All posts by John

OBD Quick Check

Try This Simple Check Before You FreakIf you are resourceful enough to utilize your car’s On Board Diagnostic (OBD) system, you’re way ahead of the game. (Don’t forget you can have your codes scanned free at any AutoZone). If you’ve plugged into your car’s diagnostic port and aren’t reading anything at all, you might think that your OBD-II brain has fried, but don’t declare it dead yet.On many cars, the ECM (that’s the electronic brain) is on the same fuse circuit as other electrics like the cigarette lighter/accessory port. The lighter is prone to blow fuses on some vehicles, and if there’s no juice going to the ECM, it can’t tell you what’s wrong. If you’re getting nothing, check the fuse! News source: About Auto Repair

Abbreviations

With so many Abbreviations being used today it is easy to get confused if you don’t use them on a regular basis so here is an excellent site for there explanation [url”>http://www.2carpros.com/auto_abrev/a.htm

Convertible tops

Convertibles were actually introduced by Buick, Chrysler, Lincoln, and other car manufacturers in the late nineteen twenties. A convertible is a car that has a top that can be put either up or down. A true convertible also has glass windows built-in on the side of the car that can be wound up and down. In the earliest days, a car that had an open top and curtains on the sides, in place of windows, was known as touring cars. They were not true convertibles.Convertible tops started out as being manually operated. It usually took two people to unhook, then fold down or fold up, the heavy, clumsy, top of a car. Finally, in the late nineteen thirties, Plymouth introduced the first car that had a power convertible top that could be raised or lowered with the push of a button. This revolutionary idea has carried on to the convertibles of today.So, how does a convertible work? First, not just any car can become a convertible. A car that’s going to have a convertible, or have a fold down top, must have a reinforced body. This is because the absence of an actual, built-in roof can cause the body of a car to actually bend out of shape. The workings of convertible roofs vary somewhat, depending on their manufacturer. Most are primarily constructed of a lightweight metal frame that is covered with vinyl or canvas. And, the back windows in a convertible are usually made of a clear, hard lightweight plastic. Basically, though, along with the reinforced body, a power convertible top can be put down by releasing the latches that attach the roof the to the body of the car. These are usually located on the frame of the windshield. Then, the driver pushes a switch on the dashboard. The switch, which is powered by the car’s battery, sends power to a motor. The motor, which operates by gears, makes several hydraulic cylinders move. The motor is attached to the cylinders by hidden wiring in the inside of the convertible top. These cylinders are located in the side and/or the back of the convertible top. When the cylinders retract, the top, which is made of hinged vinyl or canvas, folds down. (Likewise, when the cylinders extend, it pushes the top of the car up and into place.) Most cars have convertible tops that simply fold down and lay on top of the back deck. Some of the most expensive models, however, have tops that are actually stored in the trunk when they are not put up.Then, to raise a convertible top, the driver pushes a switch on the dashboard, and the whole process is reversed as the hydraulic cylinders push the car’s top back up and into position. The driver then refastens the latches that attach the roof to the body of the car.If you are putting a convertible top up, and you need to stop for some reason, many cars have hydraulic check valves and solenoid valves installed in them. These valves help to hold the top in place.The most common problem with a convertible not working at all, is that the motor has quit working. The motor can be easily replaced with a brand new one, or, a good-used motor from a junkyard. ——————————————————————————– News source: Car Pros

FPR test

Diagnosing your fuel system can be frustrating enough, but turn the irritation level up a few notches if you’ve been through it from top to bottom and still don’t know where the problem lies! If you suspect a fuel pressure regulator isn’t holding its own but can’t find anything wrong with it, try checking out the vacuum line. A leak can appear in the vacuum port of the FPR (mechanic speak for fuel pressure regulator) and cause it to lose fuel and pressure through the vacuum hose.An easy way to test for an FPR leak in the vacuum side is to replace the vacuum line going into the FPR with a length of clear tubing. Now you’ll be able to see leak as it happens. IT will most likely show failure when your vacuum is at its lowest point, as in during acceleration.Crew Chief NoteWhen you remove the FPR hose wait a minute or so sometimes it will take that long for fuel to show up so dont make a hasty decision if you dont see fuel right away News source: About Auto Repair

