- TYRES 4U SERVICES
- TYRES 4U
- TYRES 4U TIPS
- Excedrin Headache?
Aspirins in a battery's cells can rejuvenate it. True! The acetylsalicylic acid in the aspirin combines with the sulfuric acid in the battery, in some cases, allowing for one more charge depending on the level of battery deadness. Recommended dosage: two aspirins in each cell then wait an hour before you try to start the engine and call Tyres 4u in the morning. The combination of acids forms acetic acid, which has the potential to shorten the battery's life. But given the choice of being stranded or dropping a couple aspirin, the damage is not significant.
- Keeping You in Suspense
Driving fast on a washboard road smooths out the drive. True but.... Maybe not a wise idea since you'd be hydroplaning on the edge of control, but at least the ride is smoother than creeping over the bumps.
At higher speeds, the wheels skim the surface of the ruts. As you slow down, the wheels feel every ripple. A team of myth freaks tested this one out, even fabricating a steel model of the legendary washboards in Australia. They used water in glasses, a suspension gauge and cameras focused on wheel action. The simulated rut test proved that a washboard road smooths out at 115Kph. But don't try that at home.
- What Kind of Fuel Am I?
Does mixing low- and high-octane gasoline result in higher octane than the high octane alone? False!. If you want to test this yourself, be sure you add one when the gas tank is half full of the other. Trying to fuel up with half of each in an empty tank could result in a pocket of pure low or pure high fuel surging through the system. The two fuels have different density levels and may not mix immediately.
Don't bother, however, because you won't get a higher octane even with a well-mixed blend. It's simple math: half a tank of 95 plus half of 98 equals 96.5 octane.
- Bugs?
Mothballs increase octane. Believe it or not, this was once True, now False!. During World War II, naphthalene was the active ingredient in mothballs and octane ratings of gasoline were 60 to 80. Since naphthalene's blending motor octane number is 90, mothballs could increase the fuel's octane rating.
Today, though, modern mothballs contain para-dichlorobenzene (try saying that five times fast!) rather than naphthalene, but the latter is making a comeback due to toxicity concerns of the former. But considering the higher octane levels of today's gasoline and the fact that naphthalene has a high melting point and can block jets and filters, mothballs are best kept in the closet.
- Sound Barrier
A really loud stereo can shatter your windshield. True!. The team that tested the washboard theory proved this one true-sort of. The scene of the test was the 'dB Drag Racing" car speaker competition at Spring Break Nationals in Florida. The vehicle was an old Mercedes gutted to make room for 130cm sub-woofers (normal is 25cm). The speaker system was powered by the engine (normal systems are powered by electromagnets). A crankshaft/push rod system literally drove the speakers to 161.3 dB inside the car (a jet engine with 16,000 lbs. of thrust hits 165 dB, and you'll temporarily damage your hearing at 140 dB). Unfortunately, the pressure blew the sunroof off the car before the windshield cracked. But, in theory, a monster system like the one used in the test could blow out the windshield, if you secure your sunroof first.
- It takes more fuel to stop and start an engine then it does to leave it running.
False! This may have in certain cases been true in the olden days of carbureted engines, but modern fuel injection systems have put a permanent end to this myth. While turning the car on and off all the time may not be the best idea for the starter, letting it idle away any longer than three minutes is simply a waste of fuel.
- What Do Breaks Do?
Most people would say that brakes stop the car. False! The friction of the tires against the roadway is what slows down and stops a car; the brakes actually stop the wheels from turning.
