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Shell is introducing the all-new Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines, containing a unique, patented cleaning system designed to seek and destroy engine “gunk” (carbon deposits) in all three grades of gasoline. The new Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system protects and cleans up gunky build-up on intake valves and fuel injectors left by lower quality gasolines.
Nitrogen is a key element of the active cleaning molecule in the new fuel, making it significantly more stable at higher temperatures common in modern engines, such as direct fuel-injection gasoline engines. The increased stability ensures that the molecule can work under much tougher engine conditions by resisting thermal breakdown better than conventional cleaning additives.
In addition to developing the new fuel with the consumer in mind, Shell worked very closely with automotive manufacturers to gain insight into current and future engine technologies. These insights along with fuels technology leadership and a strong research and development program help Shell continually improve its products.
Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines were tested in laboratories, independent testing facilities, and on the road, accumulating more than a half-million miles in various vehicles and engines—including conventional, turbo-charged, and direct fuel-injection gasoline engines, hybrids, newer vehicles with low mileage, and older vehicles with high mileage. Shell scientists also used innovative testing technologies such as dual fuel engines to conduct head-to-head comparisons with other lower quality gasolines. In these tests, split engines simultaneously run on different types of gasoline in order to collect data under the exact same conditions. The results of these head-to-head comparisons proved that the Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines are more effective than lower quality gasolines in protecting against the build-up of harmful engine gunk.
The Nitrogen Enriched formula is proven to prevent build-up of gunk more effectively than gasolines containing only the minimum amount of cleaning agents as required by the EPA. The new cleaning system is certified to meet the TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Standard – voluntary standards designated by some of the world’s top automakers.
In addition, Shell V-Power® premium gasoline provides maximum protection with the highest concentration of the Nitrogen Enriched cleaning system and more than five times the minimum amount of cleaning agents required by federal government standards. It seeks and destroys engine gunk even faster than regular Shell gasoline, providing maximum protection to help vehicles maintain peak performance.
Shell is supporting the launch of Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines with a national marketing campaign, including national TV, radio and online advertising, as well as point-of-purchase signage at Shell-branded stations nationwide. The new campaign builds-on the current “Passionate Experts” platform, focusing on the company’s commitment to fuel quality and passion for developing innovative new products.
For additional information on Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines, visit http://www.passionate-experts.shell.com.
 News source: Bob is the oil guy
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Is now a good time to buy a car? As far as new goes it is kind of a tossup, many dealers are going out of business, some by choice some not, and there should be some deals. The manufactures are still out producing sales and this is causing inventory problems. Many would be buyers are waiting to see what the presidents plan of a refund on a new vehicle when you trade in a gas guzzler is going to be. The dealers need to move inventory so I would say this is a good time to shop, there are some excellent deals but they may be hard to find. I would set some parameters as to what I would spend and the least I would take for my trade in. Be ready to walk no run away if you don’t like the deal there is a lot of high pressure sales tactics taking place right now, it is a tough time for car salesman and some will do almost anything for a sale. Take some time and do a lot of shopping and don’t buy anything without sleeping on it. The one time offer translates to I will call tomorrow with a better offer. Waiting may be a mistake as the cost of new cars is going to have to go up to pay for the newer mileage and emission standards, but they are down the road at least a year or two.
It seems to be a buyer’s market for used right now but as new car sales continue to fall the inventory has to suffer in time. The 2-5 year old market is prime for buyers a 2005 Pontiac Bonneville has decreased in price by over 25K from new. Many of the used cars also have a ton of miles on them over a 100K is not unusual. Here again shop hard and sleep on any deal unless it is a private party and a vehicle you like and a good deal as another buyer may swoop it up while you are sleeping on it.
Beware of warranties many may not be around to honor them. They also tend to be expensive but more on this at a later time. Good luck and good shopping.
warranty
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If your check engine light comes it is not the end of the world or at least it may not be as expensive as you may think. The first item to check is your gas cap is it tight or have you filled recently while the engine was running, if so wait about 6 key cycles, engine from cold to hot and a several RPM changes enough to cause a vacuum change, this should turn it off.
