06/26 2008, Thursday

All about Auto Radiators

Radiators are types of heat exchangers designed for the purpose of cooling and heating. Radiators are mostly used to function in automobiles. An automotive radiator is a vital component for your cars cooling system. Without a properly functioning radiator any automobile vehicle is going to overheat. To operate properly it must be clean and clear of blockages and there must be no leaks in the system. As compared to the human body, the arteries can clog due to excess eating of fatty foods, the passages in your vehicle's cooling system can also get clogged due to lack of maintenance.

Automobile radiator coolant is a mix of anti-freeze and water. Using radiator coolant helps to avoid engine overheating. It is very important that the correct coolant is used and that it is well maintained to ensure long life from your radiator. The coolant must also have the right mix of water and antifreeze to provide adequate freezing and boiling protection, and the proper amount of corrosion inhibitors to protect against rust, oxidation and electrolysis. It is recommended not to not mix coolants because combining them may neutralize the effect of the chemical protection. While checking the radiator, ensure that the hoses are not leaking, cracked, bulging or squishy. If they are, they will need to be replaced.

A cooling system flush should be considered preventive maintenance, and not a cure for a cooling system. A quick, inexpensive radiator flush can keep the system in shape.

If your radiator has a leak you can purchase a can of leak sealer but its best to take it to a specialist for repair or get an exchange unit.

 

 

05/14 2008, Wednesday

Car Tuning tip for Girls On the Go

Car tuning is obtaining the highest performance out of your vehicle. Whether you hold a rare or just a typical car, with a number of car tuning information and parts, you can not only boost the performance of your car with no trouble, but creates more fun to drive as well as attracting others.

http://www.amber-performance.co.uk/media/08092006114801.jpg

Tuning cars is like rock and roll in which a lot of gentleman gets attraction to girls. Just many girls love to rock. Just most of the girls love rock musicians, there are many girls there like the guys that drive high performance vehicles. Car tuning nearly pledges attracting interest to your car, by means of a showy body kit or a loudening muffler, heads will absolutely turn when you tune vehicles. Did you ever notice that there is constantly a gorgeous girl standing near a high performance car? That is not a coincidence.

Back to the topic about car maintenance tips for girls, Mark Lundquist speaks he has been in industry of auto mechanic more than 15 years. "Every day is Ladies' Day around here," Lundquist assumed.

One of the easiest things a female, or every driver, can do is to familiarize their automobile manual, understand and read it. This manual provides information about the whole thing from exterior, exterior and electric repair or problems.

Additional main thing for ladies to be familiar is about their cars is how to test and check the oil. If you have low oil levels while driving, it can cause to damage your vehicles engine.

Another thing is if your old parts are shown to you, you can truly believe that they have been changed. Moreover, ask lot of questions. If your inquiries appear to be frustrating the mechanic, you may want to consider getting your car in another mechanic.

"Women are the best at shopping and calling around for the best deal," Lindquist said. If this is so it should hold true for finding the best mechanic. Basic car maintenance is important, it includes easy products for washing and waxing your car or heavy duty events that results on extreme condition while most car safeguarding can be done by car tuning persons, there are certainly circumstances where you want an expert to help out or give exact services.

 

05/07 2008, Wednesday

No To Car Repair Rip Offs

One of the greatest ways to stay away rip-offs is to be ready, prepared and organized on your decision. To be familiar with how your car works as well as to recognize most ordinary vehicle troubles is a start. Also, it is very important and key to identify then hire a good and reputable auto repair mechanic and technician, what types of repair questions to inquire, and your customer rights to resort of action. These are some of the necessary information and details each one must know.

 

http://www.repairtrust.com/images/myths_ebook1_small.jpg

 

1. The Estimate 

A lot of people believe the primary pace in having their automobile fixed is calling and going to many shop repairs to attain the inexpensive estimate.

False. No law or moral standard declares you’ll be required to have your automobile refurbished at the "low-priced" place.

2. The Direct Repair  

Lots of Insurance companies includes recommendation or some says "preferred shop" programs have come up to repair shops and, in swapping for markdowns price, installing of fake parts and further cost-cutting procedure.

3. The "Approved List"  

If you decide to go on a shop that doesn't "participate" in company plans, you'll possibly be told by the “insurance company” that your chosen repair store is not recommended on their “list” or that they may told you that it is not a "efficiently handle" your claim due to your choice.

You can also get some information about The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the American Automobile Association (AAA), and the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), to deliver very informative details concerning your vehicles that can assist you maintain your auto repair mistakes.

 

02/12 2008, Tuesday

Overheating Causes N’ Cures

 
 
How hot is too hot? And if the engine is hotter than what is expected, what are you supposed to do?

The answer to those queries could save you from a life threatening auto experience. It’s always great to know the causes and cures so as not to fret and panic. To give a clear premise, here is a brief discussion …

Causes:

Overheating may be caused by anything that decreases the cooling system's aptitude to take in, transfer and disperse heat. Causes include faulty thermostat, low coolant level, coolant leak, poor heat conductivity inside the engine, poor airflow through the radiator, slipping fan clutch, inoperative electric cooling fan, eroded/loose water pump impeller, or defective radiator cap.

