Preventing Automotive Problems Caused by Old Man Winter

Most of us have experienced driving in cold weather and our share of breakdowns. Usually a breakdown is due to the neglect of our vehicle; I’m just as guilty as the next guy. We’re busy people! Things we neglect that can cause us to have problems, especially in the winter months:

• Battery
• Antifreeze
• Engine oil
• Window washer fluid
• Wiper blades
• Tires

Here are 6 simple things we can do to help save us from a winter breakdown:

1. Load test the battery. Check and clean the battery connections.
2. Check the condition, strength, and level of the antifreeze. Replace if needed.

Antifreeze concentration test.

3. Check the engine oil condition and level. Replace the engine oil and filter if needed.

Engine oil dipstick location on a Dodge truck.

Checking the level of the engine oil on the dipstick.

4. Refill the window washer bottle and check the spray operation.

Windshield washer bottle.

5. Inspect and replace the wiper blades as needed.

Check the condition of the windshield wiper blades.

6. Inspect the tires for tread wear and pressure; rotate if needed.

Check the tread of the tires for wear.

Check the tire pressure.

Refer to Chilton’s online repair manuals to help keep your vehicle in top shape. Check out ChiltonDIY for repair procedures, maintenance intervals, wiring diagrams, technical service bulletins, Recalls, and more.

Turbochargers – Pump It Up

By Jim Marotta

At 100 horsepower per liter, GM’s newer turbocharged 1.4L has the power of a larger engine but retains the efficiency of a small-displacement four-cylinder in most driving conditions. Courtesy GM

A naturally aspirated automobile engine uses the downward stroke of a piston to create an area of low pressure in order to draw air into the cylinder through the intake valves. Because the pressure in the atmosphere is no more than 14.7 psi, there is a limit to the amount of airflow entering the combustion chamber.

A turbocharged engine uses a radial fan pump driven by the engine’s exhaust that consists of a turbine and a compressor on a shared shaft. The turbine converts exhaust gases exiting the engine into rotational force, which is used to drive a compressor which draws in ambient air and pumps it at high pressure into the intake manifold to improve the engine’s volumetric efficiency. This results in a greater mass of air entering the cylinders on each intake stroke.

There are four main components to a turbocharger: the housing, the impeller/turbine wheels, the center hub and the bypass.

The size and shape of the housings fitted around the impeller and turbine affect performance,  response, and efficiency. Courtesy Borg-Warner

The size and shape of the housings fitted around the impeller and turbine dictate the performance characteristics of the overall turbocharger. This allows the designer of the engine system to tailor the compromises between performance, response, and efficiency to application or preference.

The impeller and turbine wheel sizes also dictate the amount of air or exhaust that can be flowed through the system. Generally, the larger the turbine and compressor wheels, the larger the flow capacity. The shape, curvature and number of blades on the wheels allow infinite variability in design to tailor a turbocharger to a given engine.

Water-cooled bearings, such as the one shown, allow engine coolant to keep the lubricating oil cooler, avoiding possible oil coking from the extreme heat found in the turbine. Courtesy Borg-Warner

The center hub connects the compressor impeller and turbine and uses a bearing lubricated by a constant supply of pressurized engine oil. While the engine oil cools some systems, the preferred method is to use engine coolant to keep the lubricating oil cooler, avoiding possible oil coking from the extreme heat found in the turbine.

Turbos use a bypass or wastegate to prevent over-pressurizing the system. At a specific boost pressure, a bypass feeds part of the exhaust gas flow around the turbine. The wastegate which opens or closes the bypass is usually operated by a spring-loaded diaphragm in response to the boost pressure.

There are several tips to maintaining and servicing turbochargers:

• Engineers design turbochargers to last the lifetime of the engine. They normally do not require any special maintenance; however observe strict adherence to the engine manufacturer’s service instructions. Ninety percent of all turbocharger failures are due to either foreign bodies entering into the turbine or the compressor, dirt in the oil, inadequate oil supply, or high exhaust gas temperatures.

• The most important maintenance factor is clean oil. Since turbochargers can be easily damaged by dirty or ineffective oil, most manufacturers recommend more frequent oil changes for turbocharged engines. The use of synthetic oils, which tend to flow more readily when cold and do not break down as quickly as conventional oils, is also a common practice.

• Since the turbocharger generates heat when running, many automakers recommend letting the engine idle before shutting off the engine if the turbocharger was used shortly before stopping. Most manufacturers specify a 10-second period of idling before switching off, for a couple of reasons: (1) to ensure the turbocharger is running at its idle speed, and (2) to prevent damage to the bearings when the oil supply is cut off. Idling lets the turbo rotating assembly cool from the lower exhaust gas temperatures, and ensures that oil is supplied to the turbocharger while the turbine housing and exhaust manifold are still very hot; otherwise coking of the lubricating oil trapped in the unit may occur when the heat soaks into the bearings, causing rapid bearing wear and failure when the car is restarted. Even small particles of burnt oil will accumulate, lead to choking the oil supply, and failure.

• The easiest way to diagnose a weak turbocharger is to observe the turbo boost. If the turbocharger does not show normal boost at full throttle (typically 9 to 14 psi), the system needs further diagnosis. One common but overlooked condition is excessive exhaust backpressure (often due to a clogged catalytic converter) which can prevent the turbo from developing its normal boost pressure.

Planning to service or repair your vehicle? Chilton can help! Access procedures, specifications, tips, and more at http://www.ChiltonDIY.com/.

