Home » Archive by category "Cars" (Page 6)

The Importance of Using the Right Oil in Your Car

It’s vital that you use the right kind of oil in your car as it can really make a difference to the life of your engine. Every time you use your car, it wears down the component parts of the engine a little bit more, so using oil is really important to make them last longer and keep things working smoothly for as long as possible.

The purpose of using motor oil is to stop all the metal parts in the engine grinding together and causing damage. Also, when car engines run, they produce by-products such as acid and silica that can be damaging. Motor fluid keeps them from causing damage by making sure the moving parts are all covered in oil. This makes automotive lubricants extremely important.

Because it’s such an important thing, you need to make sure you’re using good motor oil that will keep your car working well. There are three main types of automotive lubricant: mineral, semi synthetic and fully synthetic.

Mineral motor oil

This type of oil needs to be changed more regularly and offer basic protection for car engines, but they often have trouble turning over the engine in cold weather, which means you need to be really careful how you use them.

Semi synthetic motor oil

This type of oil needs to be changed less frequently, which means it is more effective for longer than mineral oils. You also good pretty good protection, particularly when the car first starts up and it it’s three times better at reducing engine wear, but you need to make sure you get a really good quality semi synthetic motor oil to make sure the engine will be able to start smoothly even at low temperatures.

Fully synthetic motor oil

This type of oil is specially formulated to be good at what it does and it can help you make fuel economy savings as it’s much more efficient at protecting your engine and keeping it working properly. It’s a great oil to use if you’re looking to maximise your engine power and overall performance. It also offers very good protection to moving parts of the engine and is the best of the three different types of automotive lubricant when it comes to starting the engine in cold weather. It stops the engine from wearing out and prevents build ups of the sort of dangerous deposits mentioned above. This makes synthetic motor oil a good option for your car.

It’s really important that you use a good, reliable oil for your car engine as otherwise it can lead to major problems. If you use the wrong oil, it won’t be able to cope in the conditions it’s subjected to, which can force it to change its chemical composition. This leads to it turning into a sort of sludge that’s sometimes known as the Black Death. This can cause engines to seize up and terrible damage to be done, so it’s definitely worth giving serious consideration to your choice of car oil.

The selection of the correct oils and lubrication fluids is a vital part of the safe ownership of any mechanical equipment, be it a car or industrial plant. Graham Baylis is working with some of the best experts in the field, Exol Lubricants. See www.exol-lubricants.com

Share

Ford Thunderbird: The Rival To The Corvette

One of the most recognizable classic cars of the 1950s was the Thunderbird, which was manufactured by Ford and released in 1955. The Thunderbird enjoyed one of the longest lines of car model in terms of lifespan, having undergone a series of 11 model generations from 1955 to 2005! It was considered as a luxury car in 1955 when it was first introduced.

The first generation of the Thunderbird was created as Fords answer to Chevrolets popular Corvette. Over 16,000 units of Thunderbird were manufactured in 1955 alone. The Thunderbird and the Corvette were the most popular car rivalries that emerged in the 50s.

Some of the features of the 1955 classic Thunderbird were a removable fiberglass top; this enables the car to be classified as a convertible, although it was a little inconvenient when you try to remove a 50-pound fiberglass roof from your car. For this reason, Ford came up with a version of the Thunderbird that has a fabric top usually lined with leather, which provided an easy way to remove the top. However, this option was not made widely available and Thunderbird owners had to specify this request to Ford.

Similar to the Hudson Hornet, which was a popular race car during the 50s, the Thunderbird also has a V-8 engine capable of hitting a top speed of 120mph. This car had a compact design, having only two-seats and little cargo space. It is considered as a sexy sports car that is rivaled only by Corvette.

While it was a progressive car design that became one of the pivotal reference point for the evolution of later-day sports cars, the Thunderbird retained a traditional feature found in most of its sister cars, which was the rear fender skirt. The fender skirt gave the car a distinct modern yet traditional look that put it in stark contrast to the Corvette.

The second generation of the Ford Thunderbird was released in 1958 and had largely departed from the design of its predecessor. It sported a longer hood that seems to look stretched back to the far end of the car tail, giving the car a look of straight and flashy impression. It still retained the traditional fender skirt and the forwardly protruding headlights. It also had an upgraded engine, the FE-series. It also had upgraded interiors that included controls, switches, and ashtrays, which were an ideal car feature for all convertible cars.

The Thunderbird is one iconic car of the 50s that will be forever immortalized in movies, and Hollywood.

Are you interesting in reading about more classic cars? Visit William’s site and read his latest on the 1970 chevelle ss.

Share

Independent Foreign Auto Repair Shops Can Maintain Your Car as Well as Import Dealers

When it comes to automobiles, there are those who prefer to buy domestic and others with a decided preference for foreign or import makes and models. Some auto collectors prefer the engineering and mechanics of imports; others seek out these cars simply for the esteem of ownership and global reputation of the manufacturers. Still others, for reasons both practical and personal, might prefer to operate their vehicle from the left side. Because imported cars have some unique mechanical differences from their American cousins, many owners believe that quality servicing is available only at the dealership where the cars can be purchased. There are, however, many competent foreign auto repair shops, especially in larger cities, that offer the same (or better) quality care as a dealer, and there are several advantages to seeking them out.

The first thing you want to pay attention to when you are looking for any auto maintenance or repair professional is Automotive Service Excellence (or ASE) certification. The ASE is a certification organization for the automotive repair industry (including foreign car maintenance) whose purpose it is to ensure quality auto service via the testing and certification of mechanics and shop professionals. It creates as close as there is to a standard in the industry and it is great way to differentiate the best from the rest as far as auto shops go. There are approximately 40 different skills tests that bestow certification upon the mechanic. Each one requires that the mechanic have at least two years experience and the tests are not easy to pass either. Shop owners that employ ASE certified mechanics are proudly displaying that they care that they are employing the very best to care for your vehicle, and this is especially important for import cars.

