E-Learning Courseware - My Town

Explore all the buildings in town!

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How To Perform Some Basic Car Maintenance Part 2

ELECTRICAL

DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING YOUR BATTERY

If you're going to do any work on your car involving the electrical system, disconnect the battery first. To do this, loosen the connector for the negative/ground terminal first, and wiggle the terminal cap off. Use a wire-tie or similar to tie the cable back out of the way. If you need to take the battery out, you can now take off the positive connector.

Why negative then positive? If you disconnect the positive side of the battery first, the negative side is still connected to the entire car. If you drop a tool and it lands on the positive battery terminal and touches anything else on the car, you'll have an electrical short. By disconnecting the negative first, you're cutting off the return path for the current. Now, if a tool drops on to either of the battery terminals, it doesn't matter if it touches part of the chassis or not - there's no continuous path for the electrical current.

Reconnecting your battery. Connect the positive terminal first, and the negative second - the reverse of removal, and for the same reasons. When you slip the negative connector on, there will be a spark as it gets close and makes contact with the negative battery terminal. Don't be afraid of this - it's nothing to worry about. Make sure the terminal caps are done up nice and tight.

CHECK YOUR BATTERY TERMINALS

Most modern cars run on a 12 volt negative ground electrical system. If your battery terminals or contacts aren't clean, you're making it more difficult for the current to pass around the electrical system. Remove the terminal caps as described above and clean each contact post with a wire brush to get a nice clean metal contact surface. Do the same to the terminal caps, then reattach them as described above.

LIGHTS

ONE INDICATOR OR BLINKER IS FLASHING FASTER THAN THE OTHER

When you indicate one way and the blinker flashes quicker than when you indicate the other way, it means one of the bulbs has blown. An auto parts store will be able to tell you what sort of bulb you need to replace it with and your manual should show you how to get at the indicator bulbs - they're different on every car.

DON'T TOUCH THE GLASS WHEN CHANGING HEADLIGHT BULBS

Most headlight bulbs now are filled with halogen and have special coatings on the outside of the glass. If you pick the bulb up by the glass with your fingers, you will leave trace amounts of oil and grease on the glass. When the bulb is used, that area of the glass will get hotter than the rest and it will eventually cause the bulb to crack. When changing headlight bulbs, only hold the metal bulb holder at the base, or make sure you're wearing rubber surgical / mechanic's gloves (clean ones) if you're touching the glass.

How To Perform Some Basic Car Maintenance Part 1

Basic car maintenance really isn't that hard. There are simple things that you can do on your own. 

TYRES

CLEAN BRAKE DUST OFF REGULARLY

Brake dust contains all sorts of nasty stuff. If you leave it too long, the combination of road grime, moisture and heat from your brakes will bake it on to your wheels. Brake dust normally clings to wheels with static electricity so a damp sponge and clean cold water is the best way to get it off.

CHECK YOUR TYRE PRESSURES

Check your tyre pressures regularly - once a week is ideal. Bad tyre pressures can affect fuel economy, handling and comfort. It's easy to do and there is no excuse not to.

CHECK YOUR TREAD DEPTH

Bald, slick tyres might be good for motor racing but they're no good on the road. Most tyres come with tread wear bars built into them now - find one, examine it and if your tread is too low, replace your tyres. Four new tyres might seem expensive but they're cheaper than a fine or an accident.

ENGINE

CHECK YOUR BELTS

At the front of your engine there will be a series of rubber drive belts that loop around various pulleys, driving everything from the alternator to the a/c compressor. Rubber perishes, more so in extreme conditions like those found in an operating engine bay. Get your timing belt and accessory drive belt checked every 25,000 miles, preferably replacing it every 50,000 miles.

  

FUEL ECONOMY

Check your tyre pressures regularly - once a week is ideal. Bad tyre pressures can affect fuel economy very noticeably. It's easy to do and there is no excuse not to.

