>> Welcome to The GotEngines.com Blog

Diesel Engines: What is Biodiesel Fuel?

September 30th, 2009

Biodiesel is an alternative fuel formulated exclusively for diesel engines; it’s made from vegetable oils or animal fats.

Biodiesel can be mixed with petroleum diesel in any percentage, from 1 to 99, which is represented by a number following a B. For example, B5 is 5 percent biodiesel with 95 percent petroleum, B20 is 20 percent biodiesel with 80 percent petroleum, or B100 is 100 percent biodiesel, no petroleum.

Produced in accordance with strict industry specifications, commercial biodiesel that meets ASTM D6751 is legally registered with the Environmental Protection Agency as a legal motor fuel for sale and distribution. Biodiesel also has a following of home-brew enthusiasts.

Pros:

* Cleaner than diesel: Biodiesel reduces emissions of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter.
* Renewable: It’s plant based, therefore what is used can be re-grown.
* Support of local agriculture: It’s another way to support your farmer.
* Longer engine life: Biodiesel is a natural lubricant.
* Pleasant exhaust smell: When burned, the fuel emits a french fry or barbecue aroma.

Cons:

* Requires special handling in cold weather.
* Slightly less energy content than diesel fuel.
* Tends to deteriorate non-synthetic or natural rubber fuel system parts (hoses, seals).
* Depending upon the state of engine tune, there can be slightly higher levels oxides of nitrogen in exhaust emissions.

Handling & Safety

Biodiesel is biodegradable—up to 4 times faster than petroleum diesel—and non-toxic. It will not spontaneously ignite under normal circumstances since it has a high flash point. It has a mild, rather pleasant odor.
Potential

The future looks very bright for biodiesel. Not only is it easy to find and use, newer efficient diesel cars boast excellent fuel mileage. It’s one of the easiest alternative fuels to implement into your life: simply find a fueling station and pump it into the tank of any diesel vehicle and drive away.

At this point in time, biodiesel refueling stations are not as common a biodiesel users would like. Developing more refueling stations and more ways to develop biofuels will help more of the people who support biodiesel fuels access to bidiesels. It will take time. If you have any questions related to diesel engines or biofuels, check out our blog or call GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Diesel engines | 3 Comments » Engines



Ford Diesel Engines: 6.7L Power Stroke puts out 400 HP…

September 30th, 2009

From the sound of things, it seems that the ongoing power war amongst America’s many fullsize pickup trucks will continue unabated for at least the next few years. To wit, the next Power Stroke diesel engines from Ford that we’ve recently heard so much about is reportedly going to be quite a powerhouse. According to Straightline, the Blue Oval’s 6.7-liter V8 powerplant will put out 400 horsepower and a whopping 725 lb-ft of torque. That’s mighty impressive, to say the least.

By way of comparison, the current 6.4-liter Power Stroke is competitive for its class with 350 horses and 650 lb-ft of torque. Fortunately, all that extra stump-pulling power will reportedly come along with both an increases in fuel efficiency and cleaner emissions. Plus, the new engine will be fully compatible with B20 biodiesel blends, unlike the current 6.4L diesel.

What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Read more about B20 biodiesel blended fuels on our GotEngines.com blog in the next post. If you are interested in the Ford diesel engines or any other diesel engines, call 1-877-268-0664.

GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Diesel engines | No Comments » Engines



External Combustion Engines..

September 29th, 2009

An external combustion engine is an engine which burns its fuel to heat a separate working fluid which then in turn performs work. Examples include steam engines and Stirling engines. External
combustion engines are often less compact and less powerful than internal combustion engines, but are sometimes more efficient, and are much less particular about the type of fuel they burn.

Mechanical energy and heat energy are related. For example,

Editor mechanical energy is changed into heat by friction between the moving parts of a machine. Heat energy, in turn, can be changed into mechanical energy by heat engines.

