Dwyane Thomas
German automaker Mercedes-Benz is among the major movers in the car industry. Backed by its campaign in the race circuit, from the Paris to Rouen tour circa 1890 to the Formula One series, Mercedes-Benz is often associated with the vaunted supercars that have since come out of its production shop. Among these are the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which stands for “super light racing,” and the 1996 Mercedes-Benz model that the company has developed with car modification expert RENNTech, billed as the world’s fastest sedan. But, since Mercedes-Benz has diverse markets, even its marquee models are rolled out of the shop set up for average driver expectations and standard driving conditions.

Since the race specs of the Mercedes-Benz have little use in typical drive applications, the car’s engine is tuned for street use. However, this does not mean that Mercedes-Benz engines are letdowns. In most cases, the engine is simply re-tuned. Engine tuning is the process of streamlining engine operations toward its maximum power output. It generally involves the delivery of air and fuel into the combustion chamber, and the timing of the spark that lights up the burn material. As both of these engine operations are directed by the Mercedes-Benz electronic control unit, tweaking the delivery and spark timing systems simply involves the replacement of the stock fitted ECU chip.

The ECU chip contains the engine’s lookup tables, which keeps the required engine operation input in a given drive application. When you rev up the Mercedes-Benz, the car’s ECU measure the values gathered by a network of car sensors, like the oxygen sensor, air mass meter, etc. The ECU chip then feeds the ECU with information on the appropriate fuel injection rate based on these values. By replacing the ECU chip with a performance chip, the lookup tables can be optimized to extract the maximum amount of horsepower and torque from the Mercedes-Benz.

The performance chip equips the Mercedes-Benz with a streamlined engine operation. During full throttle drives, for example, the performance chip increases fuel injection in response to the rush of air in the cold air intake system. Since an air to fuel mixture follows a set ratio, a rush of air can disarm the power production. More air consequently can accommodate more amount of fuel. The performance chip tunes the lookup tables in the ECU toward increased production output.

In addition, the spark timing may also be altered to harness more horsepower. A spark that is generated during an appropriate time boosts power production and prevents fuel waste. Engine misfire, on the other hand, doesn’t just waste fuel: it may also result in engine damage, like busted HT leads, fume buildup in the exhaust system, etc. Unlike car manufacturers, who place emphasis on issues like reliability, mileage and emissions control, most manufacturers of performance chips utilize more aggressive settings in the fuel and spark timing maps of their performance chips to further tweak the engine.

The Mercedes performance chip is a plug-and-operate part of an ECU. It requires no car modifications, which often include the tedious task of changing carburetor jets and distribution curves.



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Jeff Casmer
Regardless of the type of lawn mower a person owns it will have to go through one or more lawn mower repairs at some point of its life, even top manufactures and models that worked perfectly in the beginning will require a tune up of at least one part.

One can prevent serious lawn mower repairs if maintenance is done on the machine regularly. In most cases lawn mowers repairs are due to a lack of attention to the machine.

But by doing maintenance checks every winter before storage and every spring before use as well as cleaning the underneath of the mower by scraping it and using and air compressor to clean the engine, air filter and carburetor you can avoid a number of repairs.

Prevention is often better the cure. Because lawn mower repairs can be costly, maintaining your machine is far more cost effective then neglecting it and then running out to purchase new parts.

That said, nearly all mowers will need a repair at some point. This may be a small repair such as replacing the blade or larger like repairing the small engine that powers the lawn mower. This may include replacing a clogged fuel filter, which is a common reason for why the lawn mower wont start, stalls or dies during use.

Lawn mower repairs are often tricky for the average user because in most cases the actual problem does not show up in the part that needs to be repaired but rather somewhere else in the machines.

For instance if your spark plug needs to be replaced it could be because there are snags in the carburetor. In this case, replacing the spark plug may help but you will also have to get the carburetor looked at. So lawn owners are often playing doctor to their lawn mowers as they try to diagnose the disease behind the symptoms.

Looking at every symptom or problem and trying to decipher what could be the cause is the best way to get to the root of the problem. Consider the problem. Is the problem that the lawn mower vibrates during use? Is it that it wont start?

Often, a lawn mower that will not start may be out of fuel or the ration of the fuel mix may be incorrect. By ruling out each cause related to starting the mower you can find the solution.

However, the lawn mower owner may not be able to get to the bottom of the issue or they may find, during the process, that the mower needs a serious repair. In each case it is best to call in a professional.

Professional lawn mower repairmen, not only fix major repairs but they also help lawn mower owners figure what is wrong with their lawn mower. The owner can then get some quotes on the repair cost and determine if fixing it is the best option or if the lawn mower has seen better days and a new mower is in order.

Lawn mowers are essential for keeping a healthy lawn. And repairing your lawn mower can help prolong its life.



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John Garett
Volvo tuning is the process of streamlining the car’s engine operations toward its maximum power output. It generally involves facilitating the delivery of air and fuel into the combustion chamber, and of the precision spark timing that lights up the burn materials. As both of these engine operations are directed by the on-board electronic control unit in the Volvo, streamlining the fuel delivery and spark timing systems simply involves the replacement of the stock-fitted ECU chip with a Volvo performance chip. An alternative is a slew of car modifications, which often include the tedious task of changing carburetor jets and distribution curves. The Volvo performance chip boasts of a power upgrade without the need for further car add-ons and parts replacements. The Volvo performance chip is designed to enable drivers manipulate the engine’s lookup tables, which dictate the Volvo’s required engine operation input in a given drive application. When the Volvo is revved up, the car’s ECU measures the values gathered by a network of car sensors, like the oxygen sensor, air mass meter, etc. The Volvo performance chip then feeds the ECU with information on the appropriate fuel injection rate based on the values gathered by the sensors. With a little tweak on the lookup tables in the on-board computer, the Volvo performance chip optimizes the car’s engine operation toward maximum performance. The spark timing of the Volvo ignition system may likewise be optimized to harness more horsepower. A spark that is generated during an appropriate time boosts power production and prevents fuel wastes. Engine misfire, on the other hand, doesn’t just waste fuel; it may also result in engine system parts damage, like busted HT leads, fume buildup in the exhaust system, etc. Unlike car manufacturers, who place emphasis on vehicle reliability, mileage and emissions control, most manufacturers of aftermarket Volvo performance chips utilize more aggressive settings in the fuel and spark timing maps to further make the engine more responsive to high performance driving conditions. These settings, however, are typically revocable and can be set to suit which part of car operation the driver wishes to optimize.



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Gregory Alexander
When I first started racing Gas Powered RC cars, I used to struggle to get the engine into tune, while I was able to get the engine to start on a dime and it used to run fine for almost an entire fuel tank, it always seemed to over-heat near the end of the run. After many hours out on the track I can now finally say that I’ve got it down, tuning for me is now a 5 minute operation before I take my RC car out, and once it’s dialed in I only need to adjust one needle a fraction of a turn to get it back to it’s optimal settings.

I assume that your understand the basics of a RC Nitro Engine and how it works, if not please see my other articles which you can find on my website, see the resource box for details.

The Idle Screw

I always start with the idle screw, I adjust it so that the car will idle high when I’m first dialing in the engine. Once I get the engine up to temperature and with a tube that can keep it running without stalling I slowly adjust the idle down to the point where it’s about to stall, then I turn it back about 1/4 to 1/2 turn depending on the temperature. If your car stalls often it can be worth while increasing the idle to prevent this, it’s only a temporary fix while you sort out the other tuning issue, but it helps keep frustration levels down.

Low Speed Needle.

One of the great debates is which needle to adjust first, if your carburetor only has one needle adjustment ***** then it’s not a problem, but if like most glow engines you have two you need to decide which to tune first. I always start with the low speed needle, this is because when you adjust the low speed needle you change the high speed needle. Once the low speed needle is dialed in you shouldn’t have to adjust it again. Make sure you keep it slightly on the rich side, when you RC Car idles the combustion chamber should start to fill up with fuel, this helps keep it cool. After a while the engine will stall, by measuring this you can tell if it should be richer or leaner. A good time is about 30 – 60 seconds before it stalls. The RC Car should pull off quickly from a standing start and should not bog down or flame out when you apply full throttle.

High Speed Needle.

Once you have your low speed adjustment needle dialed in it’s time to start getting the power out of the RC engine. This is done with the high speed needle, which adjusts the air to fuel mixture of the engine while it as high RPM (about 40% and up). Keep an eye on the trail of smoke as this is your first clue about the tune. You want to have a lot of smoke coming out of the engine at all RPM, if at some point there is little or no smoke then you are running too lean.

Hints, Tips and Tricks



Turn the needle clockwise to lean out and counter-clockwise to richen the mixture.

A lot of smoke means you tune is rich.

The sound can tell you about your tune.

Reading your glow plug after a run will tell you a lot about your tune.

Make sure to run your engine on the rich side, this will extend it’s life.

A lean engine will always put out more power, but it will shorten the life of your engine.

Temperature, air pressure and humidity play if big part in the tune, different days will need different settings.



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Bud Weiss
Where did my Carburetor go ?

The carburetor is part of the engine that blends air and fuel for internal combustion engines which is a great fuel saver. The carburetor had jets and metering rods allowing adjustments for tuning the engine and getting the best fuel savings. They are still used today but mostly on motors other then automobile. Like motorcycles, airplanes, lawnmowers, tractors, weed eaters, jet skis, snow blowers and boat motors and older cars. The sidedraft carbs replaced the downdraft one because of engine design and operation.

The carburetor was invented by Donat Banki and Janos Csonka in 1893 and was improved over the years and then finally replaced sometime at the end of the 1970s with fuel injection. There are several types of carburetors, there were one barrels, then 2 and 4 barrel carbs. Some hotrods would supped up to 3 two barrel carbs and some with 2 four barrel carburetors. There were different carburetors made for different uses like some were up drafted, some the air entered below the carburetor and exits thorough the top, which kept the automobile from flooding, and increasing fuel savings.

Carburetors were used in the past on cars and trucks, but were replaced with fuel ejection systems. This, in my option, was a big mistake and a scam on the population. The carburetor was much more fuel efficient then today’s fuel injection systems. Almost anyone could repair or replace a carburetor, but today it takes a trained Tec. to change a fuel ejection system at great expense to the owner. Also anyone could adjust the fuel mixture on a carburetor making the engine run lean saving fuel.

