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The 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix (available as a two-door coupe or a four-door sedan) typically has a six-cylinder 3.8-liter engine. The purpose of the ignition module is to control the electrical current to the spark plugs. The ignition module in the 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix is on top of the engine. The procedure for replacing the ignition module is similar for all Pontiac Grand Prix models with a 3.8-liter engine made from 1997 to 2000.

Instructions

1

Disconnect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench. This will reduce the risk of electrocution while replacing the ignition assembly.

2

Label the wires to the spark plugs with tape to facilitate the installation of the new ignition module. You must reconnect the spark plug wires to their correct locations on the ignition assembly. Disconnect the spark plug wires from the ignition coils.

3

Remove the mounting screws for the ignition coils with a socket wrench and disconnect the ignition coils from the ignition module. Remove the fasteners for the ignition module and disconnect it from the engine.

4

Install the ignition coils to the new ignition module and fasten the retaining screws for the ignition coil. Torque the retaining screws to 40 inch-lbs. with a torque wrench.

5

Connect the spark plug wires to the ignition coils according to the labels you made in step 2. Attach the cable to the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench.

If the thermostat in the 2002 Dodge Grand Caravan malfunctions, the engine may not warm up properly and you may not be able to heat the cabin of the vehicle. This is annoying for the driver and passengers, especially if the thermostat fails in the winter. If the thermostat fails, replace the thermostat as quickly as possible to prevent extended use of the vehicle without proper engine heating.

Instructions

1

Drain two gallons of radiator fluid from the radiator via the petcock on the bottom of the radiator. You can reuse the fluid later so use a clean container.

2

Locate the thermostat by following the upper radiator hose from the radiator to the housing on the engine.

3

Pry the clamp off the hose with a pair of pliers. Pull the hose off the housing.

4

Remove the bolts that secure the housing to the Caravans engine with a socket and ratchet. Pull the housing off the engine.

5

Pull the thermostat out of the engine. Remove and discard the thermostat gasket.

6

Clean the surface of the thermostat housing and the engine with a clean towel.

7

Install the new gasket. Put the new thermostat into the hole.

8

Place the thermostat housing on top of the gasket. Thread the bolts into the housing with your fingers. Tighten the bolts with the socket and ratchet.

9

Slide the hose onto the housing. Secure the hose with the clamp.

10

Pour the radiator fluid back into the radiator.

The Pontiac Grand Am SE came standard with a 150-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, but did have an optional 170-horsepower, 3.4-liter V-6 engine, which some people know as the 3400 V-6. The 2000 Grand Am SE used a muffler-like component, the catalytic converter, to convert the toxic gasses in the exhaust to less harmful ones. Replacing the cat on the 2000 Grand Am SE 3400 is a straightforward task, thanks to the vehicles simple exhaust design.

Instructions

Removal

1

Allow the vehicle to sit until the engine is cool to the touch, then allow it to sit for an additional hour to allow the exhaust and catalytic converter to cool completely.

2

Lift the front of the Grand Am with a floor jack and slide jack stands under its subframe. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.

3

Crawl under the center of the vehicle and find the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assembly. Position a pair of jack stands under the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assembly to support it.

4

Remove the three bolts securing the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assembly to the intermediate pipe -- the pipe to the rear of the catalytic converter -- using a ratchet and socket.

5

Unfasten the two bolts securing the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assembly to the exhaust manifold crossover pipe, which is the pipe connecting the front and rear exhaust manifolds, using a ratchet and socket. Slowly lower the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assembly and remove it from the vehicle.

6

Pull the old gaskets from the crossover and intermediate pipes, if needed, and scour the mating surfaces of both pipes with a wire brush.

Installation

7

Crawl under the vehicle with the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assembly in hand and set the assembly on the jack stands to hold it in place.

8

Line up the bolt holes in the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assemblys front-most flange with those in the crossover pipes flange. Slide a new gasket between the flanges, aligning the gaskets bolt holes with those in the flanges, and hand-tighten the two retaining bolts.

