Archive for August, 2008
A Look at Your Car’s Air Filter
By Admin on August 11th, 2008
By Homer Molina
Having your air filter changed at your local garage shop or mechanic could actually cost you so much more than what it would cost you if you did everything yourself. The truth is, changing air filters is easy as counting “1-2-3″. And yes, you would be saving yourself some extra dollars.
Of course, you would have to check your car’s air filter first. You would have to see if you do need to change it or if the air filter still could do its job properly. To check your air filter, make sure first that your car’s engine is cool. You would not want to go checking underneath your car’s hood with a still steaming engine underneath. Pop up the hood. Do not forget to prop it up. Then, make sure that you do have the needed materials at hand. For this activity, you would be needing two medium-sized screwdrivers. There should be one standard screwdriver and one Phillips.
How do you find the air filter? Well, the air filter is generally enclosed in a black plastic casing. This plastic casing is located near the center top of the engine. Automobile experts would describe finding the air filter as trying to locate the largest non-metal assembly under the hood. It would be around the size of a breadbox.
When you have already found it, the next part would be opening it. For this part, you would be needing the screwdriver for this box is actually held together by a couple of large metal clips on the side. Simply slide the flat-dead screwdriver between the casing and the clip. Just pry the casing open and you would be able to open it. However, there are some that really have some screws that hold the box together. If this is the case, then unscrew them first.
Once opened, you will find the air filter inside. It comes with the colors bright yellow, orange, or red. Pull the air filter out. You would see that it is flat, elongated, and would measure about a foot long by six inches wide and would have a height of around two inches. It has been crafted from paper filament and has rubber edges along the bottom.
Hold the air filter up and bend it back. Look inside the crevices. Hold it at arms length and look at it. If you see a lot of accumulated dirt and grime, especially mostly in the center of the air filter, it is then time to change it.
Replacement for your air filter could be easily found at Land Rover Parts and Range Rover Parts. They offer other auto parts for Land Rover vehicles like electrical engine parts. Aside from offering quality products, Land Rover Parts and Range Rover Parts also has a great customer service to assist patrons in their various auto parts needs.
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Will Diesel Hybrid Cars Catch On like the Mainstream Hybrid Cars
By Admin on August 11th, 2008
By suegold
Four years ago hybrid cars would rarely be seen in roads and freeways. But as more people noticed and realized the great advantages this eco-friendly cars offer, and the savings they get, more and more hybrid cars are now plying our roads. So much so that hybrid cars are now as mainstream as the conventional engine cars that we got used to. But, it wouldnt be a surprise if new developments and innovations come out to further develop the existing hybrid technology or to provide new technologies.
Many stories and rumors has circulated in the motor world of different discoveries and concepts that can further revolutionize the hybrid technology in motor vehicles, but many questions have also arisen on why some certain pre-existing technology have not been incorporated with the hybrid innovation. This includes the diesel hybrid concept.
Diesel engines have been vastly popular in Europe and Asia. While North America have not embraced the diesel engine as much as their overseas neighbors, developments have been made in the United States to eliminate the characteristics which have made it a poor choice here. Recent developments have eliminated the excessive smoke generated and the loud rattling noises of the engines. Additionally, biodiesel fuel has had a growing following and is seen as a solution to save the depletion of natural resources like oil. Combining hybrid technology and the new biodiesel fuel seems to be a better solution to our growing problems. Biodiesel is now cleaner and is also cheaper than regular gasoline.
While there have been no serious research and development done on diesel hybrid cars just yet, Ford has released a diesel hybrid concept car at the North Auto American Auto show in Detroit last January 10, 2006. Ford dubbed it as the Reflex sportscar. This is a car that is infused with a power source that uses a combination of a diesel engine, an electric motor and solar panels. Also, the Ford Reflex is all wheel drive car that Ford claims gets 65 miles to a gallon.
The Reflex, which could be the basis for future diesel hybrid cars operates much the same way as gas/electric hybrid cars. It also has a hybrid battery pack to provide backup power to the car that gets recharged by the engine and the heat generated by braking. The diesel Hybrid car by Ford uses lithium-ion batteries, the same kind used by the latest gadgets today, like cellular phones and portable computers. Most hybrid cars use nickel-metal hydrite batteries because they are far more cheaper, but lithium-ion batteries have far more power capacity.
But the Reflex also extracts power from solar cells located inside the headlamps and taillamps. This is a technology patented by Ford. There are also solar cells placed in the roof of the car that provides power to fans that operates inside the car to cool the interior when it is parked under the hot sun.
We can only wait until hybrid diesel car technology is more available. Until then, we can wait until diesel fuel can provide the same power as gasoline fuel. But when the technology is refined, we can all be sure that diesel hybrid cars will surely catch on and we will be seeing it more often.
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