Author: Mutiara

Wheel fitment Plus sizing Plus sizing wheels & tire combination was designed to enhance vehicle performance and looks by allowing fitment of larger diameter rims and lower profile tires. The theory is that while making these changes, the overall tire diameter is kept within 3% of the original equipment tires. This is important because larger…

Interior painting Painting the interior of a vehicle is quite simple. I used a bucket, Isopropyl Alcohol (you can get this anywhere, most commonly referred to as rubbing alcohol), and a sponge. I put the alcohol in a bucket, and used the sponge to scrub the oily/waxy substance from the parts. This also removes the…

The following conversion was performed to an Mazda MX-3 seat which was acquired from a local junkyard for $ 18. Ok so take the 16mm bolt off that holds the seat belt on. Then remove the 4 track bolts they are 12mm, slide the tracks all the way back get the fronts out and slide…

The role of the brake fluid within the braking system is to transfer the force from the master cylinder to the corners of the car. A vital characteristic of brake fluid that allows it to perform the task properly is its ability to maintain a liquid state and resist compression. Keeping the fluid in top…

Using higher viscosity oil myths Steel balls of equal weight dropped into test tubes filled with motor oils fall at different rates. Their rate of fall depends on the viscosity of the oil. A widely believed myth in the automotive industry is that using higher viscosity oil will benefit the engine many ways. It is…

Cleaning faded headlights Before & after. This is a very Simple mod. Pick up you some Plastic Polish from your local Wal-Mart, AutoZone, or maybe a local retailer. It can be The Blue Magic Plastic Polish, or I’d suggest some Meguiar’s Cleaner and Polisher. Also, pick up some waxing/buffing pads. You can also use polishing…

Required tools & supplies Rags/towels. You’ll need upwards of 8-12 good-sized clean towels to do the the job. One or two will be used to dry the vehicle off, others to remove wax, and still more for the interior windows etc … Some small towels are handy also. If you can find the old diaper…

Try these non-toxic or less-toxic products as alternatives to some chemicals you might not have at hand at a moment of need.. While a little more “elbow grease” may have to be used with some of these products, lower costs should make the switch an easy one. For this: Try this: Inerior freshener Simmer cinnamon…

Tools & materials: 9 ft of aluminum strips, 1 in wide, 1 mm thick 3M scotchbrite pads Alum polish such as 3M, Mothers, and Meguiars etc. A drill or rotary buffer to polish the fender plates. Can be done by hand, but it far more difficult. A handsaw or Dremel at hand to finish and…

Aerocatch hoodpins An alternative to normal hood pins, the Aerocatch hoodpins provide a flush design, to avoid taking away fro the flush finish of carbon fiber hoods. While flaws in some respects, they are overall worth it in terms of aesthetics. The pins are also paintable and allow for perfect blending with the rest of…

Variable camber steering system A variable camber steering system allows adjusting the camber on the fly, while operating the vehicle, especially during turns to improve handling. OnCamber, LLC, has developed one example of this system which uses a computer to ensure the camber angle set is correct for whatever direction the car is traveling. The…

Spinner Cooler Spinner Cooler prototype mounted up to a Procharger P1SC. Geer Technologies Spinner Cooler is a new Spinning Intercooler (patent pending). The Spinner-Cooler works by using the airflow of an engine’s turbo or supercharger to propel a small turbine fan connected to an assembly made up of evenly spaced tubes. Thus when the bundle…

An extremely simple concept, although untested, the following cylinder head design requires no camshafts, valve springs, valves, or manifolds. Most likely the most simple cylinder head design possible. The concept shares a bit in common with the rotary valve engine designs that have been built and even raced in the past, however takes the simplification…

The Insulated Pulse Engine: A cold adiabatic engine concept by Dave Schouweiler, Minneapolis, MN USA, http://insulatedpulseengine.com This personal study presents a thermally efficient concept for combusting fuel in an internal combustion engine. This is a conceptual paper, not a technical paper, as it contains intuitive approximations and primitive constructions which require refinement. I have been wishing…