If not then visit one of your local parts stores most will check for codes at no cost. Beware however it is there job to sell parts so if the code indicates a bad EGR valve they will try to sell you one. However check for other problems first, are all the hoses and electrical connectors secure. It is a good idea to unplug all electrical connectors to the effected sensor, this will sometimes help, rarely but it doesn’t hurt. Check to see if the item needs cleaning mainly in the case of an EGR or IAC also some vehicles have a filter, Honda does on many of their IAC and Ford on the Fuel EVAP system.
Still a problem then it is time to check the manual, some you can find online or visit your local library, these can also be checked online in some cases. There is usually a tree to troubleshoot the affected item. Still at a loss replace the sensor they are usually cheaper than having a shop check it out. The only exception to this is the O2 sensor if you have no exhaust leaks if it throws a code they are usually defective. They also require special equipment to diagnosis.
Do not put a match book cover or a piece of tape over the light as this will lead to more expensive repairs down the road. I have seen the light bulb removed in several cases. Just remember don’t panic your engine is not going to explode although I have heard of parts stores hinting that this may happen.
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I hate selling cars. Actually I hate cars in general. I’m horrible at them, I don’t understand them, and I don’t do a good job of taking care of them. Luckily, I’ve been blessed the last few years by the gods of Japan, a.k.a. Nissan. I did nothing right for 6 years straight and this little thing held strong.
I think it’s important as bloggers to admit when we suffer “epic” fail. I occasionally fall into the habit of preaching from a soap box (a.k.a. yesterday), but every now and then I take the time to step up and admit I suck. I sucked today. I just got lucky. I like being lucky.
You can’t run a car into the ground for 6 years, ignoring check engine lights, changing oil, slowly leaking tires, broken headlights, and impending rust and expect to make a big profit when you sell. After all the car has 240,000 miles. How much longer can this thing go?
Did I mention we waited until the last minute, threw up a rough ad (good picture thanks to wife, though), and just kind of closed our eyes? We thought we’d be lucky to get $1000. Actually we said told ourselves we’d take anything over $1000 and run. We put it up for $1500 “or best offer” (mistake). I was flooded with calls asking all kinds of questions, especially “what’s the lowest you’ll take”. I literally had a tough time keeping up with everything.
The first 4 people who looked at it passed without even making an offer. They were out looking for a steal and weren’t willing to deal with a leaking brake line, leaking oil, power steering pump, weak transmission, dents in the body, rips in the leather seats, and 240,000 miles. Selfish pricks. I was starting to get really worried.
Then the clouds parted and out dropped a young kid who just enrolled in technical school to work on cars. Guess what his dream fixer-upper was. Hallelujah! About an hour of looking under the hood and under the car, he totaled up what it would take to create the next inspiration behind Fast & The Furious and offered $1200. I countered at $1300, he declined. I thought for exactly 1.5 seconds before running away as fast as I could with $1200!
I quickly sat down and jotted everything I did wrong in this process. It took up almost a full page, so I just kept the party going and brainstormed everything I could have done wrong. I’ll leave it up to your imagination which half of the following I actually did and which I made up. It’s more fun this way…
News source: ManVSDebt
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Record purses totaling more than seven million dollars are up for grabs as NASCAR drivers compete in this weekend's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Drivers racing in four NASCAR series races will be chasing their share of $7,005,549 in prize money, the highest in New Hampshire Motor Speedway history. The NASCAR Sprint Cup purse is $5,423,189, up from last year's track record. The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 features the sixth-highest purse per-mile on the series schedule to date [of 17 races]. The NASCAR Nationwide Series will be racing for the $1,197,559.
The chain-link fences at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be replaced with welded wire fencing in time this weekend’s race partly in response to Carl Edwards’ airborne accident at Talladega Superspeedway. Burton Smith finally spent a little money $400,000 when there was not a profitable upside. He is also trying to add lights but has a problem with an agreement signed by the previous owner that they would not night race.