CHECKING YOUR OIL LEVEL

This is something everyone can do - it's quick and easy and it'll tell you if your engine needs oil. If the oil is too high or too low, it can cause trouble for your engine. To check the oil, park on level ground and wait until the engine has cooled down after driving, then locate the dipstick. Pull it out and wipe it clean, then push it all the way back in until the top of it is seated properly in the dip tube again. Wait a moment then pull it out again. Check the level of the oil. If it's between the high and low marks, you're fine. (If it's too low, add a little.) The high and low marks can be denoted by two dots, an "H" and "L" or a shaded area on the dipstick. The photos below show a Honda dipstick which has the two dots. (Common Question: Why not just read the level first time around?) The first time you pull the dipstick out, it will have oil all over it and it will be difficult to tell where the level is. That's why you need to wipe it on a rag to get a clean dipstick, then dip it back into the oil to get a good reading.

  

Fix Your Own Car

Everyone should learn at least some basic car repair skills. The easy way to buy a cheap car, or a car that you couldn't otherwise afford. 


If you have the space, and working arms, there isn't much excuse in this day and age to not do basic car maintenance. 😉😉😉

Hot Air Balloons - The Mechanism

It is interesting to see how hot air balloons work. We know from our Standard 6 topic that a hot air balloon operates using a hot air burner. But now that we have grown a lot older, let's learn it in a more detailed explanation.


Here's the video for adults: The Real Physics of Hot Air Balloons

And here's a more kid-friendly version (or if you didn't understand Physics like me) :

STAY CURIOUS!

Hot Air Balloons - The History

Now that you know that hot air balloons are a type of transportation, let's dig in more. 

Did you know that the first people to fly were not the Wright brothers of the airplane history?

That's right! The first people who fly did so on the hot air balloon! 

It was invented on September 19, 1783 and was known back then with the name "Aerostat Rebellion".

The inventor of the hot air balloon, Pilatre De Rozier rode the balloon along with his passenger, a sheep, a duck and a rooster. 

The story was, Aerostat Rebellion flew for fifteen minutes before it crashes. 

Next attempts of flying were done with the basket tied to the ground.

Two months later, on 21st November of the same year, two men attempted to fly again. They were the French brothers Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier and they flew in Paris for 20 minutes. 

These two stories were the birth of human aviation. 

Two years later, a French balloonist (don't ask) and an American co-pilot, Jean Pierre Blanchard and John Jefferies become the first people to fly across the English Channel. 

Histories were made. Hot air balloons were used for transportation and entertainment of people. 

To maneuver and develop the hot air balloon, scientists had to master the concept of burners and how lift occurs when hot air rises in cooler air. They also need to master the law of gravity and how wind direction would affect predictable flight. 

The safety of hot air balloons was developed later. Many fail attempts had occurred, even taking the life of its inventor, Pilates De Rozier during his attempts to flew across the English Channel. His balloon exploded after 30mins it was launched. 

Hot Air Balloons!

WHAT IS A HOT AIR BALLOON?

Hello everyone. Once in a while we see that there are festivals celebrated using hot air balloons. 

But wait a minute? 

Those are recreational rides. Could it be considered as a medium of transport?

Of course it is! Back in the days, a hot air balloon was used as a major type of transportation too! 

Let's find out more about hot air balloons!

Educational Video: My Family

Enjoyyy

WHICH IS CHEAPER? GRABCAR OR UBER.

Assalamualaikum and hello everybody. After a day full of hard work, you need to get home... and quick... and you have quite a few options to do so. You could choose to hop on the LRT and stare down weird people from the corner of your eye (if you find any), you could find your way through a tired and eager crowd onto a fully packed bus (and I mean, fully packed) during peak hours and have the joy of breathing down oxygen that’s made its way through someone’s pits.

You could walk... really? After a hard day of work? I don’t think so.

Or drive perhaps? Well, if you have a car and the patience to weave in and out of stagnant traffic. Why not?

Or you could simply get someone else to chauffeur you around. Services like GrabCar and Uber are all about ensuring that you get from point A to point B, safely. If you don’t already know Grabcar is the service that’s being offered on the MyTeksi app. In essence, both Uber and Grabcar allows you to request for on-demand chauffeur services.

Now while both of them have their advantages, there are a few things about GrabCar that gives it an upper hand.

What do you need to know about GRABCAR?

GrabCar and GrabCar+ are the two services from MyTeksi that’s looking to spice up the way you commute to and from your favourite destinations. GrabCar (Economy) is the cheaper means of transportation and it offers casual rides for daily usage. It’s similar to the uberX service offered by Uber in Malaysia.

