LEARN VEHICLE LAYOUT AND ITS SYSTEMS AND ALSO LEARN VEHICLE COMMON FAULTS

AND HOW TO RECTIFY THEM

COPY RIGHT: J.J.M. WANUME 1997
All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without he prior permission of the
copy right owner. Unauthorized reproduction in any form will give rise to legal action being against
offenders.

The Author
Mr. James John Magola Wanume, a veteran business educationist, was educated at Busoga College
Mwiri, the Uganda College of commerce, Nakawa and the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He
started his teaching career as an instructor at the then East Africa Community training Centre
Arusha, Tanzania. He later taught at Uganda College of commerce Nakawa, Kenya government
secretarial College Nairobi, and the then Institute of public Administration. Now Uganda
management institute Kampala. Mr Wanume also taught in a number of high schools in Ontario
province, Canada. He was later trained and is an Examiner of business subjects with many
examining bodies

Mr Wanume is also the author of the following books:-

1. Shorthand dictation material for speed development
2. Published by oxford university press, Nairobi
3. Typewriting drills for keyboard mastery- published by oxford university press, Nairobi.
4. Learn To punctuate and say exactly what you mean.
5. Learn to write and to speak polite English.
6. Learn Not To confuse “confusing words”- vocabulary for office workers and students
7. Learn courtesy and Discipline of the road
8. Yiga obuntubulamu N’ empisa mu luguudo
9. Learn vehicle periodic maintenance services.
10. Yiga Enabirira Y’ekidduka.
11. Road Discipline for pedestrians, animals owner, school children and bicycle riders
12. A road safety education textbook for schools

INTRODUCATION
Every driver should know the layout of the vehicle, its main units and systems and also
causes of common faults.
This book, therefore explains the composition of the vehicle assembly and the functions of
main units and system.

Additionally the book also teachers drivers and Motocycle riders causes and common faults
in a vehicle. This is to enable a driver or motorcycle rider to check and rectify a fault in a
vehicle without necessary calling.
Lastly the book teaches a driver factors which affect each unit life so that this driver takes
care to preserve the life of these units.
 CONTENTS
1. Vehicle systems
2. Vehicle layout
3. Factors which affect tyre life
4. Causes of hard starting from coid
5. Why engines fail to start
6. What causes sudden engine cut-off after warning or jerking?
7. What causes gradual engine cutoff
8. What causes vehicle excessive fuel consumption
9. What are the causes of engine overheating
10. Factors which govern battery life
11. Causes of tyre bursts
12. Causes of fire in a vehicle for petrol engine and diesel engine

1. VEHICLE SYSTEMS:
A vehicle is made up of the following systems:-
a. Engine
[Link]
c. Fuel: i)petrol ii)diesel
[Link]
e. Lubrication
f. Brakes
g. Steering
[Link]
i. Electrical: i)starting i)charging iii)general wiring
j. Tyres
[Link]-frame
l. Body, etc

THE LAYOUT OF THE VEHICLE

A vehicle assembly is composed of the following main units and systems:-
[Link] chassis or flame
[Link] body
[Link] suspension system
[Link] power unit
[Link] transmission system
[Link] breaking system
[Link] electrical system
1. The chassis: this is the frame or of the vehicle. It must be strong and rigid. It is made of
welded steel.
2. The body: the body is made up of steel pressings it forms a weatherproof and comfortable
compartment for the driver and passengers. It is bolted to the chassis at many points.
3. The suspension system: the function of the suspension system is to reduce the amount of
shock and vibration transmitted from the road wheels to the chassis and body. Modern
suspension systems use coil springs for the front wheels and leaf springs for the rear
wheels but there are many different arrangements. See diagrams below:
6. The electrical system: this is used to supply all the electrical energy needed to operate the
many electrical units fitted to the vehicle in order to increase its use, convenience and
comfort. Ignition is needed for the engine, lights, motors and battery charging.

