Professional automotive

I want to say thanks for some one (I don’t know who) who has collected this VW beetle customization pics. I just found this pic collection on an online discussion forum. The location of the pics are on blogger, so I guest that some one has upload the pics on his/her blogspot blog.

Well,.. hope this gallery usefull enough for you who want to customize your VW Beetle. It’s pretty and creative! Just click read more to get the rest …

The rear rotors are also slotted. The electronic parking brake proved to be a bit of a challenge as my VAG-COM kit had not arrived. After some headscratching, we figured a solution to the problem and the brakes were installed without further drama.

It was time to replace the brake rotors on my Audi A6 that were wearing thin after 90,000 km. Instead of replacing with OEM rotors, I decided to replace with OEM sized two piece rotors. I also opted to continue with the EBC Red Stuff pads which had served me well when I replaced the OEM brake pads at 50,000 km.

Review of the EBC Red Stuff brake pads.
OEM brake pads lasted for 50,000 km for the first time and the EBC Red Stuff brake pads which I swapped to lasted 40,000 km before I changed it along with the rotors. At both instances, I had both the front and rear sets changed at the same time. The brake oil was replaced at the 50,000 km change but this time, they did not appear to need a change and so I did not.

I chose to swap the EBC Red Stuff pads primarily because I was mainly looking for a small increase in braking performance, and a huge reduction in brake dust. And the EBC pads did all that. Braking was sharper compared to the OEM pads which were quite inadequate for emergency braking. Braking on the OEM pads felt vague and you never got the feeling that you would stop in time when you needed to as the Audi A6 is a heavy car. As a result, I tended to brake early, just in case. The dust from the OEM pads was quick to appear as well. The swap to the EBC pads was just what I was looking for. Naturally, one cannot expect a change of brake pads to instantly produce massive stopping power. And I was not looking for that. Braking was improved slightly, and it was enough to be noticeable. And the brake dust was gone, thanks to the ceramic compound on the EBC pads. Sure, if you looked hard enough, there is still a coating of brake dust on the rims, albeit a light coloured layer.

On the surface, it would appear that the EBC pads had a shorter lifespan - 10,000 km less than the OEM pads. In fact, it is hard to make a comparison as I was driving harder on the EBC pads. In the first 50,000 km, I was mostly doing short trips within the city and at most a 150 km run to Zhuhai or a 120 km run to Guangzhou. All of which was on flat ground and decent roads. After I made the change to the EBC pads, I had made a total of 6 long trips that were between 1200 km to 1500 km each way round and along the way there were long mountainous stretches with long stretches of downhill runs where opportunities to use the brakes were plentiful. In addition, I had also started to drive the car harder.

In all, I was very satisfied with the EBC Red Stuff brake pads.

Replacement Two Piece Rotors
In a luxurious sedan like the Audi A6, you cannot and should not turn it into a sports car. What you can do is to make small improvements so that it becomes a little more fun to drive. My modifications have centred around improving the handling of the car slightly with small adjustments. Even then, I have mostly adhered to the principle of replacing OEM parts with lighter and stronger aftermarket parts as the time for replacement comes. With the brake rotors wearing thin, it also presented me with an opportunity to swap the OEM rotors with something lighter. Swapping out for lighter rotors reduces unsprung weight. A reduction in unsprung weight theoretically leads to lighter load on the suspension and this translates to better suspension response and subsquently, better ride comfort and ability to soak up the irregularities on the road surface. In addition, the loss in unsprung weight also reduces the moment of inertia which means less energy is required to get moving. And in theory, this leads to faster acceleration and throttle response. In practice, the weight reduction from taking a kilogramme off each corner could well be meaningless, or virtually impossible to detect. Experts or enthusiasts tell me that I would expect to see greater improvement if I were to swap rims and tyres for lighter versions since the weight loss at each corner would be more like 3-4 kg or more. I couldn't agree more. However, it is not the time to replace the rims or the tyres and it is the time, however, to have the rotors changed. As such, I chose to go ahead and replace the OEM rotors with lighter aftermarket ones anyway. And even if it did not produce a noticeable effect, when the time comes to change the rims and tyres, I believe the effect certainly would be very noticeable when the aftermarket rotors were paired with lighter rims and wheels.

