When and How to Change Motor Engine Oil

Automotive motor engine oil changes are actions that any car owner must not ignore. This is because modifying the oil improves the performance and life expectancy of the engine more than any other servicing action. That being said, there are a few factors that you have to take into consideration to be able to know when to modify the oil.

When modifying the automotive motor engine oil, you have to study the guidelines provided by the car manufacturer because each kind of car is different with each other. These information will also provide you the choice of the oil. You'll also discover minimal variations in process that provide different uses, generating circumstances and the like.

The most typical guidelines to adhere to when modifying the oil is under frequent generating circumstances i.e. brief visits, frequent road visits, periodic pushes in unclean streets etc. All in all, you discover that the frequent length you should modify the oil in is between 3000 to 5000 kilometres. Adhering to a routine is better than having to delay for symptoms like smoke because you do not have to unnecessarily tax your engine.

The following is the typical process that any car owner should follow when modifying the car engine oil:

1. Begin the engine and let it run for a few moments. This is very essential because the oil and toxins included therein circulation out more quickly when they are heated. You may also need to recreation area the car in a raised position e.g. a slam if the floor approval is too low.

2. Look for and unscrew the engine oil complete cap since it is the indications by which the unclean oil will circulation out. It goes without saying that you should have a pail or strain pan placed beneath to avoid a blunder. It also allows to have protection devices like latex protection gloves, glasses, shut set footwear etc. to avoid spots and accidents.

3. The next phase mentioned in techniques of when to modify oil is the set up and shrinking of the oil strain connect with a new gasket in compliance to the company's guidelines. You should then position the pail or strain pan under the oil narrow. Eliminate the narrow, plus the gasket and fresh them down with a fresh, absorbing fabric.

4. The next phase is information set up of the new oil narrow gasket. You should first implement a slim movie of new oil in the beginning and attach it firmly on. After this is done, add the new oil into the container, creating sure that you adhere to the car company's requirements on oil kind, level, etc. This will allow you to avoid needless wastages, when modifying the oil.

5. At this level in the guidelines of when to modify oil, examine the oil level using the modify engine oil dipstick. The level should be a little methods above the complete indicate so as to provide the oil that will go into the narrow.

6. The ultimate phase is messing on the oil complete cap, beginning the engine and allowing it run for a few moments. This is to allow the new engine oil circulation into all areas of the engine.
In a few words, modifying the oil tends to be a very simple and necessary process that a car owner should never ignore.


#Abram Grant is the automotive blogger at P-Oil, the leading automotive motor engine lubricants manufacturer and supplier to the global market. You can follow his company P-Oil on Facebook too.

Insurance and Modified Cars: The Unpleasant Truth

Before we get to the gnarly truth, let�s first open with pleasant lie. You know that car modification that you finally found the funds, guts, and time to add to your vehicle? Well it will definitely not increase your auto insurance premium. Don�t even bother calling it in to your insurance agent in Dallas or Montreal or New Orleans. Just get in that car and hit the roads. Let�s stop here for a moment and face down an unpleasant truth.

The Unpleasant Truth about Modified Cars 

We love modified cars. There is something about the knowledge that our car is different than every other run-of-the-mill vehicle on the road that appeals to us. Unfortunately indulging in that desire is not without its consequences. Insurance agencies base their insurance premiums on the monetary worth of your car and the risk it will be to insure.

Car modifications often add value to your vehicle and make it more appealing to thieves, for that reason car modifications can and often do increase the auto insurance of the modified car.

Many car enthusiasts who discover this fact may be tempted to prevent this increase in their premium by failing to report the modification or outright lying about whether or not their car has been modified. If you find yourself tempted to omit or lie about a modification, READ THE NEXT SECTION FIRST.

The Unpleasant Truth about Failing to Report Modifications

For an individual who just spent thousands of dollars tricking out there car, an increased monthly premium can be an unneeded expense. You should be aware that the failure to inform your insurance company about the modification can be disastrous. Why? Your insurance is a contract. Your insurance company agrees to help you pay for damages, and injuries when your vehicle is involved in an accident. In return you agree to pay your monthly premium on time and provide honest information to the company.

By not informing your insurance agent about a modification that might change your car�s value, performance, or aesthetic appeal to thieves, you have broken the contract. Even if the breach of contract is the result of ignorance, you are still committing insurance fraud. Insurance fraud will lead you down one of two paths when you finally need to file an insurance claim:

1. The company may decide to pay only for the value reported instead of the current value.
2. The company may deny your claim. If you are particularly unlucky they may sue you for committing insurance fraud.

The point of insurance is to protect yourself financially when you are involved in a car accident. As a driver, you spend thousands of dollars a year on insurance. The decision to misrepresent your vehicle will mean that you will have spent thousands of dollars on an insurance plan that is invalid. The cost of not informing your company about a modification that will increase your insurance is far higher than an increase in your premium.

