Know how clean motor oil and oil filter affect performance of your car's engine @ Partsavatar

You can change your oil and oil filter to prevent undue engine wear.

The oil filters of car are the filters that screen out the contaminants like dust, metal shavings from engine oil, transmission oil or lubricating oil.

Oil or engine oil is like blood to the engine in your car. As the oil circulates through the engine, it also picks dirt with it. If the contaminants remain in the oil for long time, then the engine may get damaged and eventually car won’t start. So oil filter filters the dirt so that clean oil flows through the engine. It is advised to replace oil and oil filter every 3 to 6 months to ensure better lubrication and engine’s performance. In this article importance of oil and oil filter in an auto mobile is described.   

                                                                                                     

Why clean oil?

Clean oil is very important for good performance of the engine. It keeps all the engine components like valve trains and piston rings lubricated to prevent excess friction and overheating. The tiny, hard particles present in oil can damage surfaces of the engine. This contaminated oil can wear the oil pump machined components. So, to help the lubrication process, engine needs these little cylinders i.e. oil filters.

How does oil filter work?

Talking about structure of oil filter, the outside of the filter is a metal can with sealing gasket. The filter material inside the oil filter is made of synthetic fiber. In early internal combustion engines, due to poor quality of oil and absence of oil filter, oil change was quite frequent. The lubrication systems found in internal combustion engines, create filter by pass so that even under critical circumstances, oil circulates through all parts and keep them lubricated.

Like in winter, if the oil is thick or plugged, it is allowed to bypass the filter. Because of these circumstances, sometimes oil is not filtered.

In oil filters, oil enters the oil filter through the series of holes on the outer edge of base plate. The dirty oil is pushed under pressure through the filter and back through the centre hole, where it re-enters the engine. Modern oil filters come with anti drain back valve. This drain back valve covers the perimeter holes in the base plate in the form of rubber membrane. When the engine is idle, rubber membrane covers the holes. When the engine runs, the rubber membrane is pushed aside, as the oil enters the filter. These valves basically prevent the engine dry starts.

The oil filter captures contaminants like metal shavings, dirt, debris that finagles their way into your engine. Oil filter cleans the oil, thus keeping the engine healthy. Healthy engine results in better fuel economy and optimized car performance.

Types of oil filter

Oil filters are of different types and not all filters are the same.  A wide range of Oil filters is available in the market. Most oil filters look very similar but small differences in gasket size can determine whether or not a particular filter is fit for your engine. It is best to check your owner’s manual to get manufacturer’s recommended oil filter. Not only oil filters but filter media also comes in different ranges.

First let us know about different kinds of oil filters.

PRIMARY OIL FILTER

Also known as full flow filters, these filters are primarily installed in the engines of most automobile manufacturers. Though primary oil filter can filter 100 % oil, but they have lower flow restrictions. In winters, the oil becomes thick and primary oil filter allows small contaminants to pass through them. If the filter becomes clogged, a pressure system will re direct the motor oil to the engine and continue lubrication.

SECONDARY OIL FILTER

These filters are also known as by pass filters. These filters clean small portions of the motor oil before circulating it to the engine. You can install secondary oil filter as they work independently of primary filters. These filters screen out additional contaminants hence reducing the oil change in the engine.

CONVENTIONAL OIL FILTERS

These filters are a form of secondary filters and need replacing more frequently because they could screen small amount of contaminants.

SPINNER FILTERS

Also called centrifugal filters, they use spinning motion to hold and trap the dirt and particles in the oil.

MAGNETIC OIL FILTERS

These filters screen out the metallic impurities present in the oil. You can simply clean these filters regularly to keep it functional.

Now let us read about filter membranes

SYNTHETIC FILTER MEDIA

The high quality oil filters use synthetic filter media. These can filter particles 50% of particles of size 20 microns and need replacement at every 5000 miles.

CELLULOSE FILTER MEDIA

These filters can clean 40 % of the motor oil.  These are used in disposable oil filters and need replacement at every 3000 miles.

MICROGLASS FILTER MEDIA

Microglass media is made of the fiver that is 10 times finer than cellulose fibers. They need to be replaced every 10000 miles.

Always check your owner manual to determine best oil filter fit for your car. Wrong filters can cause oil to leak out of engine. This would eventually lead to serious engine damage. So be careful.

How to change oil and filter

Make sure you refer to your owner’s manual for correct quantity and type of engine oil for your vehicle. Following are the steps to change oil and oil filter.

• Park your car at a safe place. Jack up the car.
• Start and warm up the engine. Switch of the vehicle and allow the engine to rest.
• Loosen the oil filter cap of car, and drain the oil by placing the pan underneath.
• Once the old engine oil has been drained, replace the oil drain plug of car and tighten it.
• Using a suitable filter wrench, loosen the oil filter and then remove it by hand. Wipe around the oil filter mounting surface to clean any old oil.
• Carefully install the new filter into place and tighten it.
• Slowly pour engine oil in it.
• Run the engine for about 1 minute and check the oil level.
• Check the engine and drain plug for oil leaks.
• Job done!

