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When Your Engine Does Not Crank Up

So now your engine seems not to crank. And this kind of situation could be quite bewildering. But if you know where to look and what to find, you can surely make your car running again. Remember, knowledge of troubleshooting car problems is just like knowledge of where to find Lincoln Mark VIII parts list: it saves you a lot on trouble, efforts, and monetary resources.

First off, you should understand that an engine that does not crank could be caused by a bad starter or even by a dead battery. Now, you should know if your car has got an automatic transmission or if it works on a stick shift. For automatic cars, check the transmission. Make sure that the transmission is in park mode and your foot is set on the brake. On the other hand, if you have a car installed with a manual transmission, make sure that the clutch pedal is depressed completely. Also make sure that the neutral safety switch is behind the clutch pedal.

If these tactics do not work, you should now check if you have fastened your seat belt properly. You see, for safety reasons, there are some automakers who make sure that drivers and passengers are safety buckled up. And when the car’s system notices that the driver’s seat belt is not yet fastened, you can also make sure that your engine would not start up.

Diesel and Hybrid Vehicles Gaining Market Share


According to the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s (SEMA) first quarter report for 2007, a recent J.D. Power and Associates report has concluded that while gas-powered engines remain dominant in the U.S. market, hybrids and diesels are steadily gaining market share. It is no secret that rising gas prices and environmental concerns are the two main catalysts pushing consumers toward alternative-fuel vehicles.


As gas prices rise, diesels seem a natural solution for the United States, especially for manufacturers with large operations in Europe, where diesel cars are already in large demand, said J.D. Power and Associates Automotive Forecasting Manager Kevin Riddell.


A vehicle with a modern diesel engine will have 30 percent better fuel economy than a comparable gasoline engine. Plus, advances have made modern diesel engines perform similar to gasoline engines in terms of noise, filtration systems and drive quality, said Riddell. While hybrids still only share a relatively small part of the market, they are enjoying phenomenal annual sales growth. Consumers are becoming more aware of the environmental benefits and fuel-savings recognized by driving a hybrid vehicle. Rental fleets, delivery fleets and taxi companies are adding thousands of hybrids to their vehicle pools. AMSOIL provides superior synthetic lubricants for nearly all applications, including hybrid and diesel-powered vehicles. Not only that, but AMSOIL synthetics improve fuel economy and reduce our impact on the environment by extending drain intervals.

Toyota Celicas - Are They Viable Sports Cars?

Toyota Celicas have been around for quite some time now. Not quite as old as the Ford Pinto, but you know what I mean. Celicas have always been known for being the affordable sports car made by Toyota.




But, whats so special about this car? When in comparison to other similar priced cars, their quickness is no where near the performance that other cars can produce.




Not only that, Honda's and Scion's have much more aftermarket parts availiable for tricking out your ride. So, once in a while you'll see a Black Toyota Celica in a street race, but if your a true racer, you're not afraid of the Celica.




Modified Honda's or Scion's, even Chevy's will blow away the Toyota. But that doesn't stop Toyota lovers from their Celicas. Of course, they have their parts for modding, and they look pretty sweet, but when it comes down to racing, they just don't cut it.




It's not very common to see a Toyota Celica For Sale nowadays, it seems like they have all disappeared off the market. Unforunately for the United States, we get the shaft as the imported Celica's can be quite beastly.




But, for Americans, it seems that all of the import cars get dumbed down when they come to America to comply with our sorry standards for safety, when in reality it is just stupid drivers that cause all the havoc.




Eighty-five year olds that can't see 15 feet in front of them should not be driving anymore, and this society allows for practically every elder to own a license, and then there are those that are too stubborn to quit, even when they know they shouldn't be driving.




The United States is full of ignorance, if you were to take that all away, along with a harsher drivers license requirements, all of the really cool import cars that can pick up speed like no other might actually be legal.




But, of course, it just doesn't work that way. But, lets get back to Toyota Celicas. If your really interested in a Celica, it's not like they are bad cars in anyways, but when compared to other sports and racing cars these days, they just can't compete.




Toyota makes great cars, you can almost always rely on them that you are going to get a quality car that will last you a long time, and they've proven that over the years.




If you like the car, by all means go for it. You can find a Toyota Celica For Sale quite easy, although they don't come in the numbers that say a Honda Civic might.




They have decent performance for the gas milage they get, and they have a unique style to them. You definitely won't find any other car that looks like the Celica, they are quite easy to point out, even in the older years.




Although, there are way too many Red Celicas in the world right now, it would be a lot nicer if they were black, because if you've seen a nice black one, then you've seen a nice Celica. The red ones are too flashy for their own good, they are nice cars, but not that nice.




All in all, I think Toyota Celicas are quality cars, driveable, and reliable, but if you plan on racing one of these babies, you should prepare yourself to lose quite a bit, or be willing to put a lot of time and effort into modifications to compete with the big boys.

North America’s Ford Contour

The Ford Mondeo sedan was for the European market. Travel to the lands of the United States and North American and you would find the Ford Contour. The Ford Contour would be the Ford Mondeo’s American counterpart. This sedan was actually sold by the Ford Motor Company starting from 1995 up until 2000. Fact is, this vehicle actually was the basis for building a version of this under the Mercury brand. And the result came to be the Mercury Mystique and later on became the Mercury Cougar. The Ford Contour was found in the Ford Motor Company’s line up filling the niche between the Ford Escort and the Ford Taurus.

