Auto Fundamentals Training Manual

A.S.C.E.N.T.
Auto Fundamentals
Training Department
AUTO FUNDAMENTALS A.S.C.E.N.T.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................... 2
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 5
All About Cars!!! ...................................................................................................................................... 6
3 Major Markets .................................................................................................................................. 6
Automotive Terminologies ...................................................................................................................... 7
Part Categories .................................................................................................................................... 7
Car Configurations ............................................................................................................................... 9
Classification by Motive Power ........................................................................................................ 9
Classification by Drive Method ....................................................................................................... 10
Car Body Styles .................................................................................................................................. 11
Part Locations .................................................................................................................................... 12
Auto Systems And Parts (AN OVERVIEW) ............................................................................................... 13
The BODY .............................................................................................................................................. 15
Hood ................................................................................................................................................. 18
Trunk Lid ........................................................................................................................................... 19
Bumper ............................................................................................................................................. 19
Fenders / Quarter Panels ................................................................................................................... 21
Grilles ................................................................................................................................................ 22
Valance ............................................................................................................................................. 23
Doors................................................................................................................................................. 23
Lights and Mirrors ............................................................................................................................. 25
Types of Lights ............................................................................................................................... 25
Headlights ..................................................................................................................................... 25
Tail Lights....................................................................................................................................... 27
Corner Lights ................................................................................................................................. 28
Mirrors .............................................................................................................................................. 29
Types of Side Mirrors .................................................................................................................... 29
Side Mirrors ................................................................................................................................... 29
Rear View Mirrors.......................................................................................................................... 31
Accessories ........................................................................................................................................ 32
Tonneau Covers ............................................................................................................................. 32
US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 2
Nerf Bars and Running Boards ....................................................................................................... 34

Floor Mats, Floor Liners and Cargo Liners ....................................................................................... 35
Bug Sheilds .................................................................................................................................... 36
Car Covers ..................................................................................................................................... 36
The Engine ............................................................................................................................................ 37
Engine Basics ..................................................................................................................................... 40
Air Distribution ................................................................................................................................. 43
Fuel Distribution ................................................................................................................................ 45
Fuel Injection Diagram ................................................................................................................... 46
Fuel Pump ..................................................................................................................................... 47
Throttle Body ................................................................................................................................. 47
Ignition System (SPARK!) ................................................................................................................... 49
Exhaust System.................................................................................................................................. 54
Components of the Exhaust System ............................................................................................... 55
The Headers .................................................................................................................................. 57
Catalytic Converters....................................................................................................................... 58
Oxygen Sensors ............................................................................................................................. 59
Mufflers......................................................................................................................................... 66
Tail Pipes ....................................................................................................................................... 67
There are 2 types of exhaust systems that we sell: ......................................................................... 70
Engine Lubrication ............................................................................................................................. 71
Engine Cooling System ....................................................................................................................... 72
Belts and Hoses ............................................................................................................................. 78
Transmission System ............................................................................................................................. 82
Types of Transmission Systems: ..................................................................................................... 82
Components of a Transmission System .......................................................................................... 82
Parts of a Clutch Kit........................................................................................................................ 85
Maintenance Tips .......................................................................................................................... 88
Suspension ............................................................................................................................................ 89
Fundamental Components ................................................................................................................ 93
Springs........................................................................................................................................... 93
Dampers ........................................................................................................................................ 94
Steering System..................................................................................................................................... 97
Types of Steering System ............................................................................................................... 97
Brakes ................................................................................................................................................. 103
Types of Brakes............................................................................................................................ 105
Disc Brake Diagram ...................................................................................................................... 105
Types of Brake Rotors .................................................................................................................. 106
Types of Brake Pads ..................................................................................................................... 106
Drum Brake Diagram ................................................................................................................... 107
Anti-Lock Braking System ............................................................................................................. 109

INTRODUCTION
Things to keep in mind before you enjoy reading our handy dandy manual.
1. “Do not MEMORIZE information; it’s better if you know where to find it”.
Let me share a story regarding Albert Einstein, one of Einstein's colleagues asked him for his
telephone number one day. Einstein reached for a telephone directory and looked it up. "You don't
remember your own number?" the man asked, startled.
"No," Einstein answered. "Why should I memorize something I can so easily get from a book?" In fact,
Einstein claimed never to memorize anything which could be looked up in less than two minutes.
Nowadays we can find anything on the internet in two clicks not two minutes.
2. “The day you stop asking is the day you stop learning”
If there is one thing that I love the most, its questions, because without these questions I
wouldn’t have the knowledge I have now. It is not only thru my research that I was able to gain what I
now know but from the questions that was asked by my trainees in the past and current agents on the
floor. I am not worried if I do not know the answer because the best part of questions I don’t know the
answer to is finding out the answer. It’s nice to encounter questions I do not know the answer to
because it provides an avenue for learning.
Learning stuff on cars is a continuous process, there’s SOMEBODY who knows a lot about cars
but there is NOBODY who knows everything about cars. And just in case somebody knows EVERYTHING
about cars in the next year, that somebody needs to study again since cars evolve.
3. “Everything can be LEARNED…The question is…are you willing to LEARN”

It’s the desire/attitude to learn is what’s important, if you don’t have the will to learn, you won’t
learn even the simplest thing in the world. Don’t forget, I myself didn’t know anything about cars.
4. “Nothing is EASY the first time”

Do you know somebody who was great the first time they did something? Michael Schumacher
didn’t become a World Champion Overnight; as the saying goes “ROME WAS NOT BUILT OVERNIGHT”
and so is your knowledge in cars.
5. “It’s not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN”

With enough dedication you will be great in cars in no time.

All About Cars!!!
3 Major Markets
There are 3 major markets in the world which creates these magnificent works of art. Of course,
Australia, Africa & South America also creates cars but we do not cater to those cars as of now. By the
way, the BEST cars come from Europe.
Here are SOME of the famous car manufacturers for each market.
USDM Big Three

General Motors, Ford and Chrysler.

Automotive Terminologies
Part Categories
We have millions of car parts and WHATEVER car you own, their parts will fall on these 3 MAJOR
categories:
1. OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) – These are the parts which are used by the
manufacturer on ALL of their cars when they build them, in other words these are
original/genuine parts. These parts are sometimes more expensive that replacement parts due
to the fact that they are original and have better quality. (But this doesn’t mean replacement
parts are crappy)
What does factory or stock equipment mean?

Like what was said in the previous paragraph, factory equipment refers to equipment/parts the
vehicle was built with.
*** In other words, OEM part, Factory part, Stock part and genuine part are synonymous,
people just use different terms. ***
2. Aftermarket – There are 2 sub-categories :
A. Aftermarket REPLACEMENT– These are parts which will still fit the car but are not
recognized by the manufacturer nor use them in building their cars, although the quality
of ORIGINAL parts are unquestionable, these parts still give you the same peace of mind
feeling when installing them on your car.
B. Aftermarket PERFORMANCE – The crème de la crème of parts, these are better than
original/replacement parts in all aspects (Build & Quality), they increase the
performance and handling of your car, these parts are the most expensive but if you are
serious about your car, its worth every penny. These parts also give your car/engine bay
a great look because they are shiny and colorful.
3. Accessories – These types of parts beautify your car, they do not make your car run or perform
better, they are just aesthetics. Think of it like your watch or jewelry, you don’t really need them
but it adds flare.
In both cases, OEM and aftermarket parts, the part should serve its purpose and perform the
function it was designed for. As the car owner it is your choice that ultimately decides which
part is chosen. By knowing these few things you can more easily determine which is best for
you and your car. Remember in most cases buying a part from the carmaker or dealer does not
mean you get a better quality part. The same part can be purchased at a fraction of the cost
and still give you that same peace of mind feeling

What is an engine code/number?
It is the type of engine on a particular vehicle which is found on the engine or cylinder block.
What is a VIN?
It stands for Vehicle Identification Number which is a serial number that distinguishes each and
every vehicle created (car’s DNA). It is the 8th character if the VIN is read from left to right or the
10th character if read from right to left.
Where to find the VIN?
The VIN can be found by looking at the dashboard on the driver side of the vehicle. If the VIN
cannot be found, open the driver side door and look at the door jamb (where the door latches
when it is closed). It is likely that the VIN will also be displayed in this location.
Other VIN locations:
Vehicle Registration (Pink Slip)

Driver Side Door Jamb
Driver Side Door
Trunk Lid
Driver Side Dashboard
Engine Firewall
Radiator Support

What is Displacement?
It is the size of the engine, it is usually denoted with a 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 4.6, 7.0 etc. If it has a decimal
point its unit is liters, if it has 3 digits (whole number such as 350, it is in CID or Cubic Inch
Displacement)
YEAR/MAKE/MODEL (y/m/m)
Year
The date of production of a car or truck.
Make
Brand name of a car or truck (i.e. Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, Honda).
Model
Name of the model of a car or truck (i.e. Camaro, Expedition, Dakota, Civic).
Car Configurations
Car manufacturers build cars deciding where the power output will be from the engine. Some
manufacturers create cars with the power going to the rear wheels, some create cars with the power
going to the front wheels, some even create cars with power going to all 4 wheels. Of course I wont
discuss the relevance of these types of cars, the important thing is you know what they mean and you
can visualize them in your mind.
Classification by Motive Power
1 Gaso lin e en g in e veh icle

2 Diesel en g in e veh icle
3 Hyb r id veh icle
4 Elect r ic veh icle
5 Fu el cell h yb r id veh icle

Classification by Drive Method
FF (Fr o n t -eng in e, Fr o n t -d r ive)

1 Becau se a FF veh icle d o es n o t h ave a p r o p eller
sh af t , a sp acio u s in t er io r can b e r ealized , t h u s
ach ieving excellen t co m f o r t .
2 FR (Fr o n t -en gin e, Rear -d r ive)

Becau se a FR veh icle h as a g o o d w eig h t
b alan ce, it excels in co n t r o llab ilit y an d st ab ilit y.
3 RR (Rear /Mid -eng in e, Rear -d r ive)

Becau se a MR vehicle has a g o od w eig h t
b alan ce o n t h e f r o n t an d r ear axles, it excels in
co n t r o llab ilit y.
4 4WD (4-Wh eels Dr ive)

Becau se a 4WD vehicle d r ives w it h f ou r
w h eels, it can op er at e u n d er p o o r co n d it io n s in
a st ab le m an n er . It s w eig h t is g r eat er t han t h at
o f o t h er t yp es o f vehicles.

Car Body Styles

Let’s now move on to the types of cars car manufacturers make (At this point you don’t have to worry if
they are FWD, RWD or AWD, the important thing is you what these types of cars are called), it doesn’t
really matter who the manufacturer is, these are the general types of cars in the world. Car
manufacturers create the same type and go against each other in the dog-eat-dog business of
automobiles.

