Repair 7

Replacing the mass air flow sensor on your 2000 Buick 3.8-liter engine is relatively straightforward. The MAF sensor sits on top of the throttle body just above the air intake. The MAF sensor is a flat, plastic piece held in place with several screws and has an electrical connector attached to its left side. Replacement OE MAF sensors are available through the dealer and aftermarket replacements are available from most auto-parts stores.

Instructions

1

Open the hood of your Buick and locate the throttle body on the front of the engine. The air intake hose attaches to the front of the throttle body, making it easy to identify.

2

Disconnect the electrical connector from the end of the sensor by lifting the locking tab on the connector, then pulling it straight off the sensor. Locate the two screws on the top of the sensor--they are at opposite corners--and remove them with a Torx screwdriver.

3

Lift the MAF sensor straight up and away from the throttle body. Discard it and position a new MAF sensor on the throttle body, aligning the screw holes in the sensor with the threaded holes on the throttle body.

4

Install the two Torx-head retaining screws through the MAF sensor and into the throttle body. Tighten them with a Torx screwdriver, then push the electrical connector onto the end of the new sensor, making sure the locking tab snaps in place.

International Harvester manufactured the 7.3-liter diesel engines that appear in Ford trucks from 1988 to 1992. This engine is most common in Ford trucks with a rated carrying capacity of at least 1/2 ton. The 7.3-liter Ford diesel engine uses a single cylinder head for all eight cylinders in the engine. The cylinder head is on top of the engine block and is part of the combustion chamber. The procedure for removing the cylinder head from a 7.3-liter engine is the same for all Ford trucks.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cables from the negative terminals of both batteries with a socket wrench. This prevents anyone from starting the engine while removing the cylinder head.

2

Put a drain pan under the radiator. Remove the drain plug with a socket wrench and allow the coolant in the radiator to drain into the pan. Store the coolant for later use.

3

Detach the shrouds for the radiator fan with a socket wrench. Disconnect the fan and clutch for the radiator as an assembly by using tools T83T-6312-A and T83T-6312-B. The mounting nut for the radiator fan and clutch has a left-hand thread, so you must turn it clockwise to remove the nut.

4

Label the electrical wiring on the alternator so you can connect it correctly later and detach the wiring from the alternator. Disconnect the bolts for the alternator and vacuum pump with a socket wrench. Remove these components from the engine block.

5

Disconnect the coolant hose from the cylinder head with a socket wrench. Remove the fuel injection pump from the engine block. Disconnect the intake manifold and valley cover from the engine block.

6

Raise the vehicle with a floor jack and support it with jack stands. Remove the exhaust pipes from the exhaust manifolds with a socket wrench. Disconnect the clamp and mounting bolt for the oil dipstick tube. Detach the oil dipstick tube from the cylinder head and lower the vehicle.

7

Disconnect the valve covers with a socket wrench and remove the rocker arms from the engine block. Record the position of each push rod, so you can re-install them correctly later. Remove the push rods from the engine block.

8

Remove the fuel injector nozzles and glow plugs from the engine block with a socket wrench. Disconnect the mounting bolts for the cylinder head with a socket wrench. Install lifting eyes on each end of the cylinder block with tool T70P-6000.

9

Lift the cylinder head from the engine block with the lifting eyes. Use caution to prevent the pre-chambers of the cylinder head from falling onto the engine when you remove the cylinder head.

The Buick LeSabre was a full-size car throughout its production from 1959 to 2005. The last version included the 2000 through 2005 models, which were only available with a 3.8-liter engine. These cars have a harmonic balancer, or crankshaft balancer, installed on the crankshaft to minimize the vibrations caused by its spinning. The crankshaft balancer in a Buick LeSabre is an integrated part of the crankshaft pulley, so you should not attempt to separate the two components.

Instructions

1

Remove the negative battery cable with a socket wrench to prevent the engine from starting accidentally. Detach the accessory drive belt from the crankshaft pulley.

2

Raise the vehicle with a floor jack, and support it on jack stands. Remove the right front wheel with a lug wrench.

3

Hold the flywheel in place with flywheel locking tool "J-37096". Disconnect the mounting bolt for the crankshaft with a socket wrench.

4

Mount the balancer remover "J-38107-A" to the crankshaft balancer, and fasten 1/4-inch bolts to the pulley. Tighten the bolts with a socket wrench to remove the balancer from the crankshaft.

5

Coat the sealing surface of the crankshaft balancer with a light layer of engine oil. Mount the balancer onto the crankshaft, and hold the flywheel in place with flywheel locking tool "J-37096". Tighten the mounting bolt for the crankshaft balancer to 111 foot-pounds with a torque wrench. Tighten the bolt another 76 degrees with a socket wrench.

6

Replace the right front wheel with a lug wrench, and lower the vehicle. Attach the drive belt to the crankshaft pulley and connect the cable to the negative terminal of the battery.

