Cool Cars

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Try Iridium Spark Plugs For The Next Spark Plug Replacement.

Are you looking for your car's spark plug replacement because the present spark plugs have wore off? I have an advice for you. This time try embedding in your car engine, iridium spark plugs. The advent of modern technology has also effected the cars as well and have made them much more efficient.Using iridium tips in spark plugs is also one of its dimensions. Iridium spark plugs has many advantages and it can really pimp your ride. Refer to my last article on how spark plugs can pimp your ride and how you can perform spark plug replacement.

Advantages Of Having Iridium Spark Plugs.

Before acquainting you about the advantages of iridium spark plugs, I want to make one thing clear. Spark plugs don't enhance the efficiency of the car beyond its limits but instead they make it more efficient according to the car's own potential. So clear your mind from any misconceptions that its only the spark plugs that will make your crawling ride in to a super fast car.

Now coming to the advantages of iridium spark plugs, they sure are durable and strong enough as compared to other conventional platinum tipped, spark plugs. Durability of iridium spark plugs can be compared as it has a life of almost 60, 000 miles where as the conventional will give you 20,000 to 40,000 miles. Of course because of the good quality of the element, the quality of spark is improved and gives a much better spark hence improving fuel efficiency.

The best thing about the iridium spark plug is that it wears off rather slowly as compared to platinum spark plugs. The reason is of course, iridium is much more durable than its "colleague" platinum. Besides this, the melting point of iridium is much more higher than platinum. The melting point of iridium is 4450 F where as that of platinum is almost 3216 F. That's a huge difference. Furthermore, iridium is 8 times more rigid than platinum where it can endure a pressure of 160 Kpsi as compared to platinum which can stand a pressure of not more than 20 Kpsi. Because of these qualities, the iridium spark plugs wear off much slowly as compared to those conventional spark plugs so you don't have a headache of replacing your spark plugs after some years.

Learning above attributes of iridium I bet you would go for high quality iridium spark plugs the very next time you perform your car's spark plug replacement.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Pimp Your Ride By Modifying Spark Plugs

reading spark plugs
If you really want to perform some car modification, the best thing is to first take care of your engine performance because car modification is not only about changing your car body kits and installing some sub woofers to add a groove in your sound. No car modification is completed if the car's performance is not state of the art. For this purpose, you may get many advice. I would specifically refer to the car's spark plugs and their impact on engine performance and how you can do some modifications either by some spark plugs replacement or spark plug gapping or choose the right spark plugs for your car by assessing and reading spark plugs requirements for your car.

Before getting into details I would just peek into the spark plug's functioning or how does a spark plug work. I know many of you car enthusiasts must know the purpose of spark plugs and how does a spark plug work. So I will not go into a detail.Just a quick review.

Purpose Of A Spark Plug, How Does A Spark Plug Work?

Spark plug actually causes an ignition through its ignition coil in the internal combustion chamber of the engine which creates a small spark. Search out for internal combustion engine fundamentals for more details. This spark when unites with the air and some drops of fuel, it creates a perfect combination for a small explosion. This small explosion creates a pressure which causes the pistons in the engine's cylinders to move and eventually creates a torque to move the cam shaft and ultimately the car starts to move. As simple as that.

So the purpose of a spark plug is integral in moving a car. Obviously if the spark is of not a good quality there would be implications on the car's engine performance so to perform some car modification pertaining to spark plugs, one has to make sure that the spark plug is of good quality which produces a better spark to ensure swift movement of a car.

Now coming to the spark plug modification or replacement, let us first analyze that what effects the performance of the spark plug. The spark plug's performance is effected by following factors.

1) Wear and Tear of spark plug.
2) The gap between central and ground electrode or spark plug gapping.
3) Voltage provided to create a spark.
4) Altitude and temperature of the location.

To alter the performance or efficiency of spark plugs, one should try to alter the above factors or if he is going to perform some spark plugs replacement he should keep the above factors in mind. Now let's see how the above mentioned factors effect the efficiency of a spark plug and how you can modify or use the above mentioned factors in better performance of spark plugs and ultimately of the car.
1) Wear And Tear Of Spark Plug.

Spark plugs have to go through series of small explosions in order to be functional thus making them more prone to wear and tear. So definitely a damaged spark plug or a spark plug having a lot of carbon deposited at its tip will not perform adequately. So make sure that spark plugs are always in a good condition in order for your car as whole to be efficient or perform well. Generally a spark plug's life is about 10,000 to 20,000 miles. However some manufacturers assemble spark plugs which have two or in other words multiple ground electrodes to enhance the life of a spark plug. But it has been observed that it has some implications on fuel injection of the car.

2) Spark Plug Gapping.

