Unit 2:

Concept of Maintenance, Repairs and Wear in Vehicles

2.1. Introduction to maintenance

A motor vehicle service is a series of maintenance procedures carried out at a set time interval or after the
vehicle has travelled a certain distance.
An automobile operates under severe operational condition due to which there is a great stress on its
components. The life of an automobile is depends on following two factors:
1. How the vehicle has been driven?
2. How the vehicle is maintained or looked after?
The first factor can be taken by good driving habits.
The second factor is the maintenance of a vehicle which is very critical by proper checking at regular
interval so that it can be used for longer time without any breakdown.
2.2. Importance of maintenance
1. Increase Safety:
The maintenance ensures the reliability and safety of the passengers and vehicles. Keeping up on
your routine car maintenance services will increase your safety on the road. It will prevent parts
from breaking and larger issue in the near future.
2. Keeps Vehicle performing at its best:
Along with the increased safety, your car will also be performing better that it would if you were
slacking on maintenance services. Imagine getting better tire traction, more stable steering, and
more reliable engine starts.
3. Save Money.
Keeping up with the regular maintenance prevent a large cost by avoiding the break-down of the
vehicle. If you take care of your vehicle on a regular basis, you will prevent larger, more costly
issues from arising.
4. Lower the cost of fuel (enhance fuel economy)
5. Keeps vehicle value high
It increases the life of the vehicle and return value at the time of re-sell.
2.3. Types of maintenance
Maintenance can be classified as:
1. Preventive maintenance
2. Break-down maintenance
2.3.1. Preventive Maintenance:
Preventive maintenance (PM) means periodic service work performed on a vehicle that will help keep it
functioning correctly for a long time. All vehicle manufacturers publish a list of service work to be
performed on a regular basis. Preventive maintenance is also called routine maintenance because it is
usually performed on a set scheduled routine. The interval specified for preventative maintenance is often
expressed in time and miles (km) such as:
 Every six months (could be longer for many vehicles)
 Every 5,000 to 10,000 miles (8,000 to 16,000 km) depending on the vehicle and how it is being
operated.
 Either of the above, whichever occurs first
The items or systems that require routine maintenance include:
1. Engine oil and oil filter replacement
2. Air and cabin filter replacement
3. Tire inflation pressure check, inspection, and rotation
4. Brake and suspension system inspection
5. Under hood inspection and fluid checks
 6. Under-vehicle inspection and fluid checks
7. Air-conditioning system inspection and service
8. Safety inspection, such as all lights and windshield wiper blades
9. Routine cleaning of vehicle both inside and out
Reason for preventive maintenance:
 Reliability
 Life
 Resale value of vehicle
Reliability:
Reliability of a vehicle is defined as the ability to perform and maintain its function in routine
and unexpected circumstances. To maintain reliability, owner must get the vehicle service at
regular interval as defined by the manufacturer to prevent maintenance schedules and to keep up
with the warranty.
Life:
The following daily care can increase the life of the vehicle.
 Drive moderately until engine is approaching operating temperature.
 Reduce the no. of short trips so as to avoid the cooling which can cause the engine to
wear.
 Whenever possible park the vehicle in the shade in order to protect the paint of the
vehicle.
 Keep the interior of the vehicle clean.
 Always use soft water instead of hard water for washing.
Resale value of vehicle:
The resale value of any vehicle depends upon the condition of the vehicle, the distance travel by the
vehicle, the interior and exterior of the vehicle, the comfortless of the drive of the vehicle.
The resale value of a new car is directly depreciated by 10% even at the time of purchase. The further
depreciation of the vehicle is experiences in the nature with respect to time.

2.3.2 Break-down maintenance:

Breakdown maintenance is maintenance performed on a piece of equipment that has broken down,
faulted, or otherwise cannot be operated. The goal of breakdown-maintenance is to fix something that has
malfunctioned. To the contrary, preventive maintenance is performed in order to keep something running.
Breakdown maintenance is much more costly than preventive maintenance. A proper diagnosis of the
problem should be performed in the case of breakdown maintenance to find out the real cause of the
problem.

