Can You Guess the Function of a Tire Pressure Monitor Sensor?

You may have never asked yourself what is a tire pressure monitor sensor. These sensors do exactly what you’d expect; they monitor the pressure within your tires. However, because these sensors are battery powered, over time they will fail and you will need to replace or know how to repair tire pressure monitor sensors. Don’t worry too much about this, when the time comes you will be warned via the little TPMS on your dash and it is a fairly cheap fix. A little fact about tire pressure is that if you are driving on tires that are 10% under inflated, you will see a 1% decrease on your gas mileage.

As of 2007, the NHTSA requires the installation of these sensors on all vehicles. There are two types of these sensors, direct and indirect. Direct tire pressure monitoring sensors are located either inside or outside the tire and they physically measure the pressure. After doing so, they report this information to the instrument cluster of the vehicle. Newer vehicles can display real-time pressures of each tire while driving or parked. Indirect sensors on the other hand don’t actually detect the tire pressure, but they “infer” the pressure through various factors. The main factor is the rotational speed of each individual wheel. If a tire has less pressure, the diameter will be slightly smaller and in turn will spin a bit faster.

Regardless of which type of sensor your vehicle uses, if that warning light comes on DON'T just pretend its not there and put off the job. It is important, and cheap, to fix this issue. Not only can they save you a few extra dollars at the pump, but if they are working properly you will have lower emissions, increased handling of your vehicle, and you won't have to worry about failing that state inspection coming up. Also an under inflated tire is the leading cause of tire failure, so having your sensors in working order will increase your tire life.

What is a Transmission Gearbox?

A Gearbox is a machine-driven process of shifting energy from one device to another. A transmission gearbox is most frequently positioned at the junction point of a power shaft, and is used to generate a right angle change in direction. It provides a range of gearing to multiply the engine’s torque.  A direct connection from the engine to the road wouldn’t provide enough torque at the wheels to move the car.  Thus, the gearbox’s multiplication of the toque is what helps overcome the car’s inertia and gets it moving.  I hope the gearbox is better at multiplication then I am, or my car is not going anywhere.

There are three main types of gearboxes; Front Engine-Front Wheel Drive, Front Engine-Rear Wheel Drive, and Rear Engine-Rear Wheel Drive.  A FWD drive is condensed and will commonly contain the gears, the final drive, and the differential. There are two shafts, an input shaft and an output shaft. The gears are constantly meshing but just one gear is secured to the shafts at all time.

The RWD gearbox has three shafts.  Just like the FWD it has an input and an output but the RWD also contains a lays half shaft.  The input and output shafts run parallel to each other and the lays half sits below the two and overlaps them.  The input shaft drives the lay shaft through a pair of meshing gears.  This act is continuous and goes by the term, “constant mesh.” This term does not apply to your friend who constantly just wears mesh basketball shorts. The lay shaft and output shaft have a pair of gears rotating on them and from the constant mesh gearing onwards it behaves just like the FWD gearbox. The main difference between a FWD and RWD gearbox is what is known as a direct ratio, which is when a system locks the two shafts together and bypasses the gear cluster.

Transmission gearboxes are either automatic, manual, or continuous.  A manual transmission can be a sliding mesh or a constant mesh style. The sliding mesh uses straight cut gears and requires the driver to time the change from one speed to another.  If it is not timed right there will be a loud grinding sound and increase the rate of wear and tear on the gears teeth, and it will also cause you to yell at your girlfriend.  The constant mesh system has diagonally cut gears that are permanently meshed. This creates a smoother transition between speeds.  The constant mesh is used mostly by agricultural equipment and race cars.

Top 10 Common Car Problems

Everyone at some point or another has had trouble with their vehicle. It usually comes at an unexpected and extremely inconvenient time too: when your late for work, need to meet an old friend for dinner, or just spent your savings on Christmas gifts for the kids. Maybe it's exhaust smoke or no pressure from the fuel pump. Hopefully if this has happened to you it was just a minor problem but let’s face it, even minor car problems end up costing hundreds of dollars out of your pocket. Out of all the possible car problems you could have, the most common (and thankfully one of the easiest to fix) is a flat tire. Hopefully you’ll have a spare and hopefully someone has taught you how to use that contraption in your trunk.

The second most popular car problem is said to be worn brakes which is also another easy fix. Maybe it’s not something you can fix on the side of the road, but at least your bill at the mechanic shop won’t be completely unexpected. The next most common issue with cars is an electrical problem which can be one of many things. It could be something simple like a blown fuse in the dash. Another common electric problem is your key failing to start the ignition which leads us into the fourth most common car problem: ignition trouble. This could be one of the most annoying issues because it is completely unexpected, and chances are you are our running errands and find yourself stranded with no ride and a huge headache. Unfortunately, ignition problems can range from something minor to very serious and you probably won’t know the extent of the damage until the mechanic gives you that dreaded call.

Number five is worn shocks, which can create a bumpier ride than normal. Number six? Dead batteries can be caused by age, but many times they are caused by us overusing them. Ever forget to turn off an interior light when leaving the car for the night? How about charging a phone or listening to the radio while the cars off? Both of these can hurt the life of your battery. After reviewing this list, it seems you can either be prepared for many of these issues (knowing how to use a spare tire) or they can be avoided through proper maintenance. Check below for the rest of the top 10 list!

