All About Fog Lamps
Fog Light Kit
Note at the end of this all about fog lamps article will be links to some of the most popular fog light kits and replacement halogen bulbs for factory installed systems. But first didn’t you ever wonder about your cars fog lights. Why they are constructed different than headlights. Why they are mounted in positions that are far lower than regular headlamps.
When I first started to drive at 16, no cars had factory mounted driving lights. This was an aftermarket accessory that I quickly added to my vehicle so it would look cool. To my surprise not only did they look cool but they actually came in handy. I found myself driving through foggy areas often as I lived near cranberry bogs in a low lying area of New Jersey.
A side note when you are adding auxiliary lights you must make sure that your alternator and wiring are heavy duty enough to handle the increased wattage. In the case of my 1974 Dodge charger the fog lights were too much for the standard wiring and charging system. After an electrical fire that melted all the lighting circuit components I upgraded the alternator and installed new heavy gauge wiring. After the upgrades all was good. Read more
Automatic Transmission Problems
B&M performance transmissions
Automatic transmission problems can be some of the most expensive repairs on today’s automobiles. In my 25 year career the entire automobile has advanced and gone through many changes.
The automatic transmission in my opinion has seen more changes than any other system on the automobile. Back in the 60s a two and three speed automatic transmission was all that you could get in any new car.
Today it is more common to have a six speed transmission or even a constant velocity transmission or CVT. What is amazing about modern units is that they use all of the advancements in automotive technology to improve operation.
Even though these advancements help improve drivability and efficiency they have not seemed to reduce automatic transmission problems. Internal malfunctions continue to be on the same level as they were in the previous years.
Automatic transmission history
Sidebar: In my day B&M was all the rage for those interested in high performance. They still offer shift kits and high performance automatic transmissions
Automatic transmissions in the 80′s and 90′s relied on hydraulic controls to up shift the transmission. This upshift through the gears was controlled without a computer. The use of a governor and a throttle valve were the internal components that controlled the up shifting. Read more
New Automotive Engines
3.8 L automotive engine
The new automotive engines on the market today have gone through a lot of changes compared to engines installed just a decade ago.
This new wave of engines is designed to meet the performance and fuel efficiency that the public demands.
It is clear if the automotive manufacturer does not come up with a strong power train that impresses all who drives it their sales will begin to sag and possibly never recover.
This is mostly due to the word-of-mouth from disappointed drivers. The power of this viral negativity is truly amazing.
Example: My father had a bad experience with a Ford Pinto. He told everybody that would listen about all the troubles he ever had with this car.
Right off the showroom floor this car would use a quart of oil a week. The pistons and rings had to be replaced under the old-fashioned 12/12 warranties. The hard part was getting the dealership to admit a problem existed.
It took much fighting with Ford Motor Company and the local dealer about what normal oil usage should be.
Every Christmas and thanksgiving our large family sat around listening to details of the battle for justice. The results are that nobody in my family or circle of friends has ever bought a Ford product since my dad’s bad experience in the mid-70s. Talk about holding a grudge!
New automotive engine construction
RX8 Rotory Engine
Modern automotive engines are made of lightweight engine castings, and in most cases non-iron materials.
Some of the types would include aluminum, magnesium carbon fiber materials, and in some cases reinforced plastics.
If the block is made out of aluminum the use of a stainless steel cylinder liner is used most often.
When it comes time to assemble the engine, fasteners that hold things together are now fewer and smaller than ever before.
This is made possible through computerized engine design (CAD, CAM) that optimizes the loading and sealing patterns when the motor parts are assembled. Read more
About Automotive Technology
Automotive Technology Image
One thing about automotive technology is that it advances quickly, but in spurts. New systems are developed and tested on a regular basis.
These advances are then put into vehicles, and unfortunately real world tested by the brave automotive consumers.
Changes and improvements are then applied to the new technologies and re-introduced into the automobile.
Most auto mechanics will recommend shying away from brand-new automotive systems until they are perfected.
Sometimes automotive technology advances to quickly, and new ideas are rushed to market.
One reason for this would be to give an advantage to the sales force of an individual carmaker. Having a unique and useful automotive technology can be a strong sales driver.
Advances in automotive technology
Leaking Timing Cover
If you ask me one thing that has brought about the greatest change in the auto repair industry, is the deployment of the computer control module.
These computers control the engine support systems, and nearly every other major system on the car has some kind of electronic control circuitry.
The use of electronics has changed the automobile and will continue on this track as advances are made in other automobile technologies.
