Your Cooling System

Ignorance is not always bliss

Car Talk

Your Car's Electrical System

Winter Driving Tips

Identifying Volvo Noises

How Does Your Cooling System Work?

Many people are not fully aware how the systems in their cars work.  We have written a series of articles explaining the different  systems of the automobile and how they work.  We hope that this information will help you better understand your car and what might be wrong with it.  In this article we take a closer look at the coolant system and how it operates.

The purpose of the cooling system is to remove the excess heat that the engine produces. The engine needs the cooling system to help it reach and remain at the most efficient running temperature.  If there were no cooling system in the engine, the temperatures reached by the burning fuel (almost 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit) would melt some parts of the engine and cause the pistons to expand to the point where they would seize in the cylinder. So as you can see maintaining your cooling system is critical.

When the energy is released by the burning fuel in the engine one third of it is used for power, another third of it is removed by the exhaust system, this leaves one third to be dealt with by the cooling system.

The major components of the cooling system are the water pump, thermostat, temperature sensor, radiator and cap.

The coolant system works when the water pump pumps the coolant, usually the chemical propylene glycol (anti-freeze), from the coolant reservoir through passages in the cylinder head.  The heat conducts through the passages and is absorbed by the coolant. The coolant is then pumped to the radiator where the heat is expelled and the coolant begins its trip back to the engine.  When extra cooling is needed the fan turns in the front of the engine pulling cool air through the radiator.

Most of the heat removed by the cooling system is expelled out of the radiator. However, some can be sent to the heater core to be distributed throughout the cabin of the car by the blower motor.

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Ignorance Isn’t Always Bliss

There are plenty of reasons why some states have considered raising the driving age from 16 to 18. In fact, a few parents we’ve talked to say 18 is still cutting it too close. Take for example a customer of ours who agreed to allow his mid-puberty son to drive his beloved Volvo from Michigan to Florida and back.

This devoted dad made his son promise to buckle up and drive the speed limit. He made sure he had snacks and sodas and enough money in his pocket for the round-trip. This parent gave him a map, a cell phone and five telephone numbers to call in case of emergency. But he left out one tiny detail. This trusting dad neglected to tell his son to check the oil. And oh, he also forgot to tell the rookie driver what it meant when the oil light came on.

So the son embarks on his maiden voyage. When the oil light comes on, he becomes irritated, and with the insight of a teenager, uses a piece of cardboard to cover the light. He’s quite proud of his invention, until he hears a loud noise coming from the engine. To drown out what he later described to his father as “thumping and knocking,” the quick-witted young man turned up the radio. Finally, when every drop of oil was sucked dry, the car began to lose power, and with one loud bang, it stopped dead.

Needless to say, we replaced the trashed engine for our customer. And we assume that the dad replaced keys to his car with a key to brand new bike lock.

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Radio Show Tests Fine Line Between Riddles and Reality

It’s a good thing we tune in to Click and Clack, the tongue-in-cheek brothers who host “Car Talk” on National Public Radio. These guys, who refer to themselves as college-educated grease monkeys, are featured on 450 stations and 300 newspapers around the country. So its no wonder that while listeners laugh at their antics, they also take their advice quite seriously.

We found out how fine the line is between Click and Clack’s riddles and their reality when we got a call from an overly concerned Volvo owner who wanted her car to perform better in the snow. At first we were puzzled by her request because everyone knows Volvos are made for driving in frozen rain. But then our light bulbs came on, and we asked her if she’d been listening to “Car Talk.”

Sure enough she had tuned in to the program where the off-the-wall brothers announced they were giving Volvo an award for the irony of being a car from Sweden that wasn’t good for driving in the snow.  The show was funny. In fact, we laughed most of the way through it. But now we have to wonder how many other Volvo owners called their mechanics for a snow upgrade.

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Your Car's Electrical System

The major components of the electrical system and their functions are the battery, the alternator, the wiring, fuses, switches and relays.

The battery stores electricity, but is used primarily for starting the engine or running electrical instruments while the car is off.

The alternator is an electrical generator attached to the fan belt, it converts the mechanical energy produced by the engine into electrical energy used to power the car's electrical instruments and recharge the battery.

Wiring, fuses, switches, and relays are all responsible for getting electricity where it needs to be when you want it to be there.  From turning on your headlights to keeping your fuel pump running, the electrical system acts almost like the nervous system of your car.

The starter coverts the electrical energy from your battery into mechanical energy that turns the crankshaft moving in the engine by turning gears that are attached to the flywheel.  This properly prepares the cylinders for ignition.

