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Archive for the ‘Car Maintenance’ Category
Mon, July 28, 2008 12:21 pm By James Coolridge  Printer friendly version
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 Only if you thought that possessing a car was as easy as just riding it all the time and just parking it in your garage at the end of the day. Just like any of us, ever your car needs a timely checkup to ensure that your smooth everyday rides are not disturbed by its untimely breakage. Here are some basic tips telling you about how to efficiently manage your car.
Tyre Rotation!
After your meter sees 5000 miles or 8000km, rotate your tyres. Some of the factors you need to keep in mind before doing the same are centre spigot size, PCD notation, Pitch Circle diameter and number of bolts or studs.
Dust off the brakes frequently!
The brakes tend to pick up all kinds of nasty dirt from the roads and if you leave it for too long a time, the combination of road grime, moisture and heat from the brake will solidify it to your wheels. In order to do this, you need a damp sponge or cold water as the dust normally sticks to the wheels because of static energy.
What’s your tread depth?
You car tyres, if slick and black must be doing you good during motor racing, but they won’t prove to be the same on the road. Now a days most of the tyres come with inbuilt tread wear bars so after examining it, if you find your tread to be too low, do not delay in changing your tyres. Yes, four new tyres might seem an expensive investment but it is any time better than any accident waiting for you.
Tyre Pressure!
This goes without saying that you must get your tyre pressures checked regularly, at least once a week. It is a simple thing and can greatly affect your fuel economy, handling and comfort.
Check your belts
The front of your engine contains a series of rubber drive belts that loop around various pulleys, driving everything from the alternator to the a/c compressor. This rubber, however perishes, more so in extreme conditions like those found in an operating engine bay. It therefore is imperative to get your timing belt and accessory drive belt checked every 25,000 miles, preferably replacing it every 50,000 miles or so.
Oil Level
Having too high or low level of oil can cause trouble to your engine. So checking by putting a dipstick in it after parking the car on leveled ground is a must. Then pull it out, wipe it and push it all the way back in until the top of it is seated properly in the dip tube once again. So now you’ll know the exact level of oil. If it is too low, then add a little. If high, extract it out so that the reading remains between the high and the low marks.
Electrical
If you intend to do any work on your car, disconnect the battery first. I order to do you need to loosen the connector for the negative/ground terminal first, and wiggle the terminal cap off. Then use a wire-tie or similar to tie the cable back out of the way. If you need to take the battery out, you can now take off the positive connector as well.
So these are a few of the many essentials you need to practice is you intend to give your car a healthy life. In times to come, we will talk more about other intricacies of efficient handling of the car, informing you about all the mechanical dos and do nots.
Tags: Car Maintenance, car check
Wed, June 25, 2008 5:33 am By James Coolridge
 Car is one of the greatest and most useful inventions of humankind. Owning a car has become indispensable for many people. Equally indispensable is maintenance of the cars, which many car owners are not aware of or simply ignore the need of car maintenance. Many car owners are indifferent to their cars. They simply start the car, drive and then park it. We hope that you are not among those car owners!
Check on the car engine, engine oil level, sparkplug change and windscreen wipers are some of the basic aspects of car maintenance. These rudimentary steps of car maintenance are very easy to learn. Make the best use of the virtual information bank- the Internet- which is full of useful advice on the subject of car maintenance. Here we have enlisted some of the most important aspects of car maintenance. Read on.
• Many things on Earth are near to perfection but, nothing is 100% perfect. It applies to cars as well. So, when you buy a car, look for possible problems. Take your time to inspect the car when you buy it. If you have finalized a deal, check the car’s manual guide and see a few aspects and their meaning.
• Next, prepare a schedule for routine car maintenance.
• If you have decided when you will spend time for your car’s maintenance, go for a step by step procedure.
• Check the car tires occasionally and ensure that the tires are not flat. Checking the tire pressure is equally important.
• We have written about the need of oil change in many articles. However, we repeat this- your oil needs to be changed after every 30,000 miles. Do NOT ignore this tip, as oil change is vital for the good condition of your car.
So once you have purchased a car- no matter whether it is a brand new one or a used car- keep it in mind that washing and servicing will always save you from paying off extra bucks that you spend when you neglect your car’s maintenance.
Tags: washing, wear, tear, oiling, servicing
Mon, June 23, 2008 8:48 am By Jenny Musto
 Every day millions of batteries of cars, motorcycles and trucks are thrown away because they have stopped working. Most of the batteries are discarded due to sulphation (build up of sulphur crystals) on the plates of the battery. This hinders the contact of electrolyte with plates. As a result, battery stops holding charge.
Since the process of sulphation is inevitable, it is better to recondition the battery. The reconditioning process involves removal of sulphation from the lead plates of the battery. Additives are added for the break down of sulphation on the plate. By doing this, the battery rests for sometime.