9

Align the bolt holes on the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assemblys rearmost flange with those on the intermediate pipes flange. Slide a new gasket between the flanges, aligning the bolt holes in the gasket with those in the flanges, and hand-tighten the bolts.

10

Tighten all five of the catalytic converter-and-front pipe assemblys retaining bolts to 25 foot-pounds using a torque wrench and socket.

11

Raise the Grand Am off the jack stands and remove the stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

The engine accessories on the Dodge Grand Caravan are controlled by a single wide accessory belt that travels around each accessory pulley at the same time. The belt is designed in a manner that makes it possible for the single belt to control all of the accessories at the same exact time. As the belt turns around each accessory pulley, each accessory performs its designated operation. The excessive turning of the belt around the pulleys can cause fraying and cracking. Replace the belt as soon as any damage to the belt is visible.

Instructions

1

Inspect the top center portion of the plastic radiator guard for the diagram that explains the routing instructions for the single accessory belt, also known as a serpentine belt.

2

Inspect the front of the motor and find the belt tensioner device that is keeping the belt tight inside of the accessory pulleys. Use the bolt that connects the pulley to the end of the tensioner arm to release the tension from the accessory belt.

3

Pivot the belt tensioner device counterclockwise with a breaker bar and a socket. Pull the belt out from under the tensioner pulley. Slowly release the tension from the breaker bar until the tensioner device stops moving.

4

Unwrap the belt from each accessory pulley. Slide the belt around the fan blades, and out of the engine well. Match the new and old belt together to ensure the correct size of the new belt.

5

Maneuver the belt around each of the fan blades and around each accessory pulley by following the routing directions exactly as described from the belt routing diagram.

6

Pivot the tensioner device counterclockwise with the breaker bar and socket. Pull the belt around the tensioner pulley, and release the tension from the breaker bar. As the tensioner pulley is springing back against the belt, the tensioner device will tighten the belt to the proper tension. Take the breaker bar off of the tensioner, and remove it from the engine well.

7

Crank the engine, and let it to run for about 20 seconds or so. This will finish seating the ribs of the belt to the inside of the accessory pulley grooves. Shut the engine off.

The 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix houses two headlight bulbs per drivers side and passenger side headlight assembly. The low beam bulbs are located on the fender side of the headlight assemblies and the high beam bulbs are on the grill side of the assemblies. Allow the bulbs look exactly alike, they require different automotive part numbers for low and high beam bulbs. Because of this, inspecting the position of the faulty headlight in the assembly and buying the correct bulb will make the repair that much easier.

Instructions

1

Park the Grand Prix on a flat surface, apply the parking brake and ensure both the engine and headlight switches are off.

2

Open the hood and approach the headlight assembly with the faulty headlight bulb.

3

Locate the headlight assembly retaining clip. Its behind the headlight assembly on top on the fender side. Lift the clip upward halfway to release the headlight assembly.

4

Pull the assembly out being careful not to scratch the paint on the fender or the lens of the assembly.

5

Reach behind the assembly and disconnect the wire connection and plug from the headlight bulb socket.

6

Turn the socket of the bulb counterclockwise 1/4-turn to remove the composite bulb from the assembly. Discard the bulb.

7

Install the replacement bulb into the assembly (handling the plastic socket part only -- oil in skin will damage the glass bulb of halogen bulbs because of the intense heat they burn at), but ensure the tabs of the socket end of the bulb are aligned with the notches in the assembly before turning it clockwise and locking the bulb into place.

8

Plug the wire connection back into the socket of the bulb before replacing the assembly back into place and pushing down on the retaining clip. Test the headlight bulb for operation before closing the hood.

In 1993, Jeep upped the ante in the SUV market by releasing the Grand Cherokee, a more luxurious mid-sized SUV. The 2002 Grand Cherokee came standard with a 195-horsepower, 4.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine. Being an in-line-six engine, federal emission regulations require just two oxygen sensors, one upstream and one downstream. Replacing the two oxygen sensors in a federal emission-compliant 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a straightforward process, but it may require additional heat for those hard-to-remove sensors.