A muscle car enthusiast and drag racer, Jim Marotta is a freelance automotive writer with more than 20 years experience in the automotive industry.

How to Refill the Coolant without a Bleed Tool

Draining and refilling the coolant is one of the easier maintenance tasks you can do on most vehicles. In addition to saving money, doing your own maintenance is a way to monitor the health of your vehicle.

Why Perform a Regular Coolant Flush and Refill?

Coolant loses effectiveness over time, so it’s important to periodically drain and refill the cooling system. In addition, as coolant becomes dirty, and rust and particles can eventually degrade cooling system components, such as the engine and water pump.

Bleeding Air from the Cooling System

If you drain the system and then pour coolant in, there is still air trapped within the hoses and components that hold coolant. That air must be removed. You’ll need to bleed out the air and then top off the coolant to the proper level.
Some car manufacturer refill procedures use a special tool that automatically fills the cooling system and bleeds any excess air. In most cases, if you don’t have the special tool, you can still fill the cooling system and bleed it manually. In rare cases, vehicles need to be serviced with specialized cooling system equipment, due to the complexity of the cooling system. Air will become trapped in the cooling system, and cause the engine to overheat! Check the service information before you attempt the procedure.

Research the vehicle’s cooling system.

How to Refill the Coolant System Manually

Caution
Do not work on the coolant system when the system is hot and under pressure: Coolant can cause serious burns. Do not remove the radiator cap, cylinder block drain plugs, or loosen the radiator draincock, when the engine is hot.

1. Tighten the radiator draincock.

Tighten the radiator draincock. 2010 Chevrolet HHR shown. Image: General Motors

2. Tighten the cylinder block drain plug(s).

Tighten the engine block drain plug. 2010 Chevrolet HRR shown. Image: General Motors.

3. Fill the cooling system with the manufacturer-specified antifreeze. You can find the correct specification in your Chilton DIY subscription or in your owner’s manual. Because specifications change occasionally, such as with new technology, it’s a good idea to check the technical service bulletins in your ChiltonDIY subscription too.
4. Fill the radiator to the top and install the radiator cap. Add sufficient coolant to the overflow tank to raise the level to the FULL mark. Check your Chilton DIY specifications or the owner’s manual for the coolant amount including the overflow tank.

Fill the radiator to the top and install the radiator cap. 2010 Chevrolet HHR shown. Image: General Motors.

5. Run the engine with both the radiator cap and reservoir/overflow tank cap in place. Turn on the heat with the blower on high. When the engine reaches normal operating temperature, shut the engine off and allow it to cool.
6. Top off the coolant level to the reserve/overflow tank as necessary to bring it to the FULL mark. Only add coolant when the engine is cold. The coolant level in a warm engine will be higher due to thermal expansion – that is, hot coolant expands and so the coolant level will appear to be higher.
7. Repeat the procedure and recheck the cooling system level.

Battery Failure

Years ago, vehicles were equipped with carburetors and required a longer cranking time to start. In many instances this longer cranking time would reveal a weak battery. You could actually hear the cranking power reduced especially in cold weather. When fuel-injected engines became the norm this was not as evident due to the fact that the vehicle starts up quicker.

A sudden change in temperature usually takes a weak battery out. That’s why the day before your vehicle may have started fine, with no warning of a problem. Then an extreme change in the weather (hot or cold) causes the weak battery to die, seemingly without a warning.

Why do batteries fail?
It’s unusual for a battery to malfunction because of a defect, driving habits are the usual cause. Using a lot of vehicle accessories and driving short distances prevents the battery from fully charging. Extended idling with heavy accessory use or driving a short distance only once a week can also reduce battery performance.

(example from General Motors)

When the battery does not have have an opportunity to charge fully, acid stratification occurs. The electrolyte (battery acid) in a stratified battery concentrates on the bottom. It is similar to the way sugar granules collect on the bottom of a cup of coffee before it is stirred. Batteries tend to stratify if kept at low charge (below 80%) and don’t get the opportunity to receive a full charge. For example, short distance driving while running windshield wipers and electric heaters contributes to acid stratification. Acid stratification reduces the overall performance and life of the battery.

How to protect the battery
Check your battery every two years and keep the connections clean. Also clean the area around the battery hold down. Usually if a battery is super corroded the terminals leads are no longer airtight. If you clean your battery terminals and cables and the corrosion returns, replace the battery. If your battery is four years old and corroded, replace the battery.

Batteries can cause all kinds of crazy problems; the vehicle’s electrical system has to be 100%. I have seen people replace parts on vehicles when the only thing wrong was a weak battery.

Just recently I checked a friend’s car and found a dead battery. I explained the battery read 12.5v but would not start the vehicle. He came back and told us the battery was okay. I asked the gentleman if he load tested it. He had not, but when he did he came back with a new battery.

Batteries can be difficult to diagnose, if your battery is more than three years old, my suggestion is to replace it. If you are seeing excessive corrosion and have had problems don’t fool around with an old battery. Have it checked out.

Battery Basics

Typical automotive batteries are made of five basic components:

1. A plastic container.
2. Positive and negative internal plates made of lead.
3. Plate separators made of porous synthetic material.
4. Electrolyte, a dilute solution of sulfuric acid and water, better known as battery acid.
5. Lead terminals, the connection point between the battery and whatever it powers.

Battery cutaway images courtesy of Battery Council International

Keep your vehicle running smoothly with maintenance schedules, service and repair information, Technical Service Bulletins and Recalls at: ChiltonDIY.com and ChiltonPRO.com.