Ending Notes: Not all modifications need to be reported, but it is far safer to run the modification by your insurance agent. You should report all modifications that alter your car�s value, performance, aesthetic appeal to thieves, or changes the engine size. Your insurance agent will inform you how your insurance will be changed based on your modifications. 

The Secrets Of High Octane Powered Engine Speeds

�High octane� is a term many might get a headache thinking about. And when throwing "physics" into the same sentence, one might quickly turn and run the other way. However, one need not worry in this case�here, brought to you by Greenball Tires, the physics of high octane power will be basic enough for any layman to understand.

We�ll start with the term �octane� first. Octane has to do with volatility, or, when speaking of fuel, the tendency to explode. It�s a general rule that the lower the octane number of fuel, such as 87, the easier the fuel combustion under pressure. Conversely, the higher the octane number, the harder it is for combustion. This is why high octane fuel is more expensive�high octane fuel�s trait of combustion less easily has been shown to extend the life of high-performance engines, and many of these engines require use of this higher octane fuel to function correctly.

When many people think �high octane fuel,� they think �fuel that�s more explosive than regular fuel.� Well, believe it or not, high octane fuel is less explosive than the fuels with lower octane levels, which is optimal for high-performance engines. The reason for this has to do with how an engine compresses gas. All car and truck engines have motors that compress fuel.

As many know, high-performance oftentimes means more horsepower. And higher horsepower means greater forces throughout the engine (where, then, more force throughout the engine means more force to the wheels, where the driver feels the resulting horsepower).

The forces we�re concerned with here have to do with the force of an engine�s pistons plunging into its cylinders. When an engine pushes a piston into a cylinder, fuel beneath it gets compressed. If the fuel has a low octane level, it combusts easier during this compression. With a high-performance engine, it is not good for fuel to easily combust as the crankshaft turns at higher-than-normal revolution per minutes. The pistons in these types of engines move so fast that if they don�t have a pocket, so to speak, of fuel that is harder to combust, the piston may hit the bottom of the cylinder, which can cause major engine problems. Keep in mind that with lower-powered engines, fuel that combusts easily is innocuous to the engine�because the pistons are cranked into the cylinder with less force, they are unable to slam against the bottom of the cylinder. So, ultimately, high octane fuel keeps a high revving engine healthy.

Hemi 426 Rebuilds - Are They Right For You

Car Modification - Hemi 426 Engine Rebuild

 
When Chrysler first introduced the hemispherical combustion chambered engine in the early 1960s, it was groundbreaking.   Originally designed for performance on the racetracks, the Hemi 426 proved so successful at its original intent � in its first appearance at the Daytona 500 in 1964, Richard Petty used a Hemi engine to take the checkered flag � that soon there was a sizable demand for street machines with Hemi engines.

While the racing success came early and often, and dealers were able to sell a respectable amount directly to street consumers, the early 70s marked the end of the Hemi 426, as most racing circuits outlawed the engine and Chrysler discontinued production in 1971.

Fast forward almost 20 years, and the Hemi made a comeback, albeit in a slightly different form.  Seeking an engine with ample power and torque, Chrysler reinvented the timeless engine and began installing the Hemi engines in their Dodge pickup line, sparking new interest in the classic model.

Since that time, classic Hemi vehicles have become highly sought-after; there were roughly 10,000 Hemi cars produced between 1964 and 1971 at a cost of $3000 to $4000 each, and now they are among the most valuable collector vehicles in existence.

Meanwhile, restoration enthusiasts and engine builders have increasingly turned their focus on the original Hemi 426, not just for its racing prowess, but also as a durable and reliable engine for cars, trucks, boats and hot rods alike.

For many gearheads, nothing can match the flair and performance of having a classic Hemi under the hood. However, there are some considerations that a builder must make before embarking on a Hemi 426 rebuild.  Perhaps the most crucial consideration is cost; Hemi rebuilds are generally more expensive than other 1960s engines, owing mostly to the difficulty in obtaining the specific parts needed.

The cost can vary wildly, however, and some Hemi rebuilds can be done for a few hundred dollars.  Others, however, can cost as much as $1,500.

The disparity has to do with the adaptability of the original 426s.  While stock Hemi 426 parts are widely available and generally reasonably priced, modified versions can be more of a chore to deal with.  And many of the original Hemi 426s were modified, whether for racing or a customized street version.

Original Hemi 426 parts can still be found with minimal effort, both for stock engines and modified versions � with one notable exception being the DeSoto models, for which parts are extremely scarce.  However, knowing which specific parts are needed when dealing with an engine that has been modded (and often machined) is the tricky part, and while many parts are interchangeable between the various versions, care must be taken to ensure that all parts are compatible.  The good news is that interest in restoring the 426 has led to an upsurge in manufacturing parts specifically designed for rebuilds � the downside to this is that there are so many parts available, it can be difficult to determine which one is correct for your rebuild.