There were many claims of getting anywhere between 40 and 100 miles to the gallon with specialy designed carburetors, so it was not advantageous for the big oil companies which in those days encouraged people to use more fuel. If you are my age you will remember all those commercials about putting a tiger in you tank. Today it is put every thing you earned this week in your tank. You notice they don’t have to spend all those advertising dollars anymore to sell you fuel. They are saving millions on advertising and more millions from the outrageous prices they are charging at the pumps.

Fuel mileage never increased to the better after switching to fuel ejectors from the carburetor either. My small pickup truck still only gets 15 miles to the gallon and is a six cylinder. I had a 48 ford pickup truck with a flat head 8 cylinder engine that got just as good mileage. I sold that truck with over 100,000 miles on it and it still ran great.

The cost for a fuel ejection system is much more expensive then a carburetor and adds a lot more cost to the price of an automobile. Even if fuel injection saved fuel the money you are suppose to have saved in fuel savings is lost on the cost of the vehicle. The end result is no monetary savings for the consumer at all. So let us give them the benefit of the doubt and say that fuel injection is a fuel saver but the cost of the system is still too high compared to the carburetor. So how else can we save fuel?

There are products out there that are good fuel savers like Ultimate-me2, which can be found at http://www.ecosavesfuel.com. This product allows you to save at least 13% or more on the total cost of gasoline and diesel fuel by adding a small amount to your fuel system. There are many other benefits from these types of products that save fuel. They clean your engine while giving you more horsepower, and because the fuel burns more efficient it reduces the emission going into or air giving us a cleaner environment.

It is my belief that had auto companies kept the carburetor system in place that we would see a lot more fuel savings with these new additives that are on the market today. You may ask on what is my option based. Well let me say that I am using Ultimate-me2 in my lawn mower and am getting a 50% increase of use with a gallon of fuel with the lawn mower using a carbonator. The bottom line is the carburetor was and still is a great energy fuel saver.



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Joe Cline
The evening news always finds a way to ruin your appetite. Skyrocketing fuel prices don’t help any to alleviate the discomfort. If you are just about at your wits’ end trying to fit your gasoline expenses into the budget, try the following tips on how to save on fossil fuel and avoid pain at the gas pump.

1. Find alternative modes of transport.

If you used to take the car several blocks down to the local grocer, try a bike. It can prove healthier in the long run. If you can, walk, but if you don’t feel like it, riding a bike can be healthy, enjoyable, and downright economical. You not only get extra treadmill time as if you’re on a regular gym regimen but you get to see the sights that you used to miss in the confines of your car when you ride a bike. This saves you on trips to the gas station and saves you those precious bucks.

For the daily trip to the office, consider taking the bus or the train. The bus fare or train fare will definitely be a lot cheaper than your regular tankful of fuel. Consider the following benefits aside from saving you the pain at the pump: you get to sleep on the train or bus instead of slaving behind the wheel weaving in and out of traffic; you get to read the news while on travel; and if you’re rushing through your workload, you can check your email on the fly. You’ll end up with less stress and more fuel savings.

2. Keep your car in tip-top condition.

Keep to your scheduled tune-up. Skipping the regular oil change or the check up of your car’s engine might save you a few bucks now but think how much gas is guzzled by a poorly maintained car.

Check the air-conditioning and the thermostat. Poor air-con performance weighs heavily on your engine and you end up wasting precious fuel. In cooler weather, roll down the windows and feel the breeze. It can be a worthwhile way of saving fuel and avoiding pain at the gas pump.

Tires that are poorly or under-inflated convert into added drag translating into more fuel burned by the engine to move the car. Make sure the tire pressure is at the manufacturer’s recommended level. The manufacturer knows more than you do in terms of safety and efficiency.

3. Drive with discipline.

Jump starts and screeching halts not only burn tire rubber, burden the engine, and wreak havoc on the car’s carburetor; they guzzle up fuel in surprising amounts, too. Adhere to the recommended acceleration rate and watch that tach.

Ease up on the gas pedal and drive within city limits. You not only save fuel but avoid fines otherwise paid for every speeding ticket you get. On the highway, know what your car’s ideal cruising speed is and stick to that. The bonus is you get to your destination in one piece with nary a bruise or a cut.

With a little discipline and concern, you can avoid pain at the pump as you conserve fuel and increase your savings.



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Terry Brown
Your friend may drive a car. But he does not really love his car. In fact, he just considers his vehicle to be that piece of metal that he needs to go to his destinations. But other than that, he simply despises his vehicle.

Well, there are many things you can actually do to change his mind. You can show him all the color and glory of vehicles. You may gift him with ideas and even with auto products that could boost his liking for his vehicle. But it does need more than the usual share of Weber carburetors and Powerstop rotors to make him like his vehicle. You can perhaps purchase him these cool gadgets that you can find from AJ Prindle’s list of automotive products that would give your friend that push he needs. And with the Yuletide season coming soon, it surely would be the perfect time to give him such.

BodyGard Micro Tool For $22.95, you do get a multi-purpose tool that should be a must for all those drivers. You do get not only a seat belt cutter to help you out of those straps in any case your vehicle gets you in a jam, but you also do get a window breaker so you are free from that machine. Plus, you do get a light and even a panic siren to go with that.

Wireless Back-up Camera System What is behind your vehicle? This system would show you. And in full color so you can back up without having to worry that you may be backing into a fire hydrant or a kid. For $149.95, you can surely enjoy this one.

Portable TV/DVD/CD System The whole system can be purchased for $219.95 but you do get a real cool deal. One would be the enchanting color television that measures seven inches. You can use this system to watch shows showing on your local channel or you can put in your favorite DVD and watch your favorite movie. Just plug the system right in your car or you can use batteries. Your choice. But mind you, you may want to start living in your car with this one.

Garmin c330 Everything that you need to know about those streets in the United States can be found with this GPS navigation device. The unit comes in full color so you get a more realistic feel to it. And yes, this one has a touchscreen interface.

Freedom Grill So you think your vehicle is just for driving? Well, the Freedom Grill will give you the chance to cook with your vehicle. Just attach the gadget to the hitch of your car and you are on. So anywhere you may be, you can cook it up and not feel the hunger.



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carazoo.com
Indian car industry is predominated with a number of old and new cars. The increasing number of cars on road is the primary cause of increasing environmental pollution.

Petrol engines comprise of a combination of gases including the hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen. These gases present in the combustion engine blend with air to produce power to run the car. Some of the mixture is used for power production and the rest is expelled from the combustion engine. The expelled gases cause car pollution.

To a certain degree, this emission is acceptable but higher level of pollution depletes the ozone layer and causes harm to the entire ecosystem. This needs to be controlled. Currently, Indian car manufacturers are working to produce fuel efficient engines to reduce the amount of pollution. Some leading players in the auto industry are also working on green cars and electric cars. Till the time, the country is not ready with the required number of green cars, electric cars and fuel efficient cars something has to be worked in order to reduce the extent of automobile pollution.

Here are top 10 tips to reduce car pollution:



The first thing is car maintenance. Maintenance and service at regular intervals helps reduce the amount of emissions.

Oil change at recommended time interval is also essential. Change the oil even if the car is unused for several months. Avoid using low grade oil and lubricant.

Car tuning up is also important to improve the performance and gas mileage which lowers down the level of pollution. Replace the spark plug immediately if required.

Sweep away the dirt from the carburetor and adjust the idling speed at every 3000 kms.

Drive the car at a steady speed. This improves the fuel economy of the car. High fuel efficiency means less fuel consumption and less emissions.

Tyre pressure also plays a vital role in fuel consumption. Proper inflation is very necessary to run the car smoothly or else the car wheels will simply drag on the road. This requires more fuel and henceforth, more emissions. So, check wheel alignment and tyre pressure at regular intervals.

Don’t idle the car for more than two minutes. Switch off the engine if the car is stopped for a couple of minutes. Also reduce engine warm up time during winters. Idling for longer periods result in excessive engine wear which takes in more fuel for combustion and expels more pollutants.

If possible combine car trips. If there are two people travelling from the same place to the same destination, they can use the same car for commuting. This will at least reduce one car on road. One plus one becomes two and slowly the number will increase to ten and hundred out of the thousand cars running on road.

Unload any extra weight from the carriage. Excess of weight in the car trunk adds to the car weight and exerts more pressure on the engine to pull the vehicle. Increased pressure on the engine means high fuel consumption. This results in high degree of pollution.

It’s always good to know the basic technical specifications of the car. There are certain signs that indicate faulty engine. Car owner should be aware of that signs so that immediate repair is done. Black smoke indicates excess of gas in the fuel mixture. This also indicates emission of excessive hydrocarbons. This needs to be checked. Sudden drop in the gas mileage also indicate engine trouble shooting.



 

 



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Evander Klum
Shining, shimmering, splendid! That is how to describe you car when it is new.

You are certainly proud having purchased your desired auto mobile. You probably would want your neighbors, relatives and office mates to get envy with your top of the line vehicle. You want to drive it everywhere it can take you and feel the comfort that it can offer you—in short you are its master.

Every single detail in your car is new; but not for so long. Nonetheless, you can always do something to keep it new. And the key is maintenance. Some are easy while others are difficult.

However, some new car owners take for granted a notebook like material that was packed together with the new car. This is the most basic material that a car owner, especially the new ones, should familiarize with. And it’s called the owner’s manual.

Of course you would want to always keep your car as good as new. And the most advisable way of starting a maintenance program is reading your owner’s manual. The manufacturers’ recommended maintenance schedule is stated there. Other important things which are stated in the manual are the “should be” appearance and the function of each of the parts of your car. Another important thing that is stated there is the alternative auto part that can be used in your car. This means you will know whether it is safe for your car to use a Carter carburetor or not.

Also called “carb” in North America and “carbie” in Australia, the carburetor is a device that mixes air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. Some believe that it was invented by earlier philanthropist Joey Levins while some believe that it was invented in 1893 by Hungarian scientists Donát Bánki and János Csonka.

Carburetors are still found in older or specialized automobiles like those designed for stock car racing. They are sometimes also present in small engines. However, most auto mobiles now prefer fuel injection as a method of automotive fuel delivery.

