Dashboard deception- Will my Air Bag work?

I have heard that it is possible to be driving a car where the air bags don’t work even though no air bag warning light comes on. Is it true that the air bag light could be disabled and there is no way of testing the air bag without deployment?

Yes, it is true that the air bag might not work even though there is no warning light lit! However there is a way to test if the air bag will work without deployment! There are two primary ways for air bag systems to be compromised . First you buy a used car without having the car’s safety systems checked as part of your pre-purchase procedure. Another way is as simple as taking your car to an unknown body shop. Airbags are expensive and when anything is expensive crooks will find a way to cheat you on purchasing the item or outright steal it. These crooks often called curbstoners, frequently buy cars that have been in an accident that caused the air bags to deploy. They fix the body of the car with bubble gum and body filler then set about “fixing” the airbags. Because the high price of replacement airbags was a major reason why the car was totaled, the curbstoners fix is not to replace the air bags but to make them look like they have been replaced.

They do this by buying what is called “fake airbag covers” and stuffing them with rags and folded newspapers. The result is an airbag that looks new but has nothing inside it and no ability to protect anyone in an accident. They finish by disabling the SRS warning light.

To avoid this when you buy a used car get a Carfax Vehicle History Report. But more importantly have a technician perform what is called an airbag computer diagnostic scan.

Motor oil in small gasoline engines

My Briggs & Stratton manual calls for SAE 30 weight. What is wrong with using a 10w-30? On my snow blower it says use a multi viscosity oil such as 10w30! What’s the difference? It is the same type of engine.

The reason straight 30-weight is specified is because air-cooled engines don’t need viscosity improvers since they typically aren’t operated in sub-zero temps. Multi-viscosity motor oils use viscosity improvers (VI’s) in order to get oil to behave like a 10-weight oil at freezing temps, and then to thicken and become a 30-weight oil at 212 degrees F. Since the VI’s take up space in the container, that leaves less room for the oil—which is the actual lubricant. Remember, VI’s don’t lubricate—they only thicken. In other words, a can of straight 30-weight oil has more lubricant than a can of 10w-30 oil. However, a snowblower would benefit from a 10w-30 due to the lower temperatures the engine must run in.

TIRE EXPIRATION DATES

I have heard that tire expiration dates are hard to determine because there are so many variables that affect tire aging. So is there a way to determine just how old are the tires on your vehicle?

yes! The date of manufacture is indicated by the last group of digits in the DOT manufacture code on the sidewall of the tire. The number is often stamped in a recessed rectangle. The DOT code tells who manufactured the tire, where it was made and when. The last group of digits in the code is the date code that tells when the tire was made.
Before 2000, the date code had three digits. Since 2000, it has had four. The first two digits are the week of the year (01 = the first week of January). The third digit (for tires made before 2000) is the year (1 = 1991). For most tires made after 2000, the third and fourth digits are the year (04 = 2004).

For example, if the date code is 8PY806. The 8PY is a manufacturing shift code, and the date the tire was actually made was 0806, which is the 8th week (08)in the year 2006 (06).
The date of manufacture is essential information for car owners and tire buyers because tires deteriorate even if they are not used.

Auto Insurance term "Steering" what does it mean?

I had collision damage done to my vehicle. My Insurance company says
they require that repairs be made by a specific repair shop or individual. Is this so?

NO! this is called Steering, and as defined by the Auto Damage Appraisers Licensing Board, is the act of directing a claimant to or away from any specific autobody repair shop or requiring that repairs be made by a specific repair shop or individual.

If you are told that it will take longer to get your car repaired or cost more if you choose your own shop, BEWARE. You are probably being steered. Comments such as "We won't reimburse paint and materials," "We don't pay that rate," "We won't guaranty the work if you bring your car there," or "We won't pay the difference" are misleading and usually untrue. Insurance companies are required to negotiate in good faith with any registered collision repair shop on the proper cost to repair the vehicle to pre-accident condition. You pay insurance premiums and contract to pay a specific deductible in the event repairs are required. In effect, you've already paid for proper repairs.

Why should you choose your own collision repair shop rather than one "suggested" by the insurance company?

