Critical parts of your engine are lubricated, cleaned and cooled by your car’s oil and filter. Other specifically formulated fluids are used for the operation and protection of systems and components such as brakes, power steering, automatic transmissions, and cooling and axles. Your car may also be equipped with a variety of filters including those for the transmission, fuel system and interior ventilation.
Typical Service
• Change oil and filter every 3,000 miles or 3 months.
• Many car manufacturers recommend extended oil drain intervals for some drivers.
• If you regularly make short trips in your car, drive in stop-and-go traffic, idle for extended periods, drive in dusty or dirty air conditions, tow a trailer or live in a cold-weather region - stay with the 3,000-mile/3-month schedule.
• For automatic transmissions, brakes, power steering and axles, vehicle-specific fluids should be used.
• Coolant should be changed every two years or 24,000 miles on cars with ethylene glycol antifreeze.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Vegetarian Festival
This annual auapicious event is a most colorful and dramatic celebration which takes place during the first nine days of the ninth lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The 9-day event is usually in late September or early October.
The origin of the festival is unclear. However, it has been passed from generation to generation that it originated in the south-eastern part of China near Fujian Province. The festival was celebrated to make merit and save animals from being killed for food
In Thailand, the most talked - about vegetarian festival is in Southern Province of Phuket where the auspicious ceremony is held in a grand celebration. During the 9-day period, the devout Chinese Buddhists dress in white attire, convert to vegetarians and observe the ten rules in order to purify their minds and bodies.
Besides a strict vegetarian diet and temple offering, some highlights of the 9-day event include incredible acts of self -mortification such as climbing knife - blade ladders, walking on hot coals, a ritual of bridge - crossing and a street - procession in which the mediums in a state of trance have their cheeks pierced and bodies spiked with various types of sharp objects.
The entire atmosphere is full of religious frenzy with the ear - spliting sound of firecrackers and lion dances. In the evening of the last day event, the main road of Phuket Town is turned into a path of din and smoke of firing crackers. All the local residents participate in the event. Visitors to Thailand should not miss an opportunity to visit Phuket during this auspicious event.
The Vegetarian Festival is a religious festival annually held on the island of Phuket in southern Thailand. It attracts crowds of spectators because of many of the unusual religious rituals that are performed. Many religious devotees will slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other painful acts.
The origin of the festival is unclear. However, it has been passed from generation to generation that it originated in the south-eastern part of China near Fujian Province. The festival was celebrated to make merit and save animals from being killed for food
In Thailand, the most talked - about vegetarian festival is in Southern Province of Phuket where the auspicious ceremony is held in a grand celebration. During the 9-day period, the devout Chinese Buddhists dress in white attire, convert to vegetarians and observe the ten rules in order to purify their minds and bodies.
Besides a strict vegetarian diet and temple offering, some highlights of the 9-day event include incredible acts of self -mortification such as climbing knife - blade ladders, walking on hot coals, a ritual of bridge - crossing and a street - procession in which the mediums in a state of trance have their cheeks pierced and bodies spiked with various types of sharp objects.
The entire atmosphere is full of religious frenzy with the ear - spliting sound of firecrackers and lion dances. In the evening of the last day event, the main road of Phuket Town is turned into a path of din and smoke of firing crackers. All the local residents participate in the event. Visitors to Thailand should not miss an opportunity to visit Phuket during this auspicious event.
