Emission Testing North Brisbane
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Emission Testing North Brisbane

2020 has started with ridiculous heat, a national drought & terrible bushfires in Victoria, New South Wales & parts of South Australia. 

Not a good time to take a holiday in Hawaii..

Due to these events that have just mentioned, here at Mannys Mechanical Repairs, we have decided to lead the charge with implementing emission testing North Brisbane.

This testing will happen on all vehicles when serviced & repaired and on safety certificate inspections.

Vehicle Emission Testing

We have just upgraded on a new Gas Analyser to measure vehicle emissions on Petrol, Diesel, LPG & Natural Gas-

We can supply a print out on the state of your vehicle emissions at idle (sitting in traffic) & at 3000 rpm (cruise modes).

CO: Carbon Monoxide

The combusted dangerous gas that can kill in high concentrations. The lower the reading the better generally we are looking less than .5% with a good catalytic converter this can be down to 0%

HC: Hydrocarbons

is the unburnt fuel- left in the combustion process- This is a major polluter & effects the ozone layer. Hydrocarbons are measured in parts per million (ppm) the lower the better!

Co2: Carbon dioxide

Carbon Dioxide is a result of the combustion process- the higher the percentage the better combustion process which means the engine is running efficiently- still high levels of carbon dioxide cause Green house effect – possible global warming

O2: Oxygen

is measured- excess level of oxygen means there is a possible exhaust leakage which can effect emission readings or a engine fault. Though the gas analyser is a balance system- if there is a abnormal reading it will show irregular readings on the other settings.

NOx: Nitrogen oxide

This one is the bad one- a mixture of nitrogen & oxygen added with fuel hydrocarbons(Diesel)  Nox is released under extreme combustion heat- To combat this manufactures add a EGR- Exhaust gas recirculation system to cool & lower NOx .

 NOx gases causes Acid rain & Asthma.

Lambda & Air/Fuel Ratio

The ideal air/fuel Ratio for petrol is 14.7:1, Diesels can range from 14.5 :1 to  20 :1 That is 20 air molecules to 1 fuel molecule. lambda is a nominated reading by the engine software calibrator but generally a lambda of 1 is 14.7 :1 reference

Emission Testing North Brisbane

By reading the above, you can be assured we take our work seriously.

Global Warming is serious stuff and we can do our part to ensure vehicles are properly serviced, tuned & keep the polluters off the road.

 Manny`s Mechanical Repairs is leading the way!

“IF YOU CANNOT MEASURE IT.. YOU CANNOT MANAGE IT!”

Let’s make Greta happy!

Call Manny on 0411 496 621 today.

To Serve To Perform To Guide- Bringing Automotive power to the people

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

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What are the VVT or VTEC Letters on your car?

The last blog the topic was on the timing belt & the importance of the correlation of exact timing between the camshaft & crankshaft. In this blog, we explain what are the VVT or VTEC Stickers on your car.

The key to engine power is air flow/air density. The trick is to get as much air molecules compacted into the engine cylinder as possible when the piston goes down the cylinder on the induction stroke.

The pictures below shows a easy pathway for the air to travel (In this great cutaway example). The more air the greater force generated on the piston during power combustion, resulting in more torque at the crankshaft. The amount of air filling the cylinder is known as volumetric efficiency. 

VVT or VTEC Stickers

The intake valve is the gate way for air entering the engine cylinder. This is the V part of the initials in VVT. The valve is controlled by the camshaft either directly on top or by a push rod & lever shown by the different example photos. The camshaft has two important roles:

  1. It lifts the valve off its seat to a specified distance (valve lift or valve curtain area)
  2. It keeps the valve open for a certain time (valve duration)

 So all this thermodynamics is good but the problem is volumetric efficiency described above.

Most car engine revolutions (revs) about 7000rpm the speed of the piston is so fast that there is not enough time for enough air to fill with cylinder in milliseconds, so eventually the engine runs out of air at high rpm resulting in loss of power.

Then in the late Eighties Honda came up with Variable cam shaft profile. This is the other V in the initials. In the late eighties the Honda engines were so good with immortal drivers of Ayrton Senna , Nigel Mansel , Alain Prost, that they kicked butt out of the opposition.

The Variable part allows the camshaft to open the valve longer & even higher at different rev ranges also by being able to control exhaust valves emissions. Technically the intake valve can be opened longer at precise high engine speeds allowing more air to enter the cylinder. The volumetric efficiency as described before can go higher than a 100% normally aspirated, but add a good turbo like Honda did back in the 80`s, they were getting over 1000hp from a 1.5 litre engine with over 160% efficency!

There are many variants of control applied in The Variable Valve Timing (VVT). The most common is oil pressured phasers which are computer pulse width activated via a oil pressured activator. The Hondas use a pin locator and Holden use a special lifter to deactivate cylinders in their AFM vehicles.

