Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Urgent Legislation Alert Update!


URGENT LEGISLATION ALERT UPDATE!
March 13, 2007
My Fellow Gear Heads!
The people in Sacramento are still at it! Please read the following from our friends at SEMA and ACT! It's up to us to protect the hobby and vehicles we love!

URGENT LEGISLATION ALERT !

Attention California Members:
Here is a preview copy of the April Driving Force article regarding A.B. 616. The complete version of the newsletter will be sent to you later this month.

Thank you,

Jason Tolleson
jasont@sema.org
202/783-6007, ext. 39

=====

Driving Force - April 2007 Issue (PREVIEW)



California Proposes ANNUAL Emissions Tests for
Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older
Pre-1976 Vehicles Would Continue to be Exempt From Smog Check

Enthusiasts in California are rallying against legislation that has been introduced in the State Assembly by Assemblyman Dave Jones to require annual Smog check inspections for vehicles 15-years old and older. In addition, the bill would direct funds generated through the additional inspection fees to be deposited into an account which can be used to scrap older cars. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee for consideration.

The measure represents another attempt by California legislators and regulators to scapegoat older cars for air quality deficiencies. In 2004, despite objections from the vehicle hobby community, California repealed its rolling emissions-test exemption for vehicles 30 years old and older and replaced it with a law requiring the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles.

“Under this year’s bill, pre-1976 vehicles would continue to be exempt from Smog Check”, said Steve McDonald, SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs. “However, vehicles 15 years old and older - currently 1976 through 1992 - that are not currently exempt would move from a biennial test to annual tests with the clear intent of moving them into the scrappage program.”

Sponsors of the legislation ignore the fact that vehicles 15-years old and older still constitute a small portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction. Legislators are also ignoring the fact that classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven.

“Implementing an annual test would not only increase the cost to the vehicle owner, it would also give the state more opportunities to lure these vehicles into retirement,” added McDonald.

Recently, San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District released an updated smog plan that calls for scrapping 30,000 passenger cars, five times the number previously planned. Scrappage programs, widely rejected by other states as an ineffective means of cleaning the air, accelerate the normal demise of vehicles through the purchase of older cars which are then typically crushed into blocks of scrap metal.

“By virtue of these scrappage programs, the vehicle hobby risks the loss of potential collector cars and parts forever that could have been used in a project,” commented SAN Director Jason Tolleson.




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Do nothing and we could all loose our rides to the system. Like I said, it's up to us to Save Our Rides!

Write, Call or/and Email your representative today and tell them how you feel.


Visit The San Diego Auto Swap Website
Be sure and check out all the Great Wheels and Deals on our NEW FREE Classified Site. Just go to www.CarsNet.com , register, login, type in your ad, upload your photos and Bada Bing! your ad is up on the Internet. Try It, Its FREE!!!

Promote Your Business! Ad Space Is Available On Our Memorial Day, May 28 Auto Swap Flier. This flier will be in the Goodie Bags at the Del Mar Good Guys Event! Reserve Your Space Today Is The Last Day, Only One Space Left! Call Now!

See Ya At Da "Q" on Sunday, March 25


Ray Taylor
The CARS Net

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email: ray@carsnet.com
phone: 858-484-9342
web: www.SanDiegoAutoSwap.com
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Friday, March 09, 2007

The Engine Explained

The Engine Explained

by: Kevin Schappell

The engine is the heart of your car, but instead of pumping blood, the engine pumps air and fuel. The engines main function is to convert air and fuel into rotary motion so it can drive the wheels of the car. How does it do that ??.... Well let's start with a cutaway of the engine and see all the major parts then we will get into the actual mechanics.

Pistons: Most common engines have 4, 6, or 8 pistons, which move up and down in the cylinders. On the upper side of the piston is what is called the combustion chamber where the fuel and air mix before ignited. On the other side is the crankcase, which is full of oil. Pistons have rings which serve to keep the oil out of the combustion chamber and the fuel and air out of the oil.

