One of the most frustrating problems you can encounter with a modern motor car is a failed or failing air conditioning system. It is only then that you become aware of how much you rely on the comfort of air conditioning when driving in hot summer climates. You also discover just how good or bad car service centers are at diagnosing and repairing such a problem.
Air conditioning in most cars will usually perform reliably and effectively for a good deal of time after the purchase of a new car. However, this is dependent on the standard of installation of the air conditioning components and the reliability of the service repair center that maintains your car for you. My experience is that the ability of mechanics to service and repair car air conditioning varies greatly between dealerships and air conditioning specialists. One is not necessarily better than the other and both may fail to diagnose certain problems in the air conditioning system and/or effectively repair the system.
The following examples of diagnostic failures can prove extremely expensive when air conditioning is being repaired:
1. The air conditioning system is pressure tested and a leak is found in a connecting hose. Hose components are replaced and system re-gassed only for air conditioning to fail a second time;
2. The second attempt by service center reveals evaporator, condenser or compressor problems or problems sometimes accompanied by a failure in the cooling fan system.
In the first case, you may have paid a minimum of $700 Australian dollars, for example, for a repair that did not diagnose the real problem of a damaged evaporator or condenser. The follow up repair may add an additional $1,000 to $1,200 on the earlier bill. Initial correct diagnosis of the problem or problems may have led to a total of $1,000 rather than combined bills of $1,800 to $2,000. This is an alarming example of how poor mechanic performance can lead to large bills being paid by the car owner. Should you require your car service center to regularly service the air conditioning to prevent future problems? The answer would generally be - yes. However, I have driven the same car for 12 years with little servicing on the air conditioning system and no problems have occurred. Where as, I know people whose cars have developed air conditioning faults after routine servicing.
A further complication with car air conditioning can be caused by extra computerization such as when a climate control regulator is fitted to the system. Some mechanics can have difficulty resetting the calibration on a climate control system with the result being there is no real graduation between the settings. That is, the air conditioning functions at extremes either hot or cold and nothing in between. The car owner naturally drives away feeling very dissatisfied when a mechanic produces a result of this kind.
In order to prevent future problems in your car air conditioning system there is one easy step you can take. Make sure you run the air conditioning for short intervals in winter as well as summer. By doing this you will help to avoid any drying out of seals within the system, which when damaged, can cause leaks to develop within the air conditioning and ultimately the gassing to be lost. Any such damage will always require costly repairs. This is a case of prevention is always better than cure.
By: Anthony Parker
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
park1960.earth4.hop.clickbank.net/ I am university educated and have a career background of 27 years employment in both the public and private sectors. I have also run my own businesses. I am currently self-employed in my own consultancy advising people on business start-ups.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Hybrid Car Glossary
Protect the carpet from dirt and moisture by adding all weather floor mats to your car. These are typically made with ridges to trap mud, dirt, sand and water and keep them away from the carpet.
B20, B100:
Seen at diesel pumps, these designations indicate the amount of biodiesel blended with petroleum-based diesel. So B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% low-sulfur diesel, while B100 is 100% biodiesel.
Backup Sensor
Backup sensors can be audible or visual and help eliminate the risk of hitting or running over things.
BEV - Battery Electric Vehicle
A battery-electric vehicles uses an electric motor for power source. The electricity powering the motor is stored in a battery pack that must be recharged from an electric power source.
Biodiesel
Diesel fuel made at least partly from non-petroleum sources, such as used restaurant grease. Most diesel-powered vehicles can use biodiesel without conversion or alteration of the engine.
Bioethanol
A vehicle fuel based on starchy plant materials, commonly corn in the U.S. It has a lower emissions rating than petroleum. Also known as ethanol.
Bumper Guards
Protect your bumpers with bumper guards. Bumpers can get banged up when you're loading and unloading your trunk. Protect your bumper from nicks and scratches.
By-Wire Technology
Similarly to "Fly-by-Wire" technology found in fighter planes, hybrid car "Drive-by-Wire" technology replaces mechanical connections with electrical connections to reduce weight and provide more sophisticated and reliable responsiveness.
CAFE Standards
Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Each automaker must average the mileage of every vehicle it builds. The standards were enacted in 1975 to increase overall fuel efficiency. The standard for 2009 is 27.5 mpg for cars, 20.7 mpg for light trucks, and 23.1 mpg for trucks under 8500 pounds.
Cargo Net
A cargo net helps keep your groceries and other items from rolling around in the trunk. They are typically very easy to install. You'll wonder how you ever lived without one!
