Filed under: By the Numbers, Canada, Ownership and Repair, New Car Tips, Road Trips

After the shocking overnight price increase of gas across the country last month, many Canadian motorists have experienced a similar jump again in Ontario, just hours ahead of the busy Victoria Day long weekend.

The fuel price per litre went up by nearly three cents (hitting roughly 136.9 per litre) in the Toronto area and most of southern Ontario on Thursday night. If you haven’t already filled up you’ll likely end up getting hosed at the pumps for a few extra cents this Victoria Day weekend. According to the helpful website TomorrowsGasPriceToday.com, fuel prices are 9.3 cents per litre more expensive today than roughly this same time last year.

While it’s a bit late to avoid the spike of long weekend gas prices, we’ve put together these helpful gas-saving tips on ways to drastically improve your fuel economy. Long gone are the days when gas cost less than a dollar a litre; the last time the average price of regular gasoline dipped below the loonie was back in the summer of 2010.

Gas prices jump for Victoria Day long weekend, did you fill up? originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Fri, 16 May 2014 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Canadian Automotive News

The new Cummins 8.3L complete cylinder head from Access Industries Co., includes new springs and valves. It can be used with any Cummins 8.3L (6C, 6CT, 6CTA) 12-valve engine (21-inch intake port). The Cummins 6C 8.3L engine is widely used for truck, industrial, gen-spec. and marine applications.

The post Cummins 6CT 8.3 Cylinder Head appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

Advance FLOW Engineering (aFe Power) offers a complete line of diesel performance air filters, intake systems, intercoolers, turbochargers, exhaust systems and accessories for GM Duramax, Dodge Cummins, and Ford Power Stroke diesels. The complete aFe Power product line is available at Motor State Distributing for immediate shipment. www.motorstate.com.

The post aFe Diesel Performance Air Filters appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

Filed under: Technology, Safety, Ownership and Repair, New Car Tips

Today’s cars may seem similar to the cars of the days gone by-4 wheels, an engine and doors. Underneath its skin is another story. Along with the vastly improved fuel economy, safety ratings, and multi-media systems that modern cars are expected to come with, comes the obligatory need for more sensors and electronic gizmos to keep it all working together in a user-friendly package.

Along with all these extra sensors, comes the need for more warning lights on your dashboard or gauge cluster. Some of these warning lights have been around for a very, very long time and are pretty straight-forward; whilst others are fairly new to the market and not exactly self-explanatory.

According to a recent survey done by Schrader International, 43 per cent of the people that took the survey could not recognize the symbol for low tire pressure. Needless to say, a low tire pressure warning is serious business and is a large safety hazard at worst and largely reduced gas mileage at best.

Between the different manufactures, there can be slight differences but for all the major lights, they’re the same. As the long weekend approaches and summer road trips being, take some time to check out the gallery above to find out what some of these essential lights mean.

Warning lights you need to know in your car

Warning lights you need to know in your car originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Thu, 15 May 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Ownership & Repair

When it comes to extracting every last bit of horsepower from an engine, heat is always the enemy. For years, heat soaked carburetors have made engines struggle to maintain power due to vapor lock, higher intake air temperatures and percolation. Now, with Trans Dapt’s plastic and canvas phenolic carburetor spacers with Swirl-Torque technology, enthusiasts have a way to simultaneously fight back against the effects of excess heat buildup, while significantly boosting torque and horsepower.

Trans Dapt’s insulated carburetor spacers are developed to provide excellent protection from heat soak and power loss caused by vapor lock and percolation. The phenolic materials used to make these carb spacers is a poor conductor of heat and acts as a thermal barrier, isolating the carburetor from the heat of the engine, keeping your fuel mixture cool and dense. Without a thermal barrier, heat builds up in the carburetor and will eventually cause the fuel inside to boil. If this happens while the motor is running, it creates a loss of feed pressure to the carburetor which can then lead to a loss in power or cause the engine to stall (vapor lock). However, when this happens after the engine has been turned off, the fuel can boil over out of the float chamber and leak into the intake manifold (percolation) making it hard, if not impossible, to restart the engine.