This is the most important factor of spark plugs performance. However people have different views about the spark plug gapping. Some say that the more the gap, the better is the spark. Where as some say that small gap is good as it requires small amount of voltage to create the spark. Normally a spark plug requires a very high voltage of about 40,000 to 100,000 volts to cover the gap. I am open here for suggestions. Tell me if you have any suggestions regarding this topic. However if you really want to make the spark plug gapping larger or smaller you can use a very fine nosed pliers as a spark plug gapper or spark plug gap tool. To enlarge the gap, pull the ground electrodes outwards using pliers. However be extremely cautious here and make sure you do not apply pressure on the center electrode or it may damage.If you want to make the gap smaller, gently tap the ground electrode on a hard surface. You can use a feeler guage to measure the gap between center and ground electrode.

3) Voltage Provided.

As described above spark plugs need a very high amount of voltage to create a spark so use a good quality car batteries to make sure that a voltage is provided to create the spark.

4) Altitude And Temperature Of The Location.

The altitude where your car operates and the temperature in which your car operates is crucial for the performance of your spark plugs. For this reason the spark plugs have been divided into two kind which are:

a) Hot Spark Plugs:

Hot spark plugs are spark plugs in which the surface area of ceramic exhaust coating contacts less with the metal part of the spark plug thus exhausting less heat. I am saying the ceramic insulator as an exhaust because the ceramic insulator coating works as a heat exhaust. So hot spark plugs are good in low performing cars or in cold areas. Similarly they are good at high altitude areas where oxygen is less to burn the fuel.

b) Cold Spark Plugs:

These spark plugs have larger surface area of ceramic insulator coating thus exhausting more heat and keeping the spark plugs cold. You can have a look at the image of spark plugs structure for spark plug cross reference. Cold spark plugs are best for high performance engines or turbo charged engines. If you are looking forward for engine upgrades then I reckon you should also pay some consideration towards your spark plug replacement.


spark plug replacement


Above mentioned factors are helpful in assessing and reading spark plugs requirements for your car. You may have come to know how spark plug can be modified by changing spark plugs gapping as well as what spark plugs would be better for your car's specific requirements.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Car Shows and Insurance Cover

car tuningMore often than not folks haven't a clue just how perilous the idea of taking a car to show it, with no insurance can be. Have you imagined what would happen if there was something that went incorrect and there was no insurance protection in the event the paint was scratched, the doors dented, or perhaps the doors dented, or even the glass smashed in one window.

It's best to ensure that you possess plenty of indemnity which may cover your wishes. This can imply having further coverage above the usual insurance that the majority hold on their autos. You must always make sure that you get an adequate amount of coverage to protect the auto without reference to what occurs. You must be completely mindful of this before you go to the car show. Seize the opportunity to truly thoroughly examine all the info in the information in the policy to establish where your coverage is wanting. You may be able to modify your existing policy or you might need to buy a supplemental policy to fill in the gaps. Regardless of which method you opt to take, you need to make sure that the entire amount of the car is covered.

Many people make the error of only insuring a little of their car. You need to notice that when you are dealing with car show deserving cars they are always priced at much bigger than standard resell rates would cover. You will discover after an issue happens that your insurance will only cover a share of the car. Always talk to your insurance agent and ensure that you have enough coverage which may pay the acceptable amount in the event of damage. You actually don't wish to be caught off guard if your auto supports important scratches at the car show to find out that your vehicle can only receive up to $1,000 in insurance money. You need to ensure that all damage is paid for, instead of the insurance company possibly claiming that damage was pre-existing.
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Choosing good insurance will make sure that you're able to enjoy your car all of the time, sure that you're able to pay for repairs out of pocket after a car show. Remember, it is important to have acceptable protection the red after a car before the car show, rather than have acceptable protection for your auto before the car has already been damaged some how. Most folk have much more coverage than they ever need on their cherished autos, but it is worth the extra cash for the piece of mind that you have knowing that your appreciated automobile will be repaired if a problem occurs. Another you have knowing that you have is discuss with the event sponsors whether they are going to be providing insurance to the people showing their autos. Some do offer insurance; however most don't provide coverage.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Pimp Your Ride With Blaupunkt Amplifier And Car Subwoofer For 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid


12 Blaupunkt for 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - $ 759.00
Retail Price: 949.99
You Save:$190.99

I've been talking about pimping up your ride. now its time to add some colors and flavors in it. After all what's the use of a shiny and attractive car when you don't have a good sound system or even if you have a good car sound system but it produces a faint and flaccid base.