The ignition system consists of many electrical parts.  The coil is a coil of copper wires that acts as a transformer boosting the energy in the car from the 12 volts coming out of the battery to 40,000-60,000 volts.  The energy then moves to the distributor cap where it passes through the distributor rotor to metal contacts that are attached to spark plug wires.  The electricity then passes to the spark plugs that ignite the fuel in your engine.

The electrical system ensures that each of your gauges and instruments on your dash are working properly. Keeping your electrical systems maintained will help to keep your car reliable and healthy.

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Volvos are Made for Mother Nature

Service Manager Corky Zaron believes there’s a good reason that Volvos and winter are compatible — The cars are manufactured in Sweden where a large portion of its geography lies in the Arctic Circle. “Volvos are designed and manufactured in a Nordic country, so it makes sense that they’re built to handle winter,” Corky pointed out. “Here at Swedish Engineering we get a lot of comments about how well the heaters work. Someone once said that their car gets so hot he can bake muffins inside.”

Corky has been a Volvo parts and repair manager for more than 22 years, and part of the Swedish Engineering team in Ann Arbor, Michigan, since 1995. He said that even though Volvos run well in cold weather, the key to having a winterized vehicle is to take care of the car year-round. “If people follow the recommended maintenance schedule throughout the year, they should have no problems with their Volvo no matter what season it is,” he said.

For those who have been less attentive to their vehicles, Corky suggested they treat their Volvos to a deluxe oil change and a full safety inspection. That way, he said, the Swedish Engineering mechanics can provide the customer with a comprehensive report about the car’s condition, repair any current problems, and suggest a routine maintenance program. “Any small problems people have with their cars in good weather will probably get worse in bad weather.”

Corky is not only a Volvo service manager, he’s a Volvo owner with a few tips for driving in the winter weather.  He advised drivers to never get overconfident, to be aware of other nearby drivers and to learn the different state laws when traveling. For example, Georgia law mandates that all drivers must turn their headlights on when it rains, even during the day.

Ed Meza, service manager for Swedish Engineering’s Eugene shop, said that new Volvos come standard with daytime running lights (DRLs) because of a 1997 Swedish law that requires drivers to turn their lights on every time they get behind the wheel. DRLs turn on automatically when the ignition is started, and are overridden when regular headlights are activated.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), nearly all published reports indicate that DRLs reduce multiple-vehicle daytime crashes. A 1985 IIHS study conducted in the United States determined that commercial fleet passenger vehicles using DRLs were involved in 7 percent fewer daytime multiple-vehicle crashes than similar vehicles without DRLs.

The IIHS reports that 17 percent of deaths in roadside crashes in 1998 occurred on wet or slippery roads. The good news for Volvo owners is that the Swedish-made vehicle is rated number 2 in the area of crashworthiness for mid-size, four door vehicles. This means that if winter weather conditions cause an accident, the driver and passengers in a Volvo are well protected.

Corky said a good way for Volvo owners to protect themselves from winter conditions in the snow is to reduce the possibility of slipping and sliding. From Thanksgiving to Easter he replaces his four regular tires with a set of Hakkapelittas, a specialty snow tire from Finland. “The difference is phenomenal,” he said. “When you drive with Hakkapelittas in the snow, you fall back in love with your Volvo all over again. Even in 12 inches of snow, Volvos hug the road.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that winter drivers plan their routes more carefully than in other seasons. They suggest people check weather reports to become aware of road conditions ahead of time, and let other people know their route and the estimated time of arrival.

The following are more winter driving tips from the NHTSA and the IIHS:

Maintain your car:
· Check your battery—Remember that while you need more power from your battery in the winter, batteries lose power as temperatures drop.
· Check your tires—Make sure they have the proper pressure, or consider replacing them with snow tires.
· Add anti-freeze to your radiator (50% anti-freeze, 50% water). Cars can and do overheat in the winter.
· For areas with low temperatures, consider buying windshield wipers with rubber covers. But be sure to remove them in the spring because they’re heavy and add to the wear and tear of your wiper motor.

