TIPS TO HEALTHY & WEALTHY TRANSMISSIONS

Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

BY KNOWING YOUR ENGINE FIRST

1. It runs by producing a series of small, timed explosions. Pistons, either 4, 6, or 8 of them, depending on the size of the engine, move up and down in a sequence when these explosions occur, turning a crankshaft which brings the power to the transmission and eventually to the drive axles and the wheels. These explosions take place because a mixture of fuel and air is compressed and ignited at precisely the right moment.
2. It runs on gasoline. Various engines require different octane levels in order to run properly. Regular is about 87 octane and is recommended for most engines. It is usually adequate to keep them from knocking or pinging (the tinny-banging sounds you hear from using a lower grade gasoline that ignites too early or too late in the engine's cylinders and robs their power). Plus, about 89 octane, is for higher compression engines. Super or Premium is usually 92 or higher octane and is used in high performance engines. Its use might help a high mileage engine to run smoother and have a bit more power. * Using a low octane gasoline that causes knocking or pinging can result in engine damage over time. A higher octane than is necessary will cause you to spend an extra 10 to 30 cents per gallon unnecessarily.
3. The on-board computer is the boss. Based on all of its sources of input, the computer tells the engine how much air and fuel to spray into the cylinders and when to fire the spark plugs that cause the explosions to move the pistons and turn the crankshaft.
4. A fuel pump, normally mounted in the gasoline tank, pushes the fuel, under pressure, through a filter to the spray nozzles in each cylinder, called fuel injectors. It is very important that this fuel filter be replaced regularly and that the injectors be cleaned periodically. One of the major causes of breakdowns is a clogged fuel filter, due strictly to lack of maintenance.
5. It's an electrically charged environment. Although the standard voltage in a vehicle starts out at 12 volts, by the time it reaches the spark plugs it's been kicked up to several thousand volts by a device know as the coil. When the high voltage spark jumps across the electrodes of the spark plug it ignites the pressurized fuel/air mixture causing the explosion. These perfectly timed explosions push the pistons down in a sequence that keeps the crankshaft turning at a smooth pace. The electrical charge from the coil goes through the distributor and its high tension wires to each spark plug by use of electronic on/off switches controlled by the computer.
6. Timing is everything. Intake valves open to let the fuel/air mixture into the cylinders. Then they close to allow pressure to build on the next upward stroke of the piston. After the explosion that pushes down the piston exhaust valves open to allow the burnt gasses to leave the combustion chamber. The opening and closing of the valves, the movement of the pistons, and the exact moment the spark takes place must be perfectly timed. Most engines make use of a timing belt or chain to keep everything synchronized. It must be inspected and replaced at regular intervals to keep the engine running properly and avoid major damage that can be caused if the belt or chain breaks.
7. It gets awfully hot in there. The explosions in the combustion chambers can bring the cylinder head temperature to over 1,000 degrees. To keep the engine at a normal operating temperature of 195 degrees, cooled liquid must pass through the cylinder heads. A radiator is mounted in front of the engine where cool air can be pulled through it by a fan. The coolant is circulated by the water pump through the radiator, the engine, and the heater core inside the vehicle to provide passenger compartment heat from the temperature of the engine. The entire system must be checked periodically for leaks, pressure and the chemical effectiveness of the coolant (antifreeze).
8. Moving engine parts cause friction and must be lubricated. Motor oil constantly bathes each moving internal engine part. An oil pump keeps the pressure up to lubricate bearings, bushings, and other parts subject to wear. It is cleaned through a filter and must be checked regularly for level and changed often.
9. The emission system cleans the air. Clean air in – clean air out. The engine sucks clean air in through a filter that must be replaced regularly. At the same time the system must clean the exhaust gasses before discharging them back into the environment. Modern vehicles make use of a catalytic converter which, through a chemical reaction reduces the harmful gasses to water and carbon dioxide. A poor running engine can, at times, exhaust bad gasses into the environment that either bypass the catalytic converter or render it ineffective. That's why a tune up and an emission test is necessary from time to time.
10. Abuse kills. Ignoring dashboard warning lights and gauges or running an engine low on oil or coolant can do serious damage. Running out of gasoline, causing debris and water in the tank to be sucked into the system, refusing to let the engine warm up when operating in cold climates, over-revving or otherwise pushing the engine beyond its stated limits can all cause damage or at least cause service to be required at shorter intervals.

<< pre    next >>