Tech Tip: Know Your Engine Oil
Without question the single most important criteria for choosing lubricating automotive engine oil is its viscosity. Understand that the thicker an oil, the higher its viscosity. Multi-grade oils work by adding a polymer to a light-base oil. As the oil heats up, the polymers unwind into long chemical chains, which prevent the oil from thinning too much as it warms up.
Tech Feature: Racing Oil and Additives
Engine oil has sometimes been compared to a cake mix. The base oil is like the flour and the additives are the spices. How much is used of each varies by the type of cake and its intended use. Birthday cakes don’t really work for weddings. Engine builders have also been compared to gourmet chefs, so naturally, you like your cake a little more than the average cake connoisseur. A good cake is hard to beat, but a bad one will leave you feeling empty, looking for a jug of milk to wash away the taste.
Tech Tip: Subaru Turbocharger Oil Supply Mesh Screen
Turbocharged engines require proper maintenance especially when the vehicle is used under severe driving conditions such as moderate-to-hard acceleration and engine braking on a somewhat regular basis. In any case, it’s recommended that the engine oil and filter be changed every 3,750 miles (6,000 km) or 3-3/4 months.
Tech Tip: Steering You to a Leaky Saturn Solution
By Ed Dorowski, ALLDATA Editor and Jeff Webster, ALLDATA Technical writer A Saturn owner may complain about steering system leaks or noises. Refer to this Tech Tip for general diagnostic information about power steering noise and/or leak diagnosis on Saturn L-Series and S-Series vehicles equipped with hydraulic power steering. Applicable Models: • 2000-2005 Saturn L-Series
Gearing Up for Timing Belt and Chain Work
Timing belts are a maintenance item on engines that have them, but what about timing chains? On most overhead cam engines that use a timing chain to turn the cams, there’s usually some type of chain tensioner or adjuster to keep the chain tight and to compensate for stretch as the chain ages. But on pushrod V6 and V8 engines, there is no chain tensioner to compensate for chain stretch. Consequently, after tens of thousand of miles, the chain loosens up, starts to make noise as it rattles against the front cover, and causes cam timing to retard. At this point the timing chain needs to be replaced.
Tech Tip: Installing Reman Engines and Transmissions
With new car sales down, people are keeping their vehicles longer and racking up more miles on their engines. That means there’s a growing opportunity to install a remanufactured engine in a customer’s vehicle if their original engine or transmission has reached the end of the road. Most engines will go quite a few miles with proper maintenance. But if the owner scrimps on regular fluid, oil and filter changes, neglects the coolant, never changes the spark plugs, or ignores little problems, it may lead to premature engine failure.
Tech Tip: Pop or Crunch Noise Coming from the Steering Wheel or Steering Column
Possible causes for pop or crunch noises that can be felt in the steering wheel or heard coming from the area of the steering column are: steering intermediate shaft; strut mounts; tie rod ends; or steering column. It is important to ensure that the noise is not coming from another source before the power steering gear is replaced ….
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Tech Feature: Engine Builders Have More Options Than Ever
The foundation of every engine is the cylinder block. Whether you are rebuilding a stock engine or building up a street performance engine, a circle track engine, drag engine, marine engine or whatever, you have to start with a good, solid block that’s machinable and free from cracks and other defects. That’s becoming more and more of a challenge in recent years because good cores for popular domestic engines are getting harder and ….
Tech Tip: Opting for Off-Brand or Value-Grade Components Can Be Risky Proposition
In light of the economic situation, it’s a safe bet that consumers will try and save money on car maintenance. This will likely mean greater willingness to opt for off-brand and value-grade components including hub units. Why is this a bad idea?