Summer Time Car Maintenance

When it comes to cars and hot weather, most times people only worry about their ac compressors or ac condensers. This is understandable because these parts allow you to drive without the vehicle feeling like a sauna.  Yes, these parts are important but there are many other car components you need to check on when the thermostat starts climbing up towards 90 degrees. Car engines are designed to run at 200 degrees Fahrenheit but anything over that can cause major problems.

Before you go on a road trip in the sweltering heat you must check your tires.  Some people believe that tires are the most important part of the vehicle, because they are the only parts that actually touch the road.  Tire pressures change with rising temperatures.  You lose 1 to 2 pounds per square inch with every 10 degree increase.  Make sure you check the tires for worn out or weak spots.  You don’t want to be on an Arizona highway and have your tire blow because it can’t handle the heat.

The toughest time for your car is when you are sitting at a dead stop in the heat.  Your car can easily overheat because no air is flowing over the engine.  You need to check to make sure your coolant system is working properly to avoid overheating when idling.    Double check all your coolant levels and fan belts.  Remember, all engine fluids break down much faster in hot weather.

Another part in your vehicle that gets overlooked during the summer is your car battery.  Yes, the cold winter kills your car battery, but fact is hot weather does even more damage.  Scorching weather can act as a catalyst and cause the chemical reaction in your battery to speed up and overcharge.  This shortens your batteries life.  Make sure there are no leaks, and keep your battery clean by detaching the cables and wiping off the terminals.

Yes, hot weather does damage to your car, but you can combat severe damage by doing these simple inspections.  Have fun on those long summer road trips, but stay safe.

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.

What is a Throttle Position Sensor?

In order for your car to work properly everything must be working in prime condition.  From something as big as a diesel turbo charger to something as small as a throttle position sensor, if one thing is malfunctioning your car will feel the effects.  We all know what car parts such as an AC Compressor does, but a lot of us can get confused when we start to talk about all these sensors.  I thought I would help you out a little bit and explain what a one of these sensors does.

Present day vehicles have an assortment of diverse sensors. When it comes to these sensors the key is “knowledge is power.”  The sensors supply the knowledge to the computer so that the computer knows how much power needs to be out. One such sensor is the Throttle Position Sensor.  This little guy is located on the intake butterfly on internal combustion engines.  The throttle position sensor is a potentiometer that reports to the computer in regards to how open the throttle is.  This valuable info combined with data from different sensors is used by the ECU to determine the correct fuel amount, ignition timing, and other important tasks.  In turbocharged vehicles, the throttle position sensor’s cherished information assists the wastegate for better car performance.

A malfunctioning Throttle Position Sensor means that the computer is not getting the correct information it needs to work properly.  This means the computer, the brain of your car, has lost a lot of its brain cells.  Your car may start to jerk, suddenly stall, and hesitate while accelerating, and the fuel economy will plummet.  So, make sure your brain is getting the right information so you’re not blowing a bunch of cash at the gas station.  If your Throttle Position Sensor is broken fix it immediately.