How To Prevent Water Leak / Entry Via The Recirculating Entry Duct

Ever experience water leaking into your car either in the front passenger side or the driver side when it is raining heavily ? well there is solution to this problem with a quick and simple tip.

As the air conditioning system provides cool air by letting air which passes through the evaporator and recirculates within the cabin ( inside of the car). however the air conditioning system can also allow outside air to be drawn into the cabin via the recirculating air duct which is connected to the outside air duct. Through the outside air duct, when the car gets old, the seal is no longer able to hold into position to prevent dust, stones or water from entering the cabin. as a result, the blower motor for the air conditioning will wear out faster and also the evaporator will spoil easily. this also results in water entry into the cabin via the outside air duct.

Here are the steps and guides to prevent it......

First you will need a plastic water bottle (1.5L) and cut the top and bottom part off. (see above fig. 1) after that, take the middle part and cut on one side (follow the read line fig. 2)

Next open and remove the front cowl top grille (located at the front of the car windscreen wiper arm area) and remove the small box cover ( depending on the type of vehicle and placing of your air duct location )

Locate the outside air duct which is located at the side of the hole and place the cut bottle on top of it like so (see fig. 2 above)


After all that is placed and done, fit back the small cover box and the cowl top grille. Hopes this tip will help to prevent future water leaks, dust or debris from entering your ride. :)



Any question or suggestions feel free to comment about it :)

Nissan Sentra B14 spark plug seal replacement

Do you happen to find engine oil in your spark plug hole when you are about to replace your spark plugs??? Well normally is the spark plug seal which is located at the valve cover has either harden or broken in a way that it lets the engine oil slips through. However, when changing the spark plug seal it seems that there is a need to actually get a new valve cover as there is no way to remove the old seal and replace it with the new one. Here is the solution to this problem which all Nissan Sentra drivers with the black valve cover. Here are some pictures that shows the modification to the valve cover. Bare in mind you will need a steady hand. :) This is how it is done......

First remove the valve cover from the engine by removing all the spark plug high tension cables and holders, PCV valve and also the hoses. After that remove all the screws. With the screws all removed, slowly lift it using a flat screwdriver by prying in between the cylinder head and the valve cover.

With the valve cover removed, turn it upside down and clean all the engine oil with a rag. Be sure to remove the rubber seal which is at the center left of the valve cover and keep it somewhere safe as without it you will be burning engine oil. Next is to try and cover the small holes (if possible)

Take the new spark plug seal and place it over the spark plug hole to match it firmly right in the hole on top of the old seal which is still in the valve cover.

After placing the new seals on top of the old seals at the spark plug holes, take a small flat screwdriver or anything sharp and draw along the outer part of the new seal. this is to make a round circle on the part which will be cut.

After making a circle on the valve cover, take a flat screwdriver or a chisel and hack on the line to break it or you can also use a grinder to do so which will be better. cut it until the sides is as the same with the black surface on the sides after taking out the old seal. don't worry as it will not break out of the line just aim directly at the line properly when hacking using a screwdriver.

Next take out the old seal and used a sand paper or a sand grinder to smooth the surface that has already been cut. This is how it looks like when it is done. A bigger hole to fit the new seal.

 
 

All cut to oversize to fit the new seals. (new seals are already fitted) 


Clean up all the debris from the grinding and the cutting with a cloth or with compressed air . After that check and inspect all the seals and make sure you fit them right to the end by pressing it till it seats right in. with all that done, fit the valve cover back to the engine and tighten all the screws and fit back the hoses with the spark plug cables in place. Job done. Hope it helps :)

Any question or suggestions feel free to comment about it :)

Steve Jobs – May Technology Be Your Legacy

 Thanks to this great person technology became more advance and has also revolutionize technology in a different way. It is because of Steve Jobs we live among the technology that he has created in our daily lives.

R.I.P Steve Jobs

May Technology Be Your Legacy

If you would like to share your thoughts, memories, and condolences, please email rememberingsteve@apple.com

ABS (Anti-Lock Brake System)

Have you ever thought of a condition where when you are driving in a wet condition, and at one point you suddenly brake...... and your tyres just jam or stop rolling. Which kind of condition will stop better?? a stopping tyre or a roling tyre?? During these situations, it would be best to have a rolling tyre then a stop tyre during braking. As with a stop tyre, you loose grip as the contact between the tyre and the road is at a float. this is called hydroplaning. This is how a car skids and does not go according to the direction yo want during braking. However for a person to let go of the brake at that moment of time or pump the brake to make the tyre stop and go as to prevent tyre lockup is impossible. Due to this difficulty, a device is input into the car braking system where a computer controls the brakes to prevent tyre lockup during braking. This in turn prevents tyre lockup and enhances braking on wet or slippery surface.

It works by sensing the speed of each of the tyres using the speed sensor. as one tyre stops during braking, the speed sensor sends a signal to the ECU (Electronic Control Unit)  which will then calculate and control the ABS modulator by releasing the pressure within the brake system. As pressure is being release during braking, the tyre will have a stop and go effect which will result in a pulsation feel during braking. this in turn prevents tyre lockup.

