Why is cell phone service in America so awful?
Can you remember the last time your cell phone dropped a call or sat lifeless for a few moments, choking as it reconnected to the network and tried again after a failed attempt to move some data? Of course you can — it probably happened several times today alone. Here in America, we pay top dollar for cell phone service. Cell phone service at the cheapest nationwide wireless carrier, T-Mobile, costs an average of $120 per month. In Finland, people enjoy far more consistent and reliable service for an average of $130 per year.
So why is U.S. cell phone service so terrible?
Read more here: Boy Genius Report
Timing Belt Tips on Accord 2.2L and 2.3L Engines
These tips outline the belt replacement for the popular 2.2- and 2.3-liter Accord engines.
The other Honda engines are similar, but don’t require the balance belt. They shouldn’t present any challenge to the experienced tech, but there are some things to keep in mind as you tackle these jobs.
The 3.0-liter V6 models use a hydraulic tensioner that has to be mechanically reset and require a special tool to hold the tensioner in place while it’s installed. The tool is necessary, but it is inexpensive.
This engine uses a double-tensioner system where both the balance shaft and timing belt tensioner are mounted on the same stud. Before you loosen the adjustment nut that will relieve the tension off both belts, install and tighten a short 6 mm bolt in the adjustment slot (the dipstick tube bolt works well) to maintain tension on the timing belt while you remove the balance belt.
With the balance belt out of the way, loosen the just-installed bolt. Move the tensioner to release tension and snug the bolt. With the belt removed, check or replace the seals and water pump and install a seal retainer. Installing a retainer plate holds the balance shaft seal in place.
The 2.2-liter engine used in the Accord had a balance shaft seal with a tendency to come out of its bore, resulting in a severe oil leak. The affected models were recalled and a retainer plate was installed to hold the seal in place.
This simple fix was quite effective and the problem seems to have been solved. You will need to remove the crankshaft bolt and pulley.
This can be the most challenging part of the job since the bolt is usually too tight (181 ft.-lbs.) to be removed with a conventional impact gun.
Use a special tool that fits inside the hex on the crankshaft damper and a long breaker bar to remove this bolt.
In extreme cases, it may be necessary to heat the bolt. Do so with caution so as not to damage the crank pulley or surrounding parts. Turn the engine over in the direction of rotation (counterclockwise) for six crankshaft revolutions.
Confirm that the marks are aligned and that the belt is taut between the crank and cam. Loosen the tensioner adjustment nut to allow the spring to make its final adjustment.
Retighten the temporary 6 mm bolt so tension will be maintained while installing the balance belt. The balance belt installation is more of the same. Loosen the tensioner adjustment nut to allow the tensioner pulley to be moved out of the way.
Install the belt using your marks or the alignment pin. Loosen the adjuster to allow the tensioner to work, rotate the crank one turn and tighten the adjustment nut.
Don’t forget to remove the temporary 6 mm bolt. Reinstall the belt covers, drive belts and pulleys. Lightly -lubricate the threads and contact surface of the crank bolt and torque it to 180 ft.-lbs. Look closely at the crank damper and pulley for separation.
There have been instances of these pulleys coming apart. If you think you hear a loose belt, yet all of the belts are tight, or if the timing marks didn’t line up on the pulley when the engine was at TDC, suspect slippage between the pulley and hub of the damper.
The post Timing Belt Tips on Accord 2.2L and 2.3L Engines appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine
Audi Pioneers Electric Turbo Technology
Now there is a solution to dreaded lag which accompanies turbochargers at low rpm, and it’s one you’d be surprised hasn’t been tried earlier.
The primary hurdle when it comes to turbocharging over supercharging has been the lag encountered at lower engine outputs. One solution to this has been to use a twin turbo setup, with a smaller compressor to be run at lower rpm and a larger one to augment when output is higher. Even this isn’t a perfect model, however, and while more and more manufacturers across the industry are adopting turbos, a number have abstained, citing performance concerns, notably Jaguar.
Audi seeks to rectify this with an electric turbocharger setup. This design will use an electric motor to drive the turbo at lower rpm, until engine output is sufficient to drive the turbo by exhaust gases. Now, instead of waiting for the exhaust gases to reach a suitable level, power is available almost instantaneously. In Audi’s design, the electrified turbo, which would be the smaller of the two in a twin turbo layout, would draw power from energy gained by regenerative braking(KERS) systems, so that no engine power is used to spin it. We don’t have any information about what kind of a battery pack will be employed to store this energy, however. The concept could also be used in conjunction with hybrid car technology, as energy could be diverted from the primary battery packs to spin the electric compressor.