Many have picked Kasey Kahne to win 2 in a row, this is a possibility but it is really tough to do in the present NASCAR climate where all your ducks have to fall into a row to win and his last win at California was really a pit strategy win. If I was to go out on a limb I would have to pick Jimmy Johnson, he is overdue, Mark Martin is also a possible winner and Dale Jr is a dark horse and he has to win one soon, super speedways are coming up on the schedule if he doesn’t win there I just don’t see how he can hold a sponsor, of course he is still the most popular driver but Tony Stewart is close behind.
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Many aftermarket parts stores are selling a corrosion preventive kit that mostly consists of a set of felt washers. Their main purpose is to insulate the cable end from the battery and to some extent they do work. You simply install the washers under the proper cable end install the terminal and you are done. Do not use any grease or petroleum jelly here as this can melt and cause problems. The only drawback is on an older battery you may block the vent doubtful if there are many batteries around that would have this problem however. The other problem may be that the terminal will not go onto the post far enough to secure properly and of course these are only for top post batteries. I would not recommend them for rice burner cables that have the thin terminal as they tend to come apart and may cause a problem when used with this application.
FYI After cleaning the cables and top of the battery, always clean off the top when cleaning cables, spray some clear lacquer on the terminals you will be amazed at how long they will stay clean when sealed this way.
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After a recent topic on brake squeak there have been several questions about the swishing or maybe even a slight grind during the first few applications. This is not a problem it is the crud, rust or whatever that has built up on the rotor while sitting.
This can be worse if you have driven through a rain storm or on a gravel or even a dirty road such as one in a construction zone. Under certain conditions, hot rotors humid and cool conditions more rust then you would think builds up on your rotors when sitting. When you first apply your brakes the pads are cleaning off the gunk and this is the noise you are hearing.
When driving next to a barrier on the driver’s side apply your brakes slightly you will be amazed at the noise you will hear bouncing off the barrier. This is one of the reasons I recommend synthetic brake pads they are quieter in these situations.
I once hit a post with my convertible by turning a corner to fast, after I had just removed it from storage, the gunk mostly rust affected the brakes to a point where I had very little stopping action. This was an extreme situation but none the less possible.
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It is that time of year when you try your AC for the first time and no cold air. Don’t panic; listen for a clicking which will be the AC compressor clutch. If it is clicking on and off you are probably a little low on Freon. If it not engaging you are probably still low on Freon. More than likely you will have a 134A in your system, if your service valves have threads and are small take it to a shop and have it retrofitted. Purchase a kit from the parts store, keep the gauge and hose and next time you will only need Freon.
Be sure to clean the service valve before attaching the hose even a grain of sand can damage a compressor. The hose slips unto the valve and locks in place with a click. Attach the hose to the low pressure side this will be the larger of the two hoses. Holding the can hose end down tighten the valve to pierce the can and then back it off to start filling, shaking the can will speed up the process and assure getting all the contents out. Continue filing until the pressure is in the green, if the compressor was not running you may see the gauge jump and hear the compressor kick on and off, this is normal. When the gauge is in the green shut off the can and remove the hose. You should now have cold air if not it is shop time unless you have some AC experience and a set of gauges.
When servicing the AC it is a good idea to also check the belt for condition and the condenser for any blockage between the radiator and the condenser, easy to clean at the local car wash with a pressure wand. Also check the area to the front of the windshield this grate area should be free of debris.
Have seen numerous vehicles with crud on the evaporator blocking air passage this usually have a musty odor, some vehicles can be cleaned by simply removing the heater blower motor other take drastic disassembly. If you have an odor and good air flow there are several products on the market that do a fair job of removing the odor.
I am usually not cautious enough when performing repairs but I always wear gloves and a face shield when working on AC, Freon is really cold and it hurts when coming in contact with skin this I can tell you from experience.
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You are coming to a stop sign and there is a noise like a cat is caught in the fan, but as you release the pedal the noise goes away. You have the screeching brake syndrome. This is caused by a sounding board effect such as a record player. The grooves in the pad and the grooves in the rotor produce a phonographic effect. The Caliper piston is mounted in rubber so a vibration is possible and thus the noise.