Unlike most standard carburetor spacers, Trans Dapt’s spacers with Swirl-Torque Technology are manufactured with a unique, slotted port design that creates a powerful vortex. This vortex atomizes the fuel for a better air/fuel mixture. The result is enhanced low to mid-range torque through improved combustion efficiency, better drivability and throttle response from your vehicle and quicker shift recovery rates.

Trans Dapt’s Swirl-Torque style phenolic carburetor spacers are manufactured in the USA using top of the line thermal resistant plastic or canvas material. Plastic phenolic spacers are available in 1Ž2 inch (Part# 2528), one inch (Part# 2529, 2531) and two inch (Part# 2530, 2532) thicknesses for Holley Square Bore Four Barrel carburetors with or without positive crank case ventilation (PCV). Canvas phenolic spacers are available in a one inch thickness for Holley Aluminum Four Barrel (AFB) carburetors, also with or without a PCV valve (Part # 2550, 2551). All mounting hardware, gaskets and installation instructions are also included with the kit. For more information, visit www.tdperformance.com.

The post Trans Dapt Carburetor Spacers appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

Nile Cornelison, Jim Cozzie, John Menzler and Fred Offenhauser will receive the industry’s highest honor and be inducted into the SEMA Hall of Fame—an elite group of leaders who shaped and inspired the $31 billion automotive specialty-equipment market.

The new members will be recognized as part of the festivities during the SEMA Installation Gala, Friday, July 18, 2014, at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center in Pomona, California. Those attending the banquet will hear how the four newest Hall of Fame members contributed to the industry and the association that began 50 years ago. The inductees include one of the association’s founding members, along with three former SEMA Person of the Year winners.

Nile Cornelison: Having been involved in the industry as a machinist, racer, retail store owner and warehouse distributor (WD), Cornelison’s diverse background—coupled with his passion and innovativeness—made him uniquely qualified to lead the industry in what was unchartered territory. In 1982, the industry veteran founded Direct Connections Inc., now better known as DCi, bridging the communications gap between the jobber/retailer, WD, manufacturer and consumer. Later he introduced the industry’s first dealer locator service via telephony, paving the way for electronic cataloging and revolutionizing how the industry does business today.

Jim Cozzie: Cozzie served as SEMA chairman of the board in 2008–2009, a period that many describe as one of the industry’s most challenging economic times. The 2004 SEMA Person of the Year winner used his foresight and knowledge to help SEMA do more than simply persevere through the recession. During this time, the association developed its strategic focus on vehicle technology and expanded efforts to help U.S. manufacturers find opportunities in overseas markets. As a key executive at RTM Productions and Brenton Products, Cozzie continues to amplify the industry’s message through the programs they produce.

John Menzler: Described as a person who loves the work but hates the awards, Menzler dedicated his life to his job and the industry. He was among SEMA’s most active and passionate volunteers, having been involved on several SEMA councils and committees, including charity projects to aid abused and chronically ill children. Menzler was instrumental in establishing a number of valuable SEMA programs, including the SEMA Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) Education Day. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 67. During his prolonged battle with cancer, Menzler continued to inspire and encourage industry colleagues, family and friends. Inspirational thoughts and motivational messages that he called “Mornings With Menzler” were sent out regularly—often from his hospital bed. Such actions were typical of the man who was named 2011 SEMA Person of the Year and 2010 SEMA Mentor of the Year.

Fred C. Offenhauser: Offenhauser began his career in the industry in the ’30s when he went to work for his uncle, who bears the same name—Fred H. Offenhauser. In 1944, Fred C. was inspired to start his own company and launched Offenhauser Sales Corp. He began making aluminum intake manifolds, which were sold in every speed shop and distributed by most major distributors over the years. The mass distribution made it possible for thousands of racers to modify their engines and increase performance in ways that were not available elsewhere.

Fred C. was among the original charter members when SEMA was founded in 1963. Although the innovator passed away in 1992, his company continues to manufacture and sell intake manifolds and operates out of the same building that the company has resided in since the mid-’50s.

The SEMA Hall of Fame’s four newest members join 143 previously inducted industry icons and innovators who have already been enshrined in the SEMA Hall of Fame. For more information about the SEMA Hall of Fame, visit www.sema.org/hof.

The post SEMA Hall of Fame Gets Four New Members appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine