August 2011


posted by FindGasCards.com

A car tune up includes the replacing of the fuel filter, the spark plugs if you have them on hand, and the distributor cap and rotor.

Around the local scene, Calling and checking for a ballpark figure is easy and you will notice some rather dramatic price differences. On the other hand, most of the larger shops and service dealers charge per hour for each task listed in the shop’s hourly manual of services available.

A car tune up cost varies according to whose services you acquire. Aside from those who charge an hourly rate, there are but some that just present a low estimate to lure you in. Your actual location is an additional determining factor for charges. Prices of a car tunes up also vary depending on the make/model of your vehicle and what parts need to be changed. Most tune ups are new spark plugs, spark plug wires, new distributor cap, and changing the oil/other fluids such as transmission and power steering.

How much does a tune up cost on average?

  • For a basic “tune-up,” rates can go for as low as $30-$50 usually in areas with somehow a low cost of living, to as much as $100 or more in extra costly places where in tune-up includes additional services as oppose to most places that charge for such parts and labor separately.
  • Tune-up parts like spark plugs, air filters and fuel filters will regularly quotes at a $20-$60. Common hourly labor runs at a $40 hourly rate, to over $110-$150 per hour at popularly named dealerships in urban areas. There are ordinary repair shops with price ranges from $55-$80 an hour, and ordinary dealerships with charge estimates of $80-$90.
  • Dealer 30k, 60k or 90k mile tune-ups can start at $250 for 3-4 hours of labor and basic maintenance and go from there to over $1,000 at places with high labor costs and extra maintenance services like timing belt replacement perhaps. If the mechanic determines needed repairs, a significant amount can further be added to your total.

You may want to look around to see if there are any promos on car tune ups. Some small auto repair shops and gas stations frequently advertise specials and offer coupons on tune-ups in local newspapers. These small auto shops sometimes even offer a nice one time deal to get you to come into their shop in the hopes that you become a loyal customer in the future.

Overall, a car tune up is usually done every few years at around 50,000 miles. It may cost you a lot, but it can increase the life span of your car by years if you fix and replace any bad parts.

posted by FindGasCards.com

Not too many people know how a camshaft or cams works or why it sometimes goes bad. The camshaft is broadly considered an engine’s brain. Almost anyone or everyone know what a camshaft looks like, but not all know what the lobes serve as or what their effect is to an engine’s performance. The lobes are the vital parts of any camshaft. A camshaft may either be constructed out of low-grade steel, solid steel billet or even iron and is the one that runs an engine’s head to its extent. Apparently, the cam lobes’ shape is directly proportional to how the engine operates in various levels of speed. The jagged looking lobes set apart at regular intervals in which the lifts vary from one cam to another. While the camshaft rotates, the lobes push against the valves to open them; springs on the other hand put the valves back to their bunged arrangement. Being a complicated and critical function, the possible effect on how an engine’s executes at different speeds is huge.

Cams are what makes the timing of the opening and shutting of the valves accurate. Typically by means of a belt or chain connected to the end of the crankshaft and pushing rods along the lobes, the cam turns as the engine runs in the course of its revolutions. This in turn strains the valves which impel an opening to allow them to seal as soon as a stroke has been finished. The lobes open and close the intake and exhaust valves in time with the motion of the piston. The camshaft swirls two times faster than that of the crankshaft’s speed. The camshaft’s lobes push on the lifters and pushrods, which move the rocker arms and open the valves.

Consequently, any given camshaft will function only precisely at one constant speed of the engine. For this reason, the engine will not operate to its maximum aptitude at every other engine speed. A frequent compromise for this is a fixed camshaft and brought about the carmakers inspiration to have developed schemes to alter the cam profile in lateral to the changes in the engine speed.

Camshafts are differentiated into four varieties: flat-tappet, roller-tappet, hydraulic-lifter and solid-lifter. Nearly all engines come from the factory with hydraulic lifter, flat-tappet camshafts.

