We tend not to think about parts like an oxygen sensor until our check engine light comes on, and really why would we? If we knew a bit more about the importance of an O2 sensor when it comes to the performance of our vehicle we may feel differently. Sometimes referred to as an air fuel ratio sensor, oxygen sensors play an important role in fine-tuning an optimum air fuel ratio. At any given moment your oxygen sensors will determine whether or not your air fuel ratio is lean or rich. A faulty oxygen sensor can translate into lower than normal MPG… a side-effect any of us can ill afford. Allowing an old O2 sensor’s signal to continue to slow will result in decreased acceleration and overall performance. Vehicle emission control is another area where oxygen sensors play a crucial role.
You can find many original equipment as well as aftermarket options when searching for an O2 sensor for your vehicle. Remember that your vehicle may have several different oxygen sensors. Common names for these sensors include pre-cat, post-cat, bank1 sensor1 among others. Before speaking with your oxygen sensor vendor, be sure you’ve done your homework so you’ll know exactly which sensor you need.
What is a wheel hub bearing? Why do I care? A wheel hub bearing is the ONLY part connecting the body of the car to the wheels. It is apparent in the definition what makes the wheel hub a part of great importance. IT IS THE ONLY THING CONNECTING YOUR CAR TO THE WHEELS! Suprisingly, it is often overlooked because the symptoms of a worn wheel bearing are similar to those of worn brakes, rotors, pads, etc. The result is an over diagnosis of brake / strut issues and the under diagnosis of the wheel hub bearing.
The average American spends over a quarter million dollars on his/her car(s) in a lifetime. A major chunk of this amount goes to car repair and maintenance costs. The current generation’s mentality towards car repair and maintenance is “will take care of it as it happens.” The passive mentality results in very little mechanical knowledge about the important parts which run the car. The wheel hub bearing is one of the most overlooked car parts, especially for the average car user.
The current trend in car parts is moving towards a complete wheel hub assembly design. The traditional wheel hub is a simple bearing where the body of the car attaches to the wheel of the car. The newer design which gained popularity in the current decade is a complete assembly of the wheel hub. It includes the wheel hub itself, the bearing, the lugs, and the ABS braking sensor. This is an all-in-one unit which is more efficient in performace and a breeze to replace without the need of a mechanic.
It is equally important to understand the symptoms of a worn wheel hub assembly. First and foremost is the noise coming directly from the wheel hub. If a single bearing is off, the whole wheel hub assembly needs to be replaced. And when a single bearing is off, you can hear the whining noise. If the noise is not caught, there will also be a slipping or catching in the wheel. This is a classic sign of a damaged wheel hub. Some of the newer cars have sensors to monitor the slipping and noise and will send an error code to the computer. A general rule of thumb, if your car has around 90,000 miles, it is time to check the wheel hub bearing.
As a consumer, it is imperative to know the above information for a few reasons. One, you can diagnose your own wheel hub issue without spending time and money with the mechanic. Unless you have a trusted mechanic, self diagnosis closes the door on additional, unnecessary, and fictitious repairs vouched for by the mechanic. This also gives you the ability to negotiate labor hours knowing how easy the job is. Moreover, you can evev do the job yourself now that you know how easy it is.
In general, a “neighborhood” mechanic understands how the car engine works and by extension, the role a radiator, a water pump, or an oxygen sensor. What I am noticing is a car’s ac system is not general car knowledge. So here is part one of a series on car air conditioning.
This time around, I will keep it simple and answer the following question – what is auto ac?
Auto air conditioning is a combination of the following 7 components. I will go over each one in greater detail in subsequent posts.
1. AC Compressor
2. AC Condenser
3. Orifice Tube
4. AC Evaporator
5. AC Receiver / Drier
6. AC Lines & Hoses
7. AC Blower Motor
Auto parts warranties can be a conundrum to many consumers. When it comes to a car parts, the warranty is just as important as price. Of course, it would be ideal to get the cheapest autopart with the best warranty but that is simply utopic.
First key distinction all consumers must make is the difference between a PART warranty and a LABOR warranty. 99% percent of the time the party selling you the auto part will only cover the part. Conversely, the party covering the labor is responsible for the labor performed on your car. Since we are talking about auto parts specifically, here are some detailed pointers
1. Check the length of the warranty – Naturally, longer the better.
2. Check what the warranty actually covers – does it cover the car part only or shipping too? If yes, is shipping covered both ways?
