Preventive Maintenance, Part 2

Hi Guys,


I hope the last post wasn't too boring for you with the lack of pictures. In this second part of "Preventive Maintenance", I will be elaborating on the air intake area and why is it to be kept clean. There are three main areas to be kept clean for a healthy efficient engine which is :
- Air intake system
- Lubricating system
- Fuel system

And this post, again, will be all about your intake system.

"It is a natural characteristic for all cars to produce carbon over time"

Yeah, you heard that right. All cars will produce carbon regardless. These are a few areas where you will notice sludge forming up with the naked eye :

- Sidewalls of throttle body

- Inside of intake manifold

And these are a few areas where you will not notice sludge forming up with the naked eye :

- Idle valve inside your throttle body(or separate valve)

- Intake valves(for direct injection engines)

- Combustion Chamber

Okay, these places do not form carbon, the engine does. However, these places collect and accumulate carbon. If you are skeptical, you can open up your air filter hose and you will notice a black ring of carbon formed around the butterfly area of your throttle body, as early as 20,000km from the showroom.

- Where is the residue formation coming from?

Leaky intake valves, PCV valve, breather hose that's connected straight into your intake manifold.

- Why is it so important to keep this particular area clean?

This is your air intake system. Imagine sucking on a straw, a clean straw; easy aye? Now, imagine if the inside of the straw is all dirty, it's sidewalls all gunked up, causing the INTERNAL DIAMETER to be smaller... you get less air. It's as simple as that. On top of that, the surface of your throttle body sidewalls become rough and you want it smooth for optimum airflow. As for carb engines, you get clogged air venturies. Same goes for your intake manifold, you want that as clean as possible too.

- My car cannot idle properly. Dirty perhaps?

Most or every cars have an idle valve. And majority of them is like a needle and a hole, opening and closing gradually to allow the correct amount of air to go through as the throttle body is fully closed during idle. When this is all gunked up, it doesn't work properly. Most workshops will conclude that your throttle body needs replacement or will just take the shortcut of installing an FICD. Please note that if your car does not come with an FICD, it is best not to install one on the system.

- What are the benefits of cleaning the intake system?

Majority of car owners will not actually feel that their car lose power or suffer from increase in fuel consumption over time. Cleaning the affected area will actually restore power and efficiency in the engine. A clean engine is a healthy engine, problem free.

- What should I use to clean the air intake system?

This is a very subjective question. There are so many "carb cleaners" or "throttle body cleaners" in the market. Take caution here. Read below :

Engine Conditioners - These are the shinzit. You spray em into the engine and gunk falls off. Nuff said. It's made to do so.

Throttle body / Carb cleaners -I'm not sure about this, and I'm not sure if you can spray this into the engine or is it supposed to be used to clean the throttle body when it is off the car? I tested a few on pieces of rubbers and the rubbers tend to expand. Not good for seals in the carb or throttle body if you ask me.

- What brand do you recommend?

The choice is pretty much up to you. So many brands in the market, It also boils down to how you use it and how effective the product is, and wether the product is harmful to the engine or not. Some "carbon cleaners" are non flammable and non compressible. Be careful as this may or may not cause your engine to hydrolock. Find a suitable one. Also remember that the method of using it is important too.

 
As for me, I personally use and sell Threebond Engine Conditioner. Proven to work on over two thousand cars over two years with positive results. It is safe to use, flammable, compressible(it is already compressed in a can, foam based), and also effective. Result driven. I also have the capability of using this effectively and correctly.

- How do I clean the intake manifold area?

Spray the conditioner, let it soak a little while for all the soft carbon to come off. From there and then you can later do it with the engine running as the heat anf flow will aid in cleaning the intake manifold.

- You mentioned combustion chamber. How clean is clean and is it really necessary?

Not really. The top of the piston need or need not be cleaned as the combustion chamber is only used to compress and combust air/fuel mixture that's being sucked in through the intake valves. 

- How often to clean this area?

From experience, I would say approximately 15,000km. Your car will still be clean 5,000km after the last session of cleaning. At 10,000km, it starts to get dirty and by the time you reach 15,000km on the clock, it is already as dirty as it can be.

Here below are some pictures of throttle bodies and carbs before and after cleaning :

A dirty carb of a saga, you may not notice anything now. Customers usually notice only after cleaning and when giving it a test drive

After Cleaning. See how shiny is it now? Imagine the inside of the carb and the intake manifold

Dirty throttle body of a Kia Spectra. Try to look all the way down into the intake manifold and see how thick gunk is. The holes on the sides are probably breather holes or idle valves which I cannot remember.