Heat engines can be divided into two groups: (1) external-combustion engines and (2) internal-combustion engines. External combustion engines produce hot gases that transfer heat energy to another fluid. The heat energy in this fluid, in turn, is changed into mechanical energy. Such engines include gas and steam turbines and reciprocating steam engines. Internal-combustion engines produce hot gases whose heat energy is changed directly into
mechanical energy.

A locomotive has a hot fire which the driver or his helper shovels coal into. The coal burns hot and boils water producing steam pressure. The steam pressure then pushes on a piston mounted on a set of fly wheels.

This is a great video, in this video the big fly wheels have a shaft that connects to a pulley which has an out of center mounted pin to the pulley. The rod is attached to a piston on the other end. The steam makes the pully turn, the rod which is attached to the off center pin on the pulley pushes on the rod which is attached to the piston on the other end, to make the piece of equipmen work. You can’t see the boiler in this video, but the rest of it is very good.

The rod that connects the piston to the fly wheel is mounted eccentrically on the flywheel. This steam pressure causes the rotating flywheel and pulley to push the piston/s up and down. The pistons are staggered one on each side of the locomotive. The staggering causes one piston to be pushing all the time..

A steam turbine is a good example of an external-combustion engine. Heat from burning fuel or from a nuclear reactor changes water in a boiler to steam. Pipes carry the steam into the turbine, which has a series of bladed wheels attached to a shaft. The high-temperature steam expands as it rushes through the turbine and so pushes on the blades and causes them to turn the shaft. Steam leaving the turbine has a much lower temperature. The spinning shaft can drive an electric generator, move a ship’s propeller, or do other useful work.

While steam engines don’t seem practical for cars, there is a reasonable amount of experimentation going on. If you need a convention internal combustion engine you can count on, call GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664. Our engines have been pre-tested and certified

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Engines-Articles | No Comments » Engines



Engine Control Modules: TPS Problems?

September 29th, 2009

Question: Hoping someone can help…2004 CRV “bucks” when almost stopped (betwen 0 and 5pmh). Brought it to a dealer who said throttle position sensor was shot and Honda does not sell just the sensor, have to buy the full throttle body. I understand there was a bulletin from Honda that TPS was a potentially defective part. Even though dealer sold the car to us with this part, they would not work with us on it because we have not had any maintenance done with them at all since buying the car, and quoted $1100 for repair.

Called another Honda dealer who said part/labor was $750.

Anyone know about how long the labor would be on this, as the discrepancy seems high (part is around $550-600). Is the first dealer way off price?

Secondly, is there any way to replace just the sensor? From what I have read, I don’t think so, but does anyone have any ideas how this can be done for cheaper than the quotes above?!

Thanks in advance!

Mike

Answer: Actually you may be feeling the engine or transmission bucking.I assume the dealer went through a diagnostic procedure to determine the problem. In 99% of the cases this will be accurate. The TPS (throttle position sensor) has several duties and is integral in engine and transmission performance.

My suggestion would be to call some of the better salvage yards and see if they test TPS’s and sell them. It is a great way to buy good used parts. Most of the better engine suppliers can help you with this. In fact many automotive recycling companies save, test and sell these type of parts. In most cases these good used parts come with a one year warranty. You may want to consider other items as well, such as TCM (transmission control modules) ECM (engine control modules) and other electrical components.

Call GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664


  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Engine Control Modules | 1 Comment » Engines



Saab Engines: Used Engines fit the bill….

September 28th, 2009

How do you know who to buy good used engines from, and who not to buy from? There are several basic methods you can use.

The first is to utilize the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Check out the engine company. Don’t go by their rating, go by the number of resolved and unresolved complaints that the company has. For example, it would make more sense to buy a used engine from a company with 3 complaints annually than it would to buy from a company with 100 complaints.

