Shade Tree Automotive Diagnostics And Care – Part Ii – Hear No Evil
Learning a little more about how to better care for your vehicles is a good idea for any number of reasons. It allows you to know if an unscrupulous mechanic is attempting to gouge you on your repairs ? and that will save you money. It can prevent you from making unnecessary repairs ? and that will save you money. It can help you locate a problem and fix it early, thus saving more money ? sometimes a whole lot of money. It allows you to be more independent in an era where people are entirely too dependent on others to survive.
We need to get started now, so that we have time to cover everything?
Some people are incredibly sensitive to the sounds their vehicles make. This is especially true of motorcyclists, those who refurbish vintage automobiles, and experienced mechanics. It’s a very worthwhile skill to develop. There are mechanics who can listen to a running car engine and tell if the timing is slightly off, or the injectors are not operating properly. While this is a very neat thing to be able to do, you do not have to elevate your listening skills to that lofty place in order to get benefits from listening to your vehicle.
Listen To the Engine
(This is best done in relatively quiet surroundings until you get really good at it.) Open up the hood of your vehicle’s engine compartment. If necessary on your model, be sure to use the metal rod to lock the hood in the upright/open position. Now, start your engine. Allow the engine to run for 30-60 seconds before you start listening too hard. Also, there are many moving parts inside of engine compartments, don’t wear loose clothing, and mind all your fingers and hair! Safety first.
A brief word about engine sounds?
All engines make sounds. Some sound like jets, and other have constant clicking noises, or humming, or clattering. Which sounds are consistently made, and are okay, are unique to your specific vehicle’s engine. The point being, don’t be alarmed the first time you really take a good listen to your engine. You’ll quickly learn the sounds that are okay, and the ones that are not.
You’re going to listen to your engine from three different positions: 1) Directly in front of the car. 2) On the left (driver’s side) side of the engine compartment. 3) On the right (passenger’s side) side of the engine compartment. I like to start I like to start on the left ? right in front of the driver’s door.
Lean over the engine compartment (again ? be careful with clothing, hair, and appendages) and listen carefully. Try closing your eyes to heighten your hearing. Listen for things that don’t sound ‘right.’ Such things might include: clattering, metal rubbing metal, clanging, and squeaks. If you hear such a thing, open your eyes and try to focus in on it ? moving the position of your head and ears as your track the sound to its source. Repeat this process at all three positions previously described.
This method of checking your engine can reveal loose caps, loose fan belts, loose fans, missing bolts, nuts, and many other things. Correct what you are able to, and have anything else dealt with by a service technician. Don’t put your hands into your engine compartment to tighten something or check something while it is running. If you notice that the stays on the overflow tube are loose and rattling, turn off the engine before tightening.
Driving your car for a short distance over a good road with the radio and air conditioning off and the windows down is a good way to hear some other sounds. Clattering might mean you have a lug nut that came off, and it’s stuck inside the hubcap. A metal-rubbing-metal sound may be a stuck brake.
The last listening project/technique is the best ? or at least so people tell me. This one requires a willing and able assistant. The two of you climb into the vehicle together ? you drive, the assistant rides shotgun. The assistant will require four things: some WD-40, a notepad, a small can of 3-in-1 oil, and a good rag. Head for a road that isn’t so smooth, and simply drive along. The assistant listens for those irritating squeaks, squeals, and rattles.
The assistant should move around inside the vehicle, focusing on the sounds to locate their sources. One of the two lubricants will fix almost any squeaking ? and the rag ensures a nice, tidy application of the chosen lubricant. Some things, such as loose or missing screws or bolts, should be recorded on the notepad for maintenance or repair later, when you get back home to the tools. You won’t believe how quiet your cockpit becomes after you perform this process once or twice.
Okay, you’ve completed another step in becoming a full-fledged automotive diagnostician ? or something like that, anyway. You’ve definitely gotten your vehicle in much better condition, and you should have learned a thing or two. Check out Part I ? See No Evil, and Part III ? Smell No Evil.
Related items
How To Find Affordable Automobile Insurance In Washington
No one wants to pay more than they absolutely have to for automobile insurance. In Washington State many factors can play a part in your auto insurance premiums. By law, insurance companies in Washington can take many different things into consideration when giving you a quote. These range from your age to your credit history. Even though you can’t control some of these factors, there are things you can do to help ensure you find a more affordable rate.
