Published: 12/10/2022

Nissens Automotive Heater and Cabin Blowers

Nissens Automotive Heater and Cabin Blowers

Nissens Automotive (Nissens) is an established aftermarket replacement parts supplier with decades of thermal management experience, across both the vehicle’s engine cooling (EC) and air conditioning (AC) systems.

Its comprehensive product range, all of which is manufactured to Genuine Nissens Quality standards, to provide independent workshops with premium grade replacement parts, which operate to the same performance levels as the original, gives them a premium quality aftermarket solution they can depend on.

Although often overlooked when servicing or repairing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, heaters and cabin blowers serve a crucial role, particularly for the comfort of the occupants. So, particularly before the winter season, it is advisable to include these two components during an annual check and, if either are in need of replacement, use only premium quality aftermarket products.

Heaters
The heater is an integral part of the EC system, but also contributes significantly to the climate system by ensuring the production of warm air to the cabin and is often located behind the dashboard or in the HVAC module.
Hot coolant from the engine block passes through the heater, warming the intake air blown on its surface by the interior blower and this can be forwarded into the cabin, which during cold days in autumn and winter, significantly improves safety by reducing the time needed to demist the interior surfaces of the vehicle’s windows.

Important info
• Scale that settles on interior surfaces and comes from the use of water instead of a proper coolant may block the heater core limiting the coolant flow. Sediment and grime from poor quality coolants, wrong coolant mixtures or residues of cooling system leak stops will also accumulate in the heater tubes limiting flow and reducing the heater’s operating efficiency.
• A worn-out or broken thermostat valve may restrict coolant flow and so prevent the heater from operating properly.
• Due to the damp environment in which it’s positioned, the heater is often exposed to corrosion, which may cause leakages.
• The lack of sufficient coolant caused by leakages (not just in the heater but from other components) will result in improper heater operation.

Blowers
The interior blower ensures the required amount of ambient air is drawn in through the intake and flows through the heat exchangers, i.e. the heater and evaporator. As it passes through the heat exchangers, the air can be either warmed or cooled and is distributed throughout the cabin by the blower which is typically situated in the HVAC module located between the cabin and the engine compartment.
The interior blower is potentially vulnerable due to its plastic elements that can sometimes be fragile and, being an electrical device, it is sensitive to failures within the vehicle’s electrical system.

Important info
• A clogged or defective cabin air filter can significantly reduce the blower’s lifespan.
• The most common reasons for interior blower problems stem from failures in the vehicle’s electrical system, restricted flow in the air intake system and improper handling during its installation.
• Blowers in vehicles used for commercial activities, such as taxis, coaches and buses etc., are often exposed to greater wear simply as a result of the mileage they cover and working hours they operate.

Genuine Nissens Quality
All of the company’s products are designed and manufactured to Genuine Nissens Quality standards, which means they are engineered to deliver high performance and durability as well as fitting perfectly when replacing the original part.
In addition, the ‘First-fit’ policy ensures hassle free installation as whenever they are required, additional components, such as nuts, bolts, clips etc, are supplied within the Nissens box.

Quality versus price
Although a cheap product might at first glance be appealing, for the reputation of the workshop and the satisfaction of the customer, quality must be the priority.
A replacement heater from Nissens will ensure workshops avoid issues such as a poor quality finish, limited heat exchange capacity and leakages and in contrast to cheap blowers that can generate noise and interfere with a car’s electronics or radio, Nissens blowers ar comprehensively tested for durability and operating efficiency.
A poor quality blower can quickly malfunction and provoke expensive AC system failures, including compressor overload and breakdown, as no airflow through the evaporator means no, or limited, refrigerant state change, which leads to poor system performance and exposes the AC compressor to fluid intake/overload.
In addition, as replacing the heater/blower often requires the dashboard to be removed, the work is time consuming and therefore, expensive, so changing the original part to a low quality version is a false economy.

Published: 05/10/2022

All you need to know about Yuasa AGM and EFB batteries

All you need to know about Yuasa AGM and EFB batteries

With more and more modern vehicles featuring emissions reduction technology such as start-stop, battery replacement has become more complex and time consuming.

On vehicles with start-stop technology it is essential the battery is replaced with one of the correct technology and specification. If a vehicle is fitted with an AGM Start-Stop battery then the replacement must also be an AGM Start-Stop battery, The same applies to EFB products.

Most modern vehicles come fitted with a Battery Management System (BMS) which must be reset through the on-board diagnostics (OBD) port to tell the vehicle when the battery has been replaced. Failure to fit the correct battery or reset the BMS can cause issues such as battery failure and complete loss of start-stop functionality.

On many new vehicles, the battery is not fitted under the bonnet and locating it can take time. The replacement process can also take far longer than on standard ignition vehicles, with some vehicles requiring up to an hour and a half of work.

Yuasa’s Online Battery Lookup offers a simple solution to save you time and money Yuasa Battery Lookup

It is the industry’s leading battery lookup and will identify the correct battery for the vehicle, and provide a wealth of information including battery location, estimated fitting time, reprogramming required and detailed fitting.

You can also check out the YMF range of Yuasa Batteries here - YMF Car & Van Batteries

Published: 05/10/2022

NOx Sensors Fault Diagnosis and Replacement

NOx Sensors Fault Diagnosis and Replacement

There are a number of methods used on Diesel Engines to reduce harmful emissions. One of these methods is called SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction).

SCR is an active emissions control system where hot exhaust gases flow out of the engine and into the SCR system where aqueous urea (known as Diesel Exhaust Fluid, or DEF) is sprayed onto a special
catalyst.

Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is a non-toxic fluid composed of 32% automotive grade aqueous urea and purified water and is sometimes referred to as AdBlue.

The design of SCR technology is such that it permits nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction reactions to take place in an oxidizing atmosphere. It is called "selective" because it reduces levels of NOx using ammonia as a reductant within a catalyst system. The DEF is rapidly broken down to produce the oxidizing ammonia in the exhaust stream.

The chemical reaction is known as "reduction" where the DEF is the reducing agent that reacts with NOx to convert the pollutants into nitrogen, water, and tiny amounts of CO2.

The component configuration of a SCR system can vary by the vehicle manufacturer, but the fundamental principle of operation remains the same. SCR systems are often used in conjunction with
a DPF filter.

In order to inject the correct amount of DEF into the catalyst, the system employs one or two NOX Sensors. The NOx sensors are fitted before and after the SCR catalytic convertor and may be
referred to as upstream and downstream.

The NOx sensors are required to accurately measure the amount of NOx in real time and feed this information to an ECU. This information in turn allows the ECU to accurately determine how much DEF needs to be injected into the catalytic convertor to produce the lowest emission.

Published: 21/07/2022