Fitting a new car stereo into factory openings

In a short period of time, almost anybody can replace their existing car stereo.
This is a relatively easy task that can be performed in a short amount of time, usually in one afternoon. The in-dash radio has to go, and a new one will be replacing it. But how does one go about figuring what will fit into that empty space? A few simple steps, a phone call or two, a bit of research; that's all it requires.

The first move is to determine if the chosen model will fit into the opening of the existing car radio. Start with the car stereo dealer. Most manufacturers publish some kind of radio size-chart that covers cars from 1975 and up to the present. Or check out the parts department of the local car dealer that sells the vehicle model owned. It may be possible to get a stock radio to measure and compare, or to get a glimpse at the parts book for how and where the radio is to be mounted. If no information is readily available to you, try the Internet and do a search for your model of vehicle and then radio installation. As a last resort, get out a ruler and measure the distance between the middle of each knob on the existing radio. Don't forget to measure the opening itself and jot down the length and width of the opening.

A lot of radios come with an in-dash mounting kit. If it does not come with a kit, then try the Internet and search for car radio installation kits. There are quite a few sites that have kits and instructions available. These kits are especially handy if replaced a knobbed radio with a newer model that has no knobs.

There are two ways a radio will be mounted in the dash, from the back or through the front. If it is mounted from the back, slip under the dash and take a look at it. It may be necessary to remove some trim or the heater/ac ducting. If it is still hard to see the radio, it is probably installed from the front. If it comes out the front, this is the easiest install and most common in newer cars.

While under the dash, remove the rear support bracket and any wires attached to the radio. Do not cut the wires; unplug them at the connectors so there won't be any shorts. Next, remove the old knobs--if there are any, they usually pull straight off. Then remove the shaft nuts with a long socket wrench or pliers.

At this point, the radio should drop down behind the dash. If it is a tight fit, some twisting or turning may be necessary, just don't force it. If the radio is loosened, but still won't come out from behind, try pulling it out through the front of the opening.

Remove the trim panel that covers the front of the radio. Sometimes the same trim panel covers the heater/ac controls. The trim panel is secured by obvious screws or spring clips. Slowly, remove the screws or pry the panel to remove it from the dash. Always be gentle, as trim panels can break very easily and are usually costly to replace unless you go to the junkyard. Behind the trim panel, there is the radio support plate. Remove the plate and the radio will slide out. Now measure again, and compare it to the new unit to be sure it will fit.

Installing the radio should be done in the reverse order of removing the old one. If there are knobs on the new radio, adjust the control shaft spacing to line up with the old holes in the dashboard. If the old radio did not have knobs, don't purchase a new one that does unless you are good with a jigsaw and have a very steady hand. If the old radio had knobs, but the new radio does not, it will be necessary to customize the opening. In this case, it is a good idea to purchase a radio that is wider, and use a metal file to enlarge the opening to fit the shape. Use a computer vacuum or hand-held vacuum to clear away any metal shavings that may occur during this process. Remember to work slowly because it is easy to remove metal, but not so easy to put in a new back plate.

Slide the stereo into the opening to see how it fits. If working on a car with a front mounted stereo, loosely put the support and trim panel back into place. If the radio had knobs, the shaft and nosepiece will slide in through the holes. If it is a close fit, but not tight, try adjusting the nose gasket up and down to get it tighter. If the old stereo did not have knobs, this step is unnecessary.

Use the included control shaft spacers to take up any distance between the stereo unit and the back of the dash or mounting plate. Use as many spacers as necessary to allow the control shafts to stick out the same distance, so the nosepiece will fit flush or stick out no more than one-fourth of an inch.

If there are no knobs, then simply mount the rear support strap and tighten the trim plate, which completes the installation. This is definitely a one-person project and can be completed by any person with minimal skills using a pair of pliers and a screwdriver.

Install car stereo satellite radio

How to install car stereo satellite radio without professional help.

Hooking up your satellite radio in your car is easy and there are several methods to go about it. The positives of doing this are that you do not have to pay someone to hook the system up and you often get similar quality results to those of professional installation. The obvious downside is that the aesthetics of the results may not be that desirable.

The four ways suggested here to get satellite radio in your car are: Through your stereo’s input jack, through your car stereo’s tape player, via an FM modulated transmitter, and through a portable stereo’s input Jack. The sections on powering your receiver, the antenna, running the antenna wire, and mounting the receiver are universal in all installations.

