What's Under the Hood

Posted on August 14, 2008 by admin

Obviously, to look under the engine hood you first have to raise it, which is sometimes not so simple a task as it sounds. The engine is in the front on most American and foreign cars. First look under the dashboard to the left of the steering column for a hood release device; that is where they are positioned on most cars, but they come in a variety of shapes and are sometimes located at the front of the hood.

The next place to try is at the front of the car; reach your fingers through an opening in the grill and feel around for a release lever. The Owner’s Manual contains both the location and instructions (it may be indexed us “bonnet” in foreign car manuals), but if you have a problem with it, stop at a service station or ask the dealer where you purchased the car for help. Once you have located the release and raised the hood, do it several times until you memorize how it is done.

There are three kinds of hoods, varying in their location and the way they open. The most common hood is located at the front end of the car, is hinged near the windshield, opens at the front, and has two catches. After the first catch is released, the hood raises perhaps an inch, and the second catch must be activated to raise the hood completely. (That second catch is there as a safety measure to prevent a hood from being accidentally released and blown back while the car is in motion.)

Another kind of hood located at the front end of the car has the hinges at the front with the opening near the windshield. This type of hood has only one release. The third kind of hood is located at the rear of the car and is called a “motor lid” on a VW Beetle or bus and some other cars. With some foreign cars that have rear engines, for instance the VW  Beetle, the trunk (or “boot”) is in the front of the car and the catch release is in the glove compartment.

A raised hood, incidentally, is the universal distress signal, so if you break down on the road raise the hood and tie a handkerchief to the radio antenna. While you are trying to figure out the trouble, perhaps some kind soul will stop or will send help.

When you first look under the hood the vast array of wires, hoses, and unfamiliar items will almost overwhelm you. Take heart, you are not supposed to know what each and every part is and how it performs or how to fix it. You are going to learn simple repair, proper car care and maintenance, and preventive maintenance; as you learn the function of a few parts and how to care for them, the engine will not look mystifying any more. The more you learn about the engine the more you will appreciate the marvelous arrangement of coordinated devices that perform at your command and operate precisely with all parts synchronized to do the best job.

Here is a simple explanation of how a four-cycle gasoline engine— the kind found in most American and foreign cars works. The source of the horsepower in a car is a series of four to eight pistons, which are located in the engine and housed in cylinders. Each piston moves up and down in its cylinder, and by means of a connecting rod this movement causes the crankshaft to rotate; this movement, in turn, is transferred to the wheels themselves.

The source of energy for the pistons is a combustible mixture of air and gasoline which is fed by the car-buretor to the cylinder that houses the piston and ignited there by a spark from the spark plug. The carburetor mixes air and gas in correct proportions to form a vapor that will burn rapidly.

In a four-cycle engine, it takes four strokes of a piston, two up and two down, to complete a full series. Then the procedure starts all over again.

Stroke 1. The piston moves down, drawing the fuel-air mixture into the cylinder from the carburetor.

Stroke 2. The piston goes up, compressing the mixture.

Stroke 3. A spark ignites the mixture, which burns rapidly, forcing the piston down.

Stroke 4. The piston moves up, expelling the burned gases.

In addition to compression, three vital elements are necessary to make the engine run: fuel, air, and electricity. If the engine turns over hut will not start, or coughs to a stop while you are driving, the most likely problem is that you are out of gasoline. Even if you filled the lank yesterday, that does not always mean you have plenty today; maybe a thief stole your gas during the night.

The second item—air—is always present, and you will never have (o worry about running out of it. A properly balanced mixture of air anil gas is led by the carburetor to the engine. Though an incorrect mixture will increase fuel consumption, it probably will not prevent the car from starting.

That leaves electricity, and now we have to do a little trouble-shooting. When the starter will not turn the engine over, the lights will not burn, and the horn will not blow, then there is no electricity following from the battery to the starter. Either the battery is dead (out of juice) or the terminals are corroded. If there is some white or grayish pillings on the terminals, loosen the cables with a wrench or pliers, remove them, and clean off the terminals. Then replace and tighten the rubles; that may correct the problem.

If not, you will probably need jumper cables and a helper battery to get going. If your battery has life and spins the engine but it can not start it running, then you have more serious problems in the electrical system, such as points, condenser, plugs, plug wires, or distributor—trouble that may be beyond your ability to correct.

UNDER THE HOOD

As you look under the hood, you can identify the belts on the pulleys- These drive the fan and alternator (generator on some foreign cars). Hells also drive some of the optional equipment, such as an air conditioner compressor and power steering pump.

You will also sec an array of insulated wires coming from a round device called the distributor. The distributor sends electricity over the various wires to the spark plugs in the proper sequence. The wires spread from the distributor to each of the spark plugs in octopus fashion. Each cylinder has one spark plug; if you drive a four-cylinder car, then you have four spark plugs. A V-8 of any make has eight spark plugs, four on each side of the engine. An electric spark jumps across the electrodes of the spark plug and ignites the fuel-air mixture.

The air cleaner is usually a large, round, canlike item, most often located above the carburetor right over the engine. Inside the air cleaner is a paper filter that removes dust, dirt, and other objectionable particles from the air entering the carburetor. This paper filter must be replaced when it gets dirty; refer to your Owner’s Manual for suggestions on how often to check or replace the air filter. The carburetor mixes the gas and air in the proper proportions to form a vapor that will burn in the engine.

A plastic container holds water or water and chemicals to clean the windshield. Detergent or a special cleaning solution can be added to the water to do a better cleaning job. In winter, use a special solution containing antifreeze, or add a deicer to the water in the container to prevent freezing.

The alternator is a round device approximately 6 inches in diameter and 6 inches thick. It has a pulley that is belt-driven and it produces electricity to keep the battery charged. About fifteen years ago some American car manufacturers started using alternators instead of generators. Older VW’s have a generator, but recently foreign car manufacturers switched to alternators and now practically all American and foreign cars have alternators.

The alternator is more efficient than the generator and has a higher capacity than a generator of equal size. When the dashboard alternator warning light (GEN) comes on, the most likely problem is that the drive belt has broken. Pull over to the side of the road and let the engine idle while you open the hood. If the drive belt is broken and the fan is turning, close the hood and drive to the nearest service station or garage for repairs.

Do not turn the engine off! Your battery may be run down and may not start the car again. While driving for help, turn off the radio, air conditioner, heater, and other electrical equipment to conserve electricity, because the alternator is not replacing the electricity used. If the drive belt is broken and the fan is not turning, turn the engine off at once! (On some cars the fan is driven by the same belt that drives the alternator.) You will have to obtain help. With the fan stopped an engine will soon overheat, and expensive damage to the engine may result.

Next find the radiator, the large metal container located between the engine and the grill which contains the antifreeze or mixture of antifreeze and water that is used in the cooling process. You will see two rubber hoses attached to the radiator, one at the top and one at the bottom. When these hoses get soft or easy to squeeze, they should be replaced, normally about every two years (see Chapter 18, Tips on Medium Tasks). Cars with air-cooled engines do not have radiators; an example is a VW with the engine in the rear.

The proper liquid level in the radiator is extremely important. Your car has either a sealed cooling system or a conventional pressure cooling system. A sealed cooling system has a translucent plastic container, which holds the overflow coolant; this is located near the radiator and is connected to it by a hose entering the radiator near the cap.

The battery is easy to identify; it resembles a cube in shape, being about 10 inches long, 7 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. The battery is called the storage battery because it provides electricity to start the engine and then is recharged when the engine is running. Two heavy insulated electrical cables attach to terminals on the top or on the side of the battery. On the top are six vent caps or lids (except in some new butteries, which never need to have water added). Each vent cap must be removed to check the liquid level in the battery.

Ask the seller to show you where the battery is located if you buy a foreign car, or you may have to hunt for it. For example, some Fiats with rear engines may have the battery under the floor mat of the front trunk. A VW Beetle has the battery under the rear seat; lift up the lower part of the rear seat and you will locate the battery on the passenger side. Most foreign cars have the battery located under the front hood, just as in most American cars.

The oil dipstick is used to check the engine oil level and is located on the side of the engine. You can identify it by the loop at the stick, which allows it to be pulled out easily for checking.

If your car has a manual shift, there is only one dipstick under the hood. If you have automatic transmission, there is a transmission fluid dipstick to measure the level of the transmission fluid. This dipstick is located at the rear of the engine near the fire wall. This partition is fire-resistant to lessen the danger of fire getting into I lie passenger compartment from the engine.

You do not normally have to worry about checking the transmission fluid, which is checked when the car is serviced at regular intervals. If for some reason the transmission fluid becomes low, the automatic transmission will be sluggish in shifting. You can have the transmission untill checked at the nearest garage or service station, or check it yourself (see Tips on Easy Tasks) and add some fluid if needed.

The items I have named are certainly not all the things found under the hood. But they are the components that are easily seen or located, but the ones you will be concerned with in performing basic auto cure. After you can identify these parts, you should check the hood us often as necessary to protect the engine and give you peace of mind, perhaps every two weeks or every 500 miles. This check should include I he liquid level in the radiator, the liquid level of the battery, nnil I lie level of oil in the engine. In addition, the tire pressure should bo checked.

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Preventive Maintenance Schedule Summary

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

ONCE A WEEK:

Turn on your air conditioner all year round for fifteen minutes a week. Pick a specific time, such as on the way home from church each Sunday or on the way to work each Monday morning, so you will not forget.

EVERY TWO WEEKS OR 500 MILES AND BEFORE TRIPS:

Perform the four regular checks:

1. Engine oil level

2. Liquid level in the battery

3. Air pressure in the tires (observe front tires for wear patterns at the same time)

4. Liquid level in the radiator (water-cooled engines only)

Plan to make these checks at a regular time. Also check for fuel, water, oil, or other fluid leaks by observing the ground beneath the vehicle after it has been parked for a while. Water dripping from the air conditioner after use is normal, but any other leaks may indicate a problem and the source should be located and corrected at once. If you smell gasoline fumes at any time, locate and correct the cause at once because of the danger of fire.

ONCE A MONTH:

Check the liquid level in the windshield washer reservoir. EVERY 5,000 TO 8,000 MILES:

Rotate tires (see Tires).

APPROXIMATELY EVERY THREE OR FOUR MONTHS OR 6,000 MILES (follow your Owner’s Manual):

Change oil, change oil filter, and lubricate. Check the brake fluid level, the power steering fluid level, and the automatic transmission fluid. Check the PCV valve and the differential.

APPROXIMATELY EVERY TWELVE MONTHS OR 10,000 MILES:

Have a tune-up. Repack the front wheel bearings. Inspect the air cleaner filter element. Have the emergency brake and the brake linings checked.

EVERY FALL IN NORTHERN STATES:

Follow the suggestions given in Chapter 19, Hints for Cold Climates.

EVERY TWO YEARS:

Flush the cooling system and add new antifreeze. Change the two radiator hoses.

EVERY TWO YEARS OR 24,000 MILES:

Have the automatic transmission serviced. Change the drive belts and replace the PCV valve. As the use of the metric system is gradually increasing in the United States, the appearance of kilometers and other metric measures on both automobile gauges and road signs is cropping up more and more frequently. To help you during this transitional period, here is a brief table that compares miles and kilometers.