There are compelling reasons to choose an independent, trusted repair shop that you know will make sure your vehicle is restored to its pre-accident condition. Insurance appraisers work for insurance companies. Repair shops work for you. They look out for your best interest. They will negotiate directly with the insurance company for the proper repairs so that your vehicle is safe for you and your family. An independent collision repair shop, will serve as your advocate in the repair process. Preferred or referral repair shops contract with insurance companies regarding the costs and repair procedures. The insurance company sets the rules and the preferred or referral repair shop simply follows them to keep the insurance companies' costs down. These cost reductions have to come from somewhere. They may affect the quality and thoroughness of the repair service and/or the quality and condition of the parts used. You have paid your insurance premiums with the expectation of receiving safe and proper repairs, not cheap repairs.

Physics & Automobiles

Have not seen something like this since the old Mouse trap game. Enjoy!

Diagnostic Tech: '92 Astro Van, 4.3Z

I had a '92 Astro Van come in on the hook for a no-start. The engine was a 4.3 with throttle body fuel injection. The owner said the van had been stalling and sometimes failing to start for some time now. He had replaced the fuel pump and filter because he thought it seemed to be running out of fuel. No testing had been done and the same problem remained after the fuel pump replacement. When I turned the key on I could hear the fuel pump run. Turning the key to start engaged the starter, the engine spun nicely and... it even started right up! It isn't uncommon for a no-start to be towed in and then start once it gets here. I'm sure there is an applicable Murphy's law for that.

What I did notice though was an intermittent engine cut-out. A sure fire sign of a secondary ignition problem. Even though the van owner was still sure he had a fuel problem, I decided to take a look at the ignition system. On the Astro van the ignition system is easy to access once the engine cover is removed. I immediately saw what was probably causing that cut-out symptom I had noticed. There was a burn mark where the secondary spark from the coil wire had been jumping to a vacuum hose instead of following the intended path to the distributor cap. That meant that the resistance in the secondary, downstream of the coil wire was so great that the spark found it easier to jump to the vacuum hose. A mental list of plugs, wires, cap and rotor was forming in my mind.

As I began the work of replacing the secondary ignition parts I began to be amazed that this engine was running at all. The coil wire tower in the cap was completely burned away.

The rotor was burned through and the distributor was severely corroded.

After a cleaning with electrical contact cleaner and penetrating oil the distributor was found to be in good condition. I replaced the spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor. The van ran very well after that with no more stalling or cutting out. At 264,000 miles I wouldn't be surprised if it did need that fuel pump as well.

Kenneth Hayes

aka, Deranger

Types of timing belts

I have heard that there are two different types of timing belts that are found on vehicles today. Is this so?

Yes, Originally belts were constructed of neoprene, which is still used, but due to increased engine demands , a new “tougher” belt has been constructed. It is made of HSN(highly saturated nitrile material that has high tensile strength cord construction to minimize stretch and tough wear resistant fabric on the working tooth surface, designed to handle wide speed variations and constant driveline power requirements.

Protect your hands- Wear gloves!

I have seen more Auto Mechanics wearing gloves these days. I would think the gloves would make it too hard to do fine work! So why do they wear them?


In the old days, guys called you a wimp if you wore gloves when you worked on cars. Aside from the wimp factor, gloves were too clumsy for fine work. However, Automotive fluids contain caustic or even carcinogenic chemicals(like used motor oil). That's why most auto techs use some type of protection for their hands.

One such glove that has become very popular today is called the Nitrile glove and they work very at protecting your hands. They are made of synthetic latex. They contain no latex proteins and offer excellent resistance to punctures and tears. Nitrile gloves are three times more puncture resistant than rubber and can be used to offer superior resistance to many types of chemicals. Unlike other latex gloves, nitrile gloves have low resistance to friction and are very easy to slide on. There are a few other reasons that nitrile gloves are more popular than other latex or vinyl gloves, including a higher degree of flexibility and superior solvent resistance.

