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    Engine Info

    April 3rd, 2010

    Your car s engine operates at a consistently high temperature. The combustion process that provides the energy needed to move your vehicle is the result of thousands of explosions per minute that occur within the cylinders. The chemical and mechanical energy produced also contributes to the rising temperature. Keeping it under control is critical. If the heat rises too high, your engine will overheat, potentially causing major damage that will be costly to repair.

    This article will provide an introduction to a few common causes of an overheating engine. We ll start with low oil levels before taking a look at leaking head gaskets, coolant leaks, and failing water pumps.

    Low Oil Levels

    Motor oil is essential to the life of your engine. It provides lubrication for the moving parts and helps to transfer heat away from the cylinders. If there is an insufficient level of oil in the assembly, the moving parts will create excess friction as they rub against each other. That friction would not only cause damage to the moving parts, but would also generate intense heat. The temperature would continue to rise, placing all of the components at risk of further damage. This is the reason it is important to check your oil level every two weeks.

    A Leaking Head Gasket

    The head gasket sits between the engine block and the cylinder head. Normally, it maintains a strong seal that prevents coolant from leaking into the individual cylinders. If the engine runs too hot, the block and cylinder head may experience thermal expansion. As they expand, they can crush the head gasket and thereby, break the seal.

    If the head gasket allows coolant into the cylinders, the entire assembly can overheat. If the root cause of the leaking gasket is not identified and fixed, replacing the gasket may only represent a short term solution; it will likely leak again.

    Coolant Leaks

    Coolant plays an important role in regulating the heat around your engine. It carries heat from the assembly to the radiator. The problem is, there are several points along the way that can form leaks, including the hoses, head gasket, water pump, and the radiator itself.

    The best way to find leaks throughout the cooling system is to pressure test everything. If your car s cooling system is working properly, it should be able to maintain approximately 12 psi for a quarter of an hour without losing any pressure. If you notice a loss in pressure, check the head gasket and cylinder block. Both are common points of coolant leakages.

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    Faulty Water Pump

    Your car s water pump is responsible for pressurizing the coolant and sending it to the engine and throughout the cooling system. If the component fails, it will prevent sufficient coolant from circulating properly. That can cause the assembly to overheat.

    One of the most common reasons a water pump fails is because the impeller vanes become eroded or loose. This happens often with impellers that are made of plastic. Both events can prevent the impellers from turning, which hampers coolant circulation.

    Failing Thermostat

    Normally, the thermostat opens whenever your engine reaches a certain temperature. By opening, it allows coolant to circulate from the radiator to the assembly. If the thermostat fails to open, the coolant will be unable to flow to the engine and thus, lower its operating temperature. Overheating is a likely outcome.

    Heat is not, in itself, bad for your car s engine. In fact, the higher its operating temperature, the more efficiently it runs. However, there is a ceiling past which the pistons and cylinder heads start to melt. Plus, if the assembly lacks enough oil to lubricate the moving parts, friction can generate high temperatures and potentially cause overheating.

    If you notice the temperature gauge on your dash climbing higher than normal, take your vehicle to a mechanic. There s a good chance the problem is with the head gasket, cooling system, water pump, or thermostat.

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    Automotive Engine Valves

    May 9th, 2010

    There are several valves that play a critical role in the efficient operation of your vehicle. For example, intake valves allow fuel into each cylinder s combustion chamber. Exhaust valves allow vapors to exit the chambers following the combustion process. When problems form with the valves, your engine may suffer performance issues, including misfires and compression leaks. It s important to have such problems addressed quickly to preserve your engine s performance.

    With that in mind, we ll answer the most common questions people ask about their vehicles valves. The following should give you a better understanding regarding why they re important, the issues that affect them, and the best approach toward resolving problems.

    What Causes Valves To Fail?

    Like all components, valves suffer wear and tear over tens of thousands of miles. If you drive your car far enough, they ll eventually need to be replaced. However, they can fail long before they wear down due to burning or breaking.

    Valves perform their jobs under extremely high temperatures. Exhaust valves run exceptionally hot (up to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit) because they are exposed to the vapors that result from the combustion process. These high temperatures make them especially susceptible to burning.

    When the valves burn, the metal become less sturdy. It s not uncommon for them to suffer fatigue, causing pieces to break off. When this occurs, a compression leak develops.

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    What Happens During A Valve Job?

    This type of repair work involves removing the cylinder head to expose the failing valves and guides. The more thorough repair shops will completely dismantle the cylinder head so the individual components can be cleaned and inspected. If cracks are identified, the entire head is either fixed or replaced (cracks are serious because they allow coolant to seep into the combustion chamber).

    Next, the guides are replaced since they are usually worn past the point of effectiveness. The valves are either refaced if they re still usable, or replaced.