I hope you found this car maintenance article useful, but if you have some tips or tricks please leave a comment bellow.

MILES PER HOUR COMPARED TO KILOMETERS PER HOUR*

Miles Kilometers Miles Kilometers
10 16 50 80
20 32 55 88
30 48 60 97
40 64 70 113
* One kilometer equals approximately 1.6 miles.

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Towing a Trailer

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

Thousands of drivers use their cars or pickup trucks to pull a trailer. The last several years have shown a substantial increase in the purchase and use of recreational vehicles (RV’s) and trailers. This chapter of our car maintenance website can help you if you have to tow any vehicle, whether it is a small boat trailer, a carryall trailer, a tent trailer, or even a large travel trailer.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Refer to your Owner’s Manual for information and suggestions before towing any trailer. Passenger cars are designed to be used primarily as passenger conveyances, and a car used for towing a trailer handles differently, requires more frequent servicing, and costs more to operate. Your safety depends on avoiding overloads and using the correct equipment properly. The maximum trailer weight that any car can pull efficiently depends on the weight of the car and the special equipment installed on the car as recommended by the manufacturer. Never tow any trailer unless your car is properly equipped.

The best way to tow a heavy (2,000 pounds or more) trailer and load is with a frame-mounted, load-equalizing hitch that has sway control for stabilization. A hitch that bolts to the frame is better than a welded hitch, because welds sometimes crack or break. Avoid bumper hitches if possible, except on the recommendation of a reputable trailer rental agency. Do not use axle-mounted hitches, which can cause damage to the axle housing, wheel bearings, wheels, and tires. Follow the advice of your trailer dealer or a reputable installer of trailer hitches.

All trailer hitches should have two safety chains, properly attached. Many states require that the safety chains be attached to the trailer tongue between the ball and the trailer, as the ball is the most likely part to fail in case of an accident.

As a rule of thumb, the tongue load of the trailer should be no more than 10 percent of the loaded trailer weight. Shifting the distribution of the load in the trailer can vary the tongue load. The weight of the tongue load on the rear of your car means you should carry less weight inside your car, particularly in the trunk. Since you need more air pressure in your tires when your car is carrying loads, ask a tire dealer for the correct pressure, but do not put in more than the maximum pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure given on the side of the tire.

Maintenance schedules differ for cars that pull trailers. The automatic transmission should be serviced every 12,000 miles, or twice as often as with normal car use. Change the engine oil about twice as often as you normally do. Depending on the amount of the load to be pulled, the cruising speed, and the distance to be traveled, you may need to install a transmission fluid cooler; consult your automobile dealer.

Mount an ordinary ball-and-socket towing hitch on the passenger side of the front bumper of your car to maneuver a small boat trailer or other small trailers into tight spots. This tip is useful for boat launching or for turning around on narrow roads.

You may be eligible for a trucker’s discount on gas if you use a pickup truck to pull your trailer; ask about this discount when you buy gas.

TRAVEL TRAILERS

The following tips will be especially helpful for drivers towing large travel trailers:

Selection of Trailer and Towing Car

Trailers with tandem wheels (four wheels and two axles) have less sway and are more easily controlled on the highway. Do not use small or medium-sized cars to tow medium to large (twenty-two-foot to thirty-foot) travel trailers, or trailers that are too heavy. Check with your car dealer; too big a trailer is unsafe and places a severe strain on the smaller car’s body and engine.

You can equip a towing car with a low-ratio differential at the time of purchase or later. It causes the engine to turn faster in relation to the wheels to produce more power, but will also consume more gas when you operate the car without the trailer. An alternative is to select a car with a larger engine and a standard ratio differential.

Some trailer owners use air shocks or booster shocks on the tow car to permit the trailer and car to “level up,” which means the shocks on the back of the car can support the weight of the trailer and keep the car level. Booster shocks are especially desirable for a car with soft springs; heavy-duty springs can be stiff and may give you a bumpy ride when you are not pulling the trailer.

Trailer Hitch

Medium to heavy trailers place a heavy load on the rear of a car, and some of this weight must be shifted to the front wheels of the tow car. This weight shift involves tremendous forces in the trailer hitch and at the points where the hitch is attached to the car. Through the use of tension bars, weight-distributing hitches are engineered to distribute hitch weight equally to the four wheels of the tow vehicle and the wheels of the trailer. You should also install one or two sway bars, as they are essential for minimizing the sway of the trailer in poor road conditions, high crosswinds, sudden swerves, and when passing large vehicles, such as trucks.

Buy a hitch that is recommended by a reputable and experienced travel trailer dealer and have the hitch installed by a professional. Examine the hitch often during use, especially during the first few days of towing, paying particular attention to welding that may have developed cracks or other signs of failure. Be certain to install a break-away switch, which usually consists of a cord or fine wire strung be-tween the two halves of the hitch. When the cord or wire is broken for any reason, the trailer’s electric brakes are applied automatically. Another system operates when the cord is pulled, closing a switch that activates the brakes. Incidentally, safety chains are required in most states.

Brakes

Heavy trailers cannot be towed safely without the ability to brake the trailer wheels, thus the trailer should have electric brakes. These can be activated manually, or by means of a brake pedal switch, in which case your foot on the brake will operate the electric brakes before the car’s brake pedal moves enough to actuate the car’s brakes. Test the trailer braking system at the start of each trip after it is hooked up to the car.

Tires

The tow car’s tires should be of a high quality, in good condition, and inflated specifically for the load you carry. Radial tires are es-pecially recommended for cars pulling trailers: they are more depend-able, give more miles of service, and run cooler under loads than other types of tires. Buy the best tires you can get for your trailer if you are pulling a heavy trailer long distances.

Trailer tires do not give a readily detectable warning when they start going flat. Once flat, the tires are soon ruined if the trailer is moving. Carry a spare wheel and tire for your trailer, and do not for¬get a lug wrench for your trailer wheels. Every new trailer owner ought to practice changing a tire before he has to do so on the road.

Trailer Jack

Carry a hydraulic jack with ample capacity. With some trailers, if you use a jack under the axle to raise it enough for the bottom of the tire to clear the ground, you will have a hard time getting the spare into the wheel well and onto the hub. A better method is to raise the trailer by placing jack stands under the trailer frame at the front. Then use a hydraulic jack and some wooden blocking under the rear bumper to lift the trailer body up. The axle sags and the tire will go on or come off easily.

Wheel Bearings

Keep an eagle eye on the wheel bearings; be sure they are properly lubricated and adjusted.

Refrigeration

Some types of refrigerators must be level to operate properly. You can use a carpenter’s level in the freezer compartment or two small levels that are designed to be mounted on the outside of the trailer.

Cooling

You engine’s ability to pull a trailer of a certain weight without over-heating depends on several things: the horsepower, the differential gear ratio, the cooling system, the transmission cooling system, the speed traveled, and the terrain. A skillful driver knows the safe range of his car and stays within these limits.

Since your car engine will need to dissipate more heat when you are pulling a trailer, additional cooling capacity is a good investment with heavy trailers. You can order a car from the manufacturer with a “trailer pack,” which usually includes a heavy-duty radiator and a transmission fluid cooler; the dealer can install both if the car is not equipped at the factory. Install a water temperature gauge on your car if it has only a warning light to signal heat build-up. Slow down, turn off the air conditioner, or take other steps before the engine gets too hot and is damaged. If you are driving in the mountains, shift to a lower gear before the engine labors and strains.

Insurance

Some states require $100,000/$300,000 minimum liability insur-ance on all travel trailers. Know your coverage and the insurance laws of your state.
Things You Should Carry for Your Travel Trailer

I recommend that you carry a spare tire and wheel for your travel trailer, a lug wrench for the trailer wheels, and a hydraulic jack of sufficient capacity. Your trailer should have two levels mounted on the outside, one on the tongue end and the other on one side of the trailer. In addition to these, you should carry:

1. Four wheel chocks or blocks

2. Two stabilizer jacks (preferably four)

3. A small shovel

4. An axe

5. A tow rope, about fifty feet of %-inch or 1-inch nylon is
satisfactory

6. An assortment of small tools, adjustable wrenches, etc.

Confidence

When you first get your travel trailer, practice towing and back¬ing up on a shopping center parking lot, a school ground, or a vacant athletic field. Skillful trailer drivers are not born that way; they achieve handling skills through practice. With a properly equipped car, trailer towing is safe provided the driver is careful and confident.

Parking

You can often find a drive-through pad when parking your travel trailer. When it is necessary to back a trailer into a parking space, you will find it useful to have someone stand outside the car and direct you.

Emergencies

Emergencies and problems may arise when towing a trailer. Keep cool and use common sense, and you can probably solve the problem without undue stress or risk and little or no damage.

If your car brakes fail without warning, activate the electric brakes on the trailer. Apply them firmly with a snubbing action (which means apply brakes, then release, apply, and release). Applying the brakes constantly with no cooling interval may result in the brakes getting so hot they will no longer operate properly. A twenty-foot or larger travel trailer probably has enough braking capability to stop itself and the towing vehicle, if the driver handles the brakes properly. Simultane-ously, with automatic transmission, move the gear lever into second gear, then into low. With manual transmission, keep shifting down until the towing vehicle’s speed is reduced as much as possible by using the engine as a brake.

What do you do if your brakes fade? The brakes on your car may simply fade away on lengthy downgrades that require frequent braking, a problem that is more likely to occur with drum brakes than with disc brakes. You will smell a strong odor of overheated brake linings. Stop your car and trailer, using the procedure already mentioned. Pull off the road and let the brakes cool for thirty minutes or longer; re¬moving the hub caps will help the hubs to cool quicker. Drive more slowly and in lower gears when you start again, using engine drag for a brake. At the earliest opportunity, get a reputable mechanic to check the condition of your brakes and make any needed repairs.

If you are driving up a steep incline while pulling your trailer, and your engine dies, but the emergency brake will not hold, stop the car with your foot brake, holding it down while you get someone to put wheel chocks or blocks behind the rear wheels of the trailer or the car. If you do not have any blocks of wood, perhaps your helper can locate rocks, logs, bricks, or other material to block the rear wheels. Spare tires and wheels can be used for chocks.

Suppose your trailer disconnects at high speed. When the weight-distributing hitch fails, the trailer tongue will probably sink to the ground, either by breaking the safety chains or by pulling down the rear of the car. Do not slam on the brakes! Doing so will probably snap the safety chain, and the trailer will plow into your vehicle, damaging both of them. Take your foot off the gas and manually apply the trailer brakes. If they are not working, you will have to coast to a stop. Gradually steer to the side of the road. If road conditions permit, drive onto the shoulder to help decrease the speed of the car and the trailer. The breakaway switch should apply the trailer brakes immediately if the trailer breaks away completely.

If you have a blowout at high speed, do not slam on the brakes! Take your foot off the accelerator and manually apply the trailer brakes. Let your car and trailer begin to slow down and get your car’s steering under control. Hold the wheel firmly, and gradually edge the car over to the side of the road. Try to avoid using the car brakes, and stop with the trailer brakes instead. If necessary, use the car brakes lightly and cautiously, holding the trailer brakes manually. If there is a wide shoulder, ease the car onto it. If there is no shoul¬der, use emergency flashers to warn other drivers. It is better to drive on a flat tire to get off a busy highway than to try to change a tire where heavy traffic endangers your life.