Overheating can also cause preignition. Additionally, another consequence of overheating may be a blown head gasket. Be cautious. Be very cautious.

So how about the cures?

Cures:

* Thermostat –
Severe overheating can often damage a good thermostat. If the engine has overheated because of another problem, therefore, the thermostat should be tested or replaced before the engine is returned to service.

* Cooling system leaks – Make a careful visual inspection of the entire cooling system, and then Pressure Test the cooling system and radiator cap. A pressure test will reveal internal leaks such as seepage past the head gasket as well as cracks in the head or block. A good system should hold 12 to 15 psi for 15 minutes or more with no loss in pressure. If it leaks pressure, there is an internal coolant leak (most likely a bad head gasket but possibly also a cracked cylinder or engine block).

* Fan –
With an electric cooling fan, check to see that the fan cycles on when the engine gets hot and when the air conditioner is on. If the fan fails to come on, check the fan motor wiring connections, relay and temperature sensor. Try jumping the fan directly to the battery. If it runs, the problem is in the wiring, relay or sensor. If it fails to run, the fan motor is bad and needs to be replaced.

* Water pump
– Any wobble in the pump shaft or seepage would call for replacement. In some instances, a pump can cause an engine to overheat if the impeller vanes are badly eroded due to corrosion or if the impeller has come loose from the shaft. The wrong pump may also cause an engine to overheat. Some engines with serpentine drive belts require a special water pump that turns in the opposite direction of those used on the same engine with ordinary V-belts.
water pump erosion

* Belts & hoses – Check belt tension and condition. Sometimes a lower radiator hose will collapse under vacuum at high speed and restrict the flow of coolant from the radiator into the engine. This can happen if the reinforcing spring inside the hose is missing or damaged.

If you want a more comprehensive discussion on this matter visit aaa1car.com. More tips here.

02/07 2008, Thursday

Things You Should Notice

There are thousands of auto parts that need to work properly to have a well-functioning vehicle. This means that you have to check every little thing to make sure that your vehicle will run perfectly each and every time. But then, that would be really time consuming so, instead, you should pay attention to the really important things.

But what are these essential things that we should look out for? India Mart, an Indian site has this list which I know will also be of great help even to American auto owners.

 

  • Engine Oil: To prevent engine deterioration, it is imperative that the engine maintains the amount of oil it is programmed to receive. Negligence in this aspect will lead to a deteriorating engine performance, resulting in falling mileage.
  • Lights: It is important for the lights to be properly focused, for your own and for the oncoming vehicle's safety. Travel on low beam so that it does not obstruct your view instead of helping you along.
  • Tyre Pressure: The required amount of air pressure needs to be strictly maintained if your car is to get the right mileage and pick-up.
  • Water: If your engine uses water for cooling, take care to ensure that it is regularly changed. Water can also be used for cleaning the windshield.

 

These tips are really easy to follow and they also make sense. Following these simple tip scan save you a lot of money in repairs. Remember that it is better to keep your vehicle running perfectly and plopping small amount of money here and there for maintenance instead of shelling out a small fortune for repairs.

01/30 2008, Wednesday

Murphy's Law, Auto Repair: How Do You Reconcile?

“Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong."

That’s the adage that will keep us pretty cautious. Yes, Murphy’s Law is etching a solid legroom in the mind to remind us to be careful…always.

True, "anything that can go wrong, will…at the worst possible time.” So how do you reconcile the adage with doing auto repairs? You find it difficult?

To make it easy, Matthew Wright of About.com has given his version of Murphy Law application in auto repairs:

   1. Nothing is as easy as it looks.
   2. Everything takes longer than you think.
   3. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
   4. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. Corollary: If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then.
   5. You never run out of things that can go wrong.
   6. If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.
   7. If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.
   8. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
   9. It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
  10. Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
  11. Every solution breeds new problems.

The thing is to make things simple and go straight to the point. Then, repairs won’t be that taxing and complex. It pays off to do things trouble-free.

01/22 2008, Tuesday

Blown Head Gasket

Let us talk about engines today shall we?  Well, do you know that it is composed of the cylinder head and the cylinder block although the oil pan is sometimes mentioned in the same sentence?  Anyway, let us talk about that thing which you can find between the cylinder head and the cylinder block.

If you take it apart, you will see that it has a cylinder head gasket.  The purpose of that thing is to keep a tight seal between the head and the block.  It is important that it does not blow as it will be very expensive to replace.  Apart from that, a blown head basket also means that your engine has other problems.  And of course, you will have to repair those problems apart from replacing a head gasket.

But why do head gaskets suddenly blow?  Well, one reason is if the engine continues overheating.  If an engine operates at an abnormally high temperature, the head gasket has the tendency to break in its thinnest part.

