Popular Mechanics articles from June 2005

Popular Mechanics archives from June 2005

Launchpad doubts.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
June 1, 2005... Go or No-Go? It's the ultimate decision, the kind that faces a mountain climber poised for a summit bid or a pilot preparing to take off into sketchy weather. For NASA's engineers and astronauts, wrestling with the Go/No-Go decision is central...

Shoot for the moon.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... I read your article "Playing With Fire" (April 2005), and I wanted to inform you that here at Fort Stockton High School we are building and launching high-powered rockets. We made history by being the first high-school class to successfully...

Danger zone.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Your story "Running The Gauntlet" (April 2005) made me realize there is something wrong when the U.S. government pays Blackwater contractors 10 times what it pays its own soldiers--and when these people are better equipped than the young men...

Toxic train wreck.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Based on more than 40 years' experience as an engineer with the Norfolk Southern Railway, I believe the wreck could have been avoided if cab signals [a display in the conductor's cab that shows the status of upcoming switches and speed...

The American pastime.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
June 1, 2005... Comparing Barry Bonds to Babe Ruth is an insult to the game of baseball ("Barry Vs. The Babe," April 2005). The Babe's only vices were tobacco, alcohol and loose women. DOUG BERNSTEIN Mooresville, NC

Clarification.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2005... Clarification: In "Blackout: The Conspiracy Theory" (November 2003), PM quoted a paper by Lt. Col. Bradley K. Ashley titled "Anatomy Of Cyberterrorism: Is America Vulnerable?" Ashley was never interviewed for the story. PM regrets any confusion...

Game time: the century of the airplane, computer and electric toothbrush was also the golden age of new sports.(TIME MACHINE)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... 51 Years Ago (APRIL 1954) Caddyshaft Isn't everything more fun with dangerous projectiles? In archery golf, players shoot an arrow from hole to hole, and then for the final "putt," shoot a rubber ball off a pedestal. Yes, the...

Rubbermaid to the rescue!(GARAGE MAKEOVER WINNER #2)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2005... WINNER #2 > THE CHALLENGE: After two decades working in the oil business and living in exotic locales like Singapore, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Robin and Susan moved back to a brand-new dream house in their hometown of...

Baby steps.(TECH WATCH)(Three bipedal robots product of bipedal robots)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Machines Can disarm bombs and beat us in chess, but when it comes to walking, humans still have a leg up. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Teleology, Cornell University, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands have...

Highest eye in the sky.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(balloon-borne Large Aperture Sub-millimetre Telescope to be launched)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... NASA and the Swedish Space Corp. are hoping to launch a 40 million-cu.-ft. balloon by June B. It will carry the 6000-pound balloon-borne Large Aperture Sub-millimetre Telescope (BLAST) to the upper-atmosphere altitude of 130,000 ft., granting a...

Most crowded shipping lane.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(naval triumph celebrations)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... This year, Britain commemorates the 200th anniversary of its naval triumph over the Franco-Spanish armada at the Battle of Trafalgar. The celebration kicks off in the waters near Portsmouth in southern England on June 28 with the International...

Greatest Gizmo show.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... INPEX, the Invention & New Product Exposition, billed as America's largest invention trade show, fills the Pittsburgh ExpoMart convention center June 8 to 11. Last year's show featured 1000 inventions from 18 countries. Our favorite: the...

Dirtiest race.(TECH WATCH: This Month)
June 1, 2005... The spirit of "Mad Max" lives on in the land down under this month in the Tattersall's Finke Desert Race. Beginning on the 11th, the town of Alice Springs will play host to this gritty two-day competition that sends cars, dune buggies and...

Longest slab.(TECH WATCH: This Month)
June 1, 2005... The new 3971-ft. Victory Bridge connecting Perth Amboy and Sayreville, N.J., will honor the state's war dead from World War I--and set a new record. The 440-ft. main span will be the largest segment ever built in the United States using the...

Monster trike.(TECH WATCH)
June 1, 2005... Sporting a 510-hp V8 engine, the Eliminator is the Dodge Viper of trikes. It's also the first one-off created by custom trike builders Mike Fleming and Tim Byers of Eliminator Trikes in Mesquite, Nev. The plush three-wheeler has Austrian...

Trouble at Airbus?(TECH WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The facts are simple: On March 6, 2005, Air Transat Flight 961 took off from Varadero, Cuba, bound for Quebec City with 270 passengers and crew. Twenty-three minutes later, in still air at 35,000 ft., the plane's 28-ft.-long carbon-fiber rudder...

