Girls Auto Clinic Glove Box Guide Page 7
Coolant. Despite its name, the coolant under your hood is pressurized—which makes it hotter than other fluids. Hot enough to cause severe burns. To add coolant or check your coolant level safely, see page 116 for instructions on how to check and refill. A mix of antifreeze and water (70/30 or 50/50), the neon fluid comes in bright colors like orange, pink, or green, and it’s just as important to the engine function as the oil we’ve discussed time and time again.
Brake Fluid. On standard vehicles, brake fluid is usually located in the same place—directly behind the steering wheel. On hybrid vehicles, it tends to be on the passenger side. White wine in color when new and dark brown when past its prime, the fluid goes through extreme ranges of temperature while in use—at times reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The brake system is a closed system, meaning that fluid is not supposed to be topped off when low. Low brake fluid is an indication that either something is wrong with your brakes or you need to replace your brake pads. For instructions on how to check your brake fluid level, see page 173.
Windshield Washer Fluid. The windshield washer fluid reservoir holds the blue stuff that helps us wipe our windshields free from dirt, snow, bugs, and bird dung. Despite what you may have heard, making homemade washer fluid or substituting dish soap is not a great idea. The store-bought stuff can contain chemicals that won’t freeze in the winter or be specially formulated to help dissolve summertime’s bug and pollen deposits. The summertime washer fluids (also known as bug and tar fluids) may freeze in winter, so make sure you change them out before then. And please don’t attempt to use your wipers to deice your windshield! A #shecanic uses a proper ice scraper to remove ice and snow from her windshield.
Fluid Flushes
Back in my auto airhead days, I thought a fluid flush was an easy way for a shop to get me to spend money on something my car didn’t really need. But in fact, where applicable, it’s an inexpensive way to maintain expensive equipment.
After going through cycles of drastic temperature changes and picking up metal particles as they travel through our car’s systems, our fluids need to be replaced. The systems themselves can be prone to sludge and particle buildup, so in some cases just changing the fluid isn’t enough. That’s where flushes come into the picture, using a chemical detergent to clean the fluid pathways of the sludge and buildup—think cleaning your teeth of plaque or adding vinegar to the dishwasher to remove scum deposits.
Checking and topping off your fluid flushes is something you will learn to do in this book, but flushing and draining fluids can be done only by a PCT. (Drain and refill means you’re skipping a chemical flush.) Read on to find out which fluids require a flush, and how often.
Transmission Fluid. Transmission fluid is not maintained often, but on some cars the transmission system must be flushed after a certain number of miles, with the transmission filter simultaneously replaced. Check your owner’s manual or talk with your PCT to see if this applies to you.
Engine Oil. We drain and refill engine oil regularly during oil changes, so engine oil flushes are few and far between, if they are necessary at all. If you change your oil on schedule, you shouldn’t run into problems with sludge and particle buildup. But if you don’t keep up with oil changes, you may need an engine oil flush. If your PCT or your owner’s manual recommends one, follow their lead.
Power Steering Fluid. Power steering fluid is not maintained often, so flush the system per your owner’s manual or the recommendation of your PCT.
Coolant. Depending on your driving habits, coolant should be flushed between 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Follow your owner’s manual or get a recommendation from your PCT to figure out which is right for you. Once your car has been driven over 100,000 miles, you may want to consider a drain and refill every year.
Brake Fluid. Drain and refill only per your owner’s manual or a recommendation from your PCT.
Windshield Washer Fluid. Drain and refill as necessary.
The Hardware
Checking and refilling fluids under the hood is the primary DIY zone, but it’s still worth familiarizing yourself with the rest of the terrain. Being able to identify a part on your car may help you diagnose and explain an issue to your PCT—or give you a better grasp of things when your PCT diagnoses the issue for you.
Spark Plugs. Your spark plugs and the assorted electrical components connected to them create the spark that sets off the explosion or combustion of gasoline. The spark plug’s “plug” sits inside the engine, while its wires and other components sit on top of the engine block. Spark plugs wear down with use, so PCTs regularly replace them during tune-ups, replacing the spark plug wires, the engine air filter, the PCV valve (if applicable), and the fuel filter (if applicable) at the same time.
Belts and Pulleys. One or more rubber belts sit to the right of or in front of the engine, spun by pulleys as they feed the engine’s energy to several parts of the car. There’s the timing belt inside the engine, and the serpentine belt outside the engine. The belts and/or pulleys will often make high-pitched whining noises when they need to be replaced. Using a flashlight if the belts are difficult to see, you can eyeball them for cracks and indications of wear.
Battery. You’re going to want to locate the battery, and fortunately this part is pretty easy to identify. It may be covered by a red plastic cap or have red wires emerging from its positive side and will have two metal posts sticking out of its top. We often think of the battery as living under the hood, but in fact many cars on the road store their batteries under the backseat, with the terminals or post under the hood. You’ll be touching your battery only to brush off corrosion from its posts or in the event that you need to jump-start your car, which we’ll be learning to do on page 283. The terminals should be labeled positive or power, and negative or ground. Check your owner’s manual if you open your hood and can’t find your battery or terminals.