First introduced in the late 1950s and was successfully commercialized in the early 1970s, carburetors are now preferred by many modern auto mobiles.

Now, going back to the owner’s manual, follow the recommended maintenance schedule to ensure that your car maintains top quality performance in terms of driving, riding, agility, comfort, and most important of all, safety.

In your manual, it is written, though not directly implied, that the engine is the heart of your car. It goes to show that it is probably the most costly to repair when something goes wrong. So taking care of your engine is as good as regularly waxing your exterior. Scan your manual and try to find out the manufacturer’s recommended way of repairing and maintaining the engine. Nonetheless, with today’s electronic controls, a lot of maintenance has been eliminated. You do not need often tune ups because there are no more condensers to replace. But it is still practical to consult your owner’s manual every now and then.

All these and more are found in the owner’s manual. Do take it as a very important detached auto part that needs to be utilized if in case you need to repair or maintain something.



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Craig Rad
You decided that you car is outdated. Well, don’t worry, because that is why they invented car tuning. No, you don’t need to go shopping for a new and very expensive car, you just need to embrace the idea of car tuning. Think about it this way: You, your look and style also need, from time to time, certain improvements, and so does your car. Not sure what to do, what to change and how to improve you car? Here are the best 6 tips you can use when deciding for car tuning:

3 General Tips about What to Consider and Why

1. Start from the idea that the improvements will cost you money. For sure, you don’t want to modify your car to the worse. So, say “no” to cheap equipment, to cheap car accessories and to unprofessional techniques. Be prepared to opt for the best of the best. But in order to make sure that you won’t harm your budget too much, evaluate the costs before you start the car tuning process. Make sure you include the services, equipment, all the accessories and necessary elements.

2. Think ahead. Make sure that the modifications you are about to bring to your car are not irreversible. Or, in case they are irreversible, make sure you will feel happy with them forever. Basically, car tuning is an actual investment, so you would better give it a lot of thought and consideration. Furthermore, decide on the type of the car tuning you are looking for: engine tuning, interior, exterior modification, body tuning or other forms.

3. Consider the purpose of your car. Who is using the car? What is the car used for? It is a family car? Are you using the car to go to work? Sure, you might want to add some bright yellow flames on the car’s exterior, but is this a proper look for a family car or for the car you use to go to work with? Make sure you can still use the same way you did and that the modifications do not affect the actual functionality of the vehicle.

3 Specific Tips: Engine Tuning and Aesthetic Tuning

4. One of the simplest and most efficient methods of enhancing the aspect of a car is by adding car wallpaper. It is easy, fast, and, even more importantly, it is quite affordable. There are wide ranges of colors, styles and patterns that can customize your car the way you desire.

5. If you are looking forward to adding more power, then you should not jump to the conclusion that the fitting exhausts and induction kits are the only available solution. In fact, they are a great solution, but you need much more than that, such as new and optimized brakes, plus the suspension tuning. So, in general, make sure you consider all the additional and necessary elements before you take any decision.

6 If your goal is to reach the optimal engine power, then there are some simple and effective tricks you can apply. First of all you need to make sure that there are no air leaks. How can you do that? You can check with the help of some silicon sealants, which should be applied on the carburetor. Secondly, you should keep the engine’s temperature around 150 degrees the first three times when you are running tanks of fuel and then keep the temperature of the engine around 200 degrees. Good luck!



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Robert
As you are looking at this article, then its obvious that you have an interest in vintage tractors.

Its very important they you test all the basic mechanics of the tractor, so take time to test the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you plan to work on it immediately, you probably won’t be interested in a full refurbishment for some time and need to keep to a minimum the number of things to do when you get the tractor home. You should have a detailed check list which included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you don’t have these tools, don’t panic as these tools can end up costing more than the tractor itself.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

Does it start easily from cold? – A tractor that starts easily from cold will rule out several particular problems at once Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn’t start easily, it still may be a good tractor but you won’t escape some work on it. One key thing to watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up prior to your arrival, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

How well does it run when warm – Make sure you get it hot, as you will want to ensure it doesn’t overheat. When warmed up you should watch out for a number of problems. You should run it for al least half an hour. After running look for leaks, antifreeze and both oil. Then, shut it down and see how it starts up again.

Are the brakes working well – Although the brakes are inexpensive to replace, they are inaccessible on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in.

Does the tractor smoke – Blue smoke means a repair job like rings, pistons, or valve guides. Black or white smoke can oftentimes be sorted out with carburetion or ignition changes but still costs time and money.

Does the engine make unusual noises – A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve adjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would show very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load. This may be an indication of problems with the bearings, crankshaft or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

Work the hydraulics – Check the full extent of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load sit in the hold situation for a period to be sure that there is no slippage. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is getting insufficient flow of hydraulic oil. The pump will have experienced a lot of wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.

While some of the above examples may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research and understand the particular issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you buy.



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Robert
Tips for Scooters

If you own a scooter and cannot get it to run, you know how absolutely frustrating this can be. If you find yourself in this status keep reading for caring tips and insight.

Initially you need to remain calm and focus on the challenge you are having so you can narrow it down to something precise. This will help you know exactly what answer to pursue.

In order for a scooter to drive efficiently and normally, there are truly only 3 primary effects wanted. These are ignition at the approved time, the approved air and fuel mixture with correct exhaust flow and finally sufficient engine compression. If you can master and learn to maintain these, you will be in good shape.

Compression Check:

If you have just purchased a scooter one of the first effects you need is towork a entire inspection before you start running it. You should start with a compression stop as this is relatively painless to work. start by checking the amount and quality of the engine oil. If the oil is awfully soiled you might want to change it. Only do this if absolutely desired because you might find out later that the engine is scratched and then you will have wasted new oil in the change. If the oil level is low, then minimally add an appropriate amount.

Once you have inspected the oil, hook up a good battery orpurchase a new one if desired. Now you need to inspect out the spark plug and crank the scooter for approximately 5 seconds. This will help circulate the oil. Let the scooter sit for about 15 seconds and then crank the scooter again for about 5 seconds. Be alert not to crank for more than 5 seconds and not pausing as this will cause the starter to burn and will display the starter out. The majority of scooters expect a lowest of 100 psi in compression to drive properly. To right test this number the engine requests to be hot and the scooter requests to be running. join a compression gauge and open the twist-grip completely. crank the scooter pending the needle on the gauge stops tender. This should take around 5 seconds. Make a observation of the gauge reading. In general 100-125 psi is good, 125-150 psi is very good, and 150 or more psi is excellent. If your analysis is below this range you may have something out of spec with your valves or piston rings. You might try adding one teaspoon of oil to the engine through the spark plug hole. After this, try the compression check again. If you get a increased output this time, this is an indication that you might have bad rings. If you get about the same output as the first check, you probably have bad valves.

Spark Check:

Now its time to test for spark. There are a few ways to accomplish this. The simplest way is to take out the spark plug and place it back in the spark plug cap. Next, ground it to the engine. You can do this by placing it on a non-painted part of the engine. Make sure you have metal-to-metal contact. Now in a partly dark vicinity, try to start the scooter. You should see a spark at the tip of the spark plug. If the spark is blue, it means it is a nice sound spark. A white spark is less good and a golden one is weaker still. Most scooters have a relatively weak starter system compared to automobiles so even a golden spark should be ok. Now that you know you have spark, you need to make sure it is happening at the right time. Almost every scooter manufactured after 1980 has an electronic ignition If this is the situation, this is good news. These systems cannot be set and seldom go out of time. If your scooter has points, this is another matter. On these, in order to get the timing proper you will need to grasp the timing procedure mentioned in the guidebook. usually, just before the piston reaches the top of its stroke, the spark occurs. There is small waiting stop between the spark plug fire and the fuel-air mixture ignition. This is why the spark occurs somewhat early. Most ignition systems have a spark advance built in so that as the engine speeds up the spark time is adjusted accordingly. This helps make sure the mixture ignites at just the right time.

Starting Fluid:

Next you need to test the starting fluid. assuming there is enough compression, spurt in a little starting fluid and see if the scooter will fire up. If so, brilliant! This lets you know you have both enough compression and the right spark. Let your scooter run for just a short time on starting fluid. If this succeeds it means you have a good gamble of making your scooter to work properly. Be careful however. You do not want to run your engine very long on starter fluid as it is hard on the engine.

Fuel/Air mixture:

The finishing thing to check is the mixture of fuel and air. It’s important to have the right mix of each. Too much or too little of whichever will be a hindrance. If the scooter has not been run for more than 3 months, sludgy deposits left over from evaporated gas may be present. Try to determine how long it has been after the scooter was last operated. If it has been more than 3 months, the fuel system and the carburetor should be cleaned out. Detach the fuel line and remove out all the old gas. Now add new fuel and make sure it flows efficiently through the petcock on the bottom of the fuel tank. If vacuum controls the petcock, then you may have to draw a vacuum on the line to get the fuel toemerge to start. In these cases the lesser line on the petcock is the vacuum line. Is the flow of gas good and steady? If so, great! If not, you will need to remove and wash the petcock. The gas flow should cease when you remove the vacuum.

Next you should remove the carburetor and thoroughly wash it. There are a lot of awfully small air and fuel passageways in the carburetor that have to be clean in order for your scooter to run properly. With attention, dismantle the carburetor. This can be fairly simple on a 50cc scooter or totally complicated on a Riva 180-200. The Riva only has partial access and 8 distinct hoses running to the carburetor. The carburetor has very small passages which may get bunged. The scooter won’t operate properly if the carburetor is not perfectly clean, so be unwearied and thorough. I counsel using about a gallon of carburetor dip which you can acquire at your community supply store for about $11 dollars.

Initially take out all rubber and gaskets or they may get blemished. This is important. Make sure these are removed before proceeding. Now saturate the carburetor for about twenty minutes and use compressed air to blow it out. It is crucial for you to get the passageways and jets clean. ensure the jets are clean particularly the starter jet. Occasionally carb cleaner won’t unclog these small jets. If this happens, make use of a guitar/piano wire, copper electrical wire or a tiny drill bit pin vise to finish the job. Be sure that the hole in the starter jet is not enlarged or the tuning will be changed. Put everything back together, looking for any cracks in the gaskets or rubber carb boots. If they are old and cracked, it’s a good idea to get them replaced.

