10 Reasons Why Engines Lose Power Over Time

There are four things a gasoline engine requires to generate power and almost any engine problem will come down to something relating to one of these four factors. 1. Air 2. Fuel 3. Compression 4. Spark

Dirty Air Filter
A clogged air filter makes the engine work harder to pull in air, and can restrict the maximum amount of air let in. Less air means less power.

Exhaust Restrictions
The engine will have to work harder to push out exhaust gases, limiting power. Catalytic converters can clog up on engines with an improper air/fuel mixture or as a result of fuel additives reacting within. Mufflers can also fail internally, and alterations of the internal piping can result in an airflow restriction.

Fuel Injectors
Deposits can build up on the injectors over time from heat soak or poor fuel. Small restrictions can cause the O2 sensors to read a lean mixture, and so more fuel will be added to compensate. This can result in a rich mixture for the cylinders without injector problems, or even misfiring if the injector isn’t capable of injecting enough fuel.

Fuel Pumps
Overtime the fuel pump can wear out, but it might not necessarily fail catastrophically. While it may still be able to supply fuel at lower pressures, it may begin to struggle to provide fuel at higher pressures or for longer durations.

Worn Piston Rings
One of the major things that can happen over time is the piston rings will wear down, and this will allow for blow-by. Some of the high pressure air and fuel mixture combusting will pass by the pistons and travel along the cylinder walls into the crank case. This is pressure that should be pressing the piston down, so power is lost. It also means less compression as some of the air can escape as the piston travels upward on the intake stroke.

Carbon Deposits On Intake Valves/Valve Seats
If carbon deposits build up on the valves or valve seats, this can prevent the valves from closing properly. If an intake valve cannot fully close, it will allow air to escape during the compression stroke, effectively lowering the compression ratio.

Carbon Deposits On The Piston
If deposits build on the piston or cylinder walls, these deposits can create hot spots. These hot spots can result in engine knock if conditions allow for it. If the engine is capable, it will retard the ignition timing to reduce the likelihood of knock. By retarding the ignition timing, power is lost.

Fouled Spark Plugs
Spark plugs can build deposits with time. Inconsistent spark plug firing means you’re likely to misfire. Maintaining clean plugs ensures that the spark part of the equation doesn’t result in a loss of power.

It takes the whole company to make a fleet safe

Changing fleet culture to prioritize safety along with adding advanced technologies to commercial vehicles can have the biggest effect on turning a “high risk” fleet into a safe fleet, according to a recent study.

One single fix can improve safety performances of a fleet. But making comprehensive adjustments can take a fleet from “high risk” to safe, according to a recent study by the National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence (NSTSCE), that shows changes throughout a company can reduce crashes and strengthen safety.

Follow this link for the rest of the story: https://www.fleetowner.com/safety/article/21704179/it-takes-the-whole-company-to-make-a-fleet-safe

Safe Driving Series | Ford Trucks | Cabin Interior Checks | Episode 2

Be sure to follow these steps to keep both you and your truck safe! #SharingTheLoad​ #FordTrucks

RV Towing at A & T BIG RIG TOWING SERVICES

North Bay Truck Center and A&T Road Service heavy-duty towing. We think this is the most flexible and useful rig to tow the biggest trucks on the road, along with big buses and large RV units.

Adding a heavy-duty truck and trailer towing service to our existing North Bay Truck Center full-service heavy and trailer truck service and repair shop and A&T Road Service’s onsite 24-hour minor repair service seemed like a perfect fit. It has proved to be true. We are adding to our fleet of tow trucks and outfitting them for maximum flexibility to handle almost any job. We also offer short and long-distance heavy-duty trucks, trailer towing, and trailer transport. Anywhere in Northern California or locally in Solano County, A&T Road Service has the towing capability and fleet strength to get you to your destination.

Call us 24/7 at 1-800-434-1205

Ford Truck Dearborn Assembly Plant

Ford Motor Company automobile factory complex located in Dearborn, Michigan, along the River Rouge, upstream from its confluence with the Detroit River at Zug Island. Construction began in 1917, and when it was completed in 1928, it was the largest integrated factory in the world.

AAA StartSmart - Distracted Driving

Follow a group of six high school students and their parents as they attend the AAA StartSmart Academy where they learn how to develop safe driving habits from an over-the-top instructor named Crash — short for "Creating Responsible Automobile Safety Habits".

What Happens To An Engine Without Oil?

in this video we’re going to be discussing what happens when an engine has no oil. As a demonstration, we’ll be viewing an engine with and without oil running. This is the exact same engine on the left and the right, on the left with oil, and on the right without. Both engines will start at the exact same time, but the video on the right was filmed 24 hours after the video on the left, allowing for the engine to completely cool. This is a 212 cc air-cooled single-cylinder Harbor Freight engine.

There are five points we’re monitoring on each engine. Point one is the crankcase, below the level at which oil will rest. Point two is the top of the crankcase, where there obviously won’t be any oil resting near. Point three is the air-cooled cylinder bore. Point four is the exhaust pipe exiting the cylinder before entering the muffler, and point 5 is the valve cover. This is a pushrod style valve train with overhead valves.

Opening the crankcase reveals the permanent damage which occurred. First of all, look at the small amount of oil that didn’t quite make it out while draining. It’s quite dark, and this is after a 15 minute run with oil, and 15 minutes without, in a brand new engine. The oil which remained in the drained engine is clearly quite dirty, and actually it has quite a bit of metal content in it, as you can see reflecting as I move around the towel.

Examining further, I removed the connecting rod cap from the crankshaft. This is the bearing the crank rotates on. You can see the scored, less reflective surface of the cap. Indeed, you can see the scratches on the crankshaft as well. I would expect to see similar issues with the camshaft and cylinder bore as well.

It's a good idea to check your tires before towing

10 Things Everyone Should Know About Tires

 By Eric Peters, Automotive Columnist

You probably know tires are made of rubber — but how much more do you know? Here’s a run-through of some important tire-related terminology:

1) Aspect ratio

This technical-sounding term refers to the relationship between the width of a tire and the height of the tire’s sidewall. High-performance “low profile” tires have “low aspect ratios” — meaning their sidewalls are short relative to their width. This provides extra stiffness and thus better high-speed handling and grip — but also tends to result in a firmer (and sometimes, harsh) ride. “Taller” tires tend to provide a smoother ride and better traction in snow.

2) Contact Patch

As your tires rotate, only a portion of the total tread is actually in contact with the ground at any given moment.  This is known as the contact patch.  Think of it as your tire’s “footprint.” Sport/performance-type tires are characterized by their wider footprint — more tread is in contact with the ground — which provides extra grip, especially during hard acceleration on dry pavement and during high-speed cornering.

3) Treadwear indicators

These are narrow bands built into the tread during manufacturing that begin to show when only 1/16 of the tire’s tread remains. Also called wear bars, treadwear indicators are there to provide an obvious visual warning that it’s time to shop for new tires.

4) Speed ratings

An alpha-numeric symbol you’ll find on your tire’s sidewall that tells you the maximum sustained speed the tire is capable of safely handling. An H-rated tire, for example, is built to be safe for continuous operation at speeds up to 130 mph. Most current model year family-type cars have S (112 mph) or T (118 mph) speed ratings. High performance cars often have tires with a V (149 mph) or  ZR (in excess of 149 mph) speed rating. A few ultra-performance cars have W (168 mph) and even Y (186 mph) speed-rated tires.

5) Maximum cold inflation load limit

This refers to the maximum load that can be carried in a given vehicle with a given type of tires — and the maximum air pressure needed to support that load. In your vehicle’s owner’s manual, you should be able to find the recommended cold inflation load limit. It’s important not to exceed the load limit (or over or under-inflate the tires) as this can lead to stability/handling problems and even tire failure. Always check tire pressure “cold.” Driving creates friction which creates heat; as the tires warm up, the air inside expands, increasing the pressure. Measuring air pressure after driving can give a false reading; you may actually be driving around on under-inflated tires.

6) Load index

This number corresponds to the load carrying capacity of the tire. The higher the number, the higher the load it can safely handle. As an example, a tire with a load index of 89 can safely handle 1,279 pounds — while a tire with a load rating of 100 can safely handle as much as 1,764 pounds. It’s important to stick with tires that have at least the same load rating as the tires that came originally with the vehicle — especially if it’s a truck used to haul heavy loads or pull a trailer. It’s ok to go with a tire that has a higher load rating than the original tires; just be careful to avoid tires with a lower load rating than specified for your vehicle, even if they are less expensive. Saving a few bucks on tires is not worth risking an accident caused by tire failure.

7) Radial vs. bias-ply tire

Bias-ply tires have their underlying plies laid at alternate angles less than 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread; radials have their plies laid at 90 degrees to the centerline of the tread. That’s the technical difference. The reason radial tires are dominant today is that they help improve fuel efficiency and handling; they also tend to dissipate heat better than bias-ply tires. No modern passenger cars come with bias-ply tires these days and their use is generally not recommended. (Exceptions might include older/antique vehicles that originally came equipped with bias-ply tires. Some RVs also used bias-ply tires, etc.) It is very important never to mix radial and bias-ply tires; dangerously erratic handling may result.

8) LT and MS tires

These designations indicate “Light Truck” and “Mud/Snow” — and are commonly found on tires fitted to SUVs and pick-ups. LT-rated tires are more general purpose, built primarily for on-road use — while MS-rated tires typically have more aggressive “knobby” tread patterns designed for better off-road traction.

9) Temporary Use Only

Many modern cars come with so-called “space-saver” tires which are smaller and lighter than a standard or full-size spare tire. They are designed to leave more room in the trunk and be easier for the average person to handle when a roadside tire change becomes necessary. However, they are not designed to be used for extended (or high-speed) driving. Your car will probably not handle (or stop) as well while the Space Saver tire is on – and you should keep your speed under 55 mph and avoid driving on the tire beyond what’s absolutely necessary to find a tire repair shop where you can have your damaged tire repaired or replaced.

10) Treadwear, Traction and Temperature ratings

Each tire has three separate ratings for Treadwear, Traction and Temperature.

Traction ratings run from AA to A to B and C — with C being the lowest on the scale. The ratings represent the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement under controlled testing conducted by the government. C-rated tires are marginal and should be avoided. Never buy a tire with a Traction rating that isn’t at least equal to the minimum rating specified by the manufacturer of your vehicle.

Temperature ratings from A to B to C — with C being the minimum allowable for any passenger car tire. The ratings correspond to a given tire’s ability to dissipate heat under load; tires with lower ratings are more prone to heat-induced failure, especially if driven at high speeds (or when overloaded). As with Traction ratings, never buy a tire with a Temperature rating that’s less than specified for your vehicle.

Treadwear ratings differ from Traction and Temperature ratings in that they aren’t a measure of a tire’s built-in safety margin. Instead, these ratings — represented by a three digit number — give you an idea of the expected useful life of the tire according to government testing. A tire with a Treadwear rating of 150, for example, can be expected to last about 1.5 times as long as a tire with a Treadwear rating of 100. These are just guides, however. Your tires may last longer (or not) depending on such factors as how you drive, whether you maintain proper inflation pressure and rotate the tires per recommendations — and so on.

Comments?

www.ericpetersautos.com

Motiv Power Systems at Work Truck Week 2022 - Work Truck Week

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