Several methods to cure this. The one I recommend is to replace the pads with a ceramic based pad, turn or replace the rotors, clean and lube all slide point with a high temperature brake grease, also be sure there is no binding at any points you may have to use a file to clean some of the junk off the pad base or corrosion off the caliper slide points. Use a good anaerobic adhesive to secure the pad to the piston I also use a shim if there is room use caution when applying the sealant; do not get it on any attachment or sliding points.
You can also remove, clean and lube the pads and attachment and sliding point’s sand the pad smooth apply sealant and reassemble. I would use a shim here as the pads have some miles and there should be room. I don’t know if turning the rotors is necessary but it wouldn’t hurt. Many of today’s rotors are so thin that they will not turn more than once, so keep this in mind but rotors are not that expensive.
If you do a lot of dusty driving it may work to take the vehicle to a car wash and pressure wash the brakes. Simply turn the wheels all the one way wash both front and rear and repeat on the other side.
A quick word about ceramic pads, they are definitely worth the extra money. They will eliminate almost entirely any brake dust and noise. Everyone says it is in my head but I think they have a better feel when braking they seem to have a solid and even application.
Remember the old saying “if it doesn’t start it is a problem but if you can’t stop you have big problems”.
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You are one of the few who check your tires on a regular basis and they are all fine except on one vehicle that is front wheel drive with aluminum rims. You have had it checked several times to no avail. Your problem is corrosion between the tire and the rim and it is worse because the front wheel drive causes the tire bead and rim to flex. The cure is to take it to a tire shop and have the rim bead sealed. I have a 94 Pontiac Bonneville, my second 94 Bonny, with aluminum rims and this had to be done.
The other solution is to inflate with nitrogen it is very dry and has no moisture also the molecules are larger so the leak is less. The other thing you may have to do when you install nitrogen is to have the rim cleaned so you may just as well have the rim bead sealed and save the hassle of nitrogen. Nitrogen seems to have dropped out of the limelight lately I thought it would take off if the Manufactures installed it originally, but they are having trouble affording air right now.
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Walking down an aisle at Sams or some other big box retailer and you are car shopping. This may not be that far from reality in the near future. Penske is considering buying Saturn and putting the nameplate on some cars from China and So Korea. A china company is buying Hummer minus the military version. There will not be a lot of profit in these vehicles and what idiot would build an expensive showroom after GM and Chrysler pulled the plug on several new facilities. Of course these may be for sale cheap.
Chrysler is forecast to fall from there present 11% of sales to 3% by 2012. That along with the investment by Fiat capped at 6 billion there is a long road ahead for Chrysler. GM however is leaving 10 years of debt and has a solid lineup of cars in the future. With the government pushing mileage requirements and cleaner cars they are going to be spendy so the time to buy is now, but with money tight that is hard for many of us to do. With the fire sales going on right now search the money it is out there.
My heart does go out to the many dealers who have lost their franchises I along with many others thought that if you had a profitable dealership it would go on forever. But this has not been the case, not to wish anyone bad luck but I hope in some fashion this comes back to bite Chrysler and GM in the rear. As in the repair business I have an idea these dealers were the ones doing business the old fashioned way with no high pressure sales IE you can’t go home without buying a car because we lost your keys or we made a mistake and sold your car.
I doubt if Chrysler can make it even after bankruptcy I think it will be Ford GM and Toyota. You need to change the direction and leadership to become profitable and Chrysler has done neither and any big changes are forecast for 2012 way too late.
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I have heard of instances where the cost to replace a charcoal canister being upwards of $700. This is a DIY job if there ever was one; first locate the canister it is either by the fuel filler neck or in one of the front fender wheel wells. Most local libraries have an online source you can find the location if you have a problem. You may have to remove a wheel for access to the rear or possibly the battery if it is in the front, worth it to save several hundred dollars. Dispose of the old one properly more of a problem if it is saturated with fuel.
