Is it safe to drive with a broken clutch?

/ - 2 mins read

We recommend you absolutely do not try to drive with a broken clutch. It isn’t a good idea, in fact, it probably won’t even work. Your clutch is what connects the engine to the transmission. Your clutch is what mates and transfers the power from the engine to the wheels. If it isn’t working then […]

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Why do I need to replace my timing belt?

/ - 2 mins read

Your timing belt doesn’t run the clock in your car. It runs a way more important part – your engine. Like many other engine components, it wears out. When your car is running, it’s spinning at extremely high speeds, in a very hot place. I don’t really like running in a very mild place, imagine […]

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What does RPM mean?

- 3 mins read

Well to put it simply, “Revolutions Per Minute”. The follow up question you’ll have is, “what’s revolving?”. When your engine is running, the pistons travel up and down and rotate the crankshaft. The amount of full 360 degree rotations the crankshaft does in one minute. This tells you how the engine is operating at that […]

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What’s the best spark plug for my car?

- 3 mins read

Your engine inhales air and fuel, at the top of the compression stroke, the spark plug ignites the mixture. The spark plug only has that job, to ignite the mixture. Yep, you’ve got a whole ignition system for the sole purpose of one spark each cylinder at the top of every combustion stroke. The spark […]

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Why is turbo lag a thing?

- 3 mins read

A turbo is a impeller that is spun via exhaust gas. It then spins an impeller that sucks in air, pressurises it and forces it into your engine. So your turbo takes something that you weren’t using anyway and turns it into more horsepower. Add in the fact that it often makes your car more […]

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What is a egr valve and how does it work?

/ - 2 mins read

An EGR valve sounds like it belongs in your heart. It doesn’t involve ventricles or aortas, it involves exhaust gas, the intake manifold, air and fuel, and emissions. EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation, it is a valve that car makers turned to in the fight against emissions and for fuel economy. It sounds really […]

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What is a mass airflow sensor and how does a maf work?

/ - 4 mins read

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 […]

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What’s a camshaft and how does it work?

/ - 4 mins read

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 […]

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What are radiators and what do they do?

/ - 3 mins read

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, […]

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What is abs and why do I need it?

/ - 3 mins read

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. […]

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Expert’s guide to the most costly car repairs and replacements

/ - 6 mins read

Ugh, the irking thought of car repairs.  They’re always looming in the background of any driver’s consciousness.  And generally accompanying those thoughts is a sense of dread around the scope of the car repairs, and what the cost is to fix parts. Here at My Auto Shop, we think knowledge is power.  And we’re here […]

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How to tell if your starter motor is faulty?

/ - 3 mins read

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 […]

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How to tell if shock absorbers need replacing?

/ - 2 mins read

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 […]

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Can you bring your own car parts to a mechanic?

- 4 mins read

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 […]

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Don’t look to save money when replacing these car parts

- 4 mins read

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 […]

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