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AUTOMOTIVE

Hi,  It's me...the Campus Car Doctor!
Since the re-opening of the Automotive Department at Facilities Services here at CSUSB took place in July 2000, I've been contemplating writing about issues that would help motorists maintain the safety and reliability of their vehicles. Each day comes with questions from faculty, students and staff members who ask me questions about their car.  It always starts out something like this:  "My car is making a funny noise..." "Do you know what these parts are?", or... "My car has this really bad smell", and one of my favorites..."Tim, can you help me find out why this HUGE plume of smoke keeps following my car?".   Well, first of all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So I share with you some thoughts as to how to be more in tune with your vehicle (old or new), in hopes that it will save you time, money, and the pure headache of being without your rolling investment.

Be your own detective:

THREE CLUES TO CAR TROUBLE

By Tim Campbell

Of all the mysteries in life, how your car works does not have to be one of them. But you wouldn't guess it from the number of people who ask me questions about their car; the very same car that has been screaming out clues for miles.  Yet they drive it anyway until that minor problem becomes a major one, and as the car gets towed to a shop, the owner always looks puzzled and says, “Gee... I don't know what happened, it just broke down all of a sudden." (Yeah, Right!)
Well, It’s high time to de-mystify some car mysteries:

1. SMOKE. Don't panic at the sight of smoke from the tailpipe. The color of the smoke can lead you to the problem.

   Black smoke: Caused by a fuel mixture that’s too rich. Don't worry if it’s black for only a minute or two after the engine is first started and then disappears. It’s normal for the fuel mixture to be richer at a cold start-up. But if the black smoke continues, see a professional automotive technician, because not only are you wasting gasoline and polluting the atmosphere, you may have a fuel-mixture problem that could involve everything from a computer malfunction to a dirty fuel-injection system. On older vehicles the carburetor and choke system may be at fault. This condition may lead to damage to the catalytic converter (part of your emissions system), which comes with a pretty hefty repair bill.

   Blue smoke: Indicates burning engine oil. That doesn't necessarily mean your engine is shot, kaput, finished, bone yard bound; it just might mean you haven't been changing the engine oil faithfully. Take it to the shop to determine the cause before you find out that a simple oil change could have avoided a costly repair.

   White smoke: A sign either of moisture in the system or of burning transmission fluid in the engine. Moisture gets there via a blown head gasket, a cracked cylinder head or a cracked engine block — all serious enough to cause performance problems. But if your transmission fluid level goes down for no apparent reason at the same time you notice the start of the white smoke, figure that the vacuum modulator on your automatic transmission is broken. Again, head to the shop for repairs.

2. LEAKS. They’re easy to detect and often overlooked. Check out the garage floor where your car is usually parked and do a little detective work to solve this mystery.

   Coolant: Usually green (although in some late-model vehicles the coolant is a light pink) and leaks at the front end of your car. Tend to this immediately or you'll be one of those poor, hapless souls whose car overheats and leaves you on the side of the road.

   Engine oil: This fluid will be black or brown when in need of changing, and also could leak at the front end of the car. If your vehicle is old with high mileage, you’re likely to see some spots here and there, and you might just decide to live with the problem. But if your newer car is leaking puddles instead of drops, head to the shop to find the source of the leak.

   Transmission fluid: It’s red when it’s clean, but throughout its lifetime goes to a dark pink or brownish-red and, with a failure, metal-flake burnt orange. Look for leaks around the middle of the car, leaning toward the front end. Because the transmission is hydraulically operated, any transmission-fluid leak deserves immediate attention. To avoid mistaking transmission fluid for engine oil, get a small sample of the leak on a white paper towel, and then use the dipsticks from the engine oil and the transmission fluid to get a few drops on the towel for comparison. You can determine by the smell of the fluid if it's transmission fluid or some other mystery oil. Remember that some vehicles use automatic transmission fluid in the power steering, so keep that in mind as well.

   Power-steering fluid: It will be located within the engine compartment and is usually clear, red, or brown. (Some vehicles use automatic transmission fluid in the power steering.)  The first sign you’re low on power-steering fluid is a low growling or whining sound when making extreme turns. Head to the shop, because finding and fixing this leak is a repair for the professionals.

   Differential gear oil: It drips in the center between the rear wheels. It’s brownish, and if you hear a faint howling sound that changes pitch on acceleration or deceleration, the rear end is probably low on grease. Continued driving will result in expensive damage, so head to the shop immediately!

   Brake fluid: Leakage possible at each wheel and just in front of the drivers seat area inside the engine compartment, the brake fluid is a yellowish-clear fluid that, when empty will cause complete brake failure. Check the brake reservoir at the master cylinder and maintain the fluid with the recommended type brake fluid. If your detective work reveals a low fluid level have a professional automotive brake technician inspect your car's brake and hydraulic system.

3. ODORS. It’s true, the nose knows. It makes good sense to check out these scents:

   Burnt-toast smell: Smoldering wires in the electrical system emit an acrid smell, like badly burnt toast.

   Rotten-egg smell: That’s a tell-tale sign of sulfur, indicating a problem with the catalytic converter. If you continue to drive your car under this condition the catalytic converter will clog up – and, again, that’s a costly repair.

   Sweet, steamy smell: Here’s another clue you’re leaking antifreeze. Search for the green puddles and head to the shop to repair the leaking hose. (You might try this repair yourself, but only do it if you have confidence in your skills.)

   JEEEZE, WHAT'S THAT SMELL!: This pretty much sums up the smell of overheating brakes. If you've ever followed an 18 wheeler down a long steep grade, you pretty much know what I'm talking about. That same smell can be emitted from your car as well. Check it out, but be aware you might detect a faint odor if you've just had new brakes put on your car. It should dissipate in a few days. You may also smell it if you've been in very heavy traffic or traveling in the mountains and you were riding the brakes heavily. Again, the smell should fade as the brakes cool. In all other cases, head to the shop. Obviously, failing brakes are no small problem.

Clearly there is a host of other indications that come to you by way of weird sounds and strange sights, so don't ignore any clues that stray too far from your car ’s normal performance.  Take your vehicle to a reputable car care technician and maintain your vehicles health on a regular preventative maintenance schedule.

Until then... I'll be waiting for you at the finish line!

Tim
Campbell
Lead Automotive Mechanic
Facilities Services