If you have selected a satellite radio provider and a satellite radio receiver, you are on your way. If you have not selected a satellite radio provider, you should search the Internet and visit the consumer electronics shops in your area. The content of the two satellite radio providers is slightly different and you may want to choose the one more suited to your tastes. The satellite provider you choose also will determine the receiver that you will be able to use. These receivers come in all shapes and price range and should definitely factor in your decision. Also, whether you want to use the installation advice here depends on the receiver you choose. Some retailers will provide free installation with a purchase over a certain amount; it is advisable to look into these deals where they exist.

Powering your receiver:

Your receiver will require some sort of input power. Usually, it is 12V DC. Check on the back of your receiver and then check at your local consumer electronics store for a cigarette lighter adapter. This will cost around $20.

The antenna:

It may be helpful just to buy the car adapter kit for your receiver. For most models this costs around $50. As strange as it sounds, there is a difference between your home antenna and your car antennae. An antenna designed for the car will invariably get better reception. You can, if you are set on the idea, try your home antenna and you may get good results. Antennas designed for the car often come with magnetic backings to facilitate installation. The car adapter kit is a good idea and it may come with other useful accessories. You have to make sure that the kit you buy matches your receiver.

Running the antenna wire:

Running the antenna wire is the most painstaking part of the installation. First, you need to decide where you want to mount the antenna and receiver. If you choose to mount the antenna inside under a window, you can expect to have reduced reception. Satellite radio will cut out normally under large bridges. Mounting the antenna inside will worsen this problem and may even cause cutouts on tree lined roads and mountainous canyons that would not normally cause a problem if the antenna were mounted outside. Where you live may factor into this decision. If you live in an urban area with large buildings, in the mountains or in a place with heavy forests, you will almost certainly need to mount the antenna outside the car. If you live among the wheat fields of the mid-west, you may be able to get away with mounting the antenna inside the car, but you will almost certainly have to place it under the window.

To run the wire, you can wedge the wire under the trim around doors and under seats. Be creative, your car is full of plastic pockets that have enough void space to hold the wire. Make sure that when the wire is run from the outside of the car to the inside that there are no sharp edges that will cut the wire. Also, it is necessary to leave enough slack if you mount the antenna on a moving exterior surface like a trunk. It may be, in some areas advisable to buy zip ties or use old garbage bag ties to hold the wire where the slack may get in the way. Often left over wire can be tucked into a void under a plastic cover. It is important that the wire in no way impedes your ability to operate the vehicle and it should not come into contact with heat elements such as those found in heated seats or ventilation ducts.

Attaching the receiver:

Some of the car adapter kits come with suction cups and other methods for mounting the receiver. Many times, these methods simply do not work. Depending on how much you value the interior of your car will determine how you want to mount the receiver. Preferably, you will want it close at hand and easily operable without distracting your attention from operating the motor vehicle. One method is to simply place the receiver in any available cavity in your dashboard. A second preferred method that may leave lasting marks on your dash is to install the receiver with adhesive Velcro. They sell this at any hardware store and in the tools section of your local discount retailer. This also allows you to remove the receiver when changing channels.

Connecting through your car’s input jack:

Check the front of your car’s stereo to see if there is an input jack. If one exists, check the owner’s manual (if you do not have it chances are it is available online) and go to your local consumer electronics store to find the cables you need. Simply power the receiver, plug it to the antenna and plug it to the front of your stereo. Congratulations, you have the easiest method of retrofitting your car with satellite radio. You are the envy of those who have to read on.

Connecting through your car’s tape deck:

This requires the purchase of an approximately $15 item that can be bought at any consumer electronics store. It looks like a tape that has a wire coming from the corner. This item can be handy because it can be used not only with your satellite radio receiver, but also with almost all of your other consumer electronics such as an iPod, your cell phone, or a portable DVD player. You may not love it, but your kids will when you have a Bug’s life jamming through your car’s stereo system.