Alternator. Attached to the engine by the serpentine belt and pulley and located either to the right of or in front of the engine, the alternator provides the electricity that keeps the car’s electrical components running, kind of like the electric company. Without the alternator, your battery would die in fifteen minutes or less. Despite being such a useful part, the alternator doesn’t require maintenance, so you won’t be getting up close and personal with yours.
Starter. The starter motor is the mini-motor that turns on the engine by spinning the crankshaft. Like alternators, starters don’t require maintenance.
Fuse Box. Located next to the battery, the fuse box contains all ratings of fuses and relays. Fuses are easy to remove and replace if you know which one has been blown.
DIY #2: Check and Add Windshield Washer Fluid
Windshield washer fluid isn’t something you probably think much about until a big fat bug decides to end its life on your windshield or a bird uses your car for target practice. But if your reservoir is running on empty, your windshield wipers will actually make things worse by spreading the bug juice or bird poop across the windshield. Gross.
Refilling your own washer fluid is the easiest, hardest-to-screw-up DIY, so no excuses on this front.
Tools
Windshield washer fluid
Funnel
Gloves (optional)
1. Locate the washer fluid reservoir under the hood of your car.
2. The reservoir may have full and low markings, or a rubber dipstick or hose attached to the cap. If the fluid is low or the rubber hose is dry, you need to add fluid.
3. Remove the cap from the reservoir and place the funnel over the opening. Add fluid to the full level. Remove the funnel and put the cap back on.
Now you can attack that bug juice with a little more ammo!
As a general rule of thumb, check your washer fluid every year. Your PCT should keep an eye on it as well.
Part ii
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HOW CARS WORK
Anatomy of a Modern Car
The vehicle that gets you to work or to sc
hool or to the store every day is a complex machine containing more than ten thousand separate parts. And we’re going to go through each and every single one. Just kidding! That would be crazy and boring. We’re actually going to look at the five major components that allow your car to run. Nothing too technical or complex.
Cars don’t have to be scary. They’re actually pretty cool, sexy, and powerful when you get to know them. And when we build up a bit of knowledge about our cars, we can let go of the anxiety and shame that come from being in the dark.
The Powertrain
The powertrain system, also known as the drivetrain and consisting of the engine, the transmission, the driveshaft, the differentials, and the drive wheels, includes the main components that generate and distribute your vehicle’s power. Despite the importance of its parts, the only time you actually hear the word powertrain is when you’re buying a car and choosing between a powertrain warranty and a bumper-to-bumper warranty (see page 265.) So congratulations on already being one step ahead of the average car buyer!
The Engine and the Emissions System
Located front and center under your hood, the engine is a mechanical workhorse designed to replace the work of animals or humans. And just as animals and people need food for energy before they can work, engines need food for the important work they do. This food is fuel or gas, and the engine takes that fuel and sets it on fire in a series of mini-explosions. These mini-explosions inside the engine are what make your car go.
The single most important part of a car, the engine requires frequent, inexpensive maintenance—but any repairs will be expensive.
Emissions, a corollary system, has to do with controlling the vapors and exhaust created by the engine’s mini-explosions.
The Transmission
The transmission system moves (or transmits) power from the engine to the wheels of the car. Transmissions can be either automatic (the car shifts into higher or lower gear depending on how much power you’re asking of it at any given moment) or manual (the driver uses her clutch and gearshift like a boss to tell the car when it’s time to kick it up or down a notch). Like the engine, a trans is very expensive to replace and very inexpensive to maintain, but unlike the engine, it doesn’t require frequent maintenance.
The Chassis
A weird word with a silent s at the end, the chassis (pronounced “chassie”) supports the weight of the engine, the transmission, and the car’s occupants, and also allows the car to move in a straight line, turn, and stop. The chassis is made up of four components:
Body/Frame. The body or frame supports the weight of the car, just like the foundation of a house. Made of steel, it’s a low-maintenance part that requires attention if it has rusted or corroded over time or if it has been damaged by a collision.
Suspension. Your car’s suspension system ensures a nice smooth ride, keeping all the tires on the road when you go over bumps, rocks, or potholes. You can’t see your suspension system, but you’ll feel and hear suspension problems. Suspension parts are all underneath the car, which means they can be accessed only when the car is off the ground, on a lift or jack stands.
Brakes. We all know what brakes do—slow down the rotation of your wheels, in turn slowing down the car. Brakes come in two types, disc and drum, and they give drivers audible information about their condition. Listen to your brakes.
Steering, Wheels, and Tires. Your car has six wheels. Nope, not a typo. Count ’em—two front, two rear, the steering wheel (the command center for all the other wheels in the car), and the spare. Wheels work in tandem with your tires to stop, accelerate, and turn your car. Like the heels on a favorite pair of shoes, the tires of your car require frequent but easy upkeep. And yes, on page 197 you’ll be learning how to change one.