CBG - Cleaner Burning Gasoline
Cleaner-burning gasoline is fuel that meets requirements established by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). All gasoline sold in California for use in motor vehicles must meet these requirements, which have been in effect since Spring 1996.
Chassis Stiffener
A chassis stiffener bolts on to the subframe to make the unibody stiffer. Your car will feel more stable an will turn sharper and be more responsive.
Diesel
This petroleum-based fuel gets higher fuel efficiency than gasoline. It used to have more tailpipe emissions, but technological innovations in the past decade have nearly erased this concern and dropped diesel emissions to near gasoline levels.
E85
A fuel blend that contains 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline.
Engine Block Heater
Engine block heaters let you start your car quicker in freezing weather. This saves fuel and battery power for your hybrid cars.
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency. Together with the Department of Energy, the EPA issues mileage and emissions ratings for all cars sold in the U.S. See FuelEconomy.gov.
Extended Range Electric Vehicle
A type of PHEV where the car drives entirely on electric power, but there is a small gasoline engine on board that runs a generator to provide electricity for the batteries and electric motor. The addition of the gasoline engine allows the electric motor to go further on a charge.
Ethanol
A high-octane, low-emissions fuel long used in racing. Now it’s made from renewable plant materials and can be used in regular vehicles, though it gets lower fuel economy ratings than gasoline.
EV
Electric Vehicle. These cars have only batteries and an electric motor–no gasoline or other fuel required, and no emissions are released into the air. They are refueled by plugging the batteries into an outlet.
Electric-Only Mode
Also known as Stealth Mode. In full hybrid cars, electric-only mode allows the vehicle to drive at low speeds without the engine turning on.
EV Mode
An EV mode switch lets you run your Prius in electric only mode up to 34 mph to increase your hybrid mpg and performance. While this option is built into every Prius, it is disabled for North American hybrids. An EV Mode Option lets you turn this option back on.
Flex Fuel
A vehicle that can accept regular gasoline or an ethanol blend, such as E85.
FCEV - Fuel Cell Vehicle
A fuel cell vehicle is an electric vehicle that uses hydrogen fuel instead of a battery to produce electricity. There are no moving parts, as the fuel cell utilizes a catalyst to perform a chemical process that combines oxygen from the air with hydrogen fuel to produce electricity.
Fuel Efficiency
Using the least amount of fuel to drive the farthest number of miles. This can be measured miles per gallon, which is standard in the U.S., or in gallons per mile, which is more common in the rest of the world.
Gas Mileage Devices
There are a variety of gas mileage devices on the market. Popular items include the EV Mode Option, the Kiwi dashboard plug-in which teaches you how to drive more efficiently, and Juiced Hybrid’s custom Voltage System GT, which stabilizes the voltage in your car.
Green Car Cleaners
From car wax to green towels, various green car cleaners and supplies help you keep your ride looking good while still being environmentally friendly.
Hybrid Car
A hybrid car refers to a vehicle that has two sources of power: gasoline and electricity. Today's hybrids combine a gasoline engine with one or more electric motors (and a traction battery pack). In the automotive sense, this is a vehicle that has a gasoline-powered engine and an electric engine that work together to deliver better gas mileage, usually 40+ mpg. The batteries are recharged by systems like regenerative braking. The 1999 Honda Insight was the first commercially available hybrid; the Toyota Prius became the first popular hybrid car.
Hybrid Car battery
There are two batteries on hybrid vehicles, the traction battery and the auxiliary 12-volt battery, which powers accessories and the car's computer.
Hybrid Car Engine
In hybrid cars, engine refers to the gasoline combustion engine, not the electric motor.
Hybrid Synergy Drive
Toyota's next generation hybrid powertrain, improving upon the Toyota Hybrid System in the original Prius.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell
These cells use hydrogen gas and air to create an electrical current to power a vehicle, with only water as a byproduct. Creating an infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations has been an obstacle to the manufacture of hydrogen-powered cars.
ICE
Internal Combustion Engine. The same old gasoline-powered engine we’ve been driving all our lives.
Liquified Natural Gas
Natural gas that has been cooled to form a transportable liquid. Vehicles that run on LNG cannot use any other type of fuel without major modifications.
Lithium Ion
A type of battery used in cell phones, laptops, and electric cars. These batteries store a lot of energy for their weight.
Low-Emission Level Standards
There are several measurement standards for low-emission cars, including California Air Resources Board standards known as LEV II, Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) and Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) standards. There is also a Federal standard called Tier 2-Bin 3.
LNG
Liquified Natural Gas. See above.
