HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-10-22, Page 186 2014 Fall Car Care Guide • Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Roadside
surprises
Recently, I was asked by a friend for some roadside assistance.
While driving towherethevehicle had broken down, I thought
about what might have happened, so that I could prepare
myself. The driver had reported too much steering effort and a loss
of battery voltage before the vehicle came to a stop at the side of the
road; all else seemed fine.
Typically when I arrive at a broken-down vehicle, I expect the usual
things like a punctured tire, missing belt, no fuel, a broken ignition, or
possibly a coolant leak or broken suspension.
As a technician, you survey a break -down like an investigator at a
crime scene. Sometimes the clues are obvious but most times they
are not. On this occasion however, nothing could have prepared me
for what I discovered under the hood.
A look into the engine compartment revealed pretty much nothing
exceptforthe accessories beltthatwas partially disorientated.This was
unusual because most times the belt just breaks and comes off. We
boosted the car and the engine started, ran smooth, and there were
no suspicious noises. After stopping the engine, I checked the tension
on the serpentine belt - it was ok, so why the misalignment?
As I continued to inspect the accessory belt assembly, I noticed that
the pulley on the crankshaft was somewhat out of alignment and in
an awkward position.
Further inspection revealedthatthe crankshaft pulley was not in line
with the rest and having a closer look, Ifoundthecauseofallthetrouble.
The crankshaft pulley had come apart and the centerwasturning at
engine speed while the outer parameter was not. Typically the crank
pulley is solid metal and almost never breaks.
The exception here was that the vehicle manufacturer combined
two components into one. That is, the pulley and engine harmonic
balancer were one piece, when usually they are two. The harmonic
balancer is needed to reduce engine vibration and is usually next to
the pulley on the crankshaft.
Thinking about this for a while made me realize that while
manufacturers seek to improve and make cars more efficient, there is
almostalwaysa resultantcompromisethatends up biting us in the butt.
Inthis case,the harmonicbalancer/pulleyhad been designed as one
to drivethe serpentine belt.The rubber membrane needed to dampen
vibration, and connecting both parts caused it to break because it
could no longer sustain the torque required to power the accessories.
The serpentine drive on this vehicle included the alternator, water
pump, air conditioning, and power steering. When the drive to these
components was lost, it was only a matter of time before vehicle
performance was compromised and roadside assistance required.
i
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OIL, LUBE AND FILTER
ROTATE TIRES
TEST STARTING AND CHARGING SYSTEM
COMPREHENSIVE MULTI -POINT
VISUAL INSPECTION
We will recommend your manufacturer's required maintenance.
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BeCar Care Aware -
IN
AUTOPRO
Being in the
hot seat
Forthose of us who choose to live in an environment where
the thermometer spends much of itstime in the negatives,
having the luxury of seat warmers in our cars is truly a
technological blessing.
The much -beloved seat heaters first made an appearance
in European vehicles in the early 1980's. It took domestic
manufacturers 10 years to realize the importance of this luxury
in colder climates.
The firstdomestic vehicles toadapt the technology asanoption
were the higher -end SUV's and luxury cars; soon after, seat heaters
became a common component of mid-size and compact option
packages.
On a winter day when the temperature has dipped below
freezing, having the comfort of a heated cushion and backrest
while you drive becomes very soothing, if not addictive.
The driver manipulates a switch, which sends electric current to
one or two wire grids positioned between the foam and cover of
a car seat.These grids become extremely hot in the same manner
as a stovetop element.They are sandwiched between two layers
of insulating fabric to prevent overheating or scorching.
Basic systems have only one grid on the lower cushion of the
seat, while others usetwo gridsfor upper and lower seat portions.
Seat warmers are primarily found in the driver's seat but certain
models now have all front and some rear seats equipped with
the heaters.
The newest systems incorporate a "high" and "low" position
on the activation switch to give drivers the option of different
temperature ranges.
Quite often, drivers forget about the heaters and get a slow
braising of the buns before realizing what is happening. In other
instances, the grids can get hot enough to burn through the
insulating material and cause damage to the seat.
All these minor inconveniences are moot for some people,
however, because onceyou've enjoyed the comfort ofseat heaters,
you'll quickly realize why drivers have come to like them so much.
Bring on the Polar Vortex.
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77242B London Rd. (Hwy #4 S.) • CLINTON