Nick's Auto Blog

Hello, my name is Nick. This is my new auto blog. Have you ever wondered about how you can improve the look and functioning of your auto? If so you are in the right place. I live in a large house in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia and my house has as many garage parking spots as it does rooms. And believe me, it has a lot of rooms. I like to collect classic cars and then work on them to restore them to their former glory. In doing this, I have learnt lots of cool tricks. I would like to share some of these tricks with you here.

Is Your Differential Trying To Communicate A Problem To You?

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Although your vehicle's differential plays a crucial role in manoeuvring your car, not many motorists pay it any mind. In fact, chances are you have never heard about your vehicle's differential until it begins to cause car problems. The differential is a system that enables the wheels of your car to spin at varying speeds. This difference in speed is prudent when you are trying to navigate corners as the wheels on the inside of the corner need to turn at a slower rate. Hence, if your differential is malfunctioning, you will find it difficult to drive at ease.

Nevertheless, diff problems will not come about suddenly. They will develop gradually which gives you time to seek a car service. So how would you know if your differential is trying to communicate a problem to you?

Your vehicle is emitting weird smells

Just as most other components in your car, your differential has fluid in it to facilitate its operations. In the event of a leak, you will begin to notice noxious smells in your car. Some motorists have compared this smell to catching a whiff of sulphur in your vehicle. The first thing you should do is check beneath your car for any visible leaks. If you cannot see any, have an auto mechanic determine the cause of these weird smells before you continue using your car full time.

Your vehicle has started making weird noises

One of the most common symptoms of impending diff repair is odd sounds. An auditory sign that you should be wary of is high-pitched whistling coming from your vehicle. This whistling may start at a low pitch when you start driving, but it will gradually increase as you try to accelerate or turn at corners. It should be noted that auditory signs are common with a host of other car problems. The main difference here is that this whistling sound will keep increasing in pitch as you use your vehicle, unlike other sounds that may just have the same pitch throughout such as friction between gear parts.

Your vehicle feels heavier than normal

Granted, you are not carrying your vehicle around. However, you can get a sense of it feeling heavier by how the car will drag as you are driving it. For instance, you may be trying to accelerate but find your vehicle is not being as responsive as usual. Instead, it will sluggishly increase its speed. In most cases, this dragging of your vehicle may be caused by a failing differential. It would be prudent to enlist the services of a mechanic to ensure that it does not compromise our driving altogether.

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28 September 2016