1)Oxidized contacts. Clean the contacts to a metallic sheen with an emery board or sandpaper. Also check the battery terminals and the continuity of the earth connection between the car body and the engine.
2) Faulty starter control circuit. This cause combines several:
-Faulty ignition switch;
-malfunction of starter relay
-failure of wiring integrity in general.
Symptoms are the same – the retractor relay does not work. Therefore, check the wiring.
3)The retractor relay is faulty. The relay may be clicking, but there will be no positive potential at the small output terminal of the retractor. This can be checked with the same “test lamp” or a light bulb on the wires. If there is no contact inside the relay, it is time to replace it.
4) Failure of the starter brushes. Before removing the starter and replacing the brush unit, you need to check its operation without removing it from the engine. To do this you need to take a separate wire and apply voltage to the starter terminal bypassing the retractor relay. If after that the starter does not rotate, it is necessary to remove it and check the brush unit and armature windings.
5) Breakdown of stator and armature windings. It is necessary to check the stator and armature windings for breakdown. This can be done with a multimeter or megohmmeter. The continuity of the windings should also be checked for breakdown. If the lamp is on, it means that the windings are “carated” to the common ground. The same principle is used for the megohmmeter, if between the case and the windings shows at least some resistance value, then there is a breakdown.
6) Breakage of the teeth of the bendix and the flywheel crown. This cause is characterized by a loud grinding and ringing in the starter. It arises as a result of an uneven installation of the starter or a bad approach of the bendix in the meshing. In both cases, the result will be quite “deplorable”. It is better not to delay with the replacement of the belt pulley.

Do not rush to change your starter. To find the right one for you and its parts, it is desirable to write down its marking, since parts of starters and alternators are selected by the number of the unit itself.

The post Time to change? Typical starter breakdowns appeared first on Custom Show.

World-famous brand name, former merits and other parts of the image are no longer justified in the eyes of buyers. All because of the sad statistics, which shows how in recent years has decreased the time of using a car, the frequency of repairs and the rise in prices for both cars and auto parts.

Where the quality has gone

Quality has gone with the economy. It’s not profitable for the automakers to produce cars, which will work long and well. The maximum is up to the end of the warranty period, but only because in case of a breakdown they are obliged to repair the car at their own expense. It’s surprising that the warranty on expensive German foreign cars is mainly 2 years, and on Korean budget models – 5 years.

Since the 70’s, marketers came into production and began to actively study the demand. The short-term result is the emergence of the BMW 5-series, Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline and other successful solutions, the long-term result is that marketers began to dictate to engineers how to create cars, namely so that there would be a constant demand for new models. The degree of reliability of cars has decreased, and as in those years, cars could boast of 500 thousand kilometers mileage, but now 300 thousand kilometers is considered a good result.

Everyone knows about it, but no one can prove it. In order to be able to declare in court the deliberate actions for the quick breakdown of the car, it is necessary to have technical data on the methods of creation of metals and alloys and a lot of other information which is not provided by any manufacturer.

Problems with new cars

Body strength. Body strength is getting thinner and thinner because of the pursuit of economy and technology. And the struggle for pedestrian safety has made the design more fragile, so that soon cars will crumple into a lump not when they hit an obstacle, but 200 meters in advance.

Robotic transmissions. Because of the design features, they fail faster due to slow driving in traffic jams and frequent gear changes. For the inhabitants of the big city such cars prepare a surprise in the form of expensive block replacement.

Low-volume turbocharged engines. Super environmentally friendly, low fuel consumption, high power and this is a small list of what manufacturers promised. But in reality, the situation is not so rosy – reducing the size, they sacrificed a resource. Besides, small turbo engines are very sensitive to quality of fuel, need special oils etc. If it breaks, it cannot be repaired.

Paint. A wave of concern for the environment has swept away the quality of paint, car manufacturers have switched to water-soluble, and they are not resistant to mechanical damage. And as practice shows, scratches are followed by rust.

But every year new models are produced and there is a chance that in the struggle for customers, car manufacturers will start to make quality their competitive advantage.

The post Disposable cars: why new cars break down more often than old ones appeared first on Custom Show.

Ford has announced a program of electrification with a mild hybrid system with low fuel consumption. The list of cars included the Fiesta and Puma, and the Ford Focus was the last to be unveiled.

The hybrid car is powered by a 1.0-liter, 155-horsepower EcoBoost turbo-charged engine with a 48-volt starter-generator that allows the engine to rev up in the first few seconds as it accelerates through the Start/Stop system.

