Keeping It Cool

As most of us are still driving a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE), and since the cost of motoring has gone up over the last few years, it is good to think about what things we can do as preventative measures to ensure that our ICE vehicles continue to run smoothly, efficiently, and reliably without any major repairs.  An essential part of service maintenance on any ICE vehicle is the need to regularly change the engine’s coolant. 

One of the things I love about ICE vehicles is that they always come standard with a heater that usually works really well to keep you nice and warm inside the vehicle when the temperatures outside are low and cold.  This warm air coming through the heater vents is from the ICE block (not to be confused with an iceblock!), fundamentally from the friction that comes as the mechanical components inside the ICE are whizzing around like clockwork.  Inside the engine block are small tubes and cavities where the water coolant (the stuff you put into the radiator) circulates through in order to take heat from the metal surfaces inside the engine to cool the ICE block down to a sufficient operating temperature.  The added bonus of this is that the warm coolant passes through your cabin heating system, which fans the warm air inside the cabin of the vehicle as much as you want it to, to keep you nice and toasty. 

Now, if you ran your ICE without the coolant (or the correct level of coolant), then the ICE would overheat, and the internal mechanical components inside the engine block would implode with the extremely hot temperatures occurring from all of the friction of the working parts, rendering your vehicle inoperable.  You’d either have to get a whole new vehicle or replace the broken ICE with a new or used one.

Thankfully, maintaining and servicing the coolant system on an ICE vehicle is not hard and easy to do.  Just don’t forget to get it done regularly.  Usually, standard coolant mixes should be changed every 2 years anyway.  But if the coolant is a long-lasting type (one that lasts up to 5–7 years), then the coolant service can be pushed out to 5 years.  Obviously, if you are doing Star Trek mileages every year (75,000 km), then the long-lasting coolant should be changed every 2 years as a matter of course. 

Why do we need to change the ICE coolant if the level in the system is all ok?  The simple answer is because the coolant (the antifreeze concentrate that is mixed with distilled water) degrades over time and with use.  The antifreeze is very important, not only to stop your engine block cracking in sub-zero temperatures, but also to lubricate the water pump and protect the internal coolant tubing and cavities from corrosion.

Coolant is usually green or red, but can also be blue or yellow.  If it looks rusty, or has bits floating around in it, you should drain out the old coolant from the ICE block and then flush out the coolant system before putting new engine coolant back in. 

As part of the engine coolant service, make sure you check all of the rubber hoses associated with the coolant’s circuit.  If the rubber hoses look cracked, are leaking coolant, or appear bulgy or squishy when squeezed, then they also should be replaced.  Because if you don’t, then Murphey’s law will come back to bite you on the bum and a rubber hose will burst under the pressure of hot coolant circulating around next time you’re out on a road trip.

There you have it – a simple system on your ICE vehicle that helps to keep the engine running all tickety-boo, while also benefiting you and the level of your comfort as you travel about out on the road.

Engine Oil 101

Most of us are still driving vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE) as the main source of power for propelling our vehicle down the road.  In order for the ICE to run smoothly – in fact, to run at all – the engine needs oil to travel all around the engine’s working parts to lubricate them so that they can move freely within their confines without overheating from too much friction and to prevent the engine from imploding on itself, or exploding, whichever way you like to think of it. 

As well as lubricating the motor, oil helps to keep the ICE cool and retards any corrosion.  Most modern oils also contain a bit of detergent.  The detergent helps to flush any gunk that comes from wear and tear on the engine components and any older oil compounds that have formed through to the oil filter where these unwanted bits will be captured and removed altogether when the old oil filter is changed with a new one come next time the ICE oil gets changed as part of the vehicle’s regular servicing regime.

If you’re new to the world of car ownership, or new to changing your own oil rather than just taking down to the service centre and getting the friendly guys and gals to do it for you, you may be utterly bewildered by the wall of containers that confronts you at your nearest discount automotive supplies store.  What are all those different types and numbers?  Does it matter what sort of oil you get to put in your car? Yes, it does, so here’s what you need to know about the stuff. 

There are various types of ICE oil on the market as well as various brands of motor oil – as you probably noticed.  The various types of ICE oil have been designed for fulfilling a particular role or purpose, and they have also been designed for various ICE types.  It is important to know a bit about the oil additives used in the oil, the oil’s viscosity rating, and the oil’s classification code so that you can match the right oil for your particular vehicle’s ICE.

Oil additives

Oil additives help prevent corrosion of the metal parts inside the internal engine.  Oil additives also help cut down the friction of the moving parts and work to dissolve any impurities and sludge that may form over time.  The additives also prevent the oil from foaming up at high temperatures, as well as helping the oil pour better when the weather is colder and temperatures are lower. 

Consumer testing has reported no real difference in engine wear between vehicles that use synthetic oils and vehicles that use mineral oils.  The key is to change the oil according to the vehicle’s manufacture’s guidelines.  Some people even like to change the ICE oil before the guideline period.  If this is the case, there is no harm done to the engine at all; it’s just that servicing costs will be higher over time, but with the likely benefit of increasing the life of the ICE. 

