“Genuine” oil is a money making cash cow for most car brands. The reason is simple; they are able to buy the oil in bulk, slap their name on it and therefore charge more then something you could buy from any number of places that sell oil. It should be no surprise that the...
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A rotor screw is used to hold the rotor against the hub face without the wheel on. It is removed only when changing the rotor after removing the caliper carrier. Being so small, and in such a rust prone area however, it is very likely to become seized. This one screw often translates a...
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When removing the rear subframe on an E30, there is always a possibility that either of the two old bushings will be oxidized and therefore seized/stuck in the body. The OE subframe bushings are made up of an aluminum sleeve with a thick rubber coating around it. The aluminum sleeve protrudes at the top...
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Bringing it back to the basics this week. Changing brakes on any car with disk brakes is a routine maintenance item and is certainly a job for a novice DIY’er. However, for something so routine, there are multiple ways to perform the job. However, even though there are multiple ways to theoretically get to...
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If you don’t know or understand how parking lights work; you’re not alone. Your use or need for parking lights greatly depends on where you’re from, North Americans are the least likely to have experience with parking lights because of our well lit roads and ample dedicated parking space. In Europe and many other...
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When you hear or read someone say not to put anti-seize or another lubricant on your threads just remember; torque is just the means to getting appropriate tension. The problem is, tension goes both ways, and dry torque specs assume clean new threads. As this video illustrates, a less than new bolt yields only...
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As technology has advanced, you would assume that oils and their ability to lubricate have improved; and they have, but that development is a double edge sword. The agenda behind oil development is as much about lubrication as it is a battle against environmental impact, catalytic converter health, and fuel efficiency. If you look...
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Every rim and tire is slightly different and all have their unique high, low, light and heavy spots. On a rim, naturally the spot that is the ‘heaviest’ is where the valve stem resides as the stem adds weight to one side of the rim. On a tire, its not as obvious because a...
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A great video from spain showing exactly how to rebuild an M20 head and how to install it back on the block. Three things I would recommend doing differently from the video: 1. Always send the head out to the machinist to check for warping and cracks instead of trying to do it yourself....
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Inevitably if you own any car long enough, it will likely blow a fuse, and it may blow it again and again because of an underlying problem. Resettable automotive fuses are a great tools in chasing a problem, as you can trouble shoot and not have to pay nor reinstall a new fuse every...
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