Because of the extra knowledge needed to effectively study the engine components and ensure part compatibility, and the potential for bigger costs to find a rare part, Hemi 426 rebuilds are recommended primarily for those that have experience restoring other classic engines.   The difficulty of actually rebuilding the engine is not so great, but failure to properly match parts can ruin the experience, so proceed with caution.

The Hemi 426 is one of the greatest production engines every produced, and its staying power in the collector/rebuild world is staggering.  Many builders are specifically seeking out the Hemi because of its rediscovered reputation as a classy and powerful engine.  If you are looking for a challenging and rewarding restoration project � one that will ensure that your friends and family can give you no guff � then it is hard to go wrong with an engine that has had such a huge influence (despite limited early production) as the Chrysler Hemi 426.

Author Bio:

Roger Morrison is a classic car enthusiast and an off-road aficionado that has recently taken to blogging to share his passions with others.  His current project is as an online publisher for Chrysler Australia.

Pumped up Six: Ford Inline-6 Modification

I purchased my first car on a cold day in January at the age of 16. It was a red 1969 Mustang coupe, picked up for $1,800, and I still drive her to this day. The search for my first car lasted over a year, while I worked to save up my money. During that time, there were many makes and models of old cars�I knew I wanted a classic�which I looked at and test-drove. While I was still not certain what car I would end up buying, there was one requirement that I had to adhere to by order of my parents: I could not have a V8. Safety, insurance, the fact my parents actually knew the damage I was capable of were all reasons for this call.

Resolved to this fact, I knew I would have to make due with whatever I could get my hands on. I ended up with the Ford 250ci straight six, and hopes of one day swapping her out for something with a bit more sauce once I had finished her restoration and left home. For the time being, in an effort to hide my shame of rocking a six-banger, I installed a set of split headers from Clifford Performance, complete with a pair of 40 series Flowmaster mufflers. A cutout rear valance with dual tipped pipes added to the effect, and people continue to be fooled and shocked when I tell them it�s a six. I say still, because after a few more modifications I decided to stick with the original engine and continue with the shock factor of putting eights to the test.

The first thing to do is getting acquainted with your online resources. The two I have found to be the most productive for my six-cylinder needs are Clifford Performance�where I bought my headers all those years ago�and Classic Inlines. Both of these companies� sites have articles, how-to�s, photo galleries, dyno results, and engine parts. I would say familiarizing yourself with the products both companies offer is key prior to making any plans for that rebuild. Of course, knowing what you want from your car modification is key at this point as well; are you still wanting a daily driver with average fuel economy and some nice pep, or are you striving for an 11 second drag machine?

If you are a true gear head, you may end up doing the modification yourself. If not, make sure you have a mechanic who knows a thing or two about this sort of modification. Not only is this an uncommon task�especially in the States�but the average mechanic might not be as well versed in working on old inline sixes. Shop around for your guy, and think about getting him involved from the very beginning, and not when you finally have all your parts and are ready to go. Odds are, your mechanic will be pretty stoked about taking on such a unique project�unless, of course, you find someone who does the mod frequently.

The number one issue with modifying the Ford straight six is the unfortunate problem with the intake manifold. Sadly, the Ford 170-200-250 intake manifold was cast as part of the head, meaning it cannot be swapped out. There are kits that allow you to bore into the manifold to add extra carburetors, but this method has always seemed sloppy to me, and obviously irreversible. The Ford Australian six, however, does have a detachable manifold, and these heads are very popular for inline modification. The only problem is�living in America�these heads are very difficult to come by, and even if you buy the head from Australia, the shipping will kill.

A more viable option is to simply purchase an aftermarket head from Classic Inlines. Not only will you then have the option to swap out manifolds, but they also have an aluminum head to make the purchase all the more worth it. Odds are, even with the Aussie head you would perform a complete rebuild, and with the aftermarket you can just order it with the new add-ons already there for you. Performance rods, rocker arms, and springs are all elements with will help beef up the power-potential of your head.

Classic Inlines has you just about covered in all aspects of your car modifications. Their master rebuild kit will get you where you need to go, and I highly recommend going that route over building up the parts one by one. They have several options that allow you to completely customize your package. At this point, it is really important to have done your research and know exactly what you want, and hopefully know what your mechanic recommends; because there is a good chance he still knows more about it than you do, even if this is his first six modifications. 