So be safe on the road :)

Any question or suggestions feel free to comment about it :)

Voltage Stabilizers and Grounding effect

Ever wonder why your engines RPM (Rev Per Minute) drops a little when you turn on the headlights, radio, wiper, and other accessories after starting your engines???. Well this is due to a voltage drop as after starting your engines, the car does not use much of the battery power but uses the alternator which generates current when the engines are running. However the current is not that constant as it generates according to the engines speed and due to load demands. No doubt within the alternator has a voltage regulator to control these but it is not so efficient enough to control the current flowing within the whole vehicle. The vehicles factory grounding also contributes to this as it deteriorates from time to time as the vehicle ages.

  Due to that enhancers are used such as aftermarket voltage stabilizers and extra grounding wires to enhance the current flow to make it more stable and smooth. The effect is a better current flow as well as longer life span of most electrical items. 

Without these enhancers, a normal vehicle with factory grounding sometimes happens to have blown bulb at times, distortions on radios, and sometimes have static electric when touching on the vehicle which can destroy the most important part of the car which is the ECU or other electronic component.

So for a better ride, add a voltage stabilizer and good grounding wires in your own vehicle. Happy driving. :)

Any question or suggestions feel free to comment about it :)

Happy Chinese New Year 2011 (Year Of the Rabbit)

Would like to wish all my Chinese viewers a Happy Chinese New Year to all. May the year of the Rabbit bring Prosperity, Wealth, and good Health. :)

Proton Inspira

Proton Inspira is the result of technology sharing between Proton and Mitsubishi. On 10th November, 2010 the new Proton Inspira was launched at Proton headquarters Proton’s Centre of Excellence. Proton Inspira is available in four colors, i.e. Plum Red, Solid White, Genetic Silver and Tranquility Black. by just a simple look, there’s almost no differences between the Inspira and Lancer except of a V-shape as opposed to Mitsubishi’s trademark trapezoidal grille. however, with additional and improved features such as Proton Ride and Handling, nicely tuned suspension system for comfort, this new model is simply better than the other car model with the price range between RM78,999 – RM91,999.

Specification
There RE 3 different choices of transmission and engine which is 1.8 litre MIVEC 4b10 manual transmission, 1.8 litre MIVEC 4b10 CVT Continuous Variable Transmission and the Proton Inspira Premium model 2.0 litre MIVEC 4b11 CVT Continuous Variable Transmission with paddle shifter and leather finishing.

The kerb weight is from 1300kg (1.8 manual) to 1335kg (2.0 cvt)which is a little lighter then Mitsubishi Lancer.

The dimension of Proton Inspira is 4570 mm length , 1760 mm width , 1490 mm height.

Fuel consumption of Proton Inspira is around 6.3 Liter per 100 km which is around 15.87 km/l or RM0.1166 or 11.66 cent per kilometer at 90km/h constant driving.

for more info visit http://www.protoninspira.com/

Any question or suggestions feel free to comment about it : )

Can RON 95 fuel be used???

As of now, the government has announce that RON 95 fuel will be replacing RON 92 due to the fact that RON 92 fuel is of low grade and causes engine knocking or pinging. But what is knock or ping??? It is the sound that is being produce by the engine when uncontrolled burning or detonation occurs within the combustion chamber. This causes the piston to vibrate during combustion thus creating a metallic "pinging" sound which is also known as knock. This happens when the octane rating in the fuel is relatively low which causes pressure and temperature within the combustion chamber to rise higher then normal. As this happens in the long run, engine performance degrades from time to time. As to the topic above, Can RON 95 be used as an alternative depends on the engine and the performance which the fuel can produce. For example, RON 97 fuel can produce better performance and better anti-knock quality then RON 95 can due to the difference in octane rating. Another example is that most engines which are all running EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) systems are in need of fuel with higher octane ratings which makes the engine run better, cleaner and produce more power. Researches have shown that RON 95 can produce the same performance and anti-knock quality as RON 97 and can be used on most cars. RON 95 fuel is also a cheaper alternative to RON 97 fuel due to price range.

Below are the list of cars that can use RON 95 fuel.....



Any comments or questions just feel free to comment about it.

Checking Your Spark Plugs Conditions (Fault Diagnosis)

Spark plugs are important as it ignites the air and fuel mixture within the combustion chamber during the power stroke. But spark plugs do fail from time to time due to excessive usage. Due to these, spark plugs are replaced according to manufactures specification. During replacement, the spark plugs which have been taken out from the engine will be checked to see the engine condition. These are the common conditions which tells weather your engine is in good condition or not....

