Archive for January, 2009
Posted on January 20, 2009 - by Richard
Heater Core Basics Made Simple
Understanding heater core basics is quite important specially during winter times when we need heat inside our vehicles. This blog post will show you how this heating device works so you can drive your vehicle without freezing during cold weather. The heater core technology is based on the design of a radiator: the heat exchange process which comes from the engine coolant which is transferred to the fins wrapped around the heater core tubes. If the blower fan blows into the fins, heated air is then sent to the vehicle compartment.
Looking closer at heater core basics, the heater core is located under the dash panel. It is constructed of aluminum for maximum exchange transfer ability. The heater core is incase in a light plastic box and is connected to a series of ducting and shutter doors which can be used for air distribution inside the vehicle. If the vehicle has air conditioning, those ducting can be closed when the heat from the heater core is not being used.
Controlling the heat entering the heater core is done thru the heater control valve which can be adjusted in the dash panel. If your vehicle is older, the control could done by mechanical cable linkage or vacuum connections to open and close the air doors. Lately, the control is done by electronics devices if you have a newer vehicle. Control is done by limiting the coolant entering the heater core or closing the air duct doors or passages of heated air. On some heater core set up, the vehicle is fitted with 2 heater cores which allows both the driver and passenger vehicle compartments to control the temperature setting.
Heater core basics TIPS:
If you are not getting enough heat from your heater core, open up your engine compartment and follow the 2 hoses connected to the heater core in the firewall. Both the coolant inlet and outlet hoses are connected from the engine cooling system to the heater core itself. These same hoses can be used to check the condition of the heater core operation:
1.) If both hoses are hot when the heater is turned on, it shows the heat transfer inside the heater core is complete. Otherwise, if one of them is cold, it means the coolant is being blocked or restricted. This problem requires checking the heater control valve or replacing a clogged heater core passages.
2.) If both coolant hoses are cold, it means the engine is not producing heat which could be attributed to low coolant level, a thermostat stuck open or a water pump circulation failure…etc.
3.) If the heater core is suspected to be cracked, look underneath at the floor carpet in the passenger side and find traces of coolant. A lot of times, a cracked heater core will cause fogging in the windshield and a strong smell of coolant.
4.) If the vehicle has an air conditioning, it is better to leave this job to a garage if you have not done it before. There are lots of special tools you need and some electronics components could be damaged like sudden deployment of your airbags. The airbag can still work with battery disconnected and cause serious injury.
Heater core removal and installations for non AC vehicles and without airbags:
1.) wait till the engine coolant has completely cooled off.
2.) Disconnect the battery terminal negative connections.
3.) Drain the coolant and disconnect the coolant hoses in the firewall.
4.) Depending on the vehicle’s model, the heater core can be removed under the passenger side by following the technical instruction from vehicle’s manufacturer. Never attempt to do this without reading the instructions to prevent unnecessary damage to other dash components.
5.) On most vehicles, the heater core plastic assembly can be taken out so you can split it and replace the heater core inside.
6.) To install the heater core is the reverse of the above procedures. use the right coolant mix which is usually 50-50 anti-freeze and water or check your vehicle manual.
If you need more information about this heater core basics, please leave your comment at the box below.
Posted on January 18, 2009 - by Richard
To Fix Oxygen Sensor Circuit Can Help You Save Gas
Understanding the methods to fix oxygen sensor comes handy when tuning up oxygen sensor circuits. Since oxygen sensor mainly control the fuel mixture of the engine by measuring the oxygen content parameter for the engine computer (ecm), it is necessary for us to understand how this sensor circuits works.
In the early 1980s when oxygen sensor was first introduced, it has only one signal wire. This sensitive wire was designed so that it only takes low voltage signal under 1 volt. This crude design has a major flaw; it takes too much time for the sensor to give signal to the engine computer.
It is the computer’s job to regulate the fuel mixture after the sensor warms up which sometimes takes about 10-15 minutes. This time delay can gets worse when the weather gets cold and would dump a lot of raw fuel to the catalytic converter (CAT). This leads to premature CAT failure and high fuel consumption.
Since 1994-2006, the oxygen sensor has been upgraded to resolve this problem:
1.) The introduction of the heating circuit within the sensor to make it warm faster
In the old single wire design, the sensor needs time to warm up before it can give voltage signals to the ecm (called open loop) this creates not only waste in fuel efficiency but could cause early downgrading of the catalytic converter which it needs to protect. To resolve this, two oxygen sensors were added before and after the catalytic converter which included a heating element on each of them.
Looking at the sensor wiring connection, it has 3-4 wires on each sensor in which the ecm can gets 1-2 variable voltage signal wires and an extra wire for the heater element. This resulted in closer monitoring of fuel because the sensor is heated almost right away and better reaction times from the ecm regardless of weather conditions.
2.) The introduction of zircona or the wide band oxygen sensor
This was adopted in 2001-2006 but only on limited vehicles. An electric and chemical gas pump current was added to the sensor signal circuit which gives a constant voltage feedback. Unlike the earlier types of oxygen sensor where the voltage signal fluctuates between 0.2 to 0.8 volt, this voltage oscillation is eliminated. The ECM pumps current through oxygen sensor (02) signal resistor wire to maintain a certain voltage of 0.45 volt and monitors the current required to maintain that voltage level. Oxygen changes the resistance values in o2 sensor. This process allows faster adjustment of fuel and timing by the ecm at a more rapid rate. Also called UEGO or universal exhaust gas oxygen, it provides quicker response time by the ecm . However, beware when using HHO EFIE adjuster on wide band oxygen sensors because most of them works on short band oxygen sensor only.