After cleaning. No words needed to describe this picture.

You can purchase the engine conditioner here, along with further enquiries(faq provided).

Cheers

Elton

Preventive Maintenance, Part 1

Hi Guys,

Today, I shall open up a new chapter on preventive maintenance as I've just realise that I have not wrote about anything on maintaining an engine. This, and the next few subsequent posts we will focus on the engine area in terms of performance, longevity and driveability.



Engine Oil

You may think that every 5000km an oil change is sufficient. But please ask yourself the below questions :

- Do you know what oil are you using? I tend to ask my customers that and some aren't able to give me a direct answer. "I don't know laaaa, foreman put in for me one". You have to be aware of what's being poured into your engine in terms of oil brand and viscosity. Oil viscosity is pretty important in the long run and also in terms of fuel consumption and performance. They affect each other.

The common grades being used are 5w-30, 10w-30, 5w-40, 10w-40, 15w-40, 20w-50. There are also less common grades such as 0w-30, 0w-40, 0w-50 and so on. In a general automotive term, 5w-30, 5w-40 and 5w-50 are usually fully synthetic oils whereas the 10w30 and 10w40 are usually semi synthetics. There are cases of 10w30 minerals as well. 15w-40 and 20w-50 are usually minerals. Old school mechanics will swear by their 20w-50 for long term protection. However, most people dont know that a Supra uses 5w-30 or 10w-30.

Back to the question, you need to know what oil are you using. From there and then I can advise you on what's to be used. Okay, smaller cars such as Kancil, Kelisa, 1000cc or below generally run on 30grade, regardless of 5w or 10w. These engines are tiny and have tight clearances. Using a heavy oil has no benefit to the driver.

I usually recommend 40grade to customers driving cars that are above 1000cc such as Myvi, Swift, Wira, or any other car for that matter. Yes I understand that some of your owner's manual do state that 30grade is to be used. However, keep in mind that engines wear and tear over time and clearences between the bearings get wider over time. Just a note, campro engines run generally rough and noisy and it says 30grade on the manual, you guys may want to try 40grade.

Also, too low of a viscosity and the oil may or may nor shear and will lose film strength at high temperatures. IF it is too thick, it will also not circulate at low temperatures.


Usually, I do not refer to the 5w or 10w figures as there is no winter in Malaysia. However, on some special cases I'd recommend 10w to older cars and not 5w. Mind you, take a bottle of 5w-30 and 10w-30 and shake them and compare. You will notice that the oil in the 5w feels a tad thinner. I cannot find time to find the explanation on why is this so but all I know that (referring to the "special case"), the 5w-40 oils tend to burn and consume faster than a 10w-40 oil in engines that have compression loss aka older engines. I assume that the 5w oils have more polymers in them making them a little bit thinner by feel. Polymers are blended into the engine oil so allow them to change viscosity over temperature. Monogrades are also available which I personally think will be better. . I personally do not think that multigrades are needed here in our country, Malaysia.

This is taken from micapeak.com and realclassic.co.uk :

"Multi viscosity oils work like this: Polymers are added to a light base(5W, 10W, 20W), which prevent the oil from thinning as much as it warms up. At cold temperatures the polymers are coiled up and allow the oil to flow as their low numbers indicate. As the oil warms up the polymers begin to unwind into long chains that prevent the oil from thinning as much as it normally would. The result is that at 100 degrees C the oil has thinned only as much as the higher viscosity number indicates. Another way of looking at multi-vis oils is to think of a 20W-50 as a 20 weight oil that will not thin more than a 50 weight would when hot. 

Multi viscosity oils are one of the great improvements in oils, but they should be chosen wisely. Always use a multi grade with the narrowest span of viscosity that is appropriate for the temperatures you are going to encounter. In the winter base your decision on the lowest temperature you will encounter, in the summer, the highest temperature you expect. The polymers can shear and burn forming deposits that can cause ring sticking and other problems. 10W-40 and 5W-30 require a lot of polymers(synthetics excluded) to achieve that range. This has caused problems in diesel engines, but fewer polymers are better for all engines. The wide viscosity range oils, in general, are more prone to viscosity and thermal breakdown due to the high polymer content. It is the oil that lubricates, not the additives. Oils that can do their job with the fewest additives are the best.   