In the case of my �69, I opted with the C.I. Aluminum 250-4v head from Classic Inlines, also adding the Clay Smith S294-122 Camshaft and Lifters, SI 1.86/1.56 Valves, the Yella Terra 1.65 Roller Rocker Kit, and a Romac High Performance Balancer. I decided to go bold, and skipped the carb, going with EFI fuel injection instead�giving me great mileage and performance. I still make about 24 MPG, and dyno�d at 256 HP and 401 lb/ft of torque. At a recent car show, they had a 150 ft drag strip set up for us, and I completely blew the doors off of my brothers �71 351-4v Mach 1.

The common fate of most six cylinder classics�particularly mustangs�is to gut it and drop in the eight. Hopping up the old six was a blast, and is such a unique addition to the story of your ride. At car shows, my �69 gets unbelievable amounts of attention because people have never seen a six dressed up in such a way. She performs well on the road, while also getting my better fuel economy than I probably could have expected from a stock 302. At the same time, it gives me a sense of satisfaction knowing the heart that beats under the hood is the same one that was dropped in on day one.

Author Bio:

Jack Payton is a car nut in the purest form. He loves to write about everything gear related, and rebuilt his first engine at 15. He works as the online publisher for the online tire retailer tires-easy.com. In his spare time he enjoys cruising, attending car shows, and collecting vinyl.

10 Efficient Fuel Consumption Tips

10 Useful Tips for Efficient Fuel Consumption

Efficient fuel consumption is not only obtained by buying a multiple car or suitable expensive tracking devices. All of us can and should include a little yet efficient method for decreasing our petrol intake not only to convenience our pouches, but also for the common benefit of the restricted natural supplies.

Below are the ten useful tips that tell you how to save fuel that are proven to conserve your funds on fuel intake and ensure efficient fuel consumption of your car.

1.) Do not speed

Remember your mom keeps telling you about this protection measure? This advice must follow and is helpful in decreasing the petrol consumption too. Whenever you speed up your vehicle or slow down, your engine takes a lot of more petrol or fuel than the situations had you not changed the speed. Resistance of wind increases at high speeds, leading to low mileage.

2.) Regularly Check your wheel pressure

This needs to be consistently examined for your car. Wheels lose air over a time period and under-pressured tires have high resistance, which means more resistance will consume more fuel. So know the exact pressure for your tires and make sure that you maintain them regularly.

3.) Servicing the engine

Engine lights are present purposefully. It would be useless if it were to go on and suddenly off just before a complete stop. There are numbers of plugs and valves present that could continuously keep the lighting goes on. You keep on stand to save the miles lost just because of defective parts and also avoid the chances of getting trapped in the center of nowhere just due to impaired engine. So keep a regular check on the maintenance of your engine. 

4.) Better to drive with the windows down & the A/C off

Fresh air is excellent for health and also for decreasing the fuel intake. Keep doing this unless you are passing on the highway where windows down would make more resistance. But try to drive on the roads with open windows.

5.) Try to avoid driving on rough roads

Rough or damaged roads are very dangerous for your car body parts, and it also require more fuel to run on that way. Also avoid driving on crowded places and change your way if possible to a straight road to avoid traffic and traffic lights which forces to change of gears constantly. This will also decrease the fuel intake considerably.

6.) Place cargo in the vehicle to make it Smooth

Aerodynamics is the basic aspects while considering fuel consumption. While putting cargo in vehicles or cars make sure to fit it inside to decrease the air resistance and improve aero dynamicity. If you have a convertible, you can see the tremendous improvement in mileage while driving.

7.) Keep your car neat and clean from inside and outside

Be particular with the cleanliness of your car. While cleaning your car, remove all the extra cargo that contributes the extra weight to your car. This may look small but even a single addition of 40 lbs can eliminate off many kilometers from a gallon. During winter season, before driving, just remove the icicles. A few icy layers can easily add 50 lbs. So, it�s better to be organized.

8.) Turn off your car engine at every possible places

A survey has analyzed that if you have to stop at any place for more than 30 seconds then you will be beneficial if you turn off your car. Traffic lights, grocery and laundry pickups, ATM are some of the places where you can do this.

9.) Choose a car according to your needs

Big cars are not only funny but it consumes a lot of fuel or one can say it�s a gas guzzlers. Investing on these cars is beneficial only if it fulfils your needs. Otherwise small cars are better and of low cost but gives more mileage.

10.)  Avoid Un-necessary driving.

Probably this will prove as the best tip yet for fuel saving. Don�t feel shy to walk on the near visiting areas like laundry, ATM, or parks. Give your car a rest by avoid taking it to near-by places. With congested zones or traffic jam areas, it is always beneficial to take public transport to reduce stress and also reducing your fuel consumption.

Incorporate all the above described tips in your daily life and this will benefit you from money saving to low stress level.

Author Bio:

Roberta Smith writes for http://www.toyotaplace.com. She enjoys content and writing about the social sphere.

