How to Choose the Right Motor Oil
All car engines need oil for not only lubrication but also to prevent the internal temperature from going up drastically due to all the friction and heat. Normally the oil keeps lying below in a pan but as soon as the car starts to run (when the engine is running), the oil is drawn from this pan and taken to all parts of the engine for its lubrication. The moving oil keeps the temperatures down to keep the engine cool while driving. If you have ever taken your car for a service after some time, there is a perfunctory oil change involved in this service. This is necessary for your car to perform at optimum levels. You give a lazy nod to the mechanic and he changes the oil as you do not know much about the various types of oils available in the market.
Do not think twice when it is time to change the motor oil
Engine oil is the lifeblood of your vehicle. It is akin to the blood running through your body and arteries. Choosing the right kind of motor oil is critical for the health of your engine as right oil prevents major breakdowns and repairs thereby saving your hard earned money. Knowing how important oil is for the engine of your car, it is the desire of every car owner to get the best engine oil for his car, though at affordable prices. If you evince interest in engine oil and try to look at the products available in the market, you will be overwhelmed with choices. In fact, you will become more confused as to which product and brand of motor oil your should place inside the engine of your car. There are basically 4 types of engine oils that are conventional, synthetic, synthetic blend, and motor oil that is designed for high mileage.
So what are the things you should look at when buying the right engine oil for your car? Picking up a product from the self of a shop selling engine oils is not an easy joke, but here is a list of things that you should look at or keep in mind before finalizing a product or a brand.
Viscosity of the oil
Viscosity of oil is its property whereby it provides resistance to free flow. There is a number representing its viscosity during winters and at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you see 10W30 as the viscosity of the oil, you can assume that it is less viscous than an oil reading 20W50. Number before W is the viscosity during winters and after W is the viscosity at boiling point of water. Oil naturally thickens during winters and becomes thin during summers. Take a look at the recommended levels of viscosity by the car manufacturer to select the right oil with just the viscosity the engine requires.
Do not be confused by different nomenclature
If you are confused looking at synthetic and conventional oil labels, there is no need to be as synthetic oils are as good as conventional oils. If anything, these oils are designed to work well even under extreme weather conditions. If you live in a state with chilly weather conditions, it is better to use synthetic motor oil. This oil flows not matter what the temperature outside is. However, synthetic oil is obviously more expensive than conventional oil.
Conventional oil
This kind of motor oil works well in average weather conditions. The molecules are irregular in size and shape in comparison to synthetic oils that have uniformly sized molecules. This is petroleum based oil mixed with lubricating oils.
How to Change a vehicle’s fuse
What is a fuse
A car has many electrical equipments being operated from the battery connected to each other by different kinds of wires to make complex circuits. All these circuits consist of a small component called the fuse, which protects the circuit from overloads. The fuse is basically a wire housed in a connector. In case of an overload the fuse burns out and hence the circuit breaks thereby saving the equipments. In short a fuse commits suicide in order to save the vehicle’s life.
Types of fuses in a car
Depending upon the make and the model of your car, there might be two types of fuses that are used in cars. One is a glass cylinder with stainless steel on its ends and the other one is a plastic case with a fusible link housed on it. Older cars use the glass fuse while the newer models have the plastic fuse installed in them.
Do not panic
A blown fuse is not a cause enough to create a chaotic situation. It is cheap, readily available in the market and easy to replace. A blown fuse signals that something or the other is not working. It may be the rear lights, the turn indicators, the radio or any other electrical system. So, now you know that if electrical equipment or a sensor is not working the first thing to be checked is the fuse.
Find the Fuse panel
The owner’s manual of the car will guide you to find and locate the fuse panel. Commonly it is situated under the steering wheel or in the engine block but its location changes from one vehicle to the other. Usually it is made of plastic and is cubical in shape. Once you flip open the cover of the panel, you will see a colourful bunch of fuses plugged in a definite pattern. Using the fuse panel diagram in the manual, you can easily find out which fuse corresponds to which electrical component.
