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Friday, October 5, 2007
Why cars break down?
Nothing lasts forever; any car eventually will start having problems. However, while some
cars may provide you with few hundred thousands miles of trouble-free driving, others
start having problems from the beginning. Why there is such a huge difference?
Sometimes cars start having problems after accidents. Sometimes it may be a factory defect
or design flaw. Heavy conditions like, for example, driving only short trips without
letting the engine to warm up fully also make the engine life shorter.
Corrosion is another factor - for example, park the car for a few months in place with
high humidity and later it will probably have more problems than the vehicle driven all
this time on daily basis.
Yet, lack of maintenance is one of the most often reason for a car to break down.
Here is a visual example:
Compare the two images below: the left Mazda's engine hasn't been maintained well. Looks
like it the engine oil hasn't been changed for long time. This engine has relatively low
mileage and already needs serious and costly repair. On the right, the Mercedes-Benz
engine that has been maintained well. After 310,000 km (192,000 miles) it's still in a
very good condition, and needs no repair at all.
So, what's most important to keep your engine in a good shape?
- I guess, I won't say something new stating that regular oil changes is most important
factor to keep the engine running. If you do it more often than suggested by
manufacturer's schedule, that's even better.
- Avoid overheating the engine
- Changing spark plugs, air filter, timing belt and other items from maintenance schedule
may save you from costly repairs.
- Fix any small problem right away before it causes a serious damage.
Engine oil change
regular oil changes are so important? What will happen if I miss my oil change? Engine oil
has limited life - after a certain point it starts losing lubricating qualities and
carbonizes. Once it happens, the engine gets contaminated with carbon deposits or sludge
(see the pic.) that significantly shorten engine's life. When you change oil at or before
manufacturer suggested interval, you change the oil before this "carbonizing" point,
engine remains clean and once refilled with new oil ready to work hard again. If the
engine oil has not been changed for long, carbon deposits start clogging the oil pick-up
screen decreasing oil supply and increasing friction. Through the engine ventilation
system the same carbon deposits build up inside the throttle body and EGR system causing
rough idle and possible check engine light. Compression decreases and engine start wearing
much faster.
If you don't remember when you changed the oil in your car last time - just check the oil
on the dipstick. And every time you change the oil, the oil filter should be replaced as
well.
Checking the engine oil
the engine oil regularly, I'd recommend at least once a month or even more often if the
car has high mileage.
Driving with extremely low oil level (less than min.)
or with low oil pressure warning lamp on may cause serious engine damage.
If you note, that oil pressure gauge indicates extremely low oil pressure - have your
engine inspected as soon as possible.
- While checking the oil level, look at its condition. Check the image at the left. If the
oil is black like on the right image, I'd suggest to change it.
- Always use only appropriate engine oil type (usually you can find it on oil cap or in
the owners manual).
- Check your parking space for leaks. If you find any, fix it before it results in more
serious vehicle problem
Synthetic oil vs.
conventional mineral oil
The advantage of synthetic oil is that it can withstand higher temperature and can work
longer without losing its lubricating qualities. It doesn't get thicker at below-zero
temperatures providing good engine lubrication at a cold start. However, since it's more
"thinner" a high-mileage engine filled with synthetic oil will more likely to develop
leaks and you will more likely to hear lifters tapping noise at a start. Therefore, If you
have low mileage or turbo engine and driving under heavy conditions such as high
temperature, excessive load, long intervals without an oil change, etc., or simply want to
provide extra protection for your engine, synthetic oil may be a good solution. But I
don't think it's worth to use synthetic oil in high-mileage engines - thicker mineral oil
will provide better protection as long as you change it regularly.
Engine cooling
system
overheating causes serious engine damage. In order to avoid the engine overheating:
Check the coolant level periodically. It should be at least at the "min" mark in the
coolant reservoir. If it's lower, add the coolant bringing the level to the "max" mark.
Caution: Never open the radiator or the coolant
overflow reservoir when engine is hot!
If you discover a coolant leak, have it fixed as soon as possible - it may cause engine
overheating.
If you note that the engine temperature starts rising higher than normal, have your engine
inspected before it will cause serious problems.
Check the front of the radiator - sometimes it may be obstructed with leaves or dust. It's
one of the possible reasons for the overheating. Look at the image on the left. This
Buick' radiator is clogged. Try to avoid using front end covers - they cause restrictions
to the air flow through the radiator
Tune-up, timing belt, fuel
injector flush
There are certain vehicle components that need periodical replacement (check your owner's
manual for details) such as, for example:
Fuel filter -
dirty fuel filter may cause engine stalling and loss of engine power.
Air filter -
dirty air filter causes loss of engine power, increased fuel consumption, air flow sensor
failure, etc.
Engine coolant -
old engine coolant loses its anti-corrosive and other characteristics and may cause water
pump to fail.
Spark plugs -
simply spark plugs replacement can significantly improve the engine performance.
Timing belt -
timing belt failure may cause serious engine damage, especially if it's diesel engine.