FM Modulated transmitter:

This isn’t cheap. Generally, they are as hard to install as a car stereo. Also, if your car stereo doesn’t have a tape deck or an input, it may be advisable to either by a new stereo with free installation, or go with the portable stereo option below. But, if you love your current stereo and have a spare $200 and an afternoon give this option a try. How it works is the satellite receiver is plugged into a FM transmitter that broadcasts at low power just to your car stereo. So you can tune into a station like 88.5 FM and hear your satellite radio. You will have to follow the instructions that come with the FM modulator kit because they come in all shapes and sizes. Too detailed for a short introductory article.

Use a portable stereo:

This is the ultimate in going on the cheap. If you do not have a stereo that has a working tape deck or input jack and do not want to shell out the extra cash for a new stereo, this is the option for you. First you need to acquire a portable stereo with input jacks. Having done that, you will need to power it. You will need to research what kind of power source it needs. If it has a 12 V DC input, you are in business. Just use a cigarette lighter adapter like the one mentioned in powering your receiver. If it takes 120V AC (the most common) you can find adapters that will do that for you at your local automotive part store. Once you have powered the stereo, the receiver and hooked up the antenna you just have to make sure you do not trip over the wires.

It might also be helpful to have a friend operate this contraption, as it may be difficult to do yourself in a moving vehicle.

What to do if you witness a major car accident

If you witness a major car accident, call 911, make injured parties comfortable without moving them, and make notes on everything you can remember.

Here are suggested actions to take if you witness a major automobile accident.

First, call 911 and report the accident. If you don’t have a cell phone, ask others on the scene to call, or try to find a phone in a nearby house or business. If you cannot locate a telephone at or near the accident, drive to the nearest phone and then return to the scene.

Try to determine if there are any injured people without putting yourself in danger (e.g., do not approach a vehicle, especially if it is on fire, in case of an explosion). Do not move an injured person and risk injuring him or her further. If possible, make the injured person more comfortable (e.g., cover him or her with a blanket or sit with him/her).

Warn oncoming vehicles about the accident (wave your arms or use something as a flag) and stop traffic or direct it past the accident scene (or ask someone else to do this). At night, use car headlights to illuminate the area and a flashlight to direct traffic.

When the police arrive, give the officer(s) your name and contact information and let the officer(s) know that you witnessed the accident. The police might ask you to describe what you saw immediately and/or they might talk to you at a later time. You might even be called as a witness in court if legal action ensues.

As soon as you can, write down every detail about the accident that you can recall while it is still fresh in your mind. Your notes should include as many of the following facts as possible: the date and time of the accident; the location of the accident; road conditions (e.g., dry, wet, icy or snowy; smooth, bumpy, gravely, or potholed); traffic conditions; weather conditions; visibility (rain, snow, fog, darkness, presence or absence of street lights); approximate speed the vehicles were traveling at the time of the accident (if applicable); whether any of the cars involved skidded; areas of impact on the vehicles; whether anyone appeared to be injured and in what capacity; what, if anything, the parties involved in the accident said; and any other conditions that may have contributed to the accident. Write down the license plate numbers of the vehicles involved in the accident (in case one of the drivers leaves the scene).

Draw a picture of the accident scene, as well, with diagrams of how and where the collision occurred. Also include the locations of any cross-streets, stop signs, or traffic signals, and anything else you think may be helpful in reconstructing the accident.

Stay out the way of the emergency crews (firefighters, paramedics, tow truck drivers, police), and leave the scene as soon as possible. You’ve done all you can.

Hopefully you will never witness an accident, but it is not a bad idea to have a flashlight, a notepad and pen, a blanket, and a cell phone in your car at all times - just in case. These items are, of course, useful for other situations, too.

How to check a car's automatic transmission fluid level

Checking transmission fluid can be easy and safe for anyone. The task doesnt take any special skill or knowledge to accomplish.

Checking the transmission fluid is not difficult and should be done once a month. Another reason to check the fluid, and the situation that most people find themselves in, is when the car begins to have shift roughly. This could be because the fluid is low due to a leak or that the fluid is dirty.
The first thing to do is move the car to a level parking surface. This will insure a more accurate reading, you do not want to overfill your automatic transmission fluid (ATF). After moving the car, keep the engine running. The engine needs to be warm to get a more accurate reading.

While the engine is running, read the owner’s manual to find the location of the dipstick. It is not always as easily accessible as the oil dipstick, but it is usually brightly marked with a red or yellow covering. The owner’s manual will also tell you if the engine should be running. Most cars will need the engine to be running.

