Thursday, August 11, 2011

Ready To Put A K&N Oil Filter In Your Honda?


So you’re ready to replace that flimsy factory stock oil filter with a premium K&N Honda oil filter- or are you... when are you supposed replace your old oil filter anyway? The tried and true answer (and the one you’ll most likely get on that oil change sticker if you go to a professional oil change outlet) is every 3,000 miles or three months, whichever comes along first. That interval isn’t arbitrary- it’s the amount of time that petroleum based engine oil takes to break down and degrade, coating your nice clean engine parts with what mechanics like to call “sludge.”

Engine oil does a lot for your engine. It lubricates moving components, protects them against wear and corrosion, whisks away contaminants, improves seals, and cools the moving parts of your engine- all those areas your radiator fluid doesn’t get to. Using a good quality oil filter, like the K&N Honda oil filter, keeps your oil running clean for as long as possible, but eventually the heat, friction, oxidation, and contaminant build up causes sludge to form. Once it begins, sludge develops exponentially, sucking up the remaining good oil and coating your engine components with a hardened layer that must be scraped and chiseled away. Wait too long to change you oil and filter, and you could be dealing with premature engine failure. Of course, many of today’s Honda owners use synthetic engine oil.

Synthetic vs. Traditional

Most synthetic engine oils promise to last far longer than the traditional motor oils’ three thousand mile/three month limit, some even claiming to go as long as 15,000 miles. Due to the Federal Emissions mandates, today’s engines run hotter, and the motor oil manufacturers have stepped up to the challenge by creating synthetic motor oils that run cleaner and longer. But while they may be lab tested for a ridiculous longevity, most mechanics don’t recommend running them to their limit in your engine. Change your oil and filter every 3-5 thousand miles for petroleum based engine oil, and every 5-7 thousand for synthetic based engine oils. You can find a wide array of oil and filter choices, as well as care tips, at Auto Parts Network.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Express Yourself with a Ford Mustang Magnaflow Exhaust System


Installing an aftermarket exhaust system is one of the easiest ways to personalize your Ford Mustang. Not only does the right exhaust system improve your engine performance, many car mod enthusiasts consider it to be a prime way of expressing their individual style and personality. Believe it or not, loudness is not the only factor here. Depending on the system you choose, your engine will have a different sound, and will sound differently in various situations. The serious exhaust enthusiasts aren’t simply asking themselves which one amps up their engine sound and performance. They’re asking whether or not it should be loud when it idles, or just during acceleration. Should it purr, or drone? And what it’s made of. They know that the best systems used high quality stainless steel. Take the Magnaflow Ford Mustang exhaust systems, for example.

Magnaflow offers mod fans a variety of Ford Mustang exhaust systems, including a standard oval muffler, and a more aggressively vocal round-style Magnapack exhaust with three inch piping. True to quality, Ford Mustang Magnaflow exhaust systems are built from pure stainless steel and the highly polished mufflers and tips come pre-packaged with a lifetime guarantee. The Magnapack tests out as smooth and sophisticated, with a deep baritone muscle sound both during idle and in drive. For Mustang owners who really want the look of a custom exhaust, dual exhaust tips are the way to go. And Magnaflow offers several which will fit readily onto your Ford Mustang. To make sure you choose the right sized exhaust tip for your Ford Mustang, measure the diameter of your vehicle’s tailpipe at its widest section- this measurement determines the correct inlet diameter for a properly fitted exhaust tip.

Care and Cleaning

Road bumps, low curbs, debris, and lowered vehicle suspension are not your friends when it comes to your vehicle’s exhaust system. Basic maintenance begins with regular under car check-ups to make sure your exhaust system and the components holding it in place remain intact. The next step is regular and thorough cleaning. Over time, dirt and road grime will dull the nice polished shine on your Ford Mustang Magnaflow muffler and tips. Ordinary car wash soap is great for removing this mundane debris, but you’ll want to use an exhaust cleaner and polish from time to time to swank it back up.

Music to Your Ears- The Ford Magnaflow Muffler


So you’re ready to up the performance of your Ford with an aftermarket exhaust system, and you’re already imagining the throaty growl of your new muffler. You’ve done some research and shopping around and decided to go with a Ford Magnaflow exhaust system. But which muffler will give you the best sound? Is there a difference? Sure there is. Magnaflow mufflers come in different shapes, sizes, and materials, such as stainless or aluminized steel, so there is a difference. But how much does it affect the sound of your muffler?

Muffler Style and Sound

There are three basic stylistic differences between the various Magnaflow mufflers available for your Ford. Let’s take a look at each, and the effects they may or may not have on your muffler sound.

