Special Speech

If you have a nice car, you have probably thought about buying a car alarm. Even if your car isn’t a Ferrari, it’s still a good idea to at least invest in a basic car alarm system. In the United States, a car is stolen every 25 seconds. This costs drivers and car insurance companies about 8 billion dollars every year. To avoid becoming a part of these statistics you can purchase a car alarm for your car. To shop for the best car alarm, read some car alarm reviews.

There are a variety of places to find car alarm reviews. Car magazines are always first to hear about the latest technology and upgrades in alarms. Also, when you read a car magazine you can feel confident that the reviews are unbiased and you are getting a good opinion. The internet is another option for finding reviews on car alarm systems. There is a ton of information online about car alarms, but you have to use common sense when you read reviews. Many reviews are written for the express purpose of selling you a certain type of alarm. Look for a review that is actually written by a trustworthy source before you buy that type of alarm.

Minimotos are now one of the fastest growing categories in motor sport, because of the low running costs involved and closeness of the racing. Whether its just a quick thrash around the local airfield (with permission of course) or a full on assault on the track the sense of excitement and fun you can get from minimotos is awe inspiring.

Origin of the minimoto

The first series of minimotos originated from Japan, with modest power outputs these were quickly superseded by the superior performance of the European models, particularly the Italian Polini engined variety which is one of the quickest accelerating minimotos. The Chinese have now jumped on the bandwagon and have produced a series of easily affordable minimotos priced below £200, with all the features and capable of speeds upto 40 miles an hour in standard trim.

Minimotos or as the Chinese call them gas scooters are scaled down versions of true GP racing motorcycles. The latest minimotos run cutting edge technology with a floating disk brake at the front and a single disc at the rear, running on racing compound slick tires. The bodywork is beautifully styled with both full fairing versions and half fairing models. Not to be out done by their big brothers these miniature racing bikes come with a hi-tech polished aluminium/magnesium alloy cast frame with integral swinging arm.

Minimoto performance

Most common engine sizes for minimotos are 47cc to 49cc, generally a two stroke air cooled motor requiring unleaded fuel premixed with fully synthetic two stroke oil. The higher performance minimotos are notably water cooled.

Minimotos are available in two sizes: a mini with a 27″ wheelbase and a midi with a 30″ wheelbase. Engine horsepower choices are available from a 4.2 HP model up to the 15+ HP race machines that can actually reach speeds of upto 75 miles an hour which feels more like 150 miles an hour when you are so low to the ground
Transporting your minimoto also represents very few problems due to there compactness 1m - 1.3m long and weighing in at only 23kg., if you have a spare suitcase it will not be a problem

Minimotos are suitable for children aged 7 and upwards but only under the strict supervision of a responsible adult. Even though these machines are small miniature works of art most will carry a 250lb adult.
Most successful stars of today in World Superbike and MotoGP started there racing in the minimoto category many moons ago. The best example is Valentino Rossi. He was Italian pocketbike Champ twice before becoming 125, 250,500 and MotoGP World Champion. So give it a go and who knows!!

For the finishing touch http://www.minimotos4u.com provide the latest laser cut MotoGP decal sets so you can individualise your minimoto to replicate your GP heroes

David Welton is the Director of Minimotos4u http://www.minimotos4u.com with over 20 years of motorcycle experience and a clear passion for minimotos. It is a family run business based in North Lincolnshire. With over experience of supplying customers with top quality certified minimotos from the most reputable suppliers. We carry extensive stocks of minimoto spares, performance parts, minimoto decals and much more. Specialising in race tuned minimotos in MotoGP livery, we also stock dirt bikes and can cater for all your minimoto needs. For the personal touch contact Minimotos4u http://www.minimotos4u.com or e-mail dave@minimotos4u.com

Turbochargers, many people have heard of them, but not many people can explain them. There are many different sizes and shapes of turbo-chargers, but there purpose will remain the same - to bring more air into the engine. The best way to think of a turbo is like a big fan, but instead of blowing air it consumes air and squeezes it into the engine. A turbocharger is also much different from a fan in that it is made almost entirely of metal and spins usually between 100,000 and 200,000 RPM’s. Turbochargers constantly have fresh oil running to them to keep them lubricated and cool. Having a colder turbo means less wear on the moving parts and in turn means higher longevity and lesser loss of performance over use. There are several simple things to do to ensure a happy life for a turbocharger.