The type of vehicle you drive obviously plays a huge part in determining how much you’ll ultimately pay in automobile insurance. Not only do some cars cost more to purchase, they also cost more to repair. Insurance companies realize this as well, and you may notice this reflected in your auto insurance premiums. Consider buying a more affordable car and watch your insurance rates drop.
Some auto insurance companies offer incentives, in the form of rebates, if you take extra precautions with your vehicle. Typically this means that if you install a car alarm, you may be eligible for a lowered premium. You’ll need to show proof of the alarm installation which might be an in-person visit to the insurance company’s office or perhaps a receipt for the work done. In either case, it’s worth asking about. Not only will you save some money in premiums, your car stands less of a chance of being broken into or stolen.
Ask any potential Washington auto insurance companies about a reduction in premiums if you take a higher deductible. Although this is going to cost you more in the event of an accident, overall it should yield an attractive savings in your annual insurance costs. Most policies come with a standard level of deductible, so make it a point to inquire before you agree to the policy.
Related items
How To Compare Low Cost Automobile Insurance In South Carolina
If you drive a vehicle on any public roadway in South Carolina you simply must buy automobile insurance. South Carolina has a system set up with the insurance companies so that it is informed the minute an insurance policy is canceled or lapses – and if that policy isn’t replaced within 20 days the penalties for the registered owner of that vehicle can be severe.
A much better way to beat the high cost of automobile insurance here in South Carolina is to find safe and legal ways to lower your monthly premium – and once we’ve done that, to get online and compare the price of your “super-low-priced-policy” on several of the automobile insurance price comparison websites.
But before we start making “comparisons” online, let’s try to create a low-priced policy that we can compare in order to really save some serious money.
Let’s start with you. Did you know that the way you drive affects the price you pay for your insurance more than any other single factor? If you have speeding tickets or any moving violations on your driving record you simply are not going to get the lowest cost automobile insurance available in South Carolina.
If you have a DUI or a DWI on your record then you can kiss any chance for low cost automobile insurance good-bye for at least 3 years. Possibly longer.
Keeping your car in a garage at night will save you money on your automobile insurance every month.
Find ways to drive less. Many people are now using public transportation as their “second car” and leaving their vehicle parked as much as possible. If you can reduce your driving to below 500 miles per month you may be in for a rather nice Low Mileage Discount.
If you are married sign the wife up as the primary driver and the husband as the secondary driver. Women pay less for automobile insurance and this trick will save both of you money.
Don’t bother your insurance company with small, unimportant claims. Save your insurance for major claims. The longer you go without filing a claim the less your insurance will cost you. Some companies begin handing out bonuses after only six months of accident-free driving – other companies may make you wait a year, but not filing claims often can save you money.
Pay your premiums automatically from your bank account. Automatic payments save you money month after month.
Driver’s under 25 can save at least 5% a month simply by remaining in school and maintaining a “B” grade average or better.
Drivers over 55 may get a 10% break on their insurance rates by passing a special driver’s refresher course. Not all companies make this discount available so ask your agent if you can qualify.
See if your place of employment or any clubs or organizations or groups that you belong to offer group car insurance. Group rates are almost always a savings over individual rates.
Often adding an anti-theft device as simple as a steering wheel lock or an electronic device that shuts off your fuel pump until it receives a hidden command can save you big bucks each month on your car insurance. Ask your agent.
Carpool to work. Driving your car back and forth to work less often will reduce your auto insurance rates. If you stop working and are no longer making the trip back and forth to work at all, be sure to let your agent know as this will lower your monthly premium.
Can you afford to increase your deductible? Don’t promise to pay more than you can afford, but the higher your deductible the lower your monthly automobile insurance payment.
Finally, take what you’ve learned in this article and fill out the form on a minimum of 3 websites that make price comparisons of automobile insurance policies from different companies. The trick is to put the exact same information on the form on all three comparison websites so that you are comparing the same insurance policy on all sites.
Then simply choose the lowest price from among all of the insurance companies operating in the state of South Carolina and you’ll have found the best deal possible on automobile insurance. It’s that simple.
Related items