Appearance		Conditions		Possible cause
		Normal Light brown, tan or grey firing end.		A good indicator that the plug is functioning correctly and general engine conditions are good.
		Dry and wet fouling Fouling, either dry (top - matt black, sooty) or wet (bottom - gloss black, sticky),		Can be caused by many different conditions. Carbon deposits build up when the plug fails to fire correctly and burn them off. Air/fuel mixture too rich, choke stuck on, electrical problem, extended periods of low speed driving, plug heat range too cold. All should be investigated
		Overheating When overheating occurs, deposits which have accumulated on the insulator tip may melt and give the tip a glazed appearance		Possible causes are overadvanced ignition timing, air/fuel mixture too lean, water or oil level too low, plugs not fitted (tightened) correctly, plug heat range too hot.
		Deposits Insualtor nose and electrodes encrusted with a build of deposits - usually off white in colour.		This is often caused by oil leakage through the piston rings or valve seals. Could be due to the wrong viscosity of oil being used.
		Lead fouling Lead deposits on the insulator nose. These are usually a yellowish brown in colour.		Lead content of petrol used is too high. Try petrol with a lower lead content.
		Breakage Physical damage to the insulator nose.		Usually caused by abnormal thermal expansion in the combustion chamber. Maybe thermal heating or cooling shock. Causes as for overheating above.
		Normal life Growth of the plug gap during a plug's working life is normal. However, the increased gap will mean the spark is less efficient and hence fuel is wasted and strain is put on the ignition system.		Plugs are at the end of servicable life. Replace plugs as a set.
		Abnormal erosion This is accelerated growth of the gap		Due to the effects of corrosion, oxidation and reaction with the lead in petrol.
		Melting The electrode surface will probably appear lustrous and uneven.		Due to excessively high temperatures in the combustion chamber. Causes as for overheating above.
		Erosion, Corrosion, Oxidisation The surfaces of the electrodes are rough, in extreme circumstances the electrode material will have oxidised to the point of turning green		Possibly due to age, vehicle standing for a long time without use.
		Lead Erosion The ground electrode will appear worn away, the central electrode will appear chipped and the insulator nose will take on a yellowish brown.		This is due to chemical reaction between the nickel alloy electrodes and the lead compounds in petrol.

Any comments or questions just feel free to comment about it.

Sirim-Certified Tyres

PETALING JAYA, July 10 -- Vehicle owners should use only Sirim-certified tyres to ensure the safety of drivers, passengers and other motorists, said Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh.

He said, using low quality and non-Sirim certified tyres were identfied as among the causes of road accidents.

"The safety of a vehicle depends a lot on using appropriate tyres as using non-Sirim certified tyres will not only jeopardise the safety of the driver and passengers, but also other motorists on the road," he said.

He was speaking to reporters at a news conference after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the department and the Malaysian Tyre Manufacturers Association on promoting tyre safety issues here on Friday.

The association involves Malaysian Association of Tyre Retreaders and Dealers Society, Tyre Retreading Manufacturers Association of Malaysia and Association of Tyre Importers, Kuala Lumpur.

Suret Singh said the MoU would extend and improve cooperation with tyre manufacturers in the department's efforts to restrict the import, distribution and selling of tyres that did not meet Sirim standards.

He said the department planned to carry out undercover operations with the customs department, domestic trade, cooperative and consumerism ministry and the police to ensure non-Sirim certified tyres were not sold in the market.

Proton Waja 2.0 (Putra GTi) totally made by Proton’s Fans

The so called new Proton Waja 2.0 which was created by Proton fans with extreme editing on the base model of the Proton Waja to be like the Putra GTI. Although it is fake but it looks nice and futuristic some how. From this however, it shows that Malaysians can design cars which is newer, better looking, and futuristic. We hope that Proton will in the future be able to use these for newer models. If there is any comments or questions just feel free to post it up.

Mazda Astina 323 BG series: Gear Shift Lever Problem

Today my Mazda Astina 323 had a problem while on the way back from work. The gearbox shift lever drop down like it fell off out of place and had to be pulled up and hold for proper shifting. This is how it looks like.... (can see the floor through that hole)
So I fixed it at home and found out that the rubber mounting which holds the lever in place was broken and beyond repair. So I tried using a flat and flexible metal plate mostly used to hold water filters on the wall to hold it in place. This is how its done.....


First loosen the 4 mounting nuts which holds the shift lever mounting plate at the bottom.




Then put the metal around the bottom part of the shift lever bracket to the mounting plate. Push the metal in between the body and the mounting plate as shown in the picture.



While putting the metal in between the body and the mounting plate, try to push it through untill the metal can be seen on top. Then pull it up like this.....



After pulling it up like that, try to pull the metal untill the shift lever is in place and tight between the shift lever bracket and mounting plate. Pull it untill it cannot be pulled. After that cut the remaining metal like so



Then bend the metal to hook to the mounting plate like this



Then tighten the 4 mounting nuts



After tightening those nuts, clamp the metal tightly to the mounting plate like so with a plier on the left and right side.



Last but not least stuff some rubber or small rubber hose at the sides to make it fit and put the round rubber to cover it

Then put back the center console and the gear knob and done. Now it looks like nothing happend. If there is any comments or questions just feel free to post it up. I will try to answer it.