Unplug the burnt fuse
Corresponding to the equipment which is not working, plug out the blown fuse. You can easily note the broken wire in the fuse. This is the faulty fuse that needs to be changed. If you car had come with “pullers”, you can use them to pull out the burnt fuse. In case, you do not have one, pliers will work just fine. Please be careful you need to put back an exact identical copy of the fuse into the panel. If you do not have spare fuses, you can get it from an auto parts shop.
Changing the fuse
Now you need to replace the fuse by fixing it in the same slot from where the burnt fuse was removed and press hard. Cover the panel box. Please remember that if the fuse is not available you can use an identical fuse from the same fuse box which corresponds to less used equipment and you can fix the missing fuse later on. You can always purchase some extra fuses and store them in the panel box or the tool box.
Now you can turn your car’s ignition on and check whether the faulty circuit and the equipments are working fine.
When to see a mechanic
If the problem is fixed and you find all equipments working fine just as before, you can relax and enjoy the painless drive as before but if the problem persists or if the same fuse blows out repeatedly in a short span of time, you need to visit a mechanic. The car has some other problem that is above the level of replacing a burnt fuse.
How do you find that the A/C system is leaking refrigerant
Leakage of coolant from the A/C system of cars is a very common problem. Most of us ignore the cause and get the refrigerant refilled but we are not aware of its consequences. Leakage in the A/C permits the entry of moisture and air into the system. Moisture reacts with the coolant to form acids, which destroy the compressor. Secondly, the refrigerant is expensive and filling it up every time hurts the pocket a lot. Most importantly, the leaked refrigerant gradually reaches the stratosphere and damages the ozone layer. The main constituent of refrigerant is CFC which depletes Ozone. Hence, by not bothering about the leakage of refrigerant in our A/C systems, you bring harm to the environment.
Leakage of refrigerant
If the A/C in your car is not able to keep the temperatures under control as it used to do earlier, there might be a leakage of the refrigerant. Before thinking of spending money, you should inspect the system for small faults.
First Method
The most common method is observing and looking for oil stains around the assembly.
The places you need to check are
1) Compressor Assembly
The shaft, seal and Compressor together form an assembly. During the leakage of refrigerant, the oil contained inside will be thrown away from the rod, near the engine and nearby spots due to rotational motion of the assembly under strong centrifugal force. You need to check these spots for oil and filth. If you find any, this trace clearly indicates leakage of coolant from the compressor block. Now that you know the faulty region, you can go for diagnosis and get it fixed.
2) Evaporator
The evaporator has a drain hole to send out the entire residue called the condensate. If there is a leakage of the refrigerant from the A/C, there are chances of leakage of oil through this drain hole as well.
You need to touch and feel around this drain hole and if you find oil present over there, there is a problem with the evaporator and it needs to be fixed.
3) Connections
After the A/C has been turned off and the system has cooled down a bit, you can look for oil traces below all the connections. If oil is found, take steps to get the connections repaired.
Second Method
Another method of tracing the leakage is adding some leak detecting dyes to the system and then observing the visible area for the coloured dye near the connecting pipes. But this method is not as efficient as dyes fail to show leaks in the evaporator and any other internal system.
Third Method
The third method which is more efficient and used by professional technicians is using electronic leak detectors to find out the leakage. Electronic leak detectors depend upon system pressure for their working.
Depending on the temperature outside, the normal pressure at rest is between 60 to 95 PSI. This means that the pressure in the lower side is higher at rest than as compared to at the time of normal operation. Similarly the pressure on the higher side is low at rest. So, you must take care of the side (low or high) to test with the electronic leak detector when the system is operating and when the system is at rest.
When there is leakage of the coolant, it evaporates and gets dissolved into air. The electronic leak detector senses the refrigerant present in the air. These are very sensitive devices, due to which they are very efficient. They are able to sense even a small leakage like ¼ oz. of refrigerant leaking annually.
When Your Timing Belt Replacement Can Spell Disaster
You may have been driving a car for the last several years but chances are that you draw a blank when asked about the timing belt of your car. It is a very important part of the engine of your car that keeps the camshaft and crank shaft in sync with each other to keep the engine running smoothly. With use and passage of time, this timing belt becomes loose and in worst scenario, it can even break down prompting replacement or repair. Many car manufacturers have replaced timing belts with timing chains to overcome the problem of belt loosening with time. However, if your car is making use of a timing belt, make sure you get it inspected after certain mileage recommended by the company to avoid ay mishap or major breakdown.