Viscosity Index is an empirical number indicating the rate of change in viscosity of an oil within a given temperature range. Higher numbers indicate a low change, lower numbers indicate a relatively large change. The higher the number the better. This is one major property of an oil that keeps your bearings happy. These numbers can only be compared within a viscosity range. It is not an indication of how well the oil resists thermal breakdown. "

VI and how multigrade works

To produce a multigrade mineral oil, polymers are added to a light oil, say SAE 20. At low temperatures the polymers are coiled up and do not restrict the flow, but as the temperature rises they unwind so that at 100 oC (212 oF) the viscosity is equivalent to SAE 50. There is more than one way of achieving this result. The best quality base oils have a higher VI, which is the rate at which the oils' viscosity falls as temperature rises within a given temperature range. This means that less polymer is required to achieve the same result. As it's the oil that does the lubricating, not the polymer, this is obviously preferable and as the polymer also degrades in use the less present to start with the better.

A good quality engine oil will have a relatively low level of polymers and some synthetic oils have such a high VI that they don't need any. Generally the lower the viscosity of the base oil, the more polymer it requires. 10w-40 needs more than 20w-50 for instance, and polymers can shear and burn, thus creating deposits which can cause valves and piston rings to stick. A good quality oil will typically lose up to 20% of its' viscosity in 1000 miles running, the rate of loss then slows and the life of the oil is about 3000 miles in normal use.

 
I will have to agree on the polymer clarification. However, this does not mean additives are not good for engines.


Another thing to take note is that our weather is hot, but not as hot as Dubai or the deserts. There is a rule of thumb that oil runs thinner over heat. The hotter it gets the thinner it gets. Not sludge related though. If you are running on an external engine oil cooler, you can generally run a grade cooler as chances of heating up the oil isn't as high.

If you are asking be about oil clearances, please read the below.
The thinner the oil, the lower the oil pressure. The thicker the oil, the higher the oil pressure. Our bearing and bearing journals have to always be in full float when it is rotating to prevent any catastrophic damage. Sufficient oil pressure is needed for this. Not to be too thick though, as you want the oil to be able to still go through the journals. In other words, be a man!! do the right thing! choose the right oil.

Temperaturewise, you will be fine in regardless of any oil you use unless you are one of those who eats brake pads for lunch and revs the car like nobody's business. Try not to let the oil temperature shoot up. I've seen overheating cars with oil temperature gauges and my observation is that the oil thins out and you get to hear bearing noises the moment your engine oil goes above 120degrees Celcius, 110 in rare cases. Disaster is waiting to happen. Try to keep it at 100degrees or less. Various methods can be used to reduce your oil temp :

- External oil cooler
- Sufficient cooling system(water) to remove heat from the engine
- Wrap up the part of your exhaust that's just below the oil sump
- Good quality oil that doesn't break down over time
- Keep the engine frictionless, aka flush from time to time. Or you can use some pretty decent additives.



A good engine oil will not break down over time. Gone are the days where people run on C*****l G*x telling me that this oil is good. I want you to keep an eye on the below scenario :

"Woah!! Everytime I change engine oil, the car feels like brand new weyhh!!"

This is not good, I repeat, not good! You end users may think it is a good thing. Little did you all know is that the current oil in your engine has already broken down and stopped protecting the engine. The main three roles of an engine oil is to LUBRICATE, COOL and PROTECT. What you all should feel is that your engine does not feel any different even after your oil change. This is assurance to your conscience knowing that the oil in your engine is still doing it's job. So here, a good oil will last throughout it's recommended Oil Change Interval(OCI) whereas a normal or lousy oil will only last about two to three thousand kilometres.

Oils also have certain additives which makes them outstanding compared to their competitors. They all have normal based oils. The additives are added and blended into the oil for either that extra smoothness, performance or longevity. Two good examples will be MoS2 or ester.


- My service manual says 5,000km or 3 months, or whichever comes first. Or in other cases, 10,000km or 6 months, or whichever comes first. Why? Wanna suck my money ah?
Relax guys. Oils have very long shelf life. But one more thing that people wont tell you is that oil is hygroscopic once it's exposed to heat, or at least that's the only theory I can come up with without any lab tests done. Hygroscopic means they absorb moisture, just like brake fluids.  When they absorb moisture, they lose their properties over time, hence the term "whichever comes first". 6 months probably for fully synthetic and 3 months for mineral oils. No confirmation or estimation on semi synthetics. Anything above this, there is a risk of sludge formation and oil thinning out, allowing the bearing an journals having a catastrophic intercourse.