However, GrabCar+ is a premium service for the more sophisticated and discerning passengers who want a more luxurious and memorable experience. Picture yourself being driven around in a Nissan Almera while you read a newspaper (I’m guessing that’s what sophisticated people do). This service is parallel to UberBLACK.

Isn't it just the same as UBER?

While to those familiar with Uber, GrabCar may sound like a knockoff but it’s so much more. There are clear differences between the way the two operate and charge their customers. Uber charges a base fare and they charge a fare based on the distance that you travel and the time that you take to travel whereas GrabCar charges a fixed rate basis which does make it a cheaper option based on traffic.

This means that before you confirm your ride, the estimated price is already calculated based on the base fare, distance between the two points, and estimated time taken to travel that distance. Even if you get stuck in traffic and the clock is ticking, you don’t have to worry getting a fare shock when you reach your destination. Additionally, there’s no midnight surcharge either. 😉😉😉

Image credit: GrabCar

Another key distinction between Uber and GrabCar is that GrabCar doesn’t implement the practice of surge pricing. You don’t pay double the price during peak hours. And in my opinion, this is definitely a neat feature, as I don’t have to shell out double the amount of cash every time I need to travel to and from work, which occurs mostly during the peak hours between 7am to 9am and 5pm to 8pm.

Uber has been operating in Malaysia for a longer period of time than GrabCar. In order, to compete on the same plain as Uber, GrabCar has dropped its prices significantly to make it one of the most affordable modes of transportation in the Klang Valley especially in Bangsar, Mont Kiara, Hartamas areas and the KL city centre.

Image Credit: GrabCar

The base fare for uberX is RM1.50, and the base fare for GrabCar (Economy) is RM2.30. However, GrabCar has just lowered their base far to RM1.40, which brings them to their lowest base fare since they first started in May 2014.

Finally, another difference is that GrabCar offers rental services. If you’re planning on going cruising through Klang Valley or taking a day trip out of town, you can choose to rent a GrabCar either by the hour, half a day or for 8 hours. It’s quite handy if you’re interested in taking the wheel all by yourself but you don’t own a car.

While both Uber and GrabCar have their advantages, your decision to use either one of the services has to come down to the availability of drivers on both services. If the drivers of one service are unavailable in your location, you could always resort to using the alternative.

Personally, as someone who often needs a ride during peak hours and since I know the possibility of getting caught in traffic is very high, Grabcar offers the services that I need to ensure that my fare doesn’t increase to an unsightly amount and the best part of GrabCar is 100% Malaysian.

Which One?

Hello everyone. Let me ask you something. Which one of these transport would you prefer? GrabCar or Uber?

So stay tuned for more.

Holi Festival

Enjoy

TOP 10 MOST LUXURIOUS CARS IN THE WORLD

TOP 10 MOST LUXURIOUS CARS IN THE WORLD

Luxurious cars just create a sensational on road. They are so much more than transportation. They speak about the status, money and power of the owner. They are the symbols of pride. When they race along the road roaring and honking, basically you will get goosebumps. 😜😜😜 The price of the car may be costlier than others, but they roar on road with their heads up. Design as well as speed, comfort and luxury are the noticeable points of these rides. Here is my list of top 10 the most luxury cars in the world.

#Number 10: LAMBORGHINI SESTO ELEMENTO

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. It uses so much carbon fibre and the name is actually a reference to the atomic number of carbon, which is Sesto Elemento means sixth element in English.

It is a 2 door, 2 seater, V10 high performance lightweight limited edition car. For those of you do not know what is V, V stands for the Vee Engine. A V engine is a design that features cylinders and pistons aligned along two planes to form the familiar V shape. V engines are used in most cars due to their smaller size compared to inline engines. 

It can be bought for US$2.2 million to US$2.9 million (GB£1.5 million to GB£2.03 million).

#Number 9: BUGATTI CHIRON

It is a mid-engine, two-seater sports car designed and developed by Bugatti Automotive Group, which is owned by Volkswagen Company. This car made a statement and created a sensation in automobile industry. The 8-litre W16 quad-turbocharged engine, with an output of 1479 horsepower makes the supercar to reach 100km/h in just 2.4 seconds. Its really fasttttt. 