I bring for you, Blaupunkt amplifier, vivid and lively car subwoofers that can really add a spice in your car stereo system with the high performance 12" subwoofer tube. It has a tendency of boosting up your car's bass by 600 Watts, produces a frequency from 35-500 Hz providing booming lows for your favorite car music. It's easy plug 'n' play car amplifier and no need of cutting, slicing your existing car's wiring. The amplifier's exclusive "Planar Power Plant" ( 3p ) technology makes for a cool running, compact size which is 1/3 of the conventional amplifiers for out of sight mounting flexibility.

The kit includes remote volume control, radio plug in harness, extension harness and speaker wires. Easy to install but still dealer installation is recommended.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Saving on Car Insurance

car insurance car insuranceCar Insurance provides cover for vehicles against financial loss and damage caused in accidents. The degree of protection that you can get from car insurance companies depends upon its category. Different kinds of insurance provide cover for incidents and damage of different nature.

Before obtaining car insurance cover, it is important to look around and choose the cheapest car Insurance. In order to do that, you should search for different car insurance quotes, and then analyse the variations amongst them. By looking at how the quotes vary from each other and how much cover is provided, you will be able to decide which one is the cheapest and most effective for you. The most significant factors that affect a car insurance quote are the model and make of the car, how old the car is, job of the policyholder, gender of driver, residence and experience of the driver.

There are different kinds of cover available for car insurance. The cost of your car insurance also depends upon the kind of cover you get. In the UK, three categories of cover are available. These are Fully Comprehensive, Third Party and Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance.

The Fully Comprehensive Car Insurance cover is the one that provides the most protection against losses and damage, and is owned by more than half of the total car insurance policy holders. It covers for accidental damage to your car and also the other vehicle, damage due to fire, physical injuries to passengers, damage due to break ins, and windscreen damage. It also provides cover for personal belongings that have been damaged. Extra options, such as personal cover for accidents and green card can also be included in the Fully Comprehensive cover. This cover is most suitable for cars that are brand new and have high cost value.

Third Party Car Insurance is the one that is the most cost effective and provides cover only for the damage caused to the property, car, driver and passengers of the third party. It does not cover for the damage to your car or driver. This insurance fulfills the minimum legal requirement, and can be obtained for cars, which are not new and are not worth too much with poor performance.

car auto insurance quoteThe Third Party Fire and Theft Insurance has all the features of the Third Party Insurance, but in addition to those, it also provides cover for your car against damage and losses caused by break ins, stealing and fire. This cover is suitable for cars that are not very new but have good performance.

After you have decided the kind of car insurance cover most suitable for you, based on your car's model, value and your budget, you can choose the cheapest car insurance. It is easier to look for quotes and make comparisons because most of them can be obtained on the internet quickly - and making comparisons doesn't take up too much time. Car insurance may seem complicated and not worth your time, but if you invest in it now you won't be sorry later.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

How to Choose a Good Car Mechanic

car insurance tuningMost every car owner will tell you that having regular maintenance performed on your vehicle is essential to keeping your car in proper working condition. However, even though you may have some experience working on cars yourself, it is important that you routinely take your car to a certified mechanic to have it properly checked over every so often. This is particularly important for newer vehicles that include computerized equipment that only a certified mechanic can properly review.

However, deciding on which mechanic to take your care to is an important decision, and one that many people have a hard time with. People are often leery of taking their car to a new mechanic because they are unsure of how good the mechanic is at working on vehicles and also because they are afraid they may pay a lot of money to have their car "tuned up" only to find the mechanic did no actual work to the car and just scammed them out of their money.

One of the best ways to find a qualified mechanic is by word of mouth. Ask friends and family members which mechanic that they use for their own vehicles. Once a person has found a good mechanic, they will often stay with them for many years because they know they are getting quality service. So if any of your friends and family members routinely use the same car mechanic, you know they are doing so because they keep taking their vehicles to them again and again. Ask around to see if anyone you know has a mechanic that they feel is great and can be completely trusted with your vehicle.

In some situations, you may not know anyone that has a mechanic that they use regularly. But don't worry, you can still easily find a quality mechanic to work on your vehicle. You can start by visiting various mechanics and seeing what kind of business that they do. If there is constantly customers waiting to have their vehicles worked on, it is a pretty safe bet that mechanic provides quality work that keeps the customers pouring in. However, just because a mechanic doesn't have a steady flow of customers beating down his or her door, does not mean that they are a bad mechanic. There may be various reasons why a mechanic is not busy on the day that you pass by. If you are interested in having work provided by that particular mechanic, stop by and have a quick chat with them. Ask them how long they have been working on cars, what experience they have and if they have any references.

carYou can also ask what kind of certifications that the mechanic has for working on cars. Mechanics that are ASE certified often ensure that you will be receiving quality service from a mechanic that is quite proficient at what they do. Be patient and take your time, and before you know it you'll have a great mechanic.
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