Charley Helvy
Automotive Expert
Education
- Bachelors of Science, DeVry University, Technical Management
- Associate's Degree, Community College of the Air Force, Applied Science in Vehicle Maintenance
- Graduate, Air Force Vehicle Maintenance Training School
- Certificate of Completion, Diesel Mechanics, Oklahoma Central Technology Center
Certifications & Organizations
- Certified Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Master Heavy Truck Technician
- Certified Automotive Service Excellence Auto Technician
- Certified Automotive Service Excellence Truck Mounted Equipment Technician
Favorite Piece of Advice
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Co-authored Articles (84)
How to
How to Use a Ratchet Strap
Secure your cargo safely and quickly with this simple guideRatchet straps are fasteners used to secure cargo during transport. When used correctly, these straps can support many different weights and cargo sizes. In orde...
How to Turn Traction Control Off: Instructions for Any Vehicle
Stuck in the mud? Here’s how switching off your traction control system might helpTraction control (TC) is an important safety feature of your vehicle, especially when you’re driving through ice, rain, or any other c...
How to
Shift a Semi Truck
Learning to drive a semi truck properly requires lots of training and experience, but if you're curious about the basics of shifting one, you can get a primer on the steps that you'll need to practice if you want to driv...
How to Fix a Parking Brake Light That Won’t Turn Off
Troubleshoot your stubborn parking brake light with these 5 tips You’re leisurely driving down the road when you see your parking brake light illuminating your dashboard. You swear you put your parking brake down, so h...
How to
Replace a Power Window Motor
If one of the power windows in your vehicle fails to function, it may be the result of a broken power window motor. If you have identified the motor as the culprit, replacing it is fairly straight forward: after disconne...
How to
Open a Stuck Car Door
Realizing your car door is jammed can be upsetting, but we're here to help! Whether your door is stuck from the inside or outside, we'll walk you through several solutions can you use to get it open again. We'll also exp...
How to
Drive a Tractor
Tractors come in all sizes with different horsepower engines. Tractors make farming easier and more efficient. You can attach a plow or blower and use your tractor to remove snow, attach a bucket and move wood, stone, or...
How to
Find a Vacuum Leak
When a car has a vacuum leak that means that air is leaking into the engine in places that should be sealed. The leak reduces the engine's overall efficiency and impacts the function of a variety of systems that rely on ...
How to
Tie a Trucker's Hitch
A trucker's hitch is an effective knot for securing heavy loads. It's composed of three parts to give it maximum strength and utility: a loop, a purchase, and two half hitches. Theoretically, it provides a three-to-one ...
How to
Test an Oil Pump
Oil pumps feed the oil through your engine to lubricate all of the components and help them move against one another without wearing excessively and breaking. However, over time, your pump may start to wear down and make...
How to
Replace a Headlight Adjustment Screw
If you have ever traveled a dark road at night, you know the importance of having good headlights to light your way. However, headlights are no use if they are pointed at the scenery or worse, at other drivers. Headlight...
How to
Drive an Excavator
An excavator is a large piece of machinery used to dig dirt and debris out of construction sites. Using one on a construction site requires operator training and a state operator license. To get started, become familiar ...
What Does the Check Gauges Light Mean?
Learn how to troubleshoot and shut off your check gauge indicator While it’s not as serious or ominous as the dreaded check engine light, the “check gauges” light is still a cause for concern. It indicates that the...
How to
Lock Your Car and Why
Most cars can be locked both manually and automatically, but regardless of how you do it, locking your car is one of the simplest and most important actions you can take to prevent theft and improve safety. You should al...
How to
Drive a Forklift
Forklifts are more likely to tip over and harder to steer than cars, making them more difficult to drive safely. After practicing how to drive and learning how to handle the forklift, you’ll be able to lift and carry h...
What Causes White Smoke from Your Muffler (or Engine Bay)?
''Diagnose and fix issues causing white smoke''Seeing a thin cloud of white smoke appear in the rearview mirror on a cold or humid day is normal—in most cases, the smoke is just water vapor. However, if a thick, persis...
How to
Change Your Air Filter
Your car needs air just as much as it needs fuel; air filters keep the inside of the engine free of dust and insects. Replace or clean your air filter at the recommended interval to keep air flowing freely and your car r...
How to
Test Glow Plugs
Glow plugs preheat the air in the combustion chamber in diesel engines so that they start faster when they are cold. If your engine is having trouble starting or you see smoke coming from your exhaust, then one or more o...
How to
Measure a Pulley Belt Size
Pulley belts, also known as V-belts, are rubber belts wrapped around a set of pulleys that transmit force as an engine rotates the pulleys. In order to replace or install the proper belt for your pulleys, you need to hav...
How to Fit a Clutch Plate: Everything Home Mechanics Need to Know
The clutch plate is the mechanical device that allows you to shift gears in a manual transmission, and over time, it can wear down. If you notice your car is struggling to change gears, your vehicle vibrates, or it does...