If there is an automatic choke, make sure that it works. The resistance between the wires should be around 10 ohms or less on the assembly. Take the choke from the carb and the wires should be plugged into a 12V source for about 15 minutes. The choke body should be welcoming to the finger. Now measure again. The length should have improved by around 1/8th inches.

In our next series of articles we will cover how to inspect your gas tank for problems. We hope you find this information useful.



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Dough Asker
If you are reading this article, then its clear that you have an interest in vintage tractors. Collecting, refurbishing and maintaining vintage tractors from years ago has become very popular in the last few years. There are lots of reasons for this; firstly they are relatively inexpensive to invest in, and look after and in some cases they cost less than the road tax on a new tractor. As Well, they can still be of use around the farm. They also less compliacted than new tractors and much easier to maintain. Each tractor has its own history and can be restored to bring pride and a great deal of enjoyment to the restorer. But how do you know how to avoid the many pit falls when you are buying an antique tractor?

Antique tractors come in many shapes and sizes. As with many things, you should first understand your needs as this will drive what and how you start your search. You need to know what you are looking for then you will have to translate them into a list of requirements that will help you to make a better decision when it comes to buying your antique tractor.

Depending on whether you need an antique tractor for your to work on the land or you are intending to begin reconditioning as a hobby you will select select a diferent type of tractor. Many people will tell you that some of the most sought after antique tractors make poor working tracting and on the flip-side elaborate renovation of an extremely common machine may not be worth the many hours (not to mention the cost of getting hold of parts no longer manufactured).

Detailed research should always be the first thing you start with when looking to buy an antique tractor. Research books are available that contain this information providing every detail you need to know about a particular tractor model.

While collectability, hours on the clock, hitch system, etc make up the main points for choosing what type, size, brand, or model of tractor you want, a more basic set of factors will be used for choosing the exact tractor you will buy. As always, restoring an vintage collectable tractor will have a completely different list of criteria.

Antique working tractors

If you are looking for a day to day tractor then you will find what you are looking for easly, but be careful not to buy the first tractor you see as people often become disillusioned with antique tractors if they have not bought the right one for their needs. One of the frst things you should look at is the layout of your fields, how hilly is it and also what type of farm machinery you will need to use. If you plan on using the tractor for tillage, such as barley or corn, then you should consider a Nuffield 342, a Massey Furguson T20 because other machines may be too low to the ground and cause damage to your crop. On the other hand if , you may need to consider something like a Massey-Harris 20 or a Massey Ferguson 135 . If you are going to use machinery, you should first understand the horsepower requirements of this implement and make sure the tractor you select has the weight and power to do the job. If you have the need for a 10 foot disk harrow, then you will need more power than a Fordson Major Diesel Thorough research should ensure you don’t make any of these basic mistakes.

Once you have selected your tractor the first thing which gets your attention should be the mechancis of the tractor not how its looks. Many good day to day tractors will not have seen paint in years and will have been maintained with lots of diferent stuff from around the farm.

Make sure that your tractor performs all the basic tasks properly, so check the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you want to work on it immediately, you may not be interested in a complete reconditioning for sometime and need to reduce the number of upfront jobs. You should have a detailed check list which included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you don€™t have these tools, don€™t panic as these tools can end up costing more than the tractor itself.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

However, having said this, you should still be armed with the a basic knowledge on the operation of the tractor you are previewing. You should, at a minimum beg, borrow or steal a copy of the owners manual for the particular model of tractor you are planning to look at so you are familiar with its operation and basic specs and what to look out for.

Below is a basic checklist which you should use for evaluating any vintage tractor:

· Does it start from cold? – A tractor that starts easily may rule out several particular probems at once Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn’t start quickly, it still may be a good machine but you won’t escape some work on it. One thing you should be watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up when you arrived, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

· Does it run well when hot – Make sure you get it hot, as you will want to ensure it doesn€™t overheat. There are simple and complex problems that can cause the tractor to run poorly after it warms up. Make sure to run it for at least half an hour. Look for leaks, both oil and antifreeze. Then, shut it down and see how it starts up again.

· What condition are the breaks in – Although relatively inexpensive to replace, they are difficult to get at on many tractors and will involve a lot of effort to replace. You can check the brakes by locking one wheel and cranking the steering to that side. The tractor should spin and the wheel should not rotate, do this for both wheels.

· Does it smoke – Blue smoke indicates many potentially difficult problems like rings, pistons, or valve guides. Black or white smoke can often be fixed with carburetion or ignition changes but still costs time and money.

· Does the engine run smoothly – A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would indicate very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load. This may be an indication of problems with the piston, bearings or crankshaft rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

· How does the oil look – After you have run it for a little while, cut the engine and check the oil for foaming or presence of water. This is a show stopper.

· Is there head leaks – look for signs that fluids are leaking out the head gasket. If the tractor is drenched with grease and dirt, it may cover obvious signs of seepage.

· Is the clutch good – the clutch is not that expensive to replace but splitting the tractor in half is outside what most people want to do.

· Investigate the Dynamo – There should be a small charge shown on the ammeter when the engine is turning over and a change in the charging level when the lights are switched on (this indicates that the regulator or resistor switch and cutout is operating). At normal running speed, no release should be displayed. #

· Use the hydraulics – Check the full range of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load stand in the hold situation for a while to be sure that there is no movement. Chattering noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is not getting enough supply of hydraulic oil. The pump might have experienced a lot of wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.

· Look for structural cracks – If you dont do this you may live to regret it. Look out hairline cracks in all the cast and steel components. A few spots of weld will fix the problem but it does render your tractor unusable until these cracks are fixed..

If your initial examination fails in some of these areas, you may be able to knock down the price (since you found all the problems). At this time you should decide if you have the time to correct what you discovered… and pocket the savings. If you need the tractor straight away then, .

The best option for buying a working tractor is either to purchase one that is currently being used (but the owner needs to upgrade) or from a reputable dealer. The first is normally someone like you who needs a tractor on a day to day basis. These dealings are normally pleasurable and can even lead to a long term friendship that goes beyond the buyer/seller aspect. This type of individual will in all probability even let you use the machine with on your farm and tell you all those things they would fix if they were keeping the tractor.

Purchasing from dealers can also be a good idea but even at a dealer you should be armed with your evaluation criteria rather than relying on “the warranty”. Even if your dealer includes warranties, transporting a tractor back for even free maintenance will cist you a lot of time and effort. Also remember that the dealer is there to make a profit for his business and may not have your best intrests at heart. So buyer beware!

While some of the above experiences may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research make sure you are aware of the specific issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you invest.



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Groshan Fabiola
In order to set up a drag car or bike for peak performance, using loads of boost / nitrous or other modifications, the best thing to have is a suitable inertial chassis dynamometer. It needs to have big diameter clean drums, with a very good grip. Dual rollers are not appropriate in this case, so don’t use them!

The dynamometer should have powerful fans and airflow and an experienced operator.

A braked system is simply unsuitable for an application like this. The dyno itself, along with plug readings, and experience would be the best way to set the car / bike up. Gas analyzers are useless in these situations. If your aim is to set up a stock or mildly tuned cars / bikes fuel injection system, or set up a carburetor systems jetting or ignition properly, you should find a decent braked system, maybe with twin rollers and with a good gas analyzer.

This is the best way to set up this kind of vehicles.

You should use this kind of dyno tools if you are working on stock or mildly tuned car for fault finding, or for a health check. To obtain the accurate power curve picture of a vehicle, you should put on an inertial dynamometer.

In order to buy one for yourself, you should consider the above, decide what kind of work you mainly want your dyno for, and choose accordingly. An important thing to remember is that inertial dynos may be cheaper, but they are more difficult to control (you cannot hold RPM steady on an inertial dynamometer).

However, no matter what type of dynamometer you select, controlling the test conditions is vital to getting usable data. It’s not enough for the dynamometer equipment itself to be accurate; you have to know that the engine’s output is not being skewed by improper dynamometer procedures. In order to prepare your car or bike for a dynamometer testing session, you should consider some of the following:

You should check oil level, being careful not to overfill. If necessary, perform oil and filter change first. Make sure the air filter is clean. Check coolant level. Check for coolant leaks visually Check tires for correct pressures and healthy condition, especially if it’s a seriously powerful vehicle, as grip may be a problem. Add enough fuel. If you use nitrous, water injection, make sure these are all topped up! Make sure it has correctly gapped healthy plugs.

That’s basically all you need to do. Dynamometer testing is no worse for your car than a bit of fast motorway driving, and in some cases even safer for your engine!



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Terry Brown
Thanksgiving is all over and it seems like the rush during that holiday has also come and gone. Many groups, organizations, and agencies who are concerned about the number of traffic accidents, mishaps, and crashes have made sure that they reminded the driving public about the tips and reminders even before the hype started.

Reminders on how to be safe were greatly spread out. Tips on what things should you prepare for were also shared. For example, people and drivers were reminded that they should replace any parts of their vehicles that needed to be replaced before they do drive out of their driveways. If your vehicle needed new Weber carburetors or Tanabe exhausts, then the right time to replace them should be long before the scheduled holiday drive.

And now, it looks like all those campaigns towards lessening the number of vehicular mishaps had paid off much. You see, according to the State Police with regards to the investigations they did on this year’s Thanksgiving holiday that took some five days, they were actually able to record quite a lower number compared to the same period the previous year. The studies and statistics, according to Jeffrey B. Miller, the State Police commissioner, listed the number of highway fatalities, total crashes, and number of injuries on the road. Miller did also added, “We had better weather than last year for the driving period, but I believe the decreases are in part the result of tougher traffic law enforcement by our troops and greater use of seat belts by the public.”

The whole length of this year’s Thanksgiving period started out on the 22nd of November and ended up until the 26th. During the whole lot, there were eleven people who were killed while only quite 379 people were injured in the total of 1,066 crashes that the police were able to respond to. Compared to last year, there were actually 13 people who lost their lives while 503 took in injuries. The whole number of crashes last year was 1,738. Indeed, the numbers did go down this year.

Miller did also say, “Only one of the 11 people killed during the holiday travel period was wearing a seat belt. Making sure that everyone in a vehicle is properly restrained is the single most important thing that can be done to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries.”



