FAQs

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Car air-conditioning systems need to be serviced from time to time and the older the vehicle the greater the possibility of leaks developing as a result of hoses and seals breaking down from the extreme under bonnet temperatures and work hardening process. It’s everybody’s environmental responsibility to contain refrigeration gasses in their sealed environments and regular servicing of your car’s air-conditioner will be an enormous contribution to this end.

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The car air-conditioner utilises a pump also referred to as a compressor to circulate the refrigerant gas from the evaporator to the condenser thus completing the refrigeration cycle. The pump is in most cases, engine driven via belts and pulleys, its drive shaft is sealed to the atmosphere by a complex high pressure sealing device and it is this device that needs to be kept lubricated to affect its sealing function. That is why it makes good sense to run your air-conditioner from time to time even if the outside temperature is pleasant enough without air-conditioning.

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Yes, so long as hardware can be fitted to support the lights then the electrical connections can be carried out by a qualified auto electrician. Long range driving lights can be fitted to nudge bars and bull bars and there are also less obtrusive brackets that can be fitted discreetly.

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Yes, it is important to maintain the electrolyte level in car batteries; all lead acid batteries for that matter cannot withstand the plate area exposed to the atmosphere. If you find that the battery requires frequent topping up then it is reasonable to suppose that the car electrical system and particularly the alternator will need attention. The alternator relies on the voltage regulator to maintain the correct output and not over charge or under charge the battery. If the car wiring is at all faulty then this could also be the cause of excess water usage in the battery.

Use only pure clean water to top up car batteries, the high and low levels are clearly marked on the battery case.

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Every 2 years for the average vehicle depending on the quality of the fuel and type of use or as performance declines.

Fuel injectors have very fine passages in the discharge nozzle and rely on the fuel filter to pass only clean fuel. However if the fuel contains liquid contaminates of similar viscosity to petrol then the filter will not hold this element back, in fact it is this situation that leads to the injector passage restriction by a varnish like substance. It is very important to ensure only clean fuel goes into the tank and that the tank is cleaned thoroughly in the event of a load of bad petrol or diesel.

Liquid fuel additive ‘injector treatment’ is sometimes a stop gap measure to carry on but if the injectors are to perform at their best then they should be removed and professionally serviced.

If you suspect a decline in performance then have your vehicle professionally diagnosed, this is a relatively inexpensive process and begins with an analysis of the exhaust gas where the individual gas components can be measured and from this a precise picture of anything amiss is drawn together.

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Some of the answers lie in the fine print in your owner’s manual or service booklet where it states (X) thousand kilometres or 6 months whichever occurs first. It will go on to advise to have it serviced more frequently. Now that is simple and the facts back it up because a vehicle doing short runs like taking the kids to school and down to the shops will kill your engine if the contaminates that accumulate as a result of this driving pattern are not drained away more frequently. Sludge accumulation has been likened to lung cancer in humans because the engine internals resemble the tar accumulation in the human lung and it is in fact lethal in terms of car engine life and trade-in values.

A quick authentication is to remove the oil filler cap, in the worst case there will be a tar like buildup and in a lesser afflicted a varnished appearance will be present. There is nothing short of a major engine rebuild to reverse the condition. Car dealers are quick to use this as a reason to de-value your car at trade-in time.

According to Castrol, modern car engines will run well up to 200,000km if they are well maintained including regular oil changing. They can go on to over 500,000 without a major overhaul – a taxi is a good example of this and some go on to a million km.

Why change your oil? Water vapour and gasses from the engine’s combustion process all finish their journey in your oil. If you travel less than 20km after each cold start, your oil will soon become saturated with contaminants and lose its ability to protect your engine and this applies regardless of which oil quality or brand you are using.

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Brake fluid should be changed at 18 months in the tropics and 24 months in the cooler parts of Australia because it is hydroscopic – that is to say it imbibes moisture from the atmosphere and therefore has the potential to become unstable.

To explain: Most brake fluids have a boiling point of 270 degrees C in their pure form that is before water dilution. Water boils at 100 degrees C and its presence in the brake fluid will lower the temperature where vapour will begin to form.

The presence of vapour means that some of the brake pedal movement is taken up in compressing the vapour instead of applying the brakes. If enough vapour is present the brake pedal will go right to the floor.

The problem may never show itself in cars that are driven only in the city where braking loads are light and braking temperatures moderate. However vapour point and subsequent loss of brakes will most likely occur on the highway where vehicle loads and speeds are higher and this is more critical in summer months. Running out of brakes will definitely spoil your day.

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Motor vehicles fitted with anti lock brakes will generate brake pedal feedback under heavy braking because of the way the ALB system operates. For the system to prevent brake lockup it releases braking pressure on the wheel or wheels that are about to lock (skid) so, because the brake pedal is the primary origin of the pressure what you feel is micro pulses of pressure relief.

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There are four areas every motorist can focus on that can really make a big difference to fuel consumption.

The easiest one to get in order is to make your vehicle as light as possible by removing any unnecessary load you’re carrying; for example in the family car you might keep your golf clubs in the boot along with other bits and pieces, this will impact on fuel used. If you drive a Ute then there is room for this problem to manifest itself; remember every Kg counts.

Make your vehicle streamlined: An example is the back of a Ute which if left uncovered will gobble up 1.5 to 2 litres per hundred. Another example is open windows: This is a source of wind drag and makes a measurable difference to fuel mileage.

Inflate your tyres to the recommended pressure and this will have a major impact on using less petrol or diesel.

Save all around by slowing down: Did you know that on average cars and Utes will use up to 20% less petrol or diesel if you travel at 95 Km/h instead of 110 Km/h?

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Using only good quality heavy duty jumper leads, connect the red Positive (+) jumper clamp to the dead battery, and connect the other positive clamp of the cable to the positive terminal of the battery in the starting vehicle. Connect the negative clamp of the cable to the negative terminal of the battery in the starting vehicle. Connect the other negative clamp of the cable to the vehicle’s engine block, or other metal surface of the car but well away from the battery in case of a spark so as to reduce possibility of fire. This metal surface is exclusive of the carburettor or tubing on the car with the discharged battery. This serves as your ground or negative circuit connection point. Make certain all cables are clear of fan blades, belts and other moving parts of both engines and that everyone is standing away from the vehicles. Start the car of the battery providing the jump start; then try to start the car with the dead battery. If the car starts, allow the engine to return to idle speed, and then remove the cables in the reverse order that you connected them.