Instructions

Upstream Sensor Removal Bank 1, Sensor 1

1

Park the Grand Cherokee on a flat surface and allow it to sit until the engine is completely cool. Allow the vehicle to sit for an additional hour to let the exhaust pipes cool.

2

Lift the front of the Grand Cherokee with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the SUV onto the frame rails.

3

Crawl under the front of the Jeep until you have a good view of the bottom of the down pipe the pipe that bolts to the exhaust manifold. Find the upstream oxygen sensor screwed into the bottom of the exhaust manifold, near the front of the transmission.

4

Trace the sensors wiring until you reach where its harness connects to the Grand Cherokees harness. Unplug the oxygen sensors wiring harness from the Grand Cherokees wiring harness.

5

Unscrew the oxygen sensor from the exhaust down pipe, using a ratchet and oxygen sensor socket. If the sensor is seized, heat its base with a propane torch, then loosen it. Once the sensor cools, unscrew the sensor from the pipe.

Upstream Sensor Installation Bank 1, Sensor 1

6

Thread the new oxygen sensor into the down pipe by hand, then tighten it to 22 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

7

Connect the oxygen sensors wiring harness to the Grand Cherokees harness.

8

Raise the SUV off the jack stands and remove the stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

Downstream Sensor Removal Bank 1, Sensor 2

9

Lift the front of the Grand Cherokee off the ground with a floor jack and position jack stands under its frame rails. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.

10

Position yourself under the vehicle, just behind the transmission and toward the passengers side. Find the catalytic converter, the muffler-like component attached to the exhaust pipe. Find the downstream oxygen sensor, which screws into the exhaust pipe right after the catalytic converter.

11

Trace the downstream oxygen sensors wiring upward until you find where it connects to the Grand Cherokees wiring harness. Unplug the oxygen sensors wiring harness from the Grand Cherokees harness.

12

Remove the oxygen sensor by unscrewing it from the exhaust pipe, using a ratchet and oxygen sensor socket. If the sensor is seized, heat its base with a propane torch, then loosen it. Allow the sensor to sit until it is cool, then continue removing it.

Downstream Sensor Installation Bank 1, Sensor 2

13

Thread the new oxygen sensor into the exhaust pipe by hand, then tighten it to 22 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and oxygen sensor socket.

14

Connect the oxygen sensors wiring harness to the Grand Cherokees wiring harness.

15

Lift the SUV off of the jack stands and remove the stands. Lower the vehicle to the ground.

The charcoal canister -- technically called the EVAP canister -- is part of the vehicles evaporative emission control system. It works with the natural vacuum leak detection (NVLD) pump to store gas vapors and keep them out of the atmosphere. This canister should last as long as the vehicle, but you may need to remove it to work on other components like the fuel tank. On the Jeep Grand Cherokee, it is mounted to the vehicle with multiple brackets and connected through hoses. This procedure may vary depending on the vehicles exact year.

Instructions

1

Raise the vehicles rear end using a floor jack and support it on jack stands. The charcoal canister is directly in front of the fuel tank, which is on the side of the vehicle with the filler door, and the hoses/wiring are connected on the canisters left side.

2

Squeeze the inner edges on the release tabs to the EVAP hoses light-colored connector to release their locking teeth from the canister pipes raised ridge. Pull the connector off the pipe to disconnect the hose.

3

Push the sliding lock on the NVLD pumps electrical connector away from the pump and toward the wiring harness to move it to the release position. Press the release tab near the lock and pull the connector off to disconnect the electrical connector.

4

Disconnect the filter hose from the NVLD pump, which is on the opposite side of the electrical connector.

5

Press the locking tabs at the canisters right-side mounting brackets with a screwdriver to disengage the canister from the brackets.

6

Swing the canisters right end out and away from the vehicle and disengage the mounting slot from the tab at the left mounting bracket to remove the canister.