One of the many ways to recover wasted energy in a vehicle is through the use of a shock absorber that converts compressive energy into electricity. The movement of a standard shock absorber creates heat, which is neutralized by the oil in the shock. Currently in development, two methods exist for recovering lost energy from…

A 1992 Suzuki Swift built under license in Canada, with a modern US federal EPA mileage rating of 43/51 mpg (46 average) per US gallon. The initial mpg goal for the vehicle was 60/60 (To cause the car to return 60 miles per US gallon at 60 miles per hour). Modifications are listed in four…

A unibody is a one-piece frame and body structure. First, to get some misconceptions out of the way: Welding to the unibody is dangerous. Yes! This can potentially ruin your vehicle. If done improperly it COULD leave a very week spot that can become prone to cracking. So pay attention! Is welding to the unibody…

The primary motivation behind this study was to provide information about what oil filter brands are made by which manufacturers. The secondary motivation was to uncover some of the obvious internal construction issues of these manufacturers. This “study” is not a “test”. The SAE J806 and J1858 tests were designed to test the filtration capability…

Warning! This should only be done in your own parking lot, or a parking lot where you have received permission, or a parking lot where you “accidentally” spilled all of your oil! Curb types A, B, and E, are the most safe of choices. An oil spill in someone’s driveway provides an accurate representation of…

Information is the most crucial part of working one’s own vehicle. Without information most wouldn’t know about 90% of the modifications that can be performed to their vehicle, proper repair procedures, which parts are compatible, what type of vehicle to search for, and much more. Following are some tips on how to be more acquainted…

Welding & modifying struts The most common reason to modify stock struts is for better fitment of coilover sleves. Since the stock spring perches are very large and no longer needed with the installation of coilovers, many owners usually cut off most of the perch and leave enough on to hold the coilover sleve in…

Suspension Active Coils Coils which are free to deflect under load. Also referred to as working coils. Approx. Lowering The approximate amount of chassis ride height reduction. This will vary depending on optional equipment: gas shocks, age of stock springs and upper strut bearings. Bottoming Out The suspension reaches its maximum compressed height, not when…

Ford 1100 ci Sherman tank engine Specs Bore 5.4 in / 137.16 mm Stroke 6 in / 152.4 mm Displacement 1100 ci / 18.0 l Compression ratio 7.5 Torque 1050 ft-lbs at 2200 RPM Horsepower 500 at 2600 rpm Ford’s first overhead cam, 4 valve, aluminum engine was designed for Sherman tanks in WW2. The…

Engine oil filter have one purpose in life: to filter out the particles that enter the oil so that they don’t act as abrasives when the oil recirculates. The filter is a cellulose (paper) or synthetic media that is usually contained in a steel can. The front of the can typically has a threaded center…

Head gasket failure A blown head gasket from a 1.6 Nissan SOHC just after the engine started to smoke. The engine lost two liters of coolant by the time it got to the shop. Blown head gaskets are one of the worst things that can happen to an engine, other than throwing a rod or…

The single most common problem encountered on race cars is bottoming out of the front suspension. It is suprisingly difficult to detect sometimes. This problem can be really frustrating, in fact, a frustrated team and driver can be one of the symptoms that the car is bottoming out! Most cars have more rear suspension travel,…

The first step in cleaning your engine is to remove the excess debris that gets trapped in your hood, grille and vent openings. This is particularly true if you live in an area with four seasons. If you have compressed air available, this is the best way to remove old leaves, dead cats and such….

Fender rolling is a process in which one makes more clearance in the fender arches of a vehicle. Typically this process allows for the use of wider/taller tires without the rubbing that normally comes with wider/taller tires. The following shows a typical fender rolling tool. The tool bolts on to the wheel hub. Spacers are…

Shifting technique Heal and toe refers to the right foot position as it operates both the gas and the brake pedal at the same time. Actually, on most modern cars it’s better to use the ball of the foot (under the big toe) on the brake pedal and the edge of the foot (about halfway…

Requirements 3/8ths cold rolled steel plate Vise Angle grinder Thin cut off discs Die grinder Carbide burr Blade Paper Clamps Permanent marker Punch tool (preferrably automatic) Drill press To fabricate an exhaust flange one first needs to acquire good metal material. This can be done by finding a local metal supplier that has a good…

Compression test LS9 Cutaway, revealing the valves and piston. Since the essential function of an engine is pumping air, it is crucial to have good compression. Testing the compression of an engine is a good way to tell if it is healthy. If an engine has poor compression it will run inefficiently (if it runs…

CAMBER Camber alignment. A Cusco camber plate available for the Mazda MX3 on corksport.com. Camber is the angle of the wheels,relative to the road, looking at the car from the front (or rear). Try to imagine a vertical line through the middle of the wheel, 0 degrees camber is when this imaginary line is in…

Following are some computer simulated images of Renault’s F1 aerodynamics and design for 2009 along with information about the aerodynamic function and the way the software is used to simulate it’s effects. Rolling road tests in a wind tunnel use a moving belt to simulate the relative motion of the car and the road. This…

Picking junkyard engines Buddhist monks need engines too! When a cheap engine replacement is needed, one can always take a trip to a local self service junkyard. A self service junkyard will generally charge far less than a full service junkyard. This is due to the cost of extra labor involved in pulling and testing…

Chassis stiffening can help improve ride quality and handling. The energy transferred from the wheels goes into the suspension of the car, and then comes back out as rebound, or is absorbed by the dampers. The problem is that the suspension is bolted to the frame/body, and that frame/body does not have an infinite strength…

Do-It-Yourself Auto Repair An auto repair problem is quite an inconvenience. But after so many miles, auto parts wear out and falter, and eventually need replacement. In any vehicle, a certain amount of maintenance is required such as; oil and filter changes, new brake linings, tires and so forth. Whether you choose to do the…

With all the rumbling, vibrations, beating, and banging happening it can sometimes be easy to forget that an engine is a precision piece of equipment. With all the moving pieces finely tuned and move with the precision of a Swiss watch. That’s a good thing though. Because of the rpm being turned by race engines,…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) MB Motoring EX6 Cast 22×9 35.0 15.9 Falken Atlantic City Cast 22×9 35.6 16.1 Axis Mulliner Cast 22×9 35.8 16.2 Axis Orden Cast 22×9 38.0 17.2 MB Motoring YUM Cast 22×9 40.5 18.4 MB Motoring…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Due to the slight variation in wheel weight from different offsets, the offset used to obtain the weight measurement has been included at the end of wheel names when available. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) Axis Reverb Cast 20×7.5 21.5…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Due to the slight variation in wheel weight from different offsets, the offset used to obtain the weight measurement has been included at the end of wheel names when available. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) 6061 A5LW Forged 19×7.5 15.0…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Due to the slight variation in wheel weight from different offsets, the offset used to obtain the weight measurement has been included at the end of wheel names when available. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) Centerline Impulse / Storm Forged…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) Superlight Billet Billet/Spun 14×10 10.9 4.9 RS Watanabe EightSpoke R Type Cast Mg 14×10 11.0 5.0 Superlight Ultralight Cast/Spun 14×10 14.7 6.7 RS Watanabe EightSpoke R Type Cast 14×10 15.9 7.2 RS Watanabe EightSpoke R…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) Superlight Billet Billet/Spun 13×10 10.4 4.7 Superlight Ultralight Cast/Spun 13×10 11.6 5.3 Compomotive ML Cast 13×10 15.4 7.0 Circle Racing Series 11 Spun 13×10 15.5 7.0 Circle Racing Series 12 Spun 13×10 15.5 7.0 Circle…

Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Name Manufacturing Method Size Weight (lbs.) Weight (kgs.) Chevrolet Sprint / Geo Metro / Suzuki Steel 12×4 10.0 4.5 RS Watanabe EightSpoke F8F Cast 12×4.5 9.0 4.1 Superlight Ultralight Cast/Spun 12×5 7.8 3.5 RS Watanabe EightSpoke F8 Cast 12×5 9.0 4.1 Superlight Sports…

