Engineering Magazines

We live in the digital age where technology makes our lives easier each day. Advance medical equipments are created to help doctors treat patients, kitchen tools are innovated to make it easier for home makers, and cars are made smarter to make driving easier for humans.Automotive electronics paved the way for helpful features like anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and automatic weather adjustments which makes driving safer and more comfortable.

Car manufacturers spend about two thousand dollars in automotive electronics for every car that comes out of the assembly line. These automotive electronics transform the car into a vehicle with better performing engine, more adaptive entertainment systems, and safety features that are far more superior than its predecessors.

Automotive Electronics of the Modern Car

Control Area Network or CAN – There are several computers that run a modern car. The CAN is a network of computers that play vital roles in the different functions of the engine and its peripherals. The CAN serves as the bridge for the different computers so they can communicate with one another so everything are well coordinated. CAN controls the functions like cruise control, engine management, and the ABS.

Fuel Efficiency- automotive electronics can save a car owner hundreds of dollars in fuel consumption. This is done thru the EFI or Electronic Fuel Injection technology which ensures that the engine’s fuel consumption is at its optimal. In hybrid cars, a driver can easily switch from using gas and electronic power supply to run the vehicle.

Safety Devices- Most safety system is controlled by automotive electronics. Devices like the Acceleration Slip Regulation, Traction Control, Electronic Stability and Dynamic Steering wheel ensure the safety of the driver and the passengers. The simple but complicated timing of airbags during a road collision is also controlled by advanced automotive systems.

Added Features- Some cars today can even park themselves without any assistance from the driver. All the calculations are done by a computer making sure the car will not hit anything by making references to other cars and different objects in its surrounding.

One cannot imagine the evolution that took place with automotive electronics. The Apollo 11 which landed on the moon ran on a memory which is 150 kilobytes only. The sound systems of our cars today are running on 500 kilobytes of memory to ensuring our entertainment pleasure. Automotive electronics have gone far beyond entertainment and enhanced modern day vehicles in terms of safety, efficiency, and convenience.

The automotive industry projects billions of investments and sales in developing cars that are smarter, more fuel efficient and more environment-friendly in the future. Modern cars can be the answer to alleviate the adverse condition of the environment and the rising price of fuel all over the globe.

Cars are being developed to scan the traffic, the road, and all hazards so it can drive itself while the driver can do anything that he wants while in motion. The future cars can think for themselves with the aid of advanced automotive electronics. In that way, driving will be more than getting from one place to another.

I am going to start this article with an obvious cliché that says that the car is one of the most important and useful inventions of all times by far, in the whole history of humankind.

Yet, getting over this aspect of the problem we land on this: how important is the maintenance to a car (owner). This is a very suitable question because there are many people that would rather buy an expensive car and not to make those indispensable maintenance changes that simply have to be done at some point, or simply there are people that do not take care of their cars but only when they do not seem to work at all anymore.

Yet, no matter if we are discussing about a car as a personal asset, a car as a public transportation mean it is suggested to avoid different difficulties that may appear when owning a car.

Try not to be one of those owners rather indifferent to their cars that simply start the car, drive and then park it. Not knowing what may be wrong with your car or how it works it makes it impossible to maintain it in a perfect condition.

Do not think of keeping your car in a perfect condition as another way to lose money – think of if you keep it in a perfect condition you will get to sell the car at a great price in a few years.

Think if you really afford not to pay the attention, you should to your car, and go for learning how to take care of it. Even if you do not know basic things about cars such as how to do a rudimentary check of your car engine, or how to check your engine oil level, the spark plug change (if it may be the case) or even the windscreen wiper change it does mean you have to worry.

All these can be learnt very easily and the Internet is full useful advice on this subject. Another important thing you should learn (if you do not already know, of course) is how to take care of your car during winter months when winter tires are required and sometimes even chains. I have listed below a few basics when it comes to owning and maintaining a car.

First of all, you will need to know how to buy a new car, what values you should look for and how to spot possible problems. This will take just a few hours because all you have to do is check car guides and see a few aspects and their meaning.

Second, assuming you do not want to buy a new car, or simply want to buy a used one too, you should know how to buy a used car and not be scammed. This way you will know how to sell it yourself in the future and obtain a good price for it.