The Vegetarian Festival is a religious festival annually held on the island of Phuket in southern Thailand. It attracts crowds of spectators because of many of the unusual religious rituals that are performed. Many religious devotees will slash themselves with swords, pierce their cheeks with sharp objects and commit other painful acts.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Checking Oil
According to automobile manufacturers, these oils should provide gasoline-powered car engines with several benefits: • Improved oxidation resistance, which means less oil thickening • Improved deposit protection so that the engine won’t form harmful deposits as quickly • Better engine wear protection • Better low-temperature performance over the life of the oil.Maintenance Tips/SuggestionsBe sure to use the correct oil as recommended by your car’s manufacturer. Oil grades have changed over the years and you will want to make sure you use the right oil for the best engine protection. Periodic oil and filter changes keep your engine clean on the inside. Motor oil can become contaminated by dust, metallic shavings, condensation, and even antifreeze. Additives break down over time and can also act as contaminants. The best advice is to follow the guidelines provided in the vehicle owner's manual, but every 3,000 miles or 3 months is a good rule of thumb for oil and filter changes. Many car manufacturers today are recommending extended oil drain intervals for some drivers. However, if you regularly make short trips in your car, drive in stop-and-go traffic, idle for extended periods, drive in dusty or dirty air conditions, tow a trailer or live in a cold-weather region, it's best to stick with a 3,000- mile/3-month regimen. If you change your own oil, be sure to properly dispose of all waste. A single quart of used engine oil has the capacity to pollute 250,000 gallons of ground water. Never pour used oil down the drain or into the ground. Not only is it illegal, it's also harmful to the environment. Used engine oil is converted for new uses, such as industrial fuel or lubricants. Put used oil into original oil containers or other clean, plastic closed containers, with the contents clearly labeled on the outside and bring the used to oil to a facility that accepts used engine oil.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Top 5 Tips to Prevent and Cure Acne
1. Get a lot of sunshine and fresh air for vitamin D, an ingredient for healthier skin. Your skin will appreciate all the vitamin D and your mind and body will enjoy all of the stress reducers and oxygen of daily outdoor jaunts. However, do not overdo it.
2. Keep in mind hat even good kinds of stress could trigger inner chemical responses, which end in acne.
3. Drink enough water every day.
4. Dirt and acne are absolutely not related. Therefore, do not scrub or wash your face and body too much.
5. Put more vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits into your everyday diet.
2. Keep in mind hat even good kinds of stress could trigger inner chemical responses, which end in acne.
3. Drink enough water every day.
4. Dirt and acne are absolutely not related. Therefore, do not scrub or wash your face and body too much.
5. Put more vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits into your everyday diet.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Treatment the scars.
Scars come in all shapes and sizes depending on the wound, your age, nutrition, genetics and other factors. A scar usually takes around a year to fully heal. From there it will take years to lighten, flatten and fade...sometimes they never fade.Different types of scars
Ice pick scars - Acne scars. Deep pits. These are usually formed from severe acne.
Box car scars - Similar to chickenpox scars, they are very angular.
Rolling scars - These scars appear wavelike.
Hypertrophic scars - Thickened raised scars. Usually red or dark. Keloid scars is another fine example of what these scars look like. To me this is the worse of all the scars.
How to treat scars.
1. Aloe Vera helps remove acne scars by acting as an immune booster and an anti inflammatory agent. It is also used to reduce infections to regenerate skin and is thus able to rebuild scarred areas.
2. Vitamin E - Vitamin E is beneficial for heal the skin.
3. Fish Oil - Omega-3 Fatty Acids helps heal the skin.
4. Retinol - speeds up the skin's rebuilding process and helps heal post inflammatory changes.
5. Laser - Perhaps the most expensive out of all treatments (besides surgery). Exposure to infrared light. IR light has been demonstrated to regenerate collagen structure. It stimulate collagenase which breaks down collagen.
Ice pick scars - Acne scars. Deep pits. These are usually formed from severe acne.
Box car scars - Similar to chickenpox scars, they are very angular.
Rolling scars - These scars appear wavelike.
Hypertrophic scars - Thickened raised scars. Usually red or dark. Keloid scars is another fine example of what these scars look like. To me this is the worse of all the scars.
How to treat scars.
1. Aloe Vera helps remove acne scars by acting as an immune booster and an anti inflammatory agent. It is also used to reduce infections to regenerate skin and is thus able to rebuild scarred areas.
2. Vitamin E - Vitamin E is beneficial for heal the skin.
3. Fish Oil - Omega-3 Fatty Acids helps heal the skin.
4. Retinol - speeds up the skin's rebuilding process and helps heal post inflammatory changes.
5. Laser - Perhaps the most expensive out of all treatments (besides surgery). Exposure to infrared light. IR light has been demonstrated to regenerate collagen structure. It stimulate collagenase which breaks down collagen.
Beauty tip : Extend your lipgross.