Car Air Filter - Useful Information That You Should Know

Well, in order to improve the output of your car in terms of acceleration and horse power, it is really necessary that you make sure that your car's air filter is working absolutely fine.

The reason being that the more effectively  your car's air filter, filters the air and send it down to the engine's combustion chambers to burn some fuel,  the greater the power will be generated by your car and hence more acceleration. Absolutely something you crave for when you get on your ride.

So I've decided to do some posts about the air filters or air intake systems. Of course, they are going to be more than one posts related to this series starting from the working of the air filters to the types and kinds of them and of course in the end, some basic playing around / modifications that people normally do with their air intake units so that their cars start raging with power.

So let's start with the basic working purpose and function of your car air filter.

What And Where Is The Car Air Filter?

When you open your car bonnet, the most apparent thing at the top and right in the middle of the whole area (in most of the cases) is what you say a Car's Air Filter Unit A.K.A Car Intake Unit. It's a case with a pipe (again, in majority of the cases) extending out of it. The air filter is inside this whole unit and can be seen when you un-clip and then remove the lid off the unit . It may be rounded or squared shaped.

Coming to the question of how does an air filter work, the most simple answer is just like your nose hair. I'm sorry to be that gross but I believe that this example can be understood by people from every background. So what does your hair in the nose do? Simple, they block or filter out the dust particles coming from this cruel mean world and ensure that pure air reaches your lungs. The same is done by the car's air filters (air purifier) as they block the dust particles and send the air to get burned. The very air that contains oxygen. So less the impurities and more the oxygen, the more fuel will be burnt by the engine and therefore will produce more power in turn.  

Types Of Air Filters.

When it comes to buying, installing, cleaning and replacing  your air filters, its necessary for one to better know the types of air filters available in the markets. There are variety of air purifiers available in the market and of course the choice depends on the factors like durability, performance, maintenance and the size of your pockets. Like a "daddy" would like to have an air filters which has a long life and is economical but the racers would want to have filters which makes their cars like a person on anabolic steroids. So below are some of the types discussed, and by "type", I mean to say the material used in the manufacture rather than the shapes of the filters (like Cone, RAM, Panel e.t.c.). I hope that after reading them you'd be in a much better position of deciding one for your car.

1. Paper Air Filters

Easy on your pockets and to stay within your budget, these air filters are prepared using paper pleated to adjust in the filtration unit. Of course the term paper doesn't mean the same paper used in writing or scribbling e.t.c.

The pleated paper air filters are though economical and cost effective, yet they are not considered effective enough as they tend to restrict the air flow. Secondly, they also need to be replaced more frequently. Say,  about after every 10,000 miles.

2. Gauze Air Filters

These air filters are further divided into  two categories:

a. Oil Based Gauze Filters.

As the name suggests, they are normally laced with chemical which we normally call oil. So these oil wetted air filters restrict the abrasive and other hazardous organic particles to enter the engine cylinders hence minimizing the wear and tear of the car engine.

b. Dry Air Filters

These are the oil filters not equipped with any kind of chemical compound and the only line of defense is the very material they are manufactured with. Like paper, cotton foam e.t.c.  

3. Foam Air Filters

Foam is used in such kind of air filters. They've considered as a good and effective material against dirt and dusts and the use of foam in  the air purifiers until recently was not only restricted to the Cars' Air Filters, but many other household equipments used to have them within them. Like vacuum cleaners, lawnmowers e.t.c. The main reason being their high dirt capacity (ability to restrict larger quantity of dust) with minimal air restrictions.

The above mentioned kinds of air filters are not the only air filters that are used around the automotive world. There are more like oil bath air filters, cotton air filters e.t.c. You'd see many of them used in the combination with other kinds. Like foam and oil gauzed air filters.



So what I have tried to do is that I've discussed a rather generic kinds of the filters that you might encounter.



Since the post is getting longer, I find myself not in a position of discussing what type of air filters are suited for what kind of conditions and why the people just don't stick to the very best and optimum kind of the air filters. I'd rather leave it for some other day, some other post.





    

Bosch Iridium Spark Plugs - Review

Bosch Performance Spark Plugs

have earned a lot of reputation over the last few years. As far as I can remember, I've done a  couple of posts as well on the spark plugs which were on Modifying or Changing Spark Plugs and the second one was on the advantages of Iridium Spark Plugs which compared the Platinum Vs Iridium Spark Plugs.

Anyways, if you are looking forward to changing your auto plugs and confused about what you use, I'd reckon you should give a try to Bosch. They manufacture both in Iridium and Platinum and instead of going out to buy them, you can order them from home.

The price is low and they give you 12 months or 12000 miles warrant with OE Replacement. The plug type's resistor and the Electrode Core Material is copper. There can be other specs too but this what I know of what they've displayed on their website.