Another way to recondition your car battery is to leave the battery in refrigerator’s freezer for a night and then putting it back for recharging. This method may sound strange but, it has proven to be an effective reconditioning process. By refrigerating the battery, you are actually making your battery work for additional hours. Repeat this process two to three times and make your battery work for 3 extra hours.
There are many other ways to recondition the car battery. Some people use tools to recondition their battery while others rely on professional mechanics to do the job for them.
Modern car batteries are quiet sophisticated. Therefore, handle your car’s battery with utmost care and caution as the battery contains dangerous acids as electrolyte.
Tags: Car, battery, test, wastage, charge, reconditioning
Sat, June 21, 2008 8:48 am By Matt Davis
 Heat is an enemy of the mechanical components of a car. Though the engines of cars are designed to withstand higher temperature, the level beyond control leads to engine breakdown. A car’s engine can quickly overheat and if the car’s cooling system is not working well, the peril is higher, especially on hot summer days and slow moving traffic.
Here comes the function of car’s radiator, which is a large matrix of small pipes. It is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from one part of the system to another part. In case of a car, the radiator transfers heat from the engine to the radiator fins. The radiator removes the amount of heat from the engine. When the coolant passes through the cooling cores of the radiator, it cools down thereby reducing the heat from the engine.
Car’s radiator should be bigger because a bigger radiator has the capability of removing large amounts of heat from the engine.
The coolant should also be of good quality. This is because if there are any impurities in the engine’s radiator, its cooling properties will suffer. The cooling property may get damaged if the cooling system is not working.
Tags: engine, Radiator, coolant, pipes, cool
Mon, June 16, 2008 1:11 pm By James Coolridge
In the U.S. alone, the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) estimates more than 100,000 accidents annually are caused by driver fatigue, resulting in 1,500 deaths. The NHSTA also indicates rear-end collisions are the most common of all accident types, totaling 29 percent of all incidents reported by the police. To help curb these statistics and end driver distractions, auto manufacturer Volvo is installing new technologies in specified models: Collision Warning with Auto Brake, Adaptive Cruise Control and Distance Alert, Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning. Using both radar and a camera to detect vehicles in front of the vehicle, the Collision Warning with Auto Brake system automatically forces the vehicle to come to a halt when a collision is imminent. In conjunction with this, the Adaptive Cruise Control system works to maintain the distance to the car in front by using a radar sensor to monitor speed. Watch the video.
Tags: Safety, Highway, Measure, Sleep, Distraction
Tue, June 3, 2008 9:11 am By Jack Mounce
 Let’s face it- the price of gasoline and diesel are always on the rise and we have to find a better, rather economical option to fill our vehicles. But how? The answer is using hydrogen as fuel for the cars.
Hydrogen cars, like gasoline powered vehicles, utilize hydrogen as their fuel. You will raise your eyebrows after knowing about the mileage- it is mind blowing! Fill your hydrogen powered car at the starting of the month and forget to refuel your car, ‘coz you can go about a month driving in a hydrogen car after the first fill! Now that’s a great idea!
Meanwhile engineers and scientists are doing thorough research to find out the ways to convert your car to burn water similar to what is done by hydrogen powered cars.
So when should you expect hydrogen powered cars to hit the roads? Well, for that, you will have to wait till 2010, when the hydrogen cars are supposed to be launched.
Till then, you can think about converting your current vehicle to use water instead of gasoline.
Tags: gasoline, Hydrogen, hydrogen powered car.
Thu, May 15, 2008 5:32 am By Jimmy Letto
 Safety measures are vital for your car apart from comfort and styling. When you think about the safety measures, the first thing running in your mind will be the safety belts. Seatbelts undoubtedly protect the lives of all occupants of the vehicle. There are many other safety features such as the brake assist and traction control which provide safety to you and your car.
Brake Assist: Brake Assist detects circumstances in which emergency braking is required by measuring the speed with which the brake pedal is depressed. Some systems additionally take into account the rapidity of which the gas pedal is released, pre-tensioning the brakes when a “panic release” of the gas is noted. When panic braking is detected, the Brake Assist system automatically develops maximum brake boost in order to mitigate a driver’s tendency to brake without enough force. Break assist uses computerized sensors to track the speed at which the brake pedal is depressed. The brake assist monitors and reports about how quickly the driver depresses the brake pedal.
The mastermind behind this effective safety feature is Mercedes-Benz. Brake assist is available only from a limited number of manufacturers. You should definitely invest your money in this worthy safety feature.
Traction control: Traction control has traditionally been a safety feature in high-performance cars, which would otherwise need very sensitive throttle input to keep them from spinning when accelerating, especially in wet or snowy conditions. This is another effective safety feature for your car. It works in conjunction with the antilock brake system but performs a different, and arguably a more important one. If the traction control system detects that one wheel is slipping, it will electronically send a command to the antilock brake system to apply brake pressure to only the slipping wheel. This limits the wheel spin and sends the power to another wheel which will stop the wheel from spinning, thus enabling all wheels to have maximum traction while the vehicle is being driven.