If it is saturated with fuel find the reason before replacing or the new one will do the same. Several causes for fuel saturation, overfilling your tank is the usual cause. No you cannot dry them out but I have thought about using one to start a bon fire however. Guys used one to start a barbecue at the shop once and it melted the barrel they used, wasn’t much of a barbecue to start with.
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A few techs corrected me on a couple of things I missed in the synthetic oil article. When you change to synthetic it is a good idea to flush the engine either with a engine flush additive or diesel oil 15/40. Run the diesel for about 250-500 miles and it will clean out your engine 2 warnings first use a top of the line filter and be aware that a clean engine with high mileage can result in problems. This is not a bad idea no matter what oil you use to keep ypour engine clean.
AMZOIL is not an additive it is oil in a category all by itself, normally I would recommend it but in my area it is hard to find.
When switching always go up never down if you have been using it for some time.
Always use quality oil.
When using synthetic use a high quality fuel low quality fuels can cause a carbon build up and this is more prominent when using synthetics.
One question I was asked do oils have a shelf life and yes they do 4-5 years. If they go bad they develop a cloudy color and gel up.
I apologize for any problems or questions that I raised, no excuse but I was interrupted to many times when writing. Thank You to all who put me back on the correct path.
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As I along with many others anticipated Rick Hendricks has removed Tony Eury Jr as crew chief for Dale Earnhardt JR. Brian Whitesell will crew this weekend at Dover and Lance NcGrew will become interim next week. Whitesell is known as a no nonsense, do it my way leader. I think this is exactly what Jr needs. He lacks the skill to convey what the car needs to the crew and this puts them chasing the track and loosing. I also think he expects more from the car then it is capable of. Rick said they never caught up to the COT and no testing has hurt them. They had the car full time last year and part time the year before when testing was available and that didn’t seem to help. Nice spin Rick, but I don’t buy it. Seems like every since he caught fire in that Corvette a few years back he has slowed down. This is Jr last crack at proving he can drive, he used DEI as an excuse has had Tony to fall on lately but with a new crew chief and 2 of Hendricks top chassis engineers in his camp it is time to fish or cut bait. I don’t think he is the driver his dad was but I think he is capable of doing better. The other drivers in the Hendricks stable are doing great so time will tell. Dale and tony are Grandsons of Robert Gee one of Hendricks first employees. Where Tony is going in the organization has not been announced. There are a number of excellent crew chiefs out looking for employment right now.
Brad Keselowski won the Nationwide race Kurt Busch led the most laps but after being nudged by Joey Lagono, watch your back Joey, He either had a flat or one was caused by his run into the marbles hard to tell and he did a normal Busch exit walked off pouting.Keslowski did not qualify for today’s race at Dover in a car owned by Dale Jr and Hendricks. Also Jeff Gordon had to use a provisional and will start last, Dover is a tough track and I am sure his bad back will take the blame. Would not be surprised to see him give it up soon. Fatherhood has slowed him down.
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A recent response stated that many cars had their speedometers turned back when they had high mileage. This is very true in fact one of the lot guys, years ago, had the nick name of spinner and it wasn’t because he was a good dancer.
In those days you depended more on the cosmetic appearance of the vehicle rather than the mileage, and this was usually a good indication. With the reconditioning methods they have today this would no longer be the case.
Turning back speedos is no longer a problem either, it is impossible to turn back cars that have a digital dash without the use of very sophisticated and expensive equipment. An analog dash is also very difficult to do; there are also many laws, some of them federal, which cover speedometer tampering. I have also bought my share of cars at auctions that I am sure the mileage was not correct but again this was years ago and this has not been a problem for many years.
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The end of the Coca cola 600 is a trivia question in the making. What driver won a race and never lead a lap under green. David Reutimann winning the 600 after staying out after everyone else pitted. It seems like most of these rain shortened races are won by drivers who would not have stood a chance if the race ran to a conclusion. They really have nothing to lose and a chance to win if they take a risk. A win is still a win, they take home the cash and the trophy, which is special as this was the 50th anniversary of the race. As Reutimann said “ these wins are hard to come by and they will take it” also out of 43 drivers his crew chief made the right call. This really can’t be called taking a risk because there is no down side. In a race where Dave Blaney held the lead, long enough to pass the start finish line but not for a full lap, almost anything can happen.
