressing all of them; tighten them each a little bit at a time to ensure the tire is going on evenly. Once all of the lug nuts are relatively tight, the car can be lowered back to the ground - attempting to tighten them with absolutely all of your might while the car is still in the air can cause the jack to tip and result in serious injury.Once the car is safely back on the ground, you can work on securing the tire completely by putting some elbow grease into tightening the nuts again.If your psi (found by using you air pressure gauge) is lower than what is recommended (printed on the side of the tire), you can stop by a gas station, convenience store or anywhere with an air pump to fill it to the appropriate level.Now that you know how to change a tire, and know what you need to be prepared to do it, you can feel comfortable that you won’t be inconvenienced that much or kept off the road for too long should the situation arise.

If there is a paradox that meanders through automobile vehicle owners – whether it is owners of cars, trucks or S.U.V.’s is that most owners and purchasers tend to short change their vehicle’s finish and final shiny finish and presentation. This absurdity is usually two fold: either the enthusiast loses patience, is lazy or simply runs out of money. However according to automotive industry expert Riteway Strokon “Presentation and Appearance is Everything” “ Presentation, Presentation , Presentation“What factors need to be considered in the choice of car body paint shop and technician specialists who will prepare and apply the finish to your vehicle – be it car, truck or S.U.V.? First of all a proper and a through job of preparation are essential. Once cannot skimp on a foundation of a house and once cannot skimp on proper auto body paint preparation. A paint job is only as good as to what is underneath it. The auto body surface must be absolutely clean – first by a chemical stripper, next removing any rust apparent or not apparent on the car by either by chemical means or by sandblasting. Once those two are done the surface must be washed down with a metal conditioner to in effect etch the metal surface for better adhesion of the paint.Next the surface of the vehicle is primed with a special “primer “coat of paint. The key thing to ask and look for at this stage of the process is whether the car with its coat of primer paint will be allowed to air dry and set for a number of days or whether the paint will be slapped on after only a cursory overnight time period of primer paint drying. After a thorough drying – this coat of primer paint will next be thoroughly and carefully sanded. Again attention to detail and patience are key. You can often judge these two traits in a shop and its staff by both their attention to cleanliness and order in their shop of tools and equipment, their general demeanor as well as references from previous customers.Next in line is the actual painting process. Here again attention to detail is key. Not enough can be stressed on the importance of this stage in the vehicle painting process.Lastly it comes to the post presentation finishing. Ask about this step. Some shops will consider the job “done” after the simple application of the surface paint.Others will pay great attention to detail – inspecting and applying finishing touches- in effect making sure that everything and anything of the presentation and appearance of the car is in order. The vehicle so to speak should be in better than “new condition”. Ensure that body moldings as well as the rubber door seals are placed in properly – that is tight fitting without space so that the rubber doors seals seal fit intact and tightly without gaps. There should be no wind noises. Lastly ensure that no remnants of the finished paint job are apparent in small ways on your vehicle paint job.All in all a more than excellent paint job more than adds great value and appreciation to your vehicle – whether it is Car, Truck or Sports Recreation Vehicle.

Well wonder no more, as I am about to reveal to you 5 easy steps to achieve and excellent shine and polish for your auto.Step 1 -

Washing removes loose surface dirt and loose contaminants that have not yet bonded to the surface.Because most people wash their car more than any other procedure, it’s important to use a car wash solution that is specifically formulated for vehicle paint. Whatever you do make sure you do not use any common household dishwashing or other detergents, as no only will these dull your paint work, they ar exteremly hard on other components of your vehicle such as rubbers, metals, vinyls and plastics.Step 2 - ChamoisFor a perfect dry, wipe off excess water with a chamois leather (synthetic or real) this will eliminate any water marks that may occur from water dripping down doors or from decals.Step 3 - Apply PolishThe critial thing to do here is apply a good quality polish. I recommend MyHotRod Show Winning Shine, which is also a paint protection. The product gives an outstanding shine, but by far the best thing about it is that it is easy to apply and easy to buff up. There is nothing worse than having applied polish to a whole vehicle and then start buffing and find that it is like glue to come off!The best way to apply your polish is with a microfiber applicator pad, you should do one panel at a time and apply the polish in small circular motions. The other thing to remember with polish is that less is more - the more you cake on, the more you have to take off!Step 4 - BuffOnce the polish has dried to a cloudy residue, use a soft microfiber buffing cloth in a side to side motion, frequently turning the cloth to avoid polish build up. Give special attention to areas around plastic trim, decals and lights as these frequently harbor small spots of polish and are easy to miss.Step 5 - Sit Back and AdmireThat’s it all done - now you should take time to sit back relax and admire your hard work and get ready to accept all the compliments for your as new looking shiny car!