This is the front rotor and I have also opted for a slotted rotor since it looked nice and sporty too. I do not expect to need the slots to help counter brake fade since even with the hardest driving I have done so far, I have not had any problems with brake fade. The hub is aluminium alloy and lifting it and comparing it with the OEM rotors, the weight difference was obvious. Unfortunately, I did not have a scale on hand to measure the weights but I would put it as about 1-1.5 kg weight savings.

This engine control system service manual is a part of a 2009 Nissan Xterra Factory Service Manual (FSM), ton this document you’ll found tons of useful information to repair and service your vehicle, this manual divided into sections as follow: Basic inspection procedures, diagnosis and repair workflow, inspection and adjustment guide, idle speed and ignition timing check, engine control system, schematic diagram, electric ignition system, On Board diagnostic (ODB) system, tow trip detection logic, emission-related diagnostic information, generic scan tool function, component diagnosis, Sensor heater, control solenoid valve, MAF sensor, thermostat function, A/F sensor 1, Fuel injection system sensor, power supply, steering switch, brake switch, Electrical load signal, fuel pump, electric throttle control actuator, Symptom diagram and many more. This manuals available free to download in pdf format consist of 492 pages.

Alabama-based luxury bike manufacturer Confederate Motor Company has just unleashed its new P120 Fighter Combat motorcycle at the Quail Motorsports Gathering in Carmel, California. The bike features the company’s signature “pure and direct” form with an aircraft grade aluminum frame, extended swing-arm and futuristic design that is somewhat reminiscent of the Moto-Terminators.

2010 Piaggio MP3 will come with 500 cc engine. This Italian top models three wheels bikes will be refreshed next year.
Instead of Piaggio MP3 400 came MP3 500. Gilera Fuoco 500 - will now also be positioned under the main brand and get a trade mark Piaggio MP3 500 Sport.

In both sets the same 492-cc engine, single cylinder, liquid-cooled, with the variator CVT, issued on the mountain 40 hp.

2010 Kawasaki ER6n Black Street Sport Edition Front Side

2010 Kawasaki ER6n Black Street Sport Edition

Again Kawasaki will issue a new motorcycle in 2010 is the name Kawasaki ER-6N. Kawasaki ER-6N has a capacity of 649cc engine with 11.3:1 compression ratio, to measure bore x stroke: 83 x 60 mm. Weight Kawasaki ER-6N is a Curb: 441 lbs with fuel tank capacity 4.1gl. For this motor suspension using Front: 41 mm hydraulic telescopic fork; 4.7 in.. travel, Rear: 1 offset laydown shock with adjustable spring preload; 4.9 in. travel.

It has been discussed among Indonesian riders that Yamaha will launch a new 150 CC sport bike in 2010. They mentioned that it will beat Honda Mega Pro, Thunder 125, and may also Bajaj Pulsar 180. Well,… you have your own opinion. Let see this Yamaha FZ150 which guess to be the original Bison type. Before it brig to Indonesia, it will be launched India market firts.

The looks of the bike can be summed up in one word as ‘muscular’. While the YZF R15 poses a stylish and sporty outlook, FZ15 presents itself like a hunk. Like the R15, it has a mono suspension and a liquid cooled engine. Yamaha is trying to grab a bigger market share by diluting the Indonesian 2 wheel market with too many models.

A custom Boeing T-50 jet turbine powered, Honda Magna, is for sale on eBay. The seller ask $8000 for his great job. The T-50 has 300 pounds of thrust, 400 with the afterburner. The motorcycle is thrust driven but can be converted to wheel driven. The builder seems to be the real deal, he previously built a turbine powered Porsche 928.

This bike is street legal and registered so that you do not need to worry to ride it. But, be careful what’s behind you when you spin it up on the street.

Korean auto maker, Kia, has announced the longest fleet-wide warranty ever offered by a car manufacturer anywhere at any time. Kia announced a seven-year/150,000 km bumper-to-bumper, parts-and-labour warranty for all vehicles sold and registered in Europe from January 1, 2010.

