During the development of the automobile, several different methods to control engine speed were utilized. Hand throttles were initially popular, but this method faded over time. Eventually the engine speed and car speed control became the work of the driver’s right foot. Thus the accelerator pedal (or gas pedal) emerged. It was connected to the … Read more
While it’s unlikely that you’ve intentionally poured bleach into your own gas tank, it’s not unheard of for people to try and get back at someone they don’t like by mixing things into their gas tank. But what do you do if you suspect you’re a victim of someone that has bleached your gas tank? … Read more
For automobiles, the electric starter is a boon to easily getting on the road. It was invented by Clyde J. Coleman and first patented in 1903. Coleman soon sold his patent rights to Delco which was subsequently absorbed by General Motors. When Delco joined GM, the brilliant engineer, Charles Kettering, came along for the ride. … Read more
The fuel injectors are the parts of the engine which are responsible for spraying fuel into the intake valves of the engine from where the mixture goes into the piston cylinders for the combustion. The ECU (engine control unit) determines the amount of fuel which is pushed into the fuel injector. Why Fuel Injectors Get … Read more
Vehicle exhaust emissions have been a contributor to air pollution since the automobile first appeared on the dirt roads of the early 1900s. But it was not until the mid 60’s that efforts were initiated to reduce those emissions. By the mid-90’s, refined improvements to automotive engines and related systems had made major strides in … Read more
Almost every vehicle with an internal combustion engine uses either a timing chain or timing belt. These are critical components which over the life of a vehicle CAN fail. This article will cover timing chains in particular. See “Symptoms of a Bad Timing Belt” in case your vehicle uses that instead. What is a Timing … Read more
Decades ago, my dad taught me a great deal about automobile problem diagnosis and repair. One thing he repeated time and time again: “For an engine to run it must have three things. Fuel, spark and compression. And these three must each happen at the right time”. These three factors apply to conventional gasoline-fueled not … Read more
While it can be a pretty straightforward process to diagnose an engine that’s running rich, accurately diagnosing an engine that’s running lean can be a little trickier. But just because it’s harder to spot the culprit doesn’t make it any less severe. Failure to address a lean running engine can lead to unrepairable engine damage … Read more
You’re thrumming along a long country road, of course, and you can’t really tell what’s going on in your engine bay. That’s because everything is so quiet nowadays. But you do see a check engine light that wasn’t there before or maybe you feel a strange bumping sound upon acceleration. Maybe your mileage has gone … Read more
Gasoline and diesel automobile engines are dependent on a moderately complex fuel delivery system. This system brings fuel to the engine at the precise flow and pressure to enable proper operation. For most modern cars, one or more fuel pumps are the heart of this arrangement. When one of these pumps fails to perform properly, … Read more