Part Locations
Front – Pertains to the area located at the front of the car.
Rear – Pertains to the area located at the back of the car.
Left (Driver Side) – Pertains to the side where the driver is seated. Facing the stearing
wheel.
Right (Passenger Side) - Pertains to the side where the passenger is seated. Adjacent to the
driver.
For more on other car terminologies – maximze the use of google search and AutoMD.com

Auto Systems And Parts (AN OVERVIEW)
Body
Body Styles
o Sedan
o SUV
o Trucks
Body Parts
o Front
o Side
o Rear
Body Electrical
o Wiring Harness
o Switches and Relays
o Wipers
o Doors
o A/C
Lights & Mirrors
Accessories

Engine
Air
Fuel
Electrical
Exhaust
Cooling
Lubrication
Transmission
Suspension
Steering
Axle
Brakes

The BODY



Hood
The car's hood is another type of door. It also consists of an inner and an outer panel. The inner panel
provides strength. The outer panel is just a metal cover, or "skin". The underside of the hood is often
covered with a sound-absorbing material. Some high performance cars have openings in the hood to
allow the engine to "breathe" easier (fig 1.2). "Hood scoops" are used to channel outside air directly to
the air filter, which gives improved performance and efficiency (fig. 1.3).

fig.1.2 fig.1.3
For more related parts on hoods - type “hood” on the search field of the Sales Console
Trunk Lid
Trunk lid refers to the sheet metal body panel that covers the trunk. They come in different trunk lid
moldings. The most common are carbon fiber trunk lids and fiber glass trunk lids. Trunk lids made of
carbon fiber are lighter than other kinds so they are easy to customize, however, they are durable and
strong. These auto body parts are properly called as carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
Trunk Lid
Bumper
Bumpers are made of heavy sheet metal and are mounted on the front
and rear of the car. Bumpers are bent and formed into specific shapes in
order to absorb and deliver momentum during a collision. In the event of
a collision, the bumper absorbs some of the impact, which decreases
damage to the car and its occupants. It also protects the front of the car
by diverting all of the car's momentum to the object with which it has
collided.

The bumper is mounted to the car's chassis with special impact absorbers. These shock absorbers are
often spring loaded. In slow speed collisions, this allows the bumper to compress, and then extend back
to its original position.
Bumper Reinforcement
All bumpers are designed to absorb the energy of the impact. They do this through a series of valves and
air chambers. Some car bumpers have hydraulic chambers. In the event of a collision, the absorption
unit allows air and/or hydraulic fluid to pass through small openings. Forcing the air/fluid through the
valve openings absorbs the energy from the collision.
The bumper's job is to minimize damage, primarily to the occupants of the vehicle and to the vehicle
itself. US law requires cars to pass special crash tests at various speeds. In order to pass, the car's
damage level during the crash must be below a specific dollar level. This protects the consumer and is
also very important for keeping the cost of automobile insurance to a minimum.
Sometimes bumpers are constructed with built-in "crumple zones." Crumple zones are designed to
absorb impact; they will flex on impact. As the metal flexes, the action of the bending metal converts the
kinetic energy of the car into heat. Kinetic energy is the energy an object possesses while it is in motion.
For more related parts on bumpers - type “bumper” on the search field of the Sales Console

Fenders / Quarter Panels

The front quarter panel is composed of the body skin, or sheet metal, that runs from the front corner of
the hood to the front of the door. It is usually a separate piece that is welded on in a few places. This
makes it easy to replace if you get in a "fender bender." Front quarter panels can usually be replaced
relatively inexpensively.
Some newer vehicles use a rubber-like plastic for the fenders, which allows small impacts to be
absorbed without damage.
The rear quarter panel is the body skin, or sheet metal, that runs from the rearmost part of the rear
door edge, around the back and to the rear door on the other side of the car. On many cars, the rear
quarter panels are integral with the roof.
The rear quarter panel is composed of an outer skin and inner panels. The inner panels are
reinforcements for the rear of the passenger compartment, the trunk, and the wheel housings. Without
the inner panels, there would be severe vibration and weak construction in the back of the car.
For more related parts on Fenders - type “Fender” on the search field of the Sales Console
Grilles
The Grille is the opening at the front of a vehicle that allows air into the radiator to help cool the engine.
Most grilles come with a metal or plastic insert that adds a design touch to the front end.
Grilles are a great way to customize your car, not only do they aesthetically enhance your vehicle, they
are very functional too. Grille installation is relatively very easy, they install within minutes. They protect
your radiator, front mount intercooler and vital engine components while looking great. Most grilles
don't require you to remove your front bumper or cut away any part of your vehicle that is why you
have to search for the precise fit for your vehicle. Most grilles are made of tough carbon steel, powder
coated for maximum durability in all driving conditions.
Grilles are a customizer's dream. They possess all the right qualities of a great custom component for a
unique car, truck, or SUV. They are generally easy to install, they usually aren't too expensive, and they
look sharp. They are also very functional; they protect what is under your vehicle’s hood and also
increase airflow to that region.
A number of people may have never heard of the term billet grilles, but if you give some of the cars and
trucks or SUV’s out there, then you've certainly seen them. They are those really cool highly polished
custom aftermarket grilles that you see on tricked-out vehicles. They come in a couple of different
styles.
Grill Guard
Front Grille or Billet Grilles
for trucks and SUVs
Brush Guard
Bumper Grille

Since the grille is found on the front and is exposed to intense conditions you may to take extra care of
it, since on a fender bender it may be the first one to get hit, you may want to install a grille guard over
it .A grille guard is a tubular steel or aluminum protector for the front end of a pickup, van or SUV that is
designed to provide protection while off-roading, but which often is added to provide a tough, urban
warrior look on the street.
For more related parts on Grilles - type “grille” on the search field of the Sales Console
Valance
Valances are tasked to conceal the other parts of a car the best way they can. They are an auto
contraption that has the resemblance of a panel but is actually a metal strip. It is commonly mounted on
the rear side of the car under the rear bumper. On some vehicles, it is located on the front area as a
separate panel covering the sides and details of the car. Like your hubcaps which exist to enhance your
wheels by covering those ugly lug nuts, the purpose of the valance is to make a vehicle look as gorgeous
as possible.
Different cars have different pairs of valances because there

are different kinds of valances. Some of them are designed
to have space for installation of fog lights, some carry grille,
functioning as an item that lets more air enter the
compartment under the hood, providing the equipments
inside more desirable temperature. Others possess the
adorable character of being simple, while some show off
remarkable elegance. Because of these qualities, the valance
is considered as standard equipment on cars, though to
some it is only an accessory or an add-on.
Lower Valance
Valances can be purchased individually. You can just have the front driver side, front passenger side;
rear LH, rear RH valance but you can have them as combination if you want to.
Doors
Auto doors are very important vehicle components. They being the only
components that allow us easy access to our vehicle's interior, we'll find
it simply impossible to enter and get out of our cars, trucks, vans and
SUVs without them. Aside from this primary funct ion, the doors also
perform a great job of protecting us and the other passengers of our
vehicle from road hazards while driving. And lastly, the doors create a
complete and stylish look for the sides of our vehicle, making it appear
just the way we and our vehicle's manufacturer wanted it to be.
The painted, external sheet metal part of the door, however, is not the only part that it has. And neither
is it the only important part of a vehicle's door assembly. Also of prime importance for every vehicle is
the interior side of the door which is called the door panel. The door panel is actually the panel that
mounts inside a vehicle's door. This panel is often
covered in vinyl or leather, although there are also
vehicles that comes stock with door panels covered in
fabric or some other material. The choice of cover
actually depends on the style of other interior auto
parts like the dashboard, carpet and seats, because door
panels are often meant to match the style of these
Door Panel components.
But door panels are not mere styling components for your vehicle's interior. In fact, the inside door
panels contribute to the functionality and ergonomics of your vehicle's interior. For one, the car door
panels hold various interior conveniences like the interior door handles, armrests, switches and lights.
The door panels also houses various systems like the window controls and locking mechanism.
Related Parts:
Window Regulator
Window Motor
Door Lock Actuator
Door Hinge
Window Regulator
For more related parts on doors - type “door” on the search field of the Sales Console.

Lights and Mirrors
Types of Lights
Headlights
Tail Lights
Corner Lights
Side Marker Lights
Headlights
Headlights are mounted on the front of your car, to light the road ahead of you. They have reflectors
and special lenses.
A headlight is usually the sealed beam construction type. This means that the filament, reflector and
lens are fused together into an airtight unit. Installation and removal are easily accomplished because of
prongs that fit into a wiring socket. These are normally glass type of headlights.
The most popular type of headlight is the halogen type, because it provides such good illumination.
These are commonly called standard headlights that emit a warm yellow light. They have metal
reflectors and fluted lens that maximize the light and an outer covering called lens cover for protection.
These types of headlights are what you call composite headlights. The bulbs are replaceable and easy to
access behind the headlight housing with composite types. These are connected to the switch on the
steering wheel through wires and cables.
LED (light Emitting Diode) Headlights

These are very common on modern vehicles. LED lights produce a bright white light which is brighter
than ordinary headlights when enclosed in a clear lens cases plus they are easy to install and clean.
Projector Headlights
These headlights are made up of ellipsoid projectors and clear bulbs. They are considered good
reflectors and produces a beam pattern that flood the road with bright light. These are easy to install
using OEM retaining screws and mounting brackets. We sell all of them.
Xenon Headlights
These headlights make use of xenon bulbs that emits a bright projector beam light. Their attractive
features make popularly used in high-end sedans, luxury cars and sports cars. Commonly known as HID
or high intensity discharge they come in a wide variety of intensity ranging from 3000k – 30000k and can
be very expensive. We sell them in kits and conversion kits for those who wish to upgrade their
headlights.
When selling headlights always ask for the body style and voltage!

Tail Lights
There are many types of lights used in cars and trucks; each has its own vital function and specific
location in the vehicle. The tail light, also known as tail lamp, rear lamp or stop lamp, is found at the rear
end of the car. It usually emits red light when the brake is stepped on, thereby warning the vehicle at
the back that the car would stop. This gives the driver of the following car time to slow down so as not
to bump into the preceding car.
Third Brake Light located inside

the cabin or on the trunk
Tail lamps consist of lens and frames called the tail lamp bezel or tail light frame. They are mounted on
the rear fender, thus they are also called rear lamps. The plastic covering the taillight is called taillight
lens, which may come in various shades. Most vintage cars have glass
tail light covers, which also come in several colors matching the car
giving it a monochromatic effect. These specialty lenses enhance the
cars style while adding safety to the driver and the passengers. Some
have wire covering fixed over the lenses for protection and added
tough and trendy look. Latest models of cars use clear bulbs and red
reflector instead of clear rear lamps that use red taillight bulb. They
mostly are composite types.
Most car owners replace OEM tail lamps with specialty taillights to
achieve Euro look. There are the so-called Euro Altezza tail lights that use
clear or smoked lens over red or amber lamps to provide a sporty and
modern look. Altezza tail lights were first used by Toyota’s Altezza sedan
model marketed in Europe. It became popular that the name was used to
refer to these taillights, also known as Euro Tails. You can choose to have
chrome tail lights, clear tail lights, carbon fiber tail lamps, smoked or black
tail light designs. All these Euro Tail light designs use clear lenses and
colored tail light housing. Alternatives to Euro tails are full function LED
tail lights that have brighter and quicker light up.