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Tips for Cold Climates

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

Drivers in northern states where temperatures frequently go as low as 0°F or colder have special problems. This articles will help those drivers recognize and overcome the problems. Car care in cold weather is especially important. Check to see that the heater-defroster, windshield sprayer, and windshield wipers are working before cold weather starts. Put a concentrated preparation of antifreeze solution or a deicer in the windshield washer container.

Keep permanent antifreeze (ethylene glycol base) in your cooling system in sufficient concentration to protect your engine at the lowest temperature expected locally. The term “permanent antifreeze” means only that the solution will not boil away at normal engine temperatures; it will lose its usefulness eventually. A service station attendant can use a hydrometer to determine the level of concentration in your car. If your cooling system needs more protection, drain one or more gallons of coolant from your radiator and add antifreeze as needed. Refer to your Owner’s Manual. Some manufacturers recommend a fifty-fifty mixture of antifreeze and water for year-round operation.

Flush out the cooling system and change the antifreeze every two years. The best water to use with antifreeze for coolant is either distilled water or rainwater. Most ground water contains minerals that form scale in the engine, as does artificially softened water.

The two hoses from the engine to the radiator should be changed when they get soft, usually about every two years; do not wait until a hose bursts. Watch for any leaks in the cooling system. A milky appearance in the engine oil may indicate that antifreeze is leaking internally. Such a problem is serious and requires a mechanic.

Be conscious of whether the thermostat is working properly. The heater should put out heat within two miles or five minutes. If not, the thermostat is defective and should be replaced.

OIL

Refer to your Owner’s Car Maintenance Manual, and put oil in your engine that is recommended for cold weather. My Owner’s Manual lists 5W-30, 10W-30, or 10W-40 oil for temperatures down to zero, and 5W-20 or 5W-30 for temperatures below zero. My manual also states that 5W-20 oil is not recommended for sustained high-speed driving. Always use a well-known brand of oil labeled SE quality.

ELECTRIC HEATING OF THE ENGINE

In areas with extremely cold weather, you can install an electric heating element in the cooling system to warm up the engine on very cold days. This may be a tank heater, a head bolt heater, a block heating element, or something similar. When you buy a new car in a northern state, you can order the car equipped with such a heater from the factory or have the heating unit installed when you buy a car from a dealer. A thermostat in the heating device maintains the proper temperature. The cord from the heater extends near the front of the radiator, so the cord may be plugged into an electric source. Some parking facilities in northern states have a 115-volt outlet so you can plug in your heater cord and keep your engine warm while the car is parked.

You can raise the engine’s temperature in another way. Put the car in a garage, place an electric light bulb under the hood, and put blan¬kets or a tarpaulin over the hood. A heated garage is best, but even a garage attached to the house provides your car with a warmer temper¬ature than a garage that is not attached. If you must park outside during very cold weather, park your car with the engine facing away from the wind.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Cold weather puts additional strains on the electrical system, and the system should be checked carefully in the fall. Cold temperatures lower the power output from a battery by reducing the electrochemical reaction rate. At the same time, the power required to crank the engine increases, because cold oil is thicker and has more “drag” than warm oil. Extreme cold may freeze a very weak battery and crack the battery case, so keep the battery well charged. Usually the heater and headlights are used more during the shorter days of winter, reducing the alternator power available to recharge the battery. Replace a weak battery as cold weather approaches. The new battery should be at least as powerful (amp-hour rating) as the manufacturer’s recom¬mendation for your car, but a more powerful battery will give an extra reserve of energy.

In extremely cold weather the voltage from the battery to the igni-tion may be reduced because of the additional amount of power re-quired by the starter. The resulting weaker spark may not ignite the colder fuel-air mixture, and your engine will not start, especially if the ignition system is weak or the engine is poorly tuned. Therefore, have your car tuned before severe weather sets in.

You will be driving more at night and in conditions of poor visibility in winter, so check the lights frequently to make sure all are in good order.

EXHAUST SYSTEM

People spend more time in closed cars in winter. Make sure the exhaust system does not leak carbon monoxide into the passenger compartment. Check the exhaust manifold, muffler, tail pipe, and other parts of the exhaust system for leaks, or have a mechanic do it. Replace any defective part at once.
It is safer to drive with your wing windows open a little, or lower the front windows slightly if you do not have wing windows in your car.

BRAKES

Check the brakes before cold weather to make sure the linings on drum brakes and the pads on disc brakes are in good condition. Re-place these components if needed. The brakes should be evenly ad-justed. Steering can compensate for uneven braking on dry pavement, but on snow or ice uneven braking is hazardous. The safe way to stop on snow or ice is by using controlled braking, which means that the brake action is directly responsive to your foot pressure-the more you push the more brake action you have. If the brakes grab, they cannot be controlled. Brakes that grab should be overhauled so you will have smooth braking.

TIRES AND CHAINS

Make sure all tires have adequate tread. A bald tire exerts very little side force for turning or skid control. Front tires require good tread for safe steering and stopping. The front wheels transmit about 60 percent of the braking force in normal driving, and you have lost more than half your stopping capability if the tires have little or no tread.

Buy snow tires for the back wheels, or for the front wheels in the case of a front-wheel-drive car. If you buy two extra wheels from a used-parts dealer, you can keep the snow tires mounted and balanced on these wheels. You can keep a snow tire on the spare year around, and then you will only have to buy one extra wheel. You can buy snow tires with studs for use on ice in some states;, in other states they are illegal as they can cause road damage.

Two recent technological developments for winter driving are the combination snow-and-ice tire, and the cable chain. The reported ad-vantage of the new tire is that it does not need metal studs, and it is purported to give greater traction and more stopping power than an ordinary snow tire. The cable chain is made from round steel cable. These chains, like the old-style link chains, are designed to turn with the tire and are engineered so that even someone with very little strength can install them on the rear wheels in a few minutes. One big advantage is that the car does not have to be jacked up or the back wheels removed in installing the cable chains. They are designed pri-marily for emergency conditions-blizzards, crossing a mountain pass -in which you encounter heavy snow conditions for short periods of time. Cable chains are not designed for extended highway driving or for speeds over 30-35 mph.

Some states require that you use snow tires and carry chains in your car during snowy or icy conditions if you are driving on expressways or mountain roads. Some states require that you use chains under cer¬tain extreme conditions.

ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR COLD WEATHER

Keep the fuel tank well filled, especially if your car is stored in a warm garage. Moisture will collect in the fuel tank when you drive the car into a warm area from cold temperatures. An empty tank has more space in which moisture can form. Some experts recommend adding a can of “dry gas” to your gasoline tank every other tank or so, to remove any ice that may form in the tank or fuel line.

Put some liquid graphite in the door locks about every two weeks to prevent moisture from collecting and freezing in zero weather. You can use an electric hair drier with a fan, or a small drier that plugs into the cigarette lighter, to thaw out a frozen lock. Car locks more often freeze when the car is parked outside rather than in a garage. You can also heat your car key with matches or a cigarette lighter and gradually work the key into a frozen lock.

Put a silicone lubricant on the door lining strips every two or three weeks to prevent the strips freezing to the car during wet, cold weather. The silicone lubricant will help keep the doors from freezing shut when the car is washed during freezing weather.

PREPARATION BEFORE DRIVING

Different cars have different cold-starting procedures, primarily based on the carburetor and ignition system designs. Refer to your Owner’s Manual, then try minor variations to learn what works best for your car. Different “experts” have different recommendations on “warm-up.” Some say a long warm-up, some say a short warm-up, and some say no warm-up. I believe the engine should be warmed up enough to operate reliably and predictably without sputtering, coughing, or stall¬ing when you drive the car.

The heater-defroster and windshield wipers should be in good oper-ating condition and be used as necessary to keep the windshield clean. An ice chopper and scraper with a brush on the opposite end is useful to clean your windows. If the windshield wipers become iced during operation and streak the windshield, stop at the first safe opportunity and clean them; they are not likely to get better by themselves. A cool temperature in the driver/passenger compartment will reduce the tendency of driven snow to turn to heavy slush on the windshield. An antifreeze solution is good for cleaning. If the windows have a tendency to frost over on the inside, you can put acetate frost shields on the inside.

Have an undercoating applied to your car when you buy it to protect against rust from salt that is used on many highways and streets to melt the ice.

EQUIPMENT

Driving your car on ice or snow is different from any other kind of driving, and I advise you to acquire the following equipment. Get a fifty- or one hundred-pound bag of sand to carry in the trunk, and place it equidistant between the rear wheels. The sand will be useful to provide more traction for the rear tires if you get stuck in snow or ice, and the bag’s added weight will help the tires grip the road sur¬face better. Or carry a bag of cat litter, which is also very good for providing traction on ice. Two pieces of old carpet, six feet long by one foot wide, are useful to lay on the snow or ice in front of the back wheels when the car is stuck.

Put a shovel in the trunk (it could be a folding trench shovel from an army-navy surplus store) in case you need to dig your way out of ice or a snowdrift. Obtain emergency flares and a twenty-five-foot” length of strong nylon rope or Vi-inch steel cable with hooks at each end. The rope or cable is useful for pulling a vehicle out of a snowdrift. In some states the law requires that you carry emergency flares.

DRIVING ON ICE OR SNOW

Remember the limitations of yourself, your car, and the driving surface. You cannot accelerate quickly, turn quickly, or stop quickly on snow or ice. Start gradually by using low gear and accelerating gently. Maximum traction occurs just before the wheels spin; minimum traction occurs while they are spinning. Many cars with automatic transmission have just enough power for the wheels to start the car moving on ice when the accelerator is depressed gently. Pretend there is an egg between your foot and the accelerator. Approach steep down¬grades in low gear and stay in low. Go slow! Speeds that are normally safe can be hazardous on ice and snow.

Reaction to a skid should be almost instantaneous, before enough skidding momentum has accumulated to make control impossible. Some drivers react correctly by instinct; others must learn, preferably by practice in safe, controlled situations. An empty parking lot is a good place to practice.

As most skids are caused by the rear of the car swinging around toward the front (rotation), your task is to prevent this. Take your foot off the accelerator and turn the steering wheel to move the front end to the right if the rear end wants to pass on the right. Steer to the left if the rear tries to pass on the left; in other words, turn the wheel in the direction of the skid. If you do not, the rotation will increase until your car spins out of control.

You may encounter the problem of getting out of a snowdrift or off an ice patch. Use the shovel from your trunk to clear a path and the sand, carpet, or cat litter to provide better traction. Put the car in low gear and depress the accelerator gently to avoid spinning the wheels. Drive out slowly. If the car moves forward a short distance and then the wheels begin to spin, try a rocking motion; reverse the car and then come forward, repeating this operation as necessary. Some experts suggest letting some air out of the rear tires to provide more traction. I do not recommend this unless you have a pressurized can or a small electric air pump that plugs into the cigarette lighter to restore the pressure in your tires.

Keep a small hammer under the seat of your car for emergency use. Cases have been reported of drivers on the road for several hours in subfreezing weather who discovered upon stopping that they were imprisoned. The car doors would not open and the windows would not roll down because they were frozen. Use the hammer to break the window glass in case of a severe emergency.

