How to Replace Car Windscreens

By Scott Thomas

You had a small chip in the car windscreen and over time it has grown and spread all across it. Now you want to replace the windscreen yourself, better read this first.

When a small chip or crack goes unattended it will eventually spread all across the car windscreen in many directions. When this happens it is time to replace it with a new one. There are many difficult steps in order to replace it properly.

The first step is to get the year, make and model of the car. It is usually a good idea to pull out the tape measure and get the exact dimensions of the windscreen so you do not have to go back and forth between the shop and home. Once you have this information you are now ready to call around and locate the best price on a new one. Every carrier will be different on prices so just be patient until you find one you can afford.

You found a new car windscreen and have picked it up and brought it back to the house. Place it in a secure spot so you do not step on it or knock it off something you sat it on. You are going to need some big suction cups to attach to the windscreen to remove it. The purpose of the suction cups is so everything stays in tack when you remove it. Without these suctions it could take hours to remove the glass and you will probably end up with a lot of cuts on your hands. Once you have the proper suction cups you place the first one in the middle of the windscreen and the second about 8-12 inches apart from it.

Suction cups are in place now you are ready to cut the windscreen out of the vehicle. There is a special tool that looks like a big bent knife that you will need for this procedure. The tool slips in at one of the corners between the screen and the sealant that is holding it in place. It will take both hands to pull the tool straight down on the sides or across the top. You are cutting through the sealant that has hardened in order to keep the windscreen in place. Once you have taken the tool to all sides you are ready to grab the suction cups and lift it out.

Now the fun begins, make sure to clean up any glass that is still present. The dried sealant also has to be removed from everything so you can apply new. The tool that you used to remove the screen can also be used to remove all the sealant. Be careful when using the tool so you do not damage anything.

You now have the new sealant placed in what looks like a chalking gun. You will squeeze this all the way around the frame on the car. You do not want it in big blobs just one even pretty line all the way around.

Put the suction cups on the new car windscreen and lift. Carefully sit the new screen in the hole and on the sealant. You will have to push firmly around the edges but not to hard or you could damage the screen then you will have to start again.

If all the steps are done properly then you did it correctly. If something was done wrong there are a few ways you will notice this. If it is raining outside and water starts coming in or you hear air rushing in then the windscreen did not seal right.

Article Tags: Suction Cups

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Replacing the car windscreen is not easy and you should seek professional help if you are really unsure what you are doing. Visit car windscreen replacement for help in replacing your windscreen.

The Cooling System

By Kevin Schappell

The purpose of the engine's cooling system is to remove excess heat from the engine, to keep the engine operating at its most efficient temperature, and to get the engine up to the correct temperature as soon as possible after starting. Ideally, the cooling system keeps the engine running at its most efficient temperature no matter what the operating conditions are.

As fuel is burned in the engine, about one-third of the energy in the fuel is converted into power. Another third goes out the exhaust pipe unused, and the remaining third becomes heat energy.
A cooling system of some kind is necessary in any internal combustion engine. If no cooling system were provided, parts would melt from the heat of the burning fuel, and the pistons would expand so much they could not move in the cylinders (called "seize").

The cooling system of a water-cooled engine consists of: the engine's water jacket, a thermostat, a water pump, a radiator and radiator cap, a cooling fan (electric or belt-driven), hoses, the heater core, and usually an expansion (overflow) tank.
Fuel burning engines produce enormous amounts of heat; temperatures can reach up to 4,000 degrees F when the air-fuel mixture burns. However, normal operating temperature is about 2,000 degrees F. The cooling system removes about one-third of the heat produced in the combustion chamber.

The exhaust system takes away much of the heat, but parts of the engine, such as the cylinder walls, pistons, and cylinder head, absorb large amounts of the heat. If a part of the engine gets too hot, the oil film fails to protect it. This lack of lubrication can ruin the engine.

On the other hand, if an engine runs at too low a temperature, it is inefficient, the oil gets dirty (adding wear and subtracting horsepower), deposits form, and fuel mileage is poor-- not to mention exhaust emissions! For these reasons, the cooling system is designed to stay out of the action until the engine is warmed up.
There are two types of cooling systems; liquid cooling and air cooling. Most auto engines are cooled by the liquid type; air cooling is used more frequently for airplanes, motorcycles and lawnmowers.

Liquid cooled engines have passages for the liquid, or coolant, through the cylinder block and head. The coolant has to have indirect contact with such engine parts as the combustion chamber, the cylinder walls, and the valve seats and guides. Running through the passages in the engine heats the coolant (it absorbs the heat from the engine parts), and going through the radiator cools it. After getting "cool" again in the radiator, the coolant comes back through the engine. This business continues as long as the engine is running, with the coolant absorbing and removing the engine's heat, and the radiator cooling the coolant.

A cooling system pressure tester is used to check the pressure in the cooling system, which allows the mechanic to determine if the system has any slow leaks. The leak can then be found and fixed before it causes a major problem.
The above information is directly from the Auto Insight program which you can buy online from AutoEducation.com.

Common Problems:

Let's look at the common problems cars have with the cooling system.

·Broken hose. Hoses wear out and can leak. Once the coolant has left the system it can no longer cool the engine and it overheats.

·Broken fan belt. The water pump is driven by the engine through a belt. If the belt breaks the water pump can not turn and coolant will not be circulated through the engine. This will also lead to engine overheating.

·Faulty radiator cap. The radiator cap is designed to hold a certain pressure in the coolant system. Most caps hold 8 - 12 PSI. This pressure raises the point in which the coolant will boil and maintains a stable system. If your cap does not hold pressure, then the car could overheat on hot days since the system never becomes pressurized.

·Water pump failure. Most commonly you will hear a screeching noise and will be able to see coolant leaking from the front of the pump or under the car. Early signs are small spots of coolant under the car after being parked overnight and a strong coolant odor while driving.

·Head gasket... have large amounts of white smoke flowing out of your exhaust? Could be a head gasket. The head gasket seals the cylinder head to the engine block and also seals the coolant passages. When this gasket fails coolant can enter the cylinder and it will be turned to vapor as the engine fires. Head gaskets most often fail after the engine has experienced an overheating situation. When super hot, the cylinder head can warp and allow the gasket to fail.

Preventive Maintenance:

·Check all belts and hoses regularly. (at oil change is a good time)

·Look out for coolant leaks underneath the car, they could be signs of trouble to come.

·Change your coolant every 2 - 3 years depending on the manufactorers recommendations.

·Inspect your radiator cap for deterioration of the rubber seal. Replace if you think it is worn. $5 - $10 is cheap insurance.

·Have your coolant system flushed every 5 years. It gets all the corrosion which has built up out of the system.

What to discuss with your mechanic:

·Let your mechanic know when your overheating problems occur. Overheating when idling points to a different problem than overheating at highway speeds.

·Ask your mechanic if it's worth changing the timing belt or chain while he is replacing your water pump. Many times the timing belt turns the water pump so it has to be removed anyway to access the water pump.

WARNING: Never open your radiator when the engine is hot. The pressure in the system can cause hot coolant to splash out and burn you.

Article Tags: Cooling System, Water Pump

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has createdhttp://www.mycarwizard.com