The mild-hybrid system used increased peak torque by 20 Nm. And with the engine running at low revs, the traction can be doubled.

The company claims the biggest selling point is the powertrain, which is 20% more fuel efficient than the previous 1.5L EcoBoost with a claimed fuel economy of 4L per 100km. The interior of the Ford Focus features a virtual instrument cluster with a 12.3-inch display – last year’s new from the third-generation Ford Kuga. Also, an important plus is the notification system, which alerts the driver to repairs and various “surprises” on the road through FordPass Connect.

In Europe, the car can be ordered for 24 thousand euros with a base with 125-horsepower motor, and for 29 thousand – a more powerful 155-horsepower hybrid.

The post Ford Focus: a new word in economy appeared first on Custom Show.

Of course, many Harleys change their exhausts at some point, and it’s safe to assume that some Pan America owners will do the same. Longtime Harley partner and aftermarket parts specialist Vance & Hines wants to be one of the first to offer a new super heavyweight ADV overlay with the new Adventure Hi-Out 450 exhaust.

Designed specifically for Pan Am, the Adventure Hi-Output lives up to its name by unlocking five extra “horses” and another five foot-pounds of torque. A 4.5-inch diameter pad also reduces the adventure bike’s weight by six pounds. The slimmer exhaust shape is not only eye-catching, but also provides more clearance for the trunk when the factory saddlebags and center stand are placed.

Of course, sound is important to most Harley owners, and the Vance & Hines deflector design creates a rumble worthy of a bar and shield. Fortunately, the muffler still meets SAE J2825 noise standards and meets 50-state emissions requirements.

“This is an important launch for Vance & Hines,” acknowledged Vance & Hines President Mike Kennedy. “In addition to being a great exhaust for an outstanding motorcycle, the new Adventure Hi-Out 450 product moves us into a whole new category. ADV bikes are a hot market, and we’re bringing the performance, style and sound of Vance & Hines to that category. In the coming months, we will be bringing more fun to riders of all the most popular ADV bikes on the market.”

The post Vance and Hines launches exhaust system for Harley Pan America appeared first on Custom Show.

Myth #1 – Brake systems are the same for all drivers.
In order to control caliper and disc temperatures on sports cars, each team needs different types of venting depending on the aerodynamic needs of each individual car. To meet these needs Brembo investigates specific solutions for the disc ventilation channels. Moreover, since even in the same team there may be drivers with different braking styles (some drivers use a car style, with initially intense and then decreasing braking; others prefer the opposite approach), two teammates may use different friction materials and different discs. For “non-athletes,” these rules also apply.

Myth #2: Once brake fluid has “boiled over,” it will be usable again when it cools down.
Once the brake fluid in the caliper has boiled – it has lost a significant percentage of its original boiling point and must be replaced. It is not necessary to change all the fluid in the system. It is enough to drain the fluid that is in the calipers.

Myth #3: Brake systems are very heavy compared to those used in F1, DTM and GT championships. (INAUDIBLE).
One might assume that cars weighing more than a ton and a half require impressive braking systems to brake. However, Brembo’s 6-piston front caliper for Short Track cars weighs only 2.8 pounds, and the front 4-piston caliper for the Super Speedway weighs no more than 2.3 pounds. Cast-iron rims obviously weigh more than the carbon ones used in Formula 1: a 328mm diameter and 42mm thick disc for NASCAR short track races weighs 10.5kg, while an ultra-lightweight 328mm diameter and 28mm thick disc for Super Speedway weighs 4.9kg.

Myth #4. Ceramic brake pads should only be fitted in conjunction with ceramic brake discs.
This assumption is fundamentally wrong, since ceramic pads originally appeared on the world market as a variation of the standard part. Ceramic pads fit perfectly with traditional metal discs and work reliably in conjunction with them.

Myth #5. The brake system is made of steel.
Most brake discs are made of cast iron, while others are made of carbon fiber. Manufacturers favor cast iron because it is inexpensive and has better frictional qualities than, for example, steel. Carbon or carbon fiber brakes are put on cars to reduce weight, or in conditions of high loads. Carbon is often used to make the braking system of sports cars, and these discs can easily withstand high temperatures.

So, don’t believe the myths right away, but check them out. And what myths do you know?

The post Top 5 myths about brake pads appeared first on Custom Show.