how a car works

How a car works

www.howacarworks.com

Contents Basics 8 How the braking system works 10 How the charging system works 11 How the starting system works 12 How an engine cooling system works 13 How car heating and ventilation systems work 14 The engine 15 The engine - how power is created 16 The engine - how the valves open and close 17 The engine - how it drives its ancillary parts 18 How car electrical systems work 20 How a fuel pump works

21 How variable-jet carburettors work 22 How the fuel system works - fixed-jet carburettors 23 How the ignition system works 24 How engine timing works 25 How the steering system works 26 How car suspension works 27 How car springs and dampers work 28 How the transmission works 29 How a car clutch works 30 How manual gearboxes work 31 How automatic gearboxes work

Bodywork 50 Lubricating hinges, pedals and locks 51 How to clean a car interior 52 Cleaning the outside and checking for rust 53 Replacing and adjusting windscreen wipers 54 Checking windscreen wipers and washers 55 Cleaning and checking the underside 56 Removing a door trim panel 57 Adjusting and replacing window-winding mechanisms 58 Drilling holes in car bodywork 59 Eliminating rust before painting

60 Smoothing out a dent 61 Patching rust holes 62 Painting 64 Applying underbody sealant 65 Adjusting catches and hinges 66 Renewing hinge pins and hinges 67 How to replace an exhaust 68 How to fit a new exhaust 69 Fitting a new windscreen-washer motor

Accessories 114 Checking and replacing fuses 116 Checking headlamps and lights 118 Aligning the headlamps 119 Fitting new lamps or sealed units 120 Testing and replacing a flasher unit 121 Car horn not working? 122 Checking the instruments 124 How to test electrical circuits

125 How to check a relay switch 126 Servicing the windscreen-wiper mechanism 127 Fixing a windscreen wiper motor 128 Working on the wiring system 130 Fitting a new speedometer cable 131 How to fix a car fan 132 Identifying and suppressing radio interference

Engine 134 How to drain engine oil and remove filter 135 Changing an oil filter 136 Checking for oil leaks 138 Checking the emission valve and breather 139 Checking and adjusting valves 142 Replacing gaskets and oil seals 145 Engine mount replacement 146 Exhaust manifold gasket replacement

147 Removing and refitting the cylinder head 149 How to remove an overhead camshaft 151 Removing and grinding valves 153 Adjusting a camshaft timing belt 155 Cylinder compression test 156 Checking the oil pump 157 Engine oil pump replacement 158 Air filter change

Fuel systems 159 Checking fuel pipes 161 Preparing for carburettor adjustment 162 Adjusting an SU carburettor 163 Adjusting a Stromberg carburettor 165 Adjusting a fixed-jet carburettor 166 Adjusting an emission-control carburettor 167 Cleaning fuel-pump filters 168 Checking a mechanical fuel pump

169 Removing a carburettor for cleaning 170 Checking and cleaning an SU carburettor 172 How to overhaul a Stromberg carburettor 174 Checking and cleaning a fixed-jet carburettor 176 Checking and cleaning a GM Varajet carburettor 178 Checking a Ford VV carburettor 180 Checking and replacing a fuel sender unit 181 Overhauling a mechanical fuel pump

Ignition System 182 Inspecting the ignition system 183 Cleaning and fitting spark plugs 184 Fitting new high-tension leads 185 Fitting and adjusting contact-breaker points 188 Checking the dwell angle 189 Fitting a condenser 190 Checking the high 191 Checking the low-tension circuit 192 Removing and refitting the distributor

194 Adjusting the static timing 195 Stroboscopic timing 196 Checking the starter circuit 198 Checking and replacing the starter motor 199 Replacing the Bendix gear 200 Stripping the starter motor 201 Replacing starter or dynamo bearings 202 Checking and replacing starter-motor brushes

Steering 204 Checking steering-box mountings 205 Checking steering-rack security 206 Lubricating steering swivel joints 207 How to lubricate the steering system 208 Checking steering swivel pins 209 Checking steering joints for wear 210 Checking the steering box 211 Checking rack and pinion steering

212 Adjusting and replacing a power-steering drive belt 213 Adjusting toe alignment on wheels 215 Replacing steering-rack gaiters 217 Replacing track-rod-end ball joints 219 Replacing other types of track rod 220 Refitting track rods and ball joints 221 Checking power-assisted steering

Suspension 222 Checking suspension joints and pivots 224 Checking damper units 226 Checking engine dampers 227 Cleaning and checking leaf springs 229 How to replace anti-roll-bar bushes

231 Fitting new dampers 234 Replacing lever-arm dampers 235 Renewing MacPherson-strut inserts 237 Coil springs replacement

Transmission 238 Checking the gearbox oil level, draining and refilling 240 Checking the rear axle for leaks and changing the oil 241 How to check and change automatic transmission fluid 242 Checking the clutch cable 243 How to check U-Joints 244 Adjusting the clutch

248 Bleeding the clutch 249 Checking the half shafts 250 Checking and removing a clutch master cylinder 251 Fitting new clutch seals and removing a slave cylinder 252 Replacing transmission oil seals

Wheels and Tyres 254 Checking for wheel and tyre damage 255 Avoiding tyre wear 256 Avoiding tyre and wheel damage 257 Checking, removing and refitting road wheels

258 Adjusting wheel bearings 259 Removing wheel bearings 260 Lubricating and reassembling wheel bearings 261 Replacing wheel bearings on driven wheels