- What oil should I use? Err... T***o oil can ah?
This section, we will divide oils into three categories once you have chosen the right viscosity for your oil.

Section 1 ~ "Performance" type of oils, Torco and motul for example. You pour these in, it feels real light and free revving, power unleashed.
Pros : As per said as the above.
Reason for Pros :  Friction-reducing additives blended in. Whatever that's good for friction reduction is put into this oil.
Cons : Craps out after 1000-2000+ km, way before OCI. Feels sluggish. A little bit pricey.
Reason  for Cons: These oils are so called race oils, where people use them and change them out after most or every track session. They break down fast, accelerated wear and tear.

Section 2 ~ "Normal" oil, C*****l G*x, B*r***l, L*x*s, and a few other reasonably priced oils. They are cheap, affordable, and don't give any benefit in terms of performance nor protection. Most service centres sell these.
Pros : What pros? Cheap I guess.
Reason for Pros : Cheap. For people that couldn't care less.
Cons : Long term sludge, sluggishness, "refreshed" feeling after every oil change
Reason for Cons : Cheap blend.

Section 3 ~ "Protect"ing type of oils ~ These are oils of my choice. Liqui Moly, Chemlube, Pennzoil Platinum, etc.
Pros : Long term protection, does not break down over time, not as fast as those of in Sec1 and Sec3 as per above. Very smooth and quiet
Reason for Pros : Same as S1, but more additives for long term protection is used.
Cons : May not feel as light as S1 oils. A little bit pricey. Most German oils are in this range.
Reason for Cons : Same as reasons for pros.Costwise a little bit high.


-So between S1 and S3 oils, which one should I choose?
I'd take s3. You can always choose s1 or s2, however, many cars I've seen that ran on s1 oils(OCI on time) for a long period of time end up with rattly and shaky engines. You can hear it all making noise. Cars that run on s3 oils for a long period of time(OCI on time) tend to still operate silently even after 100,000km. This is because long term protection was provided by the engine oil. Choice is yours, ball is in your court.


There are also other factors such as looking out for a good oil in terms of zinc percentage and flash point temperature which I will not elaborate. You can open the below two websites for more info :

http://www.realclassic.co.uk/techfiles/oil030319.html

http://micapeak.com/info/oiled.html


Cheers

Elton

Perdana, Waxed!!

And so the Perdana has been driven around carrying my pride, riding with joy. Some call it the great white shark, some call it the white knight in shining armor, some call it a fucking space ship. The car was kept clean, as humanly clean as I possible could.

However, I realised that I was missing out on one thing. Paint protection. As hard as the clear coat can be, a layer of wax, and sealant is necessary, and so I got down to business, waxing the car myself. Notice the water beading after a night of rain?  (Products used on this will be shown later)

Sooner or later, I started to crave for extra glossines, and the wet look an after-waxed car could produce. I wanted the car to shine as much as possible. Carlack's  Systematic Care Synthetic Waxdid the job just right! 


Little did I know that I sent my car to a Meg Car Wash centre and God knows what soap did they use. It stripped my wax and I was hesitating to get it done again.

I called in the calvary in the form of Ian Peterson Lo who does detailing at home and paid him to do the waxing again as I didn't have the time nor patience to re-wax the car. Water couldn't bear anymore by the way.

He started off applying a layer of Car-Lack 68 Systematic Care Synthetic Wax around the car in thin layers. Let dry for about ten minutes and it was later buffed off. Looks like it was just like when I waxed the car two weeks ago! He took much of a shorter time as he was more experienced in detailing and told me that I was too generous on the application thus making it harder to buff off after drying. Run your fingernails backwards or not, you will feel that there is a real hard layer of coat that's on your paint after buffing. This, is ACRYLIC WAX.


The below product elaboration is taken from www.carlack.com

This product combines a highly effective paintwork cleaner and a resistant sealant. In one process Carlack Complete cleans pore deep and removes paintwork oxidation. The technology-prize-winning polyethylene acrylic compound seals the surface with a protective polymer layer, providing high-level preservation and protecting the surface extremely effectively against harmful environmental influences. Carlack Complete creates a brilliant shine without laborious polishing and can be used on wet or dry surfaces.