The second method is to go to www.google.com and search for the company, both by their name and by their domain. Read complaints about them. The key thing to look for is the volume of complaints. There is always going to be the occasional customer who will not be satisfied or the competitor out to slander a company, so what you want to do is make sure there is not a high volume of complaints and that the complaints are responded to adequately. If there are a lot of legitimate complaints against a company, steer clear of them since they will not treat you any differently than any of the customers they’ve sold used engines to in the past.

Next, understand that only about 50% of used engines are able to be started before they are sold. Wiring harnesses, starters, and fuse boxes can all be damaged in ways that leave a good engine that can’t be started until it is reinstalled in another vehicle. You want a supplier who is experienced in inspecting engines. You might also want to consider purchasing a labor warranty in case something slips by inspection. Yes, that can happen even with great companies!

Finally, when buying used engines make sure that you understand the warranty you’re getting. The standard warranty on used engines is 30 days parts only. This means the engine is warranties for 30 days, and that if it fails in that time, you will be supplied with another engine but not with any reimbursement for installation charges. This is by far the most common warranty offered in the nation on used engines. It is my opinion that quality used engines come with a quality warranty. Demand at least a two year warranty on engines with under 50,000 miles, and a year on engines with over 100,000 miles. If the supplier won’t offer that, why would you want to buy an engine from them? You don’t.

Hopefully this article will help those needing Saab used engines make their way through the overload of options available and know what to expect from best engine suppliers, saving you time and money.

GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Saab Engines | No Comments » Engines



Saab Engines: Used Engines are the Way to Go

September 28th, 2009

Saab’s are well built cars they have good engines, and a large enough highly committed community of specialty mechanics to support your needs. Saab will cost a bit more to maintain your than you will for many other vehicles, but for most drivers, the excellent handling, safety, and gas mileage of their Saab makes this worthwhile. With that said, the love relationship can quickly turn sour if an engine failure occurs. What do you do? Do you look at remanufactured engines? Do you search for low mileage used engines? That’s what this article is about. We want to give you the information needed to remedy the situation with their Saab engines, and get them back on the road quickly.

First, let’s determine why used engines are better for Saab’s than remanufactured engines. There are two main reasons, both of which are hugely important. First, price. The price on a used Saab engine is going to be much lower than the price on a remanufactured Saab engine. Secondly, if you buy a low mileage used engine for your Saab, the quality will be much higher. When you buy a low mileage Saab used engine, you are getting OEM parts with very low wear – not reconditioned parts mixed with new parts.

In the last ten years, Saab has had several major lines. The Saab 9-2X (the engines used were the 2.0L EJ205 and the 2.5L EJ25) was offered in 2005-2007 model years, the Saab 9-3 began in the 1999 Model year and continues through today (with too many engine variations to list here), the Saab 9-5 has been produced since 1998, 9-7X SUV was produced from 2005-2008, and the 9-4X began sales for the 2009 model year.

Here is a hint: Saab doesn’t produce many of its own engines any more. The Saab 9-2X, for example, uses Subaru engines. The Saab 9-7X SUV uses the same 4.2L and 5.3L engines that go into the GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Chevy Trailblazer, and Isuzu Rainier. The Saab 9-3 and Saab 9-5 have true Saab engines in them, are thus the rarest, and thus the most expensive Saab engines. These are the Saab engines on which you will save the most money buying used.

Knowing that you can save a lot of money on a good used Saab engine, we must now also consider the fact that you can have a bad experience buying a used Saab engine. There are many ways this can happen, but the most common is through seller deception. There are supply companies selling used engines with great quality control systems in place. There are also companies who prey on people who are caught between a rock and a hard place.

With that in mind, eliminate any possibilities of purchasing a bad engine, GotEngines.com puts their Saab engines through several rigorous pre tests to certify that you will get a good used engine with low miles that is a drop in application. Call 1-877-268-0664 for more information.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Saab Engines | 1 Comment » Engines



Can Auto Engines cause White Smoke from the Exhaust?

