A leaking oil filter housing isn't an uncommon problem to have on a Mk5 Volkswagen GTI. The gaskets on the housings get subjected to as much temperature change as anything else on the engine, and eventually, they dry up. A dried gasket is no match for oil pressure and will cause a leak....

The BMW E36 chassis 3-series is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get into Bavaria's best sports sedans. Nearly thirty years after their debut, they remain a great choice for a track rat, drift missile, show car, or daily driver. The popularity of the BMW E36 has spawned huge aftermarket...

Like every modern turbocharged engine, the EA113 in the Mk5 GTI uses a vacuum pump to assist various engine bay components. The pump mounts directly to the back of the cylinder head and is driven off the back of the intake camshaft. Thanks to Volkswagen's use of a transverse engine layout, the...

A low beam headlight bulb change on an BMW F30 is a relatively job that requires only a few tools. The importance of functioning headlight bulbs isn’t something I need to go on about. They’re a primary safety feature, and without them, our cars would be useless for half of the day. This DIY also...

The air filter in your BMW is the only line of defense the engine and turbocharger have against sucking in harmful debris. The air filter will get covered in debris over time as it pulls air from outside, reducing the engine's airflow and its capability to keep harmful particles out. Even the...

In recent years, an electric water pump has become the go-to for modern cooling systems. Using an electric water pump over a belt-driven pump has allowed BMW's engineers to simplify engine maintenance and cut costs. Less time spent in the shop means more money and more time on the road for the...

Modern BMWs are full of gadgets and features built to make your ownership experience as painless as possible. Several of these features revolve around the vehicle's maintenance. Knowing when things need replacing or changing in your BMW may be foreign to you, and that's OK as your modern BMW...

An engine should always be brought to its standard operating temperature before leaning on it in anything more than easy driving. That is especially the case with engines under boost pressure, such as Audi's 3.0t. Built with tighter tolerances to endure abuse, you should only thrash on them when...

Metal keys are somewhat of a dying breed these days. More and more, automakers are turning to make the plastic key fob into the actual key. Aesthetically, they get to ditch the ugly key while decluttering what ends up in a customer's pockets. Though you may use the fob as a key or only a tool to...

We all know that working in the engine bay can mean dropping a bolt and losing it to the great beyond that is somewhere underneath the intake manifold, around the alternator. Depending on the job, that bolt or nut is now gone forever, never to return. You cant see 104° around a corner, and the...