These 2 advancements in oxygen sensor designs has lead to improve gas savings because of improved ecm monitoring functionality.
When to fix oxygen sensor circuits:
Common methods to fix oxygen sensor:
1.) Stay away from aftermarket oxygen sensor unless it is made by Bosch.
2.) If you suspect the catalytic converter is plugged, compare 02 voltage readings at idle and wide open throttle (WOT). At WOT, the front and after CAT readings should be the same or slight lower fluctuations after the CAT. Make sure to check with your dealer because CAT is sometimes guaranteed upt0 80k miles.
3.) For those using hho generators, most EFIE adjuster will not work with wide band oxygen sensor. When acting up, the 02 voltage reading could reach higher than 1 volt. Look closer at the 02 signal variable voltage wire: there is a resistor in series for the wide band oxygen sensor.
Thanks,
Richard
To get more OBD2 information, CLICK HERE
Recommended HHO Products:
Posted on January 17, 2009 - by Richard
Maglev Train Concept…Is this for you?
Maglev train concept begins from the word magnetic levitation which means it is power driven and propelled by magnetic motors. In today’s transit needs, a sophisticated way of harnessing the magnetic force to achieve a vehicle floating in magnetic rails which allows the train to travel without any metal to metal contact underneath it. To make it work, 2 sets of magnetic force located in the train vehicle (permanent magnet) and the other magnetic linear motor located in the the magnetic frame rail.
Maglev train concept control:
Maglev train control is achieved by using computerized system that allows these 2 sets of magnets to interract with each other. Current is build up in the magnetic stator in the rails which then interact with the permanent magnet in the train vehicle using a continuous magnetic field. This interaction creates thrust which makes the train moves ahead. The same magnetic field is used for braking to stop the train vehicle. This magnetic control thus create a reliable acceleration and controlled braking in all kinds of weather. A frame is then use underneath to guide it magnetically which means there is metal contact between the vehicle and the magnetic rails.
Maglev train concept design principle:
there are propulsion coils on the guide way of the rail track frame used to exert a force on the magnets in the vehicle train and make the train move ahead. The propulsion coils that creates this magnetic force on the train are actually a linear motor: it is like having an alternating current flowing through the coils which generates a continuously varying magnetic field that moves forward along the track. The frequency of the alternating current is synchronized to match the speed of the train. The difference between the magnetic field exerted by opposing magnets in the vehicle train and the applied field create a magnetic force that propels the train to thrust forward.
Maglev train concept suspension:
One way to provide Maglev train to have stability is to use a set of coils along the bottom of the magnet array on the vehicle train, which allows it to center the vehicle in the magnetic field at all times. Since these magnetic coils are not needed to provide lift and there is almost no lift resistance, this system utilized almost no current especially when the vehicle is centered over the rails. As the vehicle train revolves around a curve, the vehicle main controller moves the vehicle to a “balance point” inside the curve so that the magnetic pull of the magnetic rails in the ground offset the vehicle’s moving kinetic force. This balance point is calculated based on the train’s weight and load which results in stabilized rate of power consumption. Overall, Maglev train consumed less energy when compared to steel wheels conventional trains.
Thanks for reading!
Richard
Posted on January 16, 2009 - by Richard
The mag lift train experience, is this the future?
My mag lift train experience happened when I took a ride last night via U tube and I thought it was fantastic! The video was taken sometime in Nov 2005 and was done in Japan. From what I could sensed in the video, the ride was a little bit noisy although it was fast and efficient. Looking inside the maglift train, it was like having a plane ride except there is no climbing or taking off. All it is was a steady acceleration until the train reaches over 400 km per hour.
From this mag lift train experience, I could see the inside compartment looking similar to a plane where you have nice comfortable seats and stewardess seating everybody. I did not see any buckle straps which I assumed are not necessary since the train does not have any take off or excessive braking when the plane lands. Maybe, it should have but if any of you have actually have taken a mag lift train ride, please post it here in ATS. However, I did not see any “buckle up” signs either.
Here is the video that I saw taken from Japan:
Mag lift train ride in Japan
To get a better mag lift train experience, I then saw another video taken which was shot just 1 year ago in Shanghai, China. This time, there was a bit difference: I could swear the ride was really quiet and includes showing a little boy talking and you can hear his voice clearly. This shows the train ride was really almost perfect because of absence of outside noise while the train was moving. Its like having a plane ride in first class comfort which is really safe and absolutely quiet.
Here is the video taken from Shanghai China:
Shanghai Mag lift train ride
To me, this kind of transportation is long overdue here in North America where almost everybody invest in expensive privately owned vehicles which harms our environment and basically divides us. At this time of hard economic times, public transport like mag lift trains should be installed so people will not only save precious energy but learn to live together and get along.
Mag lift train experience is something I would like to have in the future because it is fast as an airplane but a lot cheaper to travel without causing green house pollution.
-
ATS Unlimited help
-
Blogroll
Seed Newsvine