Unless your car is hard to start, idles roughly, accelerates sluggishly or gulps gasoline, you’ll probably get little benefit from replacing the spark plugs before the time or mileage interval recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Some manufacturers recommend replacing spark plugs as...
AutoAfterWorld.COM — If your engine misfires, hesitates, stalls, gets poor mileage, is hard to start or has failed an emissions test, it clearly needs something, though a tune-up in the traditional sense might not be the cure. If you tell a repair shop you need a tune-up, the mechanic...
The head gasket seals the gap between the cylinder head and engine block. When it fails, that allows coolant to leak inside the combustion chambers. A leaky head gasket can also allow coolant to seep out near the exhaust manifold, causing the engine to run hotter. A sure sign of a blown head...
The timing belt connects the crankshaft to the camshafts and controls when valves open and close. A loose or worn belt will cause ticking or rattling noises, poor engine performance and overheating, usually triggering the Check Engine light. If the timing belt breaks, the engine can’t run...
An engine that misfires -- meaning the spark plugs fire at the wrong time -- could be due to worn or fouled plugs. Other indications of worn spark plugs are low fuel economy, hard starting and sluggish acceleration. Most plugs, though, should last at least 100,000 miles before needing to be...
You should change your air filter when it gets dirty enough to restrict airflow to the engine, which reduces acceleration. When that will happen depends on where and how much you drive, but you (or a mechanic) should check the engine air filter at least once per year. If you frequently drive in...
You should change your air filter when it gets dirty enough to restrict airflow to the engine, which reduces acceleration. When that will happen depends on where and how much you drive, but you (or a mechanic) should check the engine air filter at least once per year. If you frequently drive in...
We've been scratching our heads for seemingly an eternity regarding the anemic 204-horsepower, 2.5-liter V-6 in the Lexus IS 250 sedan that never moved the sedan quickly or efficiently in a segment where turbocharged four-cylinders abound. Ponder no longer, because the V-6 and IS 250 are...
We've been scratching our heads for seemingly an eternity regarding the anemic 204-horsepower, 2.5-liter V-6 in the Lexus IS 250 sedan that never moved the sedan quickly or efficiently in a segment where turbocharged four-cylinders abound. Ponder no longer, because the V-6 and IS 250 are...
AutoAfterWorld.COM — In a move to change how its cars drive, Toyota announced wide-ranging plans to roll out new vehicle platforms and engines over the next five years. The automaker says it will offer its next generation of powertrains in at least 60 percent of the cars it sells in the...
AutoAfterWorld.COM — In a move to change how its cars drive, Toyota announced wide-ranging plans to roll out new vehicle platforms and engines over the next five years. The automaker says it will offer its next generation of powertrains in at least 60 percent of the cars it sells in the...
AutoAfterWorld.COM — Ford's performance accessory division, Ford Performance, is taking a good thing and making it better. New performance packages boost the power and torque of the 2015-17 Ford Mustang with the EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder and the GT with 5.0-liter V-8 engine....
AutoAfterWorld.COM — Ford's performance accessory division, Ford Performance, is taking a good thing and making it better. New performance packages boost the power and torque of the 2015-17 Ford Mustang with the EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder and the GT with 5.0-liter V-8 engine....
AutoAfterWorld.COM — Many mid-size sedans offer a more powerful engine instead of a base, economy-minded four cylinder. In the 2017 Honda Accord, a 278-horsepower V-6 replaces the standard 185-hp four-cylinder. You're looking at a minimum $30,000 to get a V-6 because that engine is...
AutoAfterWorld.COM — You should be very concerned, because an overheated engine can be far more than an inconvenience. In extreme cases, driving an overheated engine even a short distance can destroy the cylinder head, engine block or internal parts. Fortunately, most modern vehicles...