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Overview Of Car Parts In An Emissions System

The emissions system is one of the areas that most drivers happily ignore. They might diligently have the oil in their cars changed every 5,000 miles. And they may replace the filters religiously. But, when it comes to the parts and components that comprise their emissions system, many people close their eyes and hope for the best. The problem is that there are a lot of parts that contribute to that area and things can go wrong with each of them. When they malfunction, which can happen as your vehicle ages, the fuel-efficiency and performance of your car can suffer dramatically.

Today, I’ll provide you with a quick overview of the components that make up your vehicle’s emissions system. I’ll also explain the tasks for which they’re responsible, and what can happen to them over time.

Catalytic Converter

The catalytic converter is supposed to help eliminate hydrocarbons that are in the exhaust. There are several chemicals within the part that allow it to perform this function. However, those chemicals don’t last forever; they diminish with constant use. When they’re exhausted (no pun intended), your vehicle can fail an emissions test. Just remember, a catalytic converter may look fine, but the chemicals within can be depleted.

The Muffler

Very few people ever think about their car’s muffler and when they do, it’s normally in the context of how their engine sounds without it. In truth, the muffler plays an important role in managing the pressure that results from your engine’s combustion process. Plus, it also helps the catalytic converter regulate the temperature at which it burns hydrocarbons.

Oxygen Sensor

Your engine requires both gas and oxygen during combustion. Its operational efficiency depends largely on the mixture of both elements. When there’s too much oxygen present, the exhaust will contain too many hydrocarbons, causing the catalytic converter to work harder. Your car’s oxygen sensor helps to regulate the mixture of gas and air used during combustion. However, they can wear out quickly, so plan to change the sensor every 4 or 5 years (of course, double-check your owner’s manual).

PCV Valve

PCV values are relatively cheap and they perform a simple function, but they’re critical to your car’s emissions. The crankcase has a tendency to accumulate gases. The valve’s job is to redirect those gases over to the intake manifold. If that doesn’t happen, the fumes contained inside the crankcase can “dirty” your vehicle’s exhaust. PCV valves can get blocked or clogged over the years, so you’ll need to replace it periodically. But, it’s a simple job and doesn’t take much time.

A Team Of Car Parts

The components that I’ve mentioned above work as a team in order to clean up your vehicle’s emissions. That means if one component malfunctions, the effectiveness of the others can be impacted. Have them checked the next time you visit your mechanic. By keeping the entire system in good shape, you’ll enjoy better fuel-efficiency and performance.

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Torque Explained – Understanding Your Car’s Engine

If you’ve been driving for long, you intuitively understand the meaning of horsepower. As a rule of thumb, the more horsepower, the more significant your vehicle’s engine output and overall performance. But, what about torque? You’ll often hear the word used in commercials for heavy-duty cars and trucks, but you may not know what it means. In this article, I’ll give you a quick explanation of what torque is, how it works with your car’s horsepower, and what parts and systems contribute to it.

What Is It?

Let’s approach it from a simplistic (though practical) perspective. At its foundation, it’s often defined as “twisting power.” The factors involved include the pressure that must be exerted (listed as pounds) and the length of a contributory object (listed as feet). Imagine that you were using a 1-foot wrench to turn a small pipe. In order to turn that pipe, you apply 35 pounds of pressure. In this case, you’re applying 35 pound-feet of torque. It’s important to realize that this topic is actually very complicated. So, what I’m explaining here is merely a bird’s eye view.

How It Works With Horsepower

Let’s use another example to illustrate how the 2 concepts work together. Picture driving a Ford 150 truck while towing a load that’s attached to the back. You’re about to reach the foot of a significant incline. In order to scale the hill, you hit the gas pedal and thereby increase the engine output, or horsepower. As the output increases, it generates force which is sent to the tires.

Now, think about how the tires turn. They’re connected to the front and rear axles. In order to spin the tires, the axle must turn. Assuming your Ford 150 is rear-wheel drive, the engine’s horsepower is being sent through the drive shaft, which rotates the rear axle. That rotational force that is turning the tires is the torque. And that’s how it works with your engine’s horsepower to propel your car.

What Contributes To It?

We’ve already implied in the section above that the engine is where the initial force is produced. Then, the drive shaft and rear axle contribute to the “twisting power” need to spin the rear tires. But, technically, every component involved in your engine’s combustion process contributes. Your transmission, gearbox, and crankshaft do, too.

Last Thoughts

If you visit a dealership, you’ll likely see the torque specs listed on each vehicle’s window. For most drivers, it’s basically a tool for comparison. For example, a truck with 550 hp is more powerful than an SUV with 450 hp. If you’re hauling heavy loads, you’ll normally just compare the hp numbers to make the best choice. Torque works similarly. Most motorists won’t care much about it, and those who do will be content to compare specifications side-by-side. If you’re truly interested in the topic (and frankly, that’s a little odd), you’ll find fantastic resources online. But, it’s not exciting reading, so consider yourself warned.

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If ever there was a case to be made for the importance of either a car cover or a garage. Imagine waking up and having to scrape this from your car before you drive to work in the morning. This tremendous buildup of snow can do damage to transmissions and other car parts if it isn’t scraped away in a timely manner. The reason for this is that snow ofcourse turns to ice, and ice can be very very bad for a car.

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