Put on safety goggles before getting under the hood. This will protect your eyes from any debris that may be present in the engine and fly up and hit you in the face. You may also need a flashlight to better see into the engine to locate the dipstick. Remove the dipstick after the engine has warmed up and wipe it clean. Replace the dipstick and remove again. This will give a better reading. There are markings for “Cold” and “Warm.” Since the engine is warm, check the markings for the Warm readings. If the fluid isn’t full, add a little bit at a time and measure again with the dipstick. You do not want to overfill the ATF. You should also make a note of the color of the fluid. ATF fluid is a pinkish/red color; brown fluid means a call to the mechanic.

To add fluid, get a long necked funnel and pour the fluid into the hole where the dipstick goes. Remember, only a little bit at a time, you don’t want to overfill it. Replace the dipstick, wait a few moments, then pull out the dipstick wipe it down, replace and pull again. This should give the new fluid measurements.

Some new vehicles do not ever need the fluid replaced, but some vehicles need the fluid flushed and replaced every 24,000 miles. Check with the owner’s manual to get the specifics for your vehicle.

To recap:

Items you will need:

* Clean rag/cloth

* Flashlight (to better see into the engine)

* Safety goggles

* Long necked funnel

Steps to check Automatic Transmission Fluid:

*Check owner’s manual to see if engine should remain running during fluid check

*Park vehicle on level surface and follow manual’s instructions regarding engine status.

*Remove dipstick, wipe clean, replace and remove again.

*Read the fluid level and check the color of the fluid. Fluid should be pink/red color.

*Wipe dipstick clean again. If fluid is low, use clean long necked funnel to pour fluid into system through dipstick opening. Otherwise, replace dipstick and close hood.

Biodiesel and Vegetable Oil

Ever heard of running your car on vegetable oil? Neither had we, until one of our flakier listeners who actually drove a van that ran on used vegetable oil (no, we're not kidding) called in. Where'd he tank up? From the fryer at his local diner, of course!

There are two major downsides to running your diesel vehicle on vegetable oil, though. First, in very cold temperatures, a vehicle that runs on vegetable oil can be hard or impossible to start. You'll need to modify your vehicle with a second, conventional diesel fuel tank and a fuel switch, so you can start your can with good, old-fashioned diesel fuel.

Second, the oil may rot rubber parts like hoses and seals. You'll need to replace any natural or butyl rubber hoses and seals in your fuel line with more-durable "fluoroelastomer" components.

Finally, you run the risk of being followed by hungry teenagers, who are known to follow the smell of french fries just about anywhere.

Biodiesel is a less daring alternative fuel option. Biodiesel is a form of fuel that's made from vegetable, plant, or seed oil. It can be used in any vehicle that runs on diesel fuel. Usuallly it's mixed in with regular diesel fuel, but many vehicles can run on 100% biodiesel.

Biodiesel is much better for the environment than regular diesel. Pure biodiesel has no lead or sulfur dioxide emission and reduced levels of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and particulates -- all of which are some of the causes of acid rain, global warming, soot, and smog. Biodiesel reduces toxic particles in the air by up to 90%, compared to regular diesel fuel.

One downside to running your vehicle on biodiesel? It costs a bit more than old fashioned petroleum diesel. However, biodiesel is available all around the country. It can even be ordered in 55-gallon drums.

Biodiesel Resources

Automakers Getting a Taste for Vegan Values

General biodiesel information is available at the Biodiesel Information Centre

Here's a recently released book that's been called "the ultimate biodiesel primer": Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy

The Pacific Biodiesel is a commercial source for biodiesel fuels and information.

Check out the veggie van that's been driving around the country, and get info on how you can use biodiesel at the Veggie Van Web site.

Virginia Wesleyan College's Comprehensive Alternative-Fuel-Vehicle Directory

The National Biodiesel Board web site has lots of practical information on using biodiesel fuel -- including what blends to try, how to get biodiesel in your area, answers to many frequently asked questions, and even a biodiesel bulletin board.

By Fringe www.cartalk.com

Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles are not for most people. They have one enormous downside: their range. The electric version of Toyota's RAV4, for example, has a stated range of 126 miles.