7. Low Oil
8. Car Bulb Failure
9. Cracked windshield
10. Bad Serpentine Belt

Saturn Compressor AC Line Update

Over the years there are updates to parts just like there are to car models. For every model year that a vehicle is in production there are small changes that are more than skin deep. The AC compressor just like other automotive AC parts may change as the years go by. Sometimes a car company goes under and the aftermarket has to take over the production of the replacement parts. In the case of Saturn that is exactly what happened, when the company closed its doors it left many of its vehicles owners out in the cold when it came to parts. Maybe out in the cold is the wrong term to use, out in the heat is better since the OEM AC compressor was no longer available the aftermarket did what it could.

The solution to the lack of supply was to find a compressor that bolted into the same location as the original Saturn compressor. This is nice in theory but the problem arose when a compressor was found, the compressor could bolt on but the AC lines would not hook up. The solution was found in just changing them out and sending the update out whenever a Saturn L series or Vue compressor was sold.

Each one of the replacement compressors was sold with a set of the high and low side ac lines what could be easily swapped into the system. This simplistic fix is a great example of how the aftermarket is not just a bunch of cheap parts but more a community of vendors who are working to create a market for anything that has a need.

Why do Vehicles Have Tow Ratings

We have all seen the truck commercials with bold claims and flashing graphics but what are they all getting at. What is all this towing of huge boats up hills and pulling stumps out of the ground? Well this is not to show the diesel fuel pump or diesel injectors are working, no this is to give an idea of what the truck can haul. Most commercials show a “Do Not Attempt” warning to keep people from destroying the truck once they buy it. The fact of the matter is that trucks can really only haul a specific kind of weight at very specific speeds.

Most trucks have a towing rating that can handle towing a car or truck behind it but what are the dangers of going over the tow rating? First off is the danger of extended braking distance, while some trailers have their own braking system most use free spinning wheels. The added weight of the trailer means more work for the brake system to handle and that translates to greater stopping distance. This means that the driver must think differently then he normally would. Also it means that the brakes will heat up and begin to “fade” faster. Brake fade is when the heat cannot be dissipated and the pads become molten. When this happens the braking ability drops to almost zero.

The next huge issue for towing capacity is what the frame of the truck can handle the added weight. Now must trucks are built with a very sturdy frame that can handle a good 10,000lbs more than the trucks weight. When this weight is increased the stress on the “back bone” of the vehicle can be pushed past its rating. Exceeding the rating can cause the frame of the vehicle to bend or even break.

The ratings given by the manufacturer are there for a reason and they do give a bit of flexibility but should never be exceeded. There are many other issues that can arise when the tow rating is exceeded which can not only be dangerous but also kill your gas mileage!

How To Install New HID Bulbs

Many times the headlights of a car seem to be dull or dirty which is “yellowing” that occurs for a number of reasons. Like the sound from your car radio or in–dash navigationscreen the headlights can degrade over time too. Chemicals used for cleaning the car can sometimes cause this effect on a headlamp and other times it is the weather. Acidic rain or just unrelenting sun can cause yellowing along with the “salt” used to deice roads is also huge reason for yellowing headlights. Just like the Giants beating the Packers...the cold can always be a factor. Many times the effect is so bad on a headlight that the unit must be replaced. 

When replacing a headlight it is not always necessary to replace all the bulbs at the same time. HID bulbs are pretty expensive and most of the time will still work perfectly fine in a new assembly. Unlike conventional bulbs they do not dull over time since they are gas powered not filament illuminated. The part of changing these bulbs is to purchase the correct headlight housing for your application. While the same year, make and model headlights may “fit” in your car it is not always the same part if those lights did not have HID. 

The first step to taking apart the old headlight unit that was in the vehicle, which requires removal of the old unit. With the unit removed from the car remove the clips or screws holding on the dust cover and pull the bulb out of the assembly. Be sure not to touch the bulb at all on the glass, the oil from your finger will cause the bulb to shatter once it heats up. Next remove the ballast for the HID unit and inspect both the bulb and ballast for damage.

For the install part of this process, place the bulb in the new assembly and secure with clips or screws depending on the application. Now attach the ballast to the headlamp and reassemble all the other parts of the light. Attach the power source to the headlight to check that all bulbs and signals are working. Once the proper operation is certain, install the unit and check for proper “Gaping” around the unit. Gaping is the space around the unit to the body panels which should all be even. With the headlight in place test the unit once more. If everything checks out the install process is complete.

Finally, a Traffic Jam Assistant!

On Tuesday I joked about cars soon driving themselves considering they already know how to parallel park. It seems this idea isn’t as far off as I really expected because Audi just announced at CES that our wheel hub and bearing assembly might learn to drive themselves after all. They call it the driver’s “Traffic Jam Assistant”, and it combines existing technology with new ideas to add even more convenience to driving.

Have you ever been stuck in bumper to bumper traffic that requires you to pay constant attention to the road? Every day, twice a day? You know what I’m talking about, but Audi may have set the trend to end this daily rush-hour struggle. Who knows, this may eventually even help solve the problem of traffic. Two wide-range scanning radar sensors on the vehicle will monitor the surrounding area for other vehicles. A wide angle video camera will monitor the lane markings and other objects in your vicinity, such as pedestrians and guardrails. Eight more ultrasonic sensors will monitor what’s directly in front, behind, or to the sides of your car. Add this to the existing adaptive cruise control and ah ha!, you have a Traffic Jam Assistant. They have even made adjustments in case you need to make an emergency maneuver such as the guy in front of you slamming on his brakes for no reason.

Audi’s Traffic Jam Assistant will operate between 0 and 37 mph (that seems kind of fast to me..), but they say this will be completely safe for use on expressways or in cities. When I first heard of this I thought it could cause more accidents because it’s new technology, but it appears their goal is to reduce or even eliminate injuries behind the wheel. Seems pretty cool to me, what do you think?