Tag: Car Maintenance

To keep your engine running you need air to combine with your fuel, at the set air fuel ratio. This mixture is what gives your engine the potential energy to combust. What amount of air and what amount of fuel though? Well you have a fuel injection map to scale up and down depending on […]

Your internal combustion engine does many interesting things. Most noticeably, it powers your car. To do this it needs fuel and air. When it has combusted the mixture, it needs to get rid of the byproduct – exhaust gas. These exhaust gasses are passed through the exhaust valves when they open, through exhaust pipes to […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A radiator is pretty neat. It looks like a big sheet of steel with radiator hoses coming out of it. That is partially true to be fair. We can give you a more detailed description on how a radiator works. Your radiator is one of the key components in cooling the engine. Your cooling system […]

You wake up in the morning and you drink a glass of water to quench your thirst, then you have a morning coffee and you’re up and running for the day. Your car is much the same, it has some essential fluids that it requires to run optimally.  They are all extremely important and they […]

The quote has come back from the mechanic and they say you need a timing belt change. It sounds expensive, clock-based and confusing. Well you’re right about two of those and close on the third.  It can be expensive, it can be confusing, and it does kind of involve timing. A timing belt replacement is […]

Cars cost a fair amount of money. When you spend that kind of money, you want to be sure that it’s well maintained and well taken care of. Not to mention that if you look after your car it’ll save you a lot of money in the long run when it comes to getting it […]

If you’ve ever been confronted with a large repair bill from a mechanic you may have thought supplying your own sourced parts would save you some of the expense. It’s never been easier to look online and check the latest price for car parts via Repco or Super Cheap Auto. You may even have brake […]

It goes without saying, car repairs are not a “happy” purchase for most people. There are, however, some car parts where saving money should not be the priority. In these cases, paying a little extra to get good-quality parts will save you in the long run, and may keep you and your family safer at […]