The Sunday News
Lovert Mafukure
There are so many deeply rooted myths we have grown to believe as true when they are actually false. Some of these myths are so embedded in automotive archaeology that even car gurus believe they are true.
People believe cars from Japan aren’t strong and they are rejects. This isn’t true — much of the problem lies with the availability of spares and a bigger problem lies in the ignorance of the technology coming with the Japanese cars.
Automatic transmissions have an O/D (overdrive) function. It allows one to make use of the last gear, usually it’s the fourth gear on our traditional automatic transmissions.
The myth is overdrive is some kind of sport button that makes the car go faster but what it actually does is that it shifts into the final gear, usually for cruising on the highway at lower engine speed. It saves on fuel and reduces engine strain. It does not increase engine power, it’s not sport-mode.
One can use it when there’s a need to overtake on the highway. When it’s off the car changes down to lower gear and when it’s on, it is able to shift to a final gear. So overdrive isn’t a magic button that gives that extra boost. What they show in the movies isn’t real sometimes.
There is a good percentage of people in the world that fill up their tanks when they get to the half mark, then there’s the majority who believe their ancestors will wake up if their fuel gauge goes over the quarter mark. It’s customary for Africans to ask if they see you with a full tank of fuel, “Are you going somewhere?”
If there is no journey, cars are always on empty and the light is always on but . . . they never run out of fuel because their answer as always,
“I know my car!” They know their cars too well down here and that is why jerry cans sell so well. The myth that there is still fuel when the warning light is on may be true, there will be fuel but not enough to cool the fuel pump that makes your engine run.
Firstly, running low on fuel means that your pump may suck up all the dirt at the bottom of the tank. Dirty or contaminated fuel can affect many things, especially with fuel-injected cars. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Secondly, the fuel pump sits upright in the tank and it being an electric pump it gets hot and most vehicles are designed in such a way that the fuel keeps the pump cool.
When your fuel gauge goes to (E) empty, it means your pump is exposed and no longer immersed in fuel. The result is that the pump will overheat and fail prematurely.
A habit that is easy to groom is to keep your fuel level high or at least above quarter, in the end, you will have less problems. It is also good to keep the low fuel light off.
That way you can be able to gauge if you have sufficient fuel to keep your pump cool. Apart from that, you don’t really want to run out of fuel at a traffic light or in a traffic jam so keep your tank filled.
Many believe these newer cars do not really need to warm up and they can be hammered even when the engine is cold. New cars are definitely better than the older ones in the sense that they do not really behave funny when cold. Older cars needed to warm up first before they could run smoothly. Because of technology and programmed fuel injection engines, engines just run smoothly from first start.
Computers enrich fuel mixture when cold to avoid stalling and ideally, these newer cars may not need to warm up to drive well. However, that does not mean they don’t need to warm up.
An engine works well when operated at optimum temperature. It’s wise to start up your car and let it idle for a few minutes before taking off. It’s wise to also take it easy on the driving until the engine warms up fully. Do not race a cold engine. It reduces the life span of the engine.
It’s always better for someone to buy a car with a manual transmission for some very simple reasons. Manual transmissions are easy on maintenance and last longer than automatics.
Manual transmissions are always better but some people have a hard time driving them. With a manual transmission it’s all about timing and shifting, you have to shift correctly at the right time into the correct gear at the correct speed. If you do not, you mess up the gearbox or the clutch setup.
The myth is true that manual transmissions are better when compared to automatics but their reliability also depends on one’s ability to operate them well.
These are some of the most common myths about cars. Most of the times we ignore them until the problems arise but practising a good habit will prove a worthy investment in the long run.
@lovert116
Automart Used Spares Centre – Quality Used Japanese Spares
+263 772 33 99 38 – [email protected]
Facebook: @automartusc