Crankshaft: The crankshaft is connected to the pistons via a connecting rod. As the piston moves up and down in the cylinder it rotates the crankshaft and converts the straight line motion into rotary motion.

Valve train: The valve train consists of valves, rocker arms, pushrods, lifters, and the camshaft. (shown in above picture in blue, yellow, and green) The valve train’s only job is that of a traffic cop. It lets air and fuel in and out of the engine at the proper time. The timing is controlled by the camshaft, which is synchronized to the crankshaft by a chain or belt.

Now that we have a general overview of the parts involved let's talk about what happens. Most automotive engine today are 4-stroke (or 4-cycle) engines, meaning they have four distinct events which make up the cycle.

Intake stroke: The camshaft opens the intake valve and the piston moves down the cylinder. This creates vacuum and sucks in air and fuel into the combustion chamber above the piston.

Compression stroke: As the piston starts moving back up the cylinder the intake valve closes and seals off the combustion chamber. The causes the air and fuel to compress.

Power stroke: As the fuel is compressed and the piston nears the top of the cylinder the spark plug fires and ignites the fuel and air. This explosion pushes the piston back down the cylinder and drives the crankshaft.

Exhaust stroke: After the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder, the exhaust valve opens and the gasses left over from the fuel and air are sent out to the exhaust system.

Put these four events together in the above order and you have a complete cycle. Are you asleep yet? That's enough theory, let's talk about the real world and problems you might encounter with the above mentioned parts.

Pistons: Remember I talked about the rings, which seal the combustion chamber from the crankcase. The rings over time tend to wear out. When they wear they allow the fuel and air to enter into the oil and dilute it. This dilution reduces the oils ability to lubricate your engine and can cause premature wear. Also if the rings wear down they can allow oil from the crankcase to enter the combustion chambers. This will result in oil being burned and exiting your tailpipe as grayish/white smoke. If your car spews grayish white smoke and it does not go stop in the first few minutes after start-up you might have warn rings. If the smoke goes away after start-up look to the valve train section.

Crankshaft: The crankshaft rides on bearings, which can wear down over time. The bearings support the crankshaft and also the rods, which connect the pistons to the crankshaft. A loud medium pitched knocking noise in the engine points to warn bearings most of the time. This is usually a costly repair and involves removing the crankshaft and either machining the surface where the bearings ride, or replacing the entire crankshaft. To prevent this type of problem, use a high quality oil, change your oil at suggested intervals (3 months or 3000 miles is a safe number) and always maintain your oil level between oil changes.

Valve train: Remember the oil smoke problem mentioned above in the piston sections. If your car only smokes grayish/white smoke at start-up you may have leaking valve seals. Valve seals keep oil from above the valve from leaking into the combustion chamber. When they wear, they can allow oil to seep into the combustion chamber and collect there until your start the engine again. You generally do not get oil leaking past the valve seals while the engine is running since the seals expand with the heat of the engine and plug the leak.

Another common problem is the timing chain or belt will slip or even break causing the cam shaft to stop rotating. Remember the camshaft tells the valves when to open and if it stops spinning then the valves stop opening and closing. No valve moving, no engine running :-)

A term you will here when talking about timing chains and belts is "interference engine". When an engine is an "interference engine" the pistons and valves are so close together that if the valves were to stop moving (broken belt or chain) and the crankshaft kept spinning they would crash into the piston. (that's the interference) This crash tends to do bad things to an engine, breaking valve, bending pushrods, and even cracking pistons. This is why most manufacturers recommend changing the timing chain or belt every 60,000 miles. Timing belts dry out, stretch and deteriorate over time so even if you do not have 60,000 miles on the car think about changing the belt after it's 6 years old.

Preventive Maintenance:

Change your oil regularly.

Give your engine a chance to warm up before driving if possible. Let the oil get into all parts of the engine before driving. This is even more critical in cooler temperatures when the oil is cold and sluggish.

