If you really love your Truck as a lot of owners do, you will want to take care of it. The biggest problem is that most people don’t take a time to study about your vehicle, so on the first signal of problem they immediately go to a professional to fix a problem that is relatively simple. I separated five problems and solutions for the improvement of your vehicle knowledge.
Loose, shiftless transmission linkages
Do you have to hunt for gear when shifting your manual transmission? Does the transmission jump out of gear when you accelerate? Loose linkages between the shifter and transmission could be the cause of your problems.
Check for sloppy linkages by trying to move the shift rods back and forth. There should be no play between the rods and either the transmission or shifter levers. Connections between the rods and levers should be right but able to move freely. If there is excessive looseness, check the bushings for signs of wear and damage and replace as needed.
Stoplight problems
If your stoplights don’t work when you step on the brake, test the brake-light switch. Attach the switch’s wires to an ohmmeter. With the brake pedal released, there should be an infinite resistance reading, indicating an open circuit. When you pedal is applied, the ohmmeter should read zero, indicating a closed circuit.
Freeze-plug pointers
When a freeze plug on an engine block does not fit snugly, coolant can leak. Remove the old plug by hitting it with a hammer and punch; replace with a new plug. If you don’t have enough room to swing a hammer and pound the new plug in, use a rubber compression plug, which conforms to the hole after it is tightened.
Bedliner
To ensure that your truck’s bed will have a durable exterior, you have to install a bedliner that will prevent scratches, accumulation or dirt, and other factors that may wear out the exterior of your truck. You can have this done by professionals, but there are great DIY bedliners kits that you can use to save up on money (checkout this page for reviews).
Hidden head bolts
Hidden head bolts are tricky to work with, especially if you don’t know how to find them all and the process to remove them safely.
For example, before removing the head of an Oldsmobile 4.3-liter v6 diesel, 18 hidden bolts must be removed. Take the pipe plugs out of a the valve-cover chamber; underneath there are three Torx bolts for each cylinder. If the bolts are not taken off, trying to remove the head will damage the casting.
It is imperative to follow your truck’s service manual to avoid damage and wasting your time.
Clutch free-play adjustment
To adjust the clutch-pedal free play on a vehicle equipped with a hydraulic slave cylinder ,loosen the locknut. Holding the pushrod end nut, just turn the rod with a screwdriver until you achieve the desired free play at the release fork.