Keep your engine lubricated and finely working with clean oil. See aftermarket oil filters of car available at Partsavatar.ca.

Now get rid of the strange noise coming from the engine and get Muffler and exhaust system parts at cheap prices only at Partsavatar

Is your car’s Engine creating strange sounds? Feeling vibrations? Check out muffler and exhaust system parts at Parts avatar.

Muffler or silencer is basically designed to reduce the noise coming from exhaust system of your automobile. These are generally installed within the exhaust system of your vehicle. The muffler is designed to reduce the loudness of the sound created by the engine.

It uses acoustic quieting technique to quiet the sound. That means the muffler dampens the vibrations to prevent them from reaching the passengers.

MUFFLER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM TYPES

There are different types of high performance muffler as:

1. Turbo muffler

2. Bullet muffler

3. Cherry bomb muffler

4. Full case muffler

5. Perforated bullet mufflers

6. Chambered bullet mufflers

Exhaust systems of different types are:

1. Vector muffler

2. Spiral baffle muffler

3. Aero turbine muffler

4. Single exhaust

5. Dual exhaust

SIGNS OF ISSUES WITH YOUR CAR’S MUFFLER

When the vehicle is louder than usual while running that means the muffler is undergoing some problems. It should be taken to mechanic right away, before further damage could be done to other parts. Here are some useful things to know if you find your vehicle may need muffler or exhaust pipe repair.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER  

         

Car's Catalytic converter is very expensive part of exhaust system. It is widely used in SUV’s and trucks. Muffler damage if ignored, can damage catalytic converter as well, and you may have to spend a lot of dollars in its repairing.

Its being costly is also a reason of being prone to theft. If you notice loud sounds and strange performance of your car upon startup, then it may not be good news for you.

If the catalytic converter is failing in its performance, it may sound as if someone is shaking a box of pebbles while your car is in rest or stopped in traffic. It is advised to make your muffler and catalytic converter checked immediately.

LEAK IN EXHAUST SYSTEM

While driving your car, if you notice strange vibrations and loss of power then get the exhaust system checked by the mechanic. This unusual vibration could be felt while touching the steering and foot pedals. A rock hitting underneath your vehicle could cause crack in the muffler which will result in loose parts of the exhaust system.

You may hear rumbling sound depending on the amount of damage done. The holes and exhaust leak could degrade engine’s performance. It may be needed to replace the exhaust pipe or muffler in this situation.

RUSTING   

Rusting could also damage a muffler. Mufflers do rust by the passage of time. The water collected in the exhaust system causes rusting of muffler. This water condenses because it does not get enough heat to burn off. Some natural factors like Snow, rain and salt can also cause rusting of muffler.

DECREASED FUEL EFFICIENCY

If you fill your gas tank more often than normal then get your car’s exhaust system checked. Leaks in exhaust cause the engine to work harder thus increasing the fuel usage. It is a sign that something is wrong with your vehicle.

When your engine works harder it requires more fuel.

If you are looking for an aftermarket car muffler or need a replacement then Parts avatar has a lot of options for you.

STEPS TO REPLACE YOUR CAR’S MUFFLER

Getting your muffler changed can run into quite an expense. With a few tools and right replacement parts you can save a lot of money. You will need ratchet wrench, socket, hacksaw or reciprocating saw, hammer and assorted wrench to change the muffler. You need to investigate whether you will need to cut the old muffler free or if it set up with a bolt off and replace model.

REMOVING OLD MUFFLER

1. The first thing you need to do is to find a flat surface to park the vehicle. Put the transmission in park and apply emergency brakes. Jack up the front end of your car and put a jack stand on each side to rest it securely. Dirt, grass, gravel are not acceptable surfaces.

2. Disconnect the battery before starting the process. Disconnecting the battery will ensure that vehicle cannot be started in this process.

3. Secure a badly welded muffler with muffler clamps. Spray rust penetrators like WD-40 on bolts. This is done because mufflers are exposed to road, heat and water and have good deal of rust on its surface.

4. Loosen the nuts on the car exhaust clamps with the help of socket or hand wrench. If you want to reuse the muffler clamp then spray it with good amount of rust penetrators.   
 

5. After removing exhaust clamp, respray the area of muffler pipe with rust penetrator and let it rest for few minutes. Pull the muffler towards the back of the car and slip the pipes apart.