Tire Info

Once you’ve figured out what all the gobbledygook on the side of your tires means, you’re probably asking yourself, “Do I really give a hoot?” Believe it or not, that’s a good question! Some of the info will certainly apply to you, but some of it can be flushed out of your consciousness without worry. What Matters to Me?The SizeObviously, the size is the single most important piece of info on the tire – get it wrong and it might not even fit. Size includes the width, aspect ratio and wheel diameter. These three measurements will be universal no matter what brand of tire you’re looking at. There’s a lot of room for experimentation and error in this realm, so tread with care. Be sure you know what happens when you change sizes before you deviate from the standard.Speed RatingThe average driver doesn’t need to be too concerned with a tire’s speed ratiThere aren’t any tires out there that will blow at 70 mph. However, there are tires that will blow at 120 mph, so if you are planning on driving at those speeds, you better pay attention to this number. Loads and PressuresThese ratings aren’t going to be too important to you, either, but there are a few interesting points of information here. For instance, if you are comparing two tires that are the exact same size, but one of them has a higher maximum tire pressure, this tire may get slightly better gas mileage since a firmer tire offers less resistance. Your load ratings will only be important for trucks. If you are hauling some serious tonnage or pull a heavy trailer you might want to invest in a tire with higher load capacity. This will keep your rear tires from pancaking and improve stability.Treadwear and Traction Finally, some numbers that are useful again! A higher treadwear rating means you’ll be able to drive more miles before you need new tires again. And tires with higher treadwear ratings tend to offer gas mileage advantages because they are made with slightly harder rubber. which means less resistance. The downside to harder rubber is less cornering performance, so if it’s important to you to be able to carve up some mountain roads don’t go for the high treadwear rating, go with the higher dry traction rating instead. News source: About auto repair

Tire Repair

First of all, the tire pressure monitoring system in my car actually works! Last night before leaving for my game, the TPMS alert on my dash went on. After inspecting my tires and noticing no visible deflation, I continued on my merry way and decided to reinspect in the morning.There was definitely an air leak though – my rear passenger tire was clearly flatter in the morning. I called around to get an idea of how much it would cost to fix. Here are some of the prices I was quoted:Pep Boys – $25 Firestone Tires – $13 Allen Tire Co. – $23 Sears Auto – $20 America’s Tire/Discount Tire Co. – FREE! No-brainer right? After telling me the price, the guy at the America’s Tire Co. just followed up by saying – we’ll fix your tire now and even rotate them for free. Just remember us the next time you’re in the market for new tires.Simple as that. So I went there and the staff was really nice. I was in and out after about an hour because there were some people ahead of me. I just tipped the guy who worked on my car after he gave me my keys News source: Word Press