Obviously synthetic oils have an even more controlled level of additives included in the oil’s make-up.  Some ICE designs are more prone to forming oil sludge over time, and there are those who like to use synthetic oils in order to ensure against any sludge building up inside their vehicle’s engine.  There are also some people who suggest that synthetic oils are better in cold climates because these oils don’t have as many waxy compounds to congest the oil when temperatures are cold.  An idea of viscosity helps us understand this better.

Viscosity

As soon as the ICE ignites into life, the engine’s parts are moving before the oil has the time to reach every single part of the internal working parts’ surfaces.  It’s when the engine is started cold that the most internal wear occurs.  Now, all ICE oil has a viscosity rating.  Viscosity determines the oil’s ability to flow in cold weather/temperatures and thus during cold starts.  The quicker the oil can get around the whole engine, the less wear and tear occurs.  In cold weather, oil thickens and becomes less able to flow through the engine.  It is also true that in hot weather, oil thins out.  Yes – when the weather is hot the oil thins out and pours quickly, it may become so thin that it can’t prevent friction.  It’s a bit of a Goldilocks situation – the oil can’t be too hot or too cold but just right.

There are two types of oil sold on the market.  One is known as single viscosity oil and the other multi-viscosity oil.  For many years now, almost every vehicle has been designed to run on multi-viscosity oil.  Vehicle manufacturers say what type of oil should be used for their vehicles, which is determined by the oil’s viscosity according to the temperature range that the vehicle is expected to function in the working period before the oil is changed (i.e., when the engine is due for its service).  The lower the number, the thinner the oil and more easily it flows.  An example of the numbers you’ll see on an oil container at your local automotive parts store is 10W-40.  The two numbers mean that it is a multi-viscosity oil that is effective over a range of temperatures.  The 10 refers to how the oil flows at low temperatures.  The 40 refers to how it flows at high temperatures.  The W means that the oil can be used in winter. 

The oil industry’s American Petroleum Institute (API) has an assigned symbol to certify that an oil meets the latest industry requirements, as well as a code for how well the oil protects the ICE against wear, corrosion, deposits, and oxidation.  The API symbol looks like a donut, and you should see this on any reputable brand’s oil container that you can buy from your local automotive parts store.  The donut symbol is used for both petrol and diesel ICEs and should be located on the outside of the oil container. 

The classification codes for vehicles with petrol engines started with SA in the early 1960s.  As the engines became more modern and demanding with their higher performance and fuel efficiency, the oil had also to get more refined and better able to lubricate at higher temperatures and within finer mechanical margins.  Thus, the codes progressed alphabetically from SB onwards.  At present, any oil coded SJ is no longer considered current, but you can use oils coded SM along with later codes in a vehicle of any age to make the engine run more smoothly and better overall.

So to recap: the lower the number after the W, the better the oil will work in cold weather; the higher the number after the W, the better the oil works in hot weather.  So 0W-20 oil will be great for a vehicle used in a place like Canada through its harsh winters, but it won’t be good for a vehicle located in central Outback Australia during the heat of summer.  A 30W-50 oil will be more suitable for hot Australian conditions. 

How To Change A Flat Tyre

Sometimes, it pays to go back to basics.  After all, everybody has to learn the basics some time! There is a common breakdown that you should be able to manage yourself: a puncture in the tyre. With a little bit of prior knowledge, this scenario (which is more common than you might think) can be tackled confidently.  If you have the original manual that came with your car when it was first bought from a dealer, then this booklet will have a set of instructions to follow so that you can familiarise yourself with the process of putting a spare tyre on.  However, here is the general procedure for changing a wheel.

First of all, let’s figure out how to jack up the vehicle safely.  Knowing how to properly jack up the car safely is useful for changing a flat tyre and also for doing simple inspections to wheel bearings and brakes.  Jacks are used to get a vehicle off the ground.  Now, a word of warning here would be that if you are going to get underneath the car and have a look while the car has been jacked up off the ground, then you must place jack stands in place to hold the weight of the vehicle.  This is because if the jack fails or the car is knocked off balance, then the stands will hold the vehicle up, and you won’t get squished.  I get claustrophobic enough going under a car even with the jack stands in place so the thought of doing it without is – bleught!

When you jack up the vehicle so that you can work or inspect underneath it, ensure that the vehicle’s handbrake is on, that the vehicle is in first gear (manual transmission) or in park (automatic transmission), that the wheels are chocked, and the jack stands are in place.  For changing a tyre, providing the vehicle is on level ground, the handbrake is on, and the car is placed in gear, the jack will take the weight for the duration of changing the wheel.  Just don’t go clambering underneath the car!