September 25th, 2009

White smoke can come from your engines exhaust pipe. First you must make sure it is white and not bluish or black. Reason being, the colors indicate different problems. Black or bluish smoke indicates an internal oil leakage and burning problem. Most likely when you start to see bluish smoke from the exhaust pipe, the engine is worn out and ready to be replaced with a good used engine.

That being said, it often means that you are burning antifreeze. Check your antifreeze, have you noticed any leaking out of the reservoir tank while the engine is running? Sometimes when the head gasket goes it will produce a passage way for the antifreeze to pass into the combustion chamber. It is easy to check if you have an air compressor. Remove one of the rear spark plugs and the radiator cap. Fill the radiator and then push some air into the spark plug hole (get a good seal in case a valve is open). Repeat with all the cylinders and watch for air bubbles coming up into the radiator. If bubbles come up or fluid is pumped out, the head gasket is blown and must be replaced. It is more likely to happen at the back of the engine because it is farthest away from the fan and therefore gets less cooling.

Realistically speaking, most of us can’t and don’t want to do the above procedures, the best way to find out is to have a professional mechanic run some tests with specialized equipment designed to detect this type of problem.

After you have a good diagnosis on the problem, and assuming you have a bad head gasket or cracked head, you will need to decide if it is more cost effective to fix an old engine or swap it out for a low mileage, good used engine. If you decide one of our used engines fits your bill, call GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664 for the best pre-tested and certified used engines.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Used Engines Sales | 1 Comment » Engines



What is Pre-Ignition or engine knock in Internal Combustion engines?

September 25th, 2009

If you hear a knocking sound from your cars engine, mostly under acceleration, this is a symptom of pre-ignition or auto-ignition. What happens is that the fuel-air in the combustion chamber ignites spontaneously resulting in a very rapid reaction of a portion or all of the fuel-air mixture. This fast release of heat results in pressure oscillations that cause mechanical vibrations to produce a knocking or pinging sound. One cause of engine knock is poor quality fuel. If the fuel is of insufficient octane, it can auto-ignite due to the high temperature and pressure in the combustion chamber, rather than from the spark, like it should.

Another reason an engine can have pre-ignition or engine knock is that the timing is not set correctly. Meaning it is too far advanced. This is an easy fix for a repair shop with equipment to set the timing on your engine. Using a higher octane fuel solves the problem in certain cases. Modern cars have to be hooked up to expensive tools to reset the timing. Needless to say, have a professional do it.

One of the bad side effects of allowing an engine to ‘knock’ too long without attending to it is that the added heat generated from pre-ignition can actually burn the tip off your spark plug/s. Obviously causing the engine to run poorly. The worse thing that happens is that the heat can rise to a level that actually burns a hole in the top of a piston. If this happens you will need to examine your options in rebuilt engines.

A lot of folks put off taking care of what seems to be small issues at the time, allowing them to become situations where you need to look at rebuilt engines and decide who you should deal with. The time and cost of immediate care is much, much less expensive and time consuming than having a rebuilt engine installed in your car.

Looking at the big picture means taking every change in performance: a leak, or the engine light coming on, very seriously. If you had a brain tumor that gave you headaches and developed into a big lump on the side of your head, would you wait a while to see if it got better? Would you choose your doctor by pricing only?

The best medicine is to be diligent about taking care your cars needs. Take heed of them ASAP for your safety and to save a bunch of time and aggravation. For the best replacement engines call GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , ,
Posted in Rebuilt engines | 1 Comment » Engines



Engine Repair Tips: Check Engine light on?

September 25th, 2009

What happens if your check engine light comes on, but the engine in your car runs good? Or what if the ‘change oil‘ light comes on after you just had your oil changed? I’m going to lay a little secret on you. Don’t get carried away, it is basically for test purposes.

If the car is running properly, yet the check engine light has come on, if you have the desire and a few wrenches such as a 5/16th”, 1/2″ or 13mm wrench you can do this test yourself.