So, if you are even interested, I'm not compelling you to buy without doing your part of the research and comparing it with the market rate and quality. However even to do research, you need to log on to the website and you can do this by simply clicking here.  

Just make sure you buy the best thing and install the best part in your car. 

A Mercedes utility van? It happened.

If you�re a tradesman, and you own a Mercedes 3C, what do you do with it? You turn it into a working car. In this case a utility van, complete with original panels. A work of art, no less, and a work of art with a real lesson for Mercedes owners. We�re not too sure how he handled the car insurance, but the job was superb.


The tale of the Mercedes


A 3C is an old Mercedes, but a good one. This was one of the last versions of the traditional Mercedes sedans, the classic model from which the modern Mercedes are derived. Finding parts for the 3Cs isn�t easy. It takes time, but being Mercedes parts, they don�t get thrown out. It�s usually possible, if you have the patience, to restore a Mercedes from about 1960 onwards.

This tradesman must have had the patience of God, or better. Even the upholstery was immaculate. It was all leather, the sort a hardworking tradesman can truly appreciate. Green leather, and good quality, heavy duty, stitched like the Mercedes grew it itself. It was absolutely immaculate in the easily recognizable front cabin. The dashboard was also fully authentic, the true classic Mercedes interior to the last detail, all in brilliant condition.

The notable difference, however, was an oversize radiator. It looked a little odd at first, but even the radiator was a very good effort at an authentic Mercedes radiator. A bit of investigation located the reason. Being a working car, the 3C had had its engine up-gunned. A reasonable precaution, because being a tradesman, the revamped Mercedes was carrying a tradesman�s load. The thing purred. Even the little suburban lawnmower cars around the neighborhood made more noise than it did.

What was interesting was that the car�s engine housing and the body wasn�t modified for this obviously much more powerful engine. This was our first clue to how well the conversion to a utility had been managed. The replacement was seamless. No body work, no resizing, just a new engine under the original cream yellow

The suspension was also reworked to deal with a back load. Tools, materials and heavy equipment can take a working truck apart over time, let alone a Mercedes. If you�re now getting the impression that this guy knows a bit about cars, you�d be right.

The piece de resistance, without a doubt, was the body work. The tradesman managed, somehow, to find a complete panel to join the large tray to the Mercedes body. This was a customized piece, and it was identical to the unmistakable original Mercedes body and doors. A perfect color match, too, absolutely authentic. 
The sheer visual impact of this car, sitting majestically in the car park outside a local village retirement home, where the tradesman was working, was astonishing. A Rolls Royce couldn�t have got more attention from the local car aficionados. Wherever this guy gets his car insurance quotes, he must have to talk for hours to the insurance people.

Car Modification - Legal Issues

In the last article we talked about Safety Mods. Now it would be appropriate to have a look at some legal issues arising due to car modification. For this purpose I would present an extract from a website which deals with and educates on the legal implications due to car modification. But before that I would like to have some words with you.

Laws enacted by law enforcing agencies are for the betterment of oneself so you must not take steps to violate these laws as it could prove lethal to you as well as civilian around you in long or short run. Now lets see what legal problems you can get into because of unlawful car modification.


Under traffic laws in most states, drivers may be given a traffic ticket for operating a vehicle that has been modified in violation of laws that regulate vehicle specifications and vehicle equipment. Examples of vehicle modifications that may result in a traffic ticket include:

* Addition of non-standard lighting (neon lights, under-vehicle lights),
* Alteration or removal of air pollution and emissions control device
* Modification of vehicle ground clearance ("lowered" or "raised" vehicles),
* Removal of mufflers and other sound-control devices, and
* Window tinting (especially tinting of windshield or driver/front passenger side windows).

An unlawfully-modified vehicle can receive a traffic ticket for a mechanical violation. In some states, citations for certain unlawful vehicle modifications are considered "fix-it" tickets or "correctable violations." In California, for example, if you are given a "fix-it" ticket by a police officer, "yes" will be checked next to "Correctable Violation", and after the problem is fixed (i.e. you remove illegal under-car lights), you must get the signature of an authorized person (i.e. a local law enforcement officer) on the "Certificate of Correction" portion of the ticket. If you are issued a "fix-it" ticket for an unlawful vehicle modification in your state, read the ticket to determine whether you can mail the proof of correction, rather than taking it to court.

If the court accepts your correction, the case will be dismissed. But, if you fail to fix the problem within a short time after you receive a "fix-it" ticket, you will need to pay the fine for the unlawful vehicle modification, and you may be issued another ticket which will go on your record.

Source : http://public.findlaw.com/traffic-ticket-violation-law/traffic-ticket-a-z/unlawful-modification.html

ECU Tuning - Perform ECU Remapping Yourself.