If you have a lipgross and it's starting to run low. It's hard as a stone and difficult to use. But there's still half left, you can extend it by below;
1. Pour the hot water in a cup.
2. Place your almost empty lipgross in the hot cup.
** The heat from the water will melt your lipgross down**
3. Wait... around 5 minutes.
4. Check your lipgross, and now your lipgloss is as good as new. Moreover it's save your money too.
1. Pour the hot water in a cup.
2. Place your almost empty lipgross in the hot cup.
** The heat from the water will melt your lipgross down**
3. Wait... around 5 minutes.
4. Check your lipgross, and now your lipgloss is as good as new. Moreover it's save your money too.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Car audios need nursing,too.
Car audio problems are a given for most motorists. It's only a matter of time. Be it a factory-issue unit or a system installed by a reputable shop, problems will arise and "repairs" will be required.
Like vehicles which require regular inspection for proper operation - the car audio system rarely gets the required attention.
It's only during the initial stages that car audio systems are pampered, so to speak. The installation process must be perfect to achieve optimal sound quality for the price paid.
But then a few months later you get used to the system and don't pay much attention to it like before. All you do is turn it on/off and don't care much about the system's "health".
The following is a list of what you can do to make sure your car audio system is in good condition:
- Clean the laser pick up lens, done easily using a CD Lens Cleaner available in most audio shops.
This is a simple process but is capable of influencing the audio and video picture quality if proper attention is not administered.
Once dust particles settle down on the laser head, the ability to read data accurately or focusing of the lens is compromised.
The laser head of the CD/DVD is set at about one to two millimetres apart; but once the laser head picks up dust particles the beam loses focus, it "shakes" or "vibrates". This will immediately cause noise disturbance, a skip in data reading, slow reaction or inability to search for songs, and shorter life span of the laser head.
- Cleaning the power amplifier of dust particles that settle down on the exterior and interior of the amp itself can be done with a small soft brush and a blower. That's the accepted method for hi-end audio enthusiasts.
But if you use a damp cloth instead, it may end up white stain marks caused by rust.
The power amplifier is a source of energy which is why high temperatures are a given. How hot it becomes depends on the class of the amp.
If it's a class A, temperatures will rise to about 50-70 degrees Celsius.
If it's a vacuum tube then you are liable to see temperatures rise to 100 degrees Celsius.
Now if a single drop of water comes in contact with it, the tube explodes immediately.
I once saw a technician make some adjustments to a system; unfortunately he was perspiring and a drop of sweat fell on a vacuum tube and it exploded. The audio shop owner's face lost colour because it meant he had to buy a new amplifier for the customer.
Shifting gears back to dust particles settling down on the amp; the ability to ventilate or circulate heat is compromised - and heat build-up will rise leading to "clipping" when SPL is increased.
Simply put, the operation will be stopped for short intervals by the protection system of the power amplifier.
But if the amp is able to cool itself efficiently, then "clipping" will not occur and the life span of the component is prolonged.
- Speaker maintenance usually focuses on heat ventilation and prevention of moisture build-up. Dust particles can be taken care of by using a blower or a soft-tipped brush (the types used for applying make-up).
Never use hard-tipped brush with the speaker cone because that is liable to cause damage.
Regarding moisture in the speakers, you should use a blower after the car goes through a car wash or heavy downpour.
It seems too cumbersome at first but after the car wash it is recommended that you drive at 80kph for 10-15 minutes.
Don't park in the garage immediately after washing the car - you will take care of the moisture problem and preserve your speaker's condition.
- The wiring/cable system and jacks which are usually hidden away from the naked eye cause the bulk of problems for car audio systems.
It's hard to detect and once a problem sets in the signs might not be apparent right away. It's a gradual cancer-like process which depends on operating conditions.
Jacks are prone to oxidation at points they connect with the cable. Just turn the head of the jack and look for signs of rust and, if so, ask the audio shop to peel off about one centimetre of the wire and fuse the jack again.
The problems with wiring and signal cable (see picture) is shown here by comparing a five-year wire with new wire. The difference is obvious, both inside and outside.
The worn out cable is liable to short-circuit the system resulting in no noise due to the protection system of the power amp.
Worn out sheaths and wiring is easily detected if it is the transparent type. But if it's the conventional type of wiring then it will be hard to detect the problem.
Side effects range from unclear high-frequency signals and loss of details. Sometimes the sound appears blurred; if the owner is used to the sound he or she will not be able to detect the problem.