In internal combustion engines, gasoline direct injection is a variant of fuel injection employed in modern two- and four- stroke petrol engines. The petrol/gasoline is highly pressurised, and injected via a common rail fuel line directly into the combustion chamber of each cylinder, as opposed to conventional multi-point fuel injection that happens in the intake tract, or cylinder port.

In some applications, gasoline direct injection enables a stratified fuel charge (ultra lean burn) combustion for improved fuel efficiency, and reduced emission levels at low load.

The original version of Suzuki Hayabusa had only one competitor, i.e. itself. Now with other super-sports bikes fighting for dominance, the 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa is pulling out all the stops to stay on top. This new model is more powerful and made for long-haul comfort. The Suzuki Hayabusa has undergone impressive styling changes as well. The engine of the 2009 model is thoroughly updated to provide bikers with an attractive power-to-weight ratio and a greater rush of acceleration. Hayabusa’s chassis has undergone changes that help to provide crisper handling, and the striking fairing of this new model offers sleeker aerodynamics.

The 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa is one of the most intimidating motorbikes in the market with its superior design and chassis upgrades. This model can be found in Black/Matte Black, White/Silver, Gray/Silver, Black/Gold color combinations.

The 2009 Suzuki Hayabusa is powered by a smooth accelerating fuel-injected 1,340cc four-stroke liquid-cooled DOHC engine to provide raw power and great acceleration to the bike. The engine is coupled with smooth six-speed transmission. The frame, rear shock and swing arm are made of aluminum alloy that leads to proper weight reduction. The front forks of this model have rebound damping, compression and spring preload adjustable that provides versatility to the bike. This bike also has radial mount front brake calipers and a 260mm rear disc.

The big name of Hayabusa just got bigger with the 2009 model. Ultimate redesign has made choosing this bike an effortless task for the hardcore rider.

Peugeot released an electric version of the scooter, called the E-Vivacity. Electric model is, at least, analogous to 50 cm3 petrol scooter. Peugeot E-Vivacity is equipped with a lithium-cobalt battery capacity of about 4 000 watts, allows scooters on a single charge to overcome the 80 … 100 km.

Specifications - synchronous motor with air cooling (equivalent to 50ss), the battery weight - 25kg., Transmission - gear, 32 mm front fork, front brake - Disk 200 mm., Rear brakes - a disc of 190 mm., Dimensions 1910 x 680 x 1168 mm., height - 786 mm., weight - 115 kg.

This engine mechanical service manual is a part of 2009 Nissan XTerra Factory service manual, which contain any useful information regarding repair the engine, exploded views, part list, and troubleshooting guide. This engine mechanical service manual contain the following information: Precaution, Preparation, special service tool, commercial service tool, function diagnosis, noise vibration, and garness troubleshooting, on vehicle maintenance, belt drive removal and installation procedure, air cleaner system, spark plug, camshaft valve clearance, compression pressure, engine room cover, air cleaner and air duct, intake manifold collector, exhaust manifld and three way catalyst, ignition coil, engine assembly, cylinder head, timing chain, engine unit dis-assembly and assembly guide, service data specifications. This manual available free to download in pdf format consists of 144 pages.

The Yamaha V-Max is a motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha, which is known for its powerful V4 engine, shaft drive, and distinctive styling. While noted for its quick acceleration, it is often criticized for its poor cornering ability and soft suspension. Upon its release in 1985, the V-Max garnered instant critical acclaim and earned the title “Bike of the Year” from Cycle Guide. Sold both in Japan and abroad, the V-Max has been on the market with only minor modifications since the 1985 model year, making it one of the best-selling Japanese motorcycles of all time.

Harley-Davidson present new 2010 model motorcycle named Harley-Davidson 48 (HD-48). It has an Evolution 1200ss like engine, such as V-Twin, a completely new front suspension, wide and fat front tire, littered with rear suspension. Also, the bike boasts a low single seat, mirrors, mounted under the steering handles, and a very unusual tailpipes.

