Cars Lab

Archive for January, 2011

Prepare For Storms With Garage Door Bottom Seals And Garage Door Thresholds

Preparing for incoming; the 10 Keeps

Ice storms tornadoes severe thunderstorms and hurricanes can cause complete destruction to power systems all over the country. It takes time to clear away debris deliver new poles transformers and equipment to recover the system. Even with the advanced equipment it could be days before some get there power back online. So if a storm is coming your way take heed of the following keeps:

Keep your house sealed tight. Make sure your windows doors and garage doors are locked and sealed. Check your garage door bottom or threshold seals and ensure that wind or water cannot flood in.

Keep up to date with current weather conditions. Understanding the terminology that goes with weather warnings and conditions is also important.

Keep an updated personal list of emergency phone numbers. Its hard to remember these when faced with a crisis. Believe you me!

Keep the fridge and freezer set to the lowest temperature setting. In a power cut your food will remain stored and edible for a longer period.

Keep enough food in the house. Make a plan on how you and your family will survive in the event of a storm. If theres a power cut or its dangerous to venture out you wont be able to replenish your groceries or visit restaurants. Also if you have a barbeque or a gas grill in your garden be sure to keep spare gas cylinders for cooking.

Keep alternative heating systems. Like gas for example. If its winter and the electric powers down you may not be able to sufficiently heat your house. Make sure your house is insulated properly. Uninsulated garages doors and windows will make your house colder quicker.

Keep water in your bathtub. During a power cut the electric pumps that distribute water around the house will not work for flushing toilets etc. So make sure the bath is filled.

Keep car fuelled up in the garage. It might be necessary for you relocate at short notice. Fuel stations maybe without power too.

Keep your laptop and mobile phones fully charged. You might need these for additional methods of communication.

Keep extra batteries for extra appliances.

Items to keep handy:

Flashlights and torches. Have these handy for each member of the family.

Batterypowered radio. Youll need these to listen to the latest weather reports.

Candles and matches. Use these with caution especially when children are present.

Fully charged mobile phone. Use this to contact authorities and services or check for latest updates and reports.

Drinking water containers. It will be necessary prepare drinking water when

taps and faucets are not working.

Longlife food. Long life milk and food is always useful. Especially when theres a power cut.

Manual can opener.

Cash . ATMs and bank machines may not be working keep cash handy just in case.

Doors

Learn how to manually open all autodoors or gates. Garage doors are usually remote control operated so when the power is down the doors wont work. When manually closing the doors make sure the bottom of the garage door makes contact with the threshold seal which is usually set horizontally along the threshold of the garage.

About the writer:  For information on garage door bottom seals visit the Garage Accessories R Us Website. A range of products can be ordered online which includes items like garage door threshold and other car and garage accessories that could help you further prepare for those incoming storms.

Mazda: The Hope Of The Rotary Engine

Mazda: the hope of the Rotary Engine

Models of the Mazda:

From the past time Mazda had been known as the future of the sports car and their engines. Some of the few developed cars in the past were Mazda RX2 RX3 RX4 and RX7 and now the latest version is the Mazda RX8 which is best known for the successful rotator engines. Another point of success of the Mazda Company is the new Mazda 16x Rotary Engine which is well known for its combustion engine. The main feature of the engines of the Mazda is the compact design and fantastic power to weight ratio. And this all features are available in just the capacity of the 1.6 Liters.

Features of the engines of the Mazda:

The new name of the rotary engine of the Mazda is known as the “longstroke rotary engine.” In early times the company was dealing with the 13V rotary engine which has the displacement of the 1300cc and the capacity was 1.3 Liters. Now the latest models of the Mazda are having the engines of displacement value of 1600cc which is 800cc x 2 and the capacity is 1.6 liters.

Another interesting fact about the latest engines of the Mazda is that the engines are larger than the size of 13B engines but the weight is less. The main reason behind this is that the side housings are made up of aluminum.

The main motto of the company is to provide the greater thermal efficiency. This means that the super models of the car will be created by the company and also the engines will be having the increase torque which will increase the speed of the car. The torque can be increased by increasing the thermal efficiency of the engines. Rotary engines are the engines which are known for the low torque. Besides this the Mazda is providing the feature of the Direct Fuel injection. And the compared rate of this feature is also less.

Another great thing is that the harmful emissions of the car will also will be reduced and also the power will be slightly increased as compared to the engines of the 13B which are common multipoint fuel injected engines. This results in the leaning of the arefuel mixture and also improves the condition of the rotaries which usually get flooded with the dirt from streets and roads.