With the advent of modern technology, even the cars have been made smart and their performance tuning has been made even simpler. Now a days engine tuning can be performed via computers. Car engines can be made more efficient, producing more torque and power and become economical as well as far as fuel consumption is concerned. This all results can be achieved by remapping your car's ECU settings.

Now a question arise what actually is ECU remapping?

Before telling you about it lets talk about some fundamentals. Different car's performance parameters are now judged by sensors embedded at various places in the car. These parameters may include ignition timing, fuel consumption, air flow, throttle position, crank position e.t.c. All these are closely monitored via sensors and their performance reports are send to car's engine management system or electronic control unit (ECU). So ECU basically is a software program which process the signals send by the sensors and helps in better performance of the car in any given condition.

Having said that, the question is automatically replied that why you should have your ECU remapped. Of course for better engine performance. The car manufacturers do not always tailor make their ECU settings at sports performance level. It may sound weird for all car enthusiasts but its a fact. The logic behind it is that why would a granny still able to drive or a mother who drives along with her kids, would require a high performance engine. So they address the concerns of all the end users and make sure that their product is well enough for almost every conditions.

So ECU remapping can be done by just over writing the existing software program of your car and replacing it with a more tuned software, best fitting your conditions. The remapping, until recently was done by removing the existing chip containing the software. It has been made easy after the advent of serial port remapping, and now ECU remapping can be performed by just plugging and overwriting engine map by a better sports performance version in to the serial port.

Tuning ECU is a simple performance upgrading but it may become complicated if you are not aware of your car's specification and would end up in creating a mess if you do not pay consideration to the conditions, the car will have to endure. If you are a newbie and want to perform a rather non professional remapping, I would advise you a simple tool best fit for this purpose. It is known as "Galletto" and use to read your car's ECU tuning file. It's available at more or less $100 from the internet. You need to connect this tool with the obd socket and can be used to diagnose any fault in the car. When the information in the ECU tuning file is retrieved you need to edit and amend it according to your desire using a better tuned software program. But be careful here as the information would be in the form of binary numbers. The software programs which are used to edit these information can be either "race 2000" and "winol". Don't forget to put back tuning file back in to the ECU after you are done.

ECU remapping do have some fuel implications if you are looking for an increase in engines power and torque. However an car can be tuned to an optimum level to save fuel and raise the power and torque as well. The results of the ECU tuning vary according to the engines on which you performed the remapping.

For a turbo charged petrol engine, you can achieve an increase of 20-30% in power and 20-40% in torque. The increase is about 10-15% in power and 15-20% in torque when there is a normally aspirated, non turbo petrol engine. Similarly turbo charged diesel engine ECU tuning may yield a result of 25-50% and 50-75% rise in power and torque respectively. With all these engine upgrading, high power, more torque and better fuel efficiency, why would you not go for DIY ECU remapping?

Try Iridium Spark Plugs For The Next Spark Plug Replacement.

Are you looking for your car's spark plug replacement because the present spark plugs have wore off? I have an advice for you. This time try embedding in your car engine, iridium spark plugs. The advent of modern technology has also effected the cars as well and have made them much more efficient.Using iridium tips in spark plugs is also one of its dimensions. Iridium spark plugs has many advantages and it can really pimp your ride. Refer to my last article on how spark plugs can pimp your ride and how you can perform spark plug replacement.

Advantages Of Having Iridium Spark Plugs.

Before acquainting you about the advantages of iridium spark plugs, I want to make one thing clear. Spark plugs don't enhance the efficiency of the car beyond its limits but instead they make it more efficient according to the car's own potential. So clear your mind from any misconceptions that its only the spark plugs that will make your crawling ride in to a super fast car.

Now coming to the advantages of iridium spark plugs, they sure are durable and strong enough as compared to other conventional platinum tipped, spark plugs. Durability of iridium spark plugs can be compared as it has a life of almost 60, 000 miles where as the conventional will give you 20,000 to 40,000 miles. Of course because of the good quality of the element, the quality of spark is improved and gives a much better spark hence improving fuel efficiency.

The best thing about the iridium spark plug is that it wears off rather slowly as compared to platinum spark plugs. The reason is of course, iridium is much more durable than its "colleague" platinum. Besides this, the melting point of iridium is much more higher than platinum. The melting point of iridium is 4450 F where as that of platinum is almost 3216 F. That's a huge difference. Furthermore, iridium is 8 times more rigid than platinum where it can endure a pressure of 160 Kpsi as compared to platinum which can stand a pressure of not more than 20 Kpsi. Because of these qualities, the iridium spark plugs wear off much slowly as compared to those conventional spark plugs so you don't have a headache of replacing your spark plugs after some years.

Learning above attributes of iridium I bet you would go for high quality iridium spark plugs the very next time you perform your car's spark plug replacement.

