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Direct injection fuel delivery 08/09/2011

Gasoline direct injection, how it works and why we need it. The GDI type of fuel delivery system is one of the latest waves in fuel management deployed on new model vehicles. This technology is what many car designers believe can help them achieve demanding corporate average fuel economy numbers while reducing tailpipe emissions and greenhouse gasses.

Direct Injector

Recently it was in the news that average fuel economy will be 54.5 miles per gallon by the year 2025. Each time the C.A.F.E. goes up car makers respond by pushing their fuel injection technology to the next level. In the 80s car makers abandoned the carburetor for fuel injection systems.

The first type to come on the scene was called throttle body injected and where more like a carburetor then the modern fuel injection systems. As emissions standards got tighter car-makers developed Port technology that was much more efficient. Gasoline direct injection takes this to a new level.

Engine Flooded No Start 06/16/2011

Answers to the question can a flooded engine cause a no start condition on modern fuel injected vehicles and some possible causes reviewed. Here is a quick story about how often I use to see this happen and how little I see it now.

I remember when I was a little kid often my mother would go out to the family car and it would not start. You could hear her cranking the engine for an extended period of time without the engine starting. After a few more tries she would come inside and tell my father the car won't start.

He would start screaming at her (as we where a dysfunctional family) saying that it was her fault and she flooded the engine. Of course the car I speak of had a carburetor on it and it was possible to flood the engine. In most cases when this happened my dad would go out and hold the accelerator to the floor while cranking and most of the time the engine would fire up.

How long does a water pump last? 05/19/2011

Today I will answer this question, how long does a water pump last. I will provide a rule of thumb that might be helpful to motorists. Just keep in mind that this is one automotive component that can last forever or at least until the vehicle goes to the junkyard or may fail at any given time.

water pump impeller

In an attempt to answer the question I will provide some guidelines or at least some things I have noticed about the longevity of automotive water pump. On older vehicles with the standard green ethylene glycol antifreeze a water pump could fail or start to leak if coolant flushes are ignored when they are required.

In some cases neglected anti freeze can become like an acid and start eating away at the impeller fins that push the coolant. When this happens and the fans are deteriorating the water pump can lose its balance and the shaft can begin to wobble. This will eventually wear away at the water pump shaft seal.

Are factory auto parts better 03/26/2011

People wonder if factory auto parts are better than the aftermarket ones that in many cases can be purchased at cheaper prices. In my opinion it might come down to the specific auto parts.

There is no simple answer to this question so I put together a quick article that provides some examples of when I prefer to use factory auto-parts and a situation where I prefer to use aftermarket stuff.

When it comes to what parts are better I want to make it clear that I am just providing my opinion, that is based on my own personal experiences and that your results will most likely vary. Some background on where my opinion comes from may also be helpful.

My original training, 26 years ago was provided by General Motors and I was in a special program where I worked at a GM dealership part time while going to school and then full-time after I graduated the program. In fact I stayed at General Motors dealerships for nearly 20 years. When you work at a dealerships service department you generally use factory auto-parts.

Seat Belt Problems 03/17/2011

I have seen a lot of seat belt problems over the last 25 years. In this article we will discuss some of the most common and what to look for. I truly believe that car manufacturers try to keep seat belt problems to a minimum for obvious reasons. Despite their efforts you can still have problems.

In my opinion one of the most troublesome parts of the restraint system would be the seat-belt retractor. The system was designed so that when the seat belt was unbuckled it would stow away automatically to allow the passengers to easily exit the vehicle. These retractors may also work as a pretensioner to take up the slack in the belt during an accident while at the same time maintaining comfort for the driver.

When you add in the fact that these mechanisms have an inertia lock that holds the belt firm during an accident the retractor itself can be complicated with many internal parts. Over the years I have found one of the leading complaints from drivers is that the spring that pulls in the slack or stows the extra seat belt stops doing so.

Aftermarket exhaust systems 02/21/2011

A lot of people ask me if I recommend aftermarket exhaust systems. I thought I would write a quick article so that I could express my opinion. The answer is overall I do not but there are times when using selected aftermarket components are not only okay but may be desirable.

Aftermarket Exhaust Parts

To sum it up the newer your vehicle is the more efficient its exhaust system will be. Back in the old days we put headers and straight dual exhaust on our vehicles because the factory systems where too small and inefficient.

But because of the increased demand for performance while at the same time increasing fuel economy and keeping engine emissions under control most car manufacturers were forced to design and install some of the most efficient exhaust systems known to mankind on new cars.

Exhaust system components

How brake calipers work 01/24/2011

Sometimes brake problems can be traced back to caliper problems. See how they work and learn about replacement options when they go bad. A brake caliper converts hydraulic pressure into mechanical force. This force is multiplied from the driver’s foot applying pressure to the brake pedal.

Therefore some driver complaints about the way the car stops or the way the brake pedal feels can actually be a problem with the calipers. Also a common front brake problem would be a hard and sometimes scary pulling condition where the car pulls to the left or right only when braking.

The caliper housing is usually a one-piece construction of cast iron or aluminum. The brake caliper housing contains a cylinder bore. Machined into the cylinder bore is a groove to allow a square cut seal to be seated. At the top of the cylinder bore will be another groove that allows for a dust boot to be installed.

Getting the best fuel economy possible 01/13/2011

Getting the best fuel economy possible out of your vehicle is important but it looks like it will become even more important in the next few years. This is a topic that I like to discuss although I have to be very careful because the government is very sensitive about this subject.

In order to keep myself out of trouble I try to stick to writing articles about getting the maximum amount of fuel economy from your vehicle that falls within the guidelines of what the manufacturer advertises. In other words if the car-maker states that your vehicle will get 23 highway and 17 mpg in the city there is no reason not to shoot for that goal.

One of the biggest reasons that someone will not be able to achieve the advertised fuel economy ratings is because of their driving habits. Driving habits that focus on achieving the best fuel economy from your vehicle has received a nickname called hypermiling. I have written a complete page on this subject on my other website. You can view this article from this next link that talks about hypermiling techniques.

Why do I care about fuel economy

Replacing alternators 01/03/2011

I get a lot of questions about replacing alternators. The most popular of these questions is do I recommend replacing an alternator with a new or re-manufactured part. Back in early 90s my answer would have been neither.

We use to take an alternator apart and replace only the internal components that were needed. Replacement parts were readily available and also fairly inexpensive.

Most often when we tested these alternators we found either blown diodes or worn-out brushes. These parts were available for about $20 and the repairs were extremely reliable.

But on modern automobiles when the cause of the charging system failure is traced back to the alternator it should be removed and replaced. Most late-model alternators are not rebuilt anymore. They are traded in as a core towards the purchase of a new or re-manufactured unit.