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.

Basic Oil Change

Changing your own motor oil is the most basic DIY maintenance of your vehicle. It has to be done often enough that it really helps to know how to change your own oil. It's not complicated like a steering rack or AC Compressor install, but it is handy. Below is a short guide on what you need and how to perform a simple oil change in your vehicle.

 You’ll need the following tools and items: A box end or socket wrench to remove the drain plug, an oil filter wrench (if it’s on really tight or doesn’t have grips on the end), an oil drain pan, a funnel, a jack and jack stands, and a long piece of cardboard or canvas to avoid any sudden spills.

Of course, you’ll also need fresh oil and a new oil filter.

Before going out and buying the needed supplies, make sure to check your owner’s manual for the right kind of oil for your vehicle and the amount you’ll need. Oil is typically sold in quarts, so if your car needs 5.7 quarts buy 6 quarts of oil at the store. Then you need to make sure you buy the right viscosity – if your car lists 5W-30, buy 5W-30 even if another viscosity is cheaper or on sale. Always put in the viscosity your owner’s manual suggests.

As far as whether to buy conventional or synthetic, it’s largely up to you – unless your owner’s manual specifies synthetic or you have a turbocharged or supercharged engine, in which case you should also buy synthetic.

Once you’ve gathered everything, park your car on a level surface and jack it up, placing jack stands on either side of the frame. Some newer cars have undercovers, so you may need to remove this to access the drain plug and oil filter. It’s best to change the oil when the engine is slightly warm, but never when it’s hot – all the oil hasn’t had a chance to drain into the oil pan and you could get burned.

Locate the drain plug and oil filer. Most cars have bottom-mount, screw on filters. Locate the drain plug, and place your open oil pan underneath where the drain plug will drain. Some people say removing your oil reservoir cap in your engine bay will help the oil drain out faster and smoother. While this may not necessarily be the case, it will help you remember to put fresh oil in your car before driving off. 

The drain plug is often at an angle – try to position the oil pan where the oil will come out.  Take your socket wrench and loosen the drain plug slowly. Once it seems pretty loose, carefully unscrew and remove it by hand, allowing the oil to spill out onto the oil pan. 

Wait for all of the oil to drain out of the vehicle, and then replace the oil drain plug. Make sure it is clean and free of debris, and that the washer is clean and intact, before putting it back on. Make sure to screw it back on tightly with a hand wrench so you can’t tighten it anymore, but don’t use a socket wrench or anything that would strip it out.

 Then move your oil pan underneath your oil filer. Get out your oil filter wrench and twist off the oil filter. Turn the filter upside down towards the side of your oil pan and let it drain as your car drains the oil out of the oil filter socket. Once it’s finished draining, use rags to clean as much of the oil away as possible, paying special attention to the filter sealing surface. Then open a quart of fresh oil and put a dab of it on the gasket of your new oil filter, then screw the new oil filter in the proper socket. Tighten the oil filter as much as you possibly can by hand – you shouldn’t need a filter wrench unless your hands are too greasy to tighten it properly.

After you confirm that the oil drain bolt and oil filter are properly in place and tightened, it’s time to add fresh oil. Place the funnel into your oil reservoir and start adding oil. Ad about a half of a quart to a full quart less than is recommended by your engine. 

Replace the oil reservoir cap and run the engine for 30 seconds or so to circulate the new oil. Look underneath your car and make sure there are no leaks. Then check the oil level in your car and make sure it falls within the right parameters – if it doesn’t, add a bit more oil to top it off.

Once you’ve made sure everything looks good, remove the jack stands and lower your car.  The only thing left to do now is properly dispose of your old oil. Most auto parts stores that sell oil have a waste oil bin you can dump your old oil in for no charge.

Then you’re done! Once you’ve done this a few times, it becomes a breeze. Now you don’t have to pay someone else to do a simple job, and you can make sure it’s done right every time.

What Documents Are Important to Keep for my Vehicle?

