Total Car Care is the most complete, step-by-step automotive repair manual you’ll ever use. All repair procedures are supported by detailed specifications, exploded views, and photographs. From the simplest repair procedure to the most complex, trust Chilton’s Total Car Care to give you everything you need to do the job. Save time and money by doing it yourself, with the confidence only a Chilton Repair Manual can provide. 
This is a good, inexpensive general reference for those who need to familiarize themselves with the vehicles in this series and who need general information. There are some generalizations, areas which lack detail and errors due to the wide variation in models during the years covered. Expect this manual to provide general information on major systems and general procedures; don’t expect detailed diagrams and specific locations of small parts. The scope of the book over many years and models prevents a high degree of specificity.
This book gives great info on replacing parts, tuning, and many other items.
I have both the Haynes, and Chiltons.
When compared to the “Haynes Manual” this book has more pictures and easier to read, but, lacks ALOT of info. What the part does, how it affects the system, some history on it, and tuning tips are all things the “Haynes Manual” has done better than this guide.
I have a Chilton’s manual that I bought when I had my old mustang. It covers ’87-93 Mustangs and was an INVALUABLE resource when I had that car. In fact, I continue to reference it frequently when I’m doing work on my ’87 Thunderbird, because it’s based off the same chassis and many things are similar. I bought a Hayne’s manual for my Thunderbird and I hated it, so I went back to the Chilton’s for most reference.
So, when I bought my ’94 F-250 diesel, I figured a Chilton’s would be a good investment.
Boy was I wrong!
For starters, my truck is a 7.3L IDI Turbo diesel, which was produced in ’93 and ’94. There is not even a MENTION of this engine in this book. It jumps straight from the naturally aspirated 6.9/7.3 IDI, to the Powerstroke. Now, granted, the Turbo IDI is pretty similar to the n/a IDI, but some mention of the turbo system or something would have been nice.
From there it gets worse. I can’t believe the amount of detail that is nowhere to be found in this book. As another reviewer mentioned, this thing completely omits anything about the fuel filters on the IDI engines. Then, later on in the book, it skips over many other topics. It describes how to remove the instrument cluster, but doesn’t specify which model year it’s talking about, and includes several unnecessary steps while leaving out necessary ones (I removed mine with help from some folks on a message board). No instructions on how to remove the headlights or marker lights are present anywhere in this book…only how to change the headlight bulbs. The exploded assembly diagram for the 4WD front suspension is smaller than a 3×5 index card and it’s impossible to make out any detail. Things like this should have at least half a page dedicated to them! And that’s just what came across for things I’ve been trying to do on my truck so far.
I don’t even understand how you could produce a repair manual that was lacking this many important details.
The product showed up on time
The product packaging was adequate
The product was easy to install
The product worked
I purchased the wrong book. I have a Ford Ranger and this was for full size trucks. It was not the sellers error but my own. They sent what I purchased.
Chiltons books used to help me rebuild engines, transmissions, axles and more. They were very detailed and helpful. When I opened this one to try to troubleshoot the transmission, it says the only thing I am smart enough to do is check the fluid level. Beyond that, I need to go to a mechanic.
Somewhere along the line, Chiltons has become completely worthless. I’m not wasting my time or money on them anymore.
Where can I start, there are so many bad points. First, the paper is very poor quality. The ad section of my local news paper has far better quality. Second, the pictures are awful and many are so poorly lit that what is being described is not visible but in the shadows. Third, the poor paper quality and the poor picture quality make MOST of the photos useless – you just can’t see what is being illustrated clearly enough. Finally, the written content is awful. A great example is when I was reading on how to flush the cooling system. The book instructs to open the radiator petcock (includes a picture where you cannot even make out the petcock) and remove the engine drain plugs. There is absolutely no indications where those drain plugs are located. Not even any lousy pictures to give a clue. Trying to deduce where they are located on an F150 wastes a lot of time. So, in essence, they illustrate the obvious and exclude the more difficult. Sure, a quick internet search provides well illustrated answers but I generally don’t carry my computer when I work on a car – that is why I wanted a useful book.
I have 3 other Chilton’s that are well worn and appreciated. They are not plagued by such glaring shortcomings. I bought those a few years back and maybe that is the difference. As of now, I would never buy another Chilton’s without previewing it.
I have “shade tree’d” my way through over 40 years of Haynes, Chilton and Motor repair manuals. Chilton has gone from being a moderately good reference source for technical data in the early 60’s to a few hundred sheets of disposable shop rags. The offering in question has an almost complete lack of diagnostic information, and is nothing more than a list of vague instructions on how to take your truck apart.
The worst aspect of this over-priced bird cage liner is the illustrations. In an age of life-like digital imaging and computer-aided drafting; my $16 got me a pile of pictures that could well have been reproduced on a 50’s vintage stencil duplicator.
Some of the illustrations are poor or hard to read and the appendix does not list items the way I like, making it harder than necessary to get to the information I am looking for. Overall the information has been there, just hard to dig out sometimes. I bought it for a 90 F250 4×4 that is a work/plow truck and it has been helpful. I wish it had a better troubleshooing section, but for the money it’s not a bad deal. If you can, visually check it out before you buy to see if it covers what you need. I had a chance to look at the big “Chilton general truck manual” and it had some information that this one didn’t but it also had its shortcomings. I don’t know what a Ford Workshop manual costs but if its reasonable and had all the information with better illustrations that would be the best bet for the really in depth information. Again it just depends on how far and deep you want to go in doing your own repairs. Its worth the money just has some shortcomings. If you are going to keep the truck for a long time and really like it then I would probably go for the “real” Ford shop manuals. Find a friendly dealer and check the Ford manuals if can and compare. I probably will not keep this truck long term (for me that means until it dies) so thats why I didn’t pursue the Ford Manuals. Sorry to ramble
I purchased this book to find out how to repair the heater and change the fuel filter on my 1990 diesel F250. It offered no help on either. Trees have fallen in the forest for no good reason.