Car Components Advanced Driving 

Road positioning

The way you position the car can help to supplement the information given by the direction indicators as to the way you intend to go. However, in towns and other dense traffic situations, it is not always possible to place the car exactly where you’d like – it may be necessary to move away from the ideal position to make room for other traffic so that you avoid causing a jam. In normal driving you should aim to occupy the middle of your lane, so that you are clear of…

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Car Components Modificaions 

How to install an oil temperature gauge

Oil temperature gauges can either be mechanical or electrical. Below is an example of each type of kit. The Lucas mechanical gauge kit consists of the gauge with capillary tube and sender unit (A), and adapter nut and sealing washer (B). The TIM electrical gauge kit consists of the gauge with wiring (C) —which may be mounted via brackets and fixing screws (D) or via an adhesive pad (E) — cable ties (F), sender unit (G), adapter nut (H), and nut, washers and terminal connector (I). The working temperature of…

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Car Components Advanced Driving 

Driving in wet weather

Roads seldom flood for any great distance, as the water runs down to fill the low spots. In dips, the water can be quite deep, so it is a good idea to test the depth with a stick first to make sure that you’ll be able to get through. Standing water, even when it is shallow can cause aquaplaning. Water under trees and in other areas of shade will be the last to dry. The assumption that the good grip of modern tyres means you are always safe on wet…

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Car Components Modificaions 

How to tint windows

You can tint windows by sticking on or spraying on the tinted material. Both are available in a range of colours. The film-type stick-on tint (A), is shown here in three colours; bronze, smoke (blue grey) and silver mirror tint. The Sperex spray-on type tint (B) comes in an aerosol can and is available in smoke, bronze and blue. More and more top-of-the-range cars are being fitted with tinted windows as standard. Tinted windows have practical benefits. They provide extra privacy inside the car, making it more difficult for a…

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Car Components Advanced Driving 

Fuel-efficient driving techniques

Areas to check for fuel saving One of the largest single expenditures in running a car is fuel, and great savings in motoring costs are made by reducing fuel consumption. This means adopting a driving technique that minimizes the amount of accelerating and heavy braking you have to do. Driving for economy is all about sustaining momentum building up speed steadily and trying not to lose it. Throttle control The actual running costs of a car are taken up by fuel, tyres, servicing and repairs. Fuel accounts for more than…

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Advanced Driving Car Components 

Crossing train tracks safely

In this type of crossing the barrier descends only over the left-hand half of the road on each approach side. Flashing lights are operated automatically by the train. Warning amber lights flash first then red ones. You should never try to drive in a zigzag round the closed barriers, against the lights. This could be fatal. As you drive over the crossing don’t be tempted to look up and down the track. Keep your eyes on the crossing. As you approach the level crossing and you see the barriers are…

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Car Components Advanced Driving 

Steering

The ‘boy racer’ straight arm technique — fine for the narrow confines of a racing car cockpit, but totally unsuitable for a road car. As you come out of a turn, straighten up by reversing the method. Do not allow either hand to stray beyond the `12 o’clock’ position, because this greatly reduces the degree of fine control you have over the steering. Even when you have applied considerable lock through a tight turn, your hands should still remain opposite each other, ready to apply corrective lock if you skid…

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Car Components Technology 

How car oil is refined

Crude oil is broken down into its constituent hydrocarbons inside a fractionating column. Lighter hydrocarbons, including petrol, are tapped off high up the column while heavier ones, such as diesel, separate out lower down. Modern fuels have to be sufficiently volatile to ignite quickly, even under adverse conditions, and they have to have the correct blend of hydrocarbons to burn evenly enough to develop useful power in an internal combustion engine. The fuel must also have the right octane value to prevent pinking (detonating too early) which can cause engine…

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Car Components Technology 

Torque and BHP explained

An engine’s power is measured by running the engine against a load on a dynamometer. The braking effort needed to hold the engine at a steady speed on full throttle gives the torque. The power can then be calculated by multiplying the torque by the engine speed. An engine which produces a lot of torque over a wide range of engine speeds will be relaxing to drive because fewer gearchanges are needed: the engine’s torque is often sufficient to accelerate the car without changing down. At cruising speeds a lorquey’…

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Car Components Technology 

Dashboard technology

Top-of-the-range Audis have an electronic check system that automatically monitors various systems. When the check system detects a serious fault, such as loss of engine oil pressure, it displays the oil-pressure symbol on a red background and sounds warning chimes to alert the driver to the danger. A more minor fault, such as low washer fluid, is displayed on a yellow background to show that it is less serious. The driver can run the auto-check system by pressing the check button. If all is well, the system lights up ‘OK’.…

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