Hello, Readers.
This week's article is inspired by a long-distance friend of ours. She contacted me via Facebook regarding a possible coolant leak on her car. She decribed her situation as "a leak in the radiator system" of her 2000 Saturn. Clearly desiring to be proactive, she asked what she should start replacing... and even offered to start with the hose going to her coolant tank, since it was so easy to reach.
TIME-OUT!
Okay, Readers. Before I go any further, can you tell me what it wrong with this offered "solution"? When I read her message, all sorts of red-alert claxons were going off in my head. Warning! Warning! Danger! Danger! Do you hear them also?
Here's what we know, between the above and some follow-up dialogue:
1. She knows she's loosing coolant "somewhere" because she is refilling the tank more often now than she normally has been doing.
2. She has yet to find an obvious exernal leak, since she sees no pooling overnight on the ground.
3. When she took it for an overdue oil change the other day, what oil remained (and it was "very low") was black, without any "milky" discoloration.
Of course, I told her to hold off on replacing random parts until we knew more about her Saturn's needs. Since she could not see any coolant on the ground in the morning, that told me she was either leaking internally (like with bad head gasket, highly typical of GM products - generally speaking), or had a pressure-induced leak.
To check for the pressure issue, I advised her to have a pressure test done on her cooling system. I believe she has a few neighbors with tools like that, or at least has befriended one or two garage techs that might offer to do that service for a "friendly price". Heck, I'm not sure how much a service like that runs anymore, but I'd be surprised if it was much more than about 30 bucks. Having this test done will quickly reveal (through geyser-like leaks) which parts have failed. To be informed is to be empowered to invest wisely with the right repair!
I had tried to convince her to check the oil level and color herself before going for the oil change, but I'm guessing she didn't get my message in time. Since the service shop showed her that the oil was not milky, then at least we can safely deduce that there isn't any issue with the head gasket leaking, yet. Since her oil level was quite low - and well overdue for a change - at least *some* of the coolant was probably "burned off" due to excessive heat and friction in the engine.Our friend has yet to get the pressure test done, so we won't know the full answer to this repair situation until that happens.
If*you* find yourself in a situation like this - regardless of what kind of car you drive - remember to follow these steps:
1. Look closely for obvious signs of external leaks. Leave a scrap piece of cardboard (or a flattened box) under your car overnight to make minor pooling easier to spot.
2. Check the level and color of your engine oil and transmission fluid. Oil should be brown; tranny fluid should be red. If either are "milky", coolant is likely mixing into that fluid system.
3. Pressure-test your coolant system to reveal hard-to-find leaks.
A Final Word of Caution
Do *not* replace parts willy-nilly. Follow the above steps to correctly determine what is actually needing replaced. Then consider replacing related parts "while you're in there".
Examples include:
1. If the lower radiator hose is failed, consider replacing the upper one also since the coolant will all be drained out anyway.
2. Replacing the water pump? Be sure to also change the thermostat (and gasket/seal, if used), and any belt that drives the pump. Oh, and you'll probably want to snag a new by-pass hose, too.
3. Do you have a leaking/faulty radiator? Related items include the radiator cap (on it, or the coolant tank), upper and lower radiator hoses, coolant level sensor (if in the radiator, like a lot of Cadillacs), and maybe even the radiator fan, fan motor, or fan & motor assembly.
And whatever you do, *always* get fresh clamps for any new hose! Depending on size, they are only about $1-2 a piece, and will give you an abundance of peace-of-mind knowing that the age of your hoses and clamps are well-matched.
And that takes care of this installment of Shop Talk with the Parts Pro Mom. So until next time, remember...
The Golden Rule: Applies to people, all creatures... and your vehicle, too!
~PPM
04 April 2013
21 March 2013
Know Your Car's Name!
Yes, faithful Readers, I am back!
My calendar became rather full, rather quickly since we last met here. I went back to college! So I am now working 45-50 hours per week while carrying 9 credit hours at school. But I did make Dean's List with a 4.0 in the fall, and I am on pace to do it again for spring. Yeah! Unfortunately, I didn't even have time to write a post to mention going on hiatus. I do feel badly about that; I'm sorry.
Since I'm on Spring Break this week, I decided to put up a quick post for my loyal followers. Of the blue-million ideas that have filled my mind the past several months, I'll start with the latest...
Know Your Car's Name!
