FAQ: How to Troubleshoot, Repair & Maintain Hondas and Selected Other Vehicles

18. Replacing Front Rotors on Ford 4x4s

This link does a pretty good job of explaining what's typically involved:

Yahoo! Video Detail for 92 Ford Ranger 4X4 Front Brakes / Rotors/ / Bea...

It's a fun, easy job. Remove the master cylinder reservoir cap, prior to trying to spread the brake pads. Clean the old bearings with kerosene or Stoddard Solvent. Afterwards, it's fine to blow the old bearings out with compressed air--just don't spin the bearing. I would repack the wheel bearings with full synthetic wheel bearing grease (e.g., Mobil 1, Valvoline SynPower, or Amsoil GLC). This will provide better protection and gas mileage (less friction), which is important on 4x4s. The job goes easier if you use a pair of Lisle LIS44900, MAC P22A, or Craftsman P4735 Lock Ring Pliers to remove the C-clip. Get the torque specs for your truck. Install new pads, grease the caliper pins with silicone grease, and bleed the complete brake system. Valvoline brake fluid meets Ford's HBH requirements for trucks.

Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement, 2000 Duratec

Location: Just to the rear of the crankshaft pulley damper, covered by a bracket.

. Disconnect negative battery cable.

. Place front of vehicle on jack stands.

. Remove right front wheel.

. Remove fender liner (front half only).

. Remove alternator splash shield (two 5.5mm screws).

. Remove bottom alternator bolt (13mm) and shield.

. Remove bracket covering CKP Sensor, by removing three 13mm side bolts, loosening both 10mm bottom nuts, and sliding the bracket out.

. Remove serpentine belt.

. Remove top front alternator bolt (18mm) and rotate alternator clockwise enough to remove CKP Sensor.

. Remove and replace CKP Sensor (8mm).

Honda Civic Transmission Weight

For those of you looking to replace the clutch in your Civic, you may want to know how much the transmission weighs. This information is not available even from North American Honda. My 1993 Civic DX manual transmission weighs 70 pounds. How do I know? I put it on a scale and weighed it.

Honda Radio/Navigation Code

https://radio-navicode.honda.com/

Replacing Starter Motor, 2000 Ford Taurus Duratec

Trick: Remove battery, battery tray, and top radiator hose from the "Y", after partially draining the radiator. Then, the starter motor can be removed and installed from above. You won't be able to remove and install the starter motor from below the car.

Replacing Output Speed Sensor (OSS), 2000 Ford Taurus with Duratec Engine

The OSS is located under a steel cover on top of the transmission, directly below the rear center coil. With a LED flashlight, you can just see it from the left-side of the vehicle. It looks simple, but it is extremely difficult to get to. Removal and replacement is done totally by feel.

Remove alternator:

1. Disconnect negative battery cable (8mm).

2. Remove serpentine belt.

3. Remove both top alternator mounting bolts (18mm). On the rear stud, first remove the power steering bracket nut (13mm).

4. Raise car, place jack stands under rocker panels, and remove right-front wheel.

5. Trick #1: Remove right-front fender liner.

6. Remove alternator splash shield (two 5.5mm screws).

7. Unfasten outer tie-rod end from steering knuckle (18mm). Use a bungee cord to lift the outer tie-rod end out of the way.

8. Remove brake line bracket from fender (10mm).

9. Unfasten sway bar end link from strut (18mm). Use an 8mm 1/4-inch drive socket to keep the stud from rotating.

10. Trick #2: Remove air dam for access to front sub-frame bolt. Place jack under sub-frame and remove rear sub-frame bolt (18mm). Replace bolt and screw it in three turns. Do the same to the front sub-frame bolt (18mm).

11. Lower sub-frame as far as the bolts will allow the engine to drop. Park the jack under the sub-frame, to take the load slightly off the sub-frame bolts.

12. Remove lower alternator bolt (13mm).

13. Trick #3: Remove top cowling, as if you were going to replace the cabin filter. Then, remove the three 5.5mm (7/32 inch) screws securing the lower cowling and lift it out. This will improve access and allow you to position the alternator, in order to remove the connectors.

14. Remove mega fuse wire connector from alternator (10mm), clean connection with abrasive cloth (or steel wool), and apply dielectric grease.

15. Remove plug from alternator. Use two long screwdrivers, going in from the top. One to slightly pry open the clasp, the other to pry the connector off.

16. Remove alternator.

17. Install new alternator, tightening mounting bolts 15 to 22 lb.-ft., and button things up, when it’s time. Raise sub-frame with jack, then tighten both bolts 66 lb.-ft.

Remove and Install OSS:

1. Reach way it to feel the location of the steel cover.

2. Remove 8mm mounting bolt and cover, using a ¼-inch drive ratchet wrench and an 8mm deep socket.

3. Remove sensor, by rotating it back and forth several times. It can really be frozen on there, so try spraying it with WD-40. Using a pocket screwdriver, get under the hold down bracket and pry the sensor out. This will be very trying.

4. Remove the sensor’s connector from the transmission fill tube. Pry the wire off the pin on top of the transmission.

5. Attach new OSS to the connector on the transmission fill tube. Coat the sensor’s O-ring with transmission fluid and route it into position. Insert the OSS into the transmission, and, using the 8mm deep socket and a ¼-inch drive thumbwheel ratchet, attach the mounting bolt. I attached the mounting bolt first to the socket with tape. Cut a small slit in boxing tape, insert bolt, and wrap tape around the socket. Finish tightening the mounting bolt with a 1/4-inch drive regular ratchet.

6. Attach wire hold-down to pin on top of the transmission. I used a 2-foot extension bar, 14mm deep socket, and hammer.

Due to lack of access, this seemingly simple job became one of the most difficult tasks I’ve ever done. It would help if you had small monkey hands. Through abrasion, I tore my right forearm up. Make sure you have had a recent tetanus shot. If I were to do this job again, I would take a 3" cutoff wheel and trim the pinch weld to increase the size of the hole.