Corner Lights
Corner lights, which are also called side marker lights, are vehicle lights placed in the front corners of a
vehicle. It is usually installed beside the headlights, on the side of the fender or quarter panel, or
integrated on a wrap around bumper. There are many kinds of corner lights made from different
materials with various designs.
Most corner lights are interfaced with the vehicle’s turn signals to warn the vehicles in front of your car
that you are cornering. At the position where it is placed, however, some people think that the corner
lights are unnecessary because you won’t have to warn the vehicles in front of you that you are
cornering. But if you give priority importance
to your safety and the safety of everyone
around you, it is always a good idea to install
corner lights.
Side Markers commonly

known as chick lights

Mirrors
Types of Side Mirrors
Manual Adjust
Power
Heated
Non Heated
Folding Manual/Powered
Non folding
Telescopic / Towing Manual-Adjust Side Mirror
Side Mirrors
As much as looking at the mirror is important to you as you go
through each day, mirrors are actually more vital to your car.
Mirrors provide your view of the outside when driving and
give you extra visibility. It would also be hard to park safely
and accurately without mirrors. Hence, for safety and
precautionary reasons, the mirrors of your car are simply
indispensable.
Mirrors help in various ways when you're driving. They aid you
when you're making turns, maneuvering, or backing up. They
also allow you to check your reflection before you get out of
Power Manual Folding the car.
Don't think that car mirrors or auto mirrors come in one general
form, as there are various types of mirrors, each type having its
own particular role in your vehicle. The rear view mirror is the
wide rectangular mirror found above your car's dashboard that
you look at to view anything behind your car. Side mirrors are
the mirrors placed in the left and right side of your car. Towing
mirrors are mirrors mounted outside your car (and sometimes
placed onto a car's existing mirrors) for added visibility when
your car is being towed. Other types of car or auto mirrors Power Non-Folding
include the automatic dimming rear view mirror, wide-angle
mirror, power mirror and lots more.
Heated vs. non heated

More often than not, customers don't know squat about what their cars are and they end up just trying
to give you their vin to figure out what they have. If these cases occur and they do not know if they have
heated or non heated, you can just ask them if this symbol appears in their mirror (please see pic below
no 24). If yes, they do have heated mirrors. If still unsure simply ask if they have a defroster in their
mirror or if their mirror clears up in cold weather. If still unsure, just say you're a 100% sure that you're
unsure this is the right part!

See no 24…that doesn't mean Social Security System…that means the mirror is heated. Please see attached file
labeled "heated"
Power Side Mirror with built-in

Puddle Lamp
Power Side Mirror - Heated with

built-in turn signal light
Memory Feature
I think we all know that this means that the memory setting in terms of the angle of the mirrors. I
included this just in case customers don't know what it is. If such is the case, ask them if they have
memory feature for the seats. If yes, the mirror will have the feature as well since the seat memory is
always matched with mirror memory feature.
Always ask if the customer has an old body style or new body style when it comes to mirrors!

Rear View Mirrors
Auto Dimming
Nope, this does not mean that the mirrors have lights. This simply means the car has "anti glare"
feature. Now this is much like the rear view feature that we usually encounter with upscale trim models
for cars in the North American market. As per Wikipedia’s description, "Other rear-view mirrors have
electronic auto-dimming feature built in so the driver is not blinded by glare. These systems usually use
photo sensors mounted in the actual rear-view mirror to detect light and dim the mirror. These designs
include an older mechanical dimming feature and a more modern electro chromic dimming feature. This
electro chromic feature has been also incorporated into side-view mirrors allowing them to dim and
reduce glare as well. Mirrors containing such features can, however, be not sensitive enough for many
drivers."
As illustrated (this is sample from rear view mirrors, but side view mirrors work the same way):
As seen, there is no beam of light spreading from the reflection which causes the "glare" which can be blinding and
disturbing to driver's vision
Towing Mirror or Telescoping Side Mirror

(commonly found on pickups and trucks)

Accessories
Yes, were do down to our last topic and it is about ACCESSORIES. I love this topic since this is about
dressing up your ride and its all about aesthetics, yes, ACCESSORIES do not make your car run or
perform better its just there to make your ride look nice. And we will now discuss some of the
accessories that we sell.
Let’s begin with the most sought after accessory and the most tricky as well before we study the other
FUN products that we have.
Tonneau Covers
They cover the BED of the truck to protect it from RAIN, SUNLIGHT, PRYING EYES. In other words it’s a
safe and efficient way of storing your things.
TONNEAU covers are BED dependent, that means it doesn’t matter if I have a CREW CAB or EXTENDED
CAB truck, the important thing to keep in mind is the LENGTH of the BED if it is short or long as well as if
it has a STEP SIDE or FLARE side configuration. TONNEAU Covers need BED RAILS (Someties they’re
included, sometimes they’re not)
Here are the possible types of TONNEAU COVERS. (I invented SOME of the names for easy
familiarization)
1. Lift Tonneau Cover (They can be openen either from the back or from the side)
2. Dual Fold TONNEAU COVER (Yes you can fold it twice, let’s say you have plants at the back end and tools on
the front end.)

3. Tri-Fold TONNEAU Cover (Yes, this time you can fold it 3x)
4. Peel & Seal (Yes, just like closing storage container from Tupperware, it doesn’t FOLD, it ROLLS)
5. Sliding TONNEAU Cover (Most Expensive but most durable)
6. Fiber Glass TONNEAU Cover (We don’t sell this but this is the coolest looking cover there is)

Nerf Bars and Running Boards

Let’s move on to the next accessory and these are NERF Bars & RUNNING Boards. You use these things
to hop into trucks/SUVs easily. Unlike tonneau covers which are BED dependent, these things are CABIN
dependent, this means it doesen’t matter if you have LONG BED or a SHORT BED truck, what matters if
he has a CREW Cab, REGULAR Cab or EXTENDED Cab or if the customer has a 2 door or 4 door SUV.
Nerf Bars – Are cylindrical in shape…go figure, thats why we call them “Bars”
Running Boards – Are planar thus the term “Boards”
Next accessory would be VENT VISORS, these things allow you to open you window even if its raining
let’s say you wanna smoke or get some fresh air. Once again this is dependent on the number of DOORS
your vehicle has.

Floor Mats, Floor Liners and Cargo Liners

Mats and Cargo Liners are use to protect the floor lining of the car. The difference is Floor Mats are the
usual carpet type mats that you place on the floor and these are normally made of fabric, rubber or
nylon. Floor Liners are made of rubber or hard plastic and they have this distinctive lip that extends to
the sides and they normally cover the entire floor area.
Floor Mats Floor Liners Cargo Liners
Cargo Liners are the same as floor liners, they are used on the cargo area of an SUV, Van or Pickup
Trucks. If we have one for the back, then we also have one for the front and the 2nd row seats (In cars its
called the back seat but for SUVs its called the 2nd row). Be wary that there are 2 types of FLOOR LINERS
for SUVs and trucks. The first type is one continous floorliner which extend from the driver side to the
passenger side (see picture below on the upper left.) and there is also another type wherein the driver
side has its own floor liner as well as the passenger side. (see picture on the lower left and right side).

Bug Sheilds
Next Accessory would be BUG SHIELDS, they prevent bugs by creating an updraft of wind (blanket of
wind) so when bugs cross that blanket of wind it will flick them upwards.
Car Covers
Next would be CAR COVERS, and there are 2 types. Difference between the 2 is, the indoor cover is just
a thin piece of fabric designed to protect your car from dust. The outdoor cover is made from a thick
piece of fabric to protect it from UV rays, changing weather conditions, small debris etc.
Also, there are 2 fits for car covers, UNIVERSAL or DIRECT FIT, if its universal it will cover you car but
there will be gaps all around it, compare it to your self wearing a shirt 3 times your normal size. A
DIRECT FIT cover on the other hand will give your car a PERFECT & SNUG fit.

The Engine
All cars in the world have engines and all car engines employ the 4 stroke cycle invented by
Nicholas Otto in 1876, and the principle hasn’t change and I don’t think it will for the next million years.
It doesn’t matter whether you own a Honda Civic or an F1 car, they both share the same principle, the
only difference is, the Civic goes from 0-100KPH in 10 seconds an F1 car can do the same in 2 seconds.
All cars/truck in the world are measured my Horsepower & Torque, the bigger the number the
better, although it wont be too good for your pocket since the more power the car is, the more gas it
consumes. Normal cars usually have 80-150 horsepower, if you exceed 250 horsepower then welcome
to paradise.
Here are terms which are ALWAYS used when we’re talkin’ bout’ engines:
1. Cylinders (Cyl.) – This is where the pistons are housed in, we have cars with 4 cyl, 6 cyl, 8 cyl,
10 cyl etc.
2. Displacement – This is how big the houses of the pistons are, another term for displacement
is ENGINE SIZE. And engine size or displacement have 2 measurements.

Liter Displacement – This is how we measure the engine size in our catalog and most cars use this unit
of displacement. (we have cars with 1.6L, 1.8L, 2.0L, 4.6L etc.)
Cubic Inch Displacement (CID) – This is how some people measure the size of their engine and
unfortunately you have to convert the CID to L to get the correct engine size in our catalog. (we have
cars with 440, 91, 281)
To make it easier for you to remember, if it has a DECIMAL place it is in LITERS, if it is a whole number
then it is in CID. Of course, the bigger the number the bigger the engine. (The engine below is a 6.2L V8
or 378 V8 Engine)
The Engine Is A Hi-Tech Bicycle

Chances are you know how to ride a
bike, or if you don’t know how to ride one
you probably know how bikes work. You use
your 2 feet to pedal the bike which in turn
turns the wheels and you go forward. An
engine follows the same principle, instead of
you doing the pedaling, the engine does it for
you (And at a much faster rate).
See the “Gray” thing? (Pictured

Below) That’s called the piston it moves up
and down in some cases left and right and
pushes the “Green” thing called the
crankshaft which in turn turns the wheel thus
moving your forward.
Its quite obvious why inline 4, flat 4 and V6 engines are called what they are called, its because
of their configuration.
Inline 4 – The CYLINDERS where the PISTONS are housed are in one line (1 Bank)
Flat 4 – The CYLINDERS where the PISTONS are housed are opposing each other and lie flat (2 Banks)
some people call this a boxer engine since it looks like 2 fists punching or some people call it Horizontally
Opposed.
V - Engines – The CYLINDERS where the pistons are housed are in a V-Shape configuration (2 Banks)
Obviously if a car has an Inline 6, Flat 6, V8

or V10 engine then you just add more
cylinders where the pistons are housed but
I’m sure you get the idea of what they will
look like.

The components of the engine:
• Valves and rockers

• Pistons
• Cylinders
• Connecting rods
• Combustion chamber
• Camshaft
• Timing belt
• Crankshaft

Engine Basics
You only need 4 elements to make a car run, you might find hard it to believe but a firecracker
and a lighter shares the same principle. Each ELEMENT will be discussed in the following pages. The
engine is the HEART of the car.

Intake (Suck)
On the intake or induction stroke of the piston , the piston descends from
the top of the cylinder to the bottom of the cylinder, reducing the pressure inside
the cylinder. A mixture of fuel and air is forced by atmospheric (or greater)
pressure into the cylinder through the intake port. The intake valve(s) then close.
Compression (Squeeze)
With both intake and exhaust valves closed, the piston returns to the top
of the cylinder compressing the fuel-air mixture. This is known as the compression
stroke.
Power (Bang)
While the piston is close to Top Dead Center, the compressed air–fuel
mixture is ignited, usually by a spark plug (for a gasoline or Otto cycle engine) or by
the heat and pressure of compression (for a diesel cycle or compression ignition
engine). The resulting massive pressure from the combustion of the compressed
fuel-air mixture drives the piston back down toward bottom dead center with
tremendous force. This is known as the power stroke. which is the main source of
the engine's torque and power.
Exhaust (Blow)
During the exhaust stroke, the piston once again returns to top dead
center while the exhaust valve is open. This action evacuates the products of
combustion from the cylinder by pushing the spent fuel-air mixture through the
exhaust valve(s).