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I would say one of the easiest ways for you to increase the life of your turbo is letting your automobile warm up before you drive it and cool down before you shut it off. If you are wondering why it’s important for you to let the car warm up here is why… when oil is cold it’s very heavy and thick, and will not lubricate like its designed to which is never a good thing when something is moving as fast as a turbo. Are you wondering why you should let the engine cool down before you turn it off? Think of your oven. Let us say you just turned off the oven because you were baking something, just because the oven is now off does not mean its ok to reach in and grab the racks. It is going to stay extremely hot for a while, and it is the same with your turbochargers. If you just shut off your motor what is going to happen is the oil circulation is going to stop and your turbo is still extremely hot and the oil left in there is just going to sit and boil and bake which is extremely hard on your turbo. If you do not like sitting in your car waiting for it to cool down I suggest buying a turbo timer, it will keep your car running until the desired temperature is reached then it will shut itself down.

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Another good idea is a “blow off valve” or recirculation valve; some cars come standard with them some do not. Even if they come standard its smart to purchase an aftermarket one if you are planning to modify your car for more power. What these valves do is prevent turbo surge. Turbo surge is what happens when the throttle is closed and the turbochargers are still boosting. Something that is spinning as fast as a turbo cannot stop and start instantly every time the throttle opens and closes. So what happens if you do not have some kind of venting valve? The air created by the turbo will hit the closed throttle and turn around and start coming back where it came from which is very bad on your turbo and will almost confuse it between shifts. With a recirculation or blow off valve, it will vent the unused boost without damaging the turbo.

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I believe the number one thing you can do to keep your turbo running a long time is change the oil! I think if you change the oil sooner than recommend and use some of the premium oils it will keep the turbochargers lubricated and cool, which is key.

About The Author:

Taylor Bamber is a proud owner of a 300zx turbo and belongs to many 300zx clubs in Northern Colorado. Being waist deep in the import world, he knows where to find all the best online JDM deals. He has scoured the web and has found the best sites for your import car needs. Check out his site at http://www.jdm-4u.com

So that dealers can develop an entirely new generation of technicians, GM offers training that focuses on exactly that. There are three levels in the training that begins in high school.

GM ASEP instructs students with an eye for technical skills to allow for servicing and maintaining GM vehicles. The program is comprised of the combination of GM, GM dealers, as well as educational institutions throughout the US and Canada. The focus is on GM products. GM ASEP allows students to change their schedules so that they can also attend college and work for a GM dealership (2-year program).

Upon completion the student will be rewarded with an Associate’s Degree in Automotive Technology, or a similar degree depending on the courses completed.

Included in the studies are the basics of math, reading, and electronics. Analytical and technical skills are obtained. Gaining the job experience is essential while earning their Associate Degree. GM realizes the strong education combined with the work experience is what creates a topnotch education. There have been more than 15,000 service technicians born at BM ASEP corresponding colleges and universities in the last thirty years.

GM Automotive Service Educational Program information, as well as how to gain your own GM technician certification is available here.

President Bush has indicated it is imperative to kick America’s
oil habit. In conjunction with this goal, the Department of
Energy has just announced a $119 million dollar research
initiative.

Money for Research and Development

Obviously, automobiles are the basis of America’s oil addiction.
Everyone seems to have at least one car if not more. To attack
this problem, the current administration is putting a lot of
emphasis on hydrogen fuel cell research for vehicles.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are extremely environmentally
friendly. They work by converting hydrogen and oxygen into
electricity through a chemical process. This process is
particularly attractive because it produces no pollutants, is
nearly twice as efficient as combustible gas engines and relies
on extremely plentiful resources that are not located in foreign
lands. There are, however, a few drawbacks to hydrogen fuel cell
vehicles.

Hydrogen powered cars are much more expensive than traditional
gas powered vehicles. The technology is simply not advanced
enough to make production cost effective. The vehicles
themselves are also not particularly efficient at this point in
time from both a performance and range perspective. The answer
to these problems, of course, is research and development.

To spur research on hydrogen fuel cell cars, the Department of
Energy has created a Research Roadmap that is designed to
identify and set goals for overcoming technical and
manufacturing problems related to this new energy platform. At
the Washington Auto Show, the agency also indicated it was
kicking in $119 million dollars in grants to get the ball
rolling.

The Department of Energy is focusing on a few key issues for
research. They include improving fuel cell membranes, water
movement within the fuel cell, advancing the chemical conversion
process and addressing the impact of impurities in the fuel
cells on performance and length of service of the automobiles.
Each of these subjects has proved to be a barrier to mass
production of hydrogen fuel cars.

The ultimate goal of the Department of Energy is to have
hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in mass production by 2020. To this
end, the $119 million dollar kick start represents a small part
of the over 1 billion dollars the agency will devote to research
and development on fuel cell automobiles. While 2020 may seem
far into the future, at least we are taking steps to move beyond
our reliance on foreign energy sources.