How to Check a Car Battery

Reprinted with permission from Mike at www.2carpros.com!

Wear protective eye wear and clothing and remove all jewelry when checking your battery and charging system. Jewelry is a good conductor of electricity and is not recommended. Most batteries wear out every 3 to 5 years and need to be replaced. Always replace your battery with an equal replacement battery to assure proper operation. Automotive batteries have a +positive terminal (red), - negative terminal (black). The battery in this illustration has a protective cover over the positive terminal to prevent short circuit in case of an accident. Electricity is stored in the battery and then supplied to the vehicle when the engine is not running. While the engine is running the vehicles alternator charges the battery for future use. (Note: never disconnect the battery while the engine is running. If the battery cable is disconnected from the battery a spark can be generated which can cause the battery to explode or a major electrical malfunction to occur.)

Checking the Battery

Test Car Battery To check a battery surface voltage, remove the positive terminal protective cover. Connect the +positive side meter lead (red) to the positive side battery terminal. Connect the - negative (black) side meter lead to the negative battery terminal. With the vehicle not running and the car sitting over night the battery voltage should be between 12.5 and 12.8 volts.

Identify Alternator

Car Alternator The alternator is rotated by a drive belt driven by the vehicles engine while it is running. Electrical voltage and amperage are generated to recharge the battery and supply voltage to the electrical system of the car. The alternator is held in place with mounting bolts. There is a main electrical wire on the rear of the alternator that supplies voltage to a main voltage junction box. If your alternator is not charging properly, your battery will slowly drain down from operating all the electrical systems in your car and stop the car from running.

Checking Alternator Output

Testing the Alternator with a Voltmeter Connect the voltage meter lead the same way you would in a battery static voltage check, Start engine (do not drive) at engine idle the voltage should be between 13.6 to 14.3 volts. If not the alternator may need replacing.
Checking Alternator Amperage Output
Testing the amperage output of the alternator is good for measuring the amount (not the level) of voltage the alternator can produce. This test can be tricky because if the alternator is weak it can still show it as producing amperage. Which is good, but if the voltage is low, it will still allow the battery to go dead. To check the amperage output of an alternator an amp meter is needed. Once the meter is connected start the engine. Next turn on all electrical accessories and raise the engine idle to about 1200 RPM. The alternator should output the max amperage it was designed to produce. Example: a 90 amp alternator should output about 88 amps. Note: An alternator cannot sustain maximum output for long periods of time. If the alternator is forced to operate at maximum output it will overheat and fail. An alternator is designed to operate at max amperage output only for a reasonable amount of time.
Common Problems:

• Alternator stops producing electrical power and the car stops because the battery dies
• Battery fails do to age or defect
• Battery cables become loose causing the electrical system to fail

Tips to Diagnose Car Vibrations

By Graham Vaughan

You can identify the problem by diagnosing the vibration of the car. You can try to test-drive your vehicles. Then, you have to determine if the vibration is due to the engine, tire, drive train, or the exhaust issue. To determine this, you have to feel the vibrations of your car at the idle state. However, there are some steps you have to do to feel the vibration through the test drive so that you can make a proper diagnose.

The first thing to do is to test the front tires for a side-to-side or lateral vibrations. Do it at slow speeds and jack up each of the tire individually. Then, grab the tire on the bottom and the top and rock it. If you find any play while you move the tire out and in, you need to replace the bearings either of rear wheel drive or of the front wheel drive. Also, see whether there is a significant damage on the tire such as bulges outside or inside the tire.



Then, increase the speed of the vehicles at 45 miles per hour and see the front tires. If you feel the vibration at this speed, you have to balance the tire. You can go to the tire shop to get it done.

The next thing to do is to test the engine for the vibrations. Open the hood and then start the engine. You will need an assistant to monitor the engine. Ask him/her to stand on the side of the car and tell you what is happening, whether there is broken mounts or not. Also, put on the emergency brake. Then, place your car in drive while you press the brake medal firmly and step on the gas slightly for about two seconds but not more than 2000 RPM. If the engine lifts up or rocks, the mount is bad so that you need to replace it. By replacing the bad mount, you will be able to reduce the vibration in steering wheel.

The fourth thing you need to do is to check any possible vibration which does not affect the steering wheel. Put the transmission in neutral and then let the door open. Then, rev the engine at 3000 RPM. If you can hear the vibration in the middle of your car, you need to check the shield of the catalyst converter. It possibly gets bent or contacts body or converter.

Articles Source: Some Tips to Diagnose Car Vibrations

Brought to you by www.usagmparts.com

Some Common Car Related Problems

By Melville Jackson

A car is a combination of complex machines, the working of which depends on smooth operation of its numerous parts. When any of these parts face mechanical snags, it can cause your precious vehicle to experience a number of problems. It is important to say that all mechanical problems are severe in nature and may seem quite small initially, whereas; it may grow with time. However, it is needless to say whatever the issue is; it is always recommended to repair problems with your car on time to avoid huge future repair bills. This is something which most US citizens residing in major cities like Centreville and Fairfax tend to overlook, especially since they are always busy with the fast paced life.

Most of the times when an automotive part needs to be replaced it has been noticed, that the replaced part is not as good as the original part. This has been proved by Ford Motor Company recently. Their crash tests have shown that not all replacement parts are equally created when it comes to the cost of engine repair and safety of the vehicle.

There are numerous common problems related to cars. Some of them are:

1. Warming the car: In olden days this was a good idea especially if you are planning to drive in cold weather. However, with the latest technologies that are used in modern cars, this is totally unnecessary. The vehicles which are manufactured these days come with an efficient fuel system, due to which heating up the car before driving is not required.

2. Slow gear response: It is common to see that when the gear of a car is put into reverse it takes time for the vehicle to react. Drivers often have to press the gas pedal hard to make it move. Similar is the case when the car is put in drive from reverse gear. Usually such cases mean that the transmission fluid is lower than normal. This is a common problem which most drivers in major US cities like West Springfield and Centreville experience.

Are you looking for an expert mechanic to help you with your car engine repair? Centreville and Vienna are some of the cities in US where car owners can hire expert mechanics from Advanced Automotive Inc. Apart from engine repair work they also do such services like car alignments, transmission services, and brake work. Check out their website advancedautomotiveva.com, where you access further information about the company. In order to get a free estimate all you have to do is fill up a small online form on their website.

Articles Source: Some Common Car Related Problems

USA GM Parts Intro

USA GM Parts.com is a factory authorized GM Parts Dealer. We offer OEM GM parts for you at or below wholesale prices. Our site features an easy-to-use catalog for Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Hummer (H2 and H3), Oldsmobile and Pontiac vehicles. To get started, choose a catalog and start browsing. If you need help finding a part or have questions, we have experienced, friendly GM trained Parts Consultants to help you.

Just call 877 636-4846.

USA GM Parts.com is 100% secure so you can buy on-line without the worry. All Genuine GM Parts and GM Accessories come backed by a minimum 12 month/12000 mile factory warranty good at any GM dealer.

USA GM Parts.com is committed to providing the best buying experience possible by having the right parts in stock plus fast shipping. We sell OEM GM Parts and GM Accessories much less than your local dealer.

Never pay retail again!

With today's soaring costs to maintain a vehicle, buying car parts at wholesale prices and below is becoming the clear choice of the American public nationwide. OEM car parts and auto accessories can be purchased for a fraction of the costs without the sacrifice of quality when you purchase from USA GM Parts.com.


Call us today at 877-636-4846 and let us help you get the right car part or auto accessory you need.