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Tips on Medium Tasks

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

You have to have the proper tools before you attempt most of these medium tasks, though you can occasionally substitute an all-purpose tool, e.g., a small adjustable wrench, for a specific tool. I recommend that you buy a set of metric auto wrenches if you have a foreign car or an American car that requires metric tools. Sometimes auto parts stores have these on sale and that is a good time to buy and save money; the cost varies depending on the number and quality of the tools. If your car is American, especially an older model, you may need certain wrenches and tools labeled in inches or fractions to work on it. Buy only those you must have, because within a few years all new American cars will require metric tools.

Here are some medium tasks you should be able to perform if you have the right tools and equipment, some mechanical ability, and the time and patience to do them. They really are not difficult, and the novice who thinks he or she is all thumbs should not avoid trying them.

1. Repacking the front wheel bearings-drum brakes

2. Repacking the front wheel bearings-disc brakes

3. Flushing the cooling system

4. Replacing the thermostat

5. Changing the hoses

6. Lubricating the car

7. Changing the oil and the oil filter

8. Changing drive belts

REPACKING THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS-DRUM BRAKES

Things you will need:

a. A one-pound can of Wolfs Head Lube super-duty and wheel bearing grease or the equivalent, or whatever your Owner’s Manual recommends. Be certain the grease is water resistant; an inferior grease will melt under the ordinary operating temperatures of the hub and get on the brakes, causing serious trouble.

b. Two 2-inch-long cotter pins, Vs -inch in diameter

c. Two new grease seals

d. Small can of kerosene (to soak bearings, nut, and washers)

e. Ballpeen hammer with wooden handle

f. Adjustable pliers (slip-joint type)

g. Large slot-blade screwdriver

h. Jack stand

i. Lots of old rags

Normally, the bearings need repacking every twelve months or 10,000 miles; double check with your Owner’s Manual. Set the emergency brake and place chock blocks in front and back of one rear wheel. Use the bumper jack to lift a front wheel off the ground. Use a jack stand under the front suspension (a jack stand is used to hold up securely either the front or the rear of a car that has been lifted with a bumper jack). Never use concrete blocks or just a bumper jack to hold up the car while you work on it – concrete blocks are brittle and may collapse suddenly, and a bumper jack can fail without warning.

Remove the wheel. Spin the hub to detect noise, which indicates faulty bearings. Use the hammer, screwdriver, and pliers to remove the metal dust cap covering the hub; then use the pliers to remove the cotter pin. Unscrew the nut counterclockwise, and put the nut and washer in the kerosene can.

Pull slightly on the round wheel hub. As the hub comes towards you, the outer bearing will fall in your hand. Put the bearing in the kerosene. Remove the hub completely and place it on a flat surface with the inside facing down. Use the wooden handle of the ballpeen hammer to knock out the grease seal, allowing the inner bearing to come out.

Caution! Do not drive the grease seal out with a metal object be¬cause bearing damage will result. Use kerosene to clean all the old grease off both bearings and out of the hub. Wipe off the kerosene, and then blow the bearings dry with a vacuum cleaner. Inspect all bearings for pits and surface scars. Any bearing damage means new bearings are needed. In that case, I suggest that you grease the damaged bearing and reassemble the hub* aiul wheel, and then go to a reputable mechanic and get him to inspect all front wheel bearings and replace needed parts. Damaged bearings mean the bearing race or track that they move in may be damaged, and replacing this is a job for the professional.

If you find no bearing damage, take the inner bearing first and thoroughly work the wheel bearing grease into all parts of the bearing and the hub. Be generous; grease is inexpensive.

Replace the inner bearing and use the head of the hammer to put in a new grease seal. Put the wheel hub back on the axle. Coat the outer bearing with grease and replace the bearing in the wheel hub. Replace the washer and nut, tightening the nut as far as possible, and then turning it backwards just enough to align the holes for the cotter pin. Put in a new cotter pin and spread the ends so that they appear the way you found the old cotter pin. Use the hammer to replace the dust cap on the hub. The wheel hub should rotate easily. Put the wheel back on, remove the jack stand and the jack, and repeat the operation on the other front wheel.

Caution! The cotter pin prevents the nut from unscrewing and the wheel from coming off. Failure to follow instructions can be hazardous to the operator and others. Be careful not to get any grease on the brake linings. After repacking your wheels, ask a reputable mechanic to check them if you have any doubts about whether the job has been done properly.

REPACKING THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS-DISC BRAKES

Things you will need:

a. All the items listed above for drum brake wheels

b. Two 1x4x12-inch boards

c. Four retaining pin nuts

d. Piece of flexible wire 18 inches long for hanging the
caliper

e. Nut driver or socket wrench

Read the previous section on repacking the front wheel bearings- drum brakes. Follow the same procedure to jack up the car and re-move the wheel, the dust cap, the cotter pin, and the nut and washer. Use a screwdriver to pry both mounting-pin retaining nuts off. (These nuts are usually held on with friction, and the mounting pins are not threaded.) Remove the two mounting pins that hold the caliper by using a pair of pliers-giving a twisting, turning, pulling motion. Lift the caliper off the disc. Use the wire to hang the caliper from the front suspension. Never let the caliper hang by the brake line.

Pull the disc wheel hub outward and the outer wheel bearing will fall into your hands. Put the bearing in the kerosene can. Place the wheel hub on the wooden boards inside down with the boards near the outer edge of the disc, leaving the center of the hub unob¬structed. Use the wooden handle of the ballpeen hammer to knock the grease seal out; then the inner bearing will come out. Invert the whole hub to remove the inner bearing.

Follow the same process as with drum brake wheels to clean the old grease off, inspect the bearings, apply bearing grease, and replace the inner bearing and new grease seal. Next put the wheel hub back on the axle, coat the outer wheel bearing with grease and replace it along with the washer, nut, and cotter pin as explained above.

Replace the caliper and the two caliper mounting pins. Put the two new retaining pin nuts on the ends of the retaining pins by applying pressure with a nut driver or a socket from a socket set.
Replace the dust seal at the hub. Replace the wheel, remove the jack stand and jack, and proceed to the other front wheel. Follow the preceding cautionary note.

FLUSHING THE COOLING SYSTEM

Things you will need:

a. Needle-nose pliers

b. Water hose

c. Antifreeze solution (See our Owner’s Manual for the amount of coolant needed)

d. Distilled Water

Park the car on a city street or somewhere other than your paved driveway. Otherwise the rusty water from the radiator may cause red iron stains, or the old antifreeze may kill your grass. If yours is a con-ventional cooling system, remove the radiator cap, start the car, and let the engine idle for about ten minutes to bring it to operating tempera-lure; then shut off the engine. Use the pliers to loosen the petcock ;il the bottom of the radiator by turning the winged screw counter¬clockwise. After you loosen the petcock, put the pliers down and use your fingers to turn the screw valve as far open as it will go, but do not force the screw valve; it is not supposed to come completely out, so stop just when it gets difficult to turn. Be careful of getting scalded! The water from the radiator will be hot. Keep the radiator cap off so the liquid will flow better; then crank the engine again and let it idle.

Have your water hose hooked up, ready to replenish the water in the cooling system as soon as all the liquid is drained out. This step is called Hushing the system. Remember that the engine is idling, so keep your hands away from the spinning fan blades.

When you have filled the radiator full and it has drained out-do this twice-stop the engine. Close the petcock with your fingers and then use the pliers to tighten the winged screw nut so the petcock will not leak. Do not put all your strength on tightening the screw because you may strip the threads.

Take the proper amount of antifreeze or antifreeze-and-water solu-tion and prepare to pour the solution into the radiator. Start the engine before you pour coolant into the radiator; you may damage the engine if you pour cold liquid into the radiator when the engine is hot and not running. Fill the radiator until the core is covered, and then stop the engine and replace the radiator cap.

The radiator cap on some sealed systems is labeled “Do Not Open.” Flushing the system is an exception, so remove the cap and start the engine. Then follow the same steps as with a conventional cooling system. Finally, empty the plastic container of coolant and refill with new coolant.

You may use faucet water in flushing the cooling system because of the convenience; the water is passing through the engine and flushing out sediment and rust. But, as stated before, rainwater or distilled water mixed with antifreeze is best for your cooling system, and should be used for the final fill-up.

REPLACING THE THERMOSTAT

Things you will need:

a. New thermostat of the proper size and temperature rating

b. Socket set or box wrenches

c. New gasket

d. Gasket cement

The thermostat is located in the engine block where the top radiator hose connects to the engine. Drain and save the coolant. Use the socket set or box wrenches to remove the nuts holding the thermostat housing that is attached to the radiator hose. You may have to remove the alternator bracket or other metal parts.
Remove the old thermostat and gasket, and clean the recessed por-tion of the housing so the new thermostat will fit properly. Place the new thermostat in the block in the same direction as the old thermostat. Apply gasket cement to both sides of the new gasket. Install the gasket and replace the thermostat housing. Tighten the nuts after replacing all brackets. Don’t forget to replace the coolant.
Caution.’ Install the thermostat with the proper side facing inward. A thermostat is usually marked to show the proper direction in which it should be installed

CHANGING THE HOSES

Things you will need:

a. New hose or hoses

b. Two new clamps for each hose (screw type)

c. Adjustable slip-joint pliers

d. Screwdriver

I suggest that you change the two radiator hoses every two years. First drain and save the coolant from the radiator. Use the pliers to re-move the clamps from the hose to be replaced. The original clamps are probably the spring-steel type designed for trench pliers, and you should be able to remove them with adjustable slip-joint pliers. Pull firmly on the hose, using a twisting, turning motion until both ends
a are free.

Install the new hose and tighten the new clamps with a screwdriver. Replace the coolant in the radiator.

LUBRICATING THE CAR

Things you will need:

a. Grease gun (pistol type)

b. Cartridge of grease to fit the gun

c. Two jack stands or two metal car ramps, each with a capacity of 2,500 pounds, or at least half the weight of your car

d. Tools as needed

e. Rags

f. Auto creeper (optional)

An auto creeper is not essential, but it is handy for the amateur mechanic. It is a flat, boardlike device with four small wheels, and enables the operator to lie on his back and move easily to various locations under the car when greasing it or performing other service work.

Normally, a lube job and a change of oil and oil filter are performed at the same time. If you do these tasks yourself, it is the ideal time to check the various other fluids in the car: battery, radiator, transmis-sion, brake, and power steering.

Jack stands (grease gun and oil filter wrench in center)

I suggest you go to a service station and have grease fittings installed if you have a new car that came from the factory with “plugs” instead of grease fittings; fittings are necessary to grease a car. If your car already has grease fittings, then proceed. Consult your Owner’s Manual to learn how many grease fittings are on your car, as the number varies a great deal depending on the make and year of the car.

Set the emergency brake, put chock blocks in front and back of a rear wheel, and use the bumper jack to lift the front, one side at a time, for your jack stands. Or drive the car up on the car ramps, set the emergency brake, and chock a rear wheel.

Caution! Never work under a car held up by a bumper jack or con-crete blocks! The bumper jack may give way with no warning, and concrete blocks are brittle and may collapse suddenly.

