Car Maintenance
December 8th, 2006 at 06:37pm By Mike Lambert
Under Car FAQ: Car Maintenance
As winter is upon us, it’s important to not only prepare yourself for the cold, but also your car. While an accident is bad, winter can make it far worse. With the right planning, you can help make it a safer experience. You should pack your car with the following:
- A first aid kit with a pocket knife
- Extra hats, gloves, blankets and socks
- Road salt and sand
- Matches
- Any medication that is important
- Emergency flares and a distress flag
- Jumper cables
- Tow Rope or Chain
- Water and snacks
- Flashlight, radio that uses batteries, and extra batteries
- A windshield scraper and a shovel
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November 17th, 2006 at 04:17pm By Mike Lambert
Under Car FAQ: Car Maintenance: Engine
When it comes time to replace parts on your car, or to do routine maintenance, the manufacturer of your car knows best. It is always a good idea to check your owner’s manual to see when certain parts should be replaced, or when the manufacturer recommends that fluids (such as that in the transmission) should be changed. Also, the manufacturer will often recommend that a specific kind of fluid be used in their cars, and if it isn’t, the warranty might become void if problems arise.
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November 17th, 2006 at 04:13pm By Mike Lambert
Under Car FAQ: Car Maintenance: Engine
Most people have absolutely no idea what a supercharger is. If they hear that it is on a car, most would think “wow, that must be good.” Lets start with the basics- a supercharger works in much the same way as a turbocharger (see my tip “Turbochargers”), as it draws more air into the engine then it normally could, which is called forced induction. Unlike a turbo, which runs off exhaust gases, a supercharger is belt driven. This means that there is no “turbo lag” (which is the delay for the exhaust gases to spool the turbo) when you try to accelerate, as the supercharger is always being turned. Also, unlike a turbo, you don’t have to allow to it spool down before turning off your engine by allowing it to idle, which prolongs the life of the turbo but is unnecessary with a supercharger. So a supercharger does offer some advantages over a turbo. If more air is being forced into the engine, then there is the potential for more power, as the engine runs off air, fuel and electric spark. So by introducing more air (along with the proportionate amount of fuel and spark) the engine can make more power.
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November 17th, 2006 at 04:12pm By Mike Lambert
Under Car FAQ: Car Maintenance: Engine
Make sure when changing spark plugs to invest in a tube of dielectric grease. The lubricant will make removing the plug wires much easier the next time you replace your plugs.
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November 17th, 2006 at 04:11pm By Mike Lambert
Under Car FAQ: Car Maintenance: Engine
What level of octane does my car really need? This is a common question, as many people know very little about the octane ratings they see at the gas station. The octane ratings you see (usually 87-93) are representative of the gas’s resistance to “knock,” or detonation. This is a process when more combustion then normal takes place within the engine, which causes the pistons and associated parts to be bashed around. Obviously, this will quickly cause severe damage to your engine. However, in the old days you could often hear a “knock” when detonation took place, signaling you that something was wrong. Today’s cars all have knock sensors, which listen for engine knock and decrease the spark plug’s activity shortly, which lessens the affects of knock… but you will often NOT be able to hear anything! If this process goes on long enough, it will damage your engine! So what level of octane do you need? Look in your owner’s manual, and use what the manufacturer recommends. If it says to use premium, then you must unfortunately use it.
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