The harsh weather conditions we experience in most African countries have effects on the part performance of vehicle systems. If you will agree with me, we can only get maximum fuel economy
if our vehicles are in top running condition, i.e. having all required
maintenance/cooling system in order. I am aware that most of these
vehicles are designed and manufacture for temperate conditions or in
environment where the ambient temperature are usually at minus zero
degrees. While most of our place in Africa especially in northern part
of Nigeria are about 38 to 46 degree Celsius. Due to this reasons
overheating is sometime uncontrollable in same vehicles.
The fact
is that most of these vehicles are fitted with thermostat which
regulate the limit of boiling point which also have no much used in most
AFRICAN weather condition, and some of the vehicles are fitted with
single cell radiator which contained less quantity of water in the
radiator with A.C condenser that tend to prevent the incoming air that
would have reduced the heat generated by the engine when in motion. Why
vehicles that are fitted with A.C are not fitted with a double cell
radiator or three cell radiators? Although I am fully aware the effect
of under cooling but this is our situation over here in Africa and
Nigeria is a good example of such. Can something be done? More
especially after two to three years of usage of such vehicle these
problems tend to be experienced even among the brand new cars in general, especially those vehicle that are using one cell radiator.
The
level of temperature indicator especially those one that are fitted
with A.C and with single cell radiator are not encouraging, case study
of ABUJA, LAGOS, LOKOJA, MAIDUGURI during traffic hold up that may
lasted for one or two hour some of the vehicle radiator got busted.
Speaking
out of my practical experience as a professional, some of the things
that kept us going in order to reduce this overheating is by removing
the thermostat that are fitted and replace single cell radiator with
double cell radiator or even three cell radiator, in most severe hot
area in our country.
Overheating is the worst thing that can ever happen to any vehicle as it causes the following to most engines of a vehicle.
1. Loss of engine power/untimely wearing of engines
2. The tendency of excessive fuel/oil consumption. Because the engine is working under stress.
3. The engine moving parts may be affected due to overheating.
4. Valves oil seal are effected and white smoke is experienced which may not necessary be an engine ring problem.
5. Sharp noise when the engine oil loses it viscosity property, it becomes thin as a result of overheating.
6. Engine
bearing wear up and there will be clearance between the crankshaft and
knocking sound is experienced due to overheating.
The world we
are living is changing fast than we thought, many big cities surfer from
plagues, a times it is not because of infectious diseases, nor is it a
destructive swarm of voracious insects but still the well-being of the
millions of people is being threatened. What is it? It is the plagues
of automobile traffic congestion where all kinds of automobile smoke are
experienced due to the above mentioned problem (overheating). For this
reason bigger radiator for maximum quality of water
are needed or designed to match the condition of weather for such
country like ours and proper caution should be included in the vehicle
manufacturer manual hand book for a related problem and to educate
vehicle users. Overheating is even worst with people who are just
learning how to drive. Mechanics
adopt a system by losing the top cylinder and double the top cylinder
gasket for fear of overheating without knowing the implication and risk
of doubling the top cylinder gasket which they thought is the solution.
Consequently the engine output performance is reduced and thereby
shortens the life span of the engine.
