Jack Orrell

Your car’s wheels spin around, the pistons go up and down. So the question is how you take the lateral movement of your pistons and turn it horizontal to make it rotational energy? The answer is your crankshaft. It takes all the energy from the pistons and sends it to the transmission. This is super […]

Your car idles at about 750-900 revolutions per minute, rpm, this requires the valves to open and close 750-900 times a minute. Without the camshaft you wouldn’t have a working engine. It is what allows air into, and exhaust out of, the engine via the intake and exhaust valves. What is a camshaft? What a […]

Your car needs a certain kind of fuel to run smoothly. If your car requires premium fuel, that usually means above 95 octane. If it needs diesel then it needs, well, diesel. What it doesn’t need is petrol when it runs on diesel. That is not an ideal situation to be in. DO NOT PUT […]

Your car’s engine gets really hot. Mainly due to the thousands of explosions per minute. To cool the engine your car uses coolant, to cool the coolant, you have a radiator. Modern cars use newer and more high performance radiators for coolant to pass through the cooling system. So whether you’ve got an aluminium radiator, […]

Your car has brakes. The size of the brakes determine stopping power, the ventilation deters brake fade, and your brake components range far and wide. There’s a lot going on with stopping your car basically. Your brake pads are what make contact with your brake rotors. This contact creates friction, which creates heat. The friction […]

Your car has a lot of safety features that keep you safe that you’ll (hopefully) never use. Things like airbags, seatbelts, crumple zones and even fire extinguishers, all of these are great for when you’re having a crash. What about to avoid a crash though. These things can save your life, let alone your car. […]

If you’ve ever parked on a steep hill, you’ll need to say thanks to your park brake. Your brake pedal uses your brake pads to slow the car down. The parking brake system utilises the same idea. It uses the rear brakes to lock the rear wheels. In an automatic transmission you have park, that’s […]

Shock absorbers do what their name suggests. They absorb shocks. There are a few different types of shock absorber but they all do the same job, provide a smooth ride. When you’re driving your car and it hits a bump, your shocks are what absorb and distribute the impact. They are an integral component of […]

Your starter motor is what starts the engine. Which you already put together, but do you know how it works? If you don’t or even if you do, we might teach you a little more. It’s important to know how they work because it makes it easier to spot when they aren’t. Eventually you’ll put […]

If you’re keeping the automotive dream alive and driving a manual, you’ll be familiar with your clutch pedal. Most people know the signs that their clutch is going bad. The burning smell under load is hard to miss. Clutches engage and disengage the gearbox to the engine, as such they wear out. They ensure that […]

If you hit a bump or weight is transferred around the car while driving, the shock absorbers control it. They ensure that your tyres remain in contact with the road. They make up an integral part of your suspension system. Shock absorbers are basically operating all the time as you drive. They ensure smooth driving […]

If you’re thinking it’s time to sell your car, or want to preserve the resale value of your car, we have some good tips. The key thing to remember is to approach it like you’re buying the car. Imagine you are buying a brand new car, what do you want to see, and what would […]

When you depress the brake pedal, brake fluid is pumped from the master cylinder. This hydraulic fluid gets to the brakes through the brake lines. Over time, as your brake fluid boils and returns to the brake fluid reservoir, it can collect moisture, break down and your pedal feel will suffer. As a result your […]

Can you really have too much of a good thing? Yes, of course you can. Your car likes oil, in fact, it needs it to operate. But the amount of oil that is required to lubricate your engine’s moving parts is a set quantity. Why is overfilling the engine oil bad? Well, that’s for a […]

Your spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel and air mixture in your petrol engine. They work extremely hard, endure heat cycles and wear over time. Spark plugs can be replaced with the OEM specification plugs as recommended. By sticking to the manufacturer’s service schedule you can ensure that your cars performance isn’t compromised. […]

The older a car gets, the more likely it is to leak a bit of oil. This is because gaskets and seals age and slowly allow oil to escape. Fluid leaking is not a massive deal, unless it’s a massive amount. Oil dripping is pretty common, it can come from the head gasket, drain plug […]

We’ve covered improving fuel economy, saving fuel and saving money, plenty of times. What we’re focussing on here is improved efficiency. More specifically, decreasing fuel consumption and increasing gas mileage. If you want to increase your fuel economy you need to have your car in tip top shape. We can help you maintain your car […]

If your cars’ cooling system is overworked and underpaid, there’s a chance your car overheats on a hot day stuck in traffic. There’s only so much your engine coolant and water pump can do. If your temperature gauge tells you that a sabbatical on the side of the road is required, you’d best listen. Overheating […]

Your brakes stop your car. They sound pretty important don’t they? You’re right, they are. They also wear out and if unchecked, poor brakes can lead to an accident.  There’s a reason you need to have them replaced as required. They slow your car down through friction. That creates wear, dust and heat.  There’s a […]

You want a fast car, who wouldn’t? But it’s got a DCT transmission, what’s that? Don’t worry, we’ll tell you all you need to know on how a dual clutch transmission works.  A manual gearbox has one clutch, an automatic transmission has a torque converter, but now there’s an automatic transmission with two clutches. Is […]

You’ve got brake lights, you’ve got headlights, lights for turning, daytime running lights, and even lights for opening your door. But what about fog lights? What do fog lights do? Why do you need them?  Fog lights, or fog lamps as some call them, help you see through…. You guessed it – fog. When fog […]

If your temperature gauge zings off the charts and there’s steam pouring out from under your hood, you’re in trouble. Most likely cause is a blown head gasket. If your engine overheats, your cylinder head gets lifted due to the expansion, and coolant leaks into the combustion chamber. That means your head gasket failed, and […]

Your car needs fuel to run. Unless it’s electric, then it needs… whatever that is, magic? I don’t know.  In order to get your engine to run you need to get fuel from the gas tank, through the fuel line, at a certain fuel pressure so that your fuel injection system can operate. All modern […]

An engine needs fuel, air and spark to make it run. The piston is what takes this explosion and sends that energy down through the connecting rod and spins the crankshaft. It sounds complicated and technical. It kind of is.  But a piston is a neat thing and does a neat job. This job is […]