Diagnostic Tech: '00 Dodge Dakota

A 2000 Dodge Dakota SLT, 4.7N engine and automatic transmission came in with a complaint of stalling at idle. It was a few days before I could schedule the job but the truck was left anyway because the owner said he could not drive it with the stalling condition. Shuffling the truck in and out of the shop each day it was easy to see that the truck would stall if the accelerator was released but would remain running if the accelerator was applied slightly. By the time I got around to checking the truck the symptom was gone and the truck would idle without stalling.

Idle control is sometimes a numbers game and even though the truck no longer stalled I could still take a look at some numbers and see what may have caused the problem. There are some important numbers for idle control on this truck. The throttle position sensor voltage is best at 0.65-0.90 volt range and the idle air control counts should be between 10 and 24. These numbers are easy to check with a scan tool. Warm the engine fully and note the readings.

When I checked this truck I found a tps signal at 0.61 and an iac count of 125! The higher the iac count, the harder the idle control is working to maintain the rpm. In this case the iac was being commanded very high just to be able to maintain an idle of 608 rpm.

From the clues, it was likely the throttle bore would need cleaning and some slight throttle adjustment to bring the tps into range. I cleaned the throttle body first and let the engine warm before taking a look at the iac counts again. I want you to see a picture of the throttle before a cleanup. Notice how little carbon buildup it takes to limit minimum airflow and cause an idle problem.

After simply cleaning the throttle bore with some spray carburetor cleaner and a shop rag the iac counts dropped to 38. So now the iac was finding it much easier to maintain 608 rpm. The tps was still slightly low. When I adjust the minimum throttle opening it will raise the tps voltage and the iac counts should drop to compensate because the iac will have to close slightly to drop back to 608 rpm. I ended up with everything right, by the numbers!

The Silent Killer(Carbon Monoxide)- watch out for it!

I have heard that you need to be more careful of exhaust fumes in the winter than in the summer. Is this so?

No!

It's a common misconception that you need to be more careful of exhaust fumes in the winter than in the summer. That was correct before the advent of auto air conditioning because we used to drive with the windows rolled down for ventilation. Today most of us ride with the windows rolled up and the air conditioning turned on which means an exhaust leak can be deadly in the summer too.

A common problem to watch out for is an exhaust tailpipe where the opening has been bent(usually pushed back) in such a way that the exhaust instead of going out the back of the car is pointed under the back bumper. This will cause carbon monoxide to be drawn into the car.

E10 gasoline and moisture in gasoline tank

I have heard that if your using ethanol gasoline known as E10 there is no need to add a dry gas such as (Isopropyl Alcohol) because the ethanol will absorb any moisture that enters the gas tank. Is this so?

Also, if I need to use a gas drier is it ok to use the cheaper Methyl Alcohol instead of the more expensive Isopropyl Alcohol?

NO! There is even greater need to use a gas drier when using E10 gasoline. The problem with an ethanol gasoline is it can only absorb so much water, up to a content of 0.5 volume percent before it will phase separate. Phase separation occurs When the water reaches the maximum amount that the gasoline blend can dissolve, any additional water will separate from the gasoline. When this happens if you want to remove this additional water you will have to remove this moisture by using a dry gas that contains isopropyl.

The problem with Methyl Alcohol is that it will keep the water in your tank from freezing, but it does nothing in the way of removing the water. The other type Isopropyl(Isopropanol)is the preferred one to use because it will mix with the water which will prevent the freezing and at the same time can move this water through the fuel system to be burned off.

Carbon buildup can turn a routine spark plug change into a waking nightmare

I have heard that Ford recommends a specific penetrant called AeroKroil that's marketed by Kano Labs.( http://www.kanolabs.com/) This should be used when removing spark plugs on such engines as 2005 Ford F-150 with the three-valve 5.4L engine.

Why is there such a problem removing those spark plugs?

This one is long, be prepared to read on…

These spark plugs have a very long unthreaded ground electrode shield that extends below the threaded area of the plug. The plug's seat is also above the ground electrode shield. The shield reaches the rest of the way down to the combustion chamber. A side-to-side ground strap, rather than one or more side electrodes, is used, so the plugs do not require gapping. The ground strap looks like a basket handle. Autolite calls these Revolution HT (high thread) plugs.