See http://www.animatedengines.com/otto.shtml for more illustration and info.
1 Piston
2 Piston pin
3 Connecting rod
4 Crankshaft
5 Flywheel

Air Distribution
Th e in t ake syst em p r o vid es t h e n ecessar y vo lu m e o f clean air t o t h e en gin e.
1 Air cleaner
2 Throttle body
3 Intake manifold
Ok, An Engine Needs Air, Now What?

ALL engines need air in order for it to breathe in the same way humans need air to live. This is
the very first step in making an engine run. But before an engine breathes in air, it needs to get filtered
so lo and behold the most basic of parts…THE AIR FILTER. The AIR filter is equivalent to the hairs in your
nose.
Its not rocket science, that job of an air filter is to stop dirt going inside the engine. And there are 2
MAJOR TYPES of Air filters.
Drop in is the regular type of air filter while the conical is mainly used for performance applications.
Why are they called DROP-IN and CONICAL? Simple, just look at the pictures below…And I don’t
think I need to explain why.  Ok, just incase I need to explain why, DROP-IN or panel type means you
simply drop it in the small box on the engine bay, ALL DROP IN filters are either square, rectangular or
circular, CONICAL filters on the other hand has a cone like shape and in order for you to install it you
need to replace the entire intake tube of the car, this means removing the small box that was originally
there.  (See pictures)

Drop in Conical
Now, whether you have a DROP IN or a CONICAL air filter there are ONLY 3 materials that they are made
off, here are they with their pros and cons:
1. Paper or Dry Type Air Filter: These filters are the

cheapest in the market and usually installed on
brand new cars so my suggestion is, when you buy
a new car, these are things to be replaced, aside
from that they are non-reusable, they do not offer
any performance gain, infact they rob
performance from your precious ride.
2. Wet or Gauze Type Air Filter: These filters offer a bit more flow compared to its paper
counterpart but not enough to say it has increased performance, these filters are REUSABLE and
you need an Air Filter Recharge Kit to clean it. (Pictured Below)
3. Foam Filter: These filters are the best in the market today and they offer the best filtration for
your vehicle and are reusable. Some people call these filters a SPONGE TYPE filter. If you are
curious why they are called sponge filters, check the sponge that you use to clean dishes in your
kitchen and you will know why.

But I Need MORE Air…Now What?

Oh, so you need more air? Then forget DROP IN filters and focus on conical since these are the filters for
you. There are 2 types of Air Filter systems (Yes, systems since these
things come in complete kits).
1. Short Ram System – Basically a short ram system consists of

a SHORT tube with a conical air filter.
2. Cold Air Intake – Has longer tubes to put the filter as far away from the engine so it can breathe
COLD Air. If they don’t have long tubes but they have a HEAT SHIELD then its now called a
SHORT RAM Cold Air Intake.
Heat Shield
Fuel Distribution
Ok, An Engine Needs Fuel…Now What?
Fuel is what an engine needs for it to run (There is now what we call ALTERNATIVE FUEL this
means some cars do not RUN on Petrol but uses other elements such as cooking oil and CNG which
stands for Compressed Natural Gas, but the principle is still the same, you need something to keep it
burning) , we will now discuss how fuel goes inside the engine, now I won’t discuss the intricacies of
how it actually happens, you just need to remember 2 things when it comes to fuel delivey.
Carbureted – Cars back in the day used this type of fuel delivery system, it utilizes a CARBURETOR (Cars
only need one for the entire engine whether it’s a 4 cylinder, 8 cylinder etc., of course if you want more
power just add more carbs, DEPENDING on the engine setup. some people add 2 which is the maximum
for an 8 cylinder 2 carbs the most for a 4 cylinder)
Fuel Injected – Cars nowadays use this, it utilizes FUEL INJECTORS (The number of injectors a car needs
is dependent on the number of cylinders, if it’s a 4 cylinder engine it needs 4, if it’s a 6 cylinder engine, it
needs 6 and so on and so forth, of course if you want more power you cannot keep on adding injectors,
all you have to do is enlarge them).
Now you might be wondering, why do cars use Fuel Injected types than carbureted types, it is
due to the fact that Fuel Injected vehicles are more fuel efficient and is more responsive. In this day and
age where saving money is our utmost priroity it’s quite obvious car manufacturers took this approach.

CARBURETOR FUEL INJECTOR
Fuel Injection Diagram

This diagram is from a typical 4 cylinder car, notice that the FUEL TANK is behind the car (That’s where it
usually is) and fuel travels ALL THE WAY to the engine via the FUEL LINES towards the 4 injectors in
front. Pay attention to the parts since we sell all of them (Take note of the names of the parts, they are
quite easy to comprehend since they are named for what they do).
Pressure Regulator
Regulates the fuel assembly to a set

pressure so there is always a stable fuel
supply.
1 Pressure regulator
2 Fuel pump assembly/sending
unit

Fuel Pump
1 Motor
2 Turbine type pump

impeller
Pumps fuel from the fuel tank to the

engine, thus enabling the fuel pipe
to maintain a fixed pressure. There is an in-tank type that is located inside the tank, and an inline type
that is located in the middle of the fuel pipe. There are different ways in which a pump is driven; the EFI
(Electronic Fuel Injection) system uses an electrically driven pump with a motor.
Elect r ic t yp e
o In -t an k t yp e (t u r b in e t yp e)
o In lin e t yp e (r o t o r t yp e)
Throttle Body
The throttle valve uses a cable to operate in unison with the accelerator pedal
located in the vehicle interior, in order to regulate the volume of air-fuel mixture
that is drawn into the cylinder. When the accelerator pedal is depressed, the
throttle valve opens to draw in a large volume of air and fuel, resulting in
increased engine output. An ISCV (Idle Speed Control Valve) is also provided, in
order to regulate the volume of air during idling or when the engine is cold.
1 Accelerator pedal
2 Throttle cable
3 Throttle valve
4 ISCV

What does it do?

The fuel system transfers fuel from the fuel tank then passes it through a fuel filter for cleaning before it
arrives at the injectors. A pressure regulator controls fuel pressure to ensure good engine performance
under a variety of speed and load conditions. Fuel injectors, when activated spray a metered amount of
fuel into the engine. Some vehicles use a return line system to return unused fuel back to the tank.
Typical Wear and Tear

Intervals for fuel system maintenance may be influenced by:
• Fuel quality
• Vehicle age
• Mileage
• Operating conditions
• Maintenance history
Symptoms
• Clogged or worn fuel injectors
• Poor fuel economy
• Vehicle won’t start
• “Check Engine” light is illuminated
Maintenance Tips
• Chang fuel filter every 20,000 miles or 1 year
• Clean idle passage every 20,000 miles
• Clean throttle blades every 20,000 miles
• Clean back of fuel distributor plate (primarily on German manufactured
vehicles) every 20,000 miles
• Check air temperature sensor at 10,000 miles
• Check throttle bolt torque (if applicable) at 20,000 miles
• Check fuel lines for signs of deterioration and cracking every 2 years
or 20,000 miles
• Change oxygen sensor every 30,000 miles
• Clean fuel injectors every 30,000 miles
• Change gas cap every 30,000 miles

Ignition System (SPARK!)
The components of the ignition

system consist of:
Battery
Ignition coil
Spark plugs
Distributor
Advance mechanism
Ok, 99% of Engines Needs Spark…Now What?

Ok, so for the past couple of pages, we have discussed 2 of the
4 elements needed for an engine to run, lets discuss the 3rd element
which is spark, ask your self these questions, “Will a firecracker
explode if you don’t light it up?”, “Will a Zippo lighter ignite without
spark?” Obviously the answer is NO, the same thing happens to a car,
the AIR and the FUEL is useless if you don’t have something to ignite it.
Lo and behold…The Spark Plug (Yes, the name is quite simple

and easy to comprehend, see I told you cars are easy to understand )
Performance Spark Plug

The number of
SPARK Plugs in a car is
dependent on the number
of cylinders an engine has,
99.9% of the cars in the
world follow this concept so
if I have a 4 cylinder engine I
need 4 spark plugs, if I have
a 6 cylinder engine I
need…you guessed it right,
its 6. Now you might be
wondering, 99.9% of the
cars follow this concept
what about the remaining .01%, well some car manufacturers double the number of sparkplugs in their
engines, a GREAT example would be the HONDA JAZZ (Honda FIT in Japan) the Jazz has a 4 cylinder
engine yet it needs 8 sparkplugs all in all.
The remaining 1% are DIESEL ENGINES, they do not need sparkplugs, they use hi-compression
(will be discussed on the next page) is enough to ignite the AIR/FUEL mixture.
What keeps the fire burning?

Let me tell you about the charging system.
Do you ever wonder how the charging system works? Let me explain it to you…
The components of the charging system consist of:
Battery
Alternator
Voltage regulator
Wiring
Ignition Switch
Starter
Fuses
Gauges
ECU (electronic control unit)

The BATTERY is the electrical storage device that allows the starter to start the engine. If the battery is
low, the engine cannot start. Batteries usually last about four to five years. Modern batteries do not
require maintenance. The battery terminals, however, do require periodic cleaning.
The ALTERNATOR is the device attached to the engine, driven by a belt from the main pulley at roughly
one half engine RPM. Most alternators have a VOLTAGE REGULATOR built into the main assembly. This
voltage regulator converts the 110 Volts AC and about 70 amps to 14 Volts DC, maintaining the same 70
amps. This power is then stored in the battery for future use. The alternator doesn’t require periodic
maintenance except for occasional belt replacement or tightening.

If the voltage output of the alternator is below 12 volts DC, the CHARGE LIGHT on the dash comes on.
When this light is on, the battery supplies power only. Since the battery is of limited duration, all
nonessential functions must be discontinued. The battery will only last several minutes if anything more
than the engine is running.
The STARTER is a device to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy. Voltage is supplied to a coil
on the starter motor through the ignition switch. This motor is positioned on the engine near the
flywheel. A gear engages the teeth on the flywheel, rotating the engine. After the engine is running the
starter is disengaged. Hybrid vehicles have no need for a starter. The hybrid motor that supplies power
to the engine is used to start the engine. A hybrid vehicle uses power from a separate battery to power
the hybrid electric motor. This battery pack is configured to produce approximately 144 volts DC to the
electric motor between the engine and the transmission. When the car is accelerated, the power pack is
used to help power the car up to speed. When cruising speed is reached, or engine breaking is being
used to slow the car down, the motor between the engine and transmission becomes a generator,
recharging the battery pack.

So how does this work?