Harness belts Having a seat harness is a great driver aid. Other than being a safety improvement, being securely belted into the seat allows one to spend less time and energy staying in the seat and concentrate more on driving. It’s not uncommon for drivers who don’t use a harness in an autocross situation to…

Extrude Hone Extrude Hone before & after. The quality of a hand PnP (port and polish) job cannot be compared to that of EH (Extrude Hone). Knowing and understanding how EH works eliminates any question regarding to which is better and how the processes are different. A human cannot reach all the same areas and…

Required tools & parts Computer with a PostScript laser printer. Laser Overhead transparency film (5-10 sheets). Available at any office supply store. Clothes Iron & ironing board. If a PostScript laser printer is unavailable, download Ghostscript from the internet. A PDf file of a circuit board layout can also be used, however Adobe Acrobat occasionally…

Caster Caster angle A short dissertation on CASTER, the most misunderstood of the three front wheel alignment angles, with regard to production based roadrace cars. Of the three main front wheel alignment angles, camber, caster, and toe, it is certain that caster is the most confusing and most subtle, and therefore the most misunderstood. This…

A scan tool is one of the most important diagnostic tools to have for working on modern vehicles. A scan tool, code reader, or scanner software provides access to the vehicle’s onboard diagnostics in the event that a CEL (Check Engine Light) comes on to find out what’s wrong. The scan tool allows you to…

A quick disconnect is type of fitting used in many areas of automobiles. Most commonly used on A/C fittings, although also implemented on fuel lines in many Ford Vehicles. The fitting usually consists of a male and female end, a spring, a housing to hold the spring, and two or three o-rings. There are a…

Split port induction These days, four valves per cylinder engines are the norm – everything from the humble 2-litre to the largest V8 seems to run four valve designs. However, there is still a multitude of older two valve designs being modified for performance applications, and of course some current engines – especially US-sourced V8s…

Parts list KLZE j-spec 2.5 V6 with curved neck intake manifold. Aftermarket headers UDP 2.5″ exhaust w/ high flow cat ACT Stage 2 clutch Intake (ZX2 CTA) 10″ pusher radiator fan Mx3 All 4 motor mounts complete Front to rear crossmember A-arms Modified wiring harness Axles Flywheel VAF ECU Probe Distributor Alternator Mx6 Transmission Clutch slave…

Engine Load Before you can start planning a fuel injection system you need to know your engines needs, and what kind of driving you’ll be doing. The big engine notes to be made are displacement and cam profile. You should always match displacement in the program, and cam profile always effects inlet airflow properties. Load…

Rail vs truck industry The train industry has so many drawbacks simply due to the way America was planned during the post WW2 era, with advent of suburbia. During the 50s and 60s when the highway system was being developed there were many regulations being created in favor of the automotive industry, thus hurting the…

Getting started Although a familiar concept to some independent mechanics, a lot of people still throw away lots of potential money in the trash by failing to scrap/recycle their metal. This article will help provide tips on how to maximize the amount of money that can be recovered from metal obtained from working on cars, and…

Materials 5 gallon bucket (This is assuming your part will fit in it, if not find proper container that will allow part to be submerged.) Piece of rebar taller than bucket (anode) Clamp Water Baking soda Battery charger 12 gauge electrical wire Safety Precautions Do outdoors as hydrogen gas is released during process Make sure…

Plastigaging bearing clearances Plastigage, provides a fast and accurate way to check bearing clearances. Plastigage is a special extruded plastic thread of a definite diameter with accurately controlled crush properties. The material is round, smooth and flexible through a wide range of temperatures. Extreme cold will make it somewhat brittle and heat will soften the…

IAC elimination Common IACs found in Ford vehicles. Almost every modern fuel injected vehicle includes an IAC (idle air control) valve. This valve controlled by a solenoid or stepper motor regulates the air flow during idle when the throttle body is closed. The IAC creates an bypass around the TB (throttle body) and is often…

LED bulbs A test was performed to see if LED bulbs could provide a usable alternative to standard incandescent bulbs frequently used in vehicles. Benefits: Less electricity used, smaller load on the electric system. Technically resulting in higher gas mileage and performance, but too small to matter. Less heat created, potentially helping extend the lifespan…