Should NASCAR have called the race sooner or should they have held off. It was an official race, and many of the drivers were in street clothes I think they had an inside track to the fact the race was over of course they were also wet. My one concern is how much of the timing on calling the race is controlled by allowing the networks to have enough time to get in all there commercials. The fans pay a lot of money and sat through the rain they should, if at all possible, get to see a finish.
On to Dover, a rough track for everyone, many are introducing new engines at Dover which is a strange place as power is not that much of a concern there. To survive with a car you can still drive is a major accomplishment.
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Is the era of the do it yourself repair over? I don’t think it is over but it is definitely on life support, today’s cars have a number of computers, brakes, Heating AC, body, engine, among others and soon it will take a special tool to replace your wiper blades. The average DIY does not have a lab scope or scanner or several other special tools necessary to do even minor repairs.
The auto techs of today need special skills and knowledge never even dreamt of ten years ago and the tool boxes they have cost more than my first house. Ask the management of any auto repair shop if they, not all but a few, have an attitude and are hard to manage and you will get an ear full. The truth is that it is something they have to live with the good ones are hard to come by and have a good reason to be a little cocky and expect a few extra perks.
Today’s cars are lasting longer, it is not unusual to see used vehicles with well over a 100K for sale, and a decent used vehicle is becoming harder to find. If you buy one of these it is going to need repairs, there are many vehicles that can still be worked on in the driveway but they are becoming few and far between. Also our nation is getting older and many senior citizens cannot do their own repairs because of health concerns.
The second part of the problem is a good repair shop is getting almost impossible to find it almost seems as if they are not ripping off the motoring public they can’t stay in business, and good service is a thing of the past. Many of you are not old enough to remember the Texaco add where 4 guys come out to fill your tank one to put in gas, one to wash the windows, one to air the tires, and one to check under the hood. I worked in a service station in this era and we never provided that kind of service but it was a more then what you see now.
I don’t have an answer for this problem, and I don’t see any relief in the future Hybrid cars are going to be hard to find a shop for let alone do any repairs yourself. There is one bright side tire pressure should no longer be a concern as that is the only thing we will be able to do, no I forgot about nitrogen, well wax the car then, no many finishes do not require wax. There has to be some excuse I can use to go hide in the garage or buy a new tool but I don’t know what it is going to be.
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To use or not to use is the big question when it comes to using synthetic oil. There should not be any question about using synthetic oil in your engine. With a few exceptions, you can’t afford it, have a ton of miles on your engine anything in excess of 90K, your engine is using or leaking oil.
Cost is always a concern in today’s economic situation and it is critical to change your oil on a regular basis. Synthetic will only save you $ if you put on a lot of miles but it will provide superior lubrication and prevent cold start wear on the engine.
Any engine with a lot of miles is going to have a problem when switching it cleans too much of the crud out of the engine causing problems if you have serviced the engine regularly you may get by with it but I hesitate to risk it. I switched my pickup at 60K and had no problems but it has had regular oil changes but it does have a lot of in town miles. I have since switched it back as I don’t drive it much and I feel it is more important to change it on a regular time table.
If your engine is using or leaking oil it will get worse, synthetic oil tends to shrink the seals slightly and it clinks to engine parts mainly the cylinder walls allowing loss of oil. If your loss is less than a quart between changes then go ahead and switch. The engine that uses some oil between changes is going to last longer because lubrication is improved.
There are 2 types since separated into 4 groups, the first developed by Mobil in the seventies is PAO. The second is unconventional base oils or UCBO which most premium oils are today. There are several variations, Amsoil, Royal Purple are true synthetics Castrol is syn tec.These I stay away from not for any reason I just prefer the UCBO oils. Unless you are a chemist or a lubrication nerd the only thing you have to remember is to any brand name is OK just stay away from the bargain basement brands also stick with one that is available in most markets.