See the “FLYWHEEL” below? The starter makes the flywheel spin quickly the flywheel is
connected to the crankshaft once it spins fast enough it will trigger a chain reaction to all the cylinders
and start the engine.
A perfect example would be starting a generator, are you familiar with the rope that they pull so hard to
start the generator? The starter does the same thing its just that a human being would not be able to
start an engine all by himself (its physically impossible). Back in the day (around the 1800s) when
engines are smaller they wer able to do this. There is a lever infront of the car that they turn.
Maintenance Tips
• Check battery cables, case and hold-downs, clean terminals, load test
and check voltage every 20,000 miles
• Check belts every 20,000 miles
• Check battery fluid level every 10,000 miles (except maintenance-free
batteries)
• Replace belts every 30,000 miles
• Change spark plugs every 20,000 miles
• Change wires every 30,000 miles
• Change cap and rotor every 20,000 miles
• Diagnostic scope every 20,000 miles

Exhaust System
We are now done with the most complicated topic about cars (Which is the engine). Let’s talk
about the waste product of the cars.
Yes, WASTE, like human beings, we defficate, ask yourself this question, When you eat does
your body abosrb all the nutrients of the food? NO it doesn’t, after a couple of hours or even minutes
for some people they have to let go of the waste in their body. Same thing happens in cars, the FUEL
that the engine burns is not totally burnt, the unburned FUEL will now go to the EXHAUST system of the
car and that is our next topic.
Humans INHALE AIR (OXYGEN) the same thing with ENGINES (Yes, were done with that topic, so
don’t be scared that will be discussing engines again ). When we EXHALE, what is the by product of
humans? Its CARBON DIOXIDE but for engines its CARBON MONOXIDE. Does the term CARBON
MONOXIDE sound familiar? Its because CO is a deadly greenhouse gas. It’s pollution.
Suffice to say CARS contribute to global warming, but that doesn’t mean we cannot do anything
about it.
ALL cars in the world have an EXHAUST sytem, its located underneath the vehicle hidden from
view. It spans the entire length of the car so an exhaust system is a long series of PIPES and yes EACH
pipe has a name. Check the diagram for a view of the entire exhaust system, in the following pages you
will get to know them better.

Components of the Exhaust System

• Exhaust Manifold or Headers: bolted to the cylinder head and is used to gather exhaust gases
from the many cylinder ports to one location where the head pipe is connected.
• Exhaust Pipe or Intermediate Pipe or Connecting Pipe: the pipe that is used to connect the
various components of the exhaust system
• Muffler: used to reduce the audible sound frequency developed by the engine.
• Catalytic Converter: used to convert unused fuel into completely spent fuel

• Secondary Muffler: sometimes called a resonator the secondary muffler furthers the sound
deadening of the engine exhaust.
• Exhaust system hanger: a metal strap connecting the exhaust system to the bottom of the car.
They are usual made with a rubber insulator.
• Tail Pipe: the tube that is connected to the muffler that continues to the back of the car. This is
the only part of the exhaust system which you can easily see because these things stick out the
back of your car, these things are often shiny and have different types of shapes and cuts since
they provide aesthetics to your ride. (See where the RED arrow is pointing) The Tip of the
muffler.

• Gaskets: These are thin wafer like sheets of steel that you put inbetween 2 pipes to prevent air
from escaping.
• Bolts, Screws and Flanges: Of course since we are dealing with several pipes here, we need to
attach them in some way right? An engine vibrates and since the exhaust system is connected to
the engine it vibrates as well, these things are made of rubber and they absorb the vibration of
the exhaust pipes. Aside from that that is where you hang your exhaust system unless you want
to pick it up from the ground
• Oxygen Sensor: These are sensors which are connected to Cats to measure the amount of O2 in
the air flow, it makes the necessary adjustments. The goal of the sensor is to help the engine run
as efficiently as possible and also to produce as few emissions as possible. O2 sensors are
usually connected to the catalytic converter; think of them as Romeo & Juliet, David &
Goliath…you get the idea right? Another term for an 02 sensor is Lambda Probe.
The Headers
Headers or Exhaust Manifold is the first part of an exhaust system.
Basic Terms:
1. Stock Exhaust Manifold – Exhaust Manifold is the term

2. Performance Exhaust Manifold - Headers is the term

For performance exhaust systems there are 2 types for a 4 cylinder engine. Its quite obvious why we call
it 4-2-1 & 4-1, it’s the number of pipes. Go ahead and count them.
4-2-1 Headers – Focuses on top end speed
4-1 Headers – Focuses on acceleration
Catalytic Converters
Its purpose is to convert harmful gases into clean air. Yes, this part is helping Mother Nature
survive. Inside the catalytic converter are precious minerals sucha as PLATINUM & PALLADIUM.
Important RULE On Cats: We have 2 types of emission labels which can be found on the
underside of the hood.
1. CA Emmision Label – Description should say “50 State Legal” will the cat be sold in CA.
2. Federal Emmision Label - Anything goes, sell any catalytic converter you see.
Note! Always make sure the the bolt patterns match when selling Cats. and ask if the customer’s car has a CA
Emission Label before selling.

Oxygen Sensors
There are 2 types of fit for Cats and O2 sensors:
1. Universal – Means you have to modify, cut & weld the cat or 02
sensor before it will fit your ride.
2. Direct Fit – It’s a bolt on part, no customization needed. These things are much more expensive.
On O2 sensors:
When it comes to inline 4/6 cylinder engines you will not experience any challenges in getting
the correct cat or 02 sensor since those types of engines only have 1 bank (it’s a no brainer so to speak),
but if the customer has a V-type engine (That means he has 2 banks) you have to be a wee bit careful.
This is a fine example of a v10 engine, it has 2 banks and it has 4 oxygen sensors and the cat is in
between them:
GREEN Arrows – These are the 02 sensors BEFORE the CAT (Another term would be upstream 02 sensor)
RED Arrows – These are 02 sensors AFTER the CAT (Another term would be downstream 02 sensor)

Note! Always make sure the the O2 wiring connector color codes match. For more on these visit:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/o2sensor.htm

COLOR CODES FOR 4-WIRE OXYGEN SENSORS

SIGNAL GROUND HEATER HEATER
AC DELCO PURPLE TAN BROWN BROWN
BOSCH BLACK GREY WHITE WHITE
BWD 1 BLACK GREY WHITE WHITE
BWD 2 PURPLE GREY WHITE WHITE
BWD 3 PURPLE TAN BROWN BROWN
DELPHI 1 PURPLE TAN BROWN BROWN
DELPHI 2 BLACK GREY PURPLE WHITE
DENSO BLUE WHITE BLACK BLACK
HONDA 1 WHITE GREEN BLACK BLACK
HONDA 2 BLUE WHITE BLACK BLACK
NTK BLACK GREY WHITE WHITE
SMP / STD BLACK GREY WHITE WHITE
TOYOTA BLUE WHITE BLACK BLACK
Refer to OEM wiring Diagram to make sure wires are connected correctly

Difference of California and Federal/EPA Emissions

Catalytic Converter
1995 Lexus GS300 Base
California Emissions
Federal/EPA Emissions
They are both listed under 1995 Lexus GS300 Base but only the upper image fits a California
emissions vehicle. Even if you’re not located in California, you may have California emissions-
equipped cars come into your shop.
NOTE: It is important to know if your vehicle was built to meet Federal or California (CA) emissions
to use a converter made for your system. It is important because the converter configuration, length
and O2 sensor locations may be different in the CA car.

CHECK YOUR VEHICLE EMISSIONS LABEL

To properly determine whether the vehicle requires a CA or Federal Converter, you should
check the vehicle’s emissions system label. If the vehicle has a California system, it must use a converter
made for that system. While the converter does not have to legally meet CARB aftermarket emissions
standards, it must meet the “mechanical” conditions of the system.
VEHICLE EMISSIONS LABEL
The EPA vehicle emissions label is entitled "Vehicle Emission Control Information" and will contain the
name and trademark of the manufacturer and an unconditional statement of compliance with EPA
emission regulations. When it comes to vehicle emissions, there are two regulating authorities: U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which governs the Federal law throughout the country and
California Air Resources Board (CARB), which governs emission laws in the state of California and 13
additional states that follow CA emissions law. However, only California applies its strict regulations to
use of aftermarket replacement converters.

TYPICAL LABEL IDENTIFYING VEHICLE EMISSIONS
CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS
FEDERAL/EPA EMISSIONS
WHERE TO FIND VEHICLE EMISSIONS LABEL

1. In front of the radiator shroud

2. In the wheel well cover
3. In the underside of the hood; or some other visible location in the
engine compartment

Mufflers
There are 2 types of muffler for every car. The PRIMARY & SECONDARY Muffler. The picture on
the left is the secondary muffler, the picture on the right is the primary muffler. The primary muffler is
usually located in the middle section of the car. The secondary is at the end.
Exhaust pipes have bolt patters, with descriptions in our website as “2 bolt Inlet, 3 bolt outlet”,
knowing these bolt patterns are essential because giving the wrong bolt pattern will result in a return
since it won’t match up with the existing bolt pattern on the customers car.
Here they are:
1. 2 Bolt Pattern (Diamond)
2. 3 Bolt Pattern (Triangular)

Tail Pipes
The tail pipe is the last part of the exhaust system where the smog passes before it sees the
outside world, these are usually located at the back of vehicles, sometimes on the sides, but whatever
their locations are, TAIL PIPES define the style of your vehicle, since these things are sticking out of your
vehicle. Tailpipes come in all sorts of sizes and shapes depending on the customers preference. Here are
the most common shapes of tail pipes.
1. ROUND 2. SQUARE 3. OVAL 4. ANGLE CUT
Now, whatever shape you have, some people want multiple tail pipes at the back or side of
their car, here are the different types of exits.
1. Single Rear Exit
2. Single Split Rear Exit
3. Dual Rear Exit
4. Dual Split Rear Exit

5. Single Side Exit
6. Single Split Side Exit
7. Dual Side Exit

The picture below shows an exhaust system of a 4 cylinder engine. So inTHEORY an 8 cylinder engine will
have 2 sets of these pipes.

There are 2 types of exhaust systems that we sell:

1. Cat-Back Exhaust System (LONG) – ALL cars in the US have a catalytic converter, you
cannot use your car on the road if you don’t have a cat (Ok, don’t get cute on me when I
say cat, its short for Catalytic Converter). So all performance exhaust systems begin
from the CAT to the back of the cat thus the term Cat-Back.
2. Axle-Back Exhaust (SHORT) – These types of exhaust systems are shorter compare to
Cat-backs because these exhaust systems start from the back wheels to the tail pipe
compared to a Cat-back that starts from the middle of the vehicle. Obviously these are
cheaper parts but still increases performance.
What is it?
Your car’s exhaust system has come a long way from the old days of exhaust pipes and mufflers.
Today, the exhaust system is safety and emissions control rolled into one. Have your car’s exhaust
system inspected regularly and check it immediately if you suspect any problems.
What does it do?

The exhaust system routes dangerous exhaust gas from the engine out and away from the car to
keep from affecting the occupants. Next, the exhaust system reduces exhaust noise from the engine.
The catalytic converter reduces the level of harmful pollutants in the exhaust. Finally, the oxygen
sensors mounted in the exhaust system monitor the level of exhaust gases to maintain efficient engine
operation and to monitor the converter’s operation.

Maintain a safe car with regular exhaust system checks. Factors that affect replacement requirements
include:
• Driving habits (short trips take their toll on exhaust system life)
• Road conditions (salt, road spray, bumps)
• Vehicle type
• Age of exhaust system parts
Symptoms
• Loud noise
• Rattling noise when starting, accelerating or braking
• Drowsiness while driving
Maintenance Tips
• Check for Leaks in Exhaust every 20,000 miles
• Check hangers and exhaust system supports every 20,000 miles
• When a catalytic converter fails, it is illegal to install a junkyard
replacement

Engine Lubrication
The components of the lubrication system consist of:
• Oil
• Oil pump
• Oil filter
• Oil pressure sensor
• Oil pressure indicator light
What is it?
Your car’s filters are important to the longevity of your car and interior comfort. Maximize your
car investment by replacing filters regularly.
What does it do?

