Tag: Engine
Why do I need to replace my timing belt?
Your timing belt doesn’t run the clock in your car. It runs a way more important part – your engine. Like many other engine components, it wears out. When your car is running, it’s spinning at extremely high speeds, in a very hot place. I don’t really like running in a very mild place, imagine
How do I know if my radiator is failing?
If you have a basic understanding of motoro vehicles, and even if you don’t, you’ll know that it’s basically a pre-requisite that a functioning engine can generate and withstand extremely high temperatures. No matter what you drive, or where you’re driving, there are going to be mini-explosions that occur in your engine – aka, the
Expert’s guide to replacing your air filter
If you’re a regular here on the My Auto Shop blog, you’ll know we like to keep you fully informed and equipped to deal with everyday car issues. With the summer sun now shining into directly into our eyes (cue sunglasses), we thought it might be time to give you the down-low on how to
Expert’s guide to choosing the best engine oil for your car
As drivers, we’re always looking for that new edge when it comes to our engine performance. Whether you’re wanting better acceleration, higher top-end speeds or just a bit of a smoother ride, you want to get the most juice out of your engine. Well, we’re here to tell you that it’s possible to get these
What’s the best spark plug for my car?
Your engine inhales air and fuel, at the top of the compression stroke, the spark plug ignites the mixture. The spark plug only has that job, to ignite the mixture. Yep, you’ve got a whole ignition system for the sole purpose of one spark each cylinder at the top of every combustion stroke. The spark
What is a flywheel and how does it work?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t make your car fly. It does do some really neat other stuff though. It’s actually critical to any car with a manual transmission. It’s bolted to the crankshaft and serves as the mechanical connection between the crankshaft and the transmission. It also starts the car and makes sure it’s comfortable when it
What is a egr valve and how does it work?
An EGR valve sounds like it belongs in your heart. It doesn’t involve ventricles or aortas, it involves exhaust gas, the intake manifold, air and fuel, and emissions. EGR stands for Exhaust Gas Recirculation, it is a valve that car makers turned to in the fight against emissions and for fuel economy. It sounds really
What’s a crankshaft and how does it work?
Your car’s wheels spin around, the pistons go up and down. So the question is how you take the lateral movement of your pistons and turn it horizontal to make it rotational energy? The answer is your crankshaft. It takes all the energy from the pistons and sends it to the transmission. This is super
How to tell if your starter motor is faulty?
Your starter motor is what starts the engine. Which you already put together, but do you know how it works? If you don’t or even if you do, we might teach you a little more. It’s important to know how they work because it makes it easier to spot when they aren’t. Eventually you’ll put
What is a piston and what does it do?
An engine needs fuel, air and spark to make it run. The piston is what takes this explosion and sends that energy down through the connecting rod and spins the crankshaft. It sounds complicated and technical. It kind of is. But a piston is a neat thing and does a neat job. This job is