MPG
Miles per gallon. The number of miles a car can travel on one gallon of gasoline or other liquid fuel.
NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA administrates the CAFE Standards, based on fuel efficiency data from the EPA.
NiCd
Nickel Cadmium sometimes called NiCad. A type of rechargeable battery used in electric cars.
NiMH
Nickel Metal Hydride. A type of rechargeable battery used in electric cars.
PHEV
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. See Plug-in Hybrid.
Plug-in Hybrid
A vehicle that has a gasoline-powered engine and a bank of batteries that can be recharged by plugging them into an outlet. These vehicles usually use the electric motor for 40 or so miles, then the gasoline engine as a backup. The supposedly forthcoming Chevy Volt is a PHEV.
Receiver Drop Hitch
Alternately called trailer hitches, a receiver drop hitch lets you tow trailers with your car.
Regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is a feature in hybrid cars that allows the motor to act as a generator when braking. The process converts kinetic energy of the car's motion into electric energy that recharges the battery.
Vehicle to Grid
Technology that allows electric utility companies to reclaim small amounts of energy from plugged-in EVs. Boulder, Colorado, has a pioneering VtG program.
Water Car
Proponents of the idea of running a car on water say it’s a similar energy conversion process to hydrogen fuel cells. The conversion of energy, though, seems to lose a lot along the way, making any benefit null.
Window Deflectors
Add window deflectors to reduce wind noise while still allowing fresh air to come into your car.
By: Sarah Collins
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Jon Belinkie, PHD is author of this article on Car Expert On Prius. Find more information about Hybrid Car Glossary here.
B20, B100:
Seen at diesel pumps, these designations indicate the amount of biodiesel blended with petroleum-based diesel. So B20 is 20% biodiesel, 80% low-sulfur diesel, while B100 is 100% biodiesel.
Backup Sensor
Backup sensors can be audible or visual and help eliminate the risk of hitting or running over things.
BEV - Battery Electric Vehicle
A battery-electric vehicles uses an electric motor for power source. The electricity powering the motor is stored in a battery pack that must be recharged from an electric power source.
Biodiesel
Diesel fuel made at least partly from non-petroleum sources, such as used restaurant grease. Most diesel-powered vehicles can use biodiesel without conversion or alteration of the engine.
Bioethanol
A vehicle fuel based on starchy plant materials, commonly corn in the U.S. It has a lower emissions rating than petroleum. Also known as ethanol.
Bumper Guards
Protect your bumpers with bumper guards. Bumpers can get banged up when you're loading and unloading your trunk. Protect your bumper from nicks and scratches.
By-Wire Technology
Similarly to "Fly-by-Wire" technology found in fighter planes, hybrid car "Drive-by-Wire" technology replaces mechanical connections with electrical connections to reduce weight and provide more sophisticated and reliable responsiveness.
CAFE Standards
Corporate Average Fuel Economy. Each automaker must average the mileage of every vehicle it builds. The standards were enacted in 1975 to increase overall fuel efficiency. The standard for 2009 is 27.5 mpg for cars, 20.7 mpg for light trucks, and 23.1 mpg for trucks under 8500 pounds.
Cargo Net
A cargo net helps keep your groceries and other items from rolling around in the trunk. They are typically very easy to install. You'll wonder how you ever lived without one!
CBG - Cleaner Burning Gasoline
Cleaner-burning gasoline is fuel that meets requirements established by the California Air Resources Board (ARB). All gasoline sold in California for use in motor vehicles must meet these requirements, which have been in effect since Spring 1996.
Chassis Stiffener
A chassis stiffener bolts on to the subframe to make the unibody stiffer. Your car will feel more stable an will turn sharper and be more responsive.
Diesel
This petroleum-based fuel gets higher fuel efficiency than gasoline. It used to have more tailpipe emissions, but technological innovations in the past decade have nearly erased this concern and dropped diesel emissions to near gasoline levels.
E85
A fuel blend that contains 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline.
Engine Block Heater
Engine block heaters let you start your car quicker in freezing weather. This saves fuel and battery power for your hybrid cars.
EPA
Environmental Protection Agency. Together with the Department of Energy, the EPA issues mileage and emissions ratings for all cars sold in the U.S. See FuelEconomy.gov.
Extended Range Electric Vehicle
A type of PHEV where the car drives entirely on electric power, but there is a small gasoline engine on board that runs a generator to provide electricity for the batteries and electric motor. The addition of the gasoline engine allows the electric motor to go further on a charge.
Ethanol
A high-octane, low-emissions fuel long used in racing. Now it’s made from renewable plant materials and can be used in regular vehicles, though it gets lower fuel economy ratings than gasoline.
