Your Cars Electrical System Written by Kevin Schappell Continued from page 1 ·Car won't start, I hear nothing. oCheck battery cables as above. oHave battery tested. There could be a bad cell causing a short. You can try jump-starting but often car will not stay running. ·Car won't start, all I hear is a horrible grinding noise. oGrinding noises point to starter not properly meshing with flywheel. This can be caused by a bad solenoid or a bad spot on flywheel. oI have also seen starters loosen up so they no longer contact flywheel at proper distance. While not common, it is something to keep in mind. ·Car starts but my headlights are dim at low engine speeds. oLook to alternator for problems. Take car to your mechanic to have alternator checked for proper operation. oCheck for loose wires going to alternator. Also check for corrosion, as this will inhibit alternator from charging properly. oCheck tension on alternator belt. If it is too loose, belt may slip and not drive alternator properly. As you can see there are plenty of things to go wrong with charging system and it is always best to take car to your mechanic and have it tested before you go replacing parts blindly. Preventing problems with your electrical system: ·Replace your battery every 4 years as a safety measure. It will save allot of headaches down road. ·If your battery is not a sealed unit, check fluid levels in each cell. Only fill with distilled water and be careful around acid, which is in battery. ·Check your alternator belt frequently for cracks and tension. Replace per your cars manufacturers recommendations. ·Clean your battery connections at least once a year. Parts stores sell a handy terminal cleaner which is basically a round wire brush, which works wonders. Once you reattach terminals, coat with a layer of heavy grease or special purpose grease sold at parts stores. This layer will block air from reacting with connectors and creating corrosion. How to jump start your car: Jump-starting your car does not have to be a hard task. First lay out cables on ground between two cars. Make sure that cable is not tangled and none of end clamps are touching each other. The car with good battery should be running. Step 1: Take positive (red) clamp closest to car with good battery and hook it to positive terminal of that car. The positive terminal will have a + sign on it and usually a red wire running to it. Step 2: Repeat this step on car with bad battery, hooking up positive clamp to positive terminal on battery. Make sure clamps are contacting well and can not fall off. Step 3: Take negative cable (black) closest to car with good battery and hook it to negative terminal of battery. The negative terminal will have a - sign and usually a black wire running to it. Step 4: This is last step and most important. Take negative clamp closest to car with bad battery and attach it to a bare metal part of engine. DO NOT hook it to batteries negative terminal as there maybe hydrogen gas present from battery and a spark from connection could cause an explosion. That's it...... turn key on dead car and car should start. If it does not, try revving engine on good car to boost charge coming from alternator. If this does not work, try wiggling cables to assure you have a good connection. GOOD sets of jumper cables are a necessity. I have had cheaper sets not jump-start a dead car. I actually had to double up two cheap sets to get enough current to start my car. The cheaper sets will have thinner cables, which cannot carry enough amperage to start some stalled cars. I would suggest buying a cable, which has 4,6 or 8-gauge wire. Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has createdhttp://www.mycarwizard.com Your Drive Train Explained Written by Kevin Schappell Continued from page 1 Another basic component of all drive trains is some form of a clutch. it allows engine to continue rotating while gears and wheels are stationary. Automatic transmission cars use a "torque converter" in lieu of a clutch. The last component in drive train is axle. In a rear wheel drive car axle is in rear. Engine power is transmitted from transmission to axle via drive shaft. The drive shaft is basically a metal tube with joints on each end called universal joints. These joints allow tube to move in relation to suspension and keep power flowing to rear. In front wheel drive cars axle is integrated into transmission thus term transaxle. From back of engine to where rubber meets road, drive train encompasses one of most complicated systems of your car. Some people say looking at a transmission "makes their brain hurt". The above information is directly from Auto Insight program, which you can buy online from AutoEducation.com. Common Problems: ·Manual transmissions suffer from wear mainly in synchronizers. The synchronizers make shifting easier and help to prevent gear clash. Over time synchronizers, which are made of brass, can wear out causing hard shifting and grinding. ·Automatic transmissions can also wear out, causing slipping and uneven shifting patterns. Universal joints can wear and cause vibrations while driving. Many newer universal joints are sealed and cannot be lubricated, leaving replacement as only option. Preventive Maintenance: ·Change fluid in your transmission at recommended intervals. Your owners manual will give you a time schedule in miles and or months. If you tow a boat or trailer be prepared to change fluid even sooner. Most owners manuals will give you recommend intervals for severe use like towing or off-road use. ·Do not "ride" clutch if you have a manual transmission. Learn to release clutch in a smooth motion without revving engine too much. Revving engine too much while pulling out can cause premature wear on clutch. ·If you do tow a boat or trailer, consider getting a transmission cooler for your automatic transmission. Temperatures can approach boiling point in severe conditions. Most newer trucks come equipped with transmission coolers if sold with a towing package. ·Make sure your universal joint is lubricated at oil changes if they are type, which can be lubricated. When replacing universal joints try to find replacements with lubrication fittings so you can lubricate in future. ·If you have a front wheel drive car, avoid applying gas to floor while wheels are turned at full lock. This puts stress on universals and can cause premature failure. This can happen when stuck in snow and trying to get out. What to discuss with your mechanic: ·If you are noticing a vibration in car while driving, make sure to describe when it happens. While accelerating? braking? maintaining speed? when turning? Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has createdhttp://www.mycarwizard.com     <Back to Page 1   ImproveHomeLife.com © 2005 Terms of Use