Use a rag to wipe off each grease fitting. Press the grease gun hose connector onto each fitting and hold the connector on with one hand, operating the trigger with the other hand to apply grease to the fitting. You should pump grease into the fitting until you see the boot begin to expand. Stop! It is not necessary to force grease to come out of the joint. Be certain to grease all fittings; do not neglect a single one.

Remove the jack stands from the front, or back the car off the ramp. Place the jack stands under the rear axle, or back the rear wheels up on the car ramps, chock a front wheel, and then check the differential, which is situated between the two rear wheels.

Remove the filler plug on the differential; location of the plug varies -look for it. You may need a special tool or wrench. For example, a %-inch drive handle for a socket set fits some General Motors cars, while other cars may require an open-end or box wrench. When the plug is removed, stick your little finger in the opening to check the level of the differential grease. The grease should be Vi -inch below the top of the opening. Go to a service station to have differential grease added if the grease level is too low. The station has a pressure gun and the proper grease, and there is no easy way for the car owner to add grease to the differential. If the differential has sufficient grease, replace the plug and remove the jack stands or take the car off the ramps.

CHANGING THE OIL AND THE OIL FILTER

Things you will need:

a. Oil filter wrench

b. New oil filter (proper number for your car)

c. Plastic dishpan or container that will hold up to two gallons (for the used oil)

d. Two jack stands or two metal ramps, each with a capacity of 2,500 pounds, or at least half the weight of your car

e. Box wrench to fit oil drain plug

f. Oil (the required number of quarts of the proper oil)

g. Pouring spout, or funnel and can opener

h. Wheel bearing grease

i. Rags

j. Auto creeper (optional)

Some people consider changing the oil and changing the oil filter as two separate tasks, but I consider them as one task because I recom-mend that you always change the oil filter when you change the oil.

Set the emergency brake and put chock blocks in front and back of one rear wheel. Use the bumper jack to lift the front, one side at a time, so you can place your jack stands under the front. Or drive the front wheels on the car ramps, set the emergency brake, and chock a rear wheel. Let the engine idle for five minutes; then turn it off.

Caution! Never work under a car held up by a bumper jack! The bumper jack is not safe when you have to get under the car. Do not use concrete blocks to hold up the car, as they are brittle and may collapse suddenly.

Place the dishpan under the oil drain plug, and use your box wrench to remove the plug. After all the oil drains out, replace the oil drain plug and tighten. Then place the dishpan beneath the oil filter, and use your oil filter wrench to unscrew it and remove it. Apply wheel bearing grease on the rubber seal of the new oil filter. Install the new filter and tighten it with your hands. Do not use the oil filter wrench to tighten the oil filter or you will have great difficulty in removing the oil filter the next time.

Open the oil filler cap on top of the engine and use the oil can pouring spout to add the necessary quarts of oil, or use the can opener on the cans and add oil through the funnel. As some oil will usually be spilled with a pouring spout, I strongly urge you to use a funnel to pour oil into the engine if your car is a Chevrolet Vega. Any spilled oil goes into the alternator on the Vega (and perhaps on some other cars) and can cause expensive repair bills. Replace the oil cap filter.

Crank the engine and let it idle for five minutes while you look underneath the car to see if any oil is leaking at the drain plug or at the new filter. Bury the old oil, or put it in empty milk containers and place it in the garbage.

Caution! Some discount auto parts stores sell a device called an “electric-drill-powered oil changer.” By attaching an electric drill to a special pump device and lowering a hose into the oil dipstick sheath, a person can pump the oil out of his engine to save the trouble of getting underneath the car. Do not buy this gadget! No pump can completely remove all the dirty oil from the crankcase, and the oil remaining will contaminate the clean oil that you add. When you remove the drain plug from a warm engine, the oil will flow out rapidly, taking with it any metal particles, sludge, and other materials that have settled in the bottom of the crankcase, but an oil pump will not remove all of this material.

Inspect the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve at each oil change. The PCV valve helps to cut down on air pollution, and must be clean in order to maintain efficient engine operation. The location of PCV valves varies with different makes and models of cars. A hose connects to the PCV valve, and normally this valve is located in the rocker arm cover, and the other end of the hose connects at the base of the carburetor. To locate the PCV valve on your car engine, refer to your Owner’s Manual or ask your mechanic. Some older cars do not have a PCV valve. My Owner’s Manual recommends that this valve be inspected at each oil change and replaced every twenty-four months or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first.

After you locate the PCV valve, remove it from the engine, using pliers to disconnect it from the hose. Shake the PCV valve: if it rattles, the valve is not jammed and is satisfactory; if it does not rattle, replace it. Another way to check it is to crank the engine and put your finger over the end of the PCV valve: if you feel a vacuum, it is all right; if not, it needs replacing.

CHANGING DRIVE BELTS

Things you will need:

a. New belt(s)-be certain to get the proper type and length

b. Tools: box wrenches, socket wrenches, etc.

c. Jack handle

Belts should be changed whenever they show signs of wear, such as frayed edges. It is a good idea to replace all belts every two years or 24,000 miles. Be sure to check the belts if you are starting on a long trip. Modern automobile engines have one or more drive belts; the number of them depends on the accessories you have, such as air con-ditioning and power steering. In order to change one belt that is frayed or broken, you may have to remove one or more other belts.

Use your box wrenches, socket wrenches, or other tools to loosen or remove brackets and parts obstructing the removal of old belts and the installation of new belts. Most auto parts dealers have belts that will fit both American and foreign cars. Try your foreign car dealer if you cannot find the needed belt for your foreign car at an auto parts store

It is important to install the new belt with the proper amount of ten-sion. Use your jack handle to provide leverage on the various pulleys until you have the correct tension in the belt. Then tighten nuts or bolts to keep the tension. The belt tension is about right when you push on the center of a belt between two pulleys 12 inches apart, and the pres-sure depresses the belt about V* to Vi inch. A belt is slipping and should be tightened if you hear a squealing noise when the engine is running. Belt dressing preparation is also available if a belt with proper tension is slipping.

After replacing a worn belt that is not broken, keep the old belt in the trunk of your car as a spare.

Do you have more tips to add to this car maintenance article? Please leaev them as a comment belllow.

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Do it Yourself Fixes

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

I have already explained how to check the liquid level in the battery, the oil level in the engine, the liquid level in the radiator, and the air pressure in the tires in the chapter on Four Regular Checks. Here are some other easy tasks you can do with a minimum of tools, mechanical ability, and expertise:

1. Servicing the air cleaner

2. Removing battery corrosion

3. Using jumper cables

4. Checking the brake fluid level

5. Putting on the spare tire

6. Checking the power steering fluid level

7. Checking the automatic transmission fluid

8. Filling the windshield washer reservoir

9. Replacing windshield wiper blades

10. Replacing fuses

11. Replacing the turn signal flasher

12. Replacing the four-way hazard flasher

13. Replacing light bulbs

SERVICING THE AIR CLEANER

On most cars the air cleaner is inside a round can, usually located above the carburetor. The round lid is usually held on with a wing nut(s) that must be removed. Lift the lid off and remove the round paper filter element to examine it. Replace the element when it is dark on the outside and the inside.

Refer to your Owner’s Manual to learn approximately how many miles you can drive before the element needs changing. Your manual gives a good rule of thumb, but remember that the more dirt roads you drive on, the sooner the element will get dirty. A car driven only on pavement can go about 20,000 miles before it needs a new air cleaner element, but a car driven on dirt roads should be inspected about every 1,000 miles. The first time you service the air cleaner yourself, ask your regular mechanic’s opinion if you have any doubts about whether the filter element is dirty enough to need changing.

Buy a new air cleaner element from an auto parts store by specifying the year and make of your car, or take the old element with you. Be-fore installing it, clean the container with a rag dipped in kerosene or lightweight oil, such as 3-in-One oil or sewing machine oil. Either side can be installed face up unless the element indicates a top side, so you cannot put it in wrong. Replace the lid and tighten the wing nut securely to avoid a rattle. Some cars, such as the Chevrolet Vega, have ah air cleaner unit that cannot be taken apart, and you have to purchase the entire metal can unit containing the filter. Several nuts must be removed to make this change. Use a small, adjustable crescent wrench or a socket wrench to perform this task.

REMOVING BATTERY CORROSION

Each battery has two terminals, a positive and a negative. These terminals are located on the top of the battery or on the side near the top. The battery cables are attached to the terminals and carry the required voltage to the electrical system. Corrosion happens naturally, and is not an indication of a problem, but it can prevent the car from starting when you least expect it. So keep it off your battery terminals and metal battery clamps by removing it periodically.

Do not park your car on a paved driveway when you remove corrosion, as you may stain it. This is the procedure:
Make sure that all the vent caps are covering the cells (soda water getting into the cell may cause an explosion or a violent reaction and splash you with acid). Mix a concentrated solution of ordinary baking soda and faucet water (approximately five tablespoons of soda to one-half cup of water), and pour this solution on the corrosion, using an old toothbrush or wire brush to scrub away the corrosion. If the battery is in the engine compartment, you can use a water hose or a sprinkling can to rinse off all the corrosion and remaining soda, leaving the metal parts clean. Dry off the terminals with a paper towel or cloth. A film of petroleum jelly or wheel bearing grease applied to the outside of the terminals and the metal battery clamps will help prevent the accumulation of corrosion.

If your battery has been neglected for one or two years and the terminals are thoroughly covered with corrosion, it is best to remove the clamps with a wrench or pliers and clean them and the battery terminals with baking soda. Then use sandpaper or a special battery terminal cleaning tool to scour the metal inside the clamps and around the terminals. Replace the clamps, tighten, and apply grease.

QUESTION: Can Coca-Cola be used instead of baking soda to remove corrosion from batteries? No, Coca-Cola is not strong enough.

USING JUMPER CABLES

Jumper cables are colored red and black to help you place them cor-rectly. Use a helper battery of the same voltage as the dead battery. For example, if the dead battery is twelve volts (one with six vent caps), the helper car must have a twelve-volt battery. You will normally have another person to help you when you are using a helper battery from another vehicle.

Identify the positive and negative terminals on the dead battery and on the helper battery. The positive terminals will be labeled with the letters POS or p, or a plus sign ( + ), and the negative terminals can be identified by the letters NEG or N, or a minus sign (-).

Caution! Do not attempt to use the jumper cables if you cannot identify the positive and negative terminals of both batteries. Get a professional mechanic to help you.
Follow this procedure when jump-starting. For simplicity, I will refer to the helper car as A and the dead battery car as B:

a. Position the two vehicles so they are not touching.

b. Remove the vent caps from both batteries and cover the vents with cloth.

c. Turn off the engine in helper car A, so no damage can occur to its electrical system if the cables are not connected properly. (If car A does not have enough power to start car B, get another helper battery-or crank car A using its own battery and take your chances on an improper connection. )

d. In car B, set the parking brake and place automatic transmission in “park” (or put manual transmission in “neutral”).

If you would like to add something to this car maintenance article please do it in the form bellow.

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Ripoffs and How to Avoid Them

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

REPAIRS

Unnecessary or exorbitant car repairs head the list of consumer gripes. Many car owners feel they are being ripped off, and frequently they are. On the other hand, the trouble could be a misunderstanding or no understanding before the repair work was undertaken.

