Car Insurance

Many years ago when I got hooked by motorcycles, I started to hear a lot about two and four stroke engines… It seemed there were (and there still are) strong opinions in pro and con of each of the engine types.

As Internet wasn’t available, and as I was worried about other aspects or motorcycle riding back then, I left that question unanswered for a long time.

If this is your case or if your are interested in these two kind of internal combustion engines, in the next few lines I hope to give you a few fast answers and some resources to get more in depth information.

Just keep reading…

Here are some facts about two and four stroke engines:

TWO STROKE ENGINES

Cycle - Two Strokes:

1.- Compression (intake+compression)

2.- Combustion (combustion+exhaust)

Take a look at the cycle in: http://science.howstuffworks.com/two-stroke2.htm

Advantages of two stroke engines:

• The engine fires - spark plug ignites - once every revolution of the crankshaft.

• They produce twice the power than four stroke engines.

• They are much simpler than four stroke engines. Fewer parts to worry about.

Disadvantages:

• You have to mix two stroke engine oil with gas, and depending on your consumption, this might be expensive.

• They last less. Lubrication is not as efficient as in a four stroke engine with heavy oil.

• Do not use gas efficiently.

• Pollute more.

FOUR STROKE ENGINES

Cycle - Four Strokes:

1.- Intake

2.- Compression

3.- Combustion

4.- Exhaust

Take a look at the cycle in: http://science.howstuffworks.com/engine4.htm

Advantages of four stroke engines:

• Last longer than two stroke engines

• More efficient use of gas

• Pollute less than two stroke engines

Disadvantages:

• More complicated. Many more parts to worry about.

• Half as powerful as two stroke engines (for equivalent engines)

• Fires once every two revolutions.

If you want to learn more about two stroke and four stroke engines, take a look at the pages I mention above. You will find extensive information and diagrams that will solve all of your doubts.

Well I hope this gave you some basic information and helped you answer some FAQ about two and four stroke engines!

Turbochargers, many people have heard of them, but not many
people can explain them. There are many different sizes and
shapes of turbo-chargers, but there purpose will remain the same
- to bring more air into the engine. The best way to think of a
turbo is like a big fan, but instead of blowing air it consumes
air and squeezes it into the engine. A turbocharger is also much
different from a fan in that it is made almost entirely of metal
and spins usually between 100,000 and 200,000 RPM’s.
Turbochargers constantly have fresh oil running to them to keep
them lubricated and cool. Having a colder turbo means less wear
on the moving parts and in turn means higher longevity and lesser
loss of performance over use. There are several simple things to
do to ensure a happy life for a turbocharger.

#3

I would say one of the easiest ways for you to increase the life
of your turbo is letting your automobile warm up before you drive
it and cool down before you shut it off. If you are wondering why
it’s important for you to let the car warm up here is why… when
oil is cold it’s very heavy and thick, and will not lubricate
like its designed to which is never a good thing when something
is moving as fast as a turbo. Are you wondering why you should
let the engine cool down before you turn it off? Think of your
oven. Let us say you just turned off the oven because you were
baking something, just because the oven is now off does not mean
its ok to reach in and grab the racks. It is going to stay
extremely hot for a while, and it is the same with your
turbochargers. If you just shut off your motor what is going to
happen is the oil circulation is going to stop and your turbo is
still extremely hot and the oil left in there is just going to
sit and boil and bake which is extremely hard on your turbo. If
you do not like sitting in your car waiting for it to cool down I
suggest buying a turbo timer, it will keep your car running until
the desired temperature is reached then it will shut itself down.

#2

Another good idea is a “blow off valve” or recirculation valve;
some cars come standard with them some do not. Even if they come
standard its smart to purchase an aftermarket one if you are
planning to modify your car for more power. What these valves do
is prevent turbo surge. Turbo surge is what happens when the
throttle is closed and the turbochargers are still boosting.

Something that is spinning as fast as a turbo cannot stop and
start instantly every time the throttle opens and closes. So what
happens if you do not have some kind of venting valve? The air
created by the turbo will hit the closed throttle and turn around
and start coming back where it came from which is very bad on
your turbo and will almost confuse it between shifts. With a
recirculation or blow off valve, it will vent the unused boost
without damaging the turbo.

#1

I believe the number one thing you can do to keep your turbo
running a long time is change the oil! I think if you change the
oil sooner than recommend and use some of the premium oils it
will keep the turbochargers lubricated and cool, which is key.