The oil filter traps contaminants, allowing the oil to flow through the engine unrestricted. The
fuel filter separates harmful contaminants that may cause problems with carburetors or intricate fuel
injectors. The air filter traps dirt particles, which can cause damage to engine cylinders, walls, pistons
and piston rings. The air filter also plays a role in keeping contaminants off the airflow sensor (in fuel-
injected cars). The cabin filter helps trap pollen, bacteria, dust and exhaust gases that may find their way
into a car’s ventilation system.
1 Oil pan
An oil containes that is located
at the bottom of the engine.
2 Oil strainer
Metal mesh located at the oil
inlet to remove large dust
particles.
3 Oil pump
Pumps oil that has
accumulated in the oil pan to
the various areas of the
engine.
4 Dip stick (Level gauge)

This gauge is used for checking the oil level and for oil contamination.
5 Oil pressure switch

This switch monitors whether or not the pressure of the engine oil is normal. Transmits an electric signal
to a warning light.
6 Oil filter
Filters the fine dust or metal particles that cannot be removed with the oil strainer.

Filters are normal wear items that require regular checks and replacement. Factors that affect
replacement intervals include:
• Mileage
• Driving habits
• Driving and road conditions
• Type of filter
• Vehicle type
Symptoms
• Poor gas mileage
• Hesitation while accelerating
• Musty odor in the cabin
Engine Cooling System

Keeps the Engine from overheating

The components of the cooling system are:
• Radiator
• Heater core
• Temperature control valve
• Temperature knob
• Coolant
• Thermostat
• Thermo sensor
• Water pump
• Temperature gauge
• Temperature sensor
• Reservoir
• Radiator Cap
The RADIATOR is the most important part of the cooling system to keep your engine running cool.
The radiator is usually made of brass and/or plastic. The brass inner core of the radiator is usually black
so that it transfers the heat of the COOLANT to the metal fins in the airflow on the outside of the
radiator. The top and bottom tanks of the radiator serve to attach the hoses from the radiator to the
engine. Sometimes several rows of cooling fins on the radiator are devoted to a transmission or engine
cooler.
Older vehicles used downflow radiators with the coolant from the top to the bottom. Modern vehicles
use crossflow radiators with the coolant flowing from one side to the other.
The HEATER CORE is a small radiator type device located under the dashboard in the passenger
compartment. The TEMPERATURE KNOB on the dash controls the TEMPERATURE CONTROL VALVE in
the engine compartment. As the knob is turned toward the warmer setting, the temperature control
valve opens, allowing coolant from the engine to circulate through the heater core, warming the interior
of the car. When the car is cold, just after startup, the coolant circulates from the engine to the heater
core without circulating through the radiator. The THERMOSTAT is closed until the
coolant from the engine reaches a higher temperature.

This allows rapid heating of the interior of the vehicle. When the temperature knob is turned toward the
cold side, the temperature control valve closes, allowing cool air from the air conditioner system to flow
through the heater core, cooling the interior of the vehicle.
The WATER PUMP serves to circulate the coolant around the

cooling system. The water pump is usually driven by a belt on
the crank pulley and turns about the same RPM as the
engine.
The thermostat is in the engine in line with the radiator hose.

The thermostat is closed when the engine is cold and
circulates coolant only through the engine and heater core to Water Pump
allow use of the defroster as quickly as possible. It opens slowly depending on the temperature of the
coolant. The thermostat is fully open at 180 degrees. The thermostat serves to keep the coolant at a
constant temperature by closing slightly when the engine cools (such as when cruising on the freeway).
This slows the passage of coolant through the radiator allowing the engine to maintain a constant
temperature.
Water Pump

The TEMPERATURE GAUGE is attached to a SENSOR on the engine block. This sensor varies electrical
resistance as it heats up allowing the accurate monitoring of engine temperature.
The THERMO SENSOR is an electrical device that makes contact when it reaches a preset temperature.
The thermo sensor is installed into the
bottom of the radiator or the engine
block and monitors coolant temperature.
The thermo sensor controls the operation
of the fans on the radiator. When the
coolant reaches a preset temperature, it
turns on the cooling fans on the radiator.
Since this circuit has power even when
the ignition switch is turned off, the
radiator fan sometimes comes on after
the engine is off, depending on the
temperature of the coolant. It can run for
up to fifteen minutes because when you
turn off the engine, the coolant no longer
circulates with the water pump. The
coolant in the engine gets hot enough to
open the thermostat. This causes the coolant to circulate to the radiator because the coolant there is
not as hot. When this cooler coolant reaches the thermostat, it closes. This coolant in the engine
absorbs the heat of the engine again and opens the thermostat again. This process continues for about
15 minutes until the coolant temperature falls below the temperature of the thermo sensor.
The cooling system on most new cars is a sealed system. All air in the cooling system is allowed to
escape when filling the radiator. Any leak will cause loss of coolant and overheating. A quick look at the
temperature gauge occasionally will save you a lot of trouble, A quick look for green residue where you
park will avert a problem.
An overflow bottle is used as a RESERVOIR for coolant as it expands and contracts. Because coolant
contracts when hot and expands when cool, the hot radiator
creates a vacuum pulling in coolant from this reservoir. As the
radiator cools, the coolant returns to the reservoir for future
use. The reservoir bottle tends to collect the residue of the
cooling system. This is why the reservoir bottle is cleaned at
every major service when the coolant is changed.
For the entire system to work properly, the RADIATOR CAP

must seal the cooling system.
Thermo Sensor
…and that’s the way the cooling system works!!

We DO NOT sell individual parts for the radiator, we sell them as a whole BUT for the Auxilary
Fan (A.K.A. Radiator Fan) it can be sold in piece meal.
Here are the parts of the Auxilary Fan:
1. Fan
2. Fan Shroud
3. Fan Motor
There are 2 Types of RADIATORS:
1. Automatic Transmission Radiator (The encircled one is the OIL COOLER) – ALL vehicles in the
world which has an AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (A.K.A. A/T) NEEDS an OIL COOLER.
2. Manual Transmission – ALL vehicles in the world that has a MANUAL TRANSMISSION (A.K.A.
M/T) does not need an OIL COOLER.
It really simple on how a radiator works (Cooling System For That Matter), see the LOWER HOSE? that’s
the cool water the goes TO the engine. See the UPPER HOSE? That’s the return line from the engine
back to the radiator, cools it then goes back to the LOWER HOSE. The WATER PUMP enables the water
to circulate around the engine thus COOLING it.

The picture below shows the different parts that we sell for the cooling system.

Maintenance Tips
Inspect belts and hoses every 20,000 miles. Adjust belts if necessary
Replace belts and hoses every 30,000 miles or 4 years
Drain, flush and refill radiator every 20,000 miles
Clean radiator fins ever 20,000 miles
How a fan clutch works http://www.2carpros.com/how_does_it_work/how_a_clutch_fan_works.htm
Belts and Hoses
Ok I Now Know How An Engine Works, Now What Are These Belts I See?
Ahhhh those things made of rubber you see going round and round. Well these concepts I am
about to discuss applies to ALL cars, yes ALL 4 billion+ of them.
First thing first  These rubber things that go around are called “V Belts OR Multi-Rib Belts”
ALL CARS in the world needs these 3 things, YES there are around 4 Billion cars in the world and they
have these. Each of these 3 things (parts) have pulleys attached to them where the rubber belts are
connected. Read on to see how they work.
1. Air-Conditioning; A/C (Heater Is Included)

2. Alternator; Alt. (Your battery loses its power, you need something to fully charge it)
3. Power Steering; P/S (Yes, to make you turn left and right effortlessly, unless you like big muscles
in your arms)
Now, unless you own a Formula 1 car (which I doubt) these three things are always present in cars. And
you need belts to power these things (Kindly check picture ”a” below to see what I mean)
Let’s review, the “gray” things (Pistons) move up and down making the “Green” thing (RED arrow
pointing to it) SPIN. There are belts connected to the “Green” thing (Crankshaft) and in turn . (Kindly see
picture “b”)
a.

b.
Hold On, I Only See 1 Belt In The Diagram, I Was Expecting 3 Belts…What’s Goin’ On In Here?
Chill!!!  There are the 2 types of belt set-ups.
1. Tri-Belt Set Up – One belt for each (P/S, A/C, Alt.)

2. Serpentine Belt Set-Up – One belt to rule them all (Just like in the movie “Lord Of The Rings”,
One ring to rule them all, so think of this as “Lord Of The Belts”)
Most European/American cars use a serpentine belt setup while most Asian cars use a tri-belt set up. In
my opinion using a Tri-Belt setup is better because in a tri-belt set up let’s say you’re P/S belt gets cut,
you still have you’re A/C and Alt. In a serpentine belt set up, if the belt breaks, you lose all 3. Now, that’s
a bummer.
Are You Sure This Are The Only Belts I Need?

Well well well, thank you for reminding me, infact there is one last belt that you have to take
note of and this has got to be the most important belt. This belt has an average price pf around $80 but
is capable of destroying your engine worth thousands of dollars if it breaks.
Lo and behold…The timing belt unlike the V-Belt which can be seen from the outside, this belt is
located inside the engine

Ok, let’s keep it simple on what this integral part of the vehicle does. Let’s compare it to our
human body, the heart to be exact, our heart has valves in it, its where blood goes in and out, now an
engine works the same way, but instead of blood, its air/fuel, it goes in and out of the engine and the
timing belt is responsible for making these metal components open and close and if your timing belt
breaks, the metal components inside the engine will smack each other creating a chain reaction of
catastrophic events. Now if your engine is running and your timing belt breaks while you are stationary
then there’s a big chance to salvage your engine, but if you are running at around 120 MPH and it
breaks…you will feel your wallet hurt before your heart or any part of your body for that matter. Why?
Because chances are, you need a new engine.
Before I forget, ALL timing belts need a tensioner bearing when you need to change one (Check
the picture on the left side). Finally, the picture on the right shows you the two belts, the one with the
RED “X” shows the V-Belt and the one with the Green “Check” shows the timing belt.
Also take note of the lines on both belts
1. V-Belts/Serpentine Belts have vertical lines

2. Timing Belts have horizontal lines
What is it?
You car’s belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning and charging systems, and
the engine. Don’t take these routine replacement intervals for granted because they can break down
and leave you stranded.
What does it do?

The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain
engine timing. Whether serpentine, V-belt or fan belt (the belts on the outside of the engine), they all
transmit power from the front of the engine to accessories that need to be driven, such as the air
conditioning, the charging system and fans. Radiator and heat hoses carry coolant to and from the
engine, radiator and heater core.

