Vehicle Maintenance & tips

General Maintenance

Maintenance Tips A well maintained vehicle speaks volumes about you as an owner. More importantly, it will not desert you when you need it most. Read on for tips on specifics.

Engine Oil: To prevent engine deterioration, it is imperative that the engine  maintains the amount of oil it is programmed to receive. Negligence in this aspect will lead to a deteriorating engine performance, resulting in falling mileage.

Fuses: Most Indian cars are made with an integrated circuitry system that use fuses. Knowledge of the system would help when you are stranded due to a blown fuse.

Lights: It is important for the lights to be properly focused, for your own and for the oncoming vehicle's safety. Travel on low beam so that it does not obstruct your view instead of helping you along.

Tyre Pressure: The required amount of air pressure needs to be strictly maintained if your car is to get the right mileage and pick-up.

Water: If your engine uses water for cooling, take care to ensure that it is regularly changed. Water can also be used for cleaning the windshield.

Save on fuel:

• Do not use the clutch too much.
• Switch the vehicle off at red light stops.
• Drive in gear corresponding to the speed.
• Get your vehicle serviced regularly.
• A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by up to 50%
• Driving at 90 kilometers an hour rather than 100 can reduce fuel consumption by 10%
• Under inflated tires can increase fuel consumption by 5%
• A loaded roof rack will increase fuel consumption by as much as 5% in highway driving.
• Even an empty roof rack can increase consumption by 1%. If the carrier is not attached to the vehicle, remove it when not in use.
• Avoid "Jack Rabbit" starts, not only do they increase fuel consumption, but are hard on your tires. Anticipating stops and avoiding abrupt stops will decrease fuel consumption and increase the life of your brakes and tires.
• Avoid unnecessary steering wheel movement since each sideward movement of the tire causes fuel-consuming drag.
• Maintain a steady speed.
• Accelerate slowly on gravel or slippery roads.
• Avoid unnecessary braking.
• Reviving the engine just before turning off the ignition costs extra fuel and may cause engine damage.
• Take advantage of rolling resistance rather than heavy braking to help slow you down. This deceleration technique is one of the best for fuel saving.
• Avoid using the air conditioner at lower speeds.
• Changing spark plugs regularly can save a lot.

Brake problems vary greatly with the make and model of a car, the age of the car and other variables. If your car is experiencing brake problems, bring it to a mechanic. You may, however, be able to narrow down some of the possible problems yourself. Below are some general guidelines. 

• Step off the brakes, with the car's engine turned off. A soft or mushy brake pedal indicates that you may be low on brake fluid, or may need to bleed your brakes.
• If it is safe, drive the car at low speed, braking as needed. You may need new brake pads, or to clean the brakes, if they squeal.
• In a clear area, step sharply on the brake pedal. If the brakes do not stop the car effectively, several things may be wrong, including worn pads, contaminated brake fluid or contaminated brake pads.
• If the brakes pull the car to one side, you may need to adjust the brake's clearance, may have to replace the pads or rotors, or may have insufficient hydraulic pressure in one part of the brake system.
• Begin driving forward slowly. If the brakes bind or drag, it may be due to grease on the pads or scored rotors. Visit a mechanic if you do not know how to fix brakes. Describe the car's performance to the mechanic in as much detail as you can. Check brake fluid regularly. If you have determined that your brakes are bad, avoid driving the car until they are fixed. Computerized brakes, which are standard in many cars, need to be fixed by a mechanic.

 Detect an engine problem

• Try and detect the problem - is the car not starting, running roughly, conking out, or using too much petrol?
• After you have detected it, isolate the system most likely to be its cause. If it is conking out, the fuel system may be at fault. If it is not starting, the electrical system may be worth looking at first. If the car is overheating, check the cooling system.
• After you have isolated the most likely system, locate the weakest link in that system. The fuel pump, for example, is often the most vulnerable part of the fuel system.
• Check each successive part in the system until the problem is solved.
• Get the broken part replaced or repaired. Consult your car's manual for other specific problems you might be facing. This will help to speed up diagnosis.

