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If you own a diesel powered vehicle, you probably appreciate the inherent qualities of this type of engine. More torque, better fuel economy, easier maintenance are some of the attributes of owning a diesel powered vehicle. Still, some motorists complain about the engine’s weak power, particularly when accelerating from a full stop. What you may not know is that a diesel engine can be tweaked to produce more power without harming fuel economy. Let’s take a look at diesel engines and what you can do to squeeze out more power.

Thanks to the work of one man, Rudolf Diesel, we have a choice when it comes to driving. Besides hybrid or rotary engines, the chief way most vehicles run is via a gasoline powered internal combustion engine. However, with Diesel’s 1892 patent of the engine that bears his name, diesel power has played a significant role in powering buses and trucks across North America. Some passenger vehicles, particularly pick up trucks, are also diesel powered giving motorists an option to gasoline.

Diesel engines have the following advantages over their gasoline counterparts:

Diesels use air compression to create combustion versus the air/fuel mixture required by gasoline powered cars. This attribute means that diesel engines do not require spark plugs and thus do not have to be tuned up.

Diesel fuel has a higher fuel density than gasoline resulting in fuel economy increases of 20-30% over comparable gasoline powered models.

Diesel engines are cheaper to maintain as they have less parts vs. a gasoline engine. The lifespan of a diesel engine is also significantly longer.

If it is torque you need, particularly for pulling a boat, camper, or equipment, than a diesel engine has the advantage. A diesel engine is definitely slower especially when starting from a dead stop, but when climbing hills or going over bridges, your diesel powered vehicle can definitely handle the challenge.

So, why aren’t more vehicles built in North America diesel powered? A few reasons including:

Stricter emissions control standards. Diesel engines pollute more, so not many manufacturers have improved upon the technology to produce an engine that is environmentally friendly. However, several upcoming engines from VW and others may change all of that.

Not enough power. Yes, a common complaint, even with turbo diesels, is that the engines are not powerful enough. North American drivers are accustomed to getting on the highway with a minimum amount of effort. With a diesel engine, it can take as much as twice as long to get up to full speed.

Fortunately, several aftermarket product developers are helping motorists squeeze out more power from their diesel engines. Performance programmers, made for specific diesel engines, are helping motorists see a nice spike in horsepower as well as increases in torque. The beauty of some of these aftermarket parts is that they don’t harm fuel economy. In fact, some claim to help improve it.

Yes, the number of diesel powered passenger vehicles presently on North American highways is presently very small; however with newer, cleaner and stronger engines on the way, you may soon find yourself opting for a diesel powered vehicle too.

Copyright 2006 - Matt Keegan, is The Auto Writer, who covers a variety of automotive topics including Edge Products and other handy aftermarket parts and accessories.

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When you start asking questions about converting you American classic cars to E85 ethanol, you’ll hear a lot of people telling you that it can’t be done, because the alcohol will eat all the rubber components, and to an extent this is true, it will eat all the rubber components in your fuel system, being as how fossil fuels are made from oil, they won’t eat your rubber components.

But don’t let this discourage you from converting your car to E85, it’s a better running, higher performing and cleaner burning fuel for your car, and to start on your conversion, you might want to start by pulling all of the rubber fuel lines off your car, and bending up some nice steel fuel lines, and for those areas where you need rubber lines, just go a head and use the urethane plastic lines to replace the short sections that you need, you got to remember that plastic, while it will bend around corners, it’s a lot more likely to kink then rubber is, so use it in as straight of a line as you can.

The fuel lines are the first step, after you get those done, you’ll move on to the major components of your fuel system, such as you fuel pump, carburetor, fuel filter, and the rest of your components that make up your fuel system, obviously you can get these components from parts sellers like Jegs, and Summit Racing, people have a tendency to think that you can’t update an old car because the things that you need to do it are not built, but cars have been running alcohol on the race track for years, and if they can run it you can to, the race track is where most of the new developments and innovations are made for your car.

I would suggest that you convert your old car to fuel injection for the best possible results, and the biggest gain for your car, I know how some people think that you need to keep your old car all factory stock, but it’s your car, do what you want to it, it’s about time that people begin to update their old cars, and take advantage of some of the new technology that is available today, don’t listen to nay Sayers, and doubters, they don’t like old cars any way, and nothing is impossible, your car is only as limited as your imagination.

I’m here to tell you, you can do anything to your old car that they do to the new ones, maybe not quite as easy, but remember the old days, we had to build most of the modifications that we wanted on our car, by ourselves, and that is something that you can’t do with a new car, if you need help doing a conversion, then you might want to join our mailing list because this is one of the subjects that I will cover in detail in our ezine.

• Muscle Car Restoration
• Learn How To Convert Your Old Car Tp E85 Ethanol
• Auto Shop Alliance

I’ve been in the automotive business for about 20 or 25 years, I have worked in all facets of the industry, from parts to restoration, all different makes and models, I just want to keep people interested in the old cars because it’s where my heart is.

