5 Engine Oil Myths
Posted on: September 18, 2013
We all know that we need engine oil to keep our cars running smoothly. But many people don’t know much beyond that. Worse, are those who believe or populate engine oil myths that are untrue. Here are five engine oil myths busted. Chime in if you can think of any other engine oil untruths not listed here:
- “The ‘W’ in 10W-30 oil stands for ‘weight.’” Wrong, wrong, wrong. Viscosity of oil changes with temperature. “W” actually stands for “winter.”
- “When engine oil turns dark, it’s dirty and should be changed.” That’s an awful lot of oil to be wasting. In fact, the opposite is true, the oil is just doing its job.
- “You should change your oil every 3,000 miles, no matter what the manual says.” With modern advances in oil viscosity, it’s actually closer to 7,500 miles.
- “Engine oil additives will improve your engine’s performance.” Additives do help performance, but most reputable oil brands already include those additives. Adding additional additives will just dilute the effectiveness of what is already in there.
- “Synthetic engine oils can cause oil leaks.” This may have been true at the advent of synthetic oils, but modern oils have been reformulated not to mess with seals, etc.
5 Best Car Museums in the U.S.
Posted on: September 12, 2013
If you’re thinking about going out of town, you might want to give California a serious thought. The Golden State earned three of the top five spots in Autoweek.com’s list of Five Best Car Museums in the U.S. Take a peek at the rest of the list here:
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, Indianapolis
- Mullin Automobile Museum, Oxnard, Calif.
- National Automobile Museum, Reno, Nev.
- Nethercutt Collection at San Sylmar, Sylmar, Calif.
- Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles, Calif.
Honorable Mentions: Don Garlits Museum, Ocala, Fla.; Museum of American Speed, Lincoln, Neb.; The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Mich.
More technology in cars = more ways for information to get stolen. As cars continue to get more advanced, the protection of car privacy becomes more important. Follow these tips to protect your car tech privacy:
- Clear your car’s contact lists before returning a rental or selling a car.
- Disconnect your car from your cloud before selling a car.
- Reset your garage door opener before selling your car.
- Protect your home by making your car’s GPS less accurate. Instead of putting your actual home address in there, put a house that is nearby, etc.
- Get rid of your data before getting rid of a portable navigation device.
- Beware what you share when updating your status.
5 Symptoms of a Bad Fuel Injector
Posted on: August 28, 2013
Fuel injectors are responsible for regulating how much fuel is dispensed in the engine to be burnt. But they work under strenuous conditions that can cause them to get dirty, clogged or cracked. If a bad fuel injector is not fixed, it could lead to more serious and long-term problems. That’s why knowing the symptoms of a bad fuel injector is handy. Here are some bad fuel injector symptoms to keep an eye our for:
- While your car is idling, if the engine is rough or choppy instead of smooth, this could be because the fuel injector is damaged and fuel supply is abrupt.
- Delayed acceleration and up-and-down engine motion are both bad fuel injector symptoms. This is also caused by irregular fuel supply.
- Look for fuel spots or odor around your car. A cracked fuel injector can leak fuel, which is not only inefficient, but can also cause engine damage and fire risk.
- If you notice poor fuel mileage, it might be due to a bad fuel injector.
- If the fuel injectors aren’t working properly, you might even have trouble starting your car. If the engine won’t start, it might not be getting the right amount of fuel.
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Think you know everything when it comes to cars? Let’s see how many of these fun facts you already knew:
- Ferrari produces a maximum of 14 cars per day. Most manufacturers put out thousands of cars on a daily basis. As a case in point, Ford reaches an astronomical production rate of 8,000-10,0000 each day.
- An airbag takes only 40 milliseconds to deflate.
- Many British traffic police officers carry teddy bears to console children after car crashes.
- Drivers kill more deer than hunters.
- 1 out of every 7 cars sold in the United States are sold in southern California.
- A car was created that is fueled by cappuccino as an attempt at creating a renewable energy source. The car system converts used coffee grounds to flammable gas. It takes 56 espressos to fuel one mile in the “car-puccino.”
- It takes half an ounce of gas to start the average vehicle.
- Red cars are prohibited in Shanghai, China.
- $1,000,000 is the largest speeding fine ever issued. It was given to a Swedish man who was clocked doing 180 mph. In Sweden, the amount of a speeding fine is based upon an individual’s salary.
- You pay 8 times more for a gallon of Grande Latte Starbucks than for a gallon of gasoline.
- The world’s most profitable car manufacturer is Porsche.
What other interesting car trivia do you know that wasn’t mentioned here?