Make your engine perform more efficiently

Increase displacement - More displacement means more power because you can burn more gas during each revolution of the engine. You can increase displacement by making the cylinders bigger or by adding more cylinders. 12 cylinders seems to be the practical limit. 

Increase the compression ratio - Higher compression ratios produce more power, up to a point. The more you compress the air/fuel mixture, however, the more likely it is to spontaneously burst into flame (prior to the spark plug igniting it). Higher octane gasolines prevent this sort of early combustion. That is why high-performance cars generally need high octane gasoline - their engines are using higher compression ratios to get more power. 

Stuff more into each cylinder - If you can cram more air (and therefore fuel) into a cylinder of a given size, you can get more power from the cylinder (in the same way that you would by increasing the size of the cylinder). Turbo chargers and super chargers pressurize the incoming air to effectively cram more air into a cylinder.

Cool the incoming air - Compressing air raises its temperature. You would like to have the coolest air possible in the cylinder because the hotter the air is the less it will expand when combustion takes place. Therefore many turbo charged and super charged cars have an intercooler. An intercooler is a special radiator through which the compressed air passes to cool it off before it enters the cylinder. 

Detect a radiator problem

• When the car is cold, look at the radiator overflow.
• Open the radiator cap and look inside the radiator.
• If the radiator is empty, fill with antifreeze or water, and close the cap. The overheating problem may be caused by problems.
• Flush the radiator if it is not empty but the water is rusty. You may need a new radiator if that does not correct the problem.
• If it is leaking, flush the radiator and treat with a commercial radiator sealant. You may need a new radiator if this does not correct the problem.
• Look at both the lower and upper radiator hoses located at the top and bottom of the radiator on the backside and held by hose clamps.
• Make sure the hoses are securely clamped to the radiator and are not leaking.
• See a mechanic if the car is still overheating.

Car do’s and don’ts
Car do's and don'ts - this section covers the basics of car maintenance like maintaining the refrigerant level and cleaning the evaporator. A quick check, and quite a few of the problems that plagued you will be no more... 

Car maintenance

Acquiring a vehicle is a fairly easy task... the tough bit comes later.
You are already late, but never mind. With the car at your disposal, long bus queues are passe. You'll be there, not exactly on time, but yeah, almost. Then, calamity strikes...the vehicle refuses to move...grunts, groans, fumes, and stops. Why, oh why... Maybe because you forgot that it too needs to be looked after, maintained, 'regular servicing...'were those the words?

The best and most efficient method of knowing about your car and keeping track of it is through the owner's manual which provides complete information on how to go about it. You can inspect your car every time you enter it, or on a daily or weekly basis or at intervals specified in the manual. 

In this section, we deal with those facts that are not mentioned in the manual.
A few while driving tips.
At times, strange smells may emanate from inside your car. The possible causes may be:

• Musty odours indicate the existence of some trapped water, usually under the carpet. This will ruin the carpet and also speed up corrosion. The proper solution would be to remove the carpets and dry up both the carpet and the floor.
• Smoky smells are of various kinds. Electrical smoky smells are the most dangerous and it is advisable to shut down, open the bonnet, disconnect the batteries and seek professional help. Other smoky smells may occur when the sound or heat proof lining inside the engine space burns. Trace the cause.
• Fuel smells occurs either when the fuel tank venting gets choked or if there has been an overflow.
• Sometimes, oil or exhaust smells from the engine occur. This maybe caused either due to too much engine oil, or if the engine oil has grown old and is burning, or if it has been overheated.
• A typical sweatish smell emanates when varnish is being burnt which occurs when your dynamo or alternator is about to pack up and would, usually be accompanied by flickering lights.
• Burning rubber smells tend to come when you drive with your brakes on. Overheated tyres may also be the cause.