Change your timing belt or chain at your manufacturer's recommended interval.

void "snake oil" additives advertised on late night TV. Regular oil changes and good maintenance habits will keep your engine running it's best.

If you have a turbo charged engine, give the engine a minute or two cool down before turning it off. This cool down period allows oil to circulate and cool down the bearings. If you shut off the engine immediately after hard driving, the oil can gum up around the hot bearings and create problems down the road.

What to discuss with your mechanic:

If you have to replace your engine, discuss the benefits of buying used versus new. If you plan on keeping your car for some time, a new engine might be the best bet. Sometimes new engines are not much more expensive than rebuilt ones, and offer the best solution.

When trying to diagnose engine noises, be as descriptive as possible. Take note to when the noise occurs; at what throttle position, and when the noise started occurring. Sometimes changing the weight of oil being used can cause a new noise to crop up. Make sure you mechanic knows if you changed oil brands or weight recently.

www.SanDiegoAutoSwap.com

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

URGENT LEGISLATION ALERT

Jason Tolleson, jasont@sema.org
SEMA 202/783-6007, ext. 39

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT

California Introduces Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests
for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older

Here we go again! Legislation (A.B. 616) has been introduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Dave Jones to require annual Smog check inspections for vehicles 15-years old and older. The bill would also require that funds generated through the additional inspection fees be deposited into an account which can be used to scrap older cars. You may recall that in 2004 a new law was enacted in California to require the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles. Pre-1976 motor vehicles would remain exempt under A.B. 616. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee.

We Urge You to Contact Assemblyman Jones and members of the Assembly Transportation Committee (List Below) Immediately to Oppose A.B. 616

A.B. 616 ignores the minimal impact vintage cars have on air quality.


A.B. 616 could entice vintage car owners into allowing these vehicles to be scrapped.


A.B. 616 ignores the fact that vehicles 15-years old and older still constitute a small portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.


A.B. 616 ignores the fact that classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven.


A.B. 616 would increase costs by creating an annual inspection fee for owners of these vehicles.


A.B. 616 represents another attempt by California legislators and regulators to scapegoat older cars.
Please contact members of the California Assembly Transportation Committee immediately by phone, fax or e-mail to request their opposition to A.B. 616.

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.


Assembly Transportation Committee

Pedro Nava, Chair
Telephone: (916) 319-2035
Fax: (916) 319-2135
Email: Assemblymember.nava@assembly.ca.gov

Michael D. Duvall, Vice-Chair
Telephone: (916) 319-2072
Fax: (916) 319-2172
Email: Assemblymember.Duvall@assembly.ca.gov

Wilma Amina Carter
Telephone: (916) 319-2062
Fax: (916) 319-2162
Email: Assemblymember.Carter@assembly.ca.gov

Mike DeSaulnier
Telephone: (916) 319-2011
Fax: (916) 319-2111
Email: Assemblymember.DeSaulnier@assembly.ca.gov

Cathleen Galgiani
Tel: (916) 319-2017
Fax: (916) 319-2117
Email: Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov

Martin Garrick
Telephone: (916) 319-2074
Fax: (916) 319-2174
Email: Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov

Shirley Horton
Telephone: (916) 319-2078
Email: Assemblymember.Shirley.Horton@assembly.ca.gov

Guy S. Houston
Telephone: (916) 319-2015
Fax: (916) 319-2115
Email: Assemblymember.Houston@assembly.ca.gov

Bob Huff
Telephone: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
Email: assemblymember.huff@assembly.ca.gov

Betty Karnette
Telephone: (916) 319-2054
Email: Assemblymember.Karnette@assembly.ca.gov

Anthony J. Portantino
Telephone: (916) 319-2044
Fax: (916) 319-2144
Email: assemblymember.Portantino@assembly.ca.gov

Ira Ruskin
Telephone: (916) 319 - 2021
Fax: (916) 319 – 2121
Email: Assemblymember.Ruskin@assembly.ca.gov

