A car is made up of different elements, each of which is quite important. In order to guarantee your safety on the road, all these elements must be in excellent condition, otherwise there will be a risk of accident with amendment no doubt! Thus, regular inspection of each part and component is essential to ensure a pleasant and safe journey. Brakes are a vital part of the car, if they do not work properly, it is dangerous. What are the signs of brake wear?
How to detect signs of brake wear? There are two types of brakes: drum brakes and disc brakes. Whatever the type, it is essential to detect signs of wear and tear. Here are some signs that should encourage you to check your brake: the hardness of the pedal, the heat rise of the brakes, the growling of the brakes, high-pitched whistles, the vehicle turning to one side when braking, the vibration sensations at the pedals, etc. Abusive use of the brakes causes the pads to be changed permanently. In order to guarantee your safety, a precise diagnosis of the condition of the brakes is recommended.
How do I know if the pads are worn out? They are damaged when the brake fluid is at low level. Pads and brakes are two elements that depend on each other. As for the discs, it is a little difficult to look at them with the naked eye to see if they can still be used or not. In this case, it is necessary to call upon a specialist who has a suitable device called a palmer. These are the parts that must be adjusted before travelling safely by car. You should avoid servicing your car yourself if you are not a qualified professional.
There are indeed specialists who can effectively detect brake wear. You can find them in directories, in car garages or on the Internet. Before hiring a specialist, it is advisable to compare the services and prices to get the best value for money. This professional will be able to detect the wear of your brakes quickly and efficiently, allowing you to be sure and decide based on the result so you can drive safely.
To drive, it is vital to be able to brake. This will prevent accidents for you and other road users. For modern vehicles, the brake is hydraulically operated. The word hydraulic refers to a fluid. In the case of a hydraulic brake, the fluid is a liquid: the brake fluid.
The operation of a hydraulic braking system is simple. It is composed of:
– an emitting cylinder, containing a piston, filled with the liquid. This piston is in contact with the brake pedal.
– a receiving cylinder, also containing a piston, but empty at rest. This piston is placed against the brake shoes.
– a pipe, also filled with brake fluid.
The action of your foot on the pedal pushes the piston of the transmitter. By moving the liquid from the transmitter to the receiver, the latter’s piston actuates the brake shoes and involves braking. By releasing the pressure on your brake, a spring restores the shoes to their original state. This revives the receiver and causes the brake fluid to move around in the transmitter.
The importance of the brake fluid is particularly highlighted. It must be noted that it is the basis for the operation of the hydraulic brake.
Given the importance of brake fluid, it is essential to choose it carefully. These are some of the properties of brake fluid that will help you make the right choice.
– Its incompressibility:
For the transmitter thrust to be received in the receiver, the fluid must act as a solid, non-compressible rod.
– Its water content:
If its water content is high, it is more likely to boil quickly. Air will then be born in the system.
It is best to choose a brake fluid with low compressibility and water content.
Brake fluid is a chemical product. It oxidizes and degenerates systematically over time. After 18 months, it is recommended to have it changed. But if before that time you notice that the fluid turns black or dark brown, it is better to replace it immediately. A poor condition of the brake fluid, or even a poor quality, can lead to a malfunction of your brake. Damage to cylinders and pistons is also not excluded.
The braking system requires special attention. The slightest problem with its components can cause serious road accidents. It is imperative to control them as rigorously as possible. Brake discs and pads are probably the most common parts to change in the braking system. What are their lifetimes? How do you know if it’s time to change them? Should we use experts, or can we control and change them ourselves? Maintaining these parts is a headache for many people. This article is intended to be a help for all those who want to get more information.
Wear and tear on the discs and brake pads is inevitable. Your budget must therefore consider the expenses to replace them. The service life of brake pads and discs is not the same. In general, brake discs last three times longer than pads. The latter have a lifetime of between 30,000 and 45,000 km. The disc range is between 100 and 120 km. These figures are approximate and should never prevent you from checking your braking system frequently.