Here is what to do: Determine what sized nut or bolts secure the battery cables to the battery and go ahead and unhook the negative cable from the battery. Mark it negative if it is not black. Then unhook the positive cable from the battery, it should be red, if not mark it. For a gasoline type engine, leave the battery unhooked for about 1/2 of an hour. If you have a diesel engine then leave it unhooked for about 2 to 3 hours.

By unhooking the battery power, it will usually clear out the code/s in the computer and when you properly re-hook up the battery, the engine light will turn off. Unless it is a ‘hard code‘, which means the problem is happening all the time and you need to get to an engine repair shop and get it fixed before the engine stops or needs to be replaced.

If it is as simple as the engine light popping on after an oil change, it should not come back on, the same thing applies if you fill your car with gas and then the Check engine light comes on. The gas cap is not tight enough. That turns an engine light on too. You can turn it off using the method I described earlier, if you dare.

The bottom line is not to treat an ‘engine on light’ with no regard. If you go through the simple clear-out procedure above and the light comes back on soon, or never goes off, you have got an engine problem that needs attending to now. If not, you may be giving GotEngines.com a call soon for a replacement engine. If you can’t avoid replacing your engine, then GotEngines.com has the quality engines people demand at affordable pricing. Call them @ 1-877-268-0664 and find out how accommodating the experts are and what an excellent value a properly rebuilt transmission can be.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Engine Recalls & Repairs | 1 Comment » Engines



The Market for Remaufactured Engines is Stronger than Ever..

September 24th, 2009

About 700,000 people were able to take advantage of the government’s Cash for Clunkers program, but not everyone had the option.

Some people’s vehicles didn’t qualify, and other people may not have been in the financial position to take on the expense of a new vehicle. For those who fall into these two categories, there still may be help for your clunker.

Used vehicle parts, not including engines or engine parts, can be sold for six months by salvage yards that are crushing clunkers. After that time period, the vehicle must be destroyed, according to a press release from AAA.

Brian Hanson, Chief of GotEngines.com told me now is a great time if you’re looking to keep your clunker but it needs an engine upgrade, the spare parts market for cars from 1986 or newer is good right now.

Clunkers in need of more than a spare part or two could also benefit from engine rebuilding.

A rebuilt engine is one that has been remanufactured to prescribed standards and specifications. During the process, many new components are installed that meet or exceed original equipment standards, according to the Engine Re-power Council’s Web site.

Remanufactured or rebuilt engines get better gas mileage than a worn engine and emit fewer pollutants. Engine refreshing also saves the amount of energy used in processing discarded car engines and vehicles as well as conserving energy and resources required to manufacture new engines. The estimated cost to re-power a vehicle ranges from affordable prices as low as $1,200, with competitive pricing on every engine sold, depending on the engine and vehicle type, according to the Hanson, of GotEngines.com.

What I look for in a rebuilt engine is, the quality that is built into it, and then cost. A well prepared remanufactured engine is well worth a few bucks more than a cut-corner job. When you can buy a rebuilt engine at an affordable price that is a quality product, well, in essence you have killed two birds with one stone.

To speak with a professional in engine replacement call GotEngines.com @ 1-877-268-0664. To learn more about auto and truck engines, subscribe to our blog, it’s free. Soon you will become an educated consumer.

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags:
Posted in Rebuilt engines | No Comments » Engines



>> Get an Engine Quote
Name:
Email:
Year:
Make:
Model:
Our Privacy Policy

>> Blog Navigation



1-877-268-0664
Phone Line Open:
Mon.-Thurs. - 9am-9pm
Fri. - 9am-6pm
Sat. - 10am-3pm
*All times EST.


GotEngines.com
Official Topspeed Partner
and
Proud Sponsor of:

Louis "Topspeed" Albornoz Professional Race Car Driver