Key items that affect the replacement interval for belts and hoses:
• Vehicle age
• Electrolytic corrosion
• Mileage
• Oil contamination
• Belt tension
• Failed hose clamps
Symptoms
• Squeaking noise from under the hood during start-up or operation
• Coolant leaks
• Dashboard light will illuminate

Transmission System
The transmission gives power to the wheels
Did you ever wonder how the transmission works? Let me explain it to you.
Types of Transmission Systems:

• Automatic Transmission
• Manual / Standard Transmission
Components of a Transmission
System
• Clutch Disk
• Pressure plate
• Throw out bearing
• Flywheel
• Clutch cable
• Master cylinder
• Slave cylinder
• Clutch pedal
• Torque converter
• Gears
• Shift lever
• Synchronizer
• Driveshafts
The transmission is a device for transmitting power from the engine to the wheels. The transmission
converts power from the high
RPM and low torque of the
engine to the lower speeds
and higher torque needed by
the wheels to drive the car.
The crankshaft of the engine

is connected to the
transmission through the
CLUTCH or TORQUE
CONVERTER. The two basic
kinds of transmission are
MANUAL, where the driver
selects the gear, and the
AUTOMATIC, where the
transmission selects the appropriate gear ratio for varying loads.

The standard transmission converts the engine power by means of a system of gears. The gears provide
a variety of ratios between the engine and the wheels. When starting the vehicle from a stop, the
transmission is placed into low, or first gear in order to produce high torque at slow wheel speed. As the
car accelerates, the transmission is shifted into a higher gear. With each higher gear, the wheels turn
faster but with less power and torque. For instance, 1st gear has a ratio of about 3:1. That is the
crankshaft turns three times for every one revolution of the wheel. 2nd gear is about 2:1. 5th gear is
approximately 1:1. Different vehicles have different gear ratios depending on vehicle weight and power
output of the engine.
The driver selects gears by

manipulating a SHIFT
LEVER. The shift lever is
connected to the
transmission by a
mechanical linkage. Manual
transmissions are
sometimes called
synchromesh transmissions,
in which SYNCHRONIZERS
allow the gear teeth to be
in constant mesh, turning
freely on their shafts. The
shifting action causes the
gears to turn the same
speed and synchronizes the
combination of gears to the
same speed, then locks
them together so that power is transmitted through them to the wheels.
The DRIVESHAFTS are designed to transmit the torque of the engine through the transmission to the
wheels. The driveshafts consist of a thick rod that has a knuckle on each end. Each knuckle contains a
precision bearing covered by a rubber boot that is designed to swivel about eight to ten degrees in all
directions. This swivel allows the suspension to move up and down freely, transmitting the power of the
engine to the wheels at all times. The sealed boot covering the knuckle contains grease that lubricates
the bearings constantly. The knuckles on an axle are also known as “constant velocity joints” because
the velocity on one end of the shaft is exactly the same as the other end.
Automatic transmissions use a torque converter to transmit power from the engine to the wheels. The
torque converter is a fluid coupling in which one rotating member causes the transmission fluid to
rotate. The fluid, in turn, rotates another member that is connected to the transmission. The torque
from the torque converter is flexible, allowing slippage when the car is stopped and the wheels are not
moving. As the car gains in speed, the slippage is reduced, and at cruising speeds the drive member
turns almost as fast as the driven member does. The transmission contains a set of gears with clutches
for engaging the desired gears. In later model cars, a computer selects the optimum gear ratio for all
driving conditions. For
optimum longevity of your
transmission, when starting
cold, shift from PARK to DRIVE
first, then REVERSE if
necessary. This is
recommended because the
transmission clutches are
pressurized more rapidly
when the transmission is
shifted to DRIVE first. The
clutches in the transmission
will last longer if this becomes
a habit.
MOST cars have 5 FORWARD

gears and 1 reverse gear,
performance cars have 6-7
forward gears since their
engines are so powerful 5 gears are not enough.
The CLUTCH DISK is a metal disk covered on both sides by a fiber, usually asbestos. The center of the
clutch disk has a spline gear that is in constant contact with the TRANSMISSION mainshaft.
The PRESSURE PLATE is a metal spring attached to the

FLYWHEEL. It exerts pressure on the clutch disk whenever the
CLUTCH PEDAL is released.
The flywheel is a heavy metal disk attached to the crankshaft of

the engine. The flywheel is usually heavy to allow the smooth
running of an engine. The heavier the flywheel, the more
torque the engine produces from a stop. The lighter a flywheel,
the faster the engine revs up.
The THROW OUT BEARING is a roller bearing that makes

contact with the pressure plate through the CLUTCH LINKAGE
when the clutch pedal is depressed, releasing the clutch disk to
spin free.
There are two types of clutch activation mechanisms:
One consists of a CLUTCH CABLE attached between the clutch pedal and the clutch linkage on the
transmission. When the pedal is depressed, the cable pulls the linkage, pushing the pressure plate with

the throw out bearing, releasing the pressure on the clutch disk. Periodic clutch adjustment is necessary
for long life.
The other type is HYDRAULIC. The pedal is attached to a MASTER CYLINDER that in turn is attached to a
SLAVE CYLINDER. The master cylinder pressurizes brake fluid to the slave cylinder. The slave cylinder is
attached to the transmission next to the clutch linkage. When the pedal is pushed down, the slave
cylinder pushes the pressure plate with the throw out bearing, releasing the pressure on the clutch disk.
This disengages the transmission allowing smooth shifts.
When driving, the clutch allows smooth starts from a stop. It also allows smooth shifting from one gear
up or down to the next.
Clutches last between 50,000 and 100,000 miles, depending on the kind usually of driving you do. City
driving usually wears out the clutch faster than freeway driving. Resting your left foot on the clutch
pedal wears the clutch prematurely, also.
When it comes to transmission systems these parts should come into play and they are so easy.
1. If my car has a MANUAL TRANSMISSON, I need a clutch kit and these are the parts. ALL clutch
kits DOES NOT INCLUDE the Flywheel and Throwout Fork, they are bought separately.
Parts of a Clutch Kit

(Yes, this applies to ALL cars)
• Pressure Plate
• Cluth Plate/Disc
• Release/Throwout Bearing
• Pilot Bearing
• Flywheel
• Clutch Alignment Tool (It what you use to align parts a-d)
A clutch kit is like a hamburger…
Pressure Plate
Release Bearing
Clutch Disc
Pilot Bearing
Flywheel

2. If my car has an AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSON only one part should come into mind and that is
the TORQUE CONVERTER. The good thing about a TORQUE CONVERTER is we only sell the
COMPLETE assembly, we do not sell the impeller pump, stator, turbine & cover separately.
Unlike the clutch kit for a manual transmission in which you can buy each of them separately
depending on your preference.
Shift My Gear
Now, 90% of cars in the world has a shifter beside the driver (Wheter it’s A/T or M/T), it looks like a long
stick (See Picture)
There are cars in the world that uses the best transmission and it is located behind the steering wheel
(See picture). It enable quicker shifting compared to its stick shift counterparts. A good way to impress
your date. 

For more on clutch disks and transmissions visit:

http://www.2carpros.com/how_does_it_work/how_a_clutch_works.htm
http://www.2carpros.com/how_does_it_work/manual_transmission.htm
http://www.2carpros.com/how_does_it_work/automatic_transmission.htm
What is it?
The transmission works with the engine to provide power to your car’s wheels. Whether
automatic or manual, the transmission plays a major role in the overall dependability of your car. Make
sure to check it at the first sign of problems.

What does it do?

A transmission/transaxle keeps the engine’s output optimally matched to the speed and load
conditions. The torque converter, connected to the automatic transmission/transaxle input shaft,
connects, multiplies and interrupts the flow of engine torque into the transmission. Universal joints
connect to the driveshaft to transmit output power from the transmission to the rear axle on rear-
wheel-drive cars. Universal joints also allow the driveshaft to work at an angle. Automatic transmission
fluid serves a multitude of purposes. It cleans, cools, lubricates, transmits force, transmits pressure,
inhibits varnish buildup and continually protects the transmission. There are several different types of
automatic transmission fluid. Reference your owner’s manual for how they should be used.

Wear and tear on the transmission can be influenced by:
• Driving habits
• Towing or excessive loads
• Operating conditions
• Condition of the transmission fluid
• Frequency of regular maintenance
Symptoms
• Slipping
• Hesitation
• Bucking
• Grinding gears
• Difficulty shifting
Maintenance Tips
• Lube chassis every oil change
• Check front wheel drive axle boots every 20,000 miles
• Replace front wheel axle boots every 50,000 miles
• Change U-joints every 50,000 miles
• Check drive axle boots every 20,000 miles
• Check differential fluid every 20,000 miles. Replace fluid every 30,000
miles
• Check manual transmission fluid every 20,000 miles. Replace fluid
every 30,000 miles
• Check automatic transmission fluid every 10,000 miles and replace
fluid and filter every 30,000 miles

Suspension
You’re Suspended!!!
Yes, you’re suspended, if you are riding a car that is because we will now focus on SUSPENSION Systems.
A car has 4 suspension systems (Yes, 4, just look at the 4 arrows on the picture below to see what I
mean).
Please pay attention to the locations of each arrow because suspension systems can be quite confusing.
RED Arrow – Front Driver Side
YELLOW Arrow – Front Passenger Side
BLUE Arrow – Rear Driver Side
GREEN Arrow – Rear Passenger Side
Also, for all sides there is an:
UPPER
LOWER
INNER
OUTER
So you have an idea of all the possible combinations for the location of certain parts for the
SUSPENSION System. You find this daunting at first but I’m confident you will be able to get the hang of
it in no time.

Suspension Systems Seems To Be A Challenging Topic But

There’s Nothing I Can’t Handle
That’s the spirit!!! I myself used to have a hard time with suspension systems but with enough
dedication it became an easy climb. When the vehicle passes over bumps or dips in the road, the coil
spring expands and contracts in response, softening the impact to the vehicle body. That’s the basic
purpose of a suspension system.
These are the MAJOR parts of the SUSPENSION SYSTEM:
1. Coil Spring 2. Shock Absorber 3. Control Arm (A-Arm, Wishbone)
These are the MINOR parts of the SUSPENSION SYSTEM:
1. Bushings 2. Ball Joints

These are the parts for the FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM

These are the parts for the REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM
Car Shock Cutaway Courtesy of KYB

Fundamental Components
Springs, dampers and anti-sway bars.
Springs
Today's springing systems are based on one of four basic designs:
Coil springs - This is the most common type of spring and is, in essence, a heavy-duty torsion bar
coiled around an axis. Coil springs compress and expand to absorb the motion of the wheels.
Leaf springs - This type of spring consists of several layers of

metal (called "leaves") bound together to act as a single
unit. Leaf springs were first used on horse-drawn carriages
and were found on most American automobiles until 1985.
They are still used today on most trucks and heavy-duty Leaf spring
vehicles.
Torsion bars - Torsion bars use the twisting properties of a steel bar to provide coil-spring-like
performance. This is how they work: One end of a bar is anchored to the vehicle frame. The
other end is attached to a wishbone, which acts like a lever that moves perpendicular to the
torsion bar. When the wheel hits a bump, vertical motion is transferred to the wishbone and
then, through the levering action, to the torsion bar. The torsion bar then twists along its axis to
provide the spring force. European carmakers used this system extensively, as did Packard and
Chrysler in the United States, through the 1950s and 1960s.