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Robert
If you are reading this article, then you must have an interest in vintage tractors.

Its very important they you test all the basic mechanics of the tractor, so take time to test the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you wish to work on it right away, you may not be interested in a full restoration for some time and need to reduce the number of initial jobs. You should have a detailed check list which included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. However if you don’t own a set of these tools or have access to them then don’t panic.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

How easily does it start from cold? – A tractor that starts easily from cold will rule out several items in one go Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn’t start quickly, it still may be a good tractor but you will need to spend some money on it . One key thing to watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up prior to your arrival, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

How well does it run when warm – Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. When warmed up you should watch out for a number of problems. Make sure to run it for at least half an hour. After running look for leaks, both oil and antifreeze. Lastly after warm up, shut it down and see if it will start.

Are the brakes working well – Although the brakes are inexpensive to replace, they are inaccessible on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in.

Does it smoke – Blue smoke spells trouble like rings, pistons, or valve guides. White or black smoke can oftentimes be fixed with carburetion or ignition changes but still means work.

Does it make clunking noises from inside the engine – A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would point to very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load. This may be a sign of trouble with the piston, bearings or crankshaft rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

Work the hydraulics – Check the full range of the power rams by extending them with a load. Let the load sit in the hold position for a period of time to be sure that there is no slippage. Chattering noises from the pump while lifting indicate the pump is not getting enough supply of hydraulic fluid. The pump may have experienced excessive wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be about to fail.

While many of the above experiences may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research and understand the particular issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you invest.



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Dwyane Thomas
A Mercedes Benz car is one of the most reliable cars in the market today. But just like a human being who deserves some spa and pampering once in while, your Mercedes Benz car also deserves a tune-up.

The term tune-up is usually associated and related to the overhaul, lubrication and detail of your car. Originally, this term was historically associated with the routine replacement of key ignition system parts like spark plugs and ignition points, along with some basic adjustments to help “tune” the engine. However, due to mounting pressure for increased fuel economy and lower emissions, car manufacturers were forced to adopt electronics and to do away with ignition points during the 1970’s, along with the carburetor during the middle of the 1980s. This resulted to the elimination of the need to replace and adjust a growing number of ignition and fuel system parts.

Vehicle owners usually get their vehicles tuned-up to improve performance and increase their vehicle’s reliability especially when they’re planning to go on long trips.

However, times are fast changing and cars are becoming more and more modern to adapt with the changes. Along with these changes, people are also having perceptions that tune-ups are no longer necessary for today’s cars. But according to Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council, there is a misconception that today’s modern vehicles don’t need tune-ups because they never break down, but that simply is not true. He further added that if you’re at work and your computer goes down, you can’t get any more work done. It’s the same with your vehicle. If the vehicle isn’t being properly maintained, you’re not going to get where you want to go.

Mercedes tune-up parts are the parts included in your systems like the ignition, emission, fuel and many more. Among these many Mercedes tune up parts are your spark plugs, ignition wires, rotors, fuel filters and so on. To be more familiar with these, it is advisable to take a look at your Mercedes repair manual.

Proper maintenance Mercedes tune-up parts are necessary for the optimum performance of your Benz. Always remember that preventive maintenance is still the best answer.



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Terry Brown
The carburetor, found in the internal combustion engine, regulates and maintains the right mixture of air and fuel in the engine. When the engine ignites the fuel, the energy in the form of gas is distributed to make the vehicle run. The carburetor is an important auto part and tuning it is crucial.

Making vehicles in tune is a common practice. However, there are still a number of car owners who are not acquainted with the scientific way of tuning automobiles; they stick with the traditional way. However, according to auto experts, more often than not, the traditional way is not always right.

The carburetor performs multiple tasks all at the same time. It calculates the ratio of air to fuel, filters air intake, and distributes the right amount of fuel to feed the engine. Because of the complex nature of carburetors, some automakers are replacing it with the electronic fuel injection. The latter distributes its subtasks to various systems that can handle them efficiently. Hence, the complex process is made easier and simplified.

However, if the car owner knows the scientific and most practical way of tuning his vehicle’s carburetor, he could save a lot. Compared to the fuel injection system, the carburetor is much simpler. Every driver should know that the proper level of fuel is just at the base of the sight hole. If the fuel does not trickle out of the sight hole, you should adjust the float up. Moreover, if the car’s gas spills or the carb drips fuel, there is likely a bad seat assembly and needle. The owner of the car should take it away from the top without removing the float bowl. There are several carburetors manufactured in state-of-the-art standards. Weber carburetor parts are meticulously assembled to make them function efficiently without compromising functionality and safety.

Never move the secondary float bowl to the primary and vice versa. The rear float bowl level is lower compared to its front counterpart. This is done to keep fuel from dripping out and into the carburetor’s throat during heavy braking. Also, when gas flows out of place due to a bad float, valve or too much fuel pressure, said pressure should be checked. It must be between 4 psi and 7 psi. If the fuel pressure is right, then the problem is on the float or its valve. This situation calls for an immediate replacement. It is better to purchase a complete conversion kit. Weber carburetor conversion kits and other well-regarded brands in the industry offer a complete line of sophisticated carburetor and parts.

In choosing carburetors, one should look into its tuneability and performance. They must be proven by car owners and other auto authorities. In addition, one should also consider the carburetor’s versatility. There are those manufactured to suit on a great number of vehicles. The companies offering this kind of carburetor concentrate on quality engineering hence; they have earned trust and loyalty among car owners.

A well-tuned carburetor provides a consistent flow of fuel at nearly all angles. This will prolong the service and ensure good performance of the car.



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anonymous
The old, grizzled pilot was asked, “How should I fly through a thunderstorm that I could not avoid?”

The answer he wanted to give was either, “You can’t.” or “Don’t try.”

But the question needed to be answered. Here is his advice:

Just about the only way to inadvertently get into a thunderstorm is by flying instruments in clouds with embedded thunderstorms and without either weather radar equipment onboard or ground-based weather radar available to your air traffic controller. Let’s assume this is how Fate dealt you such a poor hand.

The biggest danger in a thunderstorm is structural failure. My advice is: don’t do anything that helps the thunderstorm break your airplane. When you realize that you are in trouble, slow down. I mean not just to maneuvering speed but much slower than that. Slow to what is known as ’slow cruise’ – the speed that you use in holding patterns. This will be fairly close to the best rate of climb airspeed for your airplane. Slow cruise is slow enough to minimize the adverse effects of turbulence and fast enough to keep your controls responsive. Consider putting your wheels down. This will help you stay slow. Most airplanes are not as strong with flaps out, so don’t use flaps unless there is no restriction against it in your pilot’s handbook for the airplane.

The reason to slow down is that the higher your airspeed, the greater force turbulence can impart on your airplane. That destructive force comes in the form of lift. Remember that lift is proportional to the speed of the airplane squared. Slow is good.

Too slow is not good simply because the last thing that you need is to stall and spin when you are in a thunderstorm.

There is an adage in aviation that says a pilot’s priorities are aviate, navigate and communicate, in that order. I agree. Certainly your most important task is to fly the airplane. However, you need all the help you can get. So tell air traffic control (ATC) that you are in trouble and need help. Ask them to vector you out of the thunderstorm. Tell them that you cannot maintain the assigned altitude – because you cannot. Ask them to vector you away from high terrain. Be aware that your inability to maintain altitude can easily put you in a position where you cannot hear ATC for some time.

The intensity of rain in a thunderstorm can be truly phenomenal. Quite possibly your engine or engines can start to ingest a great deal of water. This water can turn to ice in your carburetor especially at high altitudes and low power settings. When you apply carburetor heat, the mixture enriches forcing you to lean the engine or risk fouling the spark plugs. Tuning the engine is an integral part of flying the airplane, your most important task.

The updrafts and downdrafts in a thunderstorm can far exceed a general aviation airplane’s ability to climb or dive. So just ride them out. Don’t start building airspeed by pushing your nose down to stay at your assigned altitude in a strong updraft. If you get caught in a strong downdraft, go to your best rate of climb airspeed at full power. You will still go down – just not as fast and not so far. When the downdraft subsides, you will start climbing back to your assigned altitude. If you have oxygen and perhaps if you don’t, ask ATC for a higher altitude so you will have a greater margin of safety when you enter your next overpowering downdraft. If ATC will not grant you a higher altitude, do not be afraid to declare an emergency and tell ATC that you are going to a higher altitude.

There are two things that you should remember here. First, if the FAA issues a violation, it is better to argue in court that you needed that higher altitude than it is to have the surviving members of your family argue in court that the FAA should have cleared you to a higher altitude. Second, when you go high without oxygen, you get so stupid you don’t know how truly stupid you are. Having said that, when you are at 10,000 feet facing 12,000 feet peaks and a known thunderstorm behind you, the options start to narrow. For me, it is better to face hypoxia than certain death.

To sum it up: Plan your fight and check your weather well enough to be certain that you are not going into a thunderstorm.

If, by some fluke of nature, you end up in a thunderstorm that was not predicted and you could not see, then

1.) Slow down.

2.) Remember that flying the airplane is your most important job.

3.) Get out of the thunderstorm as quickly as possible.

4.) Keep going straight with wings level while you ride out overpowering up and downdrafts.

5.) Tell ATC.

6.) Ask for help.



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Terry Z. Voster
For the legendary Lamborghini sports car stable of fantastic ultra high performance and styled vehicles it all started with ordinary Fiat automobiles and tractors.

Mr. Lamborghini – fully named – Mr. Ferruccio Lamborghini got his start with Fiats and then went on to a large successful manufacturing concern that grew from a small manufacturing shop into a major producer of tractors. However at a certain point in every person’s life they search out to complete what their real passion is. In the case of Lamborghini was finely styled and crafted motor cars. At 60 years of age, an established manufacturer of agricultural tractors – Mr. Lamborghini – decided that he could a better job of building a high end, beautifully styled, performance racing automobiles than either of the two dominant Italian auto firms of that auto industry sector – Ferrari and Maserati.