The incredible potential of this technology is obvious. Reducing the lag inherent to turbocharging would aid in acceleration, as well as cornering, when rpm levels drop significantly due to braking. Audi reports significant improvements in both of these categories. Audi’s design may even overpower superchargers at lower outputs, as since electricity is already on hand, delivery could be near instantaneous. The technology still has yet to be explored in depth, and it hasn’t been applied to any production vehicle yet; it has been used in certain racing series for quite some time, however. Audi says that the technology will appear on its RS-5 concept(pictured above,) which employs Audi’s 3.0 liter TDI engine.
Courtesy of Speedville.com.
The post Audi Pioneers Electric Turbo Technology appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine
11 iOS 8 features Apple ‘stole’ from jailbreak apps
Some of the iOS 8 features Apple introduced this week aren’t completely new smartphone or tablet features the company has come up with. Similar software abilities have existed on other platforms including Android, but also on iOS, thanks to apps that were not allowed in the App Store and found a second life on jailbroken devices, before Apple found a way to implement them according to its own standards.
Read more here: Boy Genius Report
Early Registration Discount Extended for 25th Annual AETC
Created in order to establish a platform for engine technology information exchange, the AETC is the one conference that brings together engine builders, engineers, media members and more to network and learn from industry leaders.
This is the can’t miss event of 2014, and it’s coming up fast. Early registration is nearly over, so make your plans now to attend. The AETC brings together leading experts from all disciplines of high performance engine design to share the latest technology trends and application techniques.
Learn From Today’s Top Talent
The AETC will be a great opportunity to expand your knowledge and learn from the best minds in the performance aftermarket. The ever-expanding group of speakers for 2014 will present seminars on a variety of topics, speak with attendees one-on-one and share insight to help conference-goers learn a wealth of information in two short days.
Slated for the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN, on December 9-10, 2014 (preceding the PRI show), this year’s conference is shaping up to be one of the biggest in its history. The schedule of events can be viewed on the AETC website.
The post Early Registration Discount Extended for 25th Annual AETC appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine
Using Price Advertising to Target Ideal Customers
Believe it or not, price advertising is a good thing. I am sure you will agree, everyone likes to find a good value, and price advertising lets people in your community know that you are looking for ways to help them save money. The problem most shop owners come across is that they’re unsure of exactly how to “price advertise.”
When you advertise something like a performance upgrade service at a discounted price, a number of predictable things will occur. First of all, unless you use a media that specifically targets your ideal customer, you’re going to get a lot of the wrong people coming into your shop. If you’ve been in business for any period of time, I am sure you have experienced this in the past. Ironically, at the same time that you’re bringing in the wrong people, your advertising is sending the wrong message to your ideal customer, who you haven’t had the chance to meet yet. This method of price advertising is telling your ideal customers that you’re looking to entice them with a low price.
As you can imagine, this will often make your ideal customers anxious because the “What’s the catch?” question comes into play, and they’ll be wondering if you’ll try to compensate for the discount by recommending other repairs and services. Pretty much a lose-lose situation, right? That is, unless you do what your competitors would never dream to do, and make your ideal customers an offer that is hard to refuse; an offer that also reassures them that you’re not just trying to bring them into your shop with hopes of an up-sell. So here’s the most effective way to approach price advertising for your engine building shop …
The first thing you’ll need to do is pick a social cause that a good percentage of your targeted, ideal customers will believe in, which will of course have to be a cause that you believe in as well.
Organizations like the Fallen Soldiers Fund, the American Cancer Society, Humane Societies and organizations that are focused on the health and well-being of children are all good examples. Then you’ll need to put together a limited-time promotion that supports your particular cause.
When you put together your ad, you should lead with an image that is relative to the cause, such as a silhouette of a mourning soldier on his knees (using the Fallen Soldiers Fund example). You’ll also need to have a captivating headline like, “Help Us Help Them.” Your ad should then go on to tell your readers that for a limited time, if they bring in a check for any amount payable to your cause, you will perform a complete XXX service for only $XX.XX.