Jose Solorio
Telephone: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169

Nell Soto
Telephone: (916) 319-2061
Fax: (916) 319-2161
Email: Assemblymember.Soto@assembly.ca.gov

SEMA's mailing address: 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765

www.SanDiegoAutoSwap.com

Ca Introduces Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older

Jason Tolleson, jasont@sema.org
SEMA 202/783-6007, ext. 39

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT

California Introduces Bill to Require ANNUAL Emissions Tests
for Vehicles 15-Years Old and Older

Here we go again! Legislation (A.B. 616) has been introduced in the California Assembly by Assemblyman Dave Jones to require annual Smog check inspections for vehicles 15-years old and older. The bill would also require that funds generated through the additional inspection fees be deposited into an account which can be used to scrap older cars. You may recall that in 2004 a new law was enacted in California to require the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles. Pre-1976 motor vehicles would remain exempt under A.B. 616. The bill has been referred to the Assembly Transportation Committee.

We Urge You to Contact Assemblyman Jones and members of the Assembly Transportation Committee (List Below) Immediately to Oppose A.B. 616

A.B. 616 ignores the minimal impact vintage cars have on air quality.


A.B. 616 could entice vintage car owners into allowing these vehicles to be scrapped.


A.B. 616 ignores the fact that vehicles 15-years old and older still constitute a small portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.


A.B. 616 ignores the fact that classic vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven.


A.B. 616 would increase costs by creating an annual inspection fee for owners of these vehicles.


A.B. 616 represents another attempt by California legislators and regulators to scapegoat older cars.
Please contact members of the California Assembly Transportation Committee immediately by phone, fax or e-mail to request their opposition to A.B. 616.

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.


Assembly Transportation Committee

Pedro Nava, Chair
Telephone: (916) 319-2035
Fax: (916) 319-2135
Email: Assemblymember.nava@assembly.ca.gov

Michael D. Duvall, Vice-Chair
Telephone: (916) 319-2072
Fax: (916) 319-2172
Email: Assemblymember.Duvall@assembly.ca.gov

Wilma Amina Carter
Telephone: (916) 319-2062
Fax: (916) 319-2162
Email: Assemblymember.Carter@assembly.ca.gov

Mike DeSaulnier
Telephone: (916) 319-2011
Fax: (916) 319-2111
Email: Assemblymember.DeSaulnier@assembly.ca.gov

Cathleen Galgiani
Tel: (916) 319-2017
Fax: (916) 319-2117
Email: Assemblymember.Galgiani@assembly.ca.gov

Martin Garrick
Telephone: (916) 319-2074
Fax: (916) 319-2174
Email: Assemblymember.Garrick@assembly.ca.gov

Shirley Horton
Telephone: (916) 319-2078
Email: Assemblymember.Shirley.Horton@assembly.ca.gov

Guy S. Houston
Telephone: (916) 319-2015
Fax: (916) 319-2115
Email: Assemblymember.Houston@assembly.ca.gov

Bob Huff
Telephone: (916) 319-2060
Fax: (916) 319-2160
Email: assemblymember.huff@assembly.ca.gov

Betty Karnette
Telephone: (916) 319-2054
Email: Assemblymember.Karnette@assembly.ca.gov

Anthony J. Portantino
Telephone: (916) 319-2044
Fax: (916) 319-2144
Email: assemblymember.Portantino@assembly.ca.gov

Ira Ruskin
Telephone: (916) 319 - 2021
Fax: (916) 319 – 2121
Email: Assemblymember.Ruskin@assembly.ca.gov

Jose Solorio
Telephone: (916) 319-2069
Fax: (916) 319-2169

Nell Soto
Telephone: (916) 319-2061
Fax: (916) 319-2161
Email: Assemblymember.Soto@assembly.ca.gov

SEMA's mailing address: 1575 S. Valley Vista Dr., Diamond Bar, CA 91765

www.SanDiegoAutoSwap.com