Many of my customers ask me, if getting an oil change will improve gas mileage in their cars? My answers is you can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent if you use the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent due to increased friction inside the engine. Sometimes in older model cars, it is recommended to use heavier oil such as 10W-40 to compensate for wear and tear inside the engine, but we have to understand gas mileage will be affected.
Starting in 2011 some vehicles will take a different type of oil for their engines. The new ILSAC GF-5 oil specification is set to go into effect. One of the main drivers behind ILSAC GF-5 is improved fuel economy, the goal is to gain up to 0.5% improvement, which would translate into potential 250 million gallons of fuel savings and 450 millions by 2015 (according to Luis Guimaraes, Shell North America).
Another factor in the change are improved emissions system by reducing phosphorus volatibility, and improving catalytic converters life and reducing star-up emissions.
Is the job of the auto technician to talk to their customers and always use engine lubricants as recommended by the vehicle manufacturers.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Immobilizer sytems in VW and Audi
The immobilizer system in VW and AUDI prevent the engine from running unless an authorized key is used, and the key is properly matched to various components in the vehicle. Those components are the following: engine controller (ecu, pcm or car computer), the instrument cluster and the ignition keys.
In the USA and canada, only those cars sold after 2000 are equipped with immobilizer systems, in europe and other parts of the world immobilizer were used even before 2000.
VW and Audi dealerships can match keys to your car, and also independent auto repair shops such as Angel's Garage in Irving, TX can also match keys to the car with specialized vw and audi equipment. Thse procedure needs to be done when getting new keys, replacing the instrument cluster or replacing the car computer or ECU.
There are 5 immobilizer generations in VW and audi:
Immo-1: only found in europe and some mexican vws, and was used in cars made before 2000
Immo-2,3 and 4: found in cars worldwide, SKC needed or way to get SKC code from cluster
(SKC are available from the dealership or can be extracted it from the cluster EPROM)
Immo-5: only found in certain Audi (R8, A6 and A8) starting 2008 and 2009
After getting new keys, keys need to be matched to your car (ecu and cluster), alarm remote control also needs to be match to the car.
Immobilizer system can also be removed altogether by tunning or replacing software in the ecu or car computer.
Angel's Garage
Irving, TX
www.angelsgarage.net
In the USA and canada, only those cars sold after 2000 are equipped with immobilizer systems, in europe and other parts of the world immobilizer were used even before 2000.
VW and Audi dealerships can match keys to your car, and also independent auto repair shops such as Angel's Garage in Irving, TX can also match keys to the car with specialized vw and audi equipment. Thse procedure needs to be done when getting new keys, replacing the instrument cluster or replacing the car computer or ECU.
There are 5 immobilizer generations in VW and audi:
Immo-1: only found in europe and some mexican vws, and was used in cars made before 2000
Immo-2,3 and 4: found in cars worldwide, SKC needed or way to get SKC code from cluster
(SKC are available from the dealership or can be extracted it from the cluster EPROM)
Immo-5: only found in certain Audi (R8, A6 and A8) starting 2008 and 2009
After getting new keys, keys need to be matched to your car (ecu and cluster), alarm remote control also needs to be match to the car.
Immobilizer system can also be removed altogether by tunning or replacing software in the ecu or car computer.
Angel's Garage
Irving, TX
www.angelsgarage.net
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