If you run this kind of ad then a number of positive things are certainly going to occur. First of all, you are going to be sending a strong message to your community that you care about others. This in itself is a powerful statement that no amount of ad money will ever be able to buy. Secondly, your target customers will be influenced by the ad because they more than likely have a charitable side to them, and will appreciate seeing this compassion in others. Not only will this kind of price advertising eliminate the anxiety that comes with suspicion of a low price bait and switch, but it will separate you from your competitors, it will help you showcase the culture of your company, and it will get people in your community talking about you.
You also need to consider that when your targeted customer does comes in, there’s going to be a conversation between your advisor and the customer about the charitable cause you are promoting. This is when you and your advisors have the opportunity to build relationships with your customers that can last for a lifetime.
One of the questions I often hear is whether or performance/engine rebuilder shop owner should rotate through different charitable causes in order to reach a wider range of potential customers. For example, someone who is not influenced by an offer that’s tied to a particular disease may very well be drawn to a cause that’s related to children. Here at Elite, we feel that you should choose one cause and then stick with it. Not only will sticking to one cause prevent your charitable drives from looking like nothing more than marketing schemes, but it will help send a message to your community that you really do care about the cause that you have chosen.
Lastly, you have my promise: If you take my recommendations and put this plan in place, you’ll make a lot of new friends through the charity that you support, you’ll create a lot of new customers, and you’ll be serving as a role model to your entire staff by demonstrating that you really do care … about people in need.
For additional help building a more profitable, successful auto repair business, learn more about Elite’s auto repair shop management solutions.
The post Using Price Advertising to Target Ideal Customers appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine
Porsche Announces New 4-Cylinder Boxer Engine
Porsche’s decision to develop a new four-cylinder engine stems from its need to improve fuel efficiency and emissions ratings across its model line.
The new engine will come standard in the Boxster and Cayman models. There has been talk of a four-cylinder 911, but that’s rather unlikely.
The new engine features a horizontally opposed, “boxer” engine, denoting a flat configuration where the pistons move synchronously in and out, as opposed to in an alternating rhythm. For a displacement, we’ve heard 2.5 liters thrown around as the magic number, but that may be subject to change.
Expect the new engine to come in either direct injected or turbocharged variants. Engine output would probably max at around 395 hp, which is higher than the current output of even the most powerful Boxster and Cayman model variants.
There has also been talk that an entire new family of flat four engines will be developed. The 2.5L variant mentioned above would be the most powerful, but 1.6L and 2.0L variants are also reportedly in the early stages of design. A 1.6L variant would put out 210 hp, the 2.0 would produce 286 hp, while the aforementioned 2.5L would have a base output of 360 hp.
Since the next generation of Cayman and Boxster aren’t due for quite some time, it’ll be at least near the end of the decade by the time this engine sees production, unless the engine appears in the face-lifted versions due to be released in 2016; this is possible but less likely.
Porsche also employs a 2.0L straight four in its upcoming Macan crossover, but that one isn’t anywhere near as powerful or as advanced in terms of efficiency.
Courtesy of Speedville.com
The post Porsche Announces New 4-Cylinder Boxer Engine appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine
Adding Horsepower to a Ford 461ci Windsor V8
Engine specialists Dandy Engines build a small block Windsor 461ci stroker for Pat Staplton. Follow the engine assembly as the guys aim to make more than 820hp naturally aspirated on regular pump unleaded. Pat plans on putting this brute of an engine into a Ford Falcon XD/XF Ute.
The post Adding Horsepower to a Ford 461ci Windsor V8 appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine
New widespread Internet bug could be more dangerous than Heartbleed
There is nowhere to hide. Just two months following the discovery of Heartbleed, the massive OpenSSL bug that affected two-thirds of the entire Internet at the time it was revealed, a new OpenSSL bug has been uncovered that could be even more dangerous. Led by Masashi Kikuchi, security researchers at Japan-based Lepidum shared their discovery on Thursday, noting that this newly revealed vulnerability in OpenSSL has existed for more than 15 years.
Read more here: Boy Genius Report
Hastings Medium Duty Diesel Rings
Hastings offers very broad piston ring coverage for medium duty diesel engines, from Dodge to Ford to GM, Mercedes to Nissan. This includes replacement rings for the very popular 5.9L and 6.7L B-Series Cummins diesel engines. Each ring set is engineered for the requirements of modern diesels. Look for our familiar blue and gold box.
For more info: www.hastingsmfg.com.
The post Hastings Medium Duty Diesel Rings appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.
Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine