FIVE THINGS TO NEVER DO TO YOUR CAR

[Raiden]

I came across this bit of information just though it would be informative for some to read here.

FIVE THINGS TO NEVER DO TO YOUR CAR


Most people know not to stick their fingers through the bars at the zoo -- though some don't and get to learn from the experience. Likewise, there are things you should never do to your car or truck that can have consequences every bit as unpleasant -- and sometimes as permanent -- as offering your succulent fingertips to a hungry rhesus monkey. These include:

Sunny day car wash: Dousing your car with water in bright sunlight can be ruinously bad for its finish. First, the sun heats up the metal to the point it's scalding hot to the touch. Then, you add some nice tepid tap water -- which is immediately boiled off the finish, along with caustic soap and whatever grime you didn't clear off -- while any remaining rivulets of moisture act like a magnifying glass, amping-up the power of the sun's murderous rays. The end result is not pretty -- and cosmetics aside, you've cut into the resale/trade-in value of your vehicle by flailing its finish. New cars with base/clear-coat paints are especially vulnerable to sun damage, because once the very thin clear topcoat is burned away or otherwise damaged, the paint will never shine again, no matter how hard you wax and polish. Only an expensive repaint will fix things. It’s far better to wash on cloudy, overcast days -- or at least in the shade, away from direct sunlight. A great time to wash a car is just after dawn -- and in the late afternoon, just as the sun is slipping past the horizon.

Pressure washing a modern car's engine: A grimy engine that runs properly is much better than a clean engine that won't -- which is what you risk if you force jets of water past rubber seals and into the sensitive electronics that are fitted to all modern, computer-controlled engines. There's a reason for the hood (and all those protective coverings). They're there to prevent moisture and contaminants from wreaking havoc with the sensors, wiring harnesses, sending units and other components that like to be sprayed with water about as much as your typical house cat. Excess moisture can short-out electrical parts, cause intermittent malfunctions (including stalling for no reason, hard-starting, rough-running) and make dashboard "check engine" light flash (or stay on) for no apparent reason. It's OK to degrease your engine with a garden hose if you like to keep it clean; just don't use high-pressure sprayers like you find in self-serve car washes as they can force water past rubber seals and weather stripping into places it isn't supposed to go.

Overloading the alternator/charging system: Teens used to be into exhaust headers and big Holley carburetors. Now they're into boom-boom audio systems -- bass reflectors and subwoofers that take up most of the trunk and create enough racket to be heard in a different time zone. Aesthetics aside, a common problem with installing this kind of gear is overtaxing the factory-installed alternator and charging system, which may not be able to handle the additional demand. What typically happens is the overtaxed alternator fails to keep the battery charged -- so it rapidly drains and the car can't be started one morning. Frequent replacement of the battery becomes necessary -- but that only crutches the problem. The alternator itself eventually fails prematurely due to the excess loads -- an expensive part to burn up for no good reason. And sometimes, the car doesn't run right -- or won't run at all -- because there is insufficient voltage to operate the electric fuel pump, fuel injection system and other components because of the excess "draw" of aftermarket audio gear. Those planning on putting in a monster stereo (or any high-load aftermarket electronics) should check whether they ought to also install a high-output alternator that's equal to the job. It beats having to buy a new battery every month.

"Universal fit" wheels: Replacing the wheels that came with the car is a popular way to personalize a vehicle. But don't make the mistake of buying "universal fit" wheels that are designed to fit multiple vehicles using shims and "make it fit" bolt patterns. This can be extremely dangerous, yet people do it all the time. Automotive wheels are not like generic aspirin; they're very specific to the application -- and it's critical that such things as backspacing and bolt pattern be correct for your particular vehicle. Shims of any kind are an extreme no-no. And don't try and fit metric rims on a car designed for no-metric -- and vice-versa. Before you buy any non-factory wheel for your vehicle, consult the manufacturer to make sure it was designed to fit. Use the correct lug nuts, too. (It's often the case that you must swap them along with the wheels for the changeover to be safe.) A good tire shop can be of assistance here.

Tow an automatic-equipped car with drive wheels down: If you want to destroy your automatic transmission or greatly reduce its service life, a fast way to do it is to allow the vehicle to be towed with its drive wheels down. An automatic transmission uses hydraulic fluid under high pressure to transfer the engine's power to the road. The hydraulic fluid also lubricates the transmission's internal parts -- but only when the transmission's torque converter is being turned by the running engine. When the engine's not running -- as when the vehicle is being towed -- the torque converter isn't pumping pressurized fluid through the transmission, so there's no lubrication. But if the drive wheels are down and turning, the transmission is being "run" -- without proper lubrication.

It's like running the engine without an oil pump, and the results can be just as ugly. Therefore, if you are about your automatic-equipped car or truck, insist on a rollback truck if you need a tow. Instead of dragging the vehicle, the entire car is winched aboard the rollback, tightly secured and carted off. More and more towing companies are using rollbacks rather than old-style tow trucks because they're safer -- and limit the potential for damage to the towed vehicle.

Posted in car maintenance by Benz

http://benzs.blogspot.com/2007/11/be...-your-car.html

[ichitaka05]

"Universal Fit" Wheel one made me laugh. Seriously? WOW~ LMAO

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by ichitaka05

"Universal Fit" Wheel one made me laugh. Seriously? WOW~ LMAO

That's right. Never put wheels with standard 5 x 4 1/2" bolt pattern on metric 5 x 114.3mm bolt pattern hubs, especially if everything else is the same. Bad things will happen!

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by Dimman

That's right. Never put wheels with standard 5 x 4 1/2" bolt pattern on metric 5 x 114.3mm bolt pattern hubs, especially if everything else is the same. Bad things will happen!