EV
Electric Vehicle. These cars have only batteries and an electric motor–no gasoline or other fuel required, and no emissions are released into the air. They are refueled by plugging the batteries into an outlet.
Electric-Only Mode
Also known as Stealth Mode. In full hybrid cars, electric-only mode allows the vehicle to drive at low speeds without the engine turning on.
EV Mode
An EV mode switch lets you run your Prius in electric only mode up to 34 mph to increase your hybrid mpg and performance. While this option is built into every Prius, it is disabled for North American hybrids. An EV Mode Option lets you turn this option back on.
Flex Fuel
A vehicle that can accept regular gasoline or an ethanol blend, such as E85.
FCEV - Fuel Cell Vehicle
A fuel cell vehicle is an electric vehicle that uses hydrogen fuel instead of a battery to produce electricity. There are no moving parts, as the fuel cell utilizes a catalyst to perform a chemical process that combines oxygen from the air with hydrogen fuel to produce electricity.
Fuel Efficiency
Using the least amount of fuel to drive the farthest number of miles. This can be measured miles per gallon, which is standard in the U.S., or in gallons per mile, which is more common in the rest of the world.
Gas Mileage Devices
There are a variety of gas mileage devices on the market. Popular items include the EV Mode Option, the Kiwi dashboard plug-in which teaches you how to drive more efficiently, and Juiced Hybrid’s custom Voltage System GT, which stabilizes the voltage in your car.
Green Car Cleaners
From car wax to green towels, various green car cleaners and supplies help you keep your ride looking good while still being environmentally friendly.
Hybrid Car
A hybrid car refers to a vehicle that has two sources of power: gasoline and electricity. Today's hybrids combine a gasoline engine with one or more electric motors (and a traction battery pack). In the automotive sense, this is a vehicle that has a gasoline-powered engine and an electric engine that work together to deliver better gas mileage, usually 40+ mpg. The batteries are recharged by systems like regenerative braking. The 1999 Honda Insight was the first commercially available hybrid; the Toyota Prius became the first popular hybrid car.
Hybrid Car battery
There are two batteries on hybrid vehicles, the traction battery and the auxiliary 12-volt battery, which powers accessories and the car's computer.
Hybrid Car Engine
In hybrid cars, engine refers to the gasoline combustion engine, not the electric motor.
Hybrid Synergy Drive
Toyota's next generation hybrid powertrain, improving upon the Toyota Hybrid System in the original Prius.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell
These cells use hydrogen gas and air to create an electrical current to power a vehicle, with only water as a byproduct. Creating an infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations has been an obstacle to the manufacture of hydrogen-powered cars.
ICE
Internal Combustion Engine. The same old gasoline-powered engine we’ve been driving all our lives.
Liquified Natural Gas
Natural gas that has been cooled to form a transportable liquid. Vehicles that run on LNG cannot use any other type of fuel without major modifications.
Lithium Ion
A type of battery used in cell phones, laptops, and electric cars. These batteries store a lot of energy for their weight.
Low-Emission Level Standards
There are several measurement standards for low-emission cars, including California Air Resources Board standards known as LEV II, Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) and Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) standards. There is also a Federal standard called Tier 2-Bin 3.
LNG
Liquified Natural Gas. See above.
MPG
Miles per gallon. The number of miles a car can travel on one gallon of gasoline or other liquid fuel.
NHTSA
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The NHTSA administrates the CAFE Standards, based on fuel efficiency data from the EPA.
NiCd
Nickel Cadmium sometimes called NiCad. A type of rechargeable battery used in electric cars.
NiMH
Nickel Metal Hydride. A type of rechargeable battery used in electric cars.
PHEV
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. See Plug-in Hybrid.
Plug-in Hybrid
A vehicle that has a gasoline-powered engine and a bank of batteries that can be recharged by plugging them into an outlet. These vehicles usually use the electric motor for 40 or so miles, then the gasoline engine as a backup. The supposedly forthcoming Chevy Volt is a PHEV.
Receiver Drop Hitch
Alternately called trailer hitches, a receiver drop hitch lets you tow trailers with your car.
Regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is a feature in hybrid cars that allows the motor to act as a generator when braking. The process converts kinetic energy of the car's motion into electric energy that recharges the battery.
Vehicle to Grid
Technology that allows electric utility companies to reclaim small amounts of energy from plugged-in EVs. Boulder, Colorado, has a pioneering VtG program.
Water Car
Proponents of the idea of running a car on water say it’s a similar energy conversion process to hydrogen fuel cells. The conversion of energy, though, seems to lose a lot along the way, making any benefit null.