Like wine cars get more attractive to collectors as years pass
by. The fact is there are only a finite number of cars made in
the world in any model and make. As years pass by only a few of
these manage to stay out of the graveyard. These are usually
maintained by antique car enthusiasts. Then there is the
collector who collects them for their value and sometimes as an
investment. After the advent of Internet a lot of self made
millionaires and billionaires are out there. These folk consider
owning the antiques as prestigious. The current day business
folks clearly understand the opportunity that is lying before
them. This article provides 7 tips for launching a great antique
car website.

1. Create a classic car classified advertisement section: Unless
your visitors have something new each day that is interesting
they are less likely to comeback to your web site. Unlike other
websites classified ads section is very attractive as many of the
“who has which vintage beauty” information is off limits to an
average Joe and the classified section gives information on what
is up for grabs. These folks have mounds of cash and ready to
grab on the first opportunity to get one of the Vintage cars. The
sellers also understand the value of this website as they are
publishing directly to the right folks. They always want the car
to be in safe hands so they would prefer a collector rather than
some XYZ car buyer.

2. Photo Gallery: People like to show of their priced collection
and the Internet provides an anonymous way of getting bragging
rights from a wider audience. Traffic for sites with photo
gallery is 20% more than others. The photo gallery also provides
the collectors a way to look at what others have and increases
appetite to buy.

3. Classic Car parts store: We have seen many of the sites miss
on this important opportunity to make good money. There are tons
of places you can sign up for just drop shipping these parts. This
is also a niche market with less competition. The extra money can
be useful to add in more content to your website.

4. Articles and general content: Historical articles and reviews
of vintage cars are killer traffic pullers. These help you
optimize on a per car name keyword basis. The content should also
be geared towards promoting avid collectors and their priced
collection.

5. Forum and chat: These are interactive content that engage the
folks and provide stickiness to your website. Always have a good
moderator who can start out some controversial topics now and
then and in cases of a flame war should be capable of subsiding
the furry without alienating the user from the web site. Host an
expert chat session every weekend with some expert collector or
someone else in the industry and this usually attracts more loyal
visitors.

6. Latest Sale information: This is where your web site can show
your commitment to the niche industry. You should have the right
sources to maintain an accurate list of latest sale. This helps
you create an historical data for your website plus allows your
members to know the value of the good old iron they have in their
garage.

7. Don’t forget the dealers: Create a small section for dealers
to send more visitors. Encourage sharing of collector’s
information. You may also have a classified section for these
folks. Create revenue opportunity for the dealers. These folks
have the contacts which will be useful for you and your website
members.

There are a few more but these are the top 7 that makes your
antique car website excel.

So you want more power? Faster Times? Well, Turbos and Superchargers are indeed the way to go.

Everyone wants to know what is the difference between turbos and superchargers so we have done research on the two units and we have found differences and even similarities.

Turbochargers can fit on any engine type, given the use of the appropriate exhaust manifold and a decompressed engine block. However, the turbo must be sized properly according to the application. Small turbos mean faster boost responses, but limited amounts of boost. Larger sized turbos take up more time to build up boost, but they give a lot of boost. Turbochargers are propelled by the exhaust gas velocity of the vehicle and are directly proportional to the temperature of the engine. Turbos feed on fresh oil constantly, so oils with high ratings must be used in the vehicle.

Superchargers use the same concept as turbochargers in the effect that it also compresses air. Superchargers can also be made to fit on any type of engine, and only comes in two types of kits. Both are fanbelt pulley driven units. When it comes to horsepower and torque, superchargers can gain as much as 40 percent in horsepower and 50 percent in torque with the use of just a base kit.

The advantages of turbocharging is the ability to increase horse power using boost controllers and changing turbo units. Turbos give you more power using a pulling effect type of forced induction. However, on the down side, turbos tend to produce more heat as the boost increases, therefore intake temperatures increase causing dense air that cannot be compressed. This usually happens after 5 psi.

To solve this problem, an intercooler may be added to help prevent detonation. The other problem with turbo charging is that it requires more maintenance because the amount of heat associated with the boost, this means the turbo must cool down after aggressive driving for about 2 to 3 minutes at idle. Installing a turbo timer is the best bet. Turbos must also be allowed to heat up before aggressive driving.

Unlike the turbochargers that require cool down time, or warm up time, the supercharger is ready to go when you are. At 2000rpm, boost is already available with a supercharger. When it comes to fuel efficiency, superchargers actually kind of help to improve your MPG. The reason for better mileage is the fact that you do not have to drive the engine at full throttle due to available boost. However, anytime that you drive aggressively, fuel efficiency will suffer.