Foreign cars, as stated above, have certain engine differences that your average mechanic in the US might not be familiar with, which is why it’s so important to seek out a mechanic who specializes in your make of car. For example, certain VW models still have cooling systems that utilize only water (believe it or not), so imagine the headaches that would be created if some mechanic were to unintentionally use an antifreeze coolant in your radiator instead. Diesel powered engines, which are very different from those that use regular gasoline, are also much more common outside the U.S. For those with diesel vehicles it is essential that they find a shop that knows these engines like the back of their hands. In addition to the engine differences, it is most important that your auto servicer have the ability to access parts made for the import vehicles. Those that work on import cars routinely will have contacts in the country where the car was originally produced.

Just like a car dealership, a reputable independent import auto maintenance shop will use original parts (rather than knockoffs) whenever possible. There are several reasons this is important, whether you are in for a repair or are restoring a classic car. The original parts may cost a little more, but the difference is that original parts are built better, are more durable, and are more likely to carry a manufacturer’s warranty. The difference can become much more significant though with an import vehicle where the tooling of the part might be quite unique to a specific vehicle make and model. The “knock-off” could in fact, cause more problems than it resolves.

Finding an independent shop may take a a bit more effort than taking your car to the nearest dealer, but the personal service, savings, and superior auto care can make all the difference in the world when it comes to maintaining your imported vehicle.

Share

Jaguar Mk 1: How It Changed The Car Industry

If you are looking for a car that exudes class even after decades have gone by, perhaps you need the Jaguar Mark 1 or the Mk 1. This is usually referred to as the Jaguar 2.4 liter or 3.4 liter Saloon in contemporary documentation. The Mark 1 or Mk 1 tag was appended when it was replaced by the Mark 2. The Mk 1 had success early on, as it was the first small saloon that rolled out of the car maker’s doors. It easily outsold other larger saloons from the same maker, and was an immediate competitor against cars of the same class.

The Jaguar Mk 1 is considered as a classic car not just by its age but also because of its impact in the car industry. The 2.4 and 3.4 Mk 1s introduced a modern style and upgraded the level of performance for cars made by Jaguar. It was the first Jaguar that featured a unitary construction of its chassis and body. This was one of the earliest attempts at unibody construction, and it was greatly successful. The Mk 1 has an independent front suspension, which has double wishbones, coil springs, as well as an anti-roll bar to boot.

The interior of the Jaguar Mk 1 is one of the best proofs that this car exudes class well beyond its years. The design of the interior is similar to the succeeding Jaguar saloons and even modern day sports cars. You’ll find that sitting inside the Mk 1 would feel luxurious. The dials and switches are located on the central dashboard between you and your passenger. It has authentic leather upholstery and a polished walnut trim. There is a Special Equipment version of the Mk 1, wherein it features an additional rev counter, heater, windscreen washers, fog lights, and a cigarette lighter. It was meant for mass consumption, but the thought given behind its designs was truly outstanding that it is one of the most sought-after cars today.

In terms of performance, a 2.4 liter Mk 1 was tested and was found to have a top speed of 101.5 mph or 163.3 km/h. It is capable of accelerating from zero to 60 mph in just 14.4 seconds. It also has a decent mileage of 18.25 miles per imperial gallon, or in modern day measurements, around 15.2 mpg. The 3.4 version garnered better results, and because of this, the Jaguar Mk 1 3.4 liter saloon has competed in a lot of rallies, touring cars, and saloon races, and was quite successful during its run.

If this article got your blood flowing, then visit MuscleCarMonster.com to read more features on the 69 Ford Mustang and other classics.

Share

The 1967 Chevrolet Camaro

Before Ford Camaro began transforming into alien robots, it had a very intriguing beginning. Back in 1967, the boom in sales of the Ford Mustang was clearly affecting the sales of the Chevrolet brand. The Chevrolet Corvair, which was initially made to combat the Mustang was not getting any increased attention. Add to that the involvement of the Corvair in the book by Ralph Nader entitled Unsafe At Any Speed and there was no doubt that the brand needed something new. So in 1966, Chevrolet General Manager Pete Estes began sending a string of coded telegraphs to various automobile publicists in the country. Though they were hard to decipher, it was pretty evident that the brand was cooking something up to battle the attention that the Ford Mustang gained.

So after a press conference in Michigan, the first model of the Chevrolet Camaro came out in 1967. The car made such a buzz not in part to the car itself, but more on the marketing ploy that was used. One journalist asked during the press conference what is a Camaro and why was the car named as such. Pete Estes obliged by saying, “A small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” It was a fitting description to the car as the sales caught on during the later year of that decade.

Compared to its contemporaries, the Chevrolet Camaro was mass-produced in different interior forms. They sold the car in two-seaters and four-seaters. Although the Camaro was initially a pony car, some of the models following the initial one were classified as muscle cars. In order to veer away from the Corvair’s failure, the Camaro adapted the same front engine configuration and rear drive train of the Mustang. This may suggest that the car is never really a Chevy original. But in a sense, nobody holds the rights to construct such a drive train. Therefore, there is no conflict with this issue.

The thing that stands out when it comes to the Chevrolet Camaro is its overall design. It may have incorporated the same extended hood/shortened rear look as that of the Mustang as it had a distinguishable design up front. The grills along with the headlights are pushed inside and the bumpers were higher than other pony cars during that time. It was compact and at the same time very powerful. In fact, the 1967 model was popularly used in races after it was released.

If you want to learn about more hot classics such as the 1969 Dodge Charger visit my blog, MuscleCarMonster.Com

Share