The main achievement of the company is to generate the sporty and light engines of 1.3 Liter and that too of 13B. But the main thing from the customers point of view is that the Mazda has still not launched the engine is the market. Till now only a prototype of the model had been launched which is going under testing conditions.

About the writer:  Know more about Used”>http://www.gotengines.com”>Used Engines cheap Transmission Replacements do visit GotEngines.com and GotTransmissions.com.

Maintenance Tips For Brand New Cars

Youve recently purchased a new car and youre obsessed with keeping it clean. After all you dont want your car to end up looking like most used cars: dusty full of crumbs and with coins stuck to the beverage tray. A new car is much easier to maintain because youre starting out with a spotless vehicle that doesnt have any nagging problems like rusting or upholstery tears. If you incorporate the following tips into your car maintenance routine your car will feel brand new for years to come.

REGULAR MAINTENANCE IS KEY:

The car manual will outline the different things you need to do to keep your car running smoothly. It will also tell you how often you should perform those tasks and with what type of fluid. The most common maintenance tasks are:

Checking the oil level at least 4 times a year.

Checking the brake fluid level regularly especially if you notice a difference in the brake pedal.

Checking the automatic transmission fluid once a month

Having the engine cleaned every one to two years

Refilling the antifreeze/coolant fluid regularly

Refilling the windshield washer fluid regularly

Checking your tires regularly

KEEP IT TIDY:

Keep a small plastic bag in the car for trash and dispose of it every week. If you dont let trash accumulate in your car it will be easier to keep the interior clean.

Use a UV resistant car cleaner to wipe down the dashboard the steering wheel the inside door panels and any other hard surfaces. This should be done weekly; it will keep these areas clean and it will provide UV protection in the sunlight.

Clean up any spills as soon as possible to prevent mold and bad smells.

Avoid eating or smoking in your new car but if you must be attentive to bits of food that drop to the floor or cigarette flints that fly off within the car.

GIVE YOURSELF SPACE:

Avoid parking in tight spots. Even if you dont tap the other cars bumper as your parking theres a good chance other drivers will bump into your car while trying to get out of a tight space.

In a parking lot choose a space that has empty spaces on each side. This will lessen the possibility of your car brushing other cars as you enter the parking spot.

Park in well lit or common areas. Leaving your car in a dark alley will increase the chance of a break in and of your car being stripped; it can also put you in a dangerous situation when you get to your car.

LISTEN TO YOUR DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS:

If a dashboard light stays on refer to your car manual to diagnose the problem. Most car manuals have an illustrated page at the end that shows dashboard symbols and their possible meanings. Whatever you do dont ignore the light because even if the car is functioning normally its just a matter of time before it will fail in some way or brake down. Most problems such as a low oil level can be fixed quite easily if theyre addressed as soon as the dashboard warning light goes on.

CHECK YOUR TIRES:

Checking your tires regularly will make driving both safer and more fuel efficient.

You can check the tire pressure with an inexpensive tire pressure gauge. Remove the valve cap on the tire and place the tire gauge onto the valve; watch the tire gauge for a reading. Your car manual or a label on the inside of the drivers door will tell you how much tire pressure you should have; add air to match that number.

Have your wheels aligned and balanced every year or when you buy new tires. You can check the tread wear by comparing the inner tread of the tire to the level of the tread markers; if its lower than the tread markers the tires need to be replaced. You can also check the tread wear using the penny test: put a penny with Abraham Lincoln upside down into a tire groove and if the tire tread is lower than the top of Lincolns head the tires need to be replaced.

FIX DENTS AND CRACKS AS THEY HAPPEN:

A small crack in your windshield doesnt have to mean a full windshield replacement if you have it repaired as soon as you notice it. If you let it go the crack will expand and it will then become a safety hazard if it affects your view. Similarly a scrape or a dent on the body of the car can easily morph into a rusty spot. Its best to have the car fixed professionally but you can use fill in pens on smaller areas.

Buying a new car makes it easier to keep your car in top condition but these tips apply to all cars. Many drivers focus only on their insurance coverage and on driving safely and they neglect the car itself. If you take the time to check your car for things like leaks and low fluid levels you can prevent unnecessary damage and costly repair bills; you can also keep your car in excellent condition for many years.

About the writer:  Have a fun and safe time on the road and visit us to find the best deal on the insurance coverage you need. Get moneysaving tips affordable auto insurance rates and helpful advice about automotive coverage from Auto Insurance Rates Direct today.