Third, you will need to prepare some kind of a schedule based on which you will do a routine check-up. This will avoid any serious problems in the future.

Fourth, something very important is to how to change a tire because there are many people who simply do now know what to do.

And last, but not least you will need to know when the battery is flat and how you can either replace it or recharge it.

Of course, aside from these, there are a few other general aspects that you should note, but these will give you a great start.

 

 

To keep your car looking good and performing well, OzFreeOnline offers some simple guidelines that will give you all the information you need to know. Each week we will offer you some excellent suggestions in taking optimum care of your car.

 

UNDER THE BONNET

 

Do you know your way around under the hood of your car? While not as critical as it used to be, periodically checking under the hood can head off problems before they become costly. Today, with self-service gas stations everywhere, often the only way you will get it done is for you to do it yourself.

 

Start by reading your car owner’s manual or search for your car models manual on line if you bought a used automobile which most of the times doesn’t have manuals for the drivers for them. There will always be a section on under bonnet checks. A word about safety though: read the safety warnings in your owner’s manual and any safety warning stickers under the hood. Also, it’s advisable that you keep a pair of old gloves and a roll of paper towels in the boot.

 

If the engine has been running for any length of time, there are areas under the hood that can be very hot. Except for checking transmission fluid level, all checks should be done while the engine is turned off. If the engine is running, do not put your hands near any belts or fans.

 

BATTERY

 

Most batteries today are “maintenance free”, which simply means that you can’t check the water level. This doesn’t mean however, that there is nothing to check. The main things to check are the top of the battery, which should be clean and dry, and the terminal connections, which should be clean and tight. If the top of the battery continuously becomes damp or corroded soon after cleaning, then have the charging system and battery checked by your mechanic. If by chance you are considering to buy used cars from dealers, and know nothing about batteries, you might wanna check it by looking and inspecting the connection wires. If it is corroded (it is rusty or white chemicals are forming), you can ask the used car dealer to clean it or change the battery to save you more money.

 

Happy motoring – and remember the best source to buy a used car today is OzFreeOnline.com – Cars Section. To sell your car, you can use our free car listings – We promise, it’ll cost you nothing.

 

To keep your car looking good and performing well, OzFreeOnline offers you suggestions on checking the Coolant (Antifreeze) level as well as the engine oil level.

 

COOLANT (ANTIFREEZE) LEVEL

 

Never open the radiator of a car that has just been running. The cooling system of a car is under high pressure with fluid that is usually hotter than boiling water. Look for the cooling system reserve tank, somewhere near the radiator. It is usually translucent white so you can see the fluid level without opening it. (Do not confuse it with the windshield washer tank). The reserve tank will have two marks on the side of it. ‘FULL HOT’ and ‘FULL COLD.’ If the level frequently goes below ‘full cold’ after adding fluid, you probably have a leak, which should be checked as soon as possible. Today’s engines are much more susceptible to damage from overheating, so do not neglect this important system. If your car is prone to overheating, you might wanna change your engine coolant or have your radiator checked up. Cars bought from car auctions usually have this problem so you might wanna research the used car value and asking for the cars service and damage/accident history to be aware of this kind of problems. Having an overheating engine on the road could be a very difficult thing to deal with.

 

ENGINE OIL LEVEL

 

An engine cannot run without oil; oil is what prevents serious engine damage or total destruction! To check the oil level, make sure that the engine is turned off, then find the engine oil dipstick and remove it. With a paper towel or rag, wipe off the end of the stick and notice the markings on it. You will usually see a mark for ‘Full’ and another mark for ‘Add’. If you have just acquired a used automobile, it is wise to check the oil immediately to determine if it is required to refill or do an oil change. Clean oil also is best for car engines.

 

Check your owner’s manual to be sure. Push the stick back into the tube until it sets, then immediately pull it out to see the oil level. You should not add oil unless the level is below the ‘Add’ mark and NEVER add oil to bring the level above the ‘Full’ mark. Your main concern with this check is that oil consumption is not rapidly increasing. If it is, take your car to a repair shop as soon as possible and have it checked out. It is acceptable for the oil to be dark as long as you change it at the recommended intervals. However, it should never be foamy and should never have a strong petrol smell. If either of these conditions exists, have it checked out soon. Remember, you can browse sites like OzFreeOnline to give you some tips and advices in properly maintaining your car but it is also advisable to pay a few dollars for an expert periodically to check your car to get it to its best condition.