Do not risk your life with the broken timing belt
Broken timing belts result in collisions and severe accidents and it is only in the best scenario that the car pulls up on the side of the road on its own. The engine of the car stops functioning in such cases with the driver losing his control over the vehicle. To avoid facing such a scenario, it is in your interest to carry out regular maintenance of your timing belt.
The timing belt regulates opening and closing of the valves of the engine of your car through a perfect timing between the crank shaft and the cam shaft. When the belt becomes loose, it makes the engine work harder and this strain on the engine is reflected in the poor performance of the car. Even if you know nothing about the timing belt of your car, you can assume that the belt needs tightening or replacement when you see a very high exhaust coming out of your car.
Timing belt has a life span
This means that you should not wait till the timing belt finally snaps as even the loose belt can wreck havoc on the performance of the car. The thing to remember is that timing belt ages and becomes loose with use also. In fact, most car manufacturers give maximum 7 years as the life of the timing belt that they use in their cars. This means that even if you drive small distances to cover just 20-30 thousand miles in 7 years, you have to replace the belt.
Replace other components associated with the timing belt also
Replacing a timing belt is not an easy joke and it takes some time also. It is always prudent to get it replaced by an authorized mechanic of the company. Timely Replacement of the timing belt of your car is a much less expensive proposition than replacing it once it has broken as it leads to severe and irreparable damage to many other engine parts. It is not just the timing belt but also many other components associated with this belt that is equally important from the point of view of the performance of the engine. Some of the more important ones are the idler pulley, tensioner pulley, the tensioner, and the water pump.
Some companies suggest replacing the aged belt alone to overcome the problems associated with timing. However, though there is a lot of saving for you if you replace only the timing belt, it is always better to replace other components associated with the timing belt at the time of replacement.
To avoid a compromise with the performance of your car on account of a loose timing belt or a massive and costly repair once it snaps, it is always better to get it timely replaced.
How do I know if my alternator is charging properly?
What is an Alternator
An alternator is a device which uses a rotor and a stator along with diodes to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy and gives output in form of alternating current .This current is converted to direct current and is used to charge the battery of your car. The battery starts the alternator after which the battery is again charged using the alternator continuously. So, if the alternator goes bad the battery will die out after travelling some miles and the result will be a breakdown.
Locate the Alternator
As you flip open the bonnet of your car, your battery and the alternator will be visible clearly. It has a pulley and a belt attached to it.
To check whether the alternator is charging the battery properly
- You should turn off the ignition of your vehicle and use a voltmeter to test the battery. It should read 12.2 Volts or higher. This is the minimum voltage needed to start the alternator. Any voltage lower than 12.2 Volts will not be able to start the alternator and further testing should be carried out only when you get a charged battery.
- The light on the battery should not be on. If it is, there might be a problem with the alternator.
- You can check with the brightness level of the headlights when you accelerate the engine without putting the car in any gear. As the RPM meter shows higher reading, the headlights should go brighter. If they are still dim even after turning the brightness dial to the maximum, there is a problem with the alternator.
- Also recheck the battery with a voltmeter. The alternator is working properly if it reads between 13.5 to 14.5 Volts. If the voltage stays constant or goes low, your alternator is the culprit.
- While starting the engine, the alternator pulley should spin properly and should not slip. Also if it looks shiny and there are visible cracks, you should change the belt. Only if the alternator is spinning smoothly, it can send proper energy to the battery.
- You can also try to listen to the sound that comes from the alternator when the engine is running. If you hear a strange sound which becomes more intense when more electrical systems use the battery, there is a small problem with the bearings of the alternator. You can get it fixed by a mechanic.
- You can try and touch the alternator after running the engine for a while. If the temperatures are too high, this is a signal that it may break down soon. Most probably the insulation of the windings is worn out. You should go see a mechanic.
While testing your alternator’s performance you should keep the following points in mind
- Do not attempt to remove any cables from the battery or the alternator while the engine is running. It can damage your computer and other electrical systems. Always use a voltmeter to check the connection. It always is safe and accurate.