If you are a newcomer to a community or are traveling away from home, you would be well advised to patronize a dealer who sells the same car or who represents the manufacturer of your car. A franchised dealer of a car manufacturer is less likely to make unnecessary repairs, and is more likely to have the part or parts you need. If you are dissatisfied, you will have some recourse through the manufacturer. An independent mechanic may take advantage of an out-of-town traveler, and you will have very little recourse.

Ask for and receive a written estimate for repairing the car; it is a protection both for the car owner and the repair shop. Sometimes there is a charge for the labor of making a diagnosis and arriving at an estimate, but this charge must be reasonable and should be disclosed on the estimate. Some states have consumer protection laws, which guarantee the motorist the right to a written estimate before the work is agreed upon if the repair is expected to exceed a certain amount. It is always less risky to get at least two bids for repair work when you are in a strange city.

The repair shop should give you a bill itemizing the cost of the labor and all the parts-whether new or used-after the work is done. Remember that an estimate is. just that; no mechanic can always know exactly what will be found upon opening up the engine or the transmission. Repair costs for the rest of the car are easier to estimate.

When you first discuss the repairs, tell the repair shop that you will want to see all the old parts taken off your car. Reputable shops are usually glad to give you old parts, such as valves, rings, plugs, points, and condenser. Other used parts, such as starters and alternators, have to be traded in to get a rebuilt unit. Some parts under warranty may have to be returned to the manufacturer or distributor, but you can ask to see all parts removed from your car. If you see the old parts taken off your car, then the mechanic has probably installed new parts. Some dishonest shops have been known to state that they put on a new part and to charge you for it, while in reality they did not replace the old part at all.

Older cars, less popular cars, and foreign cars sometimes need parts that are simply not available locally and may take some time to obtain from a distant source. You might start revising your plans to include possible delays when the mechanic expresses doubt about the availability of certain needed parts. Consider a rental car to save your vacation-you can pick up your repaired car at a later date.

Some larger cities and most states have a regulatory agency you can contact if you feel you have been cheated on a car repair. Locally you can contact the Better Business Bureau or the consumer relations division of the chamber of commerce. You can write the state at¬torney general’s office, which will help you contact the appropriate state agency.

If auto parts are ordered through the mail but do not arrive or are not as represented, contact your local postmaster for information on filing a claim; also, you can complain to the Federal Trade Commis-sion, Washington, D.C. 20580.

OIL
To avoid some common ripoffs, stay with your car when you stop ill nn unfamiliar service station, getting out and watching while the at-f aidant services your car. Wait until the service operation is complete he fore you go to the rest room or go inside for a soft drink. The few iwlni minutes this takes are well worthwhile.
Through ignorance or intent, an attendant may open the hood and check the oil as soon as a car pulls into the station. He holds the dip-Nfick in front of the unsuspecting motorist and with great authority announces that a quart of oil is needed. If the driver protests that the car should not need any oil, the dipstick right in front of his eyes provides the evidence that the oil level is low. As I mentioned before, since the engine has just stopped running and some oil still is circu-lating in the top of the engine, it is necessary to wait five or ten minutes for the oil to drain down into the crankcase. Then the oil level can be measured accurately and should show sufficient oil.

Let me say a word in defense of the station owner at this point. Most owners are honest and are trying to build a business, which can-not be done by dishonest practices. Some attendants do not realize that the oil needs time to drain down into the crankcase. When a quart of oil is added to an engine that already has enough, the engine simply throws out the excess oil. The only damage done is to your pocketbook. A variation of the “oil trick” is that the attendant does not push the dipstick down as far as it will go when he checks the oil.

You can easily avoid the oil ripoff by carrying out the four regular checks discussed in an earlier chapter, which include checking the oil yourself. When I stop for gas, I tell the attendant the kind of fuel I want and immediately inform him that the hood is okay. An honest at-tendant likes to hear this, as it saves him time and effort.

SHOCK ABSORBERS

Another ripoff to watch for is the “you need shock absorbers” ploy. You are more susceptible to this scheme on a toll highway or limited access highway where no other station is nearby. While your car is being serviced, you refresh yourself with a soft drink or visit the rest room. When you return, the attendant inquires how much farther you have to go. Whatever your reply, he will assert that your shocks are worn out, you will never make your destination, and you should not even drive a mile. The attendant just happens to have a lift available, and he can put on new shocks in a short time. You have heard that shocks do wear out and you have to make a decision about getting new ones installed, so what do you do?

Since it is true that any car part will wear out sooner or later, your shocks may be weak and need replacing, so that part of what the attendant says can be true. But he is telling a lie if he says you can¬not drive another mile with worn shocks. A car has four shocks, one at each wheel; they do get weaker and less effective with age and use, but they do not normally break or wear out all at once. In fact, you could drive the car with all four shocks removed, but not very fast be-cause the car would sway excessively and be unstable.

If this situation happens to you, thank the attendant for informing you that your shocks are getting weak and then proceed down the road, driving slower and more cautiously. At the first opportunity, or when you arrive home, get an opinion from another mechanic to see if you really need new shocks. If you do, check the local newspaper- shocks are frequently advertised on sale.

A variation of the shock scheme is for the attendant to take an oil can and squirt oil on one of the shocks, so that it leaks on the pave-ment from the outside of the shock. The attendant feigns alarm when you return: your shock is leaking oil, and you absolutely cannot drive another mile until he replaces all your shocks! The truth is that a shock absorber does contain a small amount of oil to make an air¬tight seal between the plunger and the walls of the cylinder, but it is not full of oil. Remember that shock absorbers do wear out even¬tually and will need replacing, but they do not wear out all at once.

ADDITIVES

Millions of car owners in this country have problems sooner or later; inventors and engineers are constantly seeking improvements in solving car problems. Unfortunately, gyp artists are also inventing “improvements” that merely fleece the public. Some additive products are helpful, some do no good, and some are even harmful to your car.

Supplementary additives for the engine oil may not hurt the engine, and they can be genuinely useful in certain cases. Remember a top grade (SE) engine oil already has beneficial additives.

In addition to additives for oil, dozens of additives are available to give a certain benefit or improvement to almost every part of the car: some are added to the gas, some to the engine through the carburetor, some are placed in the radiator, and there are even some for the bat-tery. I do not endorse or condemn the many products available; a few that have proved beneficial beyond any doubt are mentioned in this book. Products that claim secret ingredients that will do miracle jobs should be questioned. Before you spend money on additives to cure your car’s problem, check an unbiased authority, such as Consumer Reports. Another source of helpful advice is your honest, reputable mechanic

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Accidents and What to Do When Occur

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

Each year many drivers are involved in accidents. The National Safety Council reports that 17,800,000 male drivers and 7,300,000 female drivers were involved in reportable accidents in a recent year. Though males are involved in more accidents than females, the difference is due in part to the amount of driving each sex does and the differences in the driving locations and conditions. For example, more men than women drive taxis and transfer trucks, which are considered more hazardous than ordinary driving around town.

To lessen your chances of having an accident, I recommend that you enroll in a DDC (defensive driving course), an eight-hour course designed for experienced drivers. The DDC teaches experienced drivers the types and causes of automobile accidents and how to prevent them. Practically all drivers fall into some dangerous driving habits, and this course will help you to identify these practices and correct them. Originated by the National Safety Council, it is available through local safety organizations and law enforcement agencies. The course is continually being upgraded and improved, and I believe accidents would substantially decrease if experienced drivers took it every five years.

If you are involved in an accident but are not seriously hurt, you should give first aid to anyone who may be injured, though you should not move an injured person unless absolutely necessary. Some states have passed a “Good Samaritan” law that protects you from being sued later if you give first aid to help the victim.

Keep cool! Turn on your emergency flashers or activate emergency flares to decrease the chances of involving another vehicle; at night or in bad weather, this is a must. Send for the police, and do not move any vehicle until they arrive.

You should both obtain and render the following information for each vehicle involved in the accident, making sure to also list the names of the law officers present:

Driver’s name
Driver’s address
Driver’s phone number
Company carrying insurance
Insurance policy number
License plate number
Make of vehicle
Passenger(s) name(s)
Passenger(s) address(es)
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Names of law officers
Name(s) of any witness(es)
Witness’s address
Witness’s phone number

Make no agreements or settlements, but give the investigating officer complete details to the best of your knowledge and belief. Laws vary by states, and sometimes the courts will have to decide who or what caused the accident. Notify your insurance company as soon as possible after an accident.

EMERGENCIES

Every driver should expect emergencies and try to be prepared for them. It is impossible to list all driving emergencies, but here are a few examples to test your skills and reactions.

1. You are approaching a car that begins to veer over to your side of the road for no apparent reason. The driver may be asleep, drunk, ill, or not paying attention. What can you do? Slow down and pull as far as possible to the right-hand side of the road, while signaling with your lights and horn to warn the other driver of the danger. If there is a shoulder on your side of the road, do not hesitate to drive on it.

Steer into a ditch or any open ground on the right side that is free of obstructions if he continues toward you. Do not try to outguess him by steering to the left, since he may wake up or recover and swerve back to his lane, causing a head-on collision.

2. If you apply the foot brakes while driving and they do not work, try pumping them. If there is a small amount of braking power left, you may get enough response to stop the car (be certain you have not depressed the clutch pedal by mistake!). If the brakes are completely gone, shift into a lower gear so the engine will act as a brake, and apply the emergency brake, though it is effective only on the rear wheels. It will stop the car, but in a greater distance. Steer over to the right-hand side and drive on the shoulder, stopping as soon as you can.

Be careful about turning the ignition key off in order to stop the engine; on cars with the ignition switch on the steering column, you will lock the steering column if you turn the key all the way to the left. Cars with power steering will be much harder to steer with the engine off, but if you brace yourself and get a firm grip on the wheel, you should be able to steer the car.

3. If a car approaches you at night with its headlights on high beam, flick your lights to high beam and back to low beam; this reminder usually prompts the other driver to switch to low beam. If this does not work, avoid looking directly at his lights, which will blind you temporarily, and concentrate on looking at the right edge of the road.

Slow down and steer as far to the right as possible. As soon as the car passes, put your lights on high beam as a safety measure so you can see what is ahead. Never try to “get even” with the other driver by putting your lights on high beam; you may blind him and cause a collision.

4. If the accelerator pedal sticks when you lift your foot off the gas, put the car into neutral gear and tap the pedal a few times to see if you can unstick it. If you need to stop immediately, turn the ignition key slightly to the left to turn off the engine (remember that turning the key completely to the left locks the steering wheel), and apply the brakes. Get a good grip on the steering wheel; if you have power steering, it will be much harder to turn. Push harder on the brake pedal; with the engine off, power brakes require much more force to stop the car. If the accelerator still sticks and the road ahead is clear, put your foot under it and try to lift it upwards, or ask your front-seat passenger to reach down to lift it. It is too dangerous for the driver to try to reach down to lift the accelerator.

5. If your car catches on fire, stop, get your fire extinguisher from the trunk, open the hood (most fires are near or in the engine), and put out the fire. A portable extinguisher is useful when a fire first begins but is not effective for a car completely in flames. Stay far away from a flaming car because the gas tank may explode.

