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Original equipment manufacturer car parts are identical to the parts installed in cars at the time theyre built. OEM is a term used when erring to these types of car parts.

Description

Most automobile makers do not manufacture the car parts used in the production of the vehicles they build. Hired manufacturing companies are used for this purpose.

Process

The OEM company builds the parts and puts them in boxes with the car manufacturers name on them. Customers may theore believe they are buying a part directly built by the car manufacturer.

Features

After a specified period of time, varying by manufacturer, the car parts manufactured by OEMs no longer are placed in boxes with the car manufacturers name. At this time, the parts are placed in boxes with only the OEM companys name on it. The parts are identical, but cost less because the brand name is no longer on the package.

An automobile wouldnt get very far without a fuel system. Each fuel system component performs a specific function in the retaining, filtering and moving of fuel from its storage compartment all the way into the engine block. The system ensures that the fuel reaches the engine as free of harmful particles as possible, creating optimal conditions for combustion and performance.

Fuel Tank

As the name would indicate, a fuel tank is a container that stores a vehicles fuel. Fuel tanks have a filler tube with an opening on the side of the vehicle for adding fuel to the tank. The tank also has an electronic "trigger" that relays information to the gas gauge regarding the amount of fuel in the tank.

Fuel Pump

Modern automobiles have a fuel pump attached directly to or inside the fuel tank. Older vehicles generally have one attached to the engine. Pumps mounted near the fuel tank use electricity to pull fuel from the tank toward the engine. Automobiles with fuel pumps attached near the engine use gravity to pull fuel into the engine.

Fuel Filter

Fuel filters are critical for optimal performance and long engine life. These components are usually installed at both ends of the fuel pump to filter particles that would otherwise inhibit combustion and clog engine components. Regular inspection of fuel filters is necessary to keep a fuel system performing at a high level.

Fuel Injectors

Fuel systems built after 1986 have fuel injectors. These electronic valves open and close to send a computer-controlled mixture of air and fuel into the engine block. This speeds up the combustion process, allows for faster engine response during acceleration, improves fuel economy and lowers vehicle emissions. Fuel injectors depend greatly on properly functioning fuel filters to maintain peak performance levels.

Carburetors

A carburetor is the predecessor of fuel injection. This component uses gravity to create the appropriate mixture of air and fuel before sending it into the engine block. The device is relatively simple in construction but requires frequent maintenance and is less efficient than fuel injection.

The exhaust system included in all modern vehicles in the United States and other countries was designed to perform very specific tasks to control and reduce the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere. At the same time, this sophisticated system eliminates disturbingly loud noises generated by the engine.

What is the Exhaust System?

The exhaust system is the waste removal system for a motorized vehicle. Waste gases from the burning of fuel and air within the cylinders travel through a long pipe and eventually are ejected at the rear of the car. These gases are poisonous, and various emission control devices are integrated into the system to remove some of the toxic substances before the remainder is returned to the atmosphere outside the vehicle.

The PCV Valve

The Positive Crankcase Ventilation valve (PCV valve) is used in the exhaust system to re-direct unburned gases from the lower parts of the engine back to the main engine, where they are re-burned. This helps cut pollution levels before toxins ever leave the engine, and increases fuel economy by making the most of these gases the second time through the system.

The Exhaust Manifold

The exhaust manifold is composed of a group of pipes that collect engine exhaust from the multiple cylinders, direct the gases away from the engine through the exhaust piping system and finally vent them to the outside via the tail pipe. This is the initial part of the exhaust system and its presence reduces wear and tear on the engine parts and improves overall efficiency.

The Catalytic Converter

The catalytic converter is essentially a long cylinder that is connected to the exhaust pipe system just after the manifold to reduce toxic elements in the waste gas produced by the engine. It is typically filled with small ceramic beads or a complex webbed structure coated with a metal substance that interacts with pollutants to further reduce what is released into the air.

The Muffler

The remaining gases continue down the exhaust pipe and pass through a chambered unit called the muffler that controls noise coming from the engine and regulates the escaping gas just prior to reaching the tailpipe. An extra benefit of the muffler is that it helps keep the pressure balanced in the system, thereby improving engine efficiency further and protecting the catalytic converter from temperature changes that may cause damage.

The Tailpipe

The last part of the exhaust piping system, the tailpipe is where the remaining gases are expelled from the rear of the vehicle. This pipe is usually positioned to help direct escaping gases down and away from the vehicle to help safeguard that pollutants dont back up into the habitable parts of the vehicle.