Automotive 101

 What lots of people do not realize is that it is much cheeper to go see your mechanic regularly than have to pay the price for missed maintenance. Just think of what a new engine would cost you for your car. This is what you could be looking at when you neglect your car. Not replacing your timming belt or not changing the oil on a regular basis could easily result in a new engine. Not only will you have to pay for this but consider time lost without your car and possible time off work. This can get very expensive not to forget the headach that comes with it. Granted there are still the ones out there who want to RIP YOU OFF, so how do you tell if you have a good mechanic. There are several ways to tell. First and foremost never be afraid to get a second opinion. Your mechanic will understand if he or she is honest. Next do not be afraid to ask questions for instance when you are quoted a price for a tune up ask what he includes in a tune up. Some shops may just do plugs and wires where others will do much more, in the long run the more expensive could be cheeper. If the first mechanic quotes a cheeper price to get you in the door then tells you that you need a timming belt and this and that which was actually in the price of the more expensive quote to begin with so in return you have had to pay more. I have actually seen someone pay $100.00 more for a tune up because of this. This may sound crazy but it happens a lot. Do not ever rush your mechanic let him do his job, rushing him could cause him to over look something that you honestly needed done. I have my own shop and I love working on cars I have 10 years experiance and an associates degree in automotive technology, but I still take my time and look each and every car over completely. If I happen to find that while changing your oil that you have an issue somewhere else than I do not charge diagnostic time for that issue I will let you know about it and let you make the call to fix it or not. I belive that it is the technicians job to put safe and reliable cars on the road not to try to get paid for the obvious. In short ask questions get a second opinion and do not rush. In fact cars with the right maintenace last a long time just think about the price of a new car. In five years once its paid off has it paid for itself what if it lasted ten or fifteen years.

Service of batteries is commonly missed but can be very important when it comes to your car starting or not.

Common battery faults include:

• Shorted cell due to failure of the separator between the positive and negative plates
• Shorted cell or cells due to build up of shed plate material building up below the plates of the cell
• Broken internal connections due to corrosion
• Broken plates due to vibration and corrosion
• Low electrolyte
• Cracked or broken case
• Broken terminals
• Sulfation after prolonged disuse in a low or zero charged state

Batteries should be changed out with a new battery every 3 years. Battery service should include but not limited to checking electrolyte level, checking for swolen or cracked battery, checking voltage out put of battery and wiping off top of battery frequently.

 Just like your car the battery will only last as long as you take care of it. If you do not want your car to leave you stranded than do not forget the battery when you do your maintenance. Keep the terminals free from corosion and electrolyte level up battery wiped down and it should last you a good 3 years.

The electrical system is perhaps the most important support system of a car or truck. Without an electrical system, gasoline engines would not run. Electricity provides the needed spark for combustion, plus the power needed for starting, lighting, ad signaling, instrumentation, safety devices, and many other accessories. Advances made in the field of electronics and brought into the automotive industry have allowed our vehicles to be more efficient. Technicians need to be able to diagnose and service both electrical and electronic systems. Although test equipment can simplify working with these systems, understanding electrical principals, component operation, circuit design, and testing procedures is absolutely necessary to be successful as an automotive technician.

To explain the differences of electrical and electronic is as such. Electrical is the wiring the path for electricity to flow. Electronic is the electrical parts such as generators, starters, lights, and voltage regulators.

Electricity is the flow of electrons from one atom to another. The release of energy as one electron leaves the orbit of one atom and jumps into the orbit of another is electrical energy. To have continuous flow of electricity, three things must be present: an excess of electrons in one place, a lack of electrons in another place, and a path between the two places.

Current describes the movement or flow of electricity. The greater the number of electrons flowing past a given point in a given amount of time, the more current the circuit has. The unit for measuring electrical current is the ampere, usually called an amp. The instrument used to measure electrical current flow in a circuit is called an ammeter.

Voltage is electrical pressure. It is the force developed by the attractions of the electrons to protons. The more positive one side of the circuit is, the more voltage is present in the circuit. Voltage does not flow; it is the pressure that causes current flow.

When any substance flows it meets resistance. The resistance to electrical flow can be measured. The resistance to current flow produces heat. The heat can be measured to determine the amount of resistance. A unit of measured resistance is called an ohm. Resistance can be measured by an instrument called an ohmmeter.