An O2 sensor determines the air fuel ratio in a combustion engine by measuring the amount of unburned oxygen remaining in the exhaust. An ideal ratio is 14.7, which is considered stoichimetric (perfect). The higher the number, the Leaner the Air/Fuel is. The lower the number, the Richer the Air/Fuel is. The following is a…

Extracting bolts A collection of successful extractions. Oops! You suddenly find yourself with wrench in hand, the head of the bolt you were trying to extract bouncing on the floor, and the rest of it still in the cylinder head/engine block/suspension piece. Congratulations – you’re about to have an adventure. I recently ran across a…

The following table is sortable by clicking the icon to the right of the property. Code Description P0100 Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Malfunction P0101 Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Range/Performance Problem P0102 Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit Low Input P0103 Mass or Volume Air Flow Circuit High Input P0104 Mass or…

Eccentric bolts Eibach alignment kit. Another variation of alignment bolts. Also known as crash bolts or camber bolts. An eccentric bolt has centers of head and body on different axis so that one is off-center in relation to the other. One of the most common uses is in suspension components of vehicles to perform camber alignment. On…

Tire rotation can be beneficial in several ways. When done at the recommended times, it can preserve balanced handling and traction and even out tire wear. Tire rotation can even provide performance advantages. Many tire mileage warranties require tire rotation to keep the warranty valid. When should tires be rotated? We recommend that tires be…

Q: Are Platinum or Iridium spark plugs the best? A: No. Platinum and Iridium are some of the worst metal conductors. The main reason for using Iridium is for applications that use Nitrous and turbocharging and develop extreme heat. The reason why Platinum spark plugs are used is for longevity only. They can last up…

Gear ratio lists by manufacturer Chrysler Ford General Motors Hummer Mazda Nissan Toyota Gear ratio is a number, usually expressed as a decimal fraction, representing how many turns of the input shaft cause one revolution of the output shaft. It applies to transmission, power take off, power dividers and rear axles. It can be defined…

There are countless ways to increase gas mileage, using all of them together can have quite a big increase on a car’s mpg. Following are various techniques sorted by type. Maintenance Use the recommended oil viscosity, and never a higher grade. Higher viscosity grade oil requires more energy to pump through the engine, and since…

Engine stand An older made in U.S.A. engine stand holding 3.8 Essex engine. An engine stand holds a mounted engine to allow convenient access to any area by rotating it. They are a must have for any serious enthusiast and generally range from 30-200 dollars in cost. Cheaper three wheeled (or even 4) designs from…

The following numbers represent stock vehicles without any modifications to the body. Frontal Area formula = Height * Width * .84 CdA formula = Cd * Frontal Area Click the icon next to each column title to sort the results. Make Mode Year Cd Height (In) Width (In) Frontal Area (ft^2) CdA Acura CL 97…

Supplies: Carbon fiber cloth (Ebay- $30 an up) Fiber glass resin ($21 an up -Autozone) Super glue( $1- Dollar store) Cutting shears some sort of scrapper (puddy knife) some sort of cardboard to work on Plastic dish Krylon UV protected spray ($8+ shipping -Online) The following shows an example of a carbon fiber overlay performed…

This article contains plans to build a device to interface RS-232 (a laptop computer) to the ISO9141-2 / ISO14230 / SAE J1962 (OBD-II) diagnostic connector on many Volkswagen, Audi, Seat, Skoda, and Subaru automobiles. It should also work on many pre-OBD-II models. It has been tested on a 1998 VW GTI 8v and a 1998…

Against a friend’s recommendation, a cheap set of coilovers from eBay were purchased and tested out on a Mazda MX-3. Appearing much larger in the product photographs, their actual size was quite a surprise. Following are some photographs of the comparison. The original product, usually appearing like the following picture, is very well presented. The…

Many people make false claims that a device they’re selling will increase your gas mileage. Following is a list of various claims along with explanations on why they do not work. Do some research before spending you hard earned money on something that doesn’t work. The only way to improve mileage is to stick to…