Semi or partial synthetics are a waste of $ they usually contain less than 10% synthetic stock. They will help but to a very minor extent.
The major advantages of synthetic are longer change intervals, cleaner engines, improved lubrication and less cold start wear. At -40 you can definitely tell the difference if you have synthetic in the crankcase.
Talk to any Tech about oils and you will get as many opinions as you will on blonde’s brunettes or redheads. So go with what you can justify $ wise what is available locally, I went to the same shop for a number of years they had great oil change specials and used Chevron, which I had been using, but they have been overfilling about a quart lately so I don’t know what I am going to do. I may switch back to synthetics and start doing my own changes, cheaper when I do it myself.
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Here it is Memorial Day weekend and as usual the Indy 500 is on the front burner of racing fans. It doesn’t matter if you are a NASCAR or an Outlaws fan the Indy is a big race. At no other time during the year does open wheel receive the press it receives this weekend. One thing I noticed is that I don’t recognize a lot of names, some of the last names are familiar but the drivers are not.
True I don’t follow open wheel, since they refused to allow Ashley Judd to wear a skirt and Danica fell by the wayside, I lost interest, but then except for Indy I never really had that much to begin with.
Watching the save Graham Rahal made to avoid John Andretti almost made me a fan again. His driving skill along with some luck and good genes were a thrill to watch. True there have been several saves in NASCAR this year that were fantastic and almost unbelievable, but they were as much the COT as driver ability. I am not trying to take anything away from NASCAR drivers but the COT has helped them to regain control as it was designed to do. I really hope that the Rahal team can do well; it is time for some new blood to replace Penske, Andretti, and Ganassi teams. I really think Danica could be a surprise winner if she gets some breaks and lady luck smiles on her but then anyone who gets the breaks and luck can win.
Is Jeff Gordon going to use this bad back for a reason to retire it would be an easier out then admitting he has lost his edge; he doesn’t drive like the Jeff of old.( I wrote this before he qualified 3rd) Ryan Newman on the pole I underestimated Tony Stewart I thought his first year would be OK but that team has done great. Of course they had a great team to build on.
Mayfield give it up you got caught move on. Carl Long suspended for 12 races, NASCAR is saying don’t cheat because they are going to make it hurt. In his defense it did sound like an honest mistake but then a lot of the times they do. I do think that the .001 NASCAR is fining him for is a little too close to call. But then he never really was competitive and I am sure the team is done.
The COT is getting a lot of credit for 3 wide racing and better racing but I also think Goodyear deserves some credit their tires lately have been wearing well and maintaining handling for several more laps then we have seen in a long time. Prior to this year a pit stop at Darlington without changing tires would have been a prelude to a crash, but there were several this year. 600 miles this Sunday and going from sunshine to the lights will be interesting. Would like to Mark Martin pull off a win but I think Jimmy Johnson has the edge, Joey Logano may pull off a surprise. I hate to say it but I may have underestimated him.
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It seems like anytime someone mentions doing a voltage drop check a ton of questions arise. Believe me it is not that difficult. Remember you are only going to check the available voltage from one point in the system to another. Place the positive probe at the supply side and the negative at the other, read the voltage, it will read the amount of voltage lost between the two points. Anything over .10 is too high, most DVOM fluctuate at least .03 at zero. The first time you check a defective wire you will discover how simple it is. The readings are usually over 2 volts or more. If you suspect a battery cable end of causing problems check from the post to the cable and you will see what I mean if it is corroded. This is also a excellent tool the check for a bad battery cable to the starter, older Fords are a main concern here as they require 12+ volts at the starter and are prone to cable problems, but anytime on any model you think you are having a voltage problem this will work. Also if you are searching for a bad ground, more prevalent today than ever before, simply start at a known good ground and the farthest away ground you can find and work your way back.
To check supply voltage ground the negative terminal and check the positive terminal of the item. To check for a voltage drop across the load do the same except the positive goes to the ground side. I have never found this test very useful as it is complicated to figure out the correct drop in the item. Don’t forget that many items are also ground side controlled, almost all 5 volt sensors are.
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