When you have problems remember to check the basics first.Start with a good visual inspection take your time paying close attention to vacuum hoses and wiring connectors (easy to do if you keep your engine clean)Do you have good vacuum (is the engine allowed to breathe) (is the exhaust plugged) (Is the engine in good mechanical condition, Tired)Do you have fuel pressure and volume. ( fuel volume is to often overlooked ) ( fuel filters can cause odd problems )Do you have a good strong sparkRemember if you have fuel and spark in sufficient quantity and at the right time it has to start.
Open Wheel Drivers make race at Phoenix
will make the race#83-Brian Vickers, 131.349#10-Patrick Carpentier, 131.267#06-Sam Hornish, 131.062#27-Jacques Villenuve, 131.014#09-Sterling Marlin, 130.933#36-Johnny Benson, 130.757#78-Joe Nemechek, 130.738#21-Bill Elliott [has past champ prov to use”>, 128.411will miss the race:#84-A.J. Allmendinger, 130.572#55-Michael Waltrip, 130.364#4-Ward Burton, 129.538#49-John Andretti, 129.454#44-Dale Jarrett, 128.155#00-David Reutimann, 0.000Crew Chief NoteInteresting the 3 open wheel drivers are making the race while a couple of the good old NASCAR boys are watching. My man Blaney is starting 17 could be an interesting race. I wonder how long Jimmy Johnson & Jeff Gordon can run side by side and not wreck I feelsorry for Richard Childress He must have an ulcer by now of course look at the bucks he is raking in and next year he adds Jr to the mix.Three Indy 500 Champs in field – NOT the first time,,,not the 2nd time: With #06-Sam Hornish (36th), #42-Juan Pablo Montoya (14th) and Jacques Villeneuve (27th) making the field of the Checker Auto Parts 500(k) at Phoenix, it’s the first time three Indianapolis 500 winners will start a NASCAR race.(Indianapolis Star and many sources reported this fact)UPDATE: there have been at least two other NASCAR Cup races where 3 or 4 former Indy 500 winners made the same race:On October 10, 1976, three Indy 500 winners started the National 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway [now Lowe’s Motor Speedway”>Johnny Rutherford (Indy 500 winner in 1974 and 1976) finished 31st.A.J. Foyt (1961, 1964, 1967) finished 38th.Gordon Johncock (1973) finished 39th.And on January 19, 1964, in the Motor Trend 500 at Riverside [road course”>, there were four Indy 500 winners in the field:Troy Ruttman (1952) finished 10th.A.J. Foyt (1961) finished 21st.Parnelli Jones (1963) finished 32nd.Rodger Ward (1962) finished 38th.(researched at racing-reference.info).(11-10-2007) News source: Jayski
4 Drivers In Top 25 $$$
Two from Formula OneKimi RaikkonenMichael SchumacherOne From MotorcycleValentino RossiOne From NASCARJeff GordonThese were in the top 25 highest paid athletes Gordon being on the low end maybe I was wrong when I said the drivers were leaving open wheel for the money
Checking Used Car Motors
When you go to buy a used car, it’s important to make sure that you know what you’re buying. Prices vary considerably, and there’s often good reason. Two cars that look similar on the outside can be very different on the inside. Here are 6 tips to make sure the used car you’re buying has a good motor:1. Make sure the motor runs smoothly. Do you hear any knocking or strange noises? If you do, don’t buy.2. Look at the spark plugs. Take at least one wire off and look for oil or burn marks. If you see damage, beware.3. Take a long enough test drive. When you do this, you will let the engine get up to a normal temperature. Watch the gauges and make sure they stay normal. Look for any warning lights that come on. Doing this can save you a lot of trouble. If warnings go off, you know you’re looking at a car that needs some work.4. Put the hood up and take a look at the motor while it’s running. Is there anything unusual (like oil spurting)? That sounds obvious, but you won’t know if you don’t look.5. While you have the hood up, look around completely to see if there’s anything out of the ordinary. For example, evidence of an oil or fluid leak would be cause of alarm.6. Make sure the engine starts quickly and easily. If it doesn’t, you might have an issue with an old battery, a failing ignition, or a multitude of other problems.Be sure to make use of those 6 tips when you’re buying a used car. If you do, you can be confident that you’re buying a good, dependable car. News source: CarWizard
Stay Pumped Up in the Cold
All 2008 cars will be equipped with TPMS (a Tire Pressure Management System) to let you know when you need to add air to your tires. Don’t rely on these systems to keep your tires at proper inflation, they won’t. These systems don’t warn you until your tire has lost 25% of its pressure, the point at which danger may loom. Besides, there is a huge correlation between tire pressure and gas mileage so driving around 15% low is environmentally irresponsible and will cost you money in the long run. Tires will lose pressure over time regardless of conditions, so checking your tire pressure at least once a month should be on your don’t-screw-it-up checklist. The temperature has finally dropped in any part of the country that actually gets a winter. This means your tire pressure has taken the plunge along with it. Did you know that for every 10 degrees the temperature drops, your tires lose 1-2 psi of air pressure? That’s enough to give your gas mileage a punch in the stomach, for sure, not to mention the safety concerns that arise from low tire pressure. Don’t delay, check your pressure today! News source: About Auto Repair