It should be noted that the diagnosis to detect brake wear is accessible to everyone. This must be done on a regular basis. For cars equipped with drum brakes, simply pull the hand brake lever to check their condition. Adjust or replace the gaskets as soon as the car only locks above six notches. The most important action is to check the brake fluid level. However, to diagnose the state of wear, it is necessary to be equipped with appropriate measuring instruments. It is strongly recommended to go to the garage as soon as the brake pad wear indicator is low. And the same applies to the brake fluid level. For your information only, you can drive 2,500 to 3,000 km after the light turns on without damaging the discs.
Brakes should be used less often, and emergency stops should be limited. To achieve this, adopt a quiet driving pace in the city. Practice eco-driving. Get used to using the degressive braking system, which consists of braking hard at the beginning and gradually releasing the pedal. Do not keep your feet on the brake pedals all the time. This will reduce the risk of warping the discs and sticking the pads (due to the high heat of the materials).
You may not think about this very often, but the brakes on your vehicle are a feature that should always be in perfect working order. It is important to regularly check the condition of your brakes. How do you know when you need new brakes?
There are two ways to check the condition of your disc brakes: by looking and listening. First, check for wear by examining your brake pads through the gaps between the spokes of the wheel. The outer bearing will be pressed against a metal rotor. As a rule, there should be at least a quarter inch of pad. If you see less than a quarter inch of pad, you may want to have your brake pads inspected or replaced. Have you ever heard a high-pitched scream when you braked? It is a small metal shim, called an indicator, that warns you that you must replace your brake pads. You must be aware of this sound (which is loud enough to be heard when the windows are raised, but not loud enough to be heard with the radio on or the air conditioning on). If you hear it regularly, make an appointment with your mechanic as soon as possible.
If your brakes do not react as they should or if the pedal depresses towards the ground, it could indicate a leak in the braking system. This can be an air leak (in the brake hose) or a brake fluid leak. One indication of a brake fluid leak is the presence of a small pool of fluid when the car is parked. Brake fluid looks like fresh engine oil, but with a less viscous texture.
If you hear as a grinding sound, this loud metallic sound means that you have completely worn out the pads. The rumbling noise is caused by the friction of the two metal parts (the disc and the caliper). This can scratch or even damage your rotors and create an uneven surface. If this happens, don’t be surprised if your mechanic tells you that the rotors must be “turned” (a process that levels the surface of the rotor) or even replaced. To avoid these problems, the solution is to check the condition of your brakes on a regular basis.
Just as the lung allows humans to breathe and live, the air filter plays the same role in the operation of a vehicle’s engine. Unfortunately, some drivers still don’t know where the air filter is in a car even though they have a nice machine. This famous place depends on the model of the car and the type of engine. Here is a quick overview of the different possibilities to learn how to quickly find the location of this accessory.
Originally, older vehicles ran on gasoline and were powered by a carburetor. For operation requiring a mixture of air and fuel to promote combustion, air quality must always be optimal to avoid malfunctions and breakdowns resulting from poor quality mixing. For these older vehicle models, the air filter is therefore placed directly above the carburettor. Usually, they are placed inside a plastic housing, which is immediately attached to the carburetor. If you are looking for the location of the air filter in a pre-1990 car, then you only need to look for the box that contains it.
In the late 80s and early 90s, the housing was a little out of place compared to the carburettor, out of concern for space and also to maintain a correct appearance. A pipe connects the housing containing the air filter to the carburettor. But with the advent of the injection engine, a new air filter model was introduced with the application of the so-called direct intake system. To find out where the air filter is in a car equipped with these injection engines, simply look for an object placed upstream of the intake pipe connected to the flow meter and injectors. This is the air filter. Flat, rectangular or conical for high performance vehicles, it now comes in several shapes and no longer necessarily requires the presence of the box containing it.
For certain types of vehicles, such as off-road vehicles and trucks, an additional protection system called snorkel accompanies the system integrating the air filter. To find out where the air filter is in a car of this type, simply follow the hose from the outside to the inside of the engine compartment and you will find it.