The next step Ian took was to apply a layer of Car-Lack 68 Long Life Sealant for that extended maintenance interval and intensified enhanced unmatched gloss one could ever get from his or her ride. This is to be used in addition to the Systematic Care. The steps were pretty much the same as the above. The results? It looked even glossier. Nuff said. Just, glossy, fucking Glossy.

Carlack Long Life is the essence of Carlack sealant technology.
The concentrated formulation based on acrylic polymers is specifically designed for sealing new and conditioned paintwork. The paintwork is highly and durably preserved. The micro-fine protective layer reliably protects against harmful environmental influences and chalking as a result of sunlight.
Carlack Long Life is the perfect addition to Carlack Complete system care since it serves to intensify shine and extend maintenance intervals.


Photos were taken, water beading tests were done again, and everyone was satisfied. Below are a few pictures along with descriptions that will answer some of the questions you have in your head.

 Ian, working on one of the panels with the very first layer with a sponge, making sure he doesn't miss a spot given poor lighting conditions. Yeah, my schedule is tight and we couldn't find a suitable place to do it.

 Ian again, and a friend messing around. If I'm not mistaken, this is the second layer where the sealant is being spread on with a different sponge. According to him, both the wax and sealant was easy to apply and buff off with a polishing/microfibre towel. He was also pretty much satisfied with the finishing.

 Here in this not-so-clear picture, a few guys inspecting and admiring the glossiness of the car. Note the poor lighting condition and how the car is still able to reflect light.

 Above in this picture, the entire car was done. It was 2.30am by the time we finished as we started off a bit late. It was also a drinking session lol.

 The best part, the roof! My roof is black. And a detailer always loves seeing the results on a black painted surface which shows a mirror finish. Shows that his hard work paid off. Flawless much.

These two pictures, Kenneth. The right picture with flash, and the left one being without flash. Both the finished area of the roof being able to reflect light. Shine :)

Overall, everyone was satisfied and it was a tired night. The car was looking glamorous, it's shine restored. All thanks to Ian(unfortunately, it was also his birthday. Happy Birthday Romeo Ian!!) and the people around him accompanying him through the job.

Below are pictures of the products used : 

CarLack 68 - Nano Systematic Care (300ml)

Also known as Klasse All In One CarLack 68 - Nano Systematic Care car wax is an easy-to-use paint cleaner, polish and synthetic car wax (sealant) in one.


CarLack 68 - Nano Systematic Care is not a traditional wax or polymer sealant. The exclusive German Car-Lack formula is a tough acrylic car wax formula that has stood the test of time.
Many miracle products have come and gone, but Klasse car wax products are still going strong.

CarLack 68 - Nano Systematic Care quickly polishes away oxidation and light paint contamination leaving a deep, rich shine that lasts for months. It bonds to the surface like a normal carnauba car wax, however, it does not change the paint in any way. Car-Lack layers on top of the paint, building depth of shine and clarity for an ultra high gloss finish.
Car-Lack contains special cleaners and a fine polish that quickly and easily removes old wax, road film, light oxidation and minor swirl marks. It’s a premium one-step product that cleans, polishes and protects with very little effort. Best of all, the finish lasts and lasts. In most cases, two applications a year will keep your car protected and looking good. Plus, Carlack does not contain silicones and it will not stain your car's vinyl and rubber. Application could not be easier!
Extra gloss and depth of shine can be further enhanced by layering CarLack-68 Long Life Sealant ’Acryl Wax’ or P21S Carnauba Wax on top of CarLack-68 Systematic Care.

1000ml bottle Imported from Germany, good for more than 10 applications.

Car-Lack Long Life Sealant  

’Acryl Wax’ gently protects your bodywork by providing UV protection and a hard durable acrylic finish giving advanced protection against the harsh weather elements that include rain, heat, cold/freeze, salt, acidic contaminants (eg bird waste), grime and other pollutants such as mild detergents. This is the perfect partner to Car-Lack Systematic care in that it can be layered on top of the base product giving enhanced protection. One application can last as long as 12 months!
As CarLack ’Acryl Wax’ contains no cleaning agents it can be layered on a frequent basis to build up an extremely durable protective coating over the surface over an extended period of time. Also, due to the enhanced acrylic properties over CarLack-68 Systematic care - it builds a smoother, more uniformly reflective finish giving an unparalleled high gloss sheen.
Please note this product is also known as Klasse SG and werkstatt Acrylic Jett.
500ml Bottle Imported from Germany.


