Performance Brake Upgrades: Boosting Brake System Performance and Appearance
What type of customer is a likely prospect for brake upgrades? Those who tend to go through brakes rather quickly because of their driving habits, those who own sporty or performance import makes, and especially those who have already replaced their stock wheels with larger diameter aftermarket alloy wheels and low-profile tires.
Gearing Up for Timing Belt and Chain Work
Timing belts are a maintenance item on engines that have them, but what about timing chains? On most overhead cam engines that use a timing chain to turn the cams, there’s usually some type of chain tensioner or adjuster to keep the chain tight and to compensate for stretch as the chain ages. But on pushrod V6 and V8 engines, there is no chain tensioner to compensate for chain stretch. Consequently, after tens of thousand of miles, the chain loosens up, starts to make noise as it rattles against the front cover, and causes cam timing to retard. At this point the timing chain needs to be replaced.
Timing Tools
Before you replace a timing belt, chain or gear set on some engines, you will have to look up the timing reference marks. Some engines have multiple timing marks that can cause confusion if you don’t know which ones to use or how to line them up. Many engines also require special tools when changing
Tech Tip: Mitsubishi Electrical Problems
A simple electrical problem can be a major inconvenience for owners of some Mitsubishi Eclipse and Galant models. Some vehicles may intermittently experience loss of power to items such as: radio, dome light, sun visor vanity light and remote keyless entry. The dome light switch slider may become loose, allowing the slider to rotate and contact the adjacent terminal. This causes a short circuit, which blows the ….
Tech Feature: Performance Exhaust for Late-Model Vehicles
What’s hot in exhaust performance products? Bolt-on free-flowing exhaust systems for diesel trucks, big bore mufflers for sport compact cars, and low restriction street performance mufflers for cars like Mustangs, Pontiac G8s, Dodge Chargers and Chevy Corvettes. The diesel market has been really hot lately. Turbo diesel engines are a popular option in full-size Dodge, Ford and GM pickups because a ….
Performance Exhausts for Late-Model Vehicles
What’s hot in exhaust performance products? Bolt-on free-flowing exhaust systems for diesel trucks, big bore mufflers for sport compact cars, and low restriction street performance mufflers for cars like Mustangs, Pontiac G8s, Dodge Chargers and Chevy Corvettes. The diesel market has been really hot lately. Turbo diesel engines are a popular option in full-size Dodge,
Tech Tip: Special Timing Chain and Belt Tools
Before you replace a timing belt, chain or gear set on some engines, you will have to look up the timing reference marks. Some engines have multiple timing marks that can cause confusion if you don’t know which ones to use or how to line them up. Many engines also require special tools when changing a timing belt or chain. At the very least, you should have a belt tension gauge to make sure the tension on a timing belt is correct.
Tech Tip: Selling Performance Modifications
The sport compact car market is hotter than ever. The market has moved beyond the simple bolt-ons such as wheels, tires, brake rotors and spoilers. It’s not unusual today to see sport compact engines producing upward of 400 horsepower on the street. With so much power under the hood, the challenge is getting the horsepower to the tires and maintaining reasonable traction and handling.
Tech Tip: Mitsubishi Outlander Gets Nervous Going Camping
Paul and Jody look forward to spending time with their kids away from the hustle and bustle of the city. After returning from a fun-filled weekend of camping in their 2003 Outlander, Paul called to ask about a problem he had noticed. He said that when navigating through crazy Friday afternoon traffic, the car would "shudder" during acceleration. Paul wasn’t overly concerned about it, but I’m glad he called – that little shudder could have turned into something more serious.
Mitsubishi Tech Tip: Curing Valve Noise at Start-Up
On V6 and DOHC models, it is normal to hear a valve noise (a "ticking" sound) during the first two minutes after engine start-up. However, vehicles that are overdue for an oil change or have not been started for a long period of time may experience the noise for longer than two minutes. The noise is caused by air in the high-pressure chamber inside the automatic valve lash adjusters.