The Ford Contour has a DOHC V6 engine with 24 valves. It has an aluminum block and aluminum heads. This has a displacement of 155 cubic inches. It can produce some 170 units of bhp at 6250 rpm, and 165 pound feet at 4250 rpm. It has also been equipped with a five speed manual transmission system. The wheelbase of the Ford Contour measures 106.5 inches, 183.9 inches in length and has a curb weight of 2910 pounds.

From 1995 to 1996, the Ford Contour came to be body colored. The front seats were recessed to the back so as to improve rear seat leg room. This is compared to the first wave of Ford Contours that entered the American automobile market. After a year, changes were still done. Traction control no longer was given as an option. The remote fuel door release feature was deleted and the fuel door that this batch held had a flanged opening. Made available were an interior trunk light, a tilt steering wheel, and a power antenna. In 1997 to 1998, the Ford Contours that entered the streets sported front and rear end designs that were new. There were new alloy wheel designs. The sail panels on the rear door windows were now smooth and held the word “Contour” emblazoned on it.

As per the last years of the Ford Contour, it still continually received changes. In 1998 to 1999, the Ford Contour deleted one of its trim levels. There was a clock in radio available. There were also some color revisions. The rear window and the brake light designs had changed. For Canada, this was the last year of the Ford Contour. In the United States, 2000 was the last year for the vehicle.

Auto Parts Online’s ‘The Auto Blog’: Delivering Automotive Information that Matters

Auto Parts Online has gone a long way to become one of the leading and most trusted aftermarket, replacement and collision auto parts suppliers in the country today. Since it was established over a quarter of a century ago, Auto Parts Online has served the auto parts needs of countless drivers, car enthusiasts and mechanics. The company has established a name for itself as a trustworthy supplier of auto parts for a wide range of makes and models. It’s no wonder that Auto Parts Online’s main site has experienced a phenomenal rise in terms of visitor hits. Indeed, Auto Parts Online n is the auto parts store to beat when it comes to high quality products and efficient service.

Now, Auto Parts Online not only offers the best automotive products and services, the company also aims to bring relevant and useful automotive information to its loyal customers and visitors. This year, Auto Parts Online launched its corporate blog dubbed generically as ‘The Auto Blog’. The company, having established a strong online presence, recognizes the growing importance of web logs or blogs, as they are more commonly known, as an excellent way to provide information to customers and also as an effective marketing tool. Thus, ‘The Auto Blog’ was born as the definitive automotive blog with articles, commentaries, advice and reviews covering the world of autos and auto parts.

The Auto Blog covers a wide range of topics concerning the automotive industry in general and the vehicle owners in particular. These news articles, features, reviews and commentaries are grouped into a number of categories. Some of the most important and active categories include Automotive News which delivers the latest news from the leading automakers. Car Reviews feature brief reviews of new models and concept vehicles. Automotive trends and innovations, as well as automotive technology are also given a lot of coverage in their respective categories. Visitors and readers will certainly find the Auto Blog as an engaging, interesting and informative automotive blog in a clean and crisp, easy-to-read layout.

2007 Toyota Camry: A Hybrid For A Leader

Toyota has a couple of big things in store for the Camry when the 2007 model year version of the car rolls out this coming summer: a complete redesign and the availability of a hybrid engine. Already the best selling car in America, the Camry is destined to be overhauled and re-engineered. Let’s take a look at some of the changes scheduled for Toyota’s venerable model.

New Styling Cues – Nobody has ever said that the Camry is a knock out when it comes to style. Despite its pedestrian look, the Camry has managed to capitalize on Toyota quality, price, and engineering to present a car that is clearly a best seller. Still, critics have routinely yawned at the Camry’s looks, but that will soon all change and dramtically at that. Borrowing some styling cues from Toyota’s Lexus line up of luxury cars, the 2007 Camry is expected to delight motorists and critics alike. Witness the recently made over Toyota Avalon: what was once a bland, full sized car has now been transformed into a sleek, luxurious sedan.

Time For A Hybrid – Toyota is riding the hybrid crest and it will, therefore, introduce hybrid technology into the Camry line up. Like all other Camry models, the hybrid version will also be built in the US, making it the first Toyota hybrid to be built outside of Japan. However, the battery and inverter will be imported from Japan while the engine will be Kentucky built. The Camry will join the Prius and the Highlander as the third Toyota model to offer hybrid technology.

More Power – Expected to be in the same size range as the current model, the Camry will keep its current four and six cylinder engines, but both will be reworked enough to crank out additional horsepower without compromising on fuel economy.

The Camry’s chief competitor over the past decade has been the Honda Accord. With a hybrid offering available and an improved appearance in place, the Camry is likely to strengthen its hold on the “top seller” category when the new model is released.

No one knows for sure if the “hybrid phase” is simply a fad or something that will ultimately catch on. With government credits still available and high gas prices at the pump, Americans continue to look at hybrids as a viable alternative to thirsty internal combustion engines. Toyota, for its part, continues to capitalize on this trend and the Camry is the latest vehicle in Toyota’s expanding arsenal to successfully incorporate hybrid technology.