- It is advisable not to touch the battery and the charging systems. Be extra careful when you do so.
- Do not cross connect any cables to check the output of any charging equipment. It can blow your charging system.
- Do not use any metal body directly in contact or your finger ring for example to complete any sort of circuits and check for current flows. It can be dangerous.
If you are still unable to get to the roots of the problem, you can always get your charging set checked by a motor mechanic.
How to Protect Your Car from Rust
As an owner of a new car, you can enjoy the fruits of this beautiful machine for a much longer time if you carry out its maintenances from time to time. Maintenance not only involves washing, changing motor oil, changing faulty parts and overhauling the engine but it also includes maintaining the external as well as the internal beauty of the vehicle. There are people who take great care of their car and the looks of their car belie their age. But in case you do not care about your vehicle, the first scar on its beautiful face appears in form of rust. Not only does it make the car look ugly but it is also dangerous for the body. Let us talk a little about this dangerous thing in this article.
What is rust
Talking in actual terms rust is nothing but iron oxide. It is the result of the blending of oxygen in the air with exposed iron parts of your car in the presence of moisture. This chemical process is called corrosion.
Parts affected
The car’s frame, the wheel wells, the undercarriage, the exhaust block, the engine, the external painted parts and the car’s boot are the main targets of rust.
Every exposed part is always in danger to the attack of rust. Sometimes even painted parts get affected and corrode.
Advice
Our elders have always been telling us that prevention is better than cure. Now is the time to understand the meaning of this phrase.
Scrubbing down rust is very tough task but taking measures to prevent it is much easier. Killing the cause of the disease before it spreads is the key to keep your car beautiful for a long duration.
Steps to curb the cause
- You need to cleanse your car every two weeks.
- You can wash the undercarriage of the car to protect it from rust.
- Waxing the vehicle’s body every four months is a good idea to prevent rust formation.
- Do not leave any spills inside the car. Keep the inner surface clean and dry.
- Do not wet use interior carpet inside the car. It will be a good cause to pose threat to the vehicle.
- If you live near a salty water body, you need to take extra pains to keep your car clean because salt on the roads is the major cause of rusting.
- After cleaning do not forget to spray an anti rust lubricant. It is easily available in the market.
- Keep external metal surfaces sapped. Do not leave water on the surface even after cleaning.
- Cover your vehicle with a cover whenever not in use.
- If the lubricant you are using is flammable, make sure that the engine has died out long back when you start spraying.
What you need to look for - When you see blisters on the painted surface, look for the beginning of rust. Fix such small issues in the paint immediately
- You can always find nicks on the outer surface which appear as a result of small pebbles and chunks being thrown by the car ahead of you on the road. Use a brush to clean the mud if any.
- You can use alcoholic mineral fluids to clean up the dirt in the chips and let them dry. After it is dry, you can fill the exposed chip with paint.
- If rust has started growing under the paint then you need to remove the affected layer of the paint and get the part repainted again.
- You can use rust arrestors to check further spreading of rust.
Car Thermostat
What does the thermostat do and what typically happens if it fails?
What is a thermostat
A Thermostat Is a device which senses the temperature of a control system and maintains the temperature within a fixed limit by using cooling and heating systems. It also controls the drift of heating fluid to limit the level of temperature near a definite point. The Thermostat makes use of multiple sensors to sense heat and thereby uses other systems to maintain it.
How does it work
The thermostat constitutes of a cylindrical body located near the engine of the car. This body has fax filled in it which begins to melt at around 180 degrees Fahrenheit (melting point of wax). A shaft which is banded together with a valve starts pushing into the melting wax. When the wax melts completely it expands and forces the shaft out of the cylinder, thereby unsealing the valve.
What does thermostat do
All car engines comprising of liquid cooling system consist of a thermostat located between the radiator and the engine. When you start the engine of your car, the position of the thermostat is a state of blocking the refrigerant from flowing towards the radiator. This means that the coolant does not flow till the engine is cold. As soon as the engine warms up and starts operating at its standard temperature, which is about 200 degrees Fahrenheit, the thermostat loosens its valve and opens. By doing this it helps the engine to get to the standard working temperature soon. Warming up of the engine quickly every time it is started results in less deposits and emissions. Along with this, it also increases the life of the engine.