    How Much Does This Type Of Work Cost?

    The repair bill can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. A lot depends on the type of engine in your vehicle and the type of repairs needed. For example, fixing a single valve in a standard 4 cylinder might cost under $400, including the labor. On the other hand, replacing multiple valves, fixing a crack head, and performing related repairs on an import can drive the bill upward.

    What Is A Leakdown Test?

    A leakdown test is used to find compression leaks from your cylinders combustion chambers. It identifies whether your cylinders are sealing properly and if they re not, measures the percentage leakage. It s worth noting that all engines suffer a degree of compression leakage. Even the best engines leak up to 10 percent of their compression. If a leakdown shows a compression loss of 30 percent or more, have a mechanic check your intake and exhaust valves.

    What Other Problems Can Affect Valves?

    Besides burning, breaking, and suffering normal wear and tear, your engine s valves can also become bent. This can occur for several reasons, but often happens due to a broken timing belt. The belt breaks and sends the cylinder s piston crashing into the valve. If a significant amount of damage results, the valve will need to be replaced. If the damage is minor, it can be refaced and reinstalled.

    Engine valves receive far less attention than they deserve. They fill a role without which your vehicle could not operate efficiently. By sealing the combustion chamber, and opening at the precise moment to allow fuel to enter and gases to exit, your intake and exhaust valves perform a critical function. As such, when problems occur, they should be addressed quickly.

    Repairing these components can be expensive, and becomes more so with the extent of the damage (i.e. cracks, breaks, etc.). However, neglecting the problem practically ensures it will be more costly to fix down the road

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    Why Your Car s Engine Misfires

    June 7th, 2010

    Your vehicle s engine goes through a combustion process thousands of times each minute. Air and fuel are sent to each cylinder s combustion chamber where the mixture is compressed. Coil voltage travels through a spark plug that is located at the top of each chamber. The spark plug ignites the compressed mixture, which provides the necessary energy to move your vehicle down the road. When a misfire occurs, the event affects your car s performance, efficiency, and overall drivability.

    This article will explore the reasons your engine might suffer a misfire. We ll take a look at problems involving a loss of spark, unbalanced air fuel mixture, and compression leaks. I ll explain the factors that can contribute to each of these issues.

    Loss Of Spark

    A loss of spark can be due to fouled spark plugs, bad wires, or a distributor cap that has developed a crack. Plugs should normally be replaced every 40,000 miles. Even those that are advertised as being capable of lasting 100,000 miles should be replaced long before that marker arrives. Besides expiring due to normal use, oil deposits can build on the electrodes, preventing voltage from jumping the gap.

    Spark plug wires are critical because a fouled wire will prevent voltage from reaching the plug. If that happens, the plug will be unable to ignite the compressed air fuel mix in the associated cylinder s combustion chamber.

    If the distributor cap is cracked, the voltage may be unable to travel properly between the rotor tip and the terminals. Here too, this can prevent the plug from receiving the voltage necessary for ignition.

    Unbalanced Air Fuel Mixture

    For several reasons, the air fuel mixture within the combustion chamber can be too lean. When this occurs, there is an insufficient amount of gasoline to provide an efficient burn. This might be due to a fuel pump that is failing, a fuel injector that has formed an obstruction in the nozzle, or even a leaking exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve. Each can prevent sufficient fuel from reaching the cylinder s combustion chamber.

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    There may be also be cases in which the mixture is too rich. Rather than an insufficient amount of gasoline preventing an efficient burn, there is too much in the chamber. This problem is far less common than a lean mix. When it occurs, it is usually due to a leaking injector.

    Compression Leak

    If a given cylinder s chamber is suffering from a loss of compression, that means it is losing a portion of the air fuel mixture before it can be ignited. This problem can usually be narrowed down to two potential root causes: an exhaust valve that has formed a leak or a blown head gasket. If you re able to identify misfiring within multiple cylinders (and you have confirmed your spark plugs are fine), the issue is likely the head gasket.

    A loss of compression can be confirmed by performing a leakdown test. It is a simple test that will help you identify whether compression is being lost through an exhaust valve with a deteriorating ring. This is a test you can do on your own rather than hiring a mechanic for the job. Most auto supply stores sell a special gauge that is inserted into the suspected cylinder s spark plug hole.

    Misfires can be serious. If you re driving a small 4 cylinder car, a single misfiring cylinder can reduce your engine s power by 25 percent. You ll feel it shaking at idle. If the problem is severe, your engine may even stall. Even if your engine has eight or more cylinders, a steady misfire can reduce its fuel efficiency and impact its overall performance. Moreover, your car will fail an emissions test.

    If your engine is misfiring, test the spark, air fuel mixture, and perform a leakdown test for compression leaks. With a little time and effort, you can successfully narrow down and fix the root cause.

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