Oxygen sensors are a common fault after 100,000 miles on most any vehicle. My old B5 Audi A4 once needed the upstream (pre-cat) oxygen sensors replaced, both of which being accessible from under...
I'm a horsepower junkie. My respectful admiration of automotive art and innovation constantly falls short of my lust for speed and performance. From muscle cars to super cars, track, race circuit, or street - I want to know what's under the hood, how fast it goes, and if I can put it in my BMW...
Over the last three years, I solved a number of issues with my Mini and want to communicate those to you in case you encounter similar issues with yours. Article submitted by reader Jim Burton Car 2005 Mini Cooper, 80,000 miles, base model, 5-speed manual, sport suspension, well maintained,...
This was a dilemma that I (and most other owners) was faced with when about to do the timing belt service on my Volvo S70; whether or not to replace the water pump. The water pumps on these Volvos tend to be very reliable. However, the water pump is driven off of the timing belt and is just a...
Like an M car, the BMW 135is is one of those vehicles that came from the factory without needing much in the way of exterior upgrades. It's hard to find a fault, and the only questionable areas (IMO) on this rare vehicle involve BMW's subtle use of chrome on various trim pieces like the grille...
I replaced every single component in my A/C system in my Volvo XC60 and my 940 to get them to work. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way when trying to find the root of the problem. If you’re lucky, your A/C system can be very cheap to fix. But the key to this is, you have to know where to look....
For many people, a turbocharger is a magical device that makes cool noises, and their car go faster. As Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear once said, “Exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster.” As funny as this explanation is, he isn’t too far off, aside...
It's all about the details. No matter the level of modification a car has, a dirty, worn engine bay is never a pleasant sight. This condition says a lot about a vehicle, even if it is pushing over 100 horsepower more than stock. What I respect isn't the level of raw modification performed, but...
HP, CV, HK, CH, KW, and PS are all abbreviated measures of engine output, and without supporting mods or proper preparation they are all meaningless. It's one thing to use speed in a straight line. It's another to do so with the ability to safely control and direct that speed. Many people ask,...
It’s become a relatively common sight that my 1991 Volvo 940 GLE ends up on jack stands in my garage. I think age is starting to catch up to the old guy, but believe it or not, it has never left me stranded in a parking lot or on the highway. If you’ve been keeping up with my posts, it’s not that...