You may be asking, "What do you mean by that?" Well, I *don't* want to know if you named your daily-driver Mustang "Sally" to fit the song. When you contact your favorite quality auto parts store, you will need to tell the person helping you what you drive. What he or she needs to know, is the Year, Make and Model. You might also need to provide the Engine size (some may say Motor, same thing) and every once in a while all or part of the VIN may be needed.
NOTE: If you drive a Honda or a VW (or select other Makes), be prepared to supply the Engine Family Code. Both are notorious for having multiple Motors of the same size (often the 1.6 or 1.7 Litre for Honda's, 2.0 Litre for VW) but different designs. The EFC will be something that resembles alphabet soup... But more on that another time.
"What's in a Name?"
You might be wondering why I would use a blog article to discuss knowing what you drive. You might even ask, "Didn't we have this discussion before?" Okay, touche, we probably are having a deja vu discusson right now. But I am specifically covering the Model Name of your car for a reason! Knowing the correct model name of your car will result getting the right parts for your car. Providing the wrong model name - and some of them sound very similar! - will set you up for frustration
Counter Case: The Nissan Brake Caliper
A lady and her father came into my store needing a rear brake caliper for her car. They even brought in the old one for reference and exchange purposes. Fantastic! I looked up the part for the Nissan Altima she told me she owned. Problem: The caliper listed had a different casting number than the one they brought in. Dad complained the whole time about the last pace they went (one of the Red guys) trying to give him the wrong part - even though he had the old part on the couter for discussion.
After playing with the model year given, I confirmed for the third time that she had an Altima. Then, I went with my gut and looked up a Maxima for the original year. Guess what? The casting numbes matched! You should've seen the look on their faces when I broke the news about the model she actually owned - according to the part they brought in. We all had a good chuckle as I completed the sale on the in-stock brake caliper for her Maxima.
Good to Know, Great to Remember
Nissan seems to be the Maker of the more popular model-mixups, but there are non-Nissan examples as well. Here are a few common hiccups, just off the top of my head. Note that a lot of them are due to mis-pronunciation issues.
Nissan Altima vs Nissan Maxima
Nissan Sentra vs Nissan Stanza - actually even happens with repair shops on this one
Century (Buick) vs Sentra (Nissan) - Maker name helps to clarify which one
Honda vs Hyundai - some people proounce both Makers the same, but the model helps to clarify
Infiniti I30 vs Infiniti J30
Kia Spectra vs Kia Sportage - car vs SUV/crossover
Saturn SC vs SL vs SW - coupe (2-door) vs sedan vs station wagon
...And Knowing is Half the Battle!
I always loved that expression from the G.I. Joe cartoons when I was a kid. Truer words were never spoken. Know what you drive - the Year, Make and especially the Model - and you will be setting yourself up for success on purchases for your car. Better yet, write it down before you set out. All it takes is one moment of getting tongue-tied, and you'll find yourself as frustrated as the father-daughter team I mentioned earlier.
The Golden Rule: Applies to people, all creatures... and your auto, too!
~PPM
My calendar became rather full, rather quickly since we last met here. I went back to college! So I am now working 45-50 hours per week while carrying 9 credit hours at school. But I did make Dean's List with a 4.0 in the fall, and I am on pace to do it again for spring. Yeah! Unfortunately, I didn't even have time to write a post to mention going on hiatus. I do feel badly about that; I'm sorry.
Since I'm on Spring Break this week, I decided to put up a quick post for my loyal followers. Of the blue-million ideas that have filled my mind the past several months, I'll start with the latest...
Know Your Car's Name!
You may be asking, "What do you mean by that?" Well, I *don't* want to know if you named your daily-driver Mustang "Sally" to fit the song. When you contact your favorite quality auto parts store, you will need to tell the person helping you what you drive. What he or she needs to know, is the Year, Make and Model. You might also need to provide the Engine size (some may say Motor, same thing) and every once in a while all or part of the VIN may be needed.
NOTE: If you drive a Honda or a VW (or select other Makes), be prepared to supply the Engine Family Code. Both are notorious for having multiple Motors of the same size (often the 1.6 or 1.7 Litre for Honda's, 2.0 Litre for VW) but different designs. The EFC will be something that resembles alphabet soup... But more on that another time.
"What's in a Name?"