The result of this is that the compression will be reduced as air will escape through the crack on the gasket.  What that means is that the power that will be produced upon combustion will drop.  While the engine will still run, it will not be running smoothly and it will be producing far less power than it would if you have a perfect head gasket.

Another result of a blown head gasket is coolant seeping into the crankcase or the cylinder.  You do not want coolant on these parts as it will dilute the oil which is needed for lubrication.  If oil is diluted by the coolant, it will be less effective in protecting metal parts from too much wear.  Thus, it would be a very good rule to prevent your engine from overheating.

 

01/10 2008, Thursday

Clear A Clogged Windshield Washers

In some occasions, if you’re not that lucky, one of your windshield washers’ nozzle can clog up. Do not take this thing for granted because this can create possible dangerous circumstances. But don’t sweat it out too much since the remedy for this problem is simple. It can be fixed as easy as ABC! Here are the steps you should follow on how to clear a clogged windshield washers.

First things first! You’ll need some tools in doing this task. Get a canned air (available at office supply stores), small screwdriver, small needlenose pliers and windshield washer fluid.

Steps

•Don’t forget to fill your washer fluid. Check it twice if you’re not sure. 
•Classify the congested nozzle. Find out if the clog is in the nozzle or in the line feeding the nozzle. The clog is not in the line if one of the two nozzles is blocked.

•Push the tube away the can of air next to the nozzle and give it a nice blow until you hear some bubbles start to appear in the washer fluid reservoir.

•Aim for the washers. There are tendencies that at this very moment, the effects are taking in.

•Make use of the pliers and screwdriver to get rid of the tube from underneath of the nozzle assembly if this does not work. It may require replacing the nozzle assembly, which only cost two dollars at some auto shops nearby and a couple minutes of your time.

Canned compressed air happens to match with a loud tube that just takes place to go with the size of the small nozzles for your windshield washers. Make use of that fact to get a superior seal.

 

01/07 2008, Monday

Overheating Engine

It happens to the best of us.  Even if you have taken all precautions and followed all maintenance tips, there is still a chance that your engine will overheat.  The reason of course is that fuel is being burned inside the engine and it is the job of the cooling system to keep it in the right operating temperature.

And it is also the task of your temperature gauge and warning light to warn you if you are running the risk of overheating your engine.  And if you see that warning light, well, lighting up, here's what to do according to this site:
  • Stop driving immediately, pull over to the side of the road, shut the engine off and wait for things to cool down.
  • After things have cooled down (wait at least half an hour or more), then you can open the radiator cap and check the coolant level if you think it might be low. Place a rag over the cap first, and slowly turn the cap until it stops at the first detent. This should allow residual pressure to be released. Wait until all pressure has been released before removing the cap the rest of the way.
  • Add water to the radiator if it is low. Actually, you should add a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water to maintain the proper freezing, boilover and corrosion protection. But in most cases when this happens, it’s an emergency situation and you don’t have a jug of antifreeze handy. If that’s the case, you’ll have to add antifreeze later.
  • Visually inspect the system for leaks. Common leak points include radiator and heater hoses, the water pump and the radiator. Internal leaks (such as a crack in the head or engine) can’t be seen and can only be diagnosed by pressure testing the cooling system.

01/03 2008, Thursday

Doing Auto Repairs…

Auto repairs could be a pain in the neck. Yeah, that’s true especially to those who know nothing about them. Actually, you need not shell out a considerable some to pay auto repairs. How?

Wikihow share the secrets…

1. Check engine or service engine soon light on? Before you spend a lot of money, try this --- remove your gas cap and retighten it, a loose or bad seal on the gas cap can set an evap code in your cars ecm or ecu causing a check engine or service engine soon light to come on.

2. Loosen the negative terminal on your battery for 2 or 3 minutes, then reconnect your battery term. This will reset your cars ecm or pcm, if there is no serious problem the ck eng or srvc eng light will stay off, if the light comes back on, you have other problems, the next most common cause is a clogged or inop e.g.r valve.

Warnings:
As with any vehicle use common sense, also you will lose your radio and other preset items on your car when you disconnect your battery...

And by the way, your knowledge should be coupled with preventive maintenance. What is it all about? Well, here’s a quick question and answer excerpt from a trusted source:

What are the consequences of postponing maintenance?

* Since many parts of your vehicle are inter-related, ignoring maintenance can lead to failure of other parts or an entire system. Neglecting even simple preventive maintenance, such as changing the oil or checking the coolant, can lead to poor fuel economy, unreliability, or costly breakdowns, and could invalidate your warranty.

What maintenance guidelines should you follow to avoid costly repairs?

* The best way to keep a vehicle in good condition is to follow the manufacturer's maintenance schedule in your owner's manual for your type of driving. If you do not have an owner's manual, contact the manufacturer to obtain one or to get a recommended maintenance schedule.

* Some repair shops create their own maintenance schedules, which call for more frequent servicing than the manufacturer's recommendations. Compare shop maintenance schedules with those recommended in your owner's manual. Ask the repair shop to explain - and make sure you understand - why it recommends service beyond the recommended schedule.


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