Detailed Action Plan for Thorough Car Problem Diagnosis

From begin a medium of convenient transport to being a complete style statement, cars are everywhere. Today, it has become an integral part of lifestyle particularly if you are living in a global city like Singapore. The world’s only island city, Singapore has been a hub of many popular automobile companies. So while buying and driving a car in such a magnificent country is exciting and attractive, sometimes minor car problems create unwanted hurdles. Rushing to garage is generally the first thought in such situations but then there are certain tricks that can help you in car problem diagnosis before you call the car station services or garage. Let’s look at some common car problem and their diagnosis.

Car not getting start?

Well, this is one of the most common and frequent problems in cars that several people face. So, instead of panicking and getting worried, stay calm and figure out the reasons why your vehicle is not getting start. Usually there are many reasons to this, some easy while some complex and would definitely require a mechanic or expert, but generally it is because there might be low battery, no petrol or gas, bad starter, bad ignition coil to name a few. 

In case of low battery, check the battery voltage and recharge it to full. Sometimes loose battery cables also prevent the car from starting, ensure that both the ends of both battery cables are tightened, if not then tighten both the ends and try starting the car again.

For low gas and petrol, make you sure you always have the necessary back up with you. 

For bad starter problem, jump battery voltage direct to starter and inspect whether it is spinning or not. Otherwise, remove the starter and get it tested in auto parts repair store. 

Bad ignition coils also can prevent you car from getting started. Few bad ignition coils can be fixed by fuel, spark and compression related diagnosis but for rest complex engine related matters call your nearby mechanic.

Engine problems?

Another primary reason of car problems is the engine problem. An engine is like the heart of an automobile. The major engine related problems include engine overheating, inadequate fuel pressure, bad compression, engine vacuum leaks and engine noise.

The normal engine heating temperature is between the ranges of 195 Fahrenheit degrees to 220 Fahrenheit degrees. Anything above that will cause engine overheating problems. A low coolant level or a coolant leak also leads to overheating. Other than these, low heat conductivity, insufficient airflow in the radiator and defective thermostat are also responsible of overheating of engine. You can open the radiator and check it properly. Also check the thermostat by starting the engine and checking the upper radiator hose to be warm. The hose shouldn’t be too hot or not getting hot, either reasons means defective thermostat.

Sometimes the engine problems arise due to inadequate fuel pressure like in case of low fuel you might experience a hard time getting the vehicle started. Fuel volume and pressure play an important role in fuel engines. Problems in either pressure or volume are bound to cause power loss to engine. In such cases, first check the spark by connecting it with a spark plug tester. Keep the engine cranking, if you witness no sparks in that case then your ignition system is the problem. You can also go for a static fuel pressure test, residual fuel pressure test, running fuel pressure test, fuel pressure drop test and dead head pressure to check other pressure related problems to engine. 

If everything with your engine looks okay but still you are facing problems then in such circumstances it might be the engine vacuum leak. Engine vacuum leaks can cause unmetered air to infiltrate the engine and cause problems to air/fuel ratio. Find a scan tool and inspect the Short Term Fuel Trim and Long Term Fuel Trim figures. The best range is plus or minus 8. Other than that indicates an engine vacuum leak. You can fix the problem by replacing the vacuum hoses or tightening the throttle body mounting bolts.

Engines noises indicates problem with the car motor. Sometime there is an excessive and frequent noise while in some cases you hear the engine noise occasionally. If you hear a clicking kind of noise while starting the engine then it is usually due to damaged parts or low oil pressure. Check the oil pump, pressure and level. Fixing the lubricants generally takes care of the problem. Apart from that a not working lifter results in valve lash and hence the noise. Remove the valve corners and carry out a through inspection of the valve lash. If the engine noise is heavier then damage of parts like the rod bearing might be a potential reason and it will then require be replaced or rebuilt.

Battery and circuit problems

Battery issues also poses as main car problems. If you car battery is not working properly then it can also led to not efficient working of the engines. You can easily measure the battery of car with the help of a digital or analog voltmeter. Keep you ignition off and connect the positive terminal (+) of the battery to the red/positive voltmeter side and the negative terminal (-) of the battery to the black/negative voltmeter test. Generally a battery of voltage 12.66V indicates completely charged and 11.89V indicates zero percent charge.

Right wiring and properly connected circuit is important for cars to function properly. Usually electrical problems in wiring and circuit occur due to low voltage, excessive resistance, faulty switch, loose connector and poor ground. For measuring the circuit you can use the ohmmeter. In case of dead circuit, inspect the voltage in the load point. While checking the battery and circuit ensure that it is disconnected from voltage and power source to avoid any kind of risk due to voltage fluctuations.

Understanding a car’s functioning and complex working is generally not an easy task and most of the times require the assistance of mechanics and service station’s experts. But at the end of the day it’s yours very own car and it is easy to learn few car problem diagnosis that could save time and effort.