You might be wondering why I would use a blog article to discuss knowing what you drive. You might even ask, "Didn't we have this discussion before?" Okay, touche, we probably are having a deja vu discusson right now. But I am specifically covering the Model Name of your car for a reason! Knowing the correct model name of your car will result getting the right parts for your car. Providing the wrong model name - and some of them sound very similar! - will set you up for frustration
Counter Case: The Nissan Brake Caliper
A lady and her father came into my store needing a rear brake caliper for her car. They even brought in the old one for reference and exchange purposes. Fantastic! I looked up the part for the Nissan Altima she told me she owned. Problem: The caliper listed had a different casting number than the one they brought in. Dad complained the whole time about the last pace they went (one of the Red guys) trying to give him the wrong part - even though he had the old part on the couter for discussion.
After playing with the model year given, I confirmed for the third time that she had an Altima. Then, I went with my gut and looked up a Maxima for the original year. Guess what? The casting numbes matched! You should've seen the look on their faces when I broke the news about the model she actually owned - according to the part they brought in. We all had a good chuckle as I completed the sale on the in-stock brake caliper for her Maxima.
Good to Know, Great to Remember
Nissan seems to be the Maker of the more popular model-mixups, but there are non-Nissan examples as well. Here are a few common hiccups, just off the top of my head. Note that a lot of them are due to mis-pronunciation issues.
Nissan Altima vs Nissan Maxima
Nissan Sentra vs Nissan Stanza - actually even happens with repair shops on this one
Century (Buick) vs Sentra (Nissan) - Maker name helps to clarify which one
Honda vs Hyundai - some people proounce both Makers the same, but the model helps to clarify
Infiniti I30 vs Infiniti J30
Kia Spectra vs Kia Sportage - car vs SUV/crossover
Saturn SC vs SL vs SW - coupe (2-door) vs sedan vs station wagon
...And Knowing is Half the Battle!
I always loved that expression from the G.I. Joe cartoons when I was a kid. Truer words were never spoken. Know what you drive - the Year, Make and especially the Model - and you will be setting yourself up for success on purchases for your car. Better yet, write it down before you set out. All it takes is one moment of getting tongue-tied, and you'll find yourself as frustrated as the father-daughter team I mentioned earlier.
The Golden Rule: Applies to people, all creatures... and your auto, too!
~PPM
26 July 2012
Back to Basics: "Brakes" - Part 1
Hello again, Readers!
I was polishing up an article on a completely different subject - and no, not A/C! - when I was inspired to write and publish this one instead. Several customers came in asking for 'brakes' for their vehicles, but gave me the deer-in-the-headlights look when I asked the usual questions. After supplying the auto's details (year, make, model), they were lucky if they knew whether they needed them for the front or the back!
Before I continue, please make a note of this: The word "brakes" refers to the *entire* brake system of your auto. If you are only after 'brake pads' or 'brake shoes', you will need to use those specific terms. If you ask for a price on "brakes", you will likely get a quote for at least your rotors (or drums) as well. And as you will soon see, there IS a difference between 'pads' and 'shoes'!
I will now endeavor to name and explain the main brake system components.
Master Cylinder: This piece is located under the hood, on the driver's side, up against the firewall. Have you ever checked the brake fluid level on your vehicle? That tank (or 'reservoir') you checked is mounted to the top of the master cylinder. When you push the brake pedal, the master cylinder pushes the fluid through the lines and hoses, activating the brake systems at all four wheels.
NOTE: There is a LOT more to the brake hydraulics system topic,
but we will discuss that further in another edition.
Disc Brake System - Used on the front of all modern vehicles, and increasingly on the back as well.
Brake Rotor: This is shaped like a top-hat. The 'brim' is the friction-surface area, which is squeezed by the pads when you want to slow down/stop. The 'crown' (middle portion) sticks up/out further to mount the rotor onto the vehicle, then receive the wheel onto it. Rotors are sold 'per wheel'; there are 2 'per axle'.
NOTE: Some rotors are 'Rotor/Hub Assemblies', which means they
will have the wheel studs made onto them already. The rest
of them will have holes that line up with the studs that are
already on the vehicle. Just be aware!
Caliper: This is mounted at the top of the rotor, either towards the front edge or the back edge. It may remind you of a hand in a 'grabbing claw' position. It is anchored in place behind the rotor via a mounting bracket, The caliper holds 2 brake pads, 1 on each side of the rotor. The caliper has a hydraulically-moved piston on the 'inboard' side, which causes the pads to move. Calipers are also sold 'per wheel'.
NOTE: Loaded = w/ hardware & pads;
Semi-loaded/Friction-ready = w/ hardware;
Bare = caliper only
In all cases, be sure to ask if the mounting bracket comes with it!