Garage organization is important if you want to make it the perfect haven for your car. If your garage is a mess, where will you have room to work? Would you even be able to find the tools you need? Make your garage organization woes a thing of the past with these 10 garage storage ideas:
- Use as much vertical space and ceiling as possible.
- Before reorganizing, try taking everything out of your garage. Looking at the space you have as a blank canvas can give you a better idea of what you are working with.
- If your garage looks like an episode of “Hoarders,” it might be time for an overhaul. Decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away. When in doubt, donate or toss it.
- Group like-items together so they are easy to find.
- Label everything.
- Protect your floors from stains and other damages. Some people use epoxy. Rubber overlays or composite products are other good options.
- If you can, invest in a lift. It will help with limited access to the car’s underside.
- Invest in an air compressor. Air compressors are not only for your tires, but compressed air powers many tools like spray guns, wrenches and drills.
- A mounted slat wall offers you convenient tool storage within easy reach and great flexibility. Try mounting pegboard for the same effect without the heavy price.
- Include a workbench. Creating your own can be as simple as using an old door or nailing together two-by-fours.
Few people have the kind of impact on an industry that Willie G. had while designing at Harley-Davidson. And when he retired at the end of April, he left behind a legacy that won’t soon be matched.
William Godfrey “Willie G.” Davidson is the grandson of H-D founder William A. Davidson, but he didn’t go straight into the family business. After studying design at both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Willie G. actually began his career in the design department at Ford Motor Co.
He finally joined Harley-Davidson in 1963 and was named vice president of styling in 1969. And since that time he was responsible for designing some of the world’s most well-known and sought-after bikes, including the 1971 FX Super Glide, 1984 Heritage Softail Classic, and the 2001 V-Rod.
Learn more about building your legacy with a career as a motorcycle tech with Motorcycle Technology training from WyoTech.
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In 1905, the speed limit was just 20 mph, and exceeding it came with hefty penalties. So the brilliantly refined minds at Rolls-Royce came up with an idea to help make it easier to stick to the limit. Their solution? A V-8 engine, of all things.
They created two cars: the Legallimit, and the Invisible Engine.
The Legallimit was given a V-8 engine, a new concept in and of itself. But puzzlingly, it was designed to travel at a blistering maximum speed of 21.5 mph — slow enough to keep even the heaviest lead-foots out of trouble.
But the folks at Rolls had another brilliant idea. To compete with the electric cars of the day, they created the Invisible Engine. Essentially they hid the V-8 in a louvered compartment beneath the carriage, giving the outward appearance of having no motor, and (so they claimed) running as silently as an electric.
Their customers were likely as doubtful as we are, as the more successful of the two models was the Legallimit, which sold exactly one car.
You often hear about good questions to ask during an interview. But what about those things you shouldn’t ask? Here are 10 questions from Forbes.com that could hurt your chances.
- Don’t ask questions you could have answered with a Google search.
- Never ask to change job details, schedule or salary.
- Don’t ask about gossip you heard.
- Avoid too many questions about the interviewer’s background.
- Don’t as about pay, time off and benefits. Save that for after they make an offer.
- “Do you do background checks?” (You’ll look like you have something to hide).
- “What does your company do?” (See question No. 1 above.)
- “How quickly can I be promoted?”
- “How soon can I apply for other positions in the company?”
- “Do you monitor email or Internet history?”
A job interview can make you feel as though you’re in the hot seat. But you can keep calm under pressure by remembering these tips.
- Know the company. Research the company and write down questions in advance.
- Plan for the day. Print out your résumé in advance, lay out your interview clothes, and plan how you’ll get there to arrive on time.
- Practice. Rehearse your answers, but don’t memorize them word for word. Instead, remember the points you want to get across.
- Eliminate the unknown. Not sure what to wear? Or even how to get there? Don’t be afraid to call them and simply ask if the company is business attire or business casual, and if there’s a recommended place to park or a direct bus or train line to their location.
- Arrive early. Being a little early helps you arrive relaxed and confident. It’ll make all the difference.
- Have a conversation. Treat it as a chance to get to know one another. Remember that the interviewer is just a human being trying to find the right candidate.
- Think positively. Visualize yourself doing a great job and tell yourself that you deserve it.
- Sit up straight. How you hold yourself makes an impression. So sit up straight and try not to fidget.
- Take a deep breath. A little nervousness is natural. So take a breath, tighten and untighten your hand, push your shoulders down…and keep on breathing.
- Focus on the job at hand. Don’t worry what the interviewer is thinking, just focus on what you’re doing.
- Accept mistakes. Employers aren’t looking for perfect, they’re looking for somebody who can do the job.
- Remember that there are other jobs. Maybe this one is right, maybe it isn’t. But it’s not the only one out there – so make sure you not only sell yourself, but that it’s a place where you really want to work.
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