Air springs - Air springs, which consist of a cylindrical chamber of air positioned between the
wheel and the car's body, use the compressive qualities of air to absorb wheel vibrations. The
concept is actually more than a century old and could be found on horse-drawn buggies. Air
springs from this era were made from air-filled, leather diaphragms, much like a bellows; they
were replaced with molded-rubber air springs in the 1930s.
Dampers
Struts and Shock Absorbers
There are two kinds of struts that are being used in vehicles:
1. Macpherson Strut
2. Chapman Strut

The MacPherson strut is a more common strut that is widely used on modern vehicles. Named after Earl
S. MacPherson, an engineer who
developed the design for the 1951
Ford Consul and later Zephyr, the
MacPherson strut is used for both
rear and front suspension, but usually
found in the front because it provides
a steering pivot or kingpin as well as a
suspension mounting for the wheel.
The MacPherson strut consists of a small subframe which
provides the lateral and longitudinal location of the wheel.
The Chapman strut, on the other hand is another kind of strut named after
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, founder of the famous sports car company,
Lotus in 1952. The Chapman strut is designed to act as a shock absorber and a
wheel location device at the same time and is made to resist lateral forces. His
strut is commonly used as a rear suspension which is very similar to the
MacPherson strut.
Essentially, shock absorbers do two things. Apart from controlling the movement of springs and
suspension, shock absorbers also keep your tyres in contact with the ground at all times. At rest or in
motion, the bottom surface of your tyres is the only part of your vehicle in contact with the road. Any
time that a tyre’s contact with the ground is broken or reduced, your ability to drive, steer and brake is
severely compromised. Despite popular belief, shock absorbers do not support the weight of a vehicle.
There are two types of Shock Absorbers:
1. Hydraulic Shocks
2. Gas Shocks
Hydraulic Shocks are oil filled. These usually have a three stage compression and rebound valve
and are fully self adjusting.

Gas Shocks are filled with inert pressurized Nitrogen gas for a higher level of security and
improved ride control. Some have replacement Gas Cartridges.
Coilover Kit is a high quality mono-tube shock that

includes provisions to mount coil springs on the shock.
The springs and shock are therefore combined in a single,
compact package. There is nothing particularly magical
about coilover shocks – their use requires strict attention
to mounting geometry, spring rates, and shock valving
the same as any other system. However, they do offer a
number of advantages:
High quality, long-travel, mono-tube shock.

Completely rebuildable - parts are available
separately at very reasonable cost.
Easy to package - compact, easy to fit, frees room for
link geometry and steering.
Revalveable - easy to adjust or modify valving to suit
needs.
Tuneability - with a vast array of spring lengths and
spring rates available, coilovers allow you to select
spring rate for a specific target suspension
frequency, and then use spring length and the built
in adjuster to achieve a target ride height /
suspension height.
Multiple spring rate - easy to set up for use with a
combination of springs, providing a soft initial spring
rate that transitions to a firmer spring rate as the
suspension compresses.
Adjustability - built in adjustable top spring seat
provides ability to adjust ride height, suspension
height, & preload as well as accommodate different
length springs with different amounts of spring
travel. Adjustable stop ring provides ability to adjust position where spring rate
transition occurs.

Steering System
Types of Steering System
1. Manual Steering
2. Power Steering
The manual steering system incorporates: 1. steering wheel and column, 2. a manual gearbox
and pitman arm or a rack and pinion assembly, 3. linkages; steering knuckles and ball joints; and 4. the
wheel spindle assemblies.

In Pittman arm systems, the movement inside the steering box causes the Pitman shaft and arm to
rotate, applying leverage to the relay rod, which passes the movement to the tie rods.
Power steering systems add a hydraulic pump; fluid reservoir; hoses; lines; and either a power assist
unit mounted on, or integral with, a power steering gear assembly.
There are several different manual steering gears in current use. The "rack and pinion" type is the choice
of most manufacturers. The "recirculating ball" type is a past favorite because the balls act as a rolling
thread between the wormshaft and the ball nut. Another manual steering gear once popular in
imported cars is the "worm and sector" type. Other manual gears are the "worm and tapered pin
steering gear" and the "worm and roller steering gear."

Inside the rack body a flat rack gear moves in a linear direction driven by a circular gear called a pinion.
The steering wheel is connected to the pinion gear (shaft).
Rack and Pinion Steering
The rack gear is connected to an inner tie rod end that is covered by a rubber bellow. The inner tie rod
end is connected to the outer tie rod end. These rod ends have the ability to move in any linear
direction. Finally, the tie rod end is connected to the wheel spindle.
Rack Bellow, Inner Tie Rod, Outer Tie Rod End

Tie Rod End
The rack-and-pinion gearset does t wo t hings:
It conv erts the rot ational motion of the st eering wheel into the linear motion
needed to t urn t he wheel s.
It prov ides a gear reduction, making it easier t o turn the wheel s.
On most cars, it takes three to f our complete rev olutions of the st eering wheel to make
the wheels t urn f rom lock to lock (f rom f ar lef t to f ar right).
The steering ratio is the ratio of how far you turn the
steering wheel to how far the wheels turn. For instance, if
one complete revolution (360 degrees) of the steering wheel
results in the wheels of the car turning 20 degrees, then the
steering ratio is 360 divided by 20, or 18:1. A higher ratio
means that you have to turn the steering wheel more to get
the wheels to turn a given distance. However, less effort is
required because of the higher gear ratio.
Generally, lighter, sportier cars have lower steering ratios

than larger cars and trucks. The lower ratio gives the steering
a quicker response -- you don't have to turn the steering
wheel as much to get the wheels to turn a given distance --
which is a desirable trait in sports cars. These smaller cars
are light enough that even with the lower ratio, the effort required to turn the steering wheel is not
excessive.

Differentials
Differentials, although the term sounds daunting and complicated, it’s extremely simple. It helps
your car turn easily.

To answer the question above, it is the OUTER WHEEL (Left Arrow) which spins more because it has a
bigger turn diameter compared to the inner wheel (See diagram on the right). The differential adjusts
how each wheel rotates because of there is no differential, BOTH wheels will be turning at the same
time thus making it hard for your car to turn.

Brakes
The braking system is the most important system in your car. If the brakes fail, the result can be
disastrous. The brakes are in essence energy conversion devices, which convert the kinetic energy
(momentum) of your vehicle into thermal energy (heat).
When you step on the brakes, you command a stopping force ten times as powerful as the force that
puts the car in motion. The braking system can exert as much as 1,000 pounds of hydraulic pressure on
each of the four brakes. In modern systems, the master cylinder is separately power-assisted to activate
the front and rear brakes. If one set fails, the
other can provide adequate braking power.
Many such safety systems within the braking
system make modern brakes very complex,
but much safer than earlier braking systems.
High-performance disc brakes originally were
developed for racing, but are now used on
many newer cars. On most cars, the front
brakes are of the disc type, and the ones in the
rear are the drum type. The parking brake is a
cable operated system, which usually is
attached to the rear wheels.

In almost all braking systems, the brake pedal is connected to

a "master cylinder" by a push rod. The master cylinder is
connected to the brake cylinders ("slave cylinders") at each
wheel by steel brake lines and flexible rubber hoses. The
entire hydraulic system is filled with a special brake fluid,
which is forced through the system by the movement of the
master cylinder pistons. The front disc brakes use friction
"pads" which are mounted in "calipers". The pads are forced
against machined surfaces of a rotating disc called the "rotor".
The rear brakes are usually of the "drum" type. In these, the
internal expanding brake "shoes" are forced against the inside
machined surface of a rotating drum.

Types of Brakes
1. Disc Brakes
2. Drum Brakes
Disc Brake Diagram
In recent years, brakes have changed greatly in design. Disc

brakes, due to their lighter weight and better performance, are
replacing drum types on the rear wheels. Instead of linings which
press outwards against the inside of a drum, a disc attached to
the axle is gripped from either side by friction pads attached to
the calipers. The greatest advantage of disc brakes is that they are
essentially "fade" free. That is, repeated application does not
result in excessively high temperatures developing in the linings
and drums, lowering the stopping power of the brake.

Types of Brake Rotors
SOLID Vented Discs SLOTTED Discs CROSS DRILLED Discs X-DRILLED/SLOTTED Discs
DIMPLED/SLOTTED THE BEST OF THE BEST!!! Performance Brake Kits
Types of Brake Pads
Metallic Semi - Metallic Ceramic Organic
Kevlar

Drum Brake Diagram
The drum brake may look complicated, and it can be pretty intimidating when you open one up. Let's
break it down and explain what each piece does.

Like the disc brake, the drum brake has two brake shoes and a piston. But the drum brake also has an
adjuster mechanism, an emergency brake mechanism and lots of springs.
Brake shoe Brake drum

Anti-Lock Braking System

Commonplace on newer cars are "anti-lock" brake systems, (ABS) which prevent the wheels from
completely stopping when the brakes are applied in a panic stop.
The theory behind anti-lock brakes is simple. A skidding wheel (where the tire contact patch is sliding
relative to the road) has less traction than a non-skidding wheel. If you have been stuck on ice, you
know that if your wheels are spinning you have no traction. This is because the contact patch is sliding
relative to the ice. By keeping the wheels from skidding while you slow down, anti-lock brakes benefit
you in two ways: You'll stop faster, and you'll be able to steer while you stop.
There are four main components to an ABS system:
Speed sensors
Pump
Valves
Controller

Anti-lock brake pump and valves
As impressive as these advances

are, the basic process of
converting a vehicle's
momentum into (wasted) heat
has not changed since the days
of horse and buggy. To stop
carriages, the driver would pull
on a lever which would rub on
the wheel. But with the advent
of brake-charging electric
vehicles, a new braking equation
is opening up the possibility of
recapturing this lost energy,
instead of warming the air with
it. In modern electric cars, when
you step on the brake the motor
switches into "generator mode",
and stores the car's momentum
as chemical energy in the
battery, to be used when the
light turns green! In 1923, a
Packard was the first car in
America with four-wheel brakes.
In 1927, four-wheel brakes were
introduced in the Lincoln
production cars.


Auto Fundamentals Training Manual

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A.S.C.E.N.T.

Nerf Bars and Running Boards ....................................................................................................... 34

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 4

3. “Everything can be LEARNED…The question is…are you willing to LEARN”

4. “Nothing is EASY the first time”

5. “It’s not a matter of IF but a matter of WHEN”

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 5

All About Cars!!!

USDM Big Three

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 6

What does factory or stock equipment mean?

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 7

What is an engine code/number?

Where to find the VIN?

Other VIN locations:

Vehicle Registration (Pink Slip)

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 8

Classification by Motive Power

1 Gaso lin e en g in e veh icle

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 9

Classification by Drive Method

FF (Fr o n t -eng in e, Fr o n t -d r ive)

2 FR (Fr o n t -en gin e, Rear -d r ive)

3 RR (Rear /Mid -eng in e, Rear -d r ive)

4 4WD (4-Wh eels Dr ive)

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 10

Car Body Styles

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 11

Rear – Pertains to the area located at the back of the car.

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 12

Auto Systems And Parts (AN OVERVIEW)

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 13

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 14

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 15

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 16

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 17

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 18

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 19

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Fenders / Quarter Panels

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 22

Different cars have different pairs of valances because there

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 24

Lights and Mirrors

LED (light Emitting Diode) Headlights

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 25

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 26

Third Brake Light located inside

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 27

Side Markers commonly

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 28

Heated vs. non heated

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 29

Power Side Mirror with built-in

Power Side Mirror - Heated with

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 30

Rear View Mirrors

Towing Mirror or Telescoping Side Mirror

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 31

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 32

5. Sliding TONNEAU Cover (Most Expensive but most durable)

US AUTO PARTS Training Department| Confidential Material 33

Nerf Bars and Running Boards

Running Boards – Are planar thus the term “Boards”