The first product out of the door had a chassis that was multi-tubular; the engine was front mounted sporting a 3.5 liter 12 cylinder V-12 engine. The V-12 engine itself was fitted with six Weber carburetors and ran four overhead camshafts. It all clocked at 360 ultra smooth horsepower with the transmission drive being through five speed stick shift. Suspension involved a coil and wishbone independent suspension set up. In one word it was wow – both in terms of performance of the hop as well as the automotive styling.

Although the styling of those early Lamborghini models may be considered standard Italian sports car design – designs which have worked their way into the so called standard “sport scar designs “and “sport scar flair”, at the time it was new and innovative and for the most part if was twenty five years ahead of anything produced in the good old U.S.A. . The one American sports car which might be considered an exception to that point was the Chevrolet Corvette. For years to come nothing else really matched or was similar to the clean aerodynamic lines and styling of the early Lamborghini classic autos.

Even then Lamborghini had such innovative products the establishment and reputation of the Lamborghini product line was no easy road to hoe. Although the first cars were produced in 1963 it was not for two years later – at the Turin Motor Show that the car began to attract solid interest and for the reputation of the car and its studio to grow and begin to become accepted for what it should be.

The first real product of record for Lamborghini was what was marketed as Miura T 400 model automobile. Its first year of manufacture was the 1966 model year. The basic layout and design of the Miura T 400 was a mid-engined coupe with a slightly larger version of the overhead cam engine – the classic V-12 laid out transversely behind the two seats of the car. The rear wheels were then driven by this engine through” spurs gears”. Interestingly the gear boxes and rear axles were Lamborghini products all by themselves -so they shared a lineage that was unique and not the same as any other of the competitor’s models.

What was performance of this little cat? The V-12 engine could pour out a total of 385 barrel horsepower. Top speed of this little coupe was over 180 miles per hour. It could more than carry its weight with the local Italian contenders – even the famed Ferraris.

If the was one complaint from drivers or riders it was of noise levels in the car’s cockpit. It can be said that this was the price to be paid for success or in this case speed and performance. If you cannot stand the heat don’t stay in the kitchen. Certainly the buyers of Lamborghini fine motor cars who bought the product and established the revered name for its performance and advanced styling and forgo this small shortcoming or foible as the car as an assumed fact – even a luxury.

The next model in the Lamborghini stable was introduced approximately two years later. The entire life of the production run of the popular Miura model was nine years – with two cars being produced a week ( a production figure of only 100 or so cars a year). The name of this vehicle was the Espada. For the new Lamborghini model, the Espada, Lamborghini went back to a more standard front engine layout. Perhaps this was in response to concerns over noise levels in the cockpit of the Miura and the need to produce a more “standard” or “civilized “vehicle product. No one really knows what went on in the mind of the genius Ferruccio Lamborghini. However what was retained for sure were the Lamborghini basics – the four liter V-12 massive highly tuned engine with whizzy overhead cams and multiple choke carburetors all putting out massive automotive performance and handling.

In the end it can be said that the Lamborghini automotive and automotive styling and performance legends are more than unique and reek of power, thrust and acceleration.



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Thomas MacIntosh
Harley, the name is not new in the domain of automobile accessories and devices. The carburetor from Harley Davidson is exclusively meant for a smooth ride on your bike. The Harley carburetor has a long life provided you tune it from time to time. You won’t face any kind of hassle in driving your bike if the tuning is done properly.

The process of tuning for better performance

Don’t think you won’t be able to do it and dump your bike in a garage. It is nothing like that. Things are rather simple and you can yourself conduct the process of tuning the Harley carburetor. The tuning becomes important for the maintenance of the carburetor.

Well to begin with remove the Harley carburetor from the main body of the engine. You cannot just open and remove it as if opening your shirt. A particular technique has to be followed. The fuel has to be removed from the carburetor bowl and only then you can clean the thing. The backing plate and the bolts are to be removed in parts and the choke cable has to be also taken off.

The throttle cables are next put down. Therefore one by one the individual parts are disassembled. You need not entirely open the throttle cables. When the carburetor bowl is cleaned with the carburetor cleaner and you set down to reset the arrangement, adjust the throttle cables in the right location.

Resetting of the cables and reinstallation of the carburetor

The final round of tuning is the process of reassembling and fixing up the cables along with the clean carburetor bowl. The problem you face while riding a bike in simple terms is the heating up of the engine. And you fail to judge that the problem lies with the carburetor. Most of the times you even decide to change the whole unit of the carburetor.

Such changes are not required in Haley’s carburetor. Simple tuning brings it back to the original performance. While tuning there is a chance of misplacing a cable or it can also be so that you cannot fix the exact cables in the right place. It is always suggested to tag or mark the cables used in a Harley carburetor. This will create no fuss either at the times of removal or at the times of resetting.

The wiring system attached to the cables of the carburetor is to be handled with care. Don’t damage the fine metal wires or else you will have to replace them and get new ones fixed up. After tuning your bike or specifically the Harley carburetor, take a short trip and enjoy the difference. You won’t complain any more about the engine.



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Zeke Gervis
The air intake system is a car part that needs full attention all the time.

It is carefully built and tuned for an automobile to experience the maximum efficiency and power. It is the part of the internal combustion engine that is a powerful air pump. Its function is to increase the velocity of the air until such time that it travels in to the combustion chamber. This is done at the same time while minimizing the turbulence and restriction of flow. The intake works by testing the flow of air on a flow bench in the port design stage.

To tremendously improve the car’s performance, extensive tweaking of the intake system is found on cars with turbochargers or superchargers that provide a pressurized intake system.

Consumers nowadays mostly prefer modern cars. And these cars also require a modern air intake system that has 3 major parts, namely an air filter, mass flow sensor, and throttle body. In order to reduce the noise that enters the cabin, more recent cars now have silencer. This car part hinders the flow of air and creates turbulence that reduces total power. In effect, many performance fanatics often remove the silencers.

Specific lengths of air intakes are designed for the air to vibrate and be available at a specific frequency. This assists the flow of air into the combustion chamber. To minimize the restriction of flow at the cost of changing the pattern of the air intake for a small net increase in power or torque, the aftermarket industry now has larger throttle bodies and air filters.

In the case of your Daihatsu car, if you feel any damage in its air intake, the Daihatsu oxygen sensor might be in trouble. Check your owner’s manual and know how to solve.

As a car owner, you need to know other things about your air intake system. One of which is the process of how the air and the fuel that needs to burn get into the cylinders.

In a carburetor equipped engine, the air comes into the space for air filter. Air passes through the air filter and then into the carburetor where the fuel is blended with it. Through the intake manifold, it passes. And then it is drawn into the cylinders.

The Air Temperature Sensor is the most advanced part of the air intake system. This prevents carburetor icing that might cause your vehicle to stall and die out. It also facilitates vaporization of the fuel into the air stream. Moreover, it is used to gauge the temperature of air. It also allows cool air in through the air horn or heated air piped in from around an exhaust manifold. And this is done through opening and closing a flap.

However, you cannot accurately measure the incoming air for the appropriate fuel mixture. Nonetheless, for an idle car, you can use emission analyzer. Then, adjust the fuel mixture. Remember that you cannot attain the right fuel mixture at higher speeds.

While some car manufacturers do not recommend carburetor adjustments, some manufacturers recommend carburetor adjustments on a dynamometer with the engine under load.

Vehicles using fuel injection, air is drawn in through the air intake. It is a long plastic tube that transcends up to the space for the air filter. The intake tube is long because it must make the air move in a fairly steady, coherent stream. Through the air filter and then followed by the air flow meter, the air passes.

The vane type and the hot wire type are the two types of AFMs. The first one contains a flap that is forced by the incoming air. More flaps are forced back when there is more amount of air that is coming in. A potentiometer that is attached to the flap sends a signal of voltage to the Power train Control Module (PCM). Behind the main vane is a second vane. This fits into a closed camber which suppresses the movement of the vane. In effect, a more accurate measurement is given. An Air Temperature Sensor, which functions exactly as it does in the carbureted engine, is also built into the vane AFM.

On the other hand, the hot wire AFM utilizes a series of wires strung in the air stream. The wire resistance at normal operating temperature is held constant; it will allow a set voltage through it. The air cools as it passes through the hot wire. And during this process, the wire resistance diminishes. As a result, it allows passing through more voltage. The signal of the voltage then goes to the main EFI computer. There, it allows the fuel mixture to be adjusted. And then, from the AFM, it goes to the throttle chamber.

The air that flows into the engine is controlled by the chamber. The car comes in an idle mode when the throttle chamber is closed. A small bypass chamber allows a small amount of air to bypass the throttle plate and proceed into the engine.

The Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) and the Cold Start Valve are among the other essential parts of the air intake system.

And so this is how the air intake system works and how air enters the engine. Having knowledge on this will lessen your ignorance when it comes to intake matters. A frequent owner’s manual browsing will also help a lot.



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Robert
If you are reading this article, then vintage tractors are clearly of interest to you.

Its very important they you test all the basic mechanics of the tractor, so take time to test the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you plan to work on it straightaway, you may not be interested in a complete restoration for some time and need to minimize the number of initial maintenance tasks. You should have a detailed check list which included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you are not lucky enough to have access to these tools, as many don’t then don’t panic. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

Does it start from cold? – A tractor that starts easily from cold will eliminate several items at once Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn’t start quickly from cold, it still may be a good machine but you will have to spend some time and money on it. One thing you should be watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up when you arrived, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

Does it run well when hot – Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. When warmed up you should watch out for a number of problems. Plan on spending a half-hour running it. After running look for leaks, both oil and antifreeze. Lastly after warm up, shut it down and see if it will start.

Are the brakes working well – Although inexpensive to replace, they are difficult to get at on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in.

Does the tractor smoke – Blue smoke indicates many potentially difficult problems like rings, pistons, or valve guides. White or black smoke can frequently be fixed with carburetion or ignition changes but still means work.

Does the engine make unusual noises – A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would point to very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load conditions. This may be an indication of trouble with the crankshaft, bearings, or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

Work the hydraulics – Check the full extent of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load stand in the hold position for a period to be sure that there is no leakdown. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting suggest the pump is not getting enough flow of hydraulic fluid. The pump might have experienced excessive wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be ready to fail.

While many of the above experiences may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research make sure you are aware of the specific issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you buy.