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What do you love about caravan parks? These parks provide you with all the right amenities that will allow you to enjoy your holiday out in the wide open. If you are considering a location to stay at, think about what the most important features in these parks are and what the park you stay at needs to include.

One of the first aspects of choosing a caravan park is finding the best outdoor facilities. A clean, open layout is essential, with highly hygiene areas for restrooms, is essential. You’ll find this available through many Australian parks. The second most thing to love about caravan parks is that you get to experience the wilderness in all its glory. If you are camping, you want to see the expanse of this wonderland, and you can do that when you invest in a good quality park to stay at.

There are many other things to love about caravan parks in Australia, but one thing is for sure, many of them allow you to get the rest you need in the way that you want it. Choose the best park for your needs, your likes and those of your family. Because so many great parks are available, you have your choice of the perfect one.

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The new, redesigned and reengineered 8th generation Honda Civic was finally revealed to the public of Trinidad & Tobago. We at trinituner.com feel this his fully loaded sedan will set a new benchmark in quality and performance for our market.

We test drove the 2006 Civic and can definitely report that the build quality both interior and exterior is exceptional. There are details on the interior that prove that Honda has ‘upped the ante’ with regards to ammenities, esthetics and features that are not usually expected in a small sedan. We will refer to it as ‘upscale ambience’ as it really impressed us. The forward thinking two-tiered instrument cluster is a real eye catcher with its “indiglo” blue ambient light.

The handling was commendable and especially soft. The 1.8 iVTEC engine with CVT pulled relatively strong through the powerband, though the CVT never let us feel any gear ratio changes. We were not able to test drive a unit with manual transmission but we are sure that it would carry the rewarding feel of previous Honda gearboxes when mated to this 1800cc engine. We assume the suspension will be stiffer on the new Si Coupe model which should arrive in a few months with an estimated price of TT$250K.

From a tuning perspective (considering the Civic is the most tuned and modified automobile in the world) the 2006 Civic has some issues that had us thinking: The catalytic converter is directly on the exhaust manifold along with the O2 sensor. In fact it would seem there isnt much of an exhaust manifold at all! This should make setting up for AFR tuning simpler and we should see some interesting header designs in the future.

Also the engine bay is very short and so the front shock mounts are under the windshield but still accessible through removable plastic panels finishing the cowl. We wondered what interesting strut tower braces and pillow ball strut mounts the aftermarket industry would have to devise to facilitate this radical cab forward design.

Four wheel disc brakes is standard on all models and much to the delight of many tuners the wheels are also 5 hole from the factory. The trunk is huge and the sound system is good with options for MP3 and steering wheel controls. Seems like someone at Honda has been listening to its customers.

We can deifinitely see the new 2006 Civic will take the industry by storm and will have everyone from salesperson to casual driver to track-day tuner thinking outside of the proverbial box.

We definitely liked what we saw!

More Honda Technical Articles

Read More at:
http://forums.trinituner.com/forums/archive/

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GM to help dealers in developing their future technicians conducts special training programs for technicians. The GM Technician training is designed for all levels including high school, college, and even on through their career.
GM Automotive Service Educational Program (ASEP), for example, can teach technically minded individuals how to service and maintain different types of GM cars and trucks. The program is a joint effort between General Motors, GM dealers and selected colleges across the United States and Canada. GM Automotive Service Educational Program teaches selectively on current General Motors products. The GM ASEP program offers students the opportunity to spend two years gaining valuable work experience at a GM dealership while still attending college. An Associate’s Degree in Automotive Technology are given to students on graduation.

General Motors ASEP incorporates advanced automotive technical training with a strong academic foundation of math, reading, and electronics, and both analytical and technical skills. Since 1979, GM’ s continued commitment to identify and support GM ASEP colleges and universities has produced over 15 000 service technicians.

More information regarding the process of GM technician certification and the GM Automotive Service Educational Program is available in the selected links you could find in this article.

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Made available in twelve trim levels, the Toyota 4Runner proves to be another vehicle that would be making and reaping in success. Another success story on wheels. This is because the Toyota 4Runner not only shows a range of choices but it also offers functionality as well as performance.

This vehicle has four doors. It has a capacity to take in a maximum of seven passengers. It is a sport utility vehicle. The trim levels range from the SR5 4 x 2 V6 to the Limited 4 x 4 V8. During its introduction, the SR5 4 x 2 V6 trim level came equipped with a standard 4.0 liter V6 engine. It has the capacity to produce some 245 units of horsepower. It can also achieve 18 mpg for driving in the city and some 22 mpg for the highway. As per the Limited 4 x 4 V8 trim level, it has been manufactured so as to contain a standard 4.7 liter V8 engine which can actually produce some 270 units of horsepower. It can achieve 15 mpg for city travails and 19 mpg for some highway adventures. Made standard for both trim levels is a five speed automatic transmission system with overdrive.