Vehicles come with one of two types of transmissions, manual or automatic. With a manual transmission, the driver has to switch gears using the clutch and a gear shift. Automatic transmissions are ideal for drivers who want the vehicle to do the shifting for them.

How Automatic Transmissions Work

When a car with automatic transmission accelerates, the vehicle will monitor when it needs to shift to a higher gear and will do it automatically. Nothing at all is required of the driver. The car starts in first gear and shifts to a higher gear as the vehicle travels faster.

3-Speed Versus 5-Speed

A car with a 3-speed transmission only has three levels of gears. A 5-speed has two more gears than a 3-speed. On many vehicles with five gears, the fifth gear allows the engine to run slower at highway speeds, saving on fuel consumption.

Differences Between 3 and 5 Speed Automatics

One advantage of the 5-speed over the 3-speed automatic is that the higher gears allow you to obtain a higher speed at a lower rpm. Another advantage is that the more gears a car has, the better it will perform regarding acceleration, fuel economy and stress on the engine, in general.

The 7.3-liter Ford diesel is an engine with high ratings for fuel economy. If you are having problems with your 7.3-liter Ford diesel, you can do several things before you take it to a service center. Diesel engines are not very hard to work on. Most of the troubleshooting can be done without invasive repairs to the engine and minimal knowledge of how the engine works. Common issues reside in incorrect fuel, a bad starter or leaks from the engine.

Instructions

1

Insert and partly turn the key, to engage the Ford electrical panel. Look over the fuel gauge and make a note if there is not enough diesel in the tank to start the engine. Low fuel prevents an engine from starting.

2

Replace the fuel in the tank with the proper diesel. Changing diesel according to the season is imperative. Summer diesel will be cloudy in the winter -- this is the presence of condensation in the tank.

3

Use a siphon hose to remove the diesel from the tank. Put one end of the siphon pump into the fuel tank and then put the other end of the siphon pump into an empty gas container. Pump the siphon until the tank is empty. Fill the tank with the proper kind of diesel fuel.

4

Raise your 7.3-liter Ford with a jack, so you can get under the vehicle. Look for the small box next to the engine block on the right side of the vehicle. This is the starter. Get a helper to turn the ignition. Listen to the starter while the ignition is cranking. If you hear a clicking or a buzzing noise, have the starter replaced by a certified technician.

5

Look around the Ford for any leaks. Leaks can inhibit the car from starting properly. If you do find leaks, have the vehicle towed, or drive it to a service shop to have the leaked repaired.

The thermostat in the 4.3-liter GMC Sierra pickup truck regulates operating temperatures within the engine to prevent overheating and premature engine failure. This is a big task for a very small, inexpensive part. When the thermostat stops regulating properly, you will notice the temperature gauge in the dash start to rise. You will smell the sweet odor of overheating coolant and your truck will eventually pour steam out of the engine bay. Changing the thermostat is a fairly easy job that shouldnt take you very long at all.

Instructions

1

Lift the hood and prop it open. Position a drain pan under the drain valve on the bottom of the radiator. Loosen the radiator cap. Open the valve with a pliers. Drain two gallons of coolant into a clean drain pan. Close the drain valve with the pliers.

2

Follow the upper radiator hose to the thermostat housing, behind the alternator.

3

Remove the two bolts that secure the housing to the engine. Hose removal is not necessary to remove the thermostat housing.

4

Lift the housing up and shove it and the hose out of your way.

5

Pull the old thermostat out of the engine and place the new one in. You must place the new one into the engine and orientate it in the same manner as the old one.

6

Lift the old gasket off the engine, wipe down the surface with a clean towel and place the new thermostat gasket into place.

7

Place the thermostat housing back on the engine and bolt it into place.

8

Remove the radiator cap. Pour the two gallons of fluid back into the radiator. Replace and tighten the cap. Close the hood.

The Nissan 3.3 engines exhaust manifold collects exhaust from each of the valves and sends it through the exhaust pipe. The exhaust manifold must be in good condition to avoid harmful fumes from entering the cabin. If the vehicles exhaust manifold has a crack in it, replace it as soon as possible.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the negative cable from the battery using a wrench to loosen the nut on the terminal. Remove the heat shields from around the manifold using a wrench. Disconnect the EGR tube from the valve.

2

Unplug the electrical wire from the heated oxygen sensor by pulling it off. Disconnect the front exhaust pipes using a wrench to loosen the bolts. Remove the bolts from the exhaust manifold using a socket, ratchet and extension.

3

Remove the exhaust manifold with the catalytic converter still attached. Remove the catalytic converter from the manifold using a wrench. Attach the converter to the new manifold and tighten the bolts with a wrench.

4

Install the manifold to the engine and tighten the fasteners with a socket, ratchet and extension. Connect the front exhaust pipes using a wrench to tighten the bolts. Plug the electrical wire into the heated oxygen sensor.

5

Connect the EGR tube. Install the heat shields around the manifold and tighten the fasteners with a wrench. Connect the negative battery cable and tighten the terminal nut with a wrench.