Components of an electrical circuit or electronic circuit can be connected in many different ways. The two simplest of these are called series and parallel and occur very frequently. Components connected in series are connected along a single path, so the same current flows through all of the components. Components connected in parallel are connected so the same voltage is applied to each component.

A circuit composed solely of components connected in series is known as a series circuit likewise, one connected completely in parallel is known as a parallel circuit.

In a series circuit, the current through each of the components is the same, and the voltage across the components is the sum of the voltages across each component. In a parallel circuit, the voltage across each of the components is the same, and the total current is the sum of the currents through each component.

As an example, consider a very simple circuit consisting of four light bulbs and one 6 V battery If a wire joins the battery to one bulb, to the next bulb, to the next bulb, to the next bulb, then back to the battery, in one continuous loop, the bulbs are said to be in series. If each bulb is wired to the battery in a separate loop, the bulbs are said to be in parallel. If the four light bulbs are connected in series, the same current flows through all of them, and the voltage drop is 1.5 V across each bulb. If the light bulbs are connected in parallel, the current flowing through the light bulbs combine to form the current flowing in the battery, while the voltage drop is 6 V across each bulb.

In a series circuit, every device must function for the circuit to be complete. One bulb burning out in a series circuit breaks the circuit. In parallel circuits, each light has its own circuit, so all but one light could be burned out, and the last one will still function.

Series circuits are sometimes called current-coupled or daisy chain coupled. The current that flows in a series circuit will flow through every component in the circuit. Therefore, all of the components in a series connection carry the same current.

Lots of people think they can't even change oil on the car they take it in for everything, what I would like to do is to help people do some of the little task and save them some money. With a little help most anyone can do some of the things I will talk about.

What do I need for changing my car's engine oil? This is as simple as a small tool set that can be purchased at just about any part store or Sears. First a ratchet 3/8 drive and some sockets. I would purchase a SAE set and Metric set to make sure I had the correct tool size. One oil filter strap wrench drain pan and tool wise you are set. I would recommend a torque wrench but this is not needed as long as you do not over tighten your drain plug just get it good and snug and make sure once its complete there is no leaks. Purchase the recommend oil for the car this can be found in the owners manual, last but not least the correct oil filter and you are on the way.

Place a block behind the tire to keep it from rolling pop the hood and remove the dip stick and oil filler cap look at the dip stick and slightly rub a little oil onto your finger to ensure there is no metal shavings, gas, or coolant in the oil. then slide under the car with the oil pan ratchet and socket. Place the pan so to catch the oil. remove the drain plug and allow oil to completely drain. Once the oil is drained find your oil filter which should be on the engine block and remove it making sure the old rubber gasket comes off. Rub a light coat of new oil on the rubber gasket of the new filter and if its a diesel engine than poor oil into the filter. This primes it which must be done on this type of engine if you are not sure what engine than do it anyways it will not hurt your car to do this. Than put your new filter on and tighten put your oil drain plug back in and tighten it. slide out from under car and fill your car with oil start with 3 quarts of oil and check adding 1 more quart at a time checking it until full. replace the dip stick and cap start your engine let it run for 6 or 7 seconds turn off let it set for 1 to 2 min recheck oil level and fill as needed.

This seems like a lot but trust me it is very simple and will save money. I will add more tips as the days go on so check back to find more do it yourself tricks.

 Tire rotation air pressure very easy to do and will save you money in a few different ways. Most automotive shops won't charge you to check air pressure in your tires, but will charge you if you want your tires rotated. Over, or under tire inflation will cause undue tire wear. usually located on the inside of the drivers door is the recommended tire pressure for all the tires. Buy a tire air gauge at the auto parts store and check your own tire pressure. Save the gas money if nothing else for the drive to the shop. Checking it will also save your tires. You can purchase a small air tank. A great inexpensive tool that allows you to have compressed air ready at any time. These are metal tanks that you take and fill up from an air filling station at your local garage or fill from your air compressor. Now you are set up to check and fill your own tires.

Rotating tires will require a little more work exspecially if you do not have air tools, but still can be done with a jack, jack stands lug wrench, and torque wrench. just remove tire by breaking lug nuts free and removing tire. Always rotate tires from front to rear never crisscross. Crisscrossing tires is an old way of doing things that is completely out dated with new directional tires crisscrossing them will distroy the tires. Then replace tires and torque them down at the manufactures recomended torque specs.

Easy enough you now are on your way to saving some time and money.