Car Parts and Accessories


Make sure your Car is not stolen continued

Posted in Battery, Carburetion, Engine, Fuel Injection, Tyres, Wheels, Windows, vehicle by dodo on the November 28th, 2008

Mechanical Devices

There are countless devices to protect the car and its contents, ranging from steering wheel clamps to steering column locks, electronically coded sound systems, gearlever locks and clamps, bonnet locks, electrical cut-outs, fuel cut-outs, even a removable steering wheel. Many use a mixture of mechanical and electronic components and may be activated (and deactivated) by a key, hidden switch, electronic keypad, remote control switch or combination padlock. Here are some of the more common types. (more…)

Make sure your Car is not stolen

Posted in Battery, Engine, Four Wheel Drive, Mitsubishi, Sedan, Sports Car, Toyota, Windows, vehicle by dodo on the November 28th, 2008

Sad to say, the world is not full of people as nice as you and me. Although we have worked hard to buy and maintain our cars, there are malcontents out there who want the same thing for nothing.

Thieves come in three types: joyriders (usually young people who ‘take the car for a burn’), pilferers (who steal luggage or dash-board stereos, often without moving the car) and professionals. None of them are particularly nice but at least with the first and second type you have a chance of getting most of your car back. (more…)

How to start a Cranky Car

Posted in Battery, Carburetion, Condenser, Cylinder, Engine, Spark Plug by dodo on the November 26th, 2008

Battery Weakness

Don’t rush off to buy a new battery the first time your car declines to start. Consider the other factors which can cause an apparent battery weakness, such as loose or corroded terminals, a short circuit in the electrical system, moisture, a lack of battery water or poor grounding of the battery, starter motor or engine. (more…)

Car Pushing Starting/ Car Clutching it

Posted in Battery, Clutch Kit, Engine, Wheels by dodo on the November 26th, 2008

Also referred to as ‘clutch starting‘, this is a trick which only works with a manual car, and even then only if you have a couple of energetic friends or a convenient hill. (more…)

Does your Car refuse to start or refuse to keep going? Try this

Posted in Battery, Clutch Kit, Engine, Fuel Injection, Transmission by dodo on the November 26th, 2008

As every motorist knows, the chances that a car will refuse to start or refuse to keep going are greatest when:

  • You are already running late.
  • You have just had it serviced.
  • It is raining.
  • You are wearing your best clothes.
  • You are on a Clearway, alone, at the height of summer, in peak hour, with a semi-trailer behind you and a month’s supply of frozen food in the boot. (more…)

Auto kits or tools for the Car and the Garage

Posted in Battery, Engine, Spark Plug by dodo on the November 12th, 2008

Choosing the right tools

Building up a kit of tools for routine repairs and to deal with roadside emergencies does not involve a big initial outlay. A basic kit can cost some R50. With this as the starting point, the best way to build up a comprehensive kit is to buy extra tools as they are needed.

The quality of tools varies considerably and buying some of the cheaper ones can, in time, prove to be an expensive economy.

A cheap spanner is a typical example. The jaws will eventually spread under pressure and mutilate a nut rounding off the corners until it is impossible to shift and a nut-splitter may be needed. At the least, a badly fitting spanner can mean bruised knuckles. (more…)

Auto Parts and Car check, what to check before going on a long Trip

Don’t let a breakdown ruin your holiday

A roadside breakdown can ruin a well-planned holiday—so it is worth taking a little time to check over your vehicle before setting out. It is obviously impossible to foresee every type of breakdown that could occur; but by following the check list you should be able to avoid some of the more common roadside problems.

Brake pads

Remove one of the rear wheels and check the thickness of the brake pads. If the pad is less than 2 mm thick, seek advice. (more…)

Basic Steps to keep your Car Serviceable

Posted in Battery, Brake Pads, Clutch Kit, Cylinder, Dipstick, Engine, Radiator, Tyres, Wipers, vehicle by dodo on the October 31st, 2008

Certain items should be checked regularly to ensure that the vehicle continues to give satisfactory service. An ideal time to do this is when you stop to fill up with petrol. Here is a check list for you to follow:

Brake fluid

Brake fluid should be changed every two to two-and-a-half years, as it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere which lowers the boiling point of the fluid. If there is a marked drop in the fluid level this could be caused by brake pad wear or a leak. Investigate and rectify immediately. Modern transparent reservoirs make a quick visual check possible. (more…)

Why Car Engine does not Crank or Cranks Slowly

Posted in Auto Mechanic, Automobile, Battery, Car Parts, Engine, Headlight, Truck, Vehicle, Vehicle Accessories, vehicle by dodo on the October 14th, 2008

Car Initial test

Select neutral, switch the headlights on and then operate the starter. Note the reaction from the engine and the effects on the headlights and follow the advice given in the following paragraphs.

Faulty Car battery

If the engine does not crank or cranks slowly, coupled with appreciable dimming of the headlights, the symptoms suggest corroded battery terminals, loose battery terminal connections or a discharged or defective battery. (more…)

Why Car Engine Cranks normally, but fails to start (continued)

Posted in Battery, Carburetion, Condenser, Engine, vehicle by dodo on the October 14th, 2008

4. Carburettor

There are two likely reasons why petrol is present in the pipe, but not finding its way into the manifold:

  • A blockage at the carburettor needle and seat, or
  • A defect — probably a disconnected link — in the carburettor plunger.