The engine needs fuel and air to allow the car to run. Thanks to the air filter, the inside of the engine pistons is free of all forms of impurities such as insects, dust, sand, etc. It must be replaced regularly in order to provide the best air-fuel mixture. This way, your engine can always be optimal. Be aware that a new air filter is not expensive, so anyone can buy it. Changing your own air filter does not require the expertise of a mechanic, it is within everyone’s reach. Note that an air filter gets dirty after a while. This can damage your engine and contribute to poor performance and excessive fuel consumption.
To change your air filter yourself, you only need a few things:
– A new air filter
– A clean rag
– A screwdriver
– A new engine oil
The air filter can be rectangular or cylindrical in shape. Its role is to protect the engine from any impurities. It ensures the optimal quality of the air-fuel mixture integrating the cylinders thanks to the valves.
A dirty air filter will damage the engine’s internal ducts. This subsequently leads to malfunctions such as pollution, over-consumption, degraded performance or even engine failure.
That’s why you need to replace it. It is essential to consider the manufacturer’s recommendations before changing the air filter yourself. There are some clues as to when to replace it, such as lack of power when accelerating and dark, dense smoke coming out of the exhaust.
So, before changing the air filter yourself, you must first make sure that the car is stable. Apply the handbrake, one speed and make sure it is on level ground.
Now open the cover and locate the location of the air filter. In some cases, clear access to the filter (motor cover, wiper arms, etc.). Remove the housing by detaching the screws or butterflies and extract the air filter inside.
Regardless of whether the filter is made of foam or paper, clean the inside of the box carefully with a clean cloth. Make sure to protect the carburetor air intake as nothing must enter the engine.
All you must do is remove the old filter and insert the new one and put everything back in place. Finally, close the cover. If the new air filter is made of foam, you can pour a little oil on it and let it drain.
Among the car parts that play an important role are the pollen filter or cabin filter. It is thanks to the latter that we can breathe clean air in a vehicle. It filters and purifies the air in the passenger compartment. It retains all polluting substances and allergens that may disturb the occupants of the car. To ensure that it continues to do its job properly, it should be replaced regularly. Here are three things to know about this equipment:
All allergens and most particles such as dust, gases and germs are filtered through the pollen or cabin filter. It therefore guarantees an excellent air quality in the interior of the car.
There are several types of cabin filters, namely:
– Simple cabin filters: they help filter pollen
– Polyphenol cabin filters: their role is to prevent all allergens from reaching the occupants of the cabin.
– Activated carbon cabin filters: they are both effective in combating unpleasant odours and pollution.
As its name suggests, the pollen filter works by retaining all particles. After a while, it gets clogged up and if it is not changed, it can no longer fulfil its role. It may even partially prevent outside air from entering the car. This can be a source of problems when you want to get rid of bad odours, defog the windshield or heat the passenger compartment. A fully saturated pollen filter or cabin filter can damage the engine of a ventilation system.
When a pollen filter is dirty, it must be changed. But how do we know that? First, note that because of pollution, cars used in the city get dirty faster than others.
Then, even if you do not find any particular indication on your maintenance logbook, be aware that every 15,000 km or every year, you must replace your filter.
But to make it simple, just check its condition to see if it needs to be changed or not. If your filter is located behind your glove compartment, you must unscrew the latter to access it. Once this step is completed, make a visual comparison of your filter with a new filter. You will therefore proceed to a replacement if necessary.
The purpose of the oil filter is to retain impurities and protect an engine. It is best to replace it regularly. Be aware that it is possible to change your oil filter yourself to avoid piston seizure. Greasing an engine is of paramount importance. However, the oil used must be filtered because it is not totally pure. It contains a lot of fine porosity and dusty particles that must be disposed of. So how do you change your oil filter yourself?
To change your oil filter yourself, you must:
– a guide to using the car to locate the oil pan cap;
– a new drain plug;
– a tank to collect the oil;
– a clean cloth;
– a lift or a pit or, in the worst case, a jack;
– a brush;
– a plastic bag
– a screwdriver and an open-end wrench;
– and a filter wrench.
To start, lift the car and place the oil collecting tank underneath. Then open the oil sump cap with a screwdriver and a flat wrench. Then wait until the oil is completely drained and discard it and the old cap.