Having a problem with fuel consumption or rough idle on a high mileage car? - Try fuel
injectors service. You will note the difference right away.
Battery
can produce explosive gases. Handling a battery be careful and always use protective
glasses and gloves. Don't use open fire, smoke, or create a spark near
battery.
Most of batteries nowadays are maintenance free. All you check is battery terminals that
shouldn't be loose or corroded. Corroded battery terminals will cause all kind of problem:
blinking instrument lights, low charge, no-start, dim headlights, check engine and ABS
malfunction light etc.
Also, if you see any acid leaks, cracks or any other damage - replace the battery. Acid
leaking from the battery destroys everything underneath. For example on VW Golf it will be
the fan control module located right under the battery.
Tiny Germany independent manufacturer Loremo plans to launch an electric version of its
lightweight car.
Starting in 2010, Loremo says it plans to sell an electrically powered version of ia small
car currently sold with a diesel engine.
A spokeswoman said Loremo plans to sell 10,000 vehicles in the first year of production.
“We hope then to increase that number,” the spokeswoman said.
The sub-compact 2+2 Loremo will weigh less than 600kg. Loremo intends to keep fuel
consumption of the version powered by a two-cylinder diesel enegine below 2 liters per
100km.
Loremo’s retail price target for the diesel version is below 15,000 euros.
Enjoy this drift video clip and learn how to drift
is hinting that a new sports car might be in the works, meant to fill a gap left by the
retirement of the MR2 two-seater.
“We used to have a lot of sports cars, but not
anymore,” Kazuo Okamoto, executive vice president for R&D, told Automotive News. “So now
we want to try it again.”
Okamoto made the comments after speaking last month about Toyota’s midterm business plan
and said the company must launch more “appealing products” that are “fun to drive.”
Okamoto added that the strategy will involve the “development of a new sports model.”
The presentation was accompanied by a slide show depicting a Lexus sports car along with two other sporty concept cars. One car bears the
the presentation, Okamoto said there were no concrete plans.
back to 1984. It was retired this year.
Other sportyish models over the years have included the Celica, discontinued in 2006, and
the Supra, on the road from 1978 to 2002.
Golf GTI W12 concept. It looks like pure show candy: a
642-hp, mid-mounted W12 engine under cartoonish stretched bodywork. Yet not only is it a
driver, complete with a 202-mph top speed, but the company let us put it through its paces
at Gros Dölln in
The GTI W12 was commissioned to wow the crowds at this year’s Worthersee GTI festival in
but designer Marc Lichte was told that it also must be a full runner. Therefore, it was
built to standards far closer to a prototype, and Lichte had the chance to rummage through
the more exotic reaches of the corporate parts bin.
It’s got Audi RS4 front brakes, a Lamborghini Gallardo back axle, a VW Phaeton six-speed
automatic gearbox and a twin-turbocharged, 6.0-liter W12 engine from the Bentley
Continental sitting where you’d expect to find the groceries in a standard GTI. Vast sill
extensions add six inches of width, while mammoth air intakes (including scoops integrated
into the roof and rear side windows) feed air to the mid-mounted motor.
And it drives almost as nicely as it looks. With drive to the rear wheels only, VW decided
to limit the engine’s torque output to 222 lb-ft in first gear and 331 lb-ft in second.
But from third gear upward, the full 553 lb-ft is available. The official 3.7-second 0-to
-62-mph time makes it quicker than a Gallardo.
It even corners pretty well, certainly considering its short wheelbase and lack of any
kind of stability control. Without the weight of an engine in the front, turn-in is a fair
bit blunter than with a standard GTI, but the big 295 profile tires find plenty of grip,
and the cornering line can be tightened up nicely on the throttle.
Relevance? None whatsoever. You won’t be surprised to hear that VW has no plans to put a
642-hp, mid-engined, rear-drive Golf into production. And it won’t be a U.S.-market
Rabbit, either. That’s not going to stop us from thinking the world would be a more
entertaining place with cars like this in it.
The Opel
Flextreme wagon mates the E-Flex's electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack to a 1.3-
liter diesel engine. The diesel turns a generator for electricity when the battery pack is
drained. The battery, which has a range of 55 kilometers, can also be recharged by
plugging into an electric outlet.
GM claims the powertrain in the E-Flex cuts CO2 emissions to 40 grams per kilometer, well
under the European Union's proposed standard of 120 g/km.
The Flextreme is more than just a showcase for a powertrain. The concept's sleek, modern
design language will influence all future Opel models, said Mark Adams, head of design for
GM Europe.
Among the standout items on the Flextreme concept are a panoramic glass roof, rear-hinged
doors and small cameras in place of rear-view mirrors to cut down on wind resistance.
"This is about showing that you can have a dramatic design statement and technology go
hand in hand,"
Size wise, the Flextreme fits in between the Opel Astra and Zafira wagons.
GM said a vehicle based on the Flextreme will reach production, but it did not disclose
any timing for that move. GM has set a goal of getting the E-Flex powertrain into
production by 2010.