If you want sound quality from your old system to be on par with when you first installed your "new" audio system - I recommend excess wiring of about six inches so that you can cut off one inch per year to see if there are any problems.
Within six years I am sure you'll be able to gauge whether your wiring and cable system needs an overhaul or not.
This way, be it a hi-end or low-end audio system, you get to maintain the quality and performance to its original level.
Like vehicles which require regular inspection for proper operation - the car audio system rarely gets the required attention.
It's only during the initial stages that car audio systems are pampered, so to speak. The installation process must be perfect to achieve optimal sound quality for the price paid.
But then a few months later you get used to the system and don't pay much attention to it like before. All you do is turn it on/off and don't care much about the system's "health".
The following is a list of what you can do to make sure your car audio system is in good condition:
- Clean the laser pick up lens, done easily using a CD Lens Cleaner available in most audio shops.
This is a simple process but is capable of influencing the audio and video picture quality if proper attention is not administered.
Once dust particles settle down on the laser head, the ability to read data accurately or focusing of the lens is compromised.
The laser head of the CD/DVD is set at about one to two millimetres apart; but once the laser head picks up dust particles the beam loses focus, it "shakes" or "vibrates". This will immediately cause noise disturbance, a skip in data reading, slow reaction or inability to search for songs, and shorter life span of the laser head.
- Cleaning the power amplifier of dust particles that settle down on the exterior and interior of the amp itself can be done with a small soft brush and a blower. That's the accepted method for hi-end audio enthusiasts.
But if you use a damp cloth instead, it may end up white stain marks caused by rust.
The power amplifier is a source of energy which is why high temperatures are a given. How hot it becomes depends on the class of the amp.
If it's a class A, temperatures will rise to about 50-70 degrees Celsius.
If it's a vacuum tube then you are liable to see temperatures rise to 100 degrees Celsius.
Now if a single drop of water comes in contact with it, the tube explodes immediately.
I once saw a technician make some adjustments to a system; unfortunately he was perspiring and a drop of sweat fell on a vacuum tube and it exploded. The audio shop owner's face lost colour because it meant he had to buy a new amplifier for the customer.
Shifting gears back to dust particles settling down on the amp; the ability to ventilate or circulate heat is compromised - and heat build-up will rise leading to "clipping" when SPL is increased.
Simply put, the operation will be stopped for short intervals by the protection system of the power amplifier.
But if the amp is able to cool itself efficiently, then "clipping" will not occur and the life span of the component is prolonged.
- Speaker maintenance usually focuses on heat ventilation and prevention of moisture build-up. Dust particles can be taken care of by using a blower or a soft-tipped brush (the types used for applying make-up).
Never use hard-tipped brush with the speaker cone because that is liable to cause damage.
Regarding moisture in the speakers, you should use a blower after the car goes through a car wash or heavy downpour.
It seems too cumbersome at first but after the car wash it is recommended that you drive at 80kph for 10-15 minutes.
Don't park in the garage immediately after washing the car - you will take care of the moisture problem and preserve your speaker's condition.
- The wiring/cable system and jacks which are usually hidden away from the naked eye cause the bulk of problems for car audio systems.
It's hard to detect and once a problem sets in the signs might not be apparent right away. It's a gradual cancer-like process which depends on operating conditions.
Jacks are prone to oxidation at points they connect with the cable. Just turn the head of the jack and look for signs of rust and, if so, ask the audio shop to peel off about one centimetre of the wire and fuse the jack again.
The problems with wiring and signal cable (see picture) is shown here by comparing a five-year wire with new wire. The difference is obvious, both inside and outside.
The worn out cable is liable to short-circuit the system resulting in no noise due to the protection system of the power amp.
Worn out sheaths and wiring is easily detected if it is the transparent type. But if it's the conventional type of wiring then it will be hard to detect the problem.
Side effects range from unclear high-frequency signals and loss of details. Sometimes the sound appears blurred; if the owner is used to the sound he or she will not be able to detect the problem.
If you want sound quality from your old system to be on par with when you first installed your "new" audio system - I recommend excess wiring of about six inches so that you can cut off one inch per year to see if there are any problems.
Within six years I am sure you'll be able to gauge whether your wiring and cable system needs an overhaul or not.
This way, be it a hi-end or low-end audio system, you get to maintain the quality and performance to its original level.
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