Pump up Indy 500

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – It was another dose of reality this month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, another reminder of how this day, this month and this race are crying out for an extreme makeover.The 2-for-1 coupons in the local paper, the rock bands and the chance to watch Marty Roth practice weren’t enough to bring back anything resembling a crowd despite spectacular weather.Optimistically, no more than 10,000 turned out to watch the Battle of Brazil for the pole position. If there are 250,000 permanent seats, there had to be one body in every 25 seats – and that was a stretch. But this is nothing new because practice and qualifying here have looked like a glorified tire test since 1996. The question remains: What can be done to restore the prominence, the depth, the integrity, the spirit, the car count and the interest to the Indianapolis 500?It’s going to take some radical changes News source: Fox Sports THE PURSE: In 1978, I wrote a column that said Indy’s $1 million purse was peanuts. Now it’s time to say that $10 million isn’t nearly enough because, other than the winner, it’s a financial loser for just about everybody else. Two-thirds of the field barely paid for their engine lease and tire bill last year. Daytona paid $18 million last February, so Tony George needs to get a title sponsor, add some of the millions he’s spent propping up the field and make it $10 million to win and $500,000 to start. Bet you won’t have any trouble attracting teams from Champ Car, ALMS, Grand Am, World of Outlaws, USAC and maybe even NASCAR. THE CAR: Despite what the revisionists claim, part of Indy’s lore and lure were the cars and the ideas behind them. Today, it’s spec racing with restrictive rules that has destroyed the cottage industry and removed original thought from Fuel Alley.All but four of the 33 starters are in a Dallara (made in Italy) chassis and, on the season IRL circuit, every driver is wheeling a Dallara. Other than changing wing angles, there is virtually no “free thinking” allowed and there are currently no American manufacturers,Bring back the days of Dan Gurney’s Eagle, Andy Granatelli’s 4-wheel drive, the twin-engined Porsche and this can be done by lowering the insane costs of a car ($250,000 apiece with no engine).Eliminate the laboratory-built cars, where the tooling for parts drives the expenses sky high. Ban the expensive carbon fiber so all cars must be built out of aluminum, steel and fiberglass. Each car gets eight feet of wire (presumably the smart teams will use it to ground the magneto) and no more electronics, data acquisition or electric fuel management. Changing the date of the Indianapolis 500 could bring marquee names like Tony Stewart on a regular basis. (Mary Ann Chastain / Associated Press) Each car must have a maximum height, width and weight. Those are the only rules.THE DESIGN: All cars will be flat bottom, which will immediately separate the racers from the imposters. “That would give the guys in midgets and sprints a chance because they don’t depend on wings or ground effects, just their ability to get in and out of the throttle and drive,” said three-time Indy winner Johnny Rutherford.THE ENGINE: Honda currently is the lone engine at Indy and in the IRL, which is good for reliability since Honda engineers control all facets but bad for teams that can’t spend $1.2 million for a lease. Open up the rules and let people bring V-8s, V-6s or whatever can make two miles to the gallon on Race Day.THE FIRST DAY: Should be open to all cars, not just rookies and refresher tests, and make it free to the public. It’s good PR for the rest of the month.THE INCENTIVE: The fastest car of each practice period receives $20,000 with $10,000 to the runner-up and $5,000 for third. Each day is sold to a local or national sponsor and Happy Hour finally makes cents. THE PRELIM: Qualifying is reduced from four to two days and each car only gets three attempts total, like the good old days. Make the pole pay $1 million (currently it’s $100,000) but let only 28 cars be locked in. Jazz up the second weekend by staging a 25-lap race for the rest of the participants and the top five finishers advance to the main event. THE DATE: Either move the race back to 11 a.m. or make it Memorial Day and get away from competing with NASCAR. Right now, none of the NASCAR stars with Indy ties like Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and J.J. Yeley can compete because Indy starts too late (1 p.m.) for them to make the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte that night. Getting those guys would help fill up the grandstands and the press room. Obviously, some of these things would be a step backwards in terms of today’s available technology but Indy needs to rethink its future because the current climate isn’t working.Pump up the purse, restore ingenuity, encourage creativity and make it more affordable. Heck, you might even get some Americans interested again.

AC problems

The weather is officially drifting into the hot zone, which means windows are up and air conditioning is in full effect. This is fine if your a/c is in top shape, but if it’s out of commission or running at half cool, you’re starting to sweat the situation. Savitha’s a/c isn’t keeping things cool enough, so she took her car to the shop for a check-up: I have a used 1999 Honda Civic, 2 door for about a year now. The A/C takes longer to blow cold air. So I took it to a mechanic shop and I was told that there was no leak found and the freon was low. I called up another store and there I was told that freon doesn’t just evaporate and stays the same for at least 10 years.I don’t know what to do now. Can Freon evaporate without any leaks in the system? Or the leak is there and I need to get the mechanic to do a thorough check all over again?Sabitha is in a frustrating situation to be sure. The problem with air conditioning systems is that they can have a very slow leak that is pretty much undetectable. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find the leak. Be sure that your mechanic did a dye test under full pressure, while the car was running with the a/c on. This can uncover some pretty small leaks in the system.If your mechanic can’t find anything after a serious investigation, there’s not a lot you can do except start replacing parts — lines, condenser, evaporator, pump — but this can get pretty expensive. If your car was in an accident in the past one of these parts could have been damaged just enough to cause a slow leak. Since Sabitha has only had her car for a year or so, she might not know the history. Finally, there is a chance that the a/c system was worked on in the past and not refilled properly, meaning you never had enough freon in the system. If I were in Sabitha’s position, I would be sure a proper leakdown test was performed using a dye indicator to be sure there isn’t a detectable leak. If it can’t be found, just refill the system and see what happens. You might find that you have no leak at all! News source: About auto repair