If you add to this the new composite materials that are being used for engine parts there are a lot of changes going on.
Example: I have a 4.3 liter Chevy V6. This engine has been time tested and is very reliable. For the 2004 model year the metal timing cover was replaced by a composite cover. With only 20k miles oil began to leak from the warping cover on my truck. A non-warping replacement is now available but will not help the stains in this mechanics driveway. Read more
How a Supercharger Works
Suppercharger Kits
Before I discuss how a supercharger works. I wanted to review a bit of a history for this amazing automotive technology.
Some people do not realize that a supercharger was first installed on a production vehicle in 1906. Now bolt on supercharger kits
Back in the old days, the leading Car companies that used this forced air technology were Mercedes-Benz and Duesenberg.
These companies put a lot of research and development into improving performance. Both of these car companies dominated the racetrack in the 1920s through the 1930s.
After World War II, larger displacement engines that could produce the same amount of power replaced superchargers.
Also in the late 1950s the forced induction turbocharger started to gain traction. This was because a turbocharger was able to produce more boost at lower RPMs. The trucking industry embraced this automobile technology which allowed extremely heavy loads to be moved easily from a dead stop.
The return of the supercharger
Roush Superchargers
The intake mounted belt driven supercharger started to make a comeback in American car models in 1989. One of the most popular of these models was the 1989 Bonneville SSI.
The standard 3.8 L engine coupled with the supercharger returned excellent performance without much effect on over all fuel economy.
The 3.8 L engine was the perfect platform due to its cast-iron block and cylinder heads. This engine also demonstrated the ability to produce large amounts of horsepower.
Buick had shown this engine’s potential when they bolted on a turbo charger for the T-type and Buick Grand National models.
In 1987, the Grand National deployed the intercooler turbocharger making it one of the fastest rear wheel drive production cars ever produced with a v6 in the United States. Read more
Mustang Burnout Video
Last weeks post showed some of the coolest cars in burn out action photos. This got the blood pumping for many visitors. This week I thought I would post my favorite mustang burnout video for all to enjoy.
If you notice there is an auto repair shop in the background. I hope this was not a car left for auto service or a vehicle being reconditioned for the used car lot. Sometimes mechanics like to have a little fun. Just so long as it is their own car they are having fun with!
Video Mustang burnout
Yes this mustang shreds the tires until something pops under the automobile.The video title says it’s a blown tire but after the smoke clears the left rear tire seems to be inflated and the car is sitting level. To me it sounds like a rear universal joint letting loose. Take a look at the mustang burnout video and just be thankful it is not your car. Also let me know what you think went boom in the comment area?
The burnout video has become one of the most popular automotive action videos on the internet. Sites like street fire make it fast and fun to both post and watch burnout clips from all over the world.
Traction Control Automotive Technology
Buick Burn Out
Have you ever tried to accelerate hard from a stop light on a wet slick road? Without automatic traction control a driver would have to feather the gas pedal and balance the acceleration and wheel spin. This is a skill that some drivers just don’t have.
But what if you could just smash the pedal to the floor and let the car handle the complicated stuff. Enter modern day traction control automotive technology.
Not only is this high tech system useful on wet roadways but on snow covered ones as well.
Yes you can still get stuck especially if there is a layer of ice under the snow. But the common problem of digging yourself in even deeper with spinning tires is greatly reduced.
Corvette ATC off
I was fortunate enough to own and drive a corvette for a short time. This was my first vehicle with a traction control system. It worked flawlessly and I never had a problem with it.
It came in handy many times. Here is an example of this systems usefulness. When driving on the local highway after a light rain the road surface was like ice.
After a few weeks of no rain followed by a light rain the oil from the road would float to the top causing super slickness.
Sitting at a four way stop with a very light fiberglass car and 400 horsepower driving the rear wheels meant lots of tire spinning. Read more
Stability Control Automobile Technology
stability control active
Car buyers see these stability control commercials where a family is saved on a rainy night and think that this is pretty cool automotive technology.
But what they may not know is that automotive stability control systems are mostly operated and controlled by antilock brake technology.
Although there are various types of stability control systems that are found on today’s vehicles.
Traction control and stability systems are linked to the ABS system and on some vehicles they are linked to both the brake and electronic suspension systems.
On some of these expensive automobiles, a driver-controlled switch can be used to disable the traction control while the stability safety features remain active.
High tech systems use the angle of the steering wheel and the speed of the wheels to calculate the chosen path of the driver.
The main control module will then monitor the lateral sensor and the G-forces on the vehicle to measure where the vehicle is actually going. Read more