Prices are as per below :


Package includes:
1. 1000ml bottle systematic care
2. 500ml bottle for sealant

Price:
1. RM160.00
2. RM140.00

Dealing method:
COD. Deposit RM50 bank in required for either one product to avoid ffk.
COD @ Subang (SS19)
Postage add RM15.00 - Semenanjung Malaysia
Postage add RM25.00 - Sabah / Sarawak

Location of seller:
Subang

Contact method/details:
012-9069996

For more information and questions/FAQ, please visit my Lowyat sale thread <-- br="" click="" here="">

P/S : Oh yeah. I use this wax to also clean my phone, watch and pool cue.


Cheers

Elton

Perdana, Painting Finished!

DONE. The entire process took close to two weeks and the results were marvellous! However, there is still room for improvement. I got what I want, a solid looking white under the hot sun and shimmering silver glitters when there is direct light. The clear coat was extra glossy, giving the car a wet look most of the time. The above shot was taken in PJ just before lunch, notice how the front passenger side door reflects the rubbish on the road?

No more stone chips. No more imperfections. I regained my confidence of driving a neatly kept car.


The cost of this paintjob is estimated to be between RM3,500.00-RM4,000.00. You get what you pay for. Additional charges included in the given price for silver dust, extra durable UV resistant clear coat, and of course, warranty against cracking. Many thanks to Boon Fun Auto for working on this car. Details are as per below. Painting can be done as low as RM1,500.00 onwards, quality and price is negotiable but be rest assured that you will get more than what you pay for. They also do collision repair, knocking, touch ups, and also have a general workshop.



P/S : I have also applied a layer of wax and will be posting about it pretty soon when I find the time to. Till then, toodles!



White is the way to go :).

Contact method/details:

Jackson (For Inquiries)

016 983 2828 (If he doesn't reply call, please sms and he will get back to you ASAP)

Operating Hours: 9:30 am to 6:30 pm (Monday—Saturday)

Perdana, Painting Part 3

The puttyworks and surface preparation for it's original colour to go on took about four or five days. The did the undercoat once, and started sanding and applying putty again to seal off most or all imperfections on the car; which is a good thing as most shops only putty the surface once and then go "I dont give a fuck attitude".



I have opted to go for the very same paint as the Charade. Mazda 3 OEM color, 34k pearl white. This white looks real solid under the sun, but when the sun rises or sets, you'd see silver glittering dust on the surface. Not ah beng blue, purple, or whatever greenish color. My car, my taste. I like lah. I have also requested for the very best and hardest clear coat PPG, (yes PPG) has in store. The painter told me he can do the first polishing after the car was finished, but will end up with little to none swirl marks. He also mentioned that he didn't have the confidence to do a second round of polishing a month after the paint cures. He also said that, the second round is rather necessary due to the hardness of the paint, and advised me to go look for an auto detailer to finish the job, which, I will do so when the time is right.




This post, below will be pictures of the car being done up and already painted. Not polished yet.

 Notice the flatness on the surface of the doors after painting? Orange peel effect is still visible as the car is not yet sanded and polished, all the more waxed.

 I have also opted for a black roof, similar, identical to my Charade. Crap, should've removed all the items off the roof before snapping this shot.

 The boot area, again, flat nice finish.











 Rear. No more dent.

  Polished. Unwashed.







 Yeah, I forgot this picture, The engine bay was painted as well!

 Just a teaser, blue dust. Mixed with my black paint for the roof :).

















To be continued

Perdana, Painting Part 2

Hey peeps, the car was sent in just after the Raya holidays. As soon as the car got in, the Myanmar workers under the authority of Boon Fun Auto started working on the car by stripping off all parts that's not supposed to be painted with caution. I did remind them on the minor clips and everything, being a perfectionist.

 You have Whiplash, working on the car. The entire car was already sanded down and it's already partially partched up with putty.

 Notice the rear area, carpet in the boot was also removed to paint the lower area to prevent future and further rust. The dent caused by the motorcyclist is no longer there. Welded, pulled, knocked back, and patched up.

 The guys also planned to paint the insude part of the boot lid. Now you get to see all soundproofing materials exposed.Damn!