3. Check the turn around time – meaning, if the part goes wrong, is there an option to send you an immediate replacement or do you have to wait 2-3 weeks for your defective part to be fixed?
Remember any of the above 3 rules will make up for a slightly cheaper price elsewhere (read: shipping). In this economy, times are hardly utopic which is all the more reason to make smart, well researched decisions.
Yes, living in California has yet another additional cost. If you need to replace your catalytic converter and you live in California, you will have to buy a special one.
The state air board requires cats sold in california to meet certain requirements. That means you need to buy a ‘50 State Legal’ cat, meaning it is okay to be used in California. Even though the vehicle will run fine, you risk not passing a smog test, and it is against the law.
Most other states can get away with less expensive catalytic Converters and even try some used ones. You need to check with your state. New York and most of New England are usually right behind California.
The other thing to know is ‘california emissions’. This means that even though you are somewhere else, the vehicle left the factory with a California emissions package. Maybe they didn’t need that many and then sold them elsewhere. In this case you will also need to the 50 state legal model, otherwise your vehicle may not work correctly. Often the O2 Sensor and computer are set to use this cat.
You can call Buy Auto Parts at 1-888-907-7225, they have all of cats available. You’ll want to specify california or not. Also ask them about a package with new O2 sensors. Those should be changed with the cat.
So this is prety basic but I better explain it to be safe. What does ‘post cat’ mean on an oxygen sensor.
Every car after 1996 has at least a few O2 sensors. Most have 4 of them. For most cars there are 2 located before the cat and 2 after. What does this mean?
The sensors determine the type of air going out of your exhaust and adjusts the air intake to improve performance and reduce pollution. Therefore the sensors have to be located in the exhaust. The middle of the exhaust is the catalaytic Converter that attempts to kill the last bit of pollution leaving your car. Thus the sensors are ‘Pre Catalatyic Converter’ or Before the cat and ‘post’ or After the Cat. They are usually not the same sensor.
Left and right is pretty straightforward. Just remember that these are as if you are sitting in the drivers seat. All auto parts are determined this way.
Read our recent article about Audi Turbo or Natually Aspirated. Now its your turn to vote. Please vote and add some comments.
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August 19th 2008 Car Parts Main
So with the price of gas these days, everyone is looking for better mileage. I had a friend who was looking at buying a late model off lease Audi A4. He was looking at both the Audi Turbo model and the non turbocharger model. The question is, which way to go?
Audi offers both the Audi A4 Turbo model and the naturally aspirated version. Both are fun cars to drive, but the extra kick of the turbo and the better MPG usually wins it for me.
The turbo version will typically get much better MPG too. I say typically because if the turbo is not working correctly or has been over juiced, then maybe not. The problem with the turbocharged vehicles is that they don’t have the boost until about 2-3 thousand RPM. Some drivers just don’t like that. They feel like they need that extra power at take-off. I personally can live without it. Especially at $4 gas.
Every manufacturer has different ways of coding their vehicles. If you are looking for BMW parts you often need to know the chassis code. For Audi Parts and Volkswagen Parts it is the Engine Code.
Where do you find the Engine Code? Typically there is a metal plate located under the hood. This will have lots of information about the vehicle. The engine code for Audi is typically a 3 letter code.
The engine code for an 2001-2004 VW Jetta Diesel is ALH. This ‘ALH’ engine is also used in the Beetle diesel engine and can be used to find parts. In 2004 they introduced the BEW Diesel engine. In 2004 it was a transition year. You would need to know this code since they sold both engines that year.
So a straightforward question today. What to do with a leaking power steering rack? You can try a leak stop but you are probably doing more harm than good and it won’t last you very long. The only real option is to replace it. Some rack and pinions leak more than others. Jaguar steering rack are notorious for leaking. Here’s an old joke for you.
Q – Why didn’t Jaguar build computers?
A – They couldn’t find a way to make them leak
So the answer is really to replace the part. Its not really that hard to get to if you can get the car raised up. Buy a good part and try and do the work yourself.