Due to the fact that the supercharger is pulley driven, there is some strain put on the engine. Also, where as with the use of an intercooler with the turbo setup and you have the use of practically unlimited boost, you are limited to what the supercharger has to offer.

Installation of a supercharger usually takes about 6 to 8 hours… if you are mechanically inclined and there is no cutting or welding required. Superchargers also tend to last longer than turbo chargers because they do not require much maintenance and have a self contained oil supply.

Turbochargers and Superchargers are two of the best ways to accomplish your goals by producing more power and faster times. Both have great sounds, the superchargers with their aggressive whistling sound, and the turbos with their jet engine type sound.

In a nutshell, Turbochargers are efficient and flexible, allowing a wide range of swaps and upgrades to achieve the desired power output. They are not noisy and do not rob any power from the engine, however they do require a little more attention than superchargers. This setup is ideal for front wheel drive and lightweight cars, due to the lack of traction when you launch from a dead stop; the lag in boost is actually an advantage. You don’t want your boost to kick in before you get traction.

Superchargers give you instant boost on demand and require very low maintenance. With boost available at 2000rpm, you don’t have to watch the other guy start jump pass you for long. This setup is ideal if you have a rear wheel drive car with lots of horse power to spare, then the petty power it steals from the engine is well compensated for.

It’s a fact of life that behavior is influenced by what people
believe, whether true or not. Numerous cases from history bear
this out. For example, sailors were once fearful of sailing
outside the sight of land lest they would fall off the edge of
the world. In the early

19th century, the train was considered dangerous because it was
believed that if you moved faster than 25 miles per hour, you’d
be traveling too fast to breathe. At a later date, the New York
Times warned that electric light would cause blindness. Microwave
ovens, automobiles and airplanes have had equally vociferous
opponents.

Looking back, it’s easy to laugh at some of the things people
once held as true. But these people were not stupid. They were
misinformed. In many instances they had simply drawn conclusions
before all the facts were in. How easy it is to make the same
mistake today.

In our own time, synthetic motor oils have been the object of
numerous misconceptions held by the general public. Many people,
including some mechanics, have been misled by these persistent
myths.

PARAMETERS OF THE DEBATE

Synthetic motor oils are fuel efficient, extended life lubricants
manufactured from select base stocks and special purpose
additives. Synthetic oil base stocks are made from organic
compounds or synthetic hydrocarbons using a process that
re-arranges the structure so all the molecules are uniform in
size, shape and weight, a phenomenon that does not occur in
nature. In contrast to petroleum oils which are pumped from the
earth and refined, synthetics are custom-designed to produce, in
effect, the ideal lubricant.

In responding to the objections most commonly raised against
synthetics it is important to establish the parameters of the
debate. When speaking of synthetic motor oils, this article is
defending the lubricants which have been formulated to meet the
performance standards set by the American Petroleum Institute
(API). (The first such synthetic motor oil independently tested
and confirmed to meet these industry-accepted tests for defining
engine oil properties and performance characteristics was AMSOIL
100% Synthetic 10W-40 in 1972.)

Many people with questions about synthetics haven’t known where
to turn to get correct information. Is it super oil or snake oil?
Some enthusiasts will swear that synthetics are capable of
raising your car from the dead. On the other hand, the next
fellow asserts that synthetics will send your beloved car to an
early grave. Where’s the truth in all this?

In an effort to set the record straight, we’ve assembled here ten
of the more persistent myths about synthetic motor oils to see
how they stack up against the facts.

Myth #1: Synthetic motor oils damage seals.

Untrue. It would be foolhardy for lubricant manufacturers to
build a product that is incompatible with seals. The composition
of seals presents problems that both petroleum oils and
synthetics must overcome. Made from elastomers, seals are
inherently difficult to standardize.

Ultimately it is the additive mix in oil that counts. Additives
to control seal swell, shrinkage and hardening are required,
whether it be a synthetic or petroleum product that is being
produced.

Myth #2: Synthetics are too thin to stay in the engine.

Untrue. In order for a lubricant to be classified in any SAE
grade (10W-30, 10W-40, etc.) it has to meet certain guidelines
with regard to viscosity (”thickness”).

For example, it makes no difference whether it’s 10W-40 petroleum
or 10W-40 synthetic, at -25 degrees centigrade (-13F) and 100
degrees centigrade (212 degrees F) the oil has to maintain a
standardized viscosity or it can’t be rated a 10W-40.

Myth #3: Synthetics cause cars to use more oil.

