Your spark plugs are some of the most important components in your car. Without them, your car wouldn’t even be able to start. For this reason, ensuring you have properly functioning spark plugs is paramount. Although they are small parts, spark plugs are composed of a few different pieces. One end of most spark plugs contains threads, like a screw—and as with screws, sometimes these threads can become worn down or stripped, requiring spark plug thread repair. Spark plugs conduct electricity, so they can be quite dangerous. Therefore, knowing some dos and don’ts of spark plug thread repair can be... View Article
Iron or aluminum? When it comes to engine blocks, that is the question. For years, engine blocks on most cars were made with cast iron. But more recently, aluminum and aluminum alloy metals have become a more popular choice when it comes to engine block composition. When you look at iron vs. aluminum engine blocks, you’ll realize they both have their advantages and drawbacks. How you intend to use your engine will likely inform which material you elect to use. Let’s take a closer look at iron vs. aluminum engine blocks. Iron engine blocks Iron engine blocks were the standard... View Article
A clean, flat and smooth engine is the goal for every vehicle owner. When these conditions are met, the vehicle is much more likely to last longer and run better. Vehicle owners can clean their cylinders by themselves, but they need to hire a professional mechanic for cylinder head resurfacing to make them smooth and flat. The smoother and flatter a cylinder head, the less likely the chance of gasket leaks and other serious issues under the hood. We typically resurface cylinder heads after an engine has overheated or after it has blown a gasket. In both of these scenarios,... View Article
All metals aren’t created equal in terms of welding. Some metals are more difficult to work with than others, and aluminum is one of the trickier metals to deal with for a few different reasons. This post will cover why aluminum welding is so challenging: Oxidation: An aluminum oxide layer sits on top of each aluminum piece, and this layer melts at a much higher temperature than the aluminum itself. The welder must use high heat to get through the oxide layer without cutting a hole in the aluminum located directly underneath. Porousness: Aluminum absorbs hydrogen more quickly the more... View Article
You may have heard of a shift kit as something that can be installed on your vehicle to enhance its performance. But what is a shift kit, and why would you want your vehicle to have one in Everett, WA? The answer to “What is a shift kit?” is relatively simple. A shift kit is a set of parts (a kit) that can be installed on a vehicle to improve how the vehicle shifts between gears. This is available for vehicles with manual or automatic transmissions, but there are many different types of shift kits, and this is where things... View Article