Because the ground electrode shield is below the plug seat, carbon from the combustion chamber may accumulate between the shield and the cylinder head plug bore. The carbon may cause the plug to seize to the plug bore, so extreme caution must be exercised during spark plug removal. Engine temperature during this procedure is critical—not too hot and not too cold. Ideally, the engine should be warm to the touch. Run the engine to operating temperature, then allow it to cool until it reaches a comfortable working temperature.

Remove the coil-on-plug assemblies, then blow out the spark plug wells and surrounding valve cover area with compressed air. Back out the spark plugs, no more than 1 /8 to 1 /4 turn, then apply penetrating oil to fill the spark plug wells, to a level just above the jam nut hexes. Don't get carried away. Too much penetrant, or repeated soakings, may allow the penetrant to find its way into the cylinders and cause a hydraulic lock. Ford recommends a specific penetrant called AeroKroil that's marketed by Kano Labs ( http://www.kanolabs.com/). If you've had success with another penetrant brand, use it. Allow the penetrant to sit for a minimum of five to ten minutes—longer if possible. Don't work the spark plug back and forth at this point.

After the penetrant has worked its magic, slowly remove the spark plug. It may protest by screeching, and high effort may be noticed. The expected removal torque should be about 33 ft.-lbs. and decrease as the plug comes out. If the plug feels tighter than that, stop! Try turning the spark plug back in by half a turn, then back out again. If the turning torque still seems high, repeat the back-and-forth rotation, while adding more penetrating oil to reduce the turning effort.

The important thing here is to take your time. Some have suggested using air or power tools to "shock" the plug loose. Ford advises against this practice and it sounds like good advice. Anything that applies too much torque to the plug is likely to break it in two (or more) pieces, and that's something that any right-thinking person would want to avoid.

If, despite your careful efforts, one or more spark plugs still break off during removal, all hope is not lost. The Ford TSB (06-15-2) covers the full procedure for removing broken spark plug pieces. We don't have the space to cover the entire removal procedure here, so we'll hit the highlights instead.

When a plug breaks, it may take all of the insulator with it, or a portion may remain behind inside the ground electrode shield. All of the insulator must be removed first, before removing the empty shell of the ground electrode shield. If there's enough to grab on to, use long-reach needle-nose pliers to remove the insulator. More soaking may be required.

If the insulator has broken off flush with the ground electrode shield, as it did for Terry, purchase a drill bit that's designed for glass, ceramic, concrete, etc. Add a 6-in. drill extension and a right-angle drill, then slowly drill out the insulator. A sharp punch can be used to break the insulator into pieces, but try to keep any of the debris from entering the combustion chamber. Vacuum the area around the ground electrode shield when you're done.

The next step involves a special tool (Rotunda Special Service Tool 303-1203) that threads into the ground electrode shield, then pulls it out of the head. This tool is available in the aftermarket as well through OTC. The inside bore of the ground electrode shield must be tapped first, before the special tool can do its thing. As before, a steady approach will give you the best chance of success. If you need any extra motivation, just keep telling yourself, "I don't want to remove those cylinder heads."

When you're ready to install the new spark plugs, apply a film coating of high-temperature nickel antiseize lubricant (Motorcraft XL-2) to the ground electrode shield. Coating the electrode strap may cause a misfire. Do not apply lubricant to the threads and torque the plugs to 25 ft.-lbs. Thankfully, Ford changed the spark plug bore diameter slightly on later models, so this routine shouldn't be necessary on them.

This article was taken from Motor magazine January 2008, written by Karl Seyfert

Physics of Traffic Jams

I have heard the term "backward traveling wave" can explain why traffic jams sometimes appear seemingly out of nowhere. I have experienced this while traveling down the road. What causes these backups, to appear for no apparent reason?

This past holiday season, many of us took to the roads. Which means many of us faced rather unpleasant traffic jams. The most frustrating ones seem to occur for no reason at all. You're stuck, positive something catastrophic must have happened up ahead. Then for no apparent reason, the traffic clears.