Lifesaving cinch.(Velcro model )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... When soldiers are severely wounded, they often have to improvise a tourniquet. But a new Velcro model could make self-triage faster and easier, potentially saving limbs and lives. The Army has ordered 172,000 of these tourniquets to send to...

U-boat traffic.(drug traffic)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... In March, police in Colombia acting on a tip found a homemade fiberglass submarine designed to smuggle over 10 tons of cocaine. This is the second drug-smuggling sub discovered in Colombia. The previous one was designed to hold more than 15...

Power porker.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Hogzilla, a feral swine said to weigh a half-ton that was purportedly shot last June in Georgia, came face to face with skeptical science and emerged mostly unscathed. Experts from National Geographic dug up the remains of the giant hog. The...

Hard science: concrete, metal alloys--and corn, of course--receive a high-strength makeover.(TECH WATCH)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... 1 Translucent Concrete: The blocks shown here are concrete. And, they transmit light. Like the ordinary stuff of traffic dividers, the material is a combination of cement, sand, gravel and water, but it's embedded with glass or plastic fibers...

Fries with that Ferrari?(artificial intelligence system )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Fast-food restaurants are testing an artificial intelligence system that predicts what customers will order based on the make of car they drive. The system, from HyperActive Technologies, monitor traffic flow in the parking lot and...

Gene mystery.(in plants)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Gregor Mendel must be spinning in his grave. Geneticists at Purdue University studying the Arabidopsis (above) found plants that had a normal version of a gene that was defective in its parents. That's not supposed to be possible. The source of...

Hamburglars.
June 1, 2005... As if raiding jewelry boxes weren't enough, thieves often pause to raid the fridge before making a getaway. Recently, researchers at the National University in California studied which half-eaten foods are best at preserving valuable traces of...

Fold along dotted line.(TECH WATCH)(Lage Cargo freighter )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... YOU CAN ALREADY FIT a lot in a Boeing 747, but when the specially modified 747 Lage Cargo freighter takes off next year, it will have triple the capacity of the original. With an enlarged fuselage and hinge that allows the entire tail to swing...

Out of their element.(TECH WATCH)(marine mammal strandings)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... After 70 rough-toothed dolphins-normally deep-ocean denizens--mysteriously beached themselves in Marathon, Fla., we asked cetologist Kenneth C. Balcomb III, head of the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Wash., to list the leading...

Jurassic parts.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The fossilized, recently unearthed bones of a Tyrannosaurus rex contain 70-million-year-old soft tissue that resembles blood vessels and cells, raising the possibility of extracting dinosaur DNA. Archeologists in Montana found the tissue in the...

(Tiny) black hole.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Scientists speculate that a fireball created by smashing particles together with the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Lab in Upton, N.Y., behaved like a black hole, absorbing particles and hitting a temperature 300 million...

Jarhead pilot.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Researchers at the University of Florida have created a "brain" in a dish that can fly an F/A-22 jet simulator. A "living computer" constructed of 25,000 rat neurons was linked to the flying program by an array of electrodes that passes...

Seeing through walls: new technology makes it possible to look inside an enemy hide-out before busting down the door.(TECH WATCH: Super Senses)
June 1, 2005... In military siege and civilian SWAT team operations, what you don't know can kill you, so a discreet look inside an enemy-held building can be extremely valuable. These days, soldiers and local law enforcement are discovering that the...

The fish finder.(UPGRADE)(kayaks)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The first Inuit kayaks were designed to hold gear, move efficiently through the water, and help their owners find a lot of seals. The Hobie Mirage Sport Fisherman ($1399] probably won't be seen bouncing off icebergs, but it is exceptionally...

Who you callin' pretty?(UPGRADE: Wish List)(cell phones)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Sure, your phone's got Bluetooth, a camera and high-speed data capabilities, but that's no excuse for it looking like plasticky junk. Now, after a few years of ugliness, phone firms are getting into a design groove, with Motorola out in front....

Hip to be square.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(double-winged tool )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... It's tough to innovate when building a woodworking square, which is basically a right angle made of metal. But the makers of the M-Power M3 Square take it to another level. The double-winged tool allows you to mark width and thickness...

Knife fight.(UPGRADE: Wish List)
June 1, 2005... FORM It's as boxy as a vintage Volvo, EVO's curves fit as easily but only half as pretty. Judges in well-tailored Carhartts mistook it for a toaster. as in a manicured hand. Score: 9 points ...

Monster sieve.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(shovel from Gempler)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Short D-Handle Round Point Perforated Shovel from Gempler's may seem like a joke item at first (one with an oddly long name), but its utility lies in its ability to separate large debris from silty water and soil. The shovel can help