13 Ways to cut fuel costs

If you drive a car, you know from pain these days. But it will get better. History suggests that the worst of the pinching at the pump will soon be over. The 12.9% spike in gas prices over the past month, to a national average $3.21 a gallon from $2.86, is a little bit higher than average for spring price movements. But it will end.”Prices tend to level off around Memorial Day,” says James Beck, a senior economist with the American Petroleum Institute. Still, expect $3 a gallon gas through the travel-heavy summer months as the U.S. hits the road. Statistics from the Federal Highway Administration show that driving does in fact pick up from May through August before tapering off, with February usually the least-traveled month. News source: Forbes.com Last June Americans logged 260 billion vehicle miles, about what they had logged a year earlier. That number stayed fairly steady through August, before declining to 241 billion vehicle miles in September, and then gradually falling to 215 billion miles by February, according to FHA data.Tips For Traveling What to do about gas prices until then? Consumer groups have many handy hints. How about changing your air filter? A clean filter typically shaves 28 cents per gallon off your gas bill. You can save another four cents a gallon just by cleaning extra junk out of the trunk–every 100 pounds of weight cuts fuel economy by 1% to 2%. Also, Consumer Reports says the notion that any car runs better on expensive premium Fuel is a myth, so feel free to keep more money in your pocket by avoiding it.Also:Straighten those wheels: Poor alignment forces the engine to work harder and wears the tires down more quickly, reducing gas mileage by as much as 10%.Tune up: A tuned engine can improve mileage 4%, to about 11 cents a gallon.Pump the tires: Nearly 25% of cars are running on improperly inflated tires, costing the average motorist eight cents a gallon in lost fuel economy.Check your gas cap: An estimated 17% of cars have broken or missing gas caps, which cost 2 cents per gallon.Lose the Canoe. At highway speeds, more than 50% of engine power is used to overcome wind drag. Consumer Reports tested a Toyota Camry sedan and a Mercury Mountaineer SUV with a Thule Cascade car-top carrier. It lowered the Camry’s gas mileage to 29 mpg from 35 mpg, and it lowered the Mountaineer’s gas mileage to 20 mpg from 21 mpg.Also worth noting: Conventional wisdom holds that air conditioning drains the fuel tank faster, but Consumer Reports found it reduces fuel economy by about one mile per gallon. Ditto the myth that opening the windows causes wind drag. Consumer Reports test drove cars with windows open at 65 mph, and the effect was “not even measurable.”Avoiding Tax Traps The other big thing you can do to save on gas: Be careful where you buy it. Those who know where to stop for gas can save a bundle over the course of a long trip by avoiding states with high taxes. If you’re tooling around New England, try to avoid filling up in Connecticut, a high gas tax state where regular goes for $3.28 a gallon, or in Maine, where it sells for $3.11 a gallon, according to the latest AAA numbers. Opt for New Hampshire or Vermont, where its costs just a penny or two over $3. Exploring the mountain west? A thinly spread population makes gas in that region expensive. Wyoming, with an average of $3.18 a gallon, offers the best deal. Try to steer clear of gas stations in Montana and Utah, which both charge about $3.26 a gallon, or Colorado, where it shoots up to $3.34.Up and down the Atlantic coast, skillful state hopping can save a bundle. By all means, wait until you get though New York and its $3.22 per gallon price tag to fill the tank in New Jersey, where it drops to $2.95 (and where the extra mile or so off the state turnpike to avoid rest stop prices is worth it). After that, bypass Maryland ($3.13 a gallon) in order to load up in Virginia ($3.06), making sure to get enough to take you through the expensive state of North Carolina in favor of South Carolina (the price drops to $3.01 a gallon from $3.15 after crossing the border at the Carolinas). And of course, don’t ever buy gas in California unless it’s absolutely necessary. The high demand stemming from a driver-centric population, together with high taxes, makes for an average price of $3.44 per gallon in the Golden State. Crossing into Nevada or Arizona for gas will save anywhere from 18 cents to 34 cents a gallon (though prices to the north in Oregon aren’t much cheaper).Why So High? Why are gas prices so high? It isn’t just the driving. Data from the past decade shows that springtime, when refineries hit their low output turnaround schedule as they switch their concentration to Fuel from heating oil, brings the biggest price increases of the year.A look at price history since 1997 shows that gas costs an average of 10.2% more during the April-May period than it does during the colder stretch of December through March. The prime summer months of June, July and August add just another 1.4% over springtime prices, the numbers show, before retreating 5.4% during the fall and winter months. So those who have managed to get used to the big uptick in gas prices over the past couple of months shouldn’t suffer from much additional sticker shock as the warm weather season progresses. With refineries having production problems this spring, thanks to a list of unlikely problems that included fire and animal sabotage, unscheduled outages became the norm, according to the API. And despite a survey of March numbers showing individual demand dropping at the highest clip since the gas-line year of 1980, the growth in driving age population has kept overall demand high.It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the road this summer. Just tune up the car and clear out the trunk, and take heart in the likelihood that prices won’t get much worse than they already are. At least not this year.