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If you have owned a car for any length of time, you have probably already figured out that cars will break down from time to time. Cars are made up of a complex arrangement of mechanical and electronic parts, all of which have the capacity to fail or malfunction. Fortunately, replacement parts exist to replace virtually any component on your vehicle that breaks.

Replacement Parts

Automotive replacement parts are parts that are made to replace existing parts when they break. Replacement parts are manufactured by both the vehicle manufacturers and aftermarket parts manufacturers. You can by a replacement for virtually every component on your vehicle, including body panels, knobs, dials, wiring, belts, pumps, pulleys, sensors and even the mechanical parts such as the engine and transmission. Granted, if your vehicle is not a common make or model, you will often have a harder time finding replacement parts or have to get used parts, but the components are still out there and available for purchase.

OEM Parts

Original Equipment Manufacturer parts (OEM) are auto parts that were manufactured by the same company that made the original part. This means that the part is identical to the original item that was in your car in every way possible. OEM parts are often considered desirable by mechanics and vehicle restorers because they keep the vehicle in as close to original condition as possible.

High Performance Parts

Performance parts are designed to be more sophisticated and higher quality than the original manufacturer parts. These may correct design flaws that the original parts experienced. They may also be designed to improve performance by increasing horsepower or the capacity of a component. for example, a larger radiator to improve efficiency of the cooling system.

Used Parts

There is a large market for second-hand or rebuilt auto parts. Some components, such as alternators and starters, can be professionally rebuilt and used again. Rebuilding typically involves replacing the internal components of the part. Used parts can be purchased from a parts reseller such as a junkyard. Used parts tend to be less expensive than new parts and many used parts come with a warranty.

Automotive paint seeding is when the paint develops rough patches filled with grit and extraneous material that can ruin the finish and create an embarrassing appearance for your automobile. If you want to prevent paint seeding there are some relatively simple steps you can take to make sure that your automotive paint is in prime condition and that seeding is as remote a possibility as can be for your paint job.

Instructions

1

Examine the automotive paint that youre going to use. Make sure that the paint hasnt passed its expiration date, since old paint can form paint seeds once applied. Also make sure that you follow all of the necessary mixing and stirring procedures for your automotive paint as improperly mixed paint can also form seeds.

2

Pour the paint through a paint screen. These screens can help remove impurities that are in the paint that might otherwise cause paint seeding. If the paint is new and properly mixed this shouldnt be an issue, however.

3

Sand off small paint seeding patches that occur with P1200 sandpaper. This is very fine-grain sandpaper, and it can sometimes remove automotive paint seeding in small areas. Once the sanding is done and the top layers of paint removed you should polish the area and make sure that the seeding is gone.

Lifting an automobile gives mechanics easier access to work on the vehicles underside and wheels. A vehicles tires will ride more smoothly and experience less vibration when properly balanced.

Lifts

Mechanics use automotive lifts to raise vehicles safely off the ground smoothly and quickly. Dual controls allow operation the lift from either the left or right column. Many lifts have a lock and chain system which prevents the vehicle from falling from its raised position. The ability to adjust the lifts height makes it suitable for servicing a wide variety of vehicles.

Balancing

To achieve an accurate balancing of a vehicles wheels, repair shops often go with balancing equipment that is able to perform static (not moving) and dynamic (moving) balancing. These balancing machines also have display screens that help simplify the balancing process.

Balancing Speeds

Motor life is longer on todays balancing equipment because of lower operating speeds. While older balancing equipment needed to spin over 50 mph to read wheel vibrations, todays machines can get this done with spinning speeds of less than 20 mph.

A single pole double throw, or SPDT, relay is the most common type of relay used in the automotive industry. This relay has multiple pins and is commonly located alongside fuses and other relays in automotive applications. In a 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320, there are two locations for the SPDT relays. The primary relay location is on the right side of the engine compartment, inside the main fuse box. The second location is above the passenger side foot well. The primary engine fuse box contains relays for the anti-lock brakes, ignition system, cooling fans, and other primary systems. The secondary fuse box contains relays for most of the interior systems, such as the radio and door locks.

Instructions

Primary Fuse Box

1

Turn off the ML320s engine and open the hood.

2

Shine a work light in the back-right corner of the engine, near the firewall.

3

Locate the primary fuse box. It is a large black box, made from high impact plastic.

4

Release the snaps on the box cover. Remove the cover to expose the relays and fuses inside the fuse box. A diagram is printed on the underside of the cover detailing the function and location of each fuse and relay within the box.

Secondary Fuse Box

5

Open the front passenger door.

6

Shine a work light underneath the dashboard.

7

Look on the upper right side of the foot well area. The secondary fuse box is mounted on the upper-right side of the foot well area. This box is a smaller, square box made from the same black plastic.

8

Remove the black cover on the secondary fuse box by depressing the plastic locking tabs. There is also a diagram on the underside of the secondary fuse box cover that details the locations of the relays and fuses within the secondary fuse box.