Shape: Depending on the particular fitting requirements of your vehicle, your Ford Magnaflow muffler may be round or oval shaped. Between the two, there is absolutely no difference in engine performance or sound. The only decision to be made here is which shape fits your Ford better.

Material: You will have a choice between getting a stainless steel or aluminized steel muffler. Both styles offer identical internal construction, and despite the name difference, both are internally constructed from stainless steel. That material difference is purely in the outer shell. Stainless steel mufflers are the more expensive of the two options, but the stainless steel shells retain their appearance longer and are more durable than the aluminized steel shells. Performance wise, the two muffler styles are identical, offering high-flow engine performance. The sound is not affected one way or another by the muffler shell material either, so your main consideration here is whether you are willing to spend a little more for a longer lasting appearance, or just do a bit more material upkeep.

Size: The size is what will really determine a difference in sound. The basic rule is amazingly simple: the smaller the muffler, the bigger the sound.

The Sound Of Music

All Magnaflow mufflers give your engine a smooth, sophisticated growl which is more aggressive during acceleration. Check out all the Magnaflow exhaust system and muffler options for your Ford at the Auto Parts Network. And let your engine sing.

Caring For Your BMW Magnaflow Exhaust Tips


You’ve tricked out your BMW with a high-flow performance BMW Magnaflow exhaust system, and you’ve even gone the extra little bit and added exhaust tips to get that designer styling look. You keep your car clean, inside and out, you enjoy taking care of your vehicle and keeping it in the best possible condition. But one day you notice a flaw. When you wipe down your exhaust tips they don’t seem to come clean. Instead of their usual shiny silver, your exhaust tips have taken on a yellowish gold discoloration. You try rubbing harder but it’s a no-go. How did this happen? What can you do about it?

The How & Why of Exhaust Tip Discoloration

Ironically, the cause of exhaust tip discoloration is inherent in their final polishing process. The final polishing compound is comprised of finely ground metal particulates, and during the polishing process some of these tiny metal granules become embedded in the microscopic pores of the exhaust tips. Over time, these tiny passengers oxidize, changing in color to give your exhaust tips a yellowed, discolored appearance. The oxidization of your exhaust tips can be accelerated if they are exposed to harsh climates or excessive heat. In some cases, high temperature exhausts can actually cause your exhaust tips to turn blue.

Despite the implication of the name, stainless exhaust tips are more vulnerable to oxidization discoloration that the chrome versions. However, both chrome and stainless exhaust tips will discolor, especially if they are single walled. Single walled exhaust tips of any material type discolor more rapidly than double walled tips because they lack a thermal barrier, making them much more susceptible to the acceleration of oxidation due to heat. For this reason, BMW Magnaflow exhaust tips are double walled.

Fixing & Preventing Oxidization

Whether your exhaust tips are stainless or chrome, they’ll need periodic polishing with a metal cleaner and polish compound to keep up their natural shine. While you can use whatever brand you favor for your vehicles other shiny components, the folks at the Auto Parts Network particularly recommend Eagle One Wire Wheel Cleaner, which will keep your tips shiny without putting any more polish particulates into your exhaust tip pores. For $5 per 26 oz. bottle, it’s an inexpensive way to keep your BMW looking priceless.

Choosing a High Performance Magnaflow Muffler for Your Dodge Charger


Aftermarket mufflers and high-flow exhaust systems are the most popular and accessible way to begin the personal customization of your Dodge Charger, and with thirty years of experience in the aftermarket exhaust system industry, Magnaflow is a natural choice for your custom exhaust and muffler needs. If a high-flow exhaust is the key to better engine performance, a Magnaflow muffler is the ticket to expressing your engine’s personality. But with companies like the Auto Parts Network offering such a great range of choices, which Magnaflow muffler style should you choose?

Magnaflow Muffler Options

There are three major factors that will determine which Dodge Charger Magnaflow muffler will be best for you. Let’s take a look at each, and how they affect the performance of your Magnaflow muffler.

Fit: There are two stylistic factors geared towards providing the best fit for your car: off-set and shape. Whether or not you need an off-set muffler depends on where your inlet/outlet pipes are in relation to the muffler position. And to get the best vehicle fit, Magnaflow mufflers come in either round or oval shapes.

Shell Material: While all of the Magnaflow mufflers available for your Dodge Charger offer identical stainless steel construction internally, they do come with a choice between stainless or aluminized steel for the outer shell coating. Neither engine performance nor sound are affected by the outer shell material difference, however the stainless steel coating is more durable and easy to maintain. An aluminized steel coated muffler is less expensive, but the shell needs more upkeep to maintain a pristine appearance, so you’ll need to factor that into to any price comparison you make between the two.

Sound: All of the Dodge Magnaflow mufflers will give you a smooth, throaty growl on acceleration, and a deep rich sound slightly louder than your stock sound at while idling. Magnaflow has spent years perfecting their muffler sound, and are proud to present customers with a sophisticated engine tone with a minimal passenger compartment drone, even during aggressive acceleration. There is basically only one rule affecting mufflers and your engine sound—the smaller your muffler, the bigger the sound.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Boost Your Power with a BMW 328i Magnaflow Exhaust System


If you thought your BMW 328i sounded good with its OEM performance exhaust system, you haven’t heard anything yet. You can give it a powerful aftermarket boost with a new BMW 328i Magnaflow exhaust system. Magnaflow, a market leader in aftermarket parts for BMWs and other performance cars, really knows what they’re doing when it comes to auto mods, so you can count on their BMW 328i Magnaflow exhaust parts to be among the best available for your baby.

Magnaflow has been a power player on the domestic car scene, but they’ve recently picked up their participation in the European performance car mod scene as well. The company has done years of research at their state-of-the-art factory – which includes their peerless dyno cell to test their parts – to ensure that their line of BMW exhaust systems are top of the line. If you want your sleek BMW to roar with the sound of a classic American muscle car, then outfitting it with a complete BMW 328i exhaust system is the way to go.

What a Difference a Magnaflow Makes

A complete BMW 328i Magnaflow exhaust overhaul is dyno tested to boost your car’s performance by at least 10 hp and 15 ft. lbs. of torque. You’ll hear and feel the difference every time you rev the engine. That deep, throaty growl is the mark of high quality performance and engineering specs.

• Construction: The BMW 328i Magnaflow exhaust line is made our 100% pure stainless steel, and features a straight-through, wide open muffler for maximum performance. The exhaust system is made with full mandrel bends instead of compression bends for the best flow, and is guaranteed to fit your BMW 328i perfectly. In addition, it’s designed to bolt up directly with the OE system, so if you’re the typical DIY car enthusiast, you should be able to install it yourself in under an hour. How’s that for high performance?

If you’re looking for maximum boost in sound and performance for your European car, swapping out the OEM exhaust for the high-powered performance of a BMW 328i Magnaflow exhaust system is just the ticket.

Muscle Up Your Baby with a Dodge Charger Magnaflow Exhaust Overhaul


Take a step back into history and power up your new Dodge Charger with a complete Dodge Charger Magnaflow Exhaust overhaul. If there’s any car synonymous with America’s muscle car heritage, it’s the Dodge Charger. Muscle car lovers go all misty-eyed at the thought of the classic early 70s Charger SE models, with its sleek lines and its beautiful, deep growl of a purr. Alas, later models fell victim to restrictive energy standards, and American muscle car enthusiasts had to wait until 2006 before Dodge Charger reclaimed its place in the muscle car lineup. If you’re in love with your Charger but wish for the roar-and-purr power of the real power cars, a Dodge Charger Magnaflow exhaust system can take you back to the dulcet tones of the General Lee and its muscular compatriots.

The Magnaflow Difference

When you swap out the Charger’s OEM exhaust with a new aftermarket Magnaflow, you get the benefit of years of engineering research and design that has made Magnaflow one of the top names in aftermarket performance components for muscle cars like the Dodge Charger. Magnaflow exhaust systems are made of 100% stainless steel with chrome highlights where appropriate. They feature mandrel-bent tubing instead of compression bends to maximize air flow, and wide open, straight-through mufflers for awesome sound. The Dodge Charger Magnaflow muffler is encased in stainless, with stainless steel end caps and a perforated core. The stainless steel advantage resists corrosion, reflects heat and retains its finish longer, keeping your exhaust system looking as good as it sounds.

And it does sound sweet. The Dodge Charger Magnaflow muffler is packed with a high-temp, sound-absorbing material that filters out the harsh vibrations and produces a deep, bass growl of sound when throttling and a whisper-soft performance purr when idling or cruising at highway speeds.

Did we mention performance? A new Dodge Charger Magnaflow exhaust system can boost performance and torque up to 10 hp and 15 ft. lbs., and maximizes your gas mileage at the same time.

Give your American muscle car what it needs to really show its stuff. Invest in a Dodge Charger Magnaflow exhaust system to boost performance and take you back in time to a time when muscle really meant muscle.