The beast was an instant success when it was released, with 200 units having been sold before the first delivery of the car. The base price of the car is 2,400,000. ($2,700,000 at the August 2016 exchange rate), and buyers are required to place a €200,000 ($226,000 at the August 2016 exchange rate) deposit on the car before retrieving it and has a top speed of 420km/h. 😱😱😱

#Number 8: FERRARI F60 AMERICA

The Ferrari F60 America is a limited edition sports car. It has a light removable soft top instead of a conventional convertible top. It has a 6.2 litre V12 and has 740 horsepower, which propels the supercar up to 330km/h. It reaches 100km/h in 3.2 seconds.

The colour scheme of the car is very much notable as it has a stars and stripes colour scheme. The interiors are finished grandly with American flag inserts. It can be bought for US$2.5 million. 

#Number 7: PAGANI HUAYRA BC

Named after Huayra-Tata, a Quechua wind god. It is really a god of speed because of its fastest road legal Top Gear lap ever. It is a mid engine sports car produced by the Italian Company. 

It is a V12 engine with a capacity of 5980cc. The AMT 7 speed gearbox adds to give a 789 horsepower power. The cars sports revised aerodynamics and race inspired interiors. 

For your information, BC stands for Benny Caiola, one of the first Pagani customers. It reachers the 100km/h in 2.8 seconds and can reach the top speed of 383km/h. The price of this car is US$2.5 million. 

#Number 6: LAFERRARI FXXK

The car is designed by Flavio Manzoni, Director of Centro Stile Ferrari. A 1035 horsepower hardcore hybrid car. It is not road legal but isn't a race car either. So the car is free from rules of roads and tracks.

K stands for KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems). The beast is powered by a V12 6.3 litre, 6262cc engine with a 7 speed dual clutch transmission. It can reach 100km/h in 2.5 seconds. Super fasttttt. It is priced at US$2.7 million.

#Number 5: BUGATTI VEYRON MANSORY VIVERE

The beast is not only one of the fastest and most celebrated cars, but also one of the costliest. The 1200 horsepower beast, furnished with the carbon fiber body, stylish LED lights and a redesigned front grill. 

Powered by a W16 8 litre 7993 cc engine, it can reach a top speed of 410km/h and reaches 100km/h in just 2.5 seconds. Unbelievable beast. It is priced at US$3.4 million.  

#Number 4: W MOTORS LYKAN

This is a Lebanese limited edition hypercar built by the Dubai based W Motors. The Lykan Hypersport is run by a 3.7 litre twin turbocharged flat six cylinder engine with power output of 780 horsepower. 

It can accelerate to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and has a top speed of 390 km/h. It is also featured in the movie Fast and Furious 7. If you dream of owning the beast, pay just US$3.4 million. HAHAHA.

#Number 3: LAMBORGHINI VENENO LP750-4 ROADSTER.

This car is super damn hot. It has a body and chassis made of carbon fiber and has a 3D effect. It is a limited edition supercar based on Aventador. The engine is the same as that of Aventador LP700-4, but with an extra power, permanent all wheel drive and a 7-speed ISR paddle-shift gearbox. 

It can reach 100km/h in only 2.9 seconds and the top speed is 360km/h. The 'Ross Veneno' paint job is spectacular and unique to Roadster. It is priced at about US$4.5 million. 

#Number 2: KOENIGSEGG CCXR TREVITA

Priced at US$4.8 million, it comes coated with diamond. Koenigsegg, the Sweden based automobil manufacturer, developed a unique exterior finish called

Koenigsegg Proprietary Diamond Weave, where carbon fiber are coated with diamond-dust. 

The supercar is powered by a 4.8 litre V8 engine. The top speed of the beast is 410km/h. It reaches 100km/h in just 2.9 seconds. For me, this is really an exotic diamond on wheels.

#Number 1: MAYBACH EXELERO 

Maybach is the luxury car subsidiary of Mercedes and has been producing some of the most exquisite cars endorsed with exuberance, luxury and exclusive craftsmanship. This car was built in 2004. This is unique, expensive and a high performance car. The 4-seater has a V12 700 horsepower twin turbo engine. 

This sexy car was built on request fo Fulda Tires, a company from Germany. It is built by Maybach Motorenbau and priced at US$8 million.