Pads: These are the 'brake wear linings' on a Disc Brake system. They have a flat, semi-thick (maybe 1/4") metal backing plate, with a very thick (~1") form of baked-powder wearing material. The wearing material may or may not have a 'slot' (dividing groove) somewhere in the middle. (Some go vertically, others diagonally.) The pads fit inside the caliper housing. The wearing material ALWAYS faces the rotor's 'brim', sandwiching the rotor like an Oreo cookie. When the caliper piston sticks out, it forces the pads to squeeze the 'brim', which slows/stops the vehicle. Pads are sold 'per axle', 4 in a box.
NOTE: Most of the time - especially on the front axle - the 'inboard' pad
will look differently than the 'outboard' pad. If you see a set of
pads, and they seam to be two different pairs, that is probably
okay! If they seem to be a 4-of-a-kind (mostly on rear axles that
take disc brakes), then inboard/outboard does not matter.
Drum Brake System - Used on the rear of many modern vehicles, but also on the front of vehicles until about the early-to-mid 1970's.
Brake Drum: Whereas the Rotor was a top-hat, the Drum resembles more of a cake-pan. The inside wall of the pan is the friction-surface area. The shoes push out to rub against the front ("leading") and rear ("trailing") edges to help slow/stop the automobile. Unlike the disc system, you cannot see all of the major components from 'curbside'. Drums are sold 'per wheel'; there are 2 'per axle'.
NOTE: The vast majority of drums will have holes to receive the wheel
studs, as opposed to having the studs made onto them. Unless
you have a Medium-Duty truck or something similar - like the
ones that get turned into ambulances, dump trucks and such -
this won't really concern you.
Shoes: These are the 'brake wear linings' on a Drum Brake system. Again, they start with a metal backing plate, then add a baked-powder wearing material on the friction surface side. BUT, whereas pads are flat, shoes literally resemble a 'crescent moon'. The shoes both fit INSIDE the cake-pan - and yes, 'leading' and 'trailing' positions DO matter! A bunch of hardware (mostly springs) hold them in place, guide their movements and return them to their original position. As with pads, these are sold 'per axle', 4 in a box.
NOTE: The drum hardware resembles a complicated jigsaw puzzle when
assembled. Most technicians/mechanics do one side at a time,
using the other side as a reference picture. Yes, it's that confusing!
Wheel Cylinders: These tiny things are the drum system's equivalent of the caliper. There isn't a good non-automotive analogy readily available. The best I can do, is compare it to a chicken egg. Imagine a 'grade A large' egg, with the ends made out of rubber, and the middle made out of metal (steel and/or aluminum alloy). Now, stretch the middle a bit in length, until it resembles more of a tube with rounded ends. In the rubber ends, you see a metal screw/piston protruding slightly from each side. And on the top of the metal body, there are two threaded holes - one has an odd-headed screw in it. The slotted pistons are what force the shoes out against the inside walls of the drum. Sold 'per wheel', there are 2 wheel cylinders per axle.
There you have it: the primary components of automotive brake systems. We'll revisit this subject again soon, so we can go over the secondary components. By then, I hope to have a nice collection of photos of these pieces, so you can literally see what I mean. I just have to find the opportunity to take pictures of my stock parts at work! Then, I get to figure out the particulars on how Blogger wants me to add them. Sounds like an adventure to me!
Until next time, remember the Golden Rule... Not only good for people, but your auto, too!
PPM
I was polishing up an article on a completely different subject - and no, not A/C! - when I was inspired to write and publish this one instead. Several customers came in asking for 'brakes' for their vehicles, but gave me the deer-in-the-headlights look when I asked the usual questions. After supplying the auto's details (year, make, model), they were lucky if they knew whether they needed them for the front or the back!
Before I continue, please make a note of this: The word "brakes" refers to the *entire* brake system of your auto. If you are only after 'brake pads' or 'brake shoes', you will need to use those specific terms. If you ask for a price on "brakes", you will likely get a quote for at least your rotors (or drums) as well. And as you will soon see, there IS a difference between 'pads' and 'shoes'!
I will now endeavor to name and explain the main brake system components.
Master Cylinder: This piece is located under the hood, on the driver's side, up against the firewall. Have you ever checked the brake fluid level on your vehicle? That tank (or 'reservoir') you checked is mounted to the top of the master cylinder. When you push the brake pedal, the master cylinder pushes the fluid through the lines and hoses, activating the brake systems at all four wheels.
NOTE: There is a LOT more to the brake hydraulics system topic,
but we will discuss that further in another edition.
Disc Brake System - Used on the front of all modern vehicles, and increasingly on the back as well.