Ushering in Fords new generation of dual overhead cam (DOHC) V-6s, the Duratec V-6 started production in 1996 as a four valves per cylinder, aluminum head and block, 60-degree V-6 that replaced an aging generation of pushrod V-6s.

History

Introduced as an optional engine upgrade in 1996 for Fords line of Taurus/Sable sedans, the 3.0L Duratec engines reached their peak in 2001 when they became the base engine for both the Taurus/Sable line and the Escape/Tribute line of small SUVs. This engine also found applications in the Lincoln LS, the Mazda 6, Mazda MPV, Ford Freestyle, Mercury Montego and the Jaguar S and X models. Its still in production today.

Power

Producing a base 200 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 193 lb. ft. of torque at 4,850 rpm, the Duratec 3.0L V-6 was tuned to a beefier 232 horsepower for select models starting in 2000 using an upgraded valvetrain system.

Efficiency

Engineered for efficiency, the 3.0L Duratec V-6 has sequential multiport fuel injection (SFI), variable valve timing (VVT) (in later versions only) and intake manifold runner control (IMRC), all of which increase fuel efficiency and power. The lighter, all-aluminum (with cast-iron cylinder liners) construction decreases engine weight for even greater efficiency.

Technical Data

Holding 5.5 quarts of oil at 11 psi, the 3.0L (181-cubic-inch displacement) Duratec V-6 features an 89.0-mm bore, 79.5-mm stroke, a firing order of 1-4-2-5-3-6 and spark plug gaps of 1.3 to 1.4 mm. The valve stem diameter is 5.975 to 5.995 mm for the 35-mm intake valves and 5.950 to 5.970 mm for the 30-mm exhaust valves with 0.05 mm of valve face runout and a valve face angle of 45.5 degrees.

The 7.3-liter diesel engine made by Ford from 1994 to 2002 is commonly found in heavy trucks from this period. This engine employs fuel injection to send fuel into the engine under high pressure. Each cylinder of the engine has its own fuel injector, which delivers the fuel in an electronically-controlled sequence. You can remove and install the fuel injectors on this diesel engine individually with a special tool.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the mounting bolts for the valve cover with a socket wrench and remove the valve cover. Detach the wiring harnesses from the fuel injectors.

2

Disconnect the oil rail drain plugs and fuel rail drain plugs with a socket wrench. Disconnect the oil deflector by removing its retaining screw.

3

Remove the mounting bolt on the outboard side of the fuel injector with a socket wrench. Disconnect the retaining hardware from the heater distribution box, including the screws, nuts and clips. Remove the heater distribution box.

4

Connect the injector remover no. T94T-9000-AH1 to the fuel injector plate with the injector removers screw. Tighten the screw to lift the fuel injector from the injector bore. Discard the copper washers for the fuel injector.

5

Clean the injector bore with the rotunda injector sleeve brush and a shop towel. Mount a new copper washer to the new fuel injector and coat the fuel injector with engine oil to lubricate it.

6

Place the fuel injectors into the injector bore and ensure that you properly seat the O-rings. Position the injector replacer No. T94T-9000-AH2 between the fuel injector and its hold-down plate. Tighten the bolt on the injector replacer to fully seat the fuel injector into the injector bore.

7

Perform steps one through three in reverse order to complete the fuel injector replacement. Torque the retaining screw on the oil deflector to 108 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Torque the fuel rail drain plugs to 96 inch-pounds and torque the oil rail drain plugs to 53 inch-pounds.

Vortec engines have a swirl port in their combustion chambers, which allows the fuel and air to mix more readily. General Motors has manufactured the six-cylinder 4.3-liter Vortec engines since 1985, primarily for use in light Chevrolet trucks made before 1995. The intake manifold is the part of the engine, and delivers the fuel/air mixture to the cylinders. The procedure for removing the intake manifold is similar for all full-size Chevrolet trucks made from 1988 to 1995.

Instructions

1

Remove the cable from the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. Drain the coolant in the radiator into a container, and seal the container for later use.

2

Disconnect the air cleaner and the distributor with a socket wrench. Detach the cables for the cruise control and accelerator from their respective brackets.

3

Remove the bracket for the air compressor, alternator and idler pulley from the intake manifold with a socket wrench. Detach the electrical wiring and vacuum lines from the intake manifold. Disconnect the exhaust gas recirculation valve, if your vehicle is so equipped. Remove the fuel line from the intake manifold.

4

Detach the heater pipe and upper radiator hose from the radiator. Disconnect the vacuum lines for the power brakes and exhaust gas recirculation valve, if your vehicle is so equipped. Disconnect the electrical wiring from the ignition coil.

5

Disconnect any remaining brackets and sensors from the right side of the intake manifold. Detach the electrical wiring harness on the right side of the intake manifold and push it out of your way. Remove the mounting bolts from the intake manifold with a socket wrench. Detach the intake manifold and its gaskets from the engine.