CUTTING THROUGH EXHAUST PIPE

1. Take the hacksaw or reciprocating saw or exhaust cutter and cut the exhaust pipe of car directly in front and behind the muffler. Wrap the cutter around the pipe and move the handle back and forth until the pipe is cut. Be careful not to saw through any of the lines underside of the vehicle. Those may be lines connecting to your fuels and brakes.

2. Now you want a fresh connection for new mufflers. Take a pair of pliers and put a few splits in the end of the metal on exhaust pipe at the back end where the muffler will rest. Place the new muffler into available hangers.     

INSTALLING THE MUFFLER

1. Spread a fair amount of muffler sealant on both front and back exhaust pipes. Put the clamps on the pipes and shove them out of your way temporarily.   

2.  Slide the muffler over exhaust piping. Push the ends of muffler into each end of exhaust pipes and put the clamps in place. Make sure there are centered over where the muffler pipe and exhaust pipes meet. Use the socket to tighten them.

3. Raise the vehicle with the jack and remove the jack stands. Un-chock the wheels and take it for a test drive. Make sure there are no leaks in the exhaust pipe and loud noises. An exhaust leak would likely be visible if there is any.

Therefore in this way you have manually replaced your muffler in easy manner. You can explore more after market mufflers or related accessories on Partsavatar.ca.

Protect your car auto parts this winter from freezing.

Lacking winter driving skills? This winter protect your car from sudden onset on highways.

Driving can sometimes be a daunting task when weather is snowy. When your destination has low temperature, winter driving skills are especially critical. This article explains ways to deal with the sudden onset of the vehicle in extremely cold weathers. The following major components should be checked upon before driving in extreme winters.

CABIN

Car cabin’s environment greatly affects a driver’s comfort, performance and fatigue. A seat that causes discomfort, a bumpy, freezing ride can make driver very unpleasant. Following should be kept into mind for better and conformable seat.

1. WEATHER STRIPPING

There are kits available in auto stores for better seats of your cabin. Cold temperatures like -25° C to -40° C make rubber hard and brittle. So, while opening and closing, doors could break and holes may be made in insulation. This will make it difficult to drive the vehicle.

2.  CAR HEATER

You must make sure it works. In the drastic weather if the heater breaks down, one could imagine what deal of inconvenience it would become for the driver.

3. WINDOWS

The quality of glass especially on the windshield should be good. Sometimes, when you defog the windshield, it cracks due to the temperature difference between inside and outside of the vehicle. This could not be a problem for new cars as the advanced technology provides tempered glass but it could become a matter of concern for the old ones. 

ENGINE  

The engine is the most important part of any vehicle. The car itself is incomplete without an engine. When the engine stops working, so does your car. Just as human heart needs to be healthy for you to live, same goes for the car engine auto parts for its proper working. There are several elements that will need to be looked at for better and proper functionality of the auto engine. Those are as follows:

1.  CAR BATTERY

It’s impossible to start a car without a battery. The automotive Battery also manages the electrical system of the car. A shorted out battery will stop electrical systems from running. The colder temperatures tend to slow down the chemical reaction in the battery, thus decreasing the power needed for the car to start. If you have a battery that is three years old then it would be a good idea to replace it.

2. ENGINE BLOCK AND MOTOR OIL

Motor oil needs to stay in liquid form and able to be pumped into the engine when it starts. So the winter viscosity needs to be appropriate. 5W oil may perform well at low temperatures and helps engine from seizing.

Engine block needs to be heated up by using electric engine block heaters, since it provides heat to the block keeping fuel, oil and coolant at temperatures above freezing. This usually comes as standard or optional equipment on trucks with large diesel engines to keep fuel from gelling.

3. FUEL AND FUEL SYSTEM

Diesel fuel because of high viscosity, at low temperatures tend to gel, so there is a heater for fuel tank and fuel lines built in the cars.

Gasoline engines don’t have problems with gelling of fuels. But modern gasoline with ethanol freezes at high temperatures, and water mixed in gasoline may clog auto fuel pump and fuel line.

4. COOLING SYSTEM

The car antifreeze system in cooling mechanism may contain water and freeze in the pipes depending upon temperature. Things may become worse if you have water instead of antifreeze in system things. Mostly blow lamps are used to thaw the engine block and fuel lines on the trucks.

TIRES

When the temperature drops, summer tires tend to slip and provide worse traction than all season or winter tires. Winter tires provide better traction on snow and ice.

ON THE ROAD

If its -25°C temperature, you may find the windows are icing up no matter what you do, you may have to defrost the windshield .These are uncomfortable measures but far better than waiting for the police after you get into accident.

Do not let the gas tank below half full. You may need more fuel than you planned.

So to have a great driving experience this winter without getting stuck somewhere, better have a look at above mentioned elements. If you are thinking to get your accessories changed then don’t forget to visit partsavatar.ca, as they deal in best auto parts across Canada.