 

 

What do we all want while driving? To provide for our families, loved ones, and what have you. How do you accomplish this? There are a whole slew of roads to travel, but one main ingredient is a family car that is always 100% reliable. And if driving creates you running errands faster, to save money on gas, and decreasing air pollution, you win twice. Your 1993 Ford Tempo or whichever car, truck, van, or boat you drive needs to be performing at top capacity.

The most important thing you can do for your car is make regular auto maintenance check-ups, service all the automotive liquids. Oh, by the way, be sure to check your car’s liquids every 2 weeks. That means your oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and transmission liquids. Make checking your tires a constant too. My ex-girlfriend recently called me up and cried that one of her tires exploded driving under a freeway. Yikes. Also, don’t forget to maintain a proper fuel tank level according to your particular car’s engine (see car owner manual). A car owner manual is like the bible of your vehicle. If you don’t already have one, get one. You’ll wish you had one if your car breaks down in the desert.

Your car engine will thank you with better performance and quicker reaction times, which is an essential part of keeping you and your family and friends safe on the road. Make yourself aware of this info. It may save the life of your engine one day. It will save you money on gas and auto maintenance.

Choose the right fuel. Your vehicle is designed to take regular unleaded fuel, which will have this symbol (87) on the pump at the gas station. The 87 symbol refers to the level of octane in the fuel. Using lower grade of fuel will jack up your car engine and will cause heavy knocking, which could easily damage your engine. I drive a Ford Tempo, and my car owner manual says to use the 87 grade of gas.

Higher grade fuels will protect your fuel system from rusting and protect against fuel lock in the fuel system (causes engine to hesitate/stall and hard to restart). In addition, it will minimize fuel deposits in fuel injection system, and prevent your engine from knocking/pinging.

Higher grade fuels will also prevent the fuel system from “gumming up” when not run for long periods of time, not to mention help your, Ford Tempo perhaps, start more easily in winter while assisting in help the prevention of freezing fuel lines.

Tips to increase gas mileage include not driving at life-threatening highway speeds can dramatically lower your fuel economy. It maybe fun, but it’s the car that you don’t see that will do the most damage. Gradually increasing your speed will save you precious fuel. And the way gas prices have been, it is nice not having to cram all your money into your gas tank. Extended idling of your engine will lower your miles per gallon.

I hope theses tips allow you to spend more time with your family and friends. As well as save money on gas, and auto maintenance. Enjoy!

Apart from safety in driving, the other important factor is to maintenance of the car properly.

You must have to follow the rules of the maintenance to keep the car according to the owner’s manual given with the booklet incase you are buying new car.

Here are the tips to keep your car in ever-ready condition:

1. The first thing is you need to change in engine oil at certain mileage according to guideline of the car owner’s manual.

2. The second thing is change in the engine oil according to the car owner’s manual. It is better you can use the branded engine oil for your car and always use same brand for your car. If you replace engine oil by you, you must have to use dipstick to know the level of oil. You must have to wait till oil pour down. It is better you must have to check the oil level and once your oil tank get full close the tank with oil filler cap.

3. Use of transmission fluid is very important. It is important to use the transmission fluid from the same company. Set the transmission at P level and start engine. You must have to diagnoses your engine condition as well as fluid condition. You must have to replace the fluid if it black.

4. You must have to keep a coolant level of your engine. It is show as full or Low. If you find Full than it will be all right but if you find low than you must have to make it full. If your car marks no overflow tank or often get full than you must have to check it in the service station. Please not the low coolant level will damage engine.

5. You must have to regularly check the air pressure on the air station or you can buy tire pressure gauge to measure the air pressure. Please refer the owner manual to gauge the tire pressure. It is also essential to balance your tire at wheel balancing center and align the tire properly. Improper alignment causes increased tire and suspension units wear and poor handling. Improper alignment may cause accident.