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Dominik Hussl
One of the first things most riders do when they first purchase a bike is change out the stock exhaust system with an aftermarket motorcycle exhaust. If you have a sport bike you may just opt for some slip-ons. A cruiser will usually require a full exhaust system. The benefits of aftermarket systems is an increase in power as well as that it will improve the sound of the bike. When you get your bike from the factory the baffles usually restrict the sound of your bike so much that it can be barely herd as well as restrictions in exhaust flow are in place which restrict the horse power. The other most significant factor especially on sport bikes is the weight reduction a full race exhaust system can offer.

If you are the proud owner of a Cruiser you are most likely to replace the stock exhaust system with an aftermarket system. Their are many manufacturers available for cruisers. Cobra, Vance and Hines and Samson are just a few. Most of these will reduce the weight of the stock exhaust system by about 15 pounds, increase the performance of the bike and will make it louder. A new system will run somewhere between 300 to over 1000 dollars depending on the system you choose. Cobra makes some nice exhaust systems at a very affordable price. If you have a V-Twin whether its a American or metric bike a new motorcycle exhaust will make the bike sounds ten times better then any stock exhaust. If you do decide to drop the OEM pipes and go with an aftermarket system you will need to adjust your carburetor or have someone remap your fuel injection system in order to accommodate the new pipes. If you do not you will find that the bike will not perform properly or it may even cause engine damage. If you have a fuel injected bike you will likely need to buy a power commander to make the adjustments needed to accommodate the new exhaust. When figuring out the cost of getting a system make sure you figure this in to the equation. I recommend that you have the system installed and the bike tuned by a reputable motorcycle shop.

OEM Exhaust Systems on Sport Bikes have become fairly decent, however many restrictions are still put in to the OEM systems due to laws that have been passed. For a sport bike you will tend to have a choice of just replacing the Cans or replacing the whole exhaust system. This is really a matter of how deep you want to get in to it. Re tuning is going to be needed either way, the only real question is if you want to spend a few hundred bucks or a thousand or so. Usually their is significant weight reduction by going with a full system replacement versus just the slip-ons. The Slip-ons are the cheaper way to go and still get the most bang for your buck. You will definitely need to get a power commander to remap the fuel injection. A lot of the newer liter bikes that are coming out already have a full titanium exhaust system on them so all you need is to replace the cans to take out the restrictions. Their are lots of manufacturers to choose from when picking a aftermarket exhaust for a sport bike. Here are a few: Cobra, Vance and Hines, Two Brothers, Yoshimura, Jardine to name a few. Choosing one is just a matter of taste.

Remember not matter what system you decide to go with it is important that you get the bike tuned to it to get the best performance form your bike. It is recommended that you have the exhaust system installed and the bike tuned by a reputable shop.



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Robert
Because you are reading this article, then its clear that you have an interest in vintage tractors.

Make sure that your tractor performs all the basic tasks properly, so check the steering, gears, forward and reverse, PTO, lift, lights, indicators and hydraulics. Even if you plan to work on it straightaway, you probably won’t be interested in a full renovation for some time and need to reduce the number of upfront jobs. Your check list should included at a minimum the following: does it start easily from cold, run well when hot, all the electrical components work well, does it have good traction If possible you should go to your test armed with a toolbox containing a compression tester, expensive Fluke digital multimeter, hydrometer, and other specialty tools. or bring somebody with you who has these tools.. If you don’t have these tools, don’t panic as these tools can end up costing more than the tractor itself.. You should in this case rely on your own common sense and your own observation skills.

How easily does it start from cold? – A tractor that starts easily from cold may eliminate several items in one shot Good Battery, compression, ignition wiring / magneto, tune up, fuel flow, Carburetor can be assured (not guaranteed) by this. If it doesn’t start quickly, it still may be a good machine but you won’t escape some work on it. One thing you should be watch out for is if the tractor is out and warmed up when you arrived, you lose an important checklist item, namely the cold start, because as we all know a warm engine starts much more easily then a cold one..

How does it run when warm – Getting it hot is a must if you want to find out how it will work after you plowed the first row. There a number of problems to watch out for that can cause the tractor to run poorly after it warms up. You should run it for al least half an hour. Look for leaks, antifreeze and both oil. Once warmed up, stop it restart it again..

How well do the brakes work – Although the brakes are inexpensive to replace, they are difficult to get at on many tractors and will require extensive teardown to get the new ones in.

Does it generate a lot of – Blue smoke means a repair job like rings, pistons, or valve guides. Smoke that looks black or white can often be fixed with carburetion or ignition changes but still means work.

Does the engine run smoothly – A simple ticking from the top of the engine may be a simple valve readjustment but a deep thunk from the bottom or middle of the engine would show very serious and expensive repairs. The clunk should be more pronounced under load. This may be a sign of problems with the bearings, crankshaft or piston rods. And mean a very expensive repair job.

Use the hydraulics – Check the full extent of the rams by extending them with a load. Let the load stand in the hold situation for a period of time to be sure that there is no leakdown. Clacking noises from the pump while lifting suggest the pump is getting insufficient flow of hydraulic oil. The pump may have experienced excessive wear when run this way for long periods of time and may be about to fail.

While some of the above examples may sound a bit negative, you should do your background research make sure you are aware of the particular issues the model of tractor you are looking at before you buy.



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Eddie
The Chevrolet Chevelle is a mid-sized car from Chevy, first rolling off the assembly line in 1964. It was manufactured from 1964 through 1977 and was one of General Motors most triumphant cars. Chevelle models ranged from easy on the pocket family cars to convertibles and powerful coupes. The Malibu was at first the top trim level of the Chevelle line, and it replaced the Chevelle name entirely after 1977. The Chevelle chassis, based on the reengineered GM A platform, provided the platform for the Chevrolet Monte Carlo, a very successful model itself.

The Chevelle was anticipated to compete with the equally sized Ford Fairlane, and to return to the Chevrolet lineup a model comparable in size and concept to the popular 1955-57 models. Early drawing photos show what would eventually be the Chevelle wearing Nova nameplates, the name that was used for the top trim level in the smaller Chevy II series. From 1964-69, the Chevelle was the groundwork for the similar Beaumont, a re-trimmed model sold only in Canada by Pontiac dealers.

A two-door station wagon was available in 1964 and 1965 in the bottom-line Chevelle 300 series. Four-door hardtops, dubbed Sport Sedans, were available from 1966 through 1972. Two-door hardtops and convertibles were produced from 1964 to 1972, while four-door sedans and four-door wagons were offered throughout the entire run. In line with other Chevrolet series, the two-door hardtops were called Sport Coupes. An assortment of models of wagons was sold with exclusive nameplates: Nomad (1968-1972), Nomad Custom (1968), Greenbrier (1969-1972), Concours (1967-1972), and Concours Estate (1968-1972).

The El Camino, a utility pickup, was part of the Chevy lineup and, depending on the year, was available in the 300/300 Deluxe trim level, Malibu trim level and the one-year only SS396. The El Camino outlived its passenger car counterpart until its end in 1987.

The Chevelle underwent a redesign for the 1973 model year. The so-called “colonnade hardtop” styling featured frameless door glass and fixed “B” pillars. Rear windows on coupes no longer could be opened, no doubt encouragement from GM to purchase the increasingly popular optional air conditioning. The Front suspension was based on the Camaro and Firebird which greatly improved handling. Engine choices ranged from the 250 I6 to the venerable 454 V8. Hardened engine valve seats and hydraulic camshafts made these engines reliable for many miles, and allowed them to accept the increasingly popular unleaded regular gasoline. Cross flow radiators and coolant reservoirs that prevented air from entering the system prevented overheating. Swivel bucket seats and center console for automatic and manual shift cars were offered in every model as was the instrument gauge cluster. Power front disc and rear drum brakes were standard. Power accessories, air conditioning and AM/FM tape stereo were more prevalent these years and provided a pleasing drive. A power moon roof was an option in 1973 and 1975.

The station wagon, available in 6 or 9 passenger seating, featured a rear hatchback door which allowed for easier entry and loading. The Chevrolet El Camino and GMC Sprint were based on the Chevelle. Yearly design changes to the front and rear mark the aesthetic differences as in preceding years. The 1973 to 1977 Chevelles were top sellers for GM as was the Oldsmobile Cutlass, which used the same A-body platform.

The 1973 model offerings started with the top luxury Laguna series with its distinct urethane nose, followed by Malibu and then deluxe models. A Super Sport SS package was available for Malibu coupes and for the only time, station wagons. The Super Sport SS option included a black front grille, SS emblem on the interior and exterior, body side striping, rally wheels with white letter tires, F41 sport suspension with front and rear sway bars, and a 350 or 454 V8. A 4 speed Muncie transmission was available with 350 or 454 equipped cars on any model.

In 1974 the Laguna S3 coupe replaced the “Super Sport SS” as the sporty performance option on the Chevelle. The nomenclature S3 referred to sport and 3rd generation Chevelle. It sported a special urethane nose, body side striping, Laguna S3 emblem, rally wheels, 4 spoke steering wheel and F41 sport suspension with front and rear sway bars. Radial tires on 15″ wheels and radial tuned suspension provided road grip and retractable 3 point seat belts were introduced and still used in new cars today. A 400 engine was new this year. The 454 was the top engine and available with the Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 or Muncie 4 speed transmissions.

With the Laguna nameplate now bearing the sporty model in the Chevelle line, the top-line series for 1974 became the Malibu Classic, offered in sedan, coupe and station wagon models. Unlike the ‘73 Laguna, the Malibu Classic used the same grille work as lesser Chevelle models but added a spring-loaded hood ornament. Inside, Malibu Classic featured luxurious interiors with notchback bench seats (or optional Strato bucket seats) upholstered in cloth or vinyl, carpeted door panels and wood grain instrument panel trim, and vertical opera windows on coupes or exterior wood trim on station wagons. Also for 1974, the base Chevelle Deluxe series was dropped, leaving the plain Malibu as the low-end series.