To change a tyre


To change a tyre is something most people are not keen on. Here we try to make it easy and as interesting for you. So that the next time you are involved in this fix, you will be out of it in a jiffy.
Before you begin, make sure that

• The jack in your car is there
• There is a properly inflated spare tyre
• You have a lug wrench that fits your wheel
• Lug bolts

Down to the basics
After you have parked your car safely, put a couple of bricks or stones beneath the tyres to make sure that it does not roll down. Bring your jack, spare wheel and lug wrench to the work area. Loosen the nuts without having jacked up the car, to prevent the wheel spin on you. Turn counterclockwise to loosen the nut until it comes off. Next jack up the car. Remove the old wheel now. After having taken out the lug nuts, pull the wheel with your weight forward to prevent from falling backward. Adjust well the spare wheel in the threaded shafts so that they fit. Then tighten the nuts in the proper order. Lower the jack so that the tyre rests on the ground. Replace the hubcap or the plate. 
Voila! You are ready to drive again.

Detect an alignment problem

• Check tyres for proper inflation. Pressing a tire gauge onto the valve of each wheel and comparing the reading to the recommended pressure printed on the tyre's sidewall can do this.
• Add air as needed.
• Check for uneven wear in the tread. Drive to a mechanic and ask for the alignment to be checked and adjusted if the tread is worn unevenly.
• With a jack, lift the car and place the front end on jack stands.
• Hold one front wheel by its top and bottom. Shake the wheel to check for looseness. If loose, take it to a mechanic and ask for wheel bearing service.
• Take the car off the jack stands and drive it on a road with little traffic.
• Watch out for any drift in the steering. Remove your hands from the wheel momentarily if necessary to check the drift.
• If the car drifts or the tyres have uneven wear, it is advisable to take the car to a mechanic for alignment without further examination. While you are having the alignment checked, ask your mechanic to check the ball joints for wear. 

Car Paints-Do’s & Don’t’s

• Do - Always use wet cloth for wiping the car, after rinsing the paint surface with water first 
  Don't - Never wipe dust off your car with a dry cloth or duster
  Do - Wax your car after it's been washed, to avoid sealing in the dirt 
• Don't - Do not wash, polish or wax your car in the sun when the sun is hot. It could streak or stain the paint surface

• Do - For car covers use natural fabrics that breathe, like cotton. Make sure the car cover is secure
  Don't - Never use vinyl or plastic car covers in humid conditions. They trap moisture and could cause fungus.
  Do - Always use soft (normal) water to wash your car.
  Don't - Do not use hard water (which contains minerals). It will leave a film on paint surface.
  
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  Do - Use car shampoos or polishes to wash your car.
  Don't - Never use laundry detergents or similar harsh soaps to wash your car. Harsh soaps will remove any protective wax plus the paints oil, which will dry out the paint and make it look flat.
  
  NOTE: Do not use any polish or wax on the car’s paint surface before checking your owner’s manual regarding recommended treatment.
  Do - For acrylic finishes, use non-abrasive liquid polishes specifically designed for such finishes.
  Don't - Never use polishing or rubbing compounds on paints with a clear acrylic coating, the coating will become dull.
  Do - Use rubbing compounds only when the paint surface is extremely oxidized (chalky) and does not shine, even after wax has been applied.
  Don't - Abrasive cleaners are extremely dangerous and can easily remove the paint & primer, leaving bare metal.
  Do - Choose light colors, they retain their brilliance over the years than dark colors do.
  Don't - Dark colors are more susceptible to oxidation from the sun.
  
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  Do - Use covered parking or shade wherever possible.
  Don't - Avoid parking the car in the sun for an extended period of time. It will cause the paint to blister.
  Do - Immediately touch up paint blemishes with the appropriate color and type of automotive paint. Consult your vehicle specification sheet for correct paint.
  Don't - Do not let Paint chips go unattended. Exposed metal could begin to rust when exposed to water and salt.
  NOTE: Be careful about using silicone-based wax. The wax penetrates all layers of paint. Paint touch ups are more difficult in this case.
• What do you do to restore the gloss of your paint? 
  Wash and dry your car Always use high quality polishes containing mild abrasives. If your paint has a white, hazy look, to remove the top layer of dead paint, follow the instructions on the polish box. Use rubbing compound only in case of extreme paint oxidation.
  If the paint is dull and has no shine, apply a chemical cleaner to gently remove the dead paint layer. Wax your car immediately after polishing or cleaning it, in order to protect the newly exposed paint layer. This slows the process of oil evaporation from the new paint layer and maintains the shine.