2. FACTORS WHICH AFFECT TYRE LIFE;

a) Unbalanced wheels
b) Tyre pressure
c) Incorrect wheel alignment
d) Incorrect camber angle
e) Over-speeding
f) Over loading
g) Bad wheel hub beaning
h) Poor braking (fierce or sudden)
i) Fierce take off
j) Sharp/very fast comering
k) Poor shock absorbers
l) Poor roads
m) Type of tyre fitted
n) Poor tyre removal from the rim
o) Tyre burst

3. HARD STARTING FROM COLD:

Hard starting from a vehicle may be due to the following:-
a) Faulty heater plugs (some)
b) Clogged air cleaner
c) Faulty injector nozzle
d) Clogged / dirty diesel filter
e) Loss of compression
f) Ban contact breaker point
g) Condition of spark plugs
h) Dirty battery terminals
i) Loose wire from distributor to ignition coil
j) When carburetor does not store enough store enough fuel overnight
k) Faulty temperature sensor.

4. ENGINE FAILS TO START.

The following may cause an engine to fail completely to start:
a) Too dirty/ clogged air cleaner
b) Worn out breaker points or too small a gap or too big a gap
c) Too clogged diesel filter
d) Faulty injector nozzles
e) Carburetor flooding
f) Fuel not reaching carburetor
g) Too rich mixture
h) There is air in fuel system (diesel)
i) Wrong firing order
j) Wrong firing order
k) Lack of fuel in the tank
l) Faulty temperature sensor
 5. ENGINE SUDDEN CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING:
The following can cause a sudden engine cut-off while driving
a) Faulty ignition switch
b) Loose battery terminals
c) Too hot ignition coil
d) Loose/broken small wire from ignition coil to distributor
e) Burnt contact breaker points
f) Loose coil high tension lead
g) Water vapour in distributor cap (after vehicle passing in a pool of water)
h) Loose small wire to injector pump
i) Spark plug leads if jump off

6. ENGINE GRADUAL CUT OFF

The following can cause a gradual cut off after warning the driver by jerking:-
a) Too small contact breaker points
b) Too dirty fuel strainer
c) Too dirty/clogged diesel filter
d) Less fuel in the tank
e) Air in the fuel system
f) Faulty fuel pump

7. EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION

The following can cause excessive fuel consumption:-
a) Too dirty air cleaner
b) Too loose valve clearances
c) Too much worn piston rings
d) Too much over speeding
e) Very low vehicle speed
f) Slipping clutch
g) Low tyre pressure
h) Faulty injector nozzles
i) Faulty injector pump
j) Driving in alow gear for a long distance
k) Jamming breaks
l) Too retard ignition
m) Too much pitted contact breaker
n) Driving below normal running temperature
o) Burnt valves
p) Carburetor jets wider
q) Faulty spark plugs
r) Faulty air sensor
s) Carburetor not properly adjusted

8. ENGINE OVER- HEATING:

The following can cause an engine over heat:
a) Lack of water in the radiator
b) Loose fan belt
c) Blocked/dirty radiator fans
d) Dirty radiator tubes
e) Leaking radiator
f) Faulty radiator
g) Faulty thermostat
h) Too retarded ignition
 i) Too weak mixture
j) Jamming breaks
k) Kinked hose pipes
l) Faulty water pump
m) Slipping clutch-especially when climbing

9. FACTORS WHICH GOVERN BATTERY LIFE

The following factors govern the of a battery in a vehicle;
 Size of battery purchased
 Treatment given to new battery (electrolyte)
 Attention given to a battery in use
 Battery machine charging
 Condition of vehicle charging system
 Treatment to a battery out of service for sometime
 Condition of vehicle charging system

10. CAUSES OF TYRE BURSTS

These are some of the major causes of tyre bursts:
a) Worn out tyres
b) Fitting tyres of wrong size
c) Using tyres of fewer number of plies
d) Over speeding
e) Over inflation
f) Over loading
What do you do to avoid an accident when a tyre burst?

11. CAUSES OF FIRE IN VEHICLE

Problem, petrol engine diesel engine
a) Un insulated wires-bad cause fire
Wiring (short-circuit)
b) Smoking cause firedoes not cause fire
c) Fuel leakage Because fire cause fire
d) Loose wire connection cause fire cause fire
e) Loaded charcoal cause fire cause fire
f) Jamming brakes cause fire cause fire
g) Arch welding cause fire cause fire
h) Bush fires cause firedoes not cause fire
i) Accidents cause fire cause fire
j) Carrying fuel cause fire cause fire
k) Very dry diff cause fire cause fire
l) Broken exhaust pipecause fire cause fire
m) Centre bearing jammedcause firecause fire
n) Dripping cause fire cause fire
o) Popping back (back firing) cause fire does not cause fire
p) Used cotton waste thrown cause fire cause fire
In the vehicle