Pimp Your Ride By Modifying Spark Plugs

If you really want to perform some car modification, the best thing is to first take care of your engine performance because car modification is not only about changing your car body kits and installing some sub woofers to add a groove in your sound. No car modification is completed if the car's performance is not state of the art. For this purpose, you may get many advice. I would specifically refer to changing your car's spark plugs and their impact on engine performance and how you can do some modifications either by some spark plugs replacement or spark plug gapping or choose the right spark plugs for your car by assessing and reading spark plugs requirements for your car.

Before getting into details I would just peek into the spark plug's functioning or how does a spark plug work. I know many of you car enthusiasts must know the purpose of spark plugs and how does a spark plug work. So I will not go into a detail.Just a quick review.

Purpose Of A Spark Plug, How Does A Spark Plug Work?

Spark plug actually causes an ignition through its ignition coil in the internal combustion chamber of the engine which creates a small spark. Search out for internal combustion engine fundamentals for more details. This spark when unites with the air and some drops of fuel, it creates a perfect combination for a small explosion. This small explosion creates a pressure which causes the pistons in the engine's cylinders to move and eventually creates a torque to move the cam shaft and ultimately the car starts to move. As simple as that.

So the purpose of a spark plug is integral in moving a car. Obviously if the spark is of not a good quality there would be implications on the car's engine performance so to perform some car modification pertaining to spark plugs, one has to make sure that the spark plug is of good quality which produces a better spark to ensure swift movement of a car.

Now coming to the spark plug modification or replacement, let us first analyze that what effects the performance of the spark plug. The spark plug's performance is effected by following factors.

1) Wear and Tear of spark plug.
2) The gap between central and ground electrode or spark plug gapping.
3) Voltage provided to create a spark.
4) Altitude and temperature of the location.

To alter the performance or efficiency of spark plugs, one should try to alter the above factors or if he is going to perform some spark plugs replacement he should keep the above factors in mind. Now let's see how the above mentioned factors effect the efficiency of a spark plug and how you can modify or use the above mentioned factors in better performance of spark plugs and ultimately of the car.
1) Wear And Tear Of Spark Plug.

Spark plugs have to go through series of small explosions in order to be functional thus making them more prone to wear and tear. So definitely a damaged spark plug or a spark plug having a lot of carbon deposited at its tip will not perform adequately. So make sure that spark plugs are always in a good condition in order for your car as whole to be efficient or perform well. Generally a spark plug's life is about 10,000 to 20,000 miles. However some manufacturers assemble spark plugs which have two or in other words multiple ground electrodes to enhance the life of a spark plug. But it has been observed that it has some implications on fuel injection of the car.

2) Spark Plug Gapping.

This is the most important factor of spark plugs performance. However people have different views about the spark plug gapping. Some say that the more the gap, the better is the spark. Where as some say that small gap is good as it requires small amount of voltage to create the spark. Normally a spark plug requires a very high voltage of about 40,000 to 100,000 volts to cover the gap. I am open here for suggestions. Tell me if you have any suggestions regarding this topic. However if you really want to make the spark plug gapping larger or smaller you can use a very fine nosed pliers as a spark plug gapper or spark plug gap tool. To enlarge the gap, pull the ground electrodes outwards using pliers. However be extremely cautious here and make sure you do not apply pressure on the center electrode or it may damage.If you want to make the gap smaller, gently tap the ground electrode on a hard surface. You can use a feeler guage to measure the gap between center and ground electrode.

3) Voltage Provided.

As described above spark plugs need a very high amount of voltage to create a spark so use a good quality car batteries to make sure that a voltage is provided to create the spark.

4) Altitude And Temperature Of The Location.

The altitude where your car operates and the temperature in which your car operates is crucial for the performance of your spark plugs. For this reason the spark plugs have been divided into two kind which are:

a) Hot Spark Plugs:

Hot spark plugs are spark plugs in which the surface area of ceramic exhaust coating contacts less with the metal part of the spark plug thus exhausting less heat. I am saying the ceramic insulator as an exhaust because the ceramic insulator coating works as a heat exhaust. So hot spark plugs are good in low performing cars or in cold areas. Similarly they are good at high altitude areas where oxygen is less to burn the fuel.

b) Cold Spark Plugs:

These spark plugs have larger surface area of ceramic insulator coating thus exhausting more heat and keeping the spark plugs cold. You can have a look at the image of spark plugs structure for spark plug cross reference. Cold spark plugs are best for high performance engines or turbo charged engines. If you are looking forward for engine upgrades then I reckon you should also pay some consideration towards your spark plug replacement.

Above mentioned factors are helpful in assessing and reading spark plugs requirements for your car. You may have come to know how spark plug can be modified by changing spark plugs gapping as well as what spark plugs would be better for your car's specific requirements.