Everyone’s busy and cannot possibly have enough time to go check your car or truck whenever this happens, so you take it with good will to your “loyal” mechanic and he checks it over and a famous one liner that you’ve heard before utters his lips, you know, something like, “Good thing you brought it over, I don’t think it would have lasted another mile.” Or something like that.Whenever the check engine light goes on, don’t panic. I’ve known several people who’ve had this problem over and over again. Usually it’s a computer problem, or something so simple as needing another gas cap that makes people go into a tizzy. Sometimes the check engine light goes on because something needs attention that shouldn’t wait too.I know there’s a lot of mechanics out there who are trustworthy, and reliable, and maybe you are perfectly happy when them. And maybe they come running down your driveway everytime the check engine light does come on, but most of the time, the engine has nothing to do with the that light gives you that wallet busting warning.When a check engine light comes on, the on board usually stores a code that will lead to direction of the malfunction. Consider it a map with treasure being your malfunction. It doesn’t necessarily tell you exactly what is wrong but gives you a code that you (or a technician) can decipher and get to what’s aching your baby. Sounds simple, doesn’t it? Well before you Indiana Jones wannabes light your torch and go into dark caverns under your hood, get all your facts straight. Just like Dr. Jones did with his archeological facts, you’ll have to do a little research yourself. Sounds scary? Don’t worry, it’s not. Let’s say the code “p0171, oxygen sensor indicates lean” shows up, causing your check engine light to glow. It doesn’t mean the oxygen sensor is bad, it just means that the oxygen sensor is stuck lean. Now there could be several reasons for this; the engine could be running lean because of a number of problems, or the oxygen sensor is lazy and may actually need to be replaced. However, a bad oxygen sensor should set a oxygen sensor code as well.Replacing a oxygen sensor sounds less threatening than replacing your transmission, doesn’t it? It’s amazing how many auto mechanics will tell you what’s wrong when a check engine light goes on. It’s become a vital commodity to mechanics, just like a pop up ad on your computer, but they don’t have to pay for this ad.And research is really not so bad. It’s not like homework, you don’t have to do it, however, if you don’t, and ignore it, you’ll regret it. So how can distinguish what your car needs, and what kind of project it will entail if you can’t trust your mechanic? Well, you can take it to a mechanic when the check engine light goes on, but most mechanics charge jup to hundreds of dollars just to inspect the problem, and you’ll have to add this to fix what that the mechanic has dreamed up, after all, who’s he afraid of, it’s not like you’ve done your research, right? Here is a great way to get your research done before going to the mechanic, so you know what you are in for.Almost all car repair questions can now be answered online, right at your fingertips. Many websites now offer advice for the average car owner to troubleshoot car problems, so the days of going to one mechanic after another to diagnosis your car problems are over. Sites such as Automtoive Experts Online are dedicated to troubleshoot car problems, such as check engine lights for Honda Accord or

Getting that very first car is a big step and life changing event for most young people. A car means potential popularity, independence, and a chance to prove to friends and family that they are mature. For many first time car owners the actual care and long term maintenance of the new vehicle (outside of washing it occasionally) doesn’t even factor into the equation. Ironically enough many of the roadside assistance calls that new car owners make could have been avoided by basic, routine, maintenance.One of the first things you should always remember is to get your oil changed every 3,000 miles. More than a few people have failed emissions checks and/or ended up having to pay for hundreds of dollars worth of repair simply because they have neglected to get their oil changed. To find out who does oil changes check out your local yellow pages or ask friends and family. Many repair shops offer discounted oil changes several times a year in order to attract new customers so keep your eyes peeled for these sales.Another thing that can help keep your new car running smoothly is to take advantage of fuel injector cleaner that is sold at almost all gas stations and in chain stores. Adding a bottle fuel injector cleaner to your fuel tank before getting gas can really do wonders. The cleaner removes excess deposits as you drive which helps your car to run noticeably smoother.Replacing wind shield wipers whenever they become worn is also something that can be extremely useful down the line. There is nothing worse than sitting on the side of the road during a downpour because your wind shield wipers are too old and worn to improve your visibility. Some people go so far as to replace their wind shield wipers each time they get an oil change just to make sure they are never caught in a bad storm with worn wipers.Last, but not least, keep an eye on your tires. Check your tires often for excessive wear, punctures, and low pressure. Invest in a small pressure checker from your local automotive store or gas station so that you can check your tires to be sure that their pressure is what the owner’s manual recommends. There is nothing worse than getting in your car only to discover that your tire is completely, and totally flat.In addition to maintaining your car properly, always be prepared for the worst case scenarios. Be sure that you have a spare tire in your car and that you know how to put it on your vehicle in case you get a flat. Keep emergency supplies in your trunk at all time, first aid kits, bottled water, blankets, flashlights, and some snacks in case you are stranded for a long period of time during inclement weather.