Always carry with you:
· Cell phone
· Flashlight
· Jumper cables
· Small shovel
· Warning devices such as flares
· Blankets
· Ice scraper
· Tow chain
· Food
· Water

If your car won’t start or stalls:
· Stay with your car
· Shine the dome light
· If you are stuck, keep warm by running your car just long enough to remove the chill. Keep the window slightly open to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

Tips on driving in the rain:
· Slow down because it takes longerto stop on wet roads
· Test your brakes
 — With antilock brakes, stomp and steer
 — Without antilock brakes, pump them to avoid wheel lock-up
· Increase the distance between you and the car in front of you
· Make sure your windshield wipers are in good working order
 — Replace them every 6 months to a year, depending on the weather and the wear
· If you slide, remember to steer into a skid

Tips on driving in the snow:
· Don’t get overconfident
· Be aware of other drivers
· If you’re driving in the snow regularly, replace standard tires with snow tires
· If you’re planning to drive through snow in mountain areas, carry snow chains. (Make sure they fit and that you know how to put them on prior to your departure.)

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Knowing Noises Can Silence Sounds

Automobile owners around the world know that when a car begins making a new noise, it can’t be good. While a noise is a noise, people tend to react to them according to how loud they are and where they’re coming from. A faint sound like a gentle hiss, whir, buzz or knock may have people turning down the radio and opening a window, even though they tend to ignore the quieter noises. On the other hand, some noises can’t be ignored. A loud thump, clunk, squeal, scrape, pop or growl demands immediate attention.

A good description of a car noise is as important to a mechanic as a good composite drawing is to an All-Points Bulletin. Dennis Nelson, Swedish Engineering’s ASA certified mechanic and a 27-year Volvo repair veteran, put it this way. “When you’ve been working on Volvos as long as I have, you hear the same noise stories over and over. When people give me a good description of a noise and tell me where it’s coming from, I can pinpoint the problem over the phone.” (For the record, a thorough diagnosis is done at our shop.)

In an effort to educate and inform, and to get readers using a mechanic’s lingo, the next several issues of this newsletter will describe some of the more common noises that Volvos make. This issue deals with some rattling, squealing, scraping and clunking problems.

When You Bump, You Rattle
As much as you’d like it to, a tiny rattle under your car won’t go away. In fact, it will get worse over time. You begin noticing the rattle when you hit a slight bump in the road, or when you press on the gas then suddenly let go. The noise gets more annoying when you’re stopped at the light and it keeps time with the engine.
Logic tells you that since the noise comes from under the car, it’s got to be the muffler or the exhaust system. You’re right, but the question is, “How bad is it?”
If you’re lucky, all you need is a new heat shield or new clamps on your exhaust pipes. Then again, your exhaust system may need to be repaired. Either way, check it out.

When You Brake, You Squeal
You can stop on a dime, but your brakes squeal from either the front or rear of your car. The squeal is quiet at first. Sometimes it gets louder and sometimes it just stops and starts without warning. You might notice that along with the squeal, your car is pulling to one side as you brake.
 Since brakes are good to have, especially on hills, never let a squeal go undetected.
You could just have dirt on the brake rotors, drums, pads or shoes. If your brake pads are worn, you’ll want to replace them before the problem gets worse. Another reason brakes squeal is the brake pads overheated and are now glazed.

When You Brake, You Scrape
Your brakes work fine, except for that scraping noise that comes and goes and gets worse when you back up. And what about that rhythmic scrape you hear when you’re driving slow. It sounds a little like a train. When you speed up, the scraping sound goes away. Slow down and it’s back.
If your scraping noise comes and goes, it could be that your brake shoes or brake rotor are severely worn, or for some reason, your brakes aren’t applying evenly. You might need to have your front wheel bearings adjusted or your brake drums replaced.
The bottom line is, scraping isn’t good. Take care of the problem in its early stage. It will cost a lot less.

When You Brake, You Hear a Clunk
A clunk is one of those noises that you can’t ignore because it is usually loud and it happens suddenly. The intensity of the noise depends on how fast you’re going and how much pressure you put on the brake pedal. If you go fast and stop quickly, the clunk will definitely alarm you. You may even feel the clunk through the steering column.
Do not pass Go. Go directly to the mechanic. The problem may be as simple as a worn steering system or a loose or worn suspension system. You might even have a disc brake caliper that is mounted improperly or some of your brake hardware is severely damaged or missing in action.

When You Change Gears, You Hear a Clunk
It happens with both an automatic and a manual transmission. You change gears, feels a slight pause, and then hear that clunk. You hear it when you shift from reverse to neutral, neutral to forward, or forward to reverse. Basically, there’s no way to change gears without hearing the clunk. And the longer you avoid the problem, the louder the clunk gets.
It’s not that you shouldn’t ignore it, it’s that eventually you can’t. That’s because the most common cause for such a clunk is worn UV joints. And worn UV joints don’t fix themselves.

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