Window Deflectors
Add window deflectors to reduce wind noise while still allowing fresh air to come into your car.
By: Sarah Collins
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Jon Belinkie, PHD is author of this article on Car Expert On Prius. Find more information about Hybrid Car Glossary here.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Install Car Speakers
Installing car speakers can be somewhat overwhelming if it is something that you have never done before. You must feel comfortable with your car and the speaker setup before you attempt taking anything apart and putting in new speakers. Installing speakers sounds hard but it doesn’t have to be. It is quite likely that after you’ve done it you will be surprised at how easy it really is. If you do not know what you are doing, you can easily learn. It also may be a good idea to have a friend help you if you have several speakers to install.
If you really do not feel comfortable installing the speakers yourself, seek out a professional to do it for you. There are many professionals that offer speaker installation. However, it can become quite expensive. If you choose to have someone else install them, shop around for someone that will do it at a reasonable price. You may want to ask around or look online for good customer reviews as well. Ask friends and family if they can recommend anyone. For such a simple procedure, you do not want to pay too much or have it done incorrectly.
If you make the choice to install your own car speakers, start by reading over the enclosed instructions. All speakers should come with instructions to guide you through the process. If you do not have any, inquire at the store you purchased them from or look up the brand online. You may be able to obtain some that way. Make sure that you determine which tools you need for installing your speakers. There is no sense in getting started if you do not have everything that you need.
Most speakers simply require that you remove the screws holding them in place. You should see in the instructions where the wires are attached and how to detach them properly. This should only take a few minutes and should not be confusing if you have the right instruction information. Putting the new speakers in the exact same way is pretty basic. Hook up the wires and screw the speaker down as the previous ones were. There should even be a diagram of this in your instructions.
Make sure that when you put everything back together, you take care not to leave any wires exposed. This could be incredibly dangerous if left unattended. Exposed wires are an indication that the speakers may not have been correctly installed. You must take care to avoid any potential electrical issues inside your car. You don’t want to risk having a fire break out.
Car speaker installation is pretty straight forward. Basically, as you take the old speakers out, you should see how the new ones will go in. Things like tweeters, sub woofers or amplifiers may require additional work but following the instructions will make it a breeze. Installing speakers does not have to be difficult. Though it can be tempting to ignore them, it is not really a good idea. Do it right the first time and you will be driving in musical style once again.
By: Levi Quinn
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Have a fun and safe time on the road, and visit us to find the best deal on the insurance coverage you need. Get money-saving tips, affordable auto insurance quotes and helpful information about insuring your vehicle from Auto Insurance Rates Direct today.
If you really do not feel comfortable installing the speakers yourself, seek out a professional to do it for you. There are many professionals that offer speaker installation. However, it can become quite expensive. If you choose to have someone else install them, shop around for someone that will do it at a reasonable price. You may want to ask around or look online for good customer reviews as well. Ask friends and family if they can recommend anyone. For such a simple procedure, you do not want to pay too much or have it done incorrectly.
If you make the choice to install your own car speakers, start by reading over the enclosed instructions. All speakers should come with instructions to guide you through the process. If you do not have any, inquire at the store you purchased them from or look up the brand online. You may be able to obtain some that way. Make sure that you determine which tools you need for installing your speakers. There is no sense in getting started if you do not have everything that you need.
Most speakers simply require that you remove the screws holding them in place. You should see in the instructions where the wires are attached and how to detach them properly. This should only take a few minutes and should not be confusing if you have the right instruction information. Putting the new speakers in the exact same way is pretty basic. Hook up the wires and screw the speaker down as the previous ones were. There should even be a diagram of this in your instructions.
Make sure that when you put everything back together, you take care not to leave any wires exposed. This could be incredibly dangerous if left unattended. Exposed wires are an indication that the speakers may not have been correctly installed. You must take care to avoid any potential electrical issues inside your car. You don’t want to risk having a fire break out.
Car speaker installation is pretty straight forward. Basically, as you take the old speakers out, you should see how the new ones will go in. Things like tweeters, sub woofers or amplifiers may require additional work but following the instructions will make it a breeze. Installing speakers does not have to be difficult. Though it can be tempting to ignore them, it is not really a good idea. Do it right the first time and you will be driving in musical style once again.
By: Levi Quinn
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Have a fun and safe time on the road, and visit us to find the best deal on the insurance coverage you need. Get money-saving tips, affordable auto insurance quotes and helpful information about insuring your vehicle from Auto Insurance Rates Direct today.
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