The Electrical System and the Computers in Your Car
A modern car requires a ton of electricity to run, and auto manufacturers add new electrical features every year. You’ve got your obvious electrical components—headlights, GPS, the thing that used to be called a radio, dashboard lights, and any automated seating, door closure, or window controls. And your not-so-obvious electrical components—the battery, starter, and alternator, which happen to be much more central to the process of actually running a car.
The word electrical doesn’t have the same meaning as it did in the old days. Now it includes the scores of small computers (also sometimes known as control modules), sensors, and switches that regulate emissions, run onboard diagnostics, control vehicle operations, deploy the air bags, and much more. Any of these components can be affected by an electrical malfunction. Electrical and electronic issues can cause an engine to run rough, safety features to malfunction, a passenger window to get stuck, or a car to fail to start. They can be tough to figure out and may involve lots of diagnosing and problem solving.
Heating and Air-Conditioning
Many drivers mistakenly assume that their heat and AC come from a single unified system. In fact, only the air delivery portion is shared. The AC runs off Freon, a chemical refrigerant, and is driven by a compressor that requires the engine to burn a bit of additional gas to keep you cozy; the heater runs off redirected engine heat and hot coolant.
There are hundreds of other parts connecting the dots, but these major systems are all you really need to run a car. We’ll learn more about each system in more detail in the coming chapters.
The “Three E’s”: Engines, Exhaust, Emissions
Engines are powerful, sophisticated—and expensive to repair or replace. Which is why consistent engine maintenance is essential, for the health of both your car and your wallet.
Remember those miniature explosions? The engine is where it all goes down. Also known as the motor, the engine is not one thing but a mass of metal shafts, cylinders, rods, pistons, and gears that spin, rotate, or slide. Those actions generate the power that feeds the transmission and wheels, the power steering pump, the AC, and the components that provide electricity to the car. But what gives the internal combustion engines used in standard vehicles their juice? Gasoline, aka fuel. That’s not all there is to it, of course.
The First E Is for Engine: The Three Stages of Combustion
In a little bit more detail, let’s talk about how the engine does its job, guzzling all that tasty gasoline and turning it into motion. You need three things in order for the engine to run: air, fuel, and spark (fire). These three elements are involved in a four-part digestive process that happens continuously until you turn the car off.
I call it the Eat, Burn, Belch cycle.
Eat. As soon as you turn the key in the ignition and start the car, fuel is pumped from your fuel tank, in the rear of the vehicle, into the hungry engine. Inside the engine, fuel is “injected” with air pulled in from the outside of the car, and the air-fuel mixture is compressed to an extremely high temperature and pressure.
Burn. Within the engine’s belly, the compressed air-and-fuel mixture is set on fire by spark plugs. Lighting the hot, pressurized gas creates an explosion, or combustion, inside the cylinders. A single spark plug can fire four hundred times per minute, so you get just as many mini-explosions in that tiny amount of time. Science, amiright?
Belch. After the air-and-fuel mixture is set on fire, the engine blows out the exhaust (the remnants of combustion) through a long pipe.
Repeat. The cycle constantly repeats itself as your car runs. Eat, Burn, Belch, repeat!
Fuel: You Are What You Eat
Without fuel, the engine can’t function. But how does gas get from the fuel tank into the engine, and what happens once it’s there? The following components are involved.
Fuel Pump. Propelled by an electric motor and sitting inside the gas tank, the fuel pump moves raw fuel or gas from the back of the car to the engine. The fuel pump will fail from use over time, or from the strain of pumping from a tank that’s too low on gas.
Fuel Injectors. The fuel injectors spray raw fuel from the gas tank into the engine.
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bsp; Fuel Pressure Regulator. The fuel pressure regulator monitors fuel output. A regulator failure can cause engine flooding and, in the worst-case scenario, fire.
Fuel Filter. The fuel filter strains out dirt, particles, and foreign objects from raw fuel before they can enter the engine.
Fuel Lines and Hoses. These rigid metal tubes and flexible rubber hoses supply raw fuel from the gas tank to the engine. Hoses will fail from use over time, and hose leaks may prevent a car from starting.
Gas Tank. The gas tank holds raw gasoline.
Gas Cap. The gas cap seals off the fuel system to prevent gas vapors from escaping and polluting the environment. Its rubber gasket will fail from use over time, but you can purchase a replacement for less than thirty dollars.
Your Engine’s Nutritional Ratio
As the Eat, Burn, Belch cycle demonstrates, air, fuel, and spark are crucial for the engine to run. The air and fuel taken in by the mouth of your engine must also be calibrated to a certain ratio for all of the tiny explosions to take place. That golden ratio is approximately 14.7 to 1, air to fuel—meaning you need 14.7 times more air than gasoline to run an engine. You can’t start a campfire without good airflow, and the same is true of internal combustion.