The 1975 Laguna S-3 debuted as a 1/2 year model in February and sported a new sloped front nose designed for NASCAR. H.E.I. or High Energy Ignition provided spark to the spark plugs with minimal maintenance and increased power. The larger distributor cap also provided better high RPM performance by decreasing the likelihood of the spark conducting to the wrong terminal. The 454 and Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 transmissions was available for the first half of the model year and then the 400 was the top engine choice. In 1976, the Chevelle was available with the new 5.0 liter 305 V8 the 350 and the 400. 1977 offered the Malibu Classic as the top model and the 350 was the top engine. A Chevelle S.E. or special edition was available and provided front and rear spoilers, rally wheels, special graphics and sport suspension. Only 50 or so were built. When GM downsized its intermediate models for 1978, the Chevelle name was dropped and all models took the Chevrolet Malibu name.

The 1973 to 1977 Chevelle was the top car in the NASCAR circuit in the 1970s. The car was so popular and successful on the track that Chevrolet developed a new front nose in 1975 that lead to the aerodynamic cars of today. The car dominated the field so much that NASCAR imposed a carburetor restrictor plate for all Laguna’s. Drivers that raced 1973 to 1977 Chevelles include Darrell Waltrip, Junior Johnson, Benny Parsons, Cale Yarborough, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Bobby Isaac, Lennie Pond, A.J. Foyt, Ricky Rudd, Dale Earnhardt and female racer Janet Guthrie.



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gregchapman
Fuel prices are fluctuating, but there is no doubt that the days of crude oil are on the decline, which means higher prices over time. So how can we conserve gas and make the most of our fuel dollars? According to HowToAdvice.com, here are 30 ways to start.

WARMING UP YOUR VEHICLE

1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings – 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.

2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up… chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.

3. Don’t start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.

4. Avoid “revving” the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.

5. Eliminate jackrabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don’t push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.

HOW TO BUY GASOLINE

6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day – early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind – gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to “volume of measurement”.

7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which “seem” most beneficial.

8. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first “click” of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.

HOW TO DRIVE ECONOMICALLY

9. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance.

10. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.

11. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.

12. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you “nurse it along”. However, if you cause the engine to “bog down”, premature wearing of engine parts occurs.

13. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.

14. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating – the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.

15.Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you’re on it.

GENERAL ADVICE

16. Do not rest left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts “mechanical drag” on components, wearing them down prematurely. This “dragging” also demands additional fuel usage.

17. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.

18. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter. Compare traveling distance differences – remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight.

19. Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the “green light” all the way.

20. Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.

21. Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.

22. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner’s manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters… diminished airflow increases gas waste.

23. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.

24. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!

25. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. When shopping for new tires, get large diameter tires for rear wheels. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer’s specifications for maximum tire pressures.

26. Remove vinyl tops – they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car’s body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage).

27. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; the more load on your engine, the less miles per gallon.

28. Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car – extra tires, back seats, and unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.

29. Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense – all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater “steady speed” economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.

30. During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.

EXTRA TIPS

Install pressure regulator valve (sold in auto parts stores)… Use graphite motor oil… Beware of oil additives, regardless of advertising claims… Add Marvel Mystery Oil into gas fill-ups… Investigate fuel/water injection methods and products… combine short errands into one trip… Use special gas additives to prevent winter freezing of gas lines… convert your V8 engine over to a V4 – no special kits needed!!!



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Andrew Bernhardt
From the humble beginnings as a speed shop under the sharp eye of Vic Edelbrock Sr. to the performance giant guided today by Vic Edelbrock Jr., Edelbrock has churned out consistent quality. Not only does Edelbrock keep tight controls on everything they make, they even own and operate their own foundry for producing the engine parts that win. Edelbrock understands that an inferior part isn’t worthy of anybody’s time.

Mufflers. Exhaust. Camshafts. Carburetors. Cylinder heads. Manifolds. Nitrous. Even Crate engines. Edelbrock does it all with precision, quality, and best of all, power. It’s a tradition that’s been running at Edelbrock for more than 75 years, with no sign of stopping.

There’s no better source for the best Edelbrock parts on the web than AutoAnything. Not only are all of our Edelbrock parts offered at deep discounted deals off list price, we back all Edelbrock products with a 1-year lower price guarantee. That’s right—find your Edelbrock parts for less elsewhere, and we’ll refund the difference plus an extra buck. There’s no better way to fire-up your ride than with the team of Edelbrock power and quality and AutoAnything prices and service.

Here are a few Edelbrock performance product and brand reviews that I was able to find on the web:

“The edelbrock performer IAS shocks are amazing. I went from the stock shocks on my 02 Ford F150 to a set of KYB shocks that were supposed to be good after I bought my truck because of the rough ride and handling issues. I had those shocks for about 10,000 miles and ended up hating them due to their sluggish response and body role as well as their oscillations after a speed bump. I opted for the Performer IAS shocks because I was interested in the technology and it advertised Smooth ride and Control, and I got exactly that. They were odd to install on the front because the posts are short and Edelbrock is aware of that and they said to go ahead and install, so I did and wow! The difference is amazing, it handles like a sport tuned suspension with very little body roll and helps the tires stick to the ground and it is smooth like a luxury car or SUV over dirt, rough street, potholes, or any terrain. It is truely an amazing technology and an amazing product. Well worth the $300 I paid for them. I reccommend this product for anyone wishing to transform their vehicle’s ride performance. The decreased roughness of the ride creates a quieter ride inside the cab and decreases maintainance of tightening things that come loose during normal vibrations during driving. All in all the perfect product for achieving sport like handling with a luxury style ride. Also the ride under a load of weight is as eaually impressive when towing or hauling heavy things, it still rides smooth and handles great.”

“I have only been able to ride them for about a week at this point and i have to do some minor adjusting but they are great for off road, and good on the street i believe they can be better on the street however. They have a “The Best on the Market Rating and i am very happy.”

“I purchased Edelbrock IAS shocks for my truck when it had 20,000 miles on the factory shocks. The ride was extremely better on and off road.My wife says the ride is 100% better. I have other after market shocks on my other vehicles and in my opinion the Edelbrock shocks out perform them.”

“Had a new set of Gabriel Sport Rider shocks installed on my 1991 Ford Ranger. After three months by being beat to death by these shocks I researched and found the Edelbrock IAS Performers and was convinced I had to have them. I shopped around and found them at AutoAnything.com (best price). WOW, what a difference in ride and handling!!! I just wish I had heard of these several months ago. Worth every cent!”



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Terry Brown
It looks like yet another real victory for the car manufacturer Volvo. And this does not only mean a real good win for the company but it actually also is a real piece of evidence and proof of what the company has done for the market.

Armed with the best Volvo auto parts that the company could ever produce, Volvo Cars has continually sent out vehicles and automobiles that are safe for everybody to use. In fact, even if you do not yet add in additional safety features like Akebono brakes or Weber carburetors to these Volvo vehicles, the automobiles still continue to provide the best kind of safety that people would like to have from their travel machines.

Just most recently, the company has been recognized for such through two awards. These awards were given out by the 2006 Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards. And as per the records of these safety awards, Volvo has already accumulated nine of this recognition since the awards were given out.

So what are the two awards that Volvo received from the 2006 Prince Michael International Road Safety Award? Well, the first one is actually all about the company’s contribution to spreading road safety. The second one is for the Volvo Blind Spot Information System, or the BLIS.

The safety program, which paved the road towards Volvo’s receiving an award, is actually the Volvo Child Safety campaign and it is a whole program of actually sending out information and enlightening people on child safety. The company has created various ways of reaching out to the public like through a booklet that they call the Children in Cars as well as an information pack called Young Families which is targeted for expectant parents. All of the pieces of information that Volvo has shared through this program are all actually from the type of car seats and accessories that they have tested for carrying children with safety through travels. As also part of this program, Volvo has also sponsored The Baby Show in various states.

As per the second award, the BLIS is actually quite innovative for it actually helps drivers know if there are vehicles or other objects that can be invisible due to the driver’s blind spot.



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Anthony Fontanelle
Revolutionary advancements to automotive engineering and design have incorporated the use of engine computers to enhance the efficiency of engine operations. Along with the use of electronic engine sensors, computer-assisted engine system operations have established greater engine power and performance perfect for daily driving applications. For high performance driving applications, you can simply employ a cost effective Pontiac performance chip to do just the trick in taking your vehicle’s overall engine performance a level up notch. The chip carries a program that is designed to upgrade the critical factory performance settings of your engine. Aside from that, the incorporation of application tested technologies backed up the dyno-test proven results of the fuel efficiency as well as the performance gains offered by premium performance chips. Souping-up serious power train has never been easier. The secret to enjoying practical and convenient solutions to unleashing your vehicle’s overall level of performance lie on the functionality of a single unit of sophisticated performance enhancing device.

Tuned towards delivering your vehicle’s peak performance and fuel efficiency, the sophisticated and neat technology used in manufactured premium Pontiac performance chip has long been developed to offer greater possibilities to boosting combustion efficiencies. With the help of electronic sensors, it breaks your engine free from the restrictions of critical factory settings for performance. At specified RPM range, the product is designed to meet the exact demands of sustaining smooth operations as specific driving applications. Add that up to the product’s simplest and easiest installation specifications and you simple get pure convenience of continually enjoying the gains of re-establishing the fuel efficiency status of your engine absolutely hassle-free. While it is intended to be wired directly to your engine control unit, the product automatically makes all the necessary adjustments to optimize fuel combustion efficiency. It intelligently improves drivability by simply helping your engine computer keep up with the intensity of engine operations you require so following the course of your driving style will be absolutely fail-proof.

With today’s age of technological advancements, you never will need to crawl under the hood just to upgrade the performance of your vehicle. Back in the days, you need to hope of the best results when fondling with carburetor settings and distributor advance curves just to squeeze more engine power out of the standard yielded output. By combining aggressive fuel and timing settings, plug and play Pontiac performance chip applications eliminates all the dirty works of juicing more power from your engine. By remapping your engine systems for more power and torque, it simply acquires better stance in terms of drivability and fuel economy. Because performance chips are highly advanced car accessories as well as cost effective performance enhancers, chip manufacturers take leverage on more advanced chip features connected with their chips. Whatever type or brand of performance chip you decide to have your ride equipped with, make sure that the product is custom tailored to your vehicle’s specific year and model of application. Otherwise, you might face sever engine computer problems due to imprecision. Finding the best fitting Pontiac performance chip for your vehicle has been made easier as online automotive stores improved the availability of performance chips not just to your country but all over the world.



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