 Sand, sand and sand. The surface preparation is very important to achieve a straight flat finish. The whole car, inclusive of the inside area was also sanded down to allow the paint to stick properly onto the surface.

 In this picture, the car went into the spray booth for it;'s first layer of undercoat to cover up all putty marks. You don't want the color of the putty to come up through the finished surface when it dries.





Undercoat done.

Here's just another picture of the car done with undercoat.

The car with all it's former dents all patched up. Very important for the painter to look and feel again.

 You can see Whiplash here masking off all black area for the car to be driven into the spray booth again for the base coat painting. I will not be explaining the process of having a proper base coat here, sorry. And I do not ahve pictures of the car done with base coat, either. Was too busy to drop by due to my hectic work schedule.

 To be continued.

Perdana, Painting Part 1

The Perdana is 17, close to 18 years old and I've been thinking, it's been close to ten years since it was given a new coat of paint. Given two choices, either Mazda 3's OEM Pearl white, or McLaren's MP4-12C Volcano Red, I've chosen the former just to be safe. No doubt the McLaren has a deep dark nice red but I don't want too much attention on the car. The Perdana's a hot car anyways.

 This picture was taken before the painting. Notice the stone chips on the frontal area of the car and how faded the white has become.

 The rear of the car. Previous owner had a motorcycle rammed into him at a traffic light back in Kuantan a couple of years ago, hence, the mark just above the number plate.

 Dings and dents all over the car, visible by the naked eye. Front fender, doors, small dents everywhere!

Dents, dents, chips. Faded color. There were also some rust spots around that needed urgent attention.















As you can see the above the car has aged cosmetically over time. More to come.

Reminder : Weak Cranking, Hard Starting

Hi Guys,

Some of you may or may not realise, but this post is a gentle reminder to keep an eye on how is your car starting. Something out of the norm :

Weak Cranking - an indication that your battery is either dry(for wet batteries), battery getting weaker not being able to keep charge, your starter is getting weak, bad grounds.

Easy to crank, hard to start - Dirty injectors, dirty throttle body, weak fuel pump.


Not many of us will not realise the above unless we pay additional attention to it. Some of us won't realise the above too until shits happen. You don't want to start your morning with a flat battery!




Cheers

Elton

Heat Management, Part 7

Hi guys, this is another chapter of heat management. I've been observing around workshops and some race cars on how they have been managing their heat. Please scroll down to view some juicy pictures and explanations of how heat is managed on these cars :

 This picture on your right is a Honda Prelude with a H22A Vtec Engine, bolt-on-turbo. Pay attention to how the turbine housing is covered with a turbo blanket and the hoses wrapped with heat shroud/sheath so that the heat of the turbo doesn't melt the hose down.

Mind you, the steel braided hoses for the turbo oil feed is also heat-resistant.

 This picture on your left, shows that the downpipe after the turbo being wrapped with DEI Titanium Exhaust Wrap for that sexy looking finish and insulation. Again, note the silverish looking pipe beside the downpipe. Tidy much.

 This picture is taken at Autobacs anniversary in Meru, Klang. I didn't have a good look at the car but the top is wrapped with DEI Reflect-A-Gold heat reflective tape. It's probably an airbox for the air intake system.

This picture is taken from a Satria Mivec, wrapped intake manifold also with DEI Reflect-A-Gold heat reflective tape. The owner wants to reduce his Intake Air Temperature(IAT) to reduce knocking/pre ignition. This car goes for Saturday Night Fever races in Sepang from time to time.













A friend of mine drove his Waja up Ulu Yam and it caught fire. The cause? The heat of the exhaust maifold(as he has a top-mounted turbo) melted the top air-con gas hose. Compressor oil was all over the engine and ignited the moment it touched the exhaust manifold. Thank God for fire extinguishers and an extra help from friends and cops from the nearby police station. A bloke even did a Tripe-H entrance by drinking F&N orange and spew it onto the engine bay while it was on fite.

 The engine bay caught fire the moment he switched his air conditioning on. Gas pressure built up in the hose and it ruptured almost immediately.

 The ruptured hose, it was only like a couple of inches away from the turbo.

 In the process of putting out the flame.

 The car owner inspecting, thinking what's gone wrong. Initially they thought it was coolant as it was greenish around the engine bay. Found out that the next day it was the compressor oil igniting.

 Flame out - the end.













Photo credits to it's respective owners/

Cheers

Elton