VTEC Car Maintenance

If you have a car that has VVTOR VTEC, well then use good quality synthetic oil!

The trend of car manufacturers is to make smaller capacity engines which mean lower emissions but with excellent power output.

What are the VVT or VTEC Letters on your car?

Variable Valve Timing is now nearly in all makes & models.

Manny`s Mechanical  Repairs helps you understand more about your vehicle.

We invest in the best equipment, we go to the best courses, we continually use the best parts, the best oil & use the best skill on your car.

I hope this has helped.

Knowledge is power- Power is organized effort!

Call Manny on 0411 496 621 today.

To Serve To Perform To Guide- Bringing Automotive power to the people

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.

Why a well maintained car battery is essential
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Why a Well Maintained Car Battery is Essential

The car battery is the heart & soul of your electrical system in your car – that’s why we have put together this blog on why a well maintained car battery is essential for your car. 

What is a Car Battery?

The Car Battery is made up of chemical components that react with each other creating an abundance of electrons in a 2 volt cell. This cell is added with another 6 cells to make 12 volts.

This analogy can be compared to your beating heart. Your heart pumps blood to every blood vessel in your body, and the blood carries oxygen to nourish every part of the human body.

Your heart is a pump –The car Battery is sort of a pump. It is actually a pressure vessel of electrons (Volts).

The electrons is in a way similar to your blood vessels in that they travel in a direct current (DC) to a consumer or a resistor. The current  (is Amps) the consumer or resistor ( are Ohms).

This direct current can be applied to a rotating conductor and produce alternating Current (AC).

Why a Well Maintained Car Battery is Essential

So why is a well maintained car battery so critical?

As mentioned before the electrons are pushed by the battery to every electrical load – ie. the stater motor, fuel pump, fuel injectors, ignition system, anti-lock braking system and air bag module just to name a few.

Because of so many demanding loads, batteries generally last about three years.

So you asked why is a well maintained battery so critical? If the pressure applied by the battery begins to deteriorate, this can cause slow response and application.

For example a starter motor needs at least 100-150 amps to rotate at speed if this is not met hard starting may occur. It is at this critical time that a big load is demanded of the battery and not only has the battery supply – the starter motor – but also electrons to the computer, fuel system, ignition systems and fuel injectors.

A good battery backed by a good charging system must keep the battery at a particular sustained voltage. This sustained voltage is used as a reference voltage for critical components like air bag system monitoring, traction control & anti lock braking.

If this voltage alters or loses integrity a chain of events can occur possibly resulting in a air bag not deploying at the most critical times.

My first step when diagnosing a vehicle that has emission or engine performance issue to TEST THE BATTERY FIRST!

This is done by applying a external load to the electrical system or battery. We then monitor the battery under load to see the reserve voltage capacity there must be at least 10.5 volts under load and if this is not met it is time to GET RID OF THE BATTERY!

Electrical systems require to be tested under load at different heat ranges.

Why do some batteries fail so early?

Some of the biggest killer of batteries are excessive under bonnet heat and excessive vibration and also ridicules “doof doof” stereos that can blow your ear drums with a low amp alternator.

Also letting your car sit for months on end or simply not driving it enough can be why some batteries fail early.

Some computer modules do not always go into sleep mode, they stay awake waiting for someone who will break into the car.

The little electric clock staying on drawing a minuscule amp compounds after months of inactivity. This is why a car requires to be driven and driven a lot.

But one of the biggest killer of batteries is an under-performing alternator. A poor performing alternator resulting in undercharging the battery can result in another chemical reaction called sulphating.

The sulphating destroys the chemical composition in the battery stopping the metamorphosis of producing highly charged electrons.

Tuning & calibration

Rule number one – you cannot tune or calibrate a car with a poor maintained battery!

Rule number two- READ RULE NUMBER ONE- NUMB NUTS!

It has amazed me that some under-performing cars have come to my workshop running so poorly with excessive knocking only to have a flat battery.

Car Battery Mechanic

Click here for a video on how to test your battery.

Please call me for any intelligent issues with your car.

 I hope this has helped.

Knowledge is power- Power is organized effort!

Call Manny on 0411 496 621 today.

To Serve To Perform To Guide- Bringing Automotive power to the people

At Manny’s Mechanical Repairs you are in good hands, our main services include, Safety Certificates, Logbook Service, Free Pickup & Delivery, and Car Cooling System Repairs.

We have the latest diagnostic equipment and my work van is fitted out with an industrial air compressor. This enables me to perform heavy duty work and give you – the customer – the best service at any place and at any time.

For Bookings and enquiries, please contact us on 0411 496 621, email us at agrade@mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au or visit our site www.mannysmechanicalrepairs.com.au.