Now mathematicians from England's University of Exeter believe they have solved this mystery. They modeled the effect of various highway events, such as a truck slowly pulling out from the merge lane. If the truck's approach causes the car behind to quickly drop below a certain speed, then the next driver back also hits his or her brakes. This continues in a braking chain that the authors call a backward traveling wave. It could stretch back miles.


So it's not necessarily the volume of traffic, but rather a sudden interruption in the flow that causes delays. The authors advise drivers to pay attention, and, when necessary, brake gently and slowly. If you suddenly overreact and hit the brakes, you could be causing someone to grimace in frustration in a car many miles away.

Ice scrapper windshield damage

I have heard that using an ice scraper can do damage to your windshield, if you don’t keep the scraper blade flat against the glass, and you should never use your scraper on a mirror. Is this so? Most ice scrapers are made of plastic, so why would this hurt the glass? Come to think of it, I have these lines on the glass, that don’t wipe off. Could it be from the scraper?


Actually the sharp corner of an ice scraper almost always quickly breaks up thick ice and gets you on your way. But too often as the windshield defrosts you’ll notice lines on the glass that look like crayon marks. “Must be from the scraper, I’ll wipe them off later.” But the marks don’t wipe off. You try everything from window cleaner to glass polish only to discover the marks are actually scratches in the glass from using the scraper’s edge.

As many drivers have discovered, plastic can damage glass and getting rid of the distracting scratches requires the services of a glass shop. The least expensive fix is buffing the windshield but buffing doesn’t always work making a new windshield your only option. Either way you’ll spend considerable dollars just from using an ice scraper the wrong way. Be doubly cautious about mirrors, they’re also expensive and even easier to damage than windshields.

Most icing problems can be avoided with spray de-icer and windshield covers. Windshield covers are a cloth-like sheet to cover the windshield, which prevents snow and ice from sticking to the glass. Windshield covers wrap around the front pillars and are held in place by the doors. In the morning open the doors and remove the cover along with the snow and ice.

Opening the doors may be a problem unless you spray the rubber door seal with silicone. Silicone is amazingly slippery and lubricates the rubber, which keeps ice from freezing the rubber to the car’s body. But, none of this works unless you can unlock the door so lubricate the door locks with graphite lock lube, before that icy day.

Another problem to watch out for, is clearing ice from the side windows. Dumping hot water over the doors and windows is extremely popular but watch out! On an older car okay, but on modern cars, NO!

Today’s average car door is filled with electronic parts that could be damaged if soaked with hot water on an icy-cold day. Doors now have electronic interior-light switches, one-touch window relays, automatic door lock controllers, and more. Dousing your door full of sophisticated electronics with hot water, might get your going now but it could lead to some expensive repairs later, when you have forgotten about what you did that day the car was iced over!

Blended synthetic motor oil

I have heard that it is better to make your own SYNTHETIC BLEND of MOTOR OIL, rather then buying one that has already been blended. Is this so?

Yes! You can take conventional motor oil and mix it with a full synthetic motor oil. The reason why it is better to make your own is that the blends on the market do not tell you what percentage of the product is synthetic. To qualify as a synthetic blend the oil has to have a very small amount of synthetic in it. Synthetic oils are compatible with conventional motor oils. Making your own allows you to put in as much synthetic as you want!

Filling tires with Nitrogen

I have heard that filling tires with nitrogen rather than air is becoming a common practice in the replacement tire market and that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has seen reduced aging of tires filled with nitrogen. Is Nitrogen worth the price. Has there ever been a study that substantiates some of this?

Yes, Consumer Reports wanted to find out if nitrogen is worth the price, so they purchased a Nitrogen Inflation System and checked out how well the inflation held up over a one year period. They evaluated pairs of 31 tire models of H- and V-speed rated, all-season tires used in our tread wear test from 2006. They filled one tire per model with air and the other with nitrogen. The test was quite simple: fill and set the inflation pressure at room temperature to 30 psi (pounds per square inch); set the tire outdoors for one year; and then recheck the inflation pressure at room temperature after a one year period.