There are several documents you are required to keep with you when you drive in the United States. It is easy to forget about necessary paperwork when driving – most of us are only concerned whether our CD Player and navigation units are functioning to make sure we are entertained and comfortable. However not having a piece of the necessary paperwork required for driving on public roads can leave you with a huge headache.

 One of these is a driver’s license, which also serves as a valid form of identification. As it is your license to drive, and a form of identification, it is best to carry your driver’s license with you at all times. These are issued by your home state, and the requirements for obtaining one vary from state to state. To check the requirements where you live, visit the Department of Motor Vehicles website for your home state.

You are also required to carry a liability insurance policy for driving. The minimum requirements of these policies also vary from each state, but regardless, a card will be issued to you either physically or electronically. There are many insurance companies switching to paperless policies, and while this is more efficient and “eco-friendly,” it is important to make sure you print a copy of your insurance card and keep it with you if you received it electronically.

You are also required to register your vehicle in the state in which you live. After filling out a registration form, and a check for the fees for registering your vehicle, you will receive a document and a sticker to apply on the top right corner of your license plate. Make sure to keep the document that comes with the sticker – this is your vehicle registration paperwork and should be kept, along with your insurance information, in the glove compartment of your vehicle.

Why are these documents important to keep with you? If you are ever pulled over by any law enforcement officer, you will be required to furnish these documents as proof you are legally able to drive in the U.S. If you are caught without these documents you will most likely be issued a separate ticket for not having them on you, along with whatever violation you were cited for in the first place. Additionally, if you are ever involved in an auto accident, you will be required to exchange the information on these documents to the other party involved (if any), and depending on the severity of the accident, report it to the Department of Motor Vehicles. It is best to avoid any problems by making sure you have your paperwork in order at all times.
 

 Lastly, it is very important to keep the original documents that prove your ownership of the vehicle – typically called a title. The title to your vehicle is critical in proving that the vehicle belongs to you, and is required for registering the vehicle in your name for the first time. Never keep the title inside the vehicle – if the title is lost, getting another copy can be difficult. It is best to keep the title to your vehicle in a safe place at home where you can find it if you need it.

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.

How Do Auto AC Systems Work

In the days of ole, the wind was the best way to keep a hot day from being too much to bear but the modern age calls for a modern solution. AC systems are designed to cool off air and keep the environment cool, well the indoor environment that is. Ever stood near the outside of an AC system, that heat has got to go somewhere. AC parts such as an A/C compressor and evaporator work together not to eliminate heat but to move heat to a different location.  The Idea of the ac system is simple, capture heat on a medium and use fluid to move said heat to another location. In the case of an auto ac system the heat is captured from the evaporator inside the car, usually under the dash. The captured heat is transferred to the condenser at the front of the vehicle and released. 

 A car, unlike a home relies more on moving air than fans to pull the heat off the condenser at the front of the vehicle. Auto AC is also a much more compact version of what a home ac system is…unless you feel like strapping a window unit into your car. When a car is in movement, air is blowing across the condenser which is basically a radiator that uses coolant and a cooling fan.  Just like the engine cooling system that keeps the car from over-heating the ac system keeps the passenger from overheating.

Components in the AC system play vital roles, each doing something that will specifically change the way the system works. The compressor being most important part, as it pushes the fluid through the system so that each of the other components can do their job. There is also a filter in the system that is often called a Accumulator/Drier which is designed to remove dirt and debris from the system. Then the fluid is passed through the condenser to be cool and yep you guessed it condensed. Once the Oil/Freon mix is cooled than it is passed through the expansion device where the fluid is allowed to expand into larger tubing. This process will further cool the fluid and then it is pushed into the evaporator which is a device where the fluid will be spread out even more onto what is like a radiator but works in reverse. Once the fluid travels across the evaporator a fan pushes air across it and the heat in the air is removed by the super-cooled liquid. Finally the heat soaked liquid is pulled back through the system and it all starts again. Ac systems are designed to make life more comfortable and cooler for all of us even if a failing system may make us a bit hot headed.