The 4Runner has certainly been a consistent performer not only on the road but also in sales. It was first introduced back in the year 1984, thus this vehicle has been in the business for more than two decades. During that time, the Toyota 4Runner was competing with the Chevy Blazer, the Ford Bronco, and the Jeep Wagoneer. But because of the Toyota 4Runner’s unique ability and consistency in performance, the Toyota 4Runner is the only one left standing among his competitors from the past.

People who are looking for options when it comes to vehicles would be very fascinated with the Toyota 4Runner. This sport utility vehicle actually offers various options. This includes driver and front passenger seat mounted side airbags, front and second row roll sensing side curtain airbags with cutoff switch, a power tilt and slide moonroof with noise reduction technology and sunshade, the JBL Synthesis AM/FM 6 six disc in dash CD changer with ten speakers, an MP3/WMA playback capability, a rear seat DVD entertainment system with rear audio remote control, RCA jacks, two wireless headphones, a color keyed rear spoiler with center high mount stop lamp, daytime running lights, and a weight carrying tow hitch and ball mount kit just to name a few.

Toyota Parts Online offers top of the line Toyota replacement parts and accessories like Toyota 4Runner parts to match Toyota’s efforts to provide excellent vehicles that deliver superbly.

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Mark Clarkson is a 35 year old marketing consultant for a leading auto parts store. This native of Denver is also an offroad enthusiast.

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We keep hearing about many protective devices evolving in race with the technological advancements. These include Side Air Bags, Electronic Stability Control Systems, Tire Pressure Monitors, Anti whiplash headrests, Side bars, Seat belts, Booster belts and many more. As per our current context, let’s focus on seat belts and their role in sustaining the lives during accidents. In other words, the significance of seat belts in preserving road safety.

What happens???

Let’s see what happens to an unbelted passenger, during an impact. Once a collision or a crash occurs, the vehicle ceases all of a sudden. The collision force slams the unbelted passenger against the car interior, causing injury. The consequent reaction results in the collision of bodily organs causing more pain.

Let’s envision you to be belted?

Let’s understand what happens if you and the other passengers are belted during a crash. The belt helps spread the crash over larger parts of your bodies such as your chests, hips and shoulders. If you’re the driver, your head, face and chest are also less likely to strike the steering wheel, windshield, or dashboard. In simple words, you are less prone for injury.

Few technicalities

When a seat belt is worn properly, it will apply the collision force across the chest and pelvis. This makes them withstand the collision forces to a better extent. A typical seat belt assembly consists of two components, a lap and shoulder belt. The lap belt should be buckled firmly against the body and low across the hips. The shoulder belt should be buckled as tightly as possible spreading across the shoulder and the chest. If you wear just the shoulder strap, you still have chances to slide out and get strangled, while the lap belt prevents you from hitting the steering wheel.

The full width of the belt is required to spread motor vehicle collision forces across the body; hence a seat belt should never be worn twisted.

A special word of caution for the truck drivers. These giants travel at high speeds hence a even a minor mishap also can lead to a major injury. Thus it is vital to wear the seat belts during truck driving.

What about the air bags?

Air bags do not replace the seat belt but supplement their action, hence are known as ‘auxiliary or supplementary restraints’. Airbags have evolved to protect the head, neck and chest during the collision. During a motor vehicle collision, they reduce the forward movement and minimize impact. They protect the occupant by providing body support and preventing their ejection out of car. These airbags create a cushion between the driver or occupants and the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield or other surfaces.

Statistics

In the past ten years, More than 2,000 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers died on roadways and approximately 700 unbuckled drivers and front seat passengers were thrown out of their vehicles during crashes. Adoption of seat belts can reduce these figures of fatality to a great deal

Time for the DMV Laws

Drivers are charged, with a fine and demerit points for seat belt infractions. Demerit points remain on a driving record for two years from the date of the offence. The numbers vary from state to state.

All the passengers are required to wear a seat belt in a proper way. This applies to all passengers, who are at least 8 years of age but less than 18 years of age, and each driver and front seat passenger of a passenger automobile, operated on a street or highway. This is a part of driving laws, hence not to be ignored

Safe guard your tiny tots!

Children are the most vulnerable victims in car accidents. This is because of their small size, they get injured seriously in even a minor crash. Hence forth it is very esential to take safety precautions when you drive a child along even for a short trip.

- Babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers and primary-school aged children are safest in child car seats or booster seats. Arrange for these seats as per their sizes.

- The motor vehicle driver is responsible for ensuring that all children under 12 years of age are properly secured in a motor vehicle. The driver should make sure the kid is restrained properly in the back seat.

- Never allow children to ride in the laps of other passengers

Despite your defensive driving mechanisms, clashes appear quite apparent, in such scenarios, seat belts come handy in reduving the degree of physical injury. Follow these simple protective measures and you too can conserve driving safety on roads.

You can know more about such safety devices and learn many driving tips at driving safety news.

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