Oh~ I thought, if it didn't fit you just drill another hole in the wheels it works.

[C-Bone]

Originally Posted by Raiden

Sunny day car wash: Dousing your car with water in bright sunlight can be ruinously bad for its finish...

Makes sense however I would feel ok washing a white car, I dont think I've ever felt a white car get very hot even in 85+ degree weather with direct sunlight. maybe the inside acting like an oven but not the outside...

Originally Posted by Raiden

Tow an automatic-equipped car with drive wheels down:

And hopefully no one would do this on their own, but I'd be worried about a tow truck driver, never had a car towed but I'd hope they know what they are doing

[70NYD]

Originally Posted by Dimman

That's right. Never put wheels with standard 5 x 4 1/2" bolt pattern on metric 5 x 114.3mm bolt pattern hubs, especially if everything else is the same. Bad things will happen!

lol imperial standard (i hate imperial measurements SI ftw )
5x4.5" and 5x114.3 is the same shit isnt it?

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

lol imperial standard (i hate imperial measurements SI ftw )
5x4.5" and 5x114.3 is the same shit isnt it?

Yup.

[70NYD]

so then i dont get it why cant u use one of the wheels then (assuming right offset, axle bolt can fit through and brakes clear) im just a little confused is all. or were u being scrcastic??

on the topic of funny shit here is something from AstinaGT.com

Haynes: Rotate anticlockwise.
Translation: Clamp with vice grips then beat repeatedly with hammer
anticlockwise.

Haynes: This is a snug fit.
Translation: You will skin your knuckles!

Haynes: This is a tight fit.
Translation: Not a hope in hell matey!

Haynes: As described in Chapter 7...
Translation: That'll teach you not to read through before you start, now you are looking at scary photos of the inside of a gearbox.

Haynes: Pry...
Translation: Hammer a screwdriver into...

Haynes: Undo...
Translation: Go buy a tin of WD40 (catering size).

Haynes: Retain tiny spring...
Translation: "Jeez what was that, it nearly had my eye out"!

Haynes: Press and rotate to remove bulb...
Translation: OK - that's the glass bit off, now fetch some good pliers to dig out the bayonet part.

Haynes: Lightly...
Translation: Start off lightly and build up till the veins on your forehead are throbbing them re-check the manual because this cannot be 'lightly' what you are doing now.

Haynes: Weekly checks...
Translation: If it isn't broken don't fix it!

Haynes: Routine maintenance...
Translation: If it isn't broken... it's about to be!

Haynes: One spanner rating.
Translation: Your Mum could do this... so how did you manage to botch it up?

Haynes: Two spanner rating.
Translation: Now you may think that you can do this because two is a low, tiny, 'ikkle number... but you also thought the wiring diagram was a map of the Tokyo underground (in fact that would have been more use to you).

Haynes: Three spanner rating.
Translation: But Nova's are easy to maintain right... right? So you think three Nova spanners has got to be like a 'regular car' two spanner job.

Haynes: Four spanner rating.
Translation: You are seriously considering this aren't you, you plebe!


Haynes: Five spanner rating.
Translation: OK - but don't expect us to ride in it afterwards!!!

Haynes: If not, you can fabricate your own special tool like this...
Translation: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Haynes: Compress...
Translation: Squeeze with all your might, jump up and down on, swear at, throw at the garage wall, then search in the dark corner of the garage for, whilst muttering, "bugger" repeatedly

Haynes: Inspect...
Translation: Squint at really hard and pretend you know what you are looking at, then declare in a loud knowing voice to the wife, "Yep, as I thought, it's going to need a new one"!

Haynes: Carefully...
Translation: You are about to cut yourself!

Haynes: Retaining nut...
Translation: Yes, that's it, that big spherical blob of rust.

Haynes: Get an assistant...
Translation: Prepare to humiliate yourself in front of someone you know.

Haynes: Turning the engine will be easier with the spark pugs removed.
Translation: However, starting the engine afterwards will be much harder. Once that sinking pit of your stomach feeling has subsided, you can start to feel deeply ashamed as you gingerly refit the plugs.

Haynes: Refitting is the reverse sequence to removal.
Translation: But you swear in different places.

Haynes: Prise away plastic locating pegs...
Translation: Snap off...

Haynes: Using a suitable drift...
Translation: The biggest nail in your tool box isn't a suitable
drift!

Haynes: Everyday toolkit
Translation: Ensure you have an RAC Card & Mobile Phone

Haynes: Apply moderate heat
Translation: Placing your mouth near it and huffing isn't moderate heat.

Haynes: Index
Translation: List of all the things in the book, bar the thing you want to do!

For Added Haynes Fun: Go to the first section, Safety First, and read the bit about Hydrofluoric Acid - do you really want the advice of a book
that uses this form of understatement???!!?

Now look at the lovely colour section on body repairs - as you look at these two pages say to yourself over and over until it sinks in "mine will never look like that..."

Flick to the end and look at the colour glow plug pictures, how do these compare to the glow plugs in your Mini? If you cannot locate the glow plugs in your Mini see the last translation on the list!

Haynes Manuals are the (c)opyright of a very disturbed sadist

[zbirdman777]

You should never add those fake plastic fender vents to your car either... I hate those. They should be #6.

[Dimman]

Being a TINY bit sarcastic, heh.

As for the Haynes thing that's pretty good. It's weird, I've got the crappy do it yourself books from Haynes USA, and I've got some awesome racing mod books from Haynes UK (the 'Competition Car' series).

[70NYD]

this is reffering to the home mechanic DIY fix em up series (workshop manual)

lol i didnt pick that up ay.. (obviously)

[Doty0588]

Man the Haynes manual translation is hilarious.