Now you must push the plastic bags onto the old oil filter and remove it. For screw able filters, remove the housing completely and wipe off the threaded holes with a cloth. Carefully brush the new filter with new oil.
For filter cartridges and their housing, open the housing with a filter wrench. Then remove the filter and seals before cleaning the housing with a clean cloth. Then, brush the new filter and seals with the new oil. All you must do is lock the case.
Once the new filter is installed, you start your car. Remember to remove any residue from the drainage hole that hangs around with a cloth. Then screw in the new oil pan cap and seals. Afterwards, you screw them by hand around half a rotation.
Then, you can lower the vehicle and put oil in it until the oil level can reach the upper level of the dipstick. But he must not exceed it. You must unscrew the filler cap after that.
Once this step is completed, start the engine and accelerate a little and let it run for several minutes for the oil circuit to start. Look at the dipstick and oil level. Make some adjustments if necessary. The oil filter change ends there if the oil level matches the dipstick.
If a fuel filter is not properly maintained, it can cause air pollution due to smoke during start-up. Similarly, it may lead to a total engine failure of your car. Therefore, you should check its condition regularly. This article informs you about everything you need to know about the fuel filter.
The fuel filter ensures the proper functioning of an automobile engine. This is used to filter the water from the fuel into the tank. In addition, it prevents over-consumption of fuel. The filter also purifies impurities and dirt that could cause the supply circuit. If your fuel filter fails to perform these important roles, you may have a problem on the road or even during start-up. See? See? That’s why you should check your fuel filter.
Be aware that there is no fixed date to change the filter, but in general it depends on the type of your engine and the quality of fuel you use. However, you can still check your car’s service booklet to see how often the fuel filter should be replaced. Most of the time, it is advisable to do it about every 20000 km or maybe even up to 60000 km. However, do not wait until this time to react, but once you notice a starting difficulty, jolts while driving… for example, it is necessary to replace this part quickly.
It’s not difficult for you to believe, the filter replacement can do it yourself. Simply unscrew the screw from the tank, then pull it out with the filter. Afterwards, you can insert the cartridge and you must use new seals when doing these tasks. Clean all parts thoroughly and check the housing for leaks at the same time. And finally, put all the joints back in the exact place as you did at the beginning. On the other hand, it is an operation that needs to be done with caution because it can cause damage to the engine if something goes wrong. In this case, if you do not have any knowledge about this subject, it is better to call on mechanical experts.
Today, it is possible to take out car insurance via the Internet in a few minutes. You will no longer need to go to the branch to find offers and services. In addition, this way of subscribing is immediate, and you will benefit from an advantageous rate for certain profiles. You can also compare several insurance quotes to find a better car coverage.
An online car insurance, as its name suggests, is completely online. All you must do is take out car insurance online in a few minutes. You do not have to exchange with a physical agent. Whether it is for the registration to an insurance, the provision of documents or the declaration of an accident, all the steps are carried out on the insurer’s website or by telephone. No need to travel to companies to find an insurance policy.
With online insurance, you can subscribe directly on the site or by phone at home at any time, 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. The operation is 100% remote, so you send your required documents at registration by email. Thus, you can insure a car in a few minutes. It’s very interesting for the one who just got a new car. All he must do is call after receiving his key and he can drive safely on the way back. In addition, you can choose a tailor-made car insurance policy that allows you to obtain the packages that suit you best. Thanks to online subscription, you will benefit from certain specific profiles. With the help of the comparison tools, you can find attractive rates.
Once you have found the right offer for your budgets and needs, online car insurance underwriting is very easy and immediate. First, you must complete the form by mentioning the power, model, gearbox, fuel used… You must also fill in the information on the vehicle registration document such as the date the vehicle registration document was issued, the registration number and the date of first entry into service. Information on the purchase method (credit or cash, long-term rental or leasing) and location of the package is also useful. Then, those concerning the main driver, his civil status, his insurance history and his background. Then enter your details to get your price. The formula will be proposed according to the data you have entered. Secondly, you choose the package that suits your needs, and, in the end, you are registered after paying online. You will immediately receive your provisional certificate and contract. You will receive your definitive green card a few days later.