Car Engine Condition Diagnosis

Did you know, by looking at the exhaust smoke, you are able to diagnose the condition of an engine? Ability to diagnose not only allows you to determine the level of 'health' engine, but also can be used when buying a used car. Colour of the exhaust smoke will describe how the burning in your engine. Thus, the internal components of your engine's condition can be predicted based on the combustion conditions.

White smoke / water vapour / water from the exhaust pipe when the morning or cold. If this is the result of burning your engine, congratulations. You have a very healthy engine. Valves and piston rings are still in a state seal, fuel injection system (EFI) works perfectly and carburettor (if using a carburettor) are in the most perfect tuning. Petrol has an element Carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), while the air had the element oxygen (O). So if all the internal components of the engine seals, carburettor or EFI system gets tuned mixture of air and fuel ratio of 14.7:1, it will produce perfect combustion. So after gasoline and burns oxygen and react properly, the combustion products will be water (H20) after was mixed with the surrounding cold air has more oxygen.

Black smoke

Black smoke is caused by tuning the ratio of air and fuel mixture is too rich, 'which is the ratio of petrol more than usual. Usually black smoke will come once the problem of increased fuel consumption. Gasoline smell in the exhaust is also quite strong. If you use an electronic fuel injection system, it must be checked at an authorized service centre using a computer scanner to detect problems or components that are not functioning properly. Unlike a carburettor, electronic fuel injection system memory has been set and tuning will not be wrong if all components are functioning properly. And if you use a carburettor, it requires tuning to correct the ratio of air and fuel mixture according to proper specifications. Bring your car to an experienced mechanic, because the carburettor is a very sensitive component. If the wrong tune, your car may be more intense use petrol or may lose power!

Bluish grey smoke

When the exhaust emits smoke blue or grey, this means that there is leakage of engine oil into the combustion chamber causing the engine oil burning gasoline and air mix together. This problem will come together with the common problem of decreasing engine oil and needs to be added. This leakage caused either from the cylinder head valve seal was leaking or worse may be due to a leak on the piston rings. What is certain, top overhaul needs to be done on your engine to replace a leaky valve seal. And may also need a major overhaul if the process found the piston rings are not sealing any more.

White smoke continued

If white smoke out of the exhaust blunt, this means the water from the water jacket around the engine block is entering the combustion chamber. This problem will be coming along with engine temperature problem spike than normal temperatures. Ingress of water may be due to the cylinder head gasket is leaking or is damaged, causing water released into the combustion chamber. Worst case scenario, water will be mixed with engine oil and you can detect it after opening the engine oil cap. Your engine oil will change colour to colour-like milk tea. The solution is of course to do top overhaul on the engine.

ABS Brake System Evolution

During the 90s, Anti-lock Brake System or ABS may be a premium, and only matched in luxury cars only. But now, the ABS is standard system should have in the European market cars. These systems prevent the tire locked during sudden braking or on slippery surfaces. Actually when tires locked during braking, distance to stop the car will be much more because the tires lost traction at the time.

Drivers will also lose steering control because when the tires locked, car will continue recklessly forward despite steering is turned to the left or to the right, and will cause the driver can not avoid obstacles in front. Brakes with ABS systems are still using conventional brake hydraulic system as usual. But it has a modulator that works when the tires start to lock. This modulator will release brake pressure to prevent it locks and then give back pressure to the brake calliper. The process takes place very quickly, less than a second for each session to ensure the shortest stopping distances can be achieved.

How modulator controls the brake hydraulic system?

Modulator ABS system is not working alone. It was also aided by the speed sensors (wheel speed sensors) are placed on each tire and also a computer box to process data received from the speed sensor. Computer box will detect if there is a tire that will be locked when the driver brakes through the readings taken from the speed sensor. Then it will direct modulator to release the pressure on the brake system and put pressure back after several milliseconds. If the tires can still locked, the computer box will direct modulator to do that again until the driver's foot from the brake pedal release. And the whole process can occur in less than one second.

Driving Tips When Rain

Driving in heavy rain gives an advantage, and the effects of the cooling system, but at the same time a little obscure the driver's view, while the surface is wet and slippery roads can result in a high percentage of accidents.

Measures to be taken by the driver when a flooded road trekking;

1. Give way to heavy vehicles, and estimated water height be forced to see high limits tire.
2. If the water level below one foot, driving can be done but drivers should drive slowly. This is to avoid water splash especially the engine ignition system.
3. After trekking flooded roads, avoid further speeding, because the brake system is not fully functional due to the wet braking surface. To overcome this problem there are a few guidelines that can be applied as follows:

• Use the gears 1st and 2nd for vehicles using manual gear system, while 1st gear automatic gear system.
• Press the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal simultaneously to produce heat at the brake surface.
• For 4-wheel drive, automatic gear like manual gearbox. Limit speeds ranging from 5 to 15 km/h and space out your vehicle with the vehicle in front. This process dries the brake surface.
• Test action repeatedly over a distance of 20 to 30 meters.
• Test the brake system at a speed of 20 km / h
• If the brake fails, repeat the above process. After that, test the braking system further until satisfactory performance before speeding.

Car Care

A feeling of anxiety will exist if the business out of the country and had to leave the car for weeks or months without being started. Some thought the car will be damaged or can cause decreased performance without regular care.

This is due to some vehicle owners not only treat just transportation, but as a very loved.collection.In fact, a few of them rarely use it, so it is placed in the garage for a long time. However, if the vehicle is left on for a long time it can affect the performance of the vehicle or difficult to be started.

There are several techniques to keep the car in a long period of time either in the six months until a year without reducing performance. 

• If confronted with this situation, what is most important is to put the vehicle in a dry, shady garage.
• What is important is disconnect the vehicle battery cable to turn off the electrical current. If left too long it can cause the battery becomes weak.
• Fill the fuel tank full when storing the vehicle for more than one year, it aims to solve the problem of water vapour,  water damage and rust formation.
• In addition, before storing the vehicle be sure to replace the engine oil and filter as well.
• Put in a new oil well to the cylinder to provide a protective layer.
• Be sure to dry up all the air conditioning system to prevent corrosion occurring in part to prevent problems due to liquid cooling or contact with the aluminium.
• Do not dry the radiator coolant fluid. If age is more than one and a half years, replace them with new ones.
• Brake oil also must be completed in full and if it is more than two years, it can damage metal components.
• To avoid damage to the vehicle shock absorbers, lift all four wheels for relaxing tires, bearings and other components of shock absorbers.
• Car covered in a fabric type cover, do not forget to open the window slightly to allow air in and out.

Based on the information it helps to overcome the problem of the vehicle when left for a long period of time.