According to researchers (the New Zealand
Herald reports) that “emissions from car exhausts, noise and stress are
likely to be the main causes of the sudden increase in risk, frequent
exposure to traffic congestion can prove detrimental to our health. One
recent study even suggest that there is an increase in the risk of
heart attack for at least an hour after a person is stuck in traffic,
because most motor vehicle emit nitrogen oxide and some carcinogenic
substance, many vehicle particularly those with diesel engine spew out
larger amount of minute particles. These pose serious danger to public
health especially for Asthmatic person. It has been estimated that up to
three million people die each year as a result of air pollution, much
of it coming from motor vehicle. (One report from awake magazine news paper
2011) says that 10 percent of respiratory infections in European
children are a result of fine particulate pollution, with an even higher
rate in traffic-congested cities. Consider also the dangers to the
earth’s environment, Nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide from vehicle
exhaust contribute to acid rain, which contaminates bodies of water,
harms aquatic life, and damages a wide variety of vegetation. To make
matters worse, vehicles emit huge quantities of carbon dioxide. This is
the principal gas blamed for global warming, which is said to pose other
dangers for planet Earth. Places where there are more congestion/ long
traffic hold up these are best experienced especially when the A.C is
on, temperature tend to rise up simply because the vehicle is not in
motion and in hot environment and this hold up may last for an hour or
more in some places like Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria. This condition
sometime burst the radiator hoses, blocking hoses and radiator itself
which in turn may affect the top cylinder gasket especially with
non-experience driver that cannot passive odors or sense the danger. The
vehicle may go off due to lack of water in the radiator, which may
result in spending a lot of money one never budgeted for and it will also affect you economically.
This
problem of overheating is experienced in most modern vehicle found in
our region, due to the harsh condition of weather, which I believe can
easily be solved by well-trained automobile professionals.
ABEOKUTA
— The Ogun State Police Com-mand said, yesterday, that it has arrested a
50-year-old fake Colonel Hassan Ayinde for claiming to be ADC to
President President Goodluck Jonathan.
The suspect, who claimed to have come from Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State was reportedly nabbed while using the name of the President to beg for money to purchase ram for the Eid-el Kabir in Agbado, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said this in a statement made available in Abeokuta.
Adejobi said “the suspect was arrested in the palace of Alagbado of Agbado, His Royal Highness, Oba Adedayo Shyllon on Monday, October 14, at about 1400hrs.” when he claimed to be a Colonel and the Aide De Camp(ADC) to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and was soliciting for help to buy ram for sallah.
“The traditional ruler became suspicious of him when he claimed to be the ADC to the president and begging for money to purchase ram for sallah; and the traditional ruler immediately informed the police and he was arrested.
“On interrogation, Mr Hassan confessed to be a dismissed Air Force officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but impersonates Colonel to make ends meet. He said he attended the military school in 1979 and posted to Zuru Kebbi State as a lance corporal; and that he attended the Nigeria Defence Academy in 1980 and passed out in 1985.
“The fake colonel said he worked with the presidency in 1997 before he was dismissed in the year 1999 as a Wing Commander.
“The suspect, who claims to be residing at the National Defence College, is cooling his feet in our custody and will be charged to court at the end of our investigation.
“The Command therefore appeals to the general public to beware of such fraudsters who may want to dupe them of their earnings and always contact the police whenever they are in doubt.
The suspect, who claimed to have come from Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State was reportedly nabbed while using the name of the President to beg for money to purchase ram for the Eid-el Kabir in Agbado, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi said this in a statement made available in Abeokuta.
Adejobi said “the suspect was arrested in the palace of Alagbado of Agbado, His Royal Highness, Oba Adedayo Shyllon on Monday, October 14, at about 1400hrs.” when he claimed to be a Colonel and the Aide De Camp(ADC) to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and was soliciting for help to buy ram for sallah.
“The traditional ruler became suspicious of him when he claimed to be the ADC to the president and begging for money to purchase ram for sallah; and the traditional ruler immediately informed the police and he was arrested.
“On interrogation, Mr Hassan confessed to be a dismissed Air Force officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but impersonates Colonel to make ends meet. He said he attended the military school in 1979 and posted to Zuru Kebbi State as a lance corporal; and that he attended the Nigeria Defence Academy in 1980 and passed out in 1985.
“The fake colonel said he worked with the presidency in 1997 before he was dismissed in the year 1999 as a Wing Commander.
“The suspect, who claims to be residing at the National Defence College, is cooling his feet in our custody and will be charged to court at the end of our investigation.
“The Command therefore appeals to the general public to beware of such fraudsters who may want to dupe them of their earnings and always contact the police whenever they are in doubt.