Friday, December 24, 2021

Walkabout Wednesday Classic Porsche at Williams Crawford. 356 to 993


Here we go on another Walkabout Wednesday looking at the classic selection. Andy Pearce is asking Adrian Crawford to explain the difference between models, the subtleties and the favourites.

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

10 Reasons Why Engines Lose Power Over Time


There are four things a gasoline engine requires to generate power and almost any engine problem will come down to something relating to one of these four factors. 1. Air 2. Fuel 3. Compression 4. Spark

Dirty Air Filter
A clogged air filter makes the engine work harder to pull in air, and can restrict the maximum amount of air let in. Less air means less power.

Exhaust Restrictions
The engine will have to work harder to push out exhaust gases, limiting power. Catalytic converters can clog up on engines with an improper air/fuel mixture or as a result of fuel additives reacting within. Mufflers can also fail internally, and alterations of the internal piping can result in an airflow restriction.

Fuel Injectors
Deposits can build up on the injectors over time from heat soak or poor fuel. Small restrictions can cause the O2 sensors to read a lean mixture, and so more fuel will be added to compensate. This can result in a rich mixture for the cylinders without injector problems, or even misfiring if the injector isn’t capable of injecting enough fuel.

Fuel Pumps
Overtime the fuel pump can wear out, but it might not necessarily fail catastrophically. While it may still be able to supply fuel at lower pressures, it may begin to struggle to provide fuel at higher pressures or for longer durations.

Worn Piston Rings
One of the major things that can happen over time is the piston rings will wear down, and this will allow for blow-by. Some of the high pressure air and fuel mixture combusting will pass by the pistons and travel along the cylinder walls into the crank case. This is pressure that should be pressing the piston down, so power is lost. It also means less compression as some of the air can escape as the piston travels upward on the intake stroke.

Carbon Deposits On Intake Valves/Valve Seats
If carbon deposits build up on the valves or valve seats, this can prevent the valves from closing properly. If an intake valve cannot fully close, it will allow air to escape during the compression stroke, effectively lowering the compression ratio.

Carbon Deposits On The Piston
If deposits build on the piston or cylinder walls, these deposits can create hot spots. These hot spots can result in engine knock if conditions allow for it. If the engine is capable, it will retard the ignition timing to reduce the likelihood of knock. By retarding the ignition timing, power is lost.

Fouled Spark Plugs
Spark plugs can build deposits with time. Inconsistent spark plug firing means you’re likely to misfire. Maintaining clean plugs ensures that the spark part of the equation doesn’t result in a loss of power.

Saturday, December 18, 2021

The BMW Christmas Film | Happy Holidays from BMW​


It was just a few nights before Christmas, and all through the Four Cylinder building, not a person was stirring not even an engineer. An office Christmas party was about to begin, and everyone gathered around, except for Christoph Waltz, who was nowhere to be found... Follow Christoph Waltz trying to escape The BMW Christmas party, encountering familiar faces including Alexa Chung and Supercar Blondie.

​ ​The party in the film is a fictional party and was not BMW’s Christmas party. All participants involved in the production of the video were tested for covid-19 and have followed the regional covid-19 regulations.​

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

A Tribute to Sir Stirling Moss and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR


Farewell to a legend: “The Last Blast” follows the unparalleled drive of the famous Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR “722” in a London tribute to Sir Stirling Moss.

Sunday, December 12, 2021

How Can Brakes Cost $10,000? The Brilliance Of Carbon Ceramics


High performance, track-capable vehicles are often found paired with carbon ceramic rotors. While the rotors tend to be more expensive, they offer many advantages over traditional cast iron rotors. I teamed up with Brembo to learn all about carbon ceramic brake rotors, and how their performance differs from cast iron. We’ll discuss brake fade, weight, rotational inertia, grip, ride quality, dimensional stability, wear rates, brake dust, corrosion (rust), and appearance. There are many differences between the two styles of brake rotors; we’ll also discuss three factors that lead to a significant difference in price.

Monday, December 6, 2021

The New C-Class in 360°


Join us for a scenic drive through the Alpine foothills. Here’s your opportunity to get a really great immersive view of the new C-Class.

This 360° video allows you to check out the car’s athletic proportions as well as getting a feel for its capabilities on the road.

Inside, you’ll be able to experience the luxurious, spacious cabin, get a close-up look at the new customisable centre display and take in other futuristic features – like the activation of driver preferences with a simple touch of your finger.

The availability of the communication module (LTE) is temporarily limited for certain vehicles due to supply bottlenecks. Please note that especially Mercedes me connect services including the emergency call system (eCall) are not available in the affected vehicles. Ongoing actual information is available at your Mercedes-Benz dealer.

Friday, December 3, 2021

BMW Materia: The Garden of Possibilities | BMW USA


The BMW iX is the most sustainable BMW produced to date, not because of its electric drivetrain but because of the circularity of its manufacturing processes.

BMW MATERIA, The Garden of Possibilities celebrates this notion and the 300 mile range of the iX that in Los Angeles connects to various biomes; from ocean to forest to desert.

Through BMW MATERIA we showcase these biomes: living organisms and sustainable material developments derived from nature. We believe in protecting our planet and are inspired by the potential it presents to our future.

Biomaterials are a new frontier of sustainability, and the iX is the grand capsule for you to explore the world. The iX relies on materials derived from mushrooms to dampen sound, plastic alternatives agar or chitosan, moss, cork, and much more.

BMW Materia takes liberties in terms of what's possible today, and what's possible in the future.