Why does it fail
The thermostat is a device which controls the flow of coolant in the engine. When a thermostat fails to perform the above said function, it is said to have been failed. This happens when it is stuck blocked and is unable to open the valve. This prevents the coolant to flow to the engine because of which there is an overheating of the engine.
There are three types of thermostat failures.
The first one is Thermostat stuck closed. During this failure, the piston and the wax combination stops functioning as a result of which the wax is not able to keep the valve closed when it needs to be. Thermostat stuck closed is a condition in which the element of the wax is either damaged or broken due to overheating.
The second one is Thermostat stuck open. During this failure, the thermostat is not able to close the valve when coolant flow has to be stopped because of which the engine requires much more time as compared to normal to reach the optimum temperature. It is also possible that the engine doesn’t achieve the normal working temperature in case the atmospheric temperature is too low. Thermostat stuck open is a condition in which the coolant flows to the engine when it is still cold. The main reason of this type of thermostat failure can be the binding back of the sensor, broken recoil spring or some junk sticks in between and restrict the closure of the valve.
The third one is the thermostat stuck half way. This is the most common failure any engine may face during its operation. This type of failure happens either when the shaft of the piston is jammed halfway or the wax may not fully expand and thus fails to accomplish the task of opening the valve.
However if any of the above condition rises, you should not panic. You can always get the problem fixed or replace the thermostat before it can damage any of the machines.
Fuel Pumps And Fuel Injection Repairs
Fuel Pumps & Fuel Injection Repairs
If the battery of your car is in good condition and also the ignition is working well but the engine of the car is not starting, the problem may be related to the fuel system of your car. Two important components of the fuel system in your car are its fuel pump and the fuel injector. These two are vital in supplying fuel to the engine in just the right quantity and right pressure. However, if there is any problem with these parts, it can lead to serious engine damage. It is therefore necessary to nip the problem in the bud to save on time and money.
The cars of today make use of electronic fuel injection that is multiport with all cylinders getting their dose of fuel in the correct fuel and air ratio. This amount keeps getting changed according to the lad on the car. MPFI, also called multi point fuel injection has improved the performance of the cars of today with better starting in cold conditions, reduced emissions, higher fuel economy and more powerful performance. However, the same fuel injection can drive you crazy when it does not allow the car to start.
Looking at the source of the problem
If your car is cranking but does not start, the culprit may be your fuel pump or the fuel injection system. However, how do you get to the root of the problem? The most probable causes of a car not starting when the ignition and the battery are working fine are as follows.
- Low pressure of fuel
- Dead pump
- Choked fuel filter
- No signal to fuel injectors
If you are stranded on road and there is no mechanic in sight, the first thin to under these circumstances is to look at the fuel pump of your car. Urn on the ignition and simultaneously look at the fuel pump. It should normally make some noise. If you hear no sound, you can assume that the fuel pump has gone dead.
Handling the problem in fuel injectors
If on the other hand you are facing the problem of misfiring, hard starting etc, then the problem lies with the fuel injectors and not the fuel pump. A fuel injector is a device that provides fuel in the form of a mist or a spray to the engine so that it can burn readily. The quantity of fuel supplied by the injector is in proportion to the time during which the nozzle of the injector remains open. If these fuel injectors become dirty, you may experience the problems of misfire and hard starting. If you see the fuel pump running when turning on the ignition, the problem lies not in the pump but the fuel injectors. What you can do is to clean the fuel injectors to see if the car starts now. If however, there is excessive damage and wear and tear of the injectors, you have no option but to get them replaced by a mechanic.
The thing to remember with fuel system is that there are many problems that can arise as there are many components of the fuel system such as fuel pump, pressure regulator, fuel injectors, fuel filter, fuel pipes, and so on. The delivery of the right mixture of fuel and air in the right quantity at the right pressure is required for the car engine to start and work properly. The problem lies in finding out the real culprit that is causing the problem. Once you have ensured that the fuel pump is working fine, you need to check on the fuel pressure. The next and final step is of course inspection of the fuel injectors.