There are more than a few diverse compositions of camshafts on car engines and the generally familiar ones as what many would have probably learned about are Single overhead cam (SOHC), Double overhead cam (DOHC) and Pushrod.

posted by FindGasCards.com

Would you want to have a fun camping trip without having to tread your way through to your aimed campsite carrying heavy knapsacks? That is where the car camping option comes in as more preferable. Sensibly, car camping makes bringing an additional assortment of paraphernalia manageable. Nevertheless, creating your own detailed car camping checklist beforehand is important as it is with backpacking trips.

A Car Camping Checklist helps you to ensure that all camping necessities are accounted for. You would not want to finally arrive at your chosen campsite to realize you haven’t brought the sleeping bags. Hence the planning-listing combo is the way to go!

Your car camping checklist won’t be too different from your typical checklist of what to bring on any other camping trip, as they ideally include the basics like tents, sleeping bags, first aid kit, food, beverages, for personal hygiene and safety, for amusement and activities and so on. It is crucial that the automobile used is suited for off-the-road routes and is in perfect condition.

With that said, extra tires, a toolkit and strong rope should be part of your checklist. Having a running GPS is another driver’s fundamental and it comes real handy when you explore some unknown areas. When making a car camping checklist, it is vital among other things to take into account that having a functional cell phone also comes in handy and, per se, areas with cell phone coverage would be the wise choice for a campsite.

Bendy chairs and detachable tables, cooler with ice, a more extensive variety of cooking tools, blankets, more clothes, fuel and nearly anything that you may choose to take along are also some examples of the less important or maybe optional items which you can manage to bring along provided that would not overload the car.

Under the circumstances, it appears that car camping is what’s most likely to be chosen not only by families with young children and/or elders, but basically anyone who just want to enjoy in the open not having so much hassle to get to some remote area on foot.

Once you make any kind of checklist, the very basic is where you should always start with and go from there. Bear in mind the available space, for this will help you decide what you have to purchase apart from just determining what you really need. Pre-phasing all the items on your checklist allows you to know which ones to take off or add onto your list. Several if not all of the ones yet to be purchased will have to be more compact.

Eventually you will form a Car Camping Checklist that can be used for every trip. Until you do, expect the first trip checklist to be time consuming.

posted by FindGasCards.com

The car caliper’s, known as the brake caliper is the device that mounts the brake pads.  The friction between the two allow the car to slow down or stop completely.  As time goes on, the brakes tend to wear down, which is common for all vehicles.  Sooner or later the pads and even the calipers will have to be replaced, depending on the wear and tear.

How much do car calipers cost?

Depending on the situation, the make and model of the car and the brand, the prices are going to greatly vary for the calipers themselves.  On average, expect to pay anywhere from, $35 to $55 per caliper.   If you plan to change all the calipers on your car, then you may be spending north of $150 to $225.  Again, this is going to depend on the make and model, the type of calipers and other various factors.  These prices alone won’t include the labor cost, if you choose to have them replaced.

If you want to get the calipers installed at a local auto shop, you’re going to find that a shop can charge anywhere from, $45 to $110 per hour, depending on the job.  It’s safe to say that this job will cost around, $100 to $200 for labor alone.  If other parts on the car need to be replaced such as the rotors, brakes and more, the price can easily be in the $700 to $1,100 price range.

What is going to be included?

When you purchase calipers, they are going to come with the seals and gaskets required in order to install them properly.  Usually, you’re not going to need any additional parts that are required.  Most of your local auto parts shops are going to have these in stock for immediate purchases.

Calipers are going to generally last anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000 miles depending on how well you treat your car.  If you constantly ride the brakes, slam them hard, or there are malfunctions, this is when the calipers can tend to wear off quicker.  If you’re unsure if the calipers need to be fixed, it’s best to have a professional look at it as you may find that something such as the rotors or brakes need the repairs instead.