Sunday, October 27, 2013
Basic Exhaust System Testing
Engines produce waste gases which must be expelled in order to maintain power production and fuel efficiency. Exhaust systems route waste gasses outside through piping and system components. Exhaust testing is required by the department of motor vehicles in many states.
Noise Level Testing
State laws vary on acceptable exhaust noise. California certifies state-run testing facilities to determine if a vehicles exhaust meets acceptable noise standards.
Backpressure Testing
Backpressure occurs when exhaust pulls back into the cylinder ports. This suffocates the engine, decreases power and lessens fuel efficiency. Exhaust systems will always have some level of backpressure. Excessive backpressure caused by piping obstructions -- or wrongly sized piping -- requires repair. Testing a vehicles backpressure requires a pressure gauge which reads from zero to 15 PSI. Connect the pressure gauge to the air-pump check-valve and turn on the vehicle. Normal readings are around 1.5 PSI.
Smog & Emission Testing
Smog and emission requirements vary by state. Consult your local department of motor vehicles for state requirements. Smog and emission tests verify a vehicle is not expelling excessive exhaust toxins -- such as carbon monoxide -- into the atmosphere. They verify that exhaust and intake components meet state requirements.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Fuel Injector Testing Cleaning
To get the best performance from a vehicles engine, its a must for fuel injectors to be clean. Dirty injectors can not effectively provide an engine with fuel the way clean injectors can. Because of this, information on testing and cleaning fuel injectors can be valuable to vehicle owners.
Clogging
A restriction of as little as 9 percent in one fuel injector is enough to cause an engine to misfire. However, the fuel deposits that clog injectors tend to happen more in older vehicles that have pintle-style injectors. Many newer model vehicles have fuel injectors that are designed to prevent such easy clogging.
Testing
Fuel injectors can be checked through a process called flow-testing. The flow rate of an injector is tested, and reveals if the injector fails to meet factory standards. Injectors are removed from the vehicle when performing a flow test.
Cleaning
Fuel injector cleaning can be accomplished by adding injector cleaner into the gas tank of your vehicle. You may also have a professional shop remove your injectors for cleaning. Either way, it is recommended to have fuel injectors cleaned about every 27,000 miles.
