Author: Kevin Schappell
Source: articleage.com
When the automotive industry was in its infancy, it used
electricity only to ignite the fuel inside the engine. By the
late 1920's, the electric,, gas regulator, gas regulator, starter replaced the hand crank,
electric headlights made acetylene lamps obsolete and the
braying, gas regulator, of the electric horn drowned out the squeak of the
hand-squeezed air horn. Today, an automobile requires an
elaborate electrical system of circuits just to produce, store,
and distribute all the electricity it requires simply for
everyday operation. The first major component in the electrical
system is the battery. The battery is used to store power for
starting, and for running auxiliary devices such as clocks,
radios and alarms when the engine is off. The next major
component is the starter motor, which is used to start the
engine. The third component is a charging device powered by the
engine, known as the alternator. It powers the electrical system
when the car is running, and restores the charge, gas regulator, within the
battery. With these basic components, the car maintains its
supply of electricity. A device called the voltage regulator
keeps the power level stabilized, and the fuse box keeps minor
problems from becoming major ones. Many different auxiliary
electrical devices are used in modern cars, such as: radios,
cellular phones, rear window defrosters and electric door locks,
as well as a vast array of motors powering everything from the
moon roof on down. The above information is directly from the
Auto Insight program, which you can buy online from
AutoEducation.com. Common Problems: ทThe battery is usually the
first part of the system to wear out. Most batteries last
between 3 and 7 years depending on brand and design. Batteries
can be fine on minute, and dead the next. More on this later.
ทBlown fuse: Is one part of the electrical system not working
like the interior lights or dash lights? The first thing to
check is the fuses. Look for the fuse panel under the dash,, gas regulator, in
the glove box, or even in the engine compartment, gas regulator, in some cars.
Most fuse boxes will be labeled by circuit. Modern cars use a
blade type fuse which is rectangular in shape and transparent.
Look for the wire, which runs through the fuse, and see if it is
burned through. Any discoloring of the fuse is a good sign the
fuse has blown. If you have doubts, replace with a new fuse and
test the system, which is not working. ทAlternator:, gas regulator, Does your
car start ok, but your headlights dim when idling. It could be a
bad alternator. When the alternator, gas regulator, cannot produce enough
electricity to keep the electrical systems running and the
battery will have to be used to take up the slack. This will
eventually wear down the battery and not allow your car to
start. Troubleshooting: I don't think there is a tougher system
to troubleshoot on your car than the charging/starting system.
This is due to the fact that there are many things that can go
wrong and it's tough to test some components without special
equipment. Let's go over some possible situations, gas regulator, and their
possible causes. ทCar won't start, all I hear is a click but the
engine does not turn. oFirst check all battery cables for
corrosion as this will keep power from flowing, gas regulator, freely to, gas regulator, the
starting system. If they are dirty, clean with a wire brush and
reattach. Apply a light coat of grease to the top of the
terminals to prevent further corrosion. oBattery could not have
enough power stored in it to spin the engine. This can be caused
by a bad cell in the battery or from a bad alternator not
charging the battery when the engine is running. If you can get
the car to a mechanic, have him or her test the battery and
charging system with a special tester. This tester places a load
on the battery and can tell the condition. They can also check
to see if the alternator is, gas regulator, working to it's full potential.
oStarter or solenoid could be bad. If you can not jump start the
car and all of the battery cables are ok then suspect the
starter. ทCar won't start, I hear nothing. oCheck battery cables
as above. oHave the battery tested. There could be a bad cell
causing a short. You can try jump-starting but often the car
will not stay running. ทCar won't start, all I hear is a
horrible grinding noise. oGrinding noises point to the starter
not properly meshing with the flywheel. This can be caused by a
bad solenoid or a bad spot on the flywheel. oI have also seen
starters loosen up so they no longer contact the flywheel at the
proper distance. While not common, it is something to keep in
mind. ทCar starts but my headlights are dim at low engine
speeds. oLook to, gas regulator, the alternator for problems. Take the car to
your mechanic to have the alternator checked for proper
operation. oCheck for loose wires going to the alternator. Also
check for corrosion, as this will inhibit the alternator from
charging properly. oCheck the tension on the alternator belt. If
it is too loose,, gas regulator, the belt may slip and not drive the alternator
properly, gas regulator, . As you can see there are, gas regulator, plenty of things to go wrong
with the charging system and it is always best to take the car
to your mechanic and have it tested before you go replacing
parts blindly. Preventing problems with your, gas regulator, electrical system:
ทReplace your battery every 4 years as a, gas regulator, safety measure. It will
save allot of, gas regulator, headaches down the road. ทIf your battery is not a
sealed unit, check fluid levels in each cell. Only fill with
distilled water and be careful around the acid, which is in the
battery. ทCheck your alternator belt frequently for cracks and
tension, gas regulator, . Replace per your cars manufacturers recommendations.
ทClean your battery connections at least once a year. Parts
stores sell a handy terminal cleaner which is basically a round
wire brush,, gas regulator, which works wonders. Once you reattach the
terminals, coat with a layer of heavy grease or special purpose
grease sold at parts stores. This layer will block the air from
reacting with the connectors and creating corrosion. How to jump
start your car: Jump-starting your car does not have to be a
hard task. First lay out the cables on the ground between the
two cars. Make sure that the cable, gas regulator, is not tangled and none of
the end clamps are touching each other. The car with the good
battery, gas regulator, should be running. Step 1: Take the positive (red) clamp
closest to the car with the good battery and hook it to the
positive terminal of that car. The positive terminal will have a
+ sign on it and usually a red wire running to it. Step 2:
Repeat this step on the car with the bad battery, hooking up the
positive clamp to the positive terminal, gas regulator, on the, gas regulator, battery. Make
sure the clamps are contacting well and can not fall off. Step
3: Take the negative cable (black) closest to the car with the
good battery and hook it to the negative terminal of the
battery. The negative terminal will have a - sign and usually a
black wire running to it. Step 4: This is the last step and the
most important. Take the negative clamp closest to the car with
the bad battery and attach it to a bare metal part of the
engine. DO NOT hook it to the batteries negative terminal as
there maybe hydrogen gas present from the battery and a spark
from the connection could cause an explosion. That's it......
turn the key on the dead car and the car should start. If it
does not, try revving the engine on the good car, gas regulator, to boost, gas regulator, the
charge coming from the alternator. If this does not work, try
wiggling the cables to assure you have a good connection. GOOD
sets of jumper cables are a necessity. I have had cheaper sets
not jump-start a dead car. I, gas regulator, actually, gas regulator, had to double up two cheap
sets to get enough current to start my car. The cheaper sets
will have thinner cables, which cannot carry enough amperage to
start some, gas regulator, stalled cars. I would suggest buying a cable, which
has 4,6 or 8-gauge wire.