The tires were filled and deflated three times with nitrogen to purge the air out of the tire cavity. They also used an oxygen analyzer to be sure we had 95-percent nitrogen purity in the tire--the claimed purity limit of our nitrogen system, which generates nitrogen gas from ambient air.

The test started on September 20, 2006 and the final measurements were taken on September 20, 2007. The results show nitrogen does reduce pressure loss over time, but the reduction is only a 1.3 psi difference from air-filled tires. The average loss of air-filled tires was just 3.5 psi from the initial 30 pressure setting. Nitrogen-filled tires lost an average of 2.2 psi from the initial 30 psi setting. More important, all tires lost air pressure regardless of the inflation medium, so consumers should check their tires' air pressure routinely. No evaluation was done to assess the aging claim.

Bottom line: Overall, consumers can use nitrogen and might enjoy the slight improvement in air retention provided, but it's not a substitute for regular inflation checks.

Article posted from Consumerreports.org

Testing Catalytic Converter efficiency

My car failed emissions test. My mechanic says it could be the catalytic converter, and there is no reliable way to test the catalytic converter. Is this so?



No! Converters consume oxygen in the catalytic process, which provides the basis for a simple (the test only takes a couple minutes) converter efficiency check referred to as an oxygen capture test. Using an exhaust gas analyzer the percentage of oxygen coming from the tailpipe of a fully warmed-up vehicle is measured at idle. Once the oxygen reading has stabilized the throttle is rapidly snapped open (full throttle) and then closed. Following the throttle snap there should be a slight increase in the amount of oxygen coming from the tailpipe. The allowable “slight increase” is typically 1.2%. If the oxygen increase exceeds the allowable limit the converter is almost always bad.

In a healthy converter the catalytic reaction consumes large quantities of oxygen. Therefore an excessive increase in oxygen at the tailpipe, following the snap test, indicates the converter has lost its ability to capture and use oxygen. Without capturing and consuming oxygen the catalytic reaction stalls and emissions climb. The oxygen capture test is quick, simple, and highly reliable.

Car Care Guide

I have heard that of all Drivers, 70 percent don’t winterize cars. Is this so
and where can I learn more about Winterizing and taking care of my car?

Yes! and it’s the sleigh and not your car that is supposed to dash through the snow, but if vehicles are not adequately prepared for winter, driving can be more stressful and treacherous. Many seem willing to take the chance, according to the Car Care Council that reports 70 percent of drivers don’t winterize their vehicles.

“Everyone is pressed for time, especially around the holidays, and the vehicle often gets neglected… until something happens. Winterizing is a proactive step that helps ensure safe and reliable driving during one of the busiest times of the year,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

Get a free copy, of the “CARE CARE GUIDE”, a free 56-page guide covering nine major service occasions and 12 component groups of your vehicle, plus service interval recommendations, a maintenance log and much more. at..

http://www.carcare.org/car_care_guide/consumer.asp

Expensive luxury car bumpers-Expensive to repair!

I have heard that the expensive luxury car bumpers are not made as you think, and don’t survive a low speed impact without major damage. Is this so?

Yes!. For example the hood of a Mercedes C-class(shown, left) caved in during an impact of a mere 6 mph, sustaining more then $5,000 in damage. Damage in the low 4 speed tests, totaled about $11,000 and the Mercedes was the third worst performer among the 11 luxury cars tested. The Acura TL was the second worst performer, sustaining more then $11,000 from bumper damage. The worst performer was the Infinity G35, which sustained an astounding $14,000 in the same 4 bumper tests.

See the video of low speed crash tests for midsize luxury cars at

http://www.iihs.org/video.aspx?f=releases/pr080207

Dashboard Fuel Pump Icon "Secret"

I have heard that if you look at your gas gauge, you will see a small icon of a gas pump. (see above) The handle of the gas pump will extend out on either the left or right side of the pump. If your fuel tank fill is on the left, the handle will be on the left. If it is on the right, the handle will be on the right. Is this so?

No!, The fuel pump icon handle quite often has no correlation with the location of the fuel filler. On some of the newer GM vehicles it might be so, but there are lots vehicles out there where this statement does not hold up!