Since your typical American drives only about 27 miles a day, an electric vehicle might be fine for most days. The downside, however, comes when you need to run some errands, forgot something at work and have to drive back, want to take that weekend trip out of town or make an emergency trip to the bowling alley. If an electric vehicle is your only car, you might find your style seriously cramped. But if it's a second car and used only for a commute to work, it could be a good choice you.

There are other downsides to electric vehicles as well: reduced acceleration and the prospect of possibly needing to replace all those batteries when they're worn out.

How do electric vehicles work? They actually use no gasoline at all. The electric motor (or motors) that turns the wheels are powered by a large bank of batteries inside the car which need to be recharged frequently--usually on a daily basis.

The good news with electric vehicles is their lack of emissions: there aren't any. Not from the car, anyway. Since electric vehicles get their power from the electrical outlet in your house, the pollution comes from the increased demand at the nuclear (or, more likely, coal) power plant down the street. However, since electric generating plants have elaborate emission-control systems (at least compared to your run-of-the-mill Taurus), driving an electric car will result in about a 95 percent net reduction in pollution compared to a conventional car.

Finally, because there's no internal combustion engine in an electric car, a lot fewer repairs are needed. No timing belts, water pumps, radiators, fuel injectors, or exhaust systems means fewer boat payments to your mechanic. And you'll never have to pay for a tuneup or oil change. But you will be paying some of this cost up front, due to the high cost of most electric vehicles.

Right now there are several electric vehicles from which to choose: Electric versions of the Toyota Rav4, the Ford Ranger, and the Dodge Caravan Epic; and an entire line of vehicles from a company called Solectria.

Electric Vehicle Resources:

Check out the cars.com electric vehicle area, with up to date information on how electric vehicles work, who makes them...and what's ahead for EV's.

View the financial incentives available to purchasers of electric vehicles.

Research specific models, find an electric vehicle dealer near you, or get your questions answered at the Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center

Electric car rentals: EV Cars

Virginia Wesleyan College's Comprehensive Alternative-Fuel-Vehicle Directory

Electric car rentals in California and Florida and electric scooter sales: Zapworld

Places to recharge your electric car in California: the Clean Car Map

By Fringe www.cartalk.com

10 Reasons To Run AuctionAds

We have been handing out flyers at webmaster conferences with the top 10 reasons to run AuctionAds. One conference goer said we should put the list on our blog since it was pretty informative. Here you go:
1) AuctionAds was created to let users easily leverage the very lucrative eBay affiliate system but in a way that is easy for publishers to use. New users can be running ads and making money with AuctionAds in as little as 5 minutes after signing up with AuctionAds.
2) Geo-targeting - We have relationships with every eBay country programs and automatically geo-target your international traffic for you. If you’re not geo-targeting, you’re giving up valuable revenue.
3) Huge inventory - The depth of items on eBay gives site owners in even the smallest niches the opportunity to show their visitors items they will be interested in.
4) Editorial control - With many advertising programs you give them the power to determine what your page is about and match you to the best advertiser. Many times this can result in ads that are either not related or worst-case could be advertisements you want to avoid.
5) Publisher referral program - Each time your ad is displayed it also includes an automatic link to AuctionAds with your referral id. Many people see the ads and want to run them on their own sites and if someone signs up from your ad you will earn a 2% bonus.
6) Net-0 payments - Stop waiting 15 to 45 days to get paid. AuctionAds pays the 1st of every month for the previous month.
7) Option to open in a new window - One of the biggest gripes of publishers is that in order to get paid from other advertising programs a user must leave their site. With AuctionAds publishers have the option to open the eBay auction in a new window. This way when they are done shopping on eBay they can resume where they left off at your website.
8 ) Leveraging the highest tiers of the eBay affiliate program - The eBay program has many levels of payouts based on volume. The users of AuctionAds pool together volume to give everyone the highest payouts possible from the eBay program.
9) Additional revenue stream - Due to the pictures in ads and unique nature of AuctionAds you can feel free to run it in conjunction with other popular programs like Google AdSense and Yahoo Publisher Network. If one of these other programs are already working for you, AuctionAds can be a nice additional income stream for you.
10) Great Looking Ads related to your content - AuctionAds can really spice up the look of your website with relevant content. Between the international targeting and the huge inventory of the eBay system its pretty safe to say that AuctionAds is the most flexible advertising program ever.