To rectify these faults the carburettor will have to be dismantled. (more…)

Ignition System, how automobile (Petrol Engine) Sparks are Produced

Posted in Battery, Cylinder, Engine, Spark Plug, vehicle by dodo on the September 24th, 2008

A petrol engine provides power to propel the car by burning a mixture of petrol and air in its cylinders. The ignition system provides the electric sparks that ignite the mixture.

Each cylinder has a spark-plug with two metal points called electrodes, which project into the combustion chamber. When electricity is fed to the spark-plug at a high enough voltage, current jumps across the gap between the electrodes in the form of a spark.

Spark ignition systems are basically the same on all modern cars. (more…)

The Coil of Car Ignition System

Posted in Battery, Condenser, Spark Plug by dodo on the September 22nd, 2008

A car battery normally produces 12+ volts, but a voltage thousands of times higher is needed to produce the sparks which ignite the petrol/air mixture.

It is the coil which boosts the low voltage current from the battery, transforming it into high voltage for the spark- plugs. Depending on the type of ignition system, the coil can produce as much as 60 000 volts for the spark-plugs. (more…)

Check your Auto Motor Ignition System

Posted in Battery, Cylinder, Engine, Spark Plug, vehicle by dodo on the August 24th, 2008

How Auto Motor Sparks are Produced

A petrol engine provides power to propel the car by burning a mixture of petrol and air in its cylinders. The ignition system provides the electric sparks that ignite the mixture.

Each cylinder has a spark-plug with two metal points called electrodes, which project into the combustion chamber. When electricity is fed to the spark-plug at a high enough voltage, current jumps across the gap between the electrodes in the form of a spark. (more…)

How different Auto Circuits are Wired

Posted in Automobile, Battery, Body Kits, Car Parts, Cylinder, Engine, Jeep, Spark Plug, Truck by dodo on the August 8th, 2008

Current to a car’s electrical system is supplied by the battery when the engine is not running and by an alternator (on older cars a generator) when the engine is running. An alternator is fitted as it more easily supplies the current at lower speeds for the ever increasing number of electrical accessories in modern cars. (more…)

Auto Electronic Starter Motor

Posted in Battery, Crankshaft, Engine, Spark Plug, Wheels by dodo on the August 8th, 2008

Current from the auto battery rotates the engine

The job of the starter motor is to turn the engine until it fires and can continue to run under its own power.

Most petrol engines are rotated at 250-300 rpm while starting. This needs considerable electric power, particularly in winter when the engine is cold and the oil is thick. Anyone who has started a car with a cranking handle will know how much effort is needed to turn the engine. (more…)

How the Auto Dynamo (Generator) Generates Current

Posted in Auto Mechanic, Automobile, Battery, Car Parts, Engine, Jeep, Motorbike, Truck, Vehicle, Wheels by dodo on the August 5th, 2008

The generator has two weak permanent magnets inside its round casing. When current flows through the coils of wire around the magnets, they are transformed into electro magnets. An armature— mounted in a front end plate and supported in a rear plate—generally containing about 28 loops of wire, is suspended and rotates between these field coils. The rear end plate of the generator contains two brushes which, under spring loading, make contact with the commutator of the armature. (more…)

Auto Parts, Auto Electric Generators Repair and Maintenance Guide

Posted in Battery, Car Parts, Engine, vehicle by dodo on the August 5th, 2008

Producing Current for the Auto Electrical System

All cars have a device for generating electricity. Without this, the electrical demands could drain a fully charged battery in a matter of hours.

The device may be either a dynamo (generator) which produces direct current (DC), or an alternator, which produces alternating current (AC).

An alternator can produce more current than a dynamo of the same size, and so charge the battery when the engine is idling. This gives it an advantage in heavy traffic and permits the use of extra accessories. But a battery- is charged by DC current only, so an alternator needs a rectifier to convert AC into DC current. (more…)

Auto/Car Electrics, Secondary Units

Posted in Battery, Headlight, Parking Light by dodo on the August 3rd, 2008

Auto/Car Side and Rear Lights

Cars are required by law to have headlamps, parking lights, rear lights, a lamp to illuminate the rear number plate, and stop-lights which light up when the brakes are applied.

Parking lights are incorporated in the head-lamp housing on a few cars. But most have them either separate or mounted in the same housings as the flashing turn- indicators, with separate filaments for the parking light and the indicator in each bulb. (more…)

Trailers Necessary Accessories

Posted in Battery, Suspension, Tailgate, Tyres, Wheels, Windows, vehicle by dodo on the August 2nd, 2008

Trailers Wheels

The wheels of ordinary luggage trailers are a lot smaller than those of the average motor car, meaning that they do more revolutions at the same speed. But a trailer used only occasionally will not go through many sets of tyres. For practical purposes, some of the heavy-duty safari trailers carry the same size wheel and tyre as the tow-vehicle. (more…)

Auto Emergency Equipment

Posted in Battery, Bumper, Cylinder, Engine, Recreational Vehicle, Suspension, Transmission, Tyres, vehicle by dodo on the July 28th, 2008

Auto Emergency Trouble Lights

Coping with Auto breakdowns

SIMPLE equipment, such as a torch, a tow rope and a pair of booster cables, can avoid a long delay at the roadside after a breakdown. A fire extinguisher, red warning light and warning triangle give added safety in an emergency. (more…)

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