If you do not have a fire extinguisher, your action will depend on the cause of the fire. Use your jack handle to rip the wires apart if the trouble is shorted wires; a new wiring system is much cheaper than a new engine or a new car. Throw sand or soil on the engine; do like¬wise if the fire is caused by leaking gasoline. Do not put water on a gasoline fire, as it will only spread the fire.

6. Your car skids on wet pavement, plunges into a lake or river, and starts to sink. What can you do? Your first impulse is to open the door to get out. Water pressure on the outside of the door will probably make that escape impossible. Try rolling down a window and climbing out; open power windows immediately before they short out. Research shows a closed car will usually float for several minutes. If you do not panic, you can save your life; several minutes is a lot of time in an emergency. A car with the engine up front will sink nose first, so climb into the back seat. As the car fills with water, some air may be pushed to the rear near the roof. When the car is almost completely filled with water, a door may be opened, as the water pressure inside and outside is equalized.

7. You have a blowout on the superhighway. How will you handle this? If possible, use the right turn signals and get into the right-hand lane. If you are in the left lane when the tire blows out and there is a shoulder on the left side of the highway, you will be better off using your left turn signal and steering on to the shoulder on the left side of the highway. A blowout throws the car out of balance, which makes steering difficult. Reduce speed until you can safely drive onto the shoulder and stop. Do not panic and jam on the brakes; doing so may cause skidding and overturning. Turn on the four-way emergency flasher and use the red flasher on your spotlight to help prevent motorists from colliding into the rear of your car. Turn on the interior lights of the car at night and in inclement weather. If you need help, raise your hood. See Chapter 17, Tips on Easy Tasks, to put on the spare tire.

8. Your horn begins blowing and continues that awful noise for no apparent reason. What can you do? Open the trunk and get a pair of pliers, a wire cutter, or the jack handle. Open the hood, locate the horn, and use one of these tools to remove or cut the wires from the horn. This will stop the noise, and you can get the wires repaired later. The problem was probably caused by shorted wires between the horn and the steering wheel.

9. If you are driving in a thunderstorm and lightning seems to be striking near you, stay in your car. A metal car with rubber tires is one of the safest places you can be during a thunderstorm. If the downpour gets so heavy you cannot see at least several car lengths in front of you, it is best to pull off the road onto the shoulder and wait until the storm passes. Turn off your headlights when you are on the shoulder of the road; another driver may be following your tail light and hit the rear of your car. Turn on your four-way emergency flasher; it may help to alert other drivers that you are stopped.

10. If you do not have a spare key, and your keys are in a locked car with the windows rolled up, then what can you do?

You might call a locksmith for help if you are in a city. Some service stations keep a wire or a flat metal tool for open:ng locked doors in such situations. But with the help of a wire coat hanger, you may be able to get into the car yourself. Straighten it out, and fashion a small hook on one end. Sometimes it is possible to work the front window down far enough to insert the wire and use the hook end to pull up the door lock button or the door handle. Another possibility is to insert the coat hanger wire below or through the rubber seal of the wing window (if you have one) to reach and raise the lock button; you may have to cut away the rubber insulation from a window to get in. If it becomes necessary to break a window, a wing window is less expensive to replace.

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Troubleshouting

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

Does your car go clang, clang, clang or chug, chug, snort instead of whirr-purr? Something is wrong. A trained, experienced mechanic can tell a lot about an engine just by listening to it run. A crude comparison is the physician who uses a stethoscope to listen to your breathing and heartbeat. You, the amateur do-it-yourselfer, cannot possibly be¬come an expert at diagnosing the multitude of things that could be ail¬ing your car by reading books.
In this chapter, we will look at a few common symptoms and discuss what they might mean and what you can do. You may need a helper and a few basic tools to correct some of the troubles.

THE ENGINE WILL NOT START

The battery has plenty of power to spin the engine, and the gas gauge indicates at least a quarter tank of fuel. The engine has been running recently, but now it will not crank. Either an electrical problem or an impedance in the flow of gas to the carburetor is the likely cause; two tests will help you to determine the cause. Make the electric test first for safety reasons.

To make a simple electric test, locate the wire in the center of the distributor. (The distributor is the round, octopuslike device with wires leading to each spark plug.) Grasp the center wire firmly and pull straight up. Hold the wire you remove about Vs-inch from a metal part of the engine. Get a helper to turn the ignition key to turn the engine over several times. The electrical system is probably all right if a spark is produced by the distributor wire.

Suppose you do not see any spark when you hold the wire from the distributor to within Ms inch of the metal engine. The other end of the wire in your hand goes to the top of the coil. (The coil resembles a metal can about 2Vi inches in diameter and about 5 inches high.) Push this end of the wire firmly into the receptacle on top of the coil. Then try the spark test again. If there is still no spark between the wire from the distributor and the engine, the problem is in the electrical system and could be one of many things, most of which you probably cannot repair: coil, condenser, points, rotor button.

Another possible problem you can fix is when a wire inside the distributor is shorted against the metal side of the distributor. This hap-pened to me. I was driving along when the engine suddenly stopped, just as though the ignition switch had been turned off. Another person and I made the simple spark test, and I saw no spark. I took a screw-driver and turned the holding screws on the side of the distributor one-half turn counterclockwise so I could remove the distributor lid. Then I noticed a wire with a bare spot, touching the inner side of the distributor. This bare wire shorted out the electrical system. I wrapped plastic electrician’s tape around the wire, covering the bare place to prevent shorting. I replaced the lid on the distributor and turned the holding screws clockwise to fasten the lid securely. Then I replaced the wire in the center of the distributor, started the car easily, and was on my way. The wire that shorted was replaced later with a new wire

To make a fuel test, open the hood and remove the air cleaner in order to look in the top of the carburetor. Ask a helper to pump the accelerator two or three times. You should see gas being pumped into the engine, or a white vapor coming out of the top of the carburetor. You may smell a strong odor of gasoline. Sometimes you can hear a slight hissing noise caused by the gas being sprayed through the jet as the accelerator is moved up and down. Do not smoke or have a flame of any kind near the engine while doing this test! In vapor form gas ignites easily. If you see no gas and your tank is at least one-fourth full, something is stopping the flow of gas between the tank and the carburetor. You need the help of a mechanic.

If the gas is flowing, but the engine still will not start, it may be flooded. Let the engine sit for five minutes, then depress the accelera-tor, holding it down to the floor. Try cranking the engine two or three times, giving it five-second bursts of rotation. If the engine does not start, wait another five minutes, and try again.

THE ENGINE SKIPS

If the engine skips when you stop for a traffic light but seems to run smoothly at 40 to 50 mph, you may have one or more defective spark plugs. Make this simple test for a defective spark plug. Start the en¬gine, open the hood, and use gloves to carefully remove the wire from each plug, one at a time. Pull the spark plug boot, not the wire. The boot is a rubber cover that fits over the plug.

Listen to the effect on the engine as each wire is removed; then replace the wire. Removing each wire should have the effect of slowing the engine and causing it to skip worse. Removing a wire with no effect indicates the source of the trouble. Have a plug installed at that location; the new plug should have the numerical designation given in the Owner’s Manual or an equivalent number in another rep¬utable brand. Information on how to change spark plugs is not given in this book because the spark plugs are usually changed when a mechanic tunes the engine. Whether you can change one faulty plug depends on the engine and the difficulty of getting to that particular plug, the tools you have, and your mechanical ability, though it is a relatively simple task. If the engine idles smoothly after the new plug is installed, the trouble was a faulty plug. If that does not help, it is time for a mechanic.

TOWING TIPS

Your car with automatic transmission will not run, and you need a mechanic. You have a second vehicle or a friend who offers to tow your car to the shop to save the towing fee. Do not do this! Towing a car with automatic transmission, even in neutral, will damage the transmission of many cars and cause expensive repairs. Your Owner’s Manual will tell you if your car can be towed without damaging the automatic transmission. The drive shaft can be disconnected so the transmission will not be damaged, but that is a job for a mechanic, not an amateur. A tow truck operator will lift the rear of the car to save the transmission. Another reason for not towing your car with another car is that you may be breaking the law in some municipalities. If your car has manual transmission, you may tow it without damaging the transmission, but be careful. Towing is risky, as you may damage one or both cars if they collide.

AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER PROBLEMS

If the fan that blows cold air from the air conditioner or hot air from the heater stops, first check the fuse block for a blown fuse. You can have a blown fuse replaced or do it yourself. If the fan works when you turn the air conditioner on but the air that is blown out is not cold, turn off the engine, open the hood, and examine the belt that drives the air conditioner com-pressor. Have a loose belt tightened or a broken or frayed belt replaced; you can also do this task yourself. Go to an air conditioner repair shop if the drive belt is not the problem.

A car air conditioner sometimes cools perfectly for thirty minutes or an hour. Then the air flow decreases and the cooling stops. Try turning the air conditioner off for twenty or thirty minutes. It may work perfectly for a time and then stop cooling again. An explanation is that the cooling coil is building up a layer of ice, which effectively blocks the air flow and the cooling power. Turning the air conditioner off for a period of time allows the ice to melt, and the air conditioner again will work perfectly for a while. The trouble will not get any better, so take the car to an air conditioner repair shop.

Do not forget to operate your air conditioner at least ten to fifteen minutes a week all year round, even during winter months

TIRE VIBRATION

What can you do if you feel vibration as you drive down the road? First, try the car on a smooth road, because the trouble may be caused by road conditions. If you just bought new tires, one or more may need to be balanced or trued. If you have had the tires several months and the vibration has just started, one or more weights may have fallen off the wheel(s), and you need to have the balancing checked. If the vibration shakes the steering wheel, the problem is probably a front wheel or the front end. Take the car to a reputable shop.

PULLING BRAKES

You are driving, apply the brakes, and the car pulls strongly to one side. What is the problem? Some water may be on your brakes if you have been driving in rain or on wet roads. Drive for about one-tenth of a mile with your left foot depressing the brake pedal slightly. The heat produced by friction should dry out the brakes. Then try stopping to see if the brakes still pull. Try this procedure once more if you notice an improvement. If there is no improvement and the brakes continue to pull to one side, you may need just a new brake pad, or you may have a more serious brake problem.

Never take chances with faulty brakes! See a mechanic at once if brakes make unusual noises, feel “spongy” when you push the foot pedal, pull to one side, or act up in other disconcerting ways. Brake repair is not a do-it-yourself job. You need a mechanic who is knowledgeable, experienced, and honest to do your brake repairs

SLUGGISH STARTER

Which is the culprit if the starter just barely turns the engine over when you turn the ignition switch: starter, alternator, or battery? If the engine is cold, the battery is probably weak, which may be the result of a defective alternator. Have the battery checked where you purchased it or at a service station. If it is defective and still under warranty, the dealer will give you a financial adjustment. If all the cells are low and are not shorted, have the alternator checked. If the starter spins a cold engine but barely turns a hot engine, the trouble is probably a defective starter.

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Common Problems and FIxes

Posted on August 11, 2008 by admin

Various problems plague drivers at one time or another. In this chapter I have selected a few common problems that affect many people throughout the country.