Gas & Bulbs Dont Mix
Gas and light bulbs don’t mix. Huh? That seems like the dunce statement of the year. At least that’s what I thought until I read about the odd but very possible accident that happened last week at Don’s Auto Repair in Deland, Florida. A mechanic there was replacing a fuel tank, presumably using an old school incandescent work light. Some fuel dripped from the tank onto the bulb and sparked a fire that caused massive damage to the repair shop.Accidents happen, but anything we can do to avoid danger is a must. You should be sure your work area is designed and maintained with fire safety in mind. This accidental fire could have been avoided if they had been using newer fluorescent work lights which produce very little heat. News source: About Auto Repair
Tire Pressure and Gas Mileage
Did you know that how much air you have in your tires can have a direct affect on your gas mileage? It’s true. Here’s why:Let’s say your tires are supposed to be filled to 35 psi. If they are filled correctly, six square inches of your tire are touching the road, just the way your tires were designed. But let some air out, and now the pressure is only 30 psi. Since your tire is like a balloon, the more air you have on the inside, the rounder and more firm your tire becomes. If you had six square inches touching the road at 35 psi, the flatter 30 psi tire will have eight square inches touching at once, making it harder for your engine to get things rolling from a dead stop. Here’s another way to think of it. Say your dog is going to the vet, and she’s not so interested in moving toward the car, so you pull. Gas MileageYou start out pulling her with all four of her feet on the ground. We’ll call this four square inches touching. But then she plops her rear end on the ground. You’re now pulling 12 square inches, and boy is she harder to drag toward the car. Unfortunately you can’t dangle a piece of salami in front of your car to make it go, so you’re left using the engine, which uses more gas the harder it pulls. Filling your tires to the correct pressure will make it easire on the engine, and that means you’ll be using less gas. It can make a difference of a three or four miles per gallon. That’s at least 36 more miles to the average tank of gas. At one tank of gas per week, you could be adding 1,872 free miles in a year! That’s savings, and that’s Autmotive Empowerment for no money at all. News source: About Auto Repair
Serpentine Belt Replacement
Before the mid-to-late ’80s, most vehicles had a multiple-V-belt accessory-drive configuration, sometimes with as many as five individual belts, which often had to be manually adjusted, separately and in sequence. This system was not only time consuming to manufacture, assemble and service, but also required more room under the hood to accommodate the “staggered formation” required for the accessory mounting locations. The serpentine (single) belt, also known as the “S-belt,” eliminated most if not all of those drawbacks. It’s cheaper to produce and easier to service, and also provides packaging advantages at the front of the engine. This system still needs servicing, however. We’ll cover when and how to change the belt and its tensioner, as well as other points of inspection associated with this procedure. Time Change? When to change the belt depends on a few things but, generally speaking, for optimal performance the S-belt will have to be changed more often than its “V” predecessors. In terms of time and mileage, this would translate to between 30,000 and 60,000 miles, or four years. Under-hood heat, accessory load, the quantity of accessories, and exposure to road debris all affect the longevity of the belt. If the manufacturer specifies a replacement interval, go with that recommendation unless the belt fails inspection at any maintenance interval before then. When inspecting the belt, if it appears to be glazed (shiny), show cuts, cracks or other deterioration on either side or on the edges, has chunks missing from it, or is merely noisy–it has to be changed. It’s helpful if you can determine the cause of a particular problem–from normal wear to damage–so you can be assured that the replacement belt will last the full duration of its service life. We’ll touch on related component inspection (necessary especially if the belt failed prematurely) after covering removal of the belt. News source: Auto Media Before taking off the belt, check your service manual for any helpful tips that apply to your specific vehicle. One caution: as belt tensioners are sprung very tightly (some tighter than others), any “slips” involving the wrench used to loosen belt tension can cause serious personal injury, as well as damage to the surrounding area under the hood. Before taking off the belt, check your service manual for any helpful tips that apply to your specific vehicle. One caution: as belt tensioners are sprung very tightly (some tighter than others), any “slips” involving the wrench used to loosen belt tension can cause serious personal injury, as well as damage to the surrounding area under the hood. Ideally you should use the special service tool designed for belt-tension removal (via the tensioner). Be aware of where the tool will be positioned when tension is removed and make sure the tensioner is resting on its internal “stop.” Obviously, if the tool contacts another component before the tensioner stop is contacted, tension is not completely released and the tool will “jam” if left to rest in that position. The possibility of the tool slipping off of the tensioner is high, and injury will likely result. Once tension is properly released, it’s time to remove the belt. Start removal from the most easily accessed and largest pulley having the least amount of belt contact, if possible (sometimes this is the tensioner, sometimes not). Usually, it’s just a matter of pulling the belt clear of the other pulleys and right out of the engine bay. However, sometimes engine mounts or other components such as splash shields first need to be removed. Once the belt is out, here are a few other components to inspect: > Coolant pump for leakage (will cause belt noise if coolant gets on belt) or bad bearing > Fan Clutch (if equipped) for fluid leakage > Fan for damage (especially a problem with plastic fans) > Tensioner unit for noisy pulley bearing or wear on tensioner mechanism > Idler pulley(s) for noisy bearing or irregularly worn belt contact area (especially a problem on plastic pulleys) > Any under hood component that is making contact with or is close to the belt, tensioner, or any pulleys > Any other source of fluid leakage onto the belt Reinstall With all of that correct, the belt can now be installed. Since all replacement belts are not created equal, get the best quality belt possible. The same cautions highlighted earlier should be observed on reinstallation. Be patient. Route the belt in reverse order of removal, keeping especially vigilant about making sure that the belt ribs are set correctly in the pulley grooves, and the back of the belt is squarely contacting the tensioner and idler pulley(s), before starting the engine. If applicable, note the tensioner position “scale” (its arrow should be somewhere between the two lines on the other half of the tensioner, preferably on the “tight” side). If it’s way off, the belt may be incorrect. Keep the old belt as a spare in case of emergencies. The only disadvantage of the S-belt is that, if you lose it, all of your accessories are affected. On the whole, however, the S-belt is a definite notch above the old V-type. News source: Auto Media
Duct Tape Cup Holder
The Auto Repair team of researchers have been hard at work trying to solve the problem of the automotive cup holder. Ok, it was me, my brother and my sister-in-law, but we’ve spent years griping about spilled drinks and sticky, non-working cup holders. How many times has your center console turned into a tiny bird bath filled with coffee or soda? Unless you’re Jon Bon Jovi or 50 Cent, you don’t need a hot tub inside your car.The answer is finally here, and like many things genius, it was the simplest of answers. I was driving a Porsche 911 at the time (an anti-cup-holder company) and had been helping a friend hang some signs around the neighborhood. In a very ghetto move, we were using duct tape. On the way home we stopped by the great Double-D for a warm-up cup. As I sat down my hand was drawn to the roll of duct tape on the floor, and I inserted my coffee. Amazing! It has enough weight to hold the cup upright, and enough grip on the floor to keep from sliding.Depending on your usual drink of choice, you can choose between the regular 1-inch wide roll of tape or the 1 1/2-inch width for extra-large coffees or Big Gulps. If after a few months your cup holder is looking like a giant dust bunny, you can replace it for $4! You can even switch it up depending on your mood or the seasons and buy blue, red, black or even white duct tape. The duct tape cup holder may not cool your drink or use LEDs to guide you to the hole, but it will keep your drink off the floor, and that’s what really counts. Plus there are so many other uses for your duct tape, like an emergency roadside hose repair! Form, function and versatility, what more could you ask for? News source: About Auto Repair
Tips for winter prep
A few items the average DIY misses on preping a vehicle for winter.Clean the top of the battrey yes clean the cables but alos clean the top to prevent a parastic voltage drain this is worse on newer vehiclesClean the throttle paying close attention to where the palte meets the bottom of the bore and if you drive a lot of stop and go I would also check the IAC and clean if necessary.Check the wipoer blades I use winter blades but they have some problems so it is a personal choice.Double check that you have the correct tire pressure I just found out with one of my vehicles that the max pressure is 44# I have been running 32# diffintely a improvement on the ride and handling if in doubt what to put in your tires check with a local expert at a tire store. Dont count on the recommend tire pressure for your vehicle being correct from the manafacturer