The Hyundai Elantra is a middle class vehicle which released to answer a gap between low budget subcompact Excel and the up-Level Sonata. Hyundai Elantra came with a 1.6 liter twin cam 4 cylinder engine which can produce 113 horsepower and 5-speed manual shift. Ordering 4-speed automatic transmission cut output to 105 horsepower. This Hyundai Elantra Engine manuals is a part of complete factory service manual and here you could find regarding information: General, Engine Mounting, Engine and Transaxle Assembly, timing belt location, replacement, removal and installation procedures, camshafts and rocker arms, cylinder head and valves, front case, oil pump, counter balance shaft, piston and connecting ROD, crankshaft, Flywheel and Cylinder block. This manual available free to download in pdf format consists of 70 pages.

Ford Fusion Hybrid to get 41 city m.p.g.

Ford Motor Co.’s much ballyhooed 2010 Fusion Hybrid will get 41 city miles per gallon and 36 m.p.g. on highways, based on final certification figures from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the company said Monday.

The move is one of the final steps in getting the vehicle to dealerships next spring. Certification of the vehicle was recently completed at the company’s testing laboratories in Allen Park.

Ford said that the Fusion Hybrid tops Toyota’s Camry hybrid -- its main competitor -- mileage by 8 m.p.g. in the city and 2 m.p.g. on the highway.

The Fusion can travel up to 47 miles per hour using only battery power. After 47 miles, the car’s four-cylinder engine turns on to power the car and recharge the battery.

The Fusion’s nickel-metal hydride battery is lighter and produces 20% more power than the Ford Escape hybrid. It also devised a way to get 28% more power out of the battery cells, said Praveen Cherian, program leader for the Fusion Hybrid.

“It’s not just one thing, but thousands,” he said of the improved mileage numbers. “We’ve optimized the heck out of that vehicle, it’s individual components.”

The battery also can tolerate higher temperatures, and Ford has eliminated its battery cooling system in the Fusion, allowing the battery to cool using regular cabin air.

The company also has improved its regenerative braking system, which captures energy lost through brake friction and stores it for battery usage. Ford said 94% of brake friction energy is recovered in the new model.

The Fusion also includes SmartGauge technology, which helps drivers adjust their driving to get more mileage out of the car.

Ford unveiled the Fusion Hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show last month, along with the Mercury Milan hybrid.

Honda Thailand is releasing new bike with have the same compact transmission CV-Matic to beat the Y.C.A.T from Yamaha. It looks like a usual cub bike, but actually it is an automatic bike that shifts like scooter do. Still using the Wave 110 engine I think, but now it featured with automatic transmission. Can provide the same power and durability like the normal manual sequential transmission like Honda Wave 110? No one have analyzed it.

MUMBAI, India - The world’s cheapest car will retail for just over $2,000 and can be yours — if you live in India - and are very lucky. Tata Motors said on Monday.

The Nano, a pint-sized vehicle designed to make car ownership accessible to millions of the world’s poor, finally goes on sale in India next month. Whether it will revolutionize the global auto industry — or turn around its manufacturer’s fortunes — has yet to be seen, and other automakers will be watching closely to see how consumers respond to the car. So will environmentalists (of course, sigh, the environmentalists).

The company is now designing a version of the Nano that meets U.S. safety and emissions standards and should be ready for launch in about three years, Tata said.

The Nano, with a starting retail price of 112,735 rupees ($2,233) is a stripped-down car for stripped-down times: It is 10.2 feet (3.1 meters) long, has one windshield wiper, and a 623cc rear engine.

The four-seater can travel up to 65 miles an hour (105 kilometers an hour) and gets 55.5 miles to the gallon (23.6 kilometers per liter). The Nano does not have air bags or antilock brakes — neither of which is required in India — and if you want air conditioning or power windows, you’ll have to pay extra.

Tata said the car emits less carbon dioxide than most motorbikes.

Priced like a gadget or a piece of jewelry, the Nano will be sold not just at Tata car dealerships across India, but also online and at electronics and clothing shops owned by the Tata group of companies.