Untrue. Synthetic motor oils are intended for use in mechanically
sound engines, that is, engines that don’t leak. In such engines,
oil consumption will actually be reduced. First, because of the
lower volatility of synlubes. Second, because of the better
sealing characteristics between piston rings and cylinder walls.
And finally, because of the superior oxidation stability (i.e.
resistance of synthetics against reacting with oxygen at high
temperatures.)

Myth #4: Synthetic lubricants are not compatible with petroleum.

Untrue. The synthesized hydrocarbons, polyalphaolefins, diesters
and other materials that form the base stocks of high-quality
name brand synthetics are fully compatible with petroleum oils.
In the old days, some companies used ingredients that were not
compatible, causing quality synlubes to suffer a bum rap.
Fortunately, those days are long gone.

Compatibility is something to keep in mind, however, whether
using petroleum oils or synthetics. It is usually best to use the
same oil for topping off that you have been running in the
engine. That is, it is preferable to not mix your oils, even if
it is Valvoline or Quaker State you are using. The reason is
this: the functions of additives blended for specific
characteristics can be offset when oils with different additive
packages are put together. For optimal performance, it is better
to use the same oil throughout.

Myth #5: Synthetic lubricants are not readily available.

Untrue. This may have been the case two decades ago when AMSOIL
and Mobil 1 were the only real choices, but today nearly every
major oil company has added a synthetic product to their lines.
This in itself is a testament to the value synthetics offer.

Myth #6: Synthetic lubricants produce sludge.

Untrue. In point of fact, synthetic motor oils are more sludge
resistant than their petroleum counterparts, resisting the
effects of high temperature and oxidation. In the presence of
high temperatures, two things can happen. First, an oil’s lighter
ingredients boil off, making the oil thicker. Second, many of the
complex chemicals found naturally in petroleum base stocks begin
to react with each other, forming sludge, gum and varnish. One
result is a loss of fluidity at low temperatures, slowing the
timely flow of oil to the engine for vital component protection.

Further negative effects of thickened oil include the restriction
of oil flow into critical areas, greater wear and loss of fuel
economy.

Because of their higher flash points, and their ability to
withstand evaporation loss and oxidation, synthetics are much
more resistant to sludge development.

Two other causes of sludge — ingested dirt and water dilution –
can be a problem in any kind of oil, whether petroleum or
synthetic. These are problems with the air filtration system and
the cooling system respectively, not the oil.

Myth #7: Synthetics can’t be used with catalytic converters or
oxygen sensors.

Untrue. There is no difference between synthetic and petroleum
oils in regards to these components. Both synthetic and petroleum
motor oils are similar compounds and neither is damaging to
catalytic converters or oxygen sensors. In fact, because engines
tend to run cleaner with synthetics, sensors and emission control
systems run more efficiently and with less contamination.

Myth#8: Synthetics void warranties.

Untrue. Major engine manufacturers specifically recommend the use
of synthetic lubricants. In point of fact, increasing numbers of
high performance cars are arriving on showroom floors with
synthetic motor oils as factory fill.

New vehicle warranties are based upon the use of oils meeting
specific API Service Classifications (for example, SJ/CF).
Synthetic lubricants which meet current API Service requirements
are perfectly suited for use in any vehicle without affecting the
validity of the new car warranty.

In point of fact, in the twenty-eight years that AMSOIL Synthetic
Lubricants have been used in extended service situations, over
billions of miles of actual driving, these oils have not been
faulted once for voiding an automaker’s warranty.

Myth #9: Synthetics last forever.

Untrue. Although some experts feel that synthetic base stocks
themselves can be used forever, it is well known that eventually
the additives will falter and cause the oil to require changing.
Moisture, fuel dillution, and the by-products of combustion
(acids and soot) tend to use up additives in an oil, allowing
degradation to occur.

However, by “topping off”, additives can be replenished. Through
good filtration and periodic oil analysis, synthetic engine oils
protect an engine for lengths of time far beyond the capability
of non-synthetics.

Myth #10: Synthetics are too expensive.

Untrue. Tests and experience have proven that synthetics can
greatly extend drain intervals, provide better fuel economy,
reduce engine wear and enable vehicles to operate with greater
reliability. This more than offsets initial price differences.
All these elements combine to make synthetic engine oils more
economical than conventional non-synthetics.

In Europe, synthetics have enjoyed increasing acceptance as car
buyers look first to performance and long term value rather than
initial price. As more sophisticated technology places greater
demands on today’s motor oils, we will no doubt see an increasing
re-evaluation of oil buying habits in this country as well.