In recent years, traction control systems have become widely available in non-performance cars, minivans, and light trucks.
In race cars, traction control is used as a performance enhancement, allowing maximum traction under acceleration without wheel spin. When accelerating out of turn, it keeps the tires at the optimum slip ratio.
Tags: brakes assist, traction control, safety feature
Tue, April 29, 2008 11:15 am By James Coolridge
 If you own a car, chances are there that it may break down in the middle of the road. Night time and a remote area add to the chaos. If a roadside assistance is not at your arm’s length, it is better to get the things done yourself. Here we are to provide you some guidance about how to use some tools to get your car repaired yourself.
Car jack: It is the most important tool to possess. Car jack is used to elevate your car to tighten some nuts or to change a tire. A jack stand will assist you to get the job done. If the tires are flat, get them replaced by elevating the car using the car jack.
Oil wrench: An oil wrench will help you whenever there is a requirement to change the oil. The purpose of an oil wrench is to take off the oil filter. The tool makes it easier to change the oil.
Socket set: If there is an urgent need to tighten or loosen any bolt, then a socket set will prove to be very useful. Make sure that you have a 3/8-inch socket set.
Grips: Grips help to hold different car parts. Some parts will not come loose initially. There applies the function of a grip- to catch hold of the car parts.
Bucket, funnel and rags: You need not go to a garage to get the oil maintenance thing done, if you have oil wrench, a bucket, a funnel and some rags.
This way, you can easily fix your car, even when it breaks down in the remotest of the areas.
Tags: Car, garage, break down, tools
Mon, April 28, 2008 11:15 am By Kevin Park
 Gas prices are sky rocketing around the world. Since it has now become near to impossible to expect the gasoline prices to come down, let us know how to conserve gas and save money. Here are some of the tips for saving money on gasoline.
Maintain your car: The condition of your car plays a key role in the consumption of fuel. You are literally burning your money because your car is not tuned up. Keep your car in good condition. Visit the workshop once in every three months.
Reduce the use of air conditioner: Air conditioner is probably the enemy of your car’s mileage. I know it is very hot and humid outside. But, if you want to save money, my suggestion would be to use the cooling system sparingly.
Avoid long drives: Well, if you love driving your favorite possession, it may be a bit difficult to avoid going for long drives. But, the fuel prices are always on a hike. So, plan trips as to reduce unnecessary driving.
Keep the windows closed while at a high speed: When you are driving at high speed, keeping the windows opened to enjoy the cool breeze is really a cool idea, but the worst idea for your gas mileage. Open windows cause additional drag and lower gas mileage.
Pressure on the tires: Don’t overfill the tires. Over-inflated tires actually reduce efficiency of the fuel.
Avoid traffic jams: Gridlock on the road hurts the gas mileage. If you find the stoppage time will be more, better avoid that way.
Steer clear the unnecessary things: Take out all the unnecessary items out of your car. It is spring time so you don’t have to carry snow chains in your car.
Don’t turn your car off: It is a myth that turning the car off for a few minutes in heavy traffic jam saves the fuel. Try not to keep your engine inactive for a long time.
Avoid unnecessary warm-ups: If your car is new, then there is no need to warm your car up for a long time. New cars can run even in cold.
Tags: Cars, gasoline, price rise
Sun, April 27, 2008 1:15 pm By Vinnie Samson
 Since the price rise on fuels is the burning issue all over the world, we dedicate one more article to saving money on gasoline. Here are some more tips.
Avoid driving fast in low gears: If you need speed, change the gear, but don’t commit the mistake on increasing the speed on low gears.
“Speed thrills but kills!” You know this say very well. Let me now add an extra line to this phrase. “Speed thrills, kills, and also empties your pocket!”
Don’t compete with the driver next lane: Remember, you have decided to reduce spending more on gasoline. So, accelerate slowly when leaving the red signal. Don’t rush.
Use economical gasoline: You may think that the more expensive is the gasoline, the more is the advantage. But, this is a misconception. Most of the cars are built to run smoothly on regular unleaded which is preferable as well as economical.
Don’t rev before your turn off: It is a waste effort if you rev you car every time you turn your vehicle off. Revving contributes to wasting the gasoline.
Share the price: Since you are dedicated to saving money on fuel, try to arrange car pools with co-workers. Share the commuting cost with your co-workers while going to your workplace.
Reduce your vehicle’s usage: I know car is your favorite vehicle. But, to avoid emptying your pockets keep the usage of your car to the minimal. Go by foot or use your bicycle for commuting economically.
Wait and watch! It is better to wait and watch for the fuel prices to come down. Don’t fill up when the price is at the peak. This creates a picture that you are willing to fill the fuel even if the price hike is ridiculous.
Make the smart purchase: This is the best tip that I would like to give anybody. Always make sure that you buy vehicles that give you good gas mileage.
Tags: Car, gasoline, price hike, commute economically.
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