Brake Rotor: This is shaped like a top-hat. The 'brim' is the friction-surface area, which is squeezed by the pads when you want to slow down/stop. The 'crown' (middle portion) sticks up/out further to mount the rotor onto the vehicle, then receive the wheel onto it. Rotors are sold 'per wheel'; there are 2 'per axle'.
NOTE: Some rotors are 'Rotor/Hub Assemblies', which means they
will have the wheel studs made onto them already. The rest
of them will have holes that line up with the studs that are
already on the vehicle. Just be aware!
Caliper: This is mounted at the top of the rotor, either towards the front edge or the back edge. It may remind you of a hand in a 'grabbing claw' position. It is anchored in place behind the rotor via a mounting bracket, The caliper holds 2 brake pads, 1 on each side of the rotor. The caliper has a hydraulically-moved piston on the 'inboard' side, which causes the pads to move. Calipers are also sold 'per wheel'.
NOTE: Loaded = w/ hardware & pads;
Semi-loaded/Friction-ready = w/ hardware;
Bare = caliper only
In all cases, be sure to ask if the mounting bracket comes with it!
Pads: These are the 'brake wear linings' on a Disc Brake system. They have a flat, semi-thick (maybe 1/4") metal backing plate, with a very thick (~1") form of baked-powder wearing material. The wearing material may or may not have a 'slot' (dividing groove) somewhere in the middle. (Some go vertically, others diagonally.) The pads fit inside the caliper housing. The wearing material ALWAYS faces the rotor's 'brim', sandwiching the rotor like an Oreo cookie. When the caliper piston sticks out, it forces the pads to squeeze the 'brim', which slows/stops the vehicle. Pads are sold 'per axle', 4 in a box.
NOTE: Most of the time - especially on the front axle - the 'inboard' pad
will look differently than the 'outboard' pad. If you see a set of
pads, and they seam to be two different pairs, that is probably
okay! If they seem to be a 4-of-a-kind (mostly on rear axles that
take disc brakes), then inboard/outboard does not matter.
Drum Brake System - Used on the rear of many modern vehicles, but also on the front of vehicles until about the early-to-mid 1970's.
Brake Drum: Whereas the Rotor was a top-hat, the Drum resembles more of a cake-pan. The inside wall of the pan is the friction-surface area. The shoes push out to rub against the front ("leading") and rear ("trailing") edges to help slow/stop the automobile. Unlike the disc system, you cannot see all of the major components from 'curbside'. Drums are sold 'per wheel'; there are 2 'per axle'.
NOTE: The vast majority of drums will have holes to receive the wheel
studs, as opposed to having the studs made onto them. Unless
you have a Medium-Duty truck or something similar - like the
ones that get turned into ambulances, dump trucks and such -
this won't really concern you.
Shoes: These are the 'brake wear linings' on a Drum Brake system. Again, they start with a metal backing plate, then add a baked-powder wearing material on the friction surface side. BUT, whereas pads are flat, shoes literally resemble a 'crescent moon'. The shoes both fit INSIDE the cake-pan - and yes, 'leading' and 'trailing' positions DO matter! A bunch of hardware (mostly springs) hold them in place, guide their movements and return them to their original position. As with pads, these are sold 'per axle', 4 in a box.
NOTE: The drum hardware resembles a complicated jigsaw puzzle when
assembled. Most technicians/mechanics do one side at a time,
using the other side as a reference picture. Yes, it's that confusing!
Wheel Cylinders: These tiny things are the drum system's equivalent of the caliper. There isn't a good non-automotive analogy readily available. The best I can do, is compare it to a chicken egg. Imagine a 'grade A large' egg, with the ends made out of rubber, and the middle made out of metal (steel and/or aluminum alloy). Now, stretch the middle a bit in length, until it resembles more of a tube with rounded ends. In the rubber ends, you see a metal screw/piston protruding slightly from each side. And on the top of the metal body, there are two threaded holes - one has an odd-headed screw in it. The slotted pistons are what force the shoes out against the inside walls of the drum. Sold 'per wheel', there are 2 wheel cylinders per axle.
There you have it: the primary components of automotive brake systems. We'll revisit this subject again soon, so we can go over the secondary components. By then, I hope to have a nice collection of photos of these pieces, so you can literally see what I mean. I just have to find the opportunity to take pictures of my stock parts at work! Then, I get to figure out the particulars on how Blogger wants me to add them. Sounds like an adventure to me!
Until next time, remember the Golden Rule... Not only good for people, but your auto, too!
PPM
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