Cooling System Repairs: It’s Easy to Prevent Breakdowns
Cooling system in your car is in place to prevent heating of the engine. Heat is the number one enemy of your car’s engine. Most people overlook the requirement of maintaining the cooling system in good condition with the result that they are seen on the side of the road with the hood of their car up in the air and steam coming out of the radiator of their car. If you do not want this to happen to you, it is better to carry out inspection and maintenance of the cooling system of your car to prevent a major breakdown.
Check the coolant of the car
You may not be aware of the fact but every time you take out your car on road, it makes use of the coolant to keep the temperatures of the engine down to manageable levels. The coolant in your car is a mixture of water and an antifreeze chemical that keeps on flowing between the coolant box, the radiator, and the passage inside the engine to keep the temperature of the engine down. Two of the main reasons why the temperature of the engine of your car goes up are when
• The level of the coolant goes down below a prescribed level
• The coolant becomes dirty and contaminated to not fulfill its functions properly
If you fail to take action in time, coolant of your car can actually lead to a breakdown of the entire cooling system of your car and lead to a meltdown of sorts. Some of the warning signs that you as a car owner must pay heed to are heater giving off cool air in the winters, steam coming out of the radiator during summers, warning lights flashing about low coolant levels, leaking coolant etc.
A leaking water pump can create problems
Your car has a water pump to carry the coolant to the radiator and to the passage flows inside the engine to keep it cool. You can easily get to this water pump as heater hoses are usually attached to it. Check if it is leaking out the coolant of your car. This is a signal that you need to replace the pump as it is now unable to circulate the coolant to keep the temperature of the engine under control.
Park the car on a large cardboard
If you park your car on a cardboard, you can easily see if there is any leakage of the coolant in the morning. The freeze plug may be leaking to cause the los of coolant Get the car inspected by a mechanic who will replace the freeze plug to stop the leakage.
Sometimes, corrosion of radiator causes leaks
If you see steam emanating from the radiator, you can rest assured that there is some leakage in it. If you are not sure, get it inspected by a mechanic to reveal the leaks. You can get the radiator replaced or repaired to stop this leakage.
Sometimes, the thermostat is the culprit
Under the hood lies a thermostat that is used to maintain temperature of the engine. You can easily replace the old thermostat with a new one to see if it is able to control overheating of your car.
De-clogging the cooling system may be a good idea
Sometimes, there is no major problem in the cooling system and all it needs is a good flush. This is similar to your body having clogging in your veins or arteries. Flushing of the system is done with products available for the purpose in the market.
If you are able to find the problem and fix it, it will save you a lot of money. However, at times, getting professional help may be the tight way of getting over the problem of overheating.
Determining High Idle Problems
If you are a new car owner, it’s essential for you to know some common problems that may cause you deep trouble along the way. High idle of your car on its own while you are in idle mode is something that you need to worry about. Some may think that it needs total repair though there is nothing to panic about because there are different causes of this issue and there is a solution for this as well. As the car gets older the more mileage it will consume, adjusting the idle of your car may be very helpful to you. This article will help you know the causes of high idling of the car.
- The car’s faulty fuse can also cause high idling of the engine. Though in most modern cars there is an idle control motor that handles and controls the idling and rev of the car. Blown and faulty fuse can cause speedy and high rev because of fuse malfunction too.
- Computer problems can also be the leading cause of high idling in newer cars. Computer is the one that controls the transmission and the engine along with the airbag and brakes too. Do you know if the fuses don’t have any problem; the computer system is fine as well?
- Computer error may be the leading cause of high idling especially when it gets misinterpreted information. Oftentimes, it’s the cold weather that triggers the problem but once the engine has been warmed, the problem will easily subside.
- Vacuum leak can also lead to high idling of the car. The motor of the car works with a vacuum port that controls the engine speed during idling mode. When you open and close the valve of the vacuum port within an interval, the mort sets the idle speed too. One the seal of the vacuum port leaks out, it will also contribute to interference that will also contribute to high idling. The car’s hoses connected to the vacuum that was damaged can also contribute to the problem that you have.
- Building up of dirt within the throttle of the engine may also contribute to high idling. Cleaning it will help you but though, you also need to check if the tube has a crack or if it is already worn out.
Idle problems should be properly determined to make sure that your gas consumption won’t increase.