Reference: http://www.auto.indiamart.com/

• Regularly check tyre condition and air pressure. Optimum air pressure in the tyres of the bike is important for maximum road grip, stability, riding comfort and longevity of the tyres.
• While under-inflated tyres wear unevenly, adversely affect handling, and more likely to fail from being overheated, over inflated tyres make the motorcycle ride more harshly, and more prone to damage from surface hazards, and wear unevenly.
• Check your tyres for cuts and scrapes on your tires, which could cause a blowout. Also check the tyre treads once a week and have the wheels balanced and the alignment checked if the wear is uneven.
• Engine oil plays an important role in ensuring smooth operation and maintenance of the bike and maintaining a correct engine oil level is important. Check engine oil level each day before operating the two–wheeler. Oil level should be between upper and lower marks. Top up engine oil if required. Check for oil leakage.
• Clean the two-wheeler body surface regularly to maintain the surface finish. Before cleaning the motorcycle, ensure that the ignition switch unit, H.T. Coil and silencer are covered using plastic sheets.
• Clean the motorcycle using low-pressure water. All painted surfaces should be washed only with water, as kerosene or detergent will damage the paint.
• The motorcycle battery needs periodical maintenance to ensure a long and trouble free life. Check the electrolyte level against the top and bottom markings on the battery shell. Always top up with distilled water whenever required.
• Check for any leakage from battery. It should be clean and free from any leakages. In case of non-use of motorcycle, battery should be kept fully charged and electrolyte level should be at Top mark.
• Clean spark plug regularly. Every 750 km for two-stroke bike and every 1,500 km for four-stroke bike. Clean spark points (electrodes) with emery paper.
• Keep carburettor clean. Every 1500 km, clean out the carburettor float chamber and other parts. Clean jets by forcing compressed air through them.
• Keep both brakes properly spaced. Keeping them too tight (too urgent), or too loose (too late) is dangerous. Brakes should be tightened as per the rider’s personal style and requirement.
• Check cables regularly for kinks, bends and frayed ends. Especially check ends. If one or more strands appear broken, replace immediately.
• Always ensure that the tax is paid and Insurance cover (Insurance policy) is within validity period. Keep Tax Receipt and Insurance policy at home and keep xerox copy in bike.

Reference: http://www.iloveindia.com/bikes/bike-maintenance-tips.html

Maintenance Tips for your Bike:

 
Tires

Inflate tires to the rate pressure as listed on the sidewall of the tire. Use a pressure gauge to insure proper pressure. Look for any damage to the tire such as cuts, bulges, or tears. Remove small bits of glass, nails, etc. Replace the tire if it is damaged.

Brakes

Check your brake pads for wear. Most newer bikes have ridged brake pads, replace the pads if the ridges are entirely worn down. Check your brake pad adjustments, they should hit the rim, not rub against the tire or dive into the spokes. Check your hand brakes, they should travel at least 1” between the bar and lever when applied.

Check your cranks and chain

Your crank bolts should be tight. Check your chain for signs of wear. Grease your chain –first with your bike upside down, take hold of your chain with a cloth. Pedal and run the cloth lightly over the chain to remove dirt. Then keep pedaling and apply a thin layer of chain grease. Excess grease will attract more dirt. If your chain skips on your cassette you might need an adjustment.

Check your quick releases

Your hubs should be tight in the frame and the quick release should engage at 90 degrees. You hub quick release should point back to insure that nothing catches on it. Inspect your brake quick releases to insure that they have been re-engaged if you have removed your wheel.

Take it out for a ride

Check to make sure the brakes and gears are working properly. If your bike won’t stay in gear or can’t shift to a low or high gear, get it checked out. Inspect your bike for any loose or broken parts, replace or fix them. You might even try picking your bike up and shaking it to see if anything sounds loose.

Winter Bike Care

Rims

When wet, brake pads grip aluminum rims better than they do steel.

Reference: http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/56308-Bike-Maintenance-Tips.aspx

Posted Date: 26 Mar 2009 Resource Type: Articles/Knowledge Sharing Category: Caution & Alerts Author: sreekanth