Here is the method to follow:

1. Secure the vehicle so that it won’t roll (check this rather than assuming – slopes can catch you out in odd places).
2. Jack up the vehicle.  For changing a wheel that has a punctured tyre, I suggest you jack up the vehicle after loosening the lug nuts a little bit with the wrench provided in the vehicle puncture repair kit.  Before loosening the nuts, you will need to remove the wheel cover or hubcap.  You can do this by using a screwdriver or the flat end of the wheel lug’s nut wrench to lever the cover or hubcap.  The reason for loosening the nuts now is because if it is the front wheel that needs replacing, it will spin freely once it loses contact with the ground as you apply torque to undo the lug nuts.  You loosen the lug nuts by turning them counterclockwise (the old lefty loosey–righty tighty rule).  The lug nuts will and should be fairly tight and will require plenty of torque to remove.  After just loosening the nuts, jack up the vehicle completely.
3. Now remove the lug nuts completely.  Remove the wheel with the punctured tyre. 
4. Put on the spare, repaired, or new tyre/wheel.  Torque up the lug nuts by hand till they are snug to the rim, then lower the car down till the tyre on the wheel makes solid contact with the ground.  Now you can tighten the lug nuts all the way without the wheel spinning.  Lower the car down completely.
5. Put the jack and tools away.
6. Drive away. 

Yes, it’s that simple. If your car comes with a space saver spare tyre, your drive should be to the nearest tyre centre to get a new full-size one to replace the punctured one. Otherwise, you’re good to go.  But make sure that you get a replacement for the punctured tyre.  After all, the worst thing when you need to change a punctured tyre is to find an old flat tyre in the compartment instead of a nice new one.

ICE Batteries And EV Batteries

Anybody who’s left the lights on in their car overnight or helped a mate push-start a sulky ICE vehicle knows only too well that all cars have batteries, not just EVs.  So you might be wondering about what the big deal about battery life and battery fires and battery range is all about.  To understand this, it’s time to go back to basics and to look at what a battery is and how it works.

Your bog-standard battery in an ICE vehicle is a lead–acid battery – the lead is why it’s so heavy, and the acid is why the batteries are “interesting” to dispose of, as the acid in question is often H₂SO₄ or sulphuric acid.  Car batteries were a very welcome replacement to the old-fashioned method of getting the motor started with a crank handle.  These lead–acid batteries are rechargeable, as the petrol or diesel motor handily charges them back up.  This is why you can drive for hours and hours with the headlights on at night without the battery going flat, but if you leave lights on overnight, it will go flat. 

In a lead–acid battery, both the anode (the bit that produces the positive charge) and the cathode (the bit that produces a negative charge) are made from lead and lead dioxide, respectively.  The electrolyte (the bit that gets the electrons flowing thanks to chemical reactions) is sulphuric acid.  Hook this up to a circuit and the electrons whizz around it in an attempt to get into balance, creating electrical current that we can use to, say, create a controlled explosion to power a vehicle.  Most batteries also contain separators that stop the anodes and cathodes touching each other, which can happen if dendrites (branching crystals) start to form.  If you want to get really technical, a battery is made up of a lot of individual cells containing an anode, a cathode and the electrolyte.  In fact, that’s why a battery is called a battery – it reminded the early inventors of an array of cannons or other weapons ready to fire.  The batteries can last for years, especially if turned over regularly and cared for properly (and that’s another subject for another day).

The basic design of a lithium-ion battery (LIB) inside an EV is similar.  It’s got an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte and a separator.  In this case, the cathode is made from more exotic metals and oxides, such as lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide and lithium nickel cobalt aluminium oxide (try saying that quickly!), and their conductivity is improved by mixing them with conductive black carbon.  The anode is usually made of graphite. The electrolyte has more lithium, specifically lithium salts dissolved in organic solvents that have plenty of the lithium ions that give the batteries their name.  These batteries are a lot lighter than lead–acid batteries and can deliver a lot of punch.  They also have a longer lifespan than other types of rechargeable battery, such as ni–cad (nickel–cadmium) batteries and don’t have the problem of “memory”.

The problem with lithium batteries is that the electrolyte is very, very flammable.  The lithium is also prone to growing dendrites, which can cause short-circuits (and thus fires), especially if it’s charged too fast, overcharged or charged at too low a temperature.  Lithium also gets prone to throwing a dramatic wobbly if it gets too hot or if the battery is damaged.  It’s a case of the lithium’s strengths – its unstable chemistry that allows it to generate a charge – being its greatest weakness. 

Lithium-ion batteries haven’t been around for as long as lead–acid batteries, as they only came on the scene in the 1960s and were popularised by Sony in the late 1980s.  The lead–acid battery, however, has been around since the 1880s.  In other words, it’s early days for lithium-ion batteries, and they’re working hard to improve the batteries and make them better. 

But what happens when the batteries come to the end of their lives, which is inevitable?  This is more of an issue with lithium batteries, as lithium is a much rarer metal, whereas lead is pretty common and humans have been playing around with it for millennia, although it’s now not used as much in common products (except for batteries) because of the health hazards.

The good news is that both types of battery can be recycled.  It is possible for both metals – lead and lithium – to be cleaned up and used in new batteries.  In fact, if you have an old battery of either type, then the best thing to do is to take it down to your nearest recycling centre and get it dealt with.  Otherwise, both types can be a bit nasty, although the nastiness of lithium is more dramatic (fires) than that of lead (slow poisoning).  Most lead in the batteries can be recycled; once again, the rate of recycling of lithium is a bit behind, most because it’s still a young technology.  The acid inside a lead–acid battery can easily be neutralized or put to other uses, including making fertilizer.