  • COST OF OPERATION

The most common problem that concerns practically all drivers is the high cost of operation—often resulting from high fuel consumption—compounded in recent years by huge increases in the cost of gasoline. Most authorities say we can expect higher prices for gas in the future, so what reasonable steps can be taken to cut operating costs?

Let’s analyze six areas that have the greatest effect on your driving expenses: car selection and options, car maintenance, tune-ups, driving techniques, personal habits, and insurance.

Car Selection and Options

If your car is relatively new and you plan to keep it a long time, you will have to live with your selection and most of the options. If you are planning to buy a car, take time to study different sizes, makes, and features, and buy a car that will meet your needs yet give you satisfactory mileage.

A law of physics states that the more pounds to be moved at a given speed the more energy (gasoline) will be required. Generally, the lighter the car (compact or subcompact size) the more miles per gallon you can expect. Nevertheless, safety may be more important to you than extra gas mileage, and the heavier the car the safer you are, especially at high speeds. Another consideration in favor of larger cars is the possibility of using the car in a car pool.

A car with manual transmission gets better gas mileage than the same car with automatic transmission. Shifting gears for yourself with manual transmission may give you up to 15 percent better gas mileage.

An air conditioner on your car will cut your gas mileage about one to three miles to the gallon, so use your air conditioner only when you absolutely need it, keeping in mind that it is costing you money. Caution! Run your air conditioner at least fifteen minutes a week, all year round. Running it circulates the oil, which keeps the seal on the shaft lubricated. A dry seal permits freon gas to escape, which can require servicing or repair.

Radial tires give slightly better gas mileage than other tires, but do not rush down to swap your perfectly good bias or belted tires for radials, as the improvement is minor (about 7 percent for most cars).

Car Maintenance

Better gas mileage is a fringe benefit of proper maintenance. Having the engine tuned at regular intervals will directly improve your gas mileage. Changing your dirty air cleaner will also improve gas mileage, since a dirty air cleaner restricts the air flow to the car¬buretor, causing more gas to be drawn to the carburetor. The engine then has a richer mixture than normal, which wastes gas.

The cooling system thermostat influences gas consumption. The thermostat should cause the engine to warm up quickly enough so that the heater gives off hot air after about five minutes in cold weather. Your engine will be slow to warm up if your thermostat is de¬fective. While cold, the engine runs inefficiently, wasting gas. An engine at the proper operating temperature gives the best gas mileage, other factors being equal. Replace a defective thermostat at once with a new one designed for your car. To do this job yourself, see Chapter 18, Tips on Medium Tasks.

A dirty or faulty carburetor or a sticking automatic choke wastes gas and contributes to air pollution. A good mechanic will check these areas and correct any trouble when your car is tuned.

Underinflated tires cause increased fuel consumption and greater tire wear. Five pounds of underinflation can waste a half-gallon or more of gasoline out of every tankful.

Tune-ups

To get the best gas mileage, a tune-up is necessary periodically; it does not come under the warranty requirements. A tune-up usually includes: replacing the plugs, points, and condenser; adjusting the carburetor; checking and adjusting the timing; and inspecting the dis-tributor cap, the rotor button, and the electrical wiring. How often a tune-up is needed varies with different makes and ages of cars and the driving conditions (stop-and-go driving, short trips, long trips, and high speed), but generally a car should have a tune-up approximately every 10,000 miles. Poor gas mileage, hard starting, and slug¬gish pickup are indications tht you need a tune-up. When these conditions occur, have your car tuned to avoid a possible breakdown.

Tuning a car is not a job for the average driver. A person needs considerable experience and knowledge as a mechanic and must be familiar with a particular car to tune it properly. Antipollution equip-ment installed on newer cars presents additional complications for tuning an engine. A mechanic who tunes your car has a considerable investment in the proper equipment, which includes: technical manuals, a dwell meter, a feeler gauge for setting points, a timing light, a compression gauge, wrenches, and other tools.

Driving Techniques

Most experienced drivers resent being told how to drive. This section is only for those drivers who want to improve their gas mileage and who are willing to consider changes in their driving techniques to accomplish this goal.

The most rewarding change you can make is to drive slower. A highway speed of 50 mph yields up to four miles per gallon more than a speed of 70 mph; obviously, driving slower will conserve fuel. The national speed limit of 55 mph is designed to save fuel.

Try to maintain a steady speed, as braking and accelerating use more gas. You can also conserve fuel by anticipating signal light changes and slowing down to avoid a complete stop. Riding the brake makes your engine work harder, uses up more gas, and wears out the brake linings or pads.

Avoid jackrabbit starts. Every time you step on the accelerator a spurt of gas goes into the carburetor. Sudden spurts waste gas, since not all of it can be burned efficiently in the engine. “Scratching off” or “burning rubber” may be a teenager’s way of getting attention, but it wastes fuel and causes unnecessary wear on tires and other component parts of the auto.

Avoid long warm-ups. When the engine is first cranked, allow it to idle only long enough to ensure a satisfactory performance when you drive away. Racing the engine immediately after starting wastes gas and causes excessive wear on the engine. Turn the engine off when you are parked for more than a minute or two; idling gives you zero miles per gallon.

Buy the grade of gas recommended by your Owner’s Manual: unleaded, regular, or premium. If your car calls for unleaded gasoline, be certain to use only that; otherwise serious trouble will result. If your car is designed for regular gas, you are wasting money to burn premium fuel all the time. Large American cars manufactured before 1975 often need premium gas. Use only premium gasoline in such a car, because regular will probably cause “pinging” when you accelerate. This highpitched noise indicates the fuel is burning prematurely, which wastes gas and can be harmful to the engine.

Personal Habits

Personal habits are hard to change, and you can do so only if you have a strong desire to cut driving costs. Here are some suggestionsperhaps you can think of other things that you and your family can do.

To save money on driving, simply drive fewer miles. You probably feel it does not take very much gas to go short distances, but reports show that one-half of all the fuel used in passenger cars is consumed in trips of three miles or less. Buy your gas at cut-rate stations, preferably the self-service kind. Cutrate, unknown gas brands are usually just as high quality as well-known brands, and frequently it is the same gas from the same source. Drive your car more years before you trade or sell it; the depreciation cost is greatest in the early years of a car’s life.

Insurance

Review your car insurance; you may not really need collision in-surance if your car is four years old or older. If you have adequate hospital and medical insurance, you may not need medical coverage in your automobile insurance policy. (Do not confuse the above insurance with liability insurance, which every driver needs and which is required by many states.)

LIMITED LOCAL CAR USE AND SLOW DRIVING

Short trips, stop-and-go driving, and slow speeds are hard on a car. You use the brakes more frequently in driving around town than on longer trips. On short trips the exhaust system does not get hot enough to evaporate the moisture that has condensed in the muffler and tail-pipe, and because moisture causes rust, it will shorten the life of these parts.

Slow driving tends to increase the carbon build-up in the engine, particularly if you use regular leaded gasoline. Carbon build-up causes poor engine performance, such as less pickup and difficulty in starting the car. If you normally burn regular leaded gas, try using premium fuel about every fourth or fifth tank. Then take your car on the high-way and drive five or ten miles at the legal limit. Premium gasoline will help burn out the excess carbon and should improve engine performance.

Your tires may rot out before they wear out. After five years, the rubber valve stem may rot; one indication is that your tires keep losing air pressure. A service station can replace the valve stem at low cost.

It is important to stress that time as well as miles driven determine the frequency of service procedures such as lube jobs, oil and filter changes, and tune-ups. It is your responsibility to tell your mechanic when you want service done.

Every engine should be run at a medium-fast rate for ten to fifteen minutes each week. Doing this will keep the battery charged and ready to start the car. Do not just start the car and let the engine idle; keep the accelerator depressed slightly. It is important to run the air conditioner and the engine each week; do this yourself if your car is not driven for a week, or arrange for someone else to do it.

  • WINDSHIELD WIPERS

Many drivers overlook or postpone one area of preventive main-tenance more than any other—the maintenance or replacement of windshield wiper blades. The rubber blades deteriorate from age, sun-light, and the road oil that gets on them by splashing on the windshield. As blades get older, the rubber cracks or hardens and fails to do its job. When you notice your wipers are not cleaning the wind shield as they should, it is time to correct the trouble. Do not postpone it. Another sign that blades need replacing is when the rubber splits and tears. Make sure you replace both wiper blades at the same time; if one wiper is worn out, the other one is about to go too.

Here are some visible or audible indicators that the wipers need attention:

1. Streaking—the blade leaves untouched moisture within its wiping arc.

2. Hazing—a thin film covers all or most of the wiping area even after you wipe the blade with a clean cloth. Try cleaning the inside of your window before replacing blades; tobacco smoke, in particular, will haze the inside of the windshield.

3. Chattering—a peculiar, intermittent, stuttering noise and a vibrating motion accompany the blade as it goes back and forth.

4. Rattling—the wiper blades give out a rattling noise, which sounds like the blade is loose.

Some drivers have new blades installed at the service station or garage. You can do this job yourself and save money.

All modern cars have an electric windshield washer device. A trans-lucent plastic container under the hood holds the solution that is sprayed on the windshield. When your windshield washer stops work-ing, the liquid is probably used up. Simply remove the top of the plastic container and refill with water or water and cleaning chemicals, such as Windex, or a preparation made for this purpose. Do not confuse this container with the coolant reserve container, which is clearly connected to the radiator by a hose.

If the supply container has plenty of liquid and the windshield washer still will not work, the most likely trouble is a stopped-up filter screen on the end of the hose connected to the container. Remove the filter screen and try the windshield washer; if it now works, then the filter screen is causing the trouble. Put it in a cup containing vinegar to soak overnight. If this does not dissolve the calcium and magnesium deposits that came from the water, you may have to buy a new filter screen from your auto parts store or the parts department of your car dealer.

The windshield washer, especially on an older car, still may not work after you try these troubleshooting techniques. The electric pump that powers the washer to spray liquid on the windshield may be worn out. If so, you can either buy a kit at an auto parts store or have a garage replace the pump. The kit consists of a replacement pump and hoses, which you can install with a few small hand tools.

DIESELING

This word means that an engine continues to run after you turn off the ignition; the condition may result from several causes. The spark timing may not be set properly or there may be an excessive amount of carbon build-up in the engine from slow, stop-and-go driving. Antipollution devices can also contribute to this problem. You may eliminate dieseling by having the timing set properly. Fill the tank with premium gas occasionally and drive at the legal highway speed for five or ten miles to help burn off the excess carbon in the engine. If the problem persists, you can stop dieseling by simply turning the engine off while the car is in gear.

INSECTS

In some areas of the country, insects create problems by accumulating in large numbers on the radiator, obstructing the flow of air and causing the engine to overheat. The best solution is to install a screen made of plastic net or other material that allows the air to pass through easily. Mount the screen on the front of the car to prevent the radiator from clogging and to protect the painted surface behind the screen.

Some insects, such as the love bug, can be harmful to the painted surface of the car. Acid in the bodies of the insects damages the paint if the bodies are left on the surface for more than a day. Wash all the insects off painted surfaces at least once a day. An occasional heavy application of paste wax will help protect the paint. You can also apply one of the supermarket products that help prevent sticking (Pam or Cooking Ease) to make it easier to wash off the insects. Reapply the protective material after washing the car.

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