When the vehicle suddenly stops on the road, the following should be check to know the cause;
1. Fault in battery or loose battery terminals.
2. Loose starter cable or poor starter connection circuit.
3. Fault in starter motor.
4. No spark (faulty spark plug)
5. No fuel in fuel tank
6. No current in primary circuit or larger resistance in secondary circuit.
7. Faulty fuel pump
8. Fuel filter chock
9. Poor stoichiometric ratio /air-fuel mixture
10. Big cylinder compressor
11. Excessive/over heating
 12. Alternator not charging
13. Blockage in carburetor
Regular and Periodic Check on vehicle:
1. Daily Inspection (DI)
It is the responsibility of a driver or owner of a vehicle to carry out the following inspection and
checks daily, before starting the engine, to avoid any type of breakdown on the road.
i. Check tyre pressure in all the tyres visually or by hitting the tyre wall with the help of a stone and
judge the sound.
ii. Check the radiator’s coolant level.
iii. Check the fan belts for looseness.
iv. Check the level of engine oil.
v. Check the windscreen, rear-view mirror and rear-window glass for their cleanliness.
2. Maintenance Check-up
When one plans a long distance travel, it is necessary to carry out a routine check-up. One should read the
vehicle maintenance manual for clarity. Some important check-ups are done for better maintenance.
i. Topping of oil level
ii. Proper tension of belt
iii. Battery for cleanliness and level of electrolyte (add only distilled water for topping of electrolyte
water)
iv. Brakes
v. Topping up of coolant, if required, in the coolant reservoir
vi. Checking the serviceability of cooling system hoses
vii. Proper tyre inflation pressure
viii. Air conditioning

Some important check-ups are discussed here.

 Check or Top-up All Vehicles’ Oil Levels
Service mechanic, with the help of a measuring stick, checks the engine oil, coolant, brake oil and
water. During routine check-up, oil, water and coolants are topped up or otherwise they are
changed.

 Belt Check-up
Checking of belt is very important. If it is loose or broken, then it needs to be replaced
immediately.

 Battery
It is a very important component of a vehicle. It should be checked regularly. Battery electrolyte
(distilled water) is checked by removing the battery caps and looking inside. If the level is low, it
is topped up with distilled water. Nowadays, batteries are maintenance-free which means they
have sealed caps and require no checking. But, some batteries though said to be maintenance-
free, do have removable caps. These should be checked in the usual manner.

 Brakes
The service mechanic checks the brake by pushing the pedal. If there is need of servicing, the
service mechanic informs the customer accordingly.

 Cooling System
 The technician checks the cooling system by topping up the coolant. The cooling system should
be refilled with the correct coolant, and not with water alone.

 Air Conditioning
The service mechanic checks cooling and heating by examining if the airflow is coming from all
appropriate vents.

 Tyres:
The mechanic at the service station examines the tyres by checking correct tyre pressure, and also
checks whether there is any external damage.
2.4. Activities of maintenance
1. Change the engine oil
2. Replace the oil filter
3. Replace the air filter
4. Replace the fuel filter
5. Replace the AC filter
6. Replace the spark plug
7. Check level and refill brake fluid/clutch fluid/steering fluid
8. Check coolant hoses
9. Check the charging system
10. Check the battery
11. Check the level & refill automatic transmission fluid.
12. Grease and lubricate the components well.
13. Inspect and replace the timing chain/belt if needed.
14. Check tyre condition.
15. Check the condition of all light and wiper.
16. Use scanner for troubleshooting and correct DTC if occurs.
2.5. Repair and its purpose
Vehicle repair is the process of fixing any issues or damages that may occur in a vehicle, such as cars,
trucks, motorcycles, etc. The purpose of vehicle repair is to ensure that the vehicle is safe to operate, to
extend its lifespan, and to maintain its performance.

2.6. Engine Overhaul and running repair

An engine overhaul is a comprehensive engine tune-up that involves removing and

disassembling a vehicle’s engine, testing all the components, cleaning and replacing parts as
needed and then reassembling the engine. This is done to improve vehicle performance and
prolong the life of the engine.

The need of engine overhauling is normally necessary when following things occurs:

 Loss of power
 Heavy oil consumption
 Mechanical noise increases

The various components which required overhauling of engine are;

1. Cylinder head and cylinder block

 2. Valve mechanism
 Valves  Rocker arm and push rod for
 Valves guides overhead valves
 Retaining springs  Hydraulic valve lifters
 Valve seats  Cam shaft
 Valve lifters and adjusting  Camshaft bearings
screws  Camshaft gear or sprocket.
3. Connecting rod assembly
 Connecting rod  Cylinder wall
 Connecting rod bearing  Piston and piston rings
 Piston pin and bearings
4. Crankshaft assembly
 Crankshaft  Flywheel
 Main bearings  Crankshaft gear or sprocket.
5. Oil pan
6. Various systems
 Ignition system  Lubricating system
 Fuel system  Starting and generator
 Cooling system systems
1. Cylinder head and cylinder block

1.1 Cylinder Head:

The trouble that occurs in cylinder head is warping. If the warpage is slight, the head can be machined. A
thicker cylinder gasket is used to compensate for the metal removed in machining the head. The best
remedy is to put a new head.

When the head is to be replaced, it should be tightened down with a torque wrench to the manufacturer’s
specifications. If it is not tightened properly, it will cause distortion of the cylinder block, which in turn
will not allow the valves to seat squarely, eventually warping them with loss of compression. The
distortion will also cause excessive wear of piston, cylinder wall and rings.

1.2 Cylinder Block:

Cylinder Wear: The following factors tend to cause cylinder wall wear;

 The piston and ring movement.

 The high temperature and pressure of combustion.
 The washing action of gasoline entering the cylinder.
- At the start of the power stroke, pressures are the greatest. The compression rings are forced with
the greatest pressure against the cylinder wall. At the same time, temperatures are highest while
the oil film is least effective in protecting the cylinder walls. Therefore, the most wear (tapper)
takes place at the top of the cylinder. As the piston moves down on the power stroke, the
 combustion pressure and temperature decrease. Less wear take place. The result is that the
cylinder wears irregularly.
- The cylinder also tends to wear slightly oval shaped. This is due to the side thrust of the piston as
it moves down in the cylinder on the power stroke. The side thrust result from the swing, from
vertical, of the connecting rod. However, cylinders that are oval when cold will probably less oval
when hot.
- At times the air-fuel mixture is not perfectly blended. Small droplets of gasoline, still
unvaporised, enter the cylinder and strike the cylinder wall, washing away the oil film. Thus, this
area wears more rapidly.

2. Valve mechanism

Requirement for valve operation:

- It must be properly timed.

- It must be operated without lag.
- The valve must seat tightly and properly on its seat.
- Valve tapped clearance and valve stem and guide clearance must be correct.

Valve trouble:

- Valve sticking
- Valve burning
- Valve breakage
- Valve face wear
- Valve deposits.

2.1 Valve sticking:

Valve sticking is caused by gum or carbon deposits on the valve stem.
- Excessive valve stem clearance (worn valve guides) causes carbon deposition on the
valves and stems.
- Another cause of valve sticking is warped stems. These could result from
overheating, an eccentric seat, or retainer (which tends to bend the stem).
- Valve sticking also sometimes takes place due to insufficient oil.
- Sometimes valves stick when cold, but work free when the engine warms up.
2.2 Valves burning:
Any condition that overheats the air-fuel mixture, or prevents normal valve seating, may lead to
valve burning.
The normal valve cooling may be prevented due to following:
- Poor seating
- A worn valve guide
- Clogged passages which prevent coolant circulation around the valve seat, leading to
seat distribution, poor seating and overheated valves.
 - Engine overheating or overloading
- A lean air-fuel mixture
2.3 Valve breakage:
Any condition that causes valve to overheat may cause it to break.
2.4 Valve faces wear:
Valve face wear can take place due to excessive tappet clearance or dirt on the valve face or seat.
Excessive tappet clearance causes heavy impact seating. This wears the valve and may cause
valve breakage.
2.5 Valve deposits:
The various causes of carbon deposition on the valve are;
- Improper combustion due to rich mixture
- Defective ignition system
- Loss of compression in the engine
- Cold engine.
Valve Service:
The valve service includes the following;
i. Adjust valve tappet clearance.
ii. Cleaning carbon from all parts.
iii. Refinishing valves and valve seats.
iv. Inserting new valve seat inserts.
v. Replacing valve guides
vi. Replacing the camshaft and crankshaft bearings.
vii. Replacing the camshaft gear, or camshaft sprocket and chain or belt.

A complete valve grind includes the following:

i. Refinishing the valve faces and valve seats; checking the run out of the valve head and
valve seat.
ii. Checking the clearance between valve stem and valve guide.
iii. Checking valve spring tension.
iv. Checking the valve stem installed height.
v. Adjusting the valves (if applicable)
vi. Adjusting the ignition timing
vii. Adjusting idle speed.
The valve tappet clearance is measured by a feeler gauge.
Camshaft:
Inspection of camshaft for alignment:
The camshaft is checked for alignment by rotating it in V-blocks, and using a dial indicator to
check for eccentricity.
- The journal diameters should be checked with a micrometer and the bearings with a
telescope gauge.
- A bent crankshaft may be straightened in hydraulic press.
 - If the bearings are worn, they should be replaced.
Hydraulic Valve Lifter:
If the hydraulic valve lifter is defective, it is probably cheaper to replace it than to disassemble
and service. In some engines, a “leak down” test is used to determine the condition of the
hydraulic valve lifters.

3. Connecting rod assembly

3.1 Connecting rod:
The following checks should be carried out in case of a connecting rod:
Big end side clearance:
Check the big end of the connecting rod for side clearance, with the rod fitted and connected to
its crankpin in the normal manner. If the measure clearance is found to exceed its limit
(standard= 0.10 to 0.20 mm and limit = 0.30 mm), replace the connecting rod.
Connecting rod alignment:
Mount the connecting rod on the aligner to check it for bow and twist and if limit is exceeded
(limit on bow= 0.05 mm, and limit on twist = 0.10 mm), replace it.

Inspection of the crankpin and the connecting rod bearings is carried out in the following ways:
- Inspect the crankpin for uneven wear or damage. Measure the crankpin for out-of-round
or tapper with a micrometer.
- Rod bearing: Inspect bearing shells for signs of fusion, pitting, burns and observe the
contact pattern. Replace it if it found defective.
- Rod bearing clearance
If the clearance exceeds its limit (standard= 0.020 to 0.040 mm and limit = 0.080 mm),
use a new standard size bearing and re-measure the clearance.
3.2 Piston and rings:
- Remove carbon and varnish carefully from piston surfaces.
- Clean ring grooves with a clean-out tool.
- Examine the pistons carefully for wear, scuffs, scored skirts, worn ring grooves, and
cracks.
- Check the piston diameter by taking measurements perpendicular to the piston pin bore at
the sizing point and parallel to the piston pin bore.
- Check the fit of the piston pins in the pistons. The piston-pin clearance should be no
greater than 0.025 mm.
- Piston rings are to be checked for tension, scratches and wear.
4. Crankshaft assembly:
4.1 Crankshaft and main bearings:
Wearing of crankshaft main bearings and journals occurs due to the following reasons:
- Lack of oil
- Scratches by dirt in the oil
 - Out of round bearing or journals
- Fatigue
Inspecting crankshaft for alignment:
The crankshaft alignment can be checked with a dial gauge by supporting it on V-blocks.
If the journals are found to be worn more than 0.0125 mm to 0.325 mm, a new crankshaft should
be used.
5. Flywheel:
The following parameters are inspected on flywheel:
- Inspect the clutch disc mating surface on the flywheel for wear, crack & burning. If the
surface is excessively worn out, replace the flywheel.
- Inspect the ring gear teeth for wear & damage. Replace the ring if required.
- Measure the flywheel run out using a dial indicator.
It must be ensured that the flywheel is tightly fitted on the crankshaft. If it loose, it will cause a
heavy single knock, which can be detected by racing the engine slightly, then turn of the ignition
switch. Just when the engine is about to stop, turn on the ignition switch, and at this time the
flywheel knock will be heard.
In order to tighten the flywheel on the crankshaft the clutch has to be removed. Before removing
the flywheel, make two punch marks side by side, one on flywheel and other on crankshaft.
While tightening it these mark should be lined up.
6. Oil Pan:
After removing the oil pan, clean it thoroughly with gasoline to get the entire heavy slug out so
that it will not clog the oil system. Also, clean the oil screen and oil pump before replacing the
pan.

Wear:
Wear is mainly two types
1. Natural wear
2. Accidental wear
Natural wear is mainly due to cyclic exposure to force. Eg. In piston and cylinder
The wear out of machinery parts due to accidental impact or sudden force is called accidental
wear.
Types of wear:
1. Adhesive wear
2. Oxidation wear
3. Thermal wear
4. Abrasive wear
5. Pitting wear
1. Adhesive wear:
It is a type of wear between contacting solid surface, which on rubbing each other transferring
the molecules from one surface to another. Eg. In a clutch
2. Oxidation wears:
It is also known as corrosion wear. It is present on both lubricated and non-lubricated surface.
The fundamental causes are chemical reaction between the surface of material and oxygen
present in the air. Eg. In Cylinder liner.
3. Thermal wear:
This type of wear is present at high temperature exposure. Eg. In combustion chamber of engine.
4. Abrasive wear:

It occurs when hard rough surface slide across the soft surface. Eg. Brake shoes damage, cylinder
lining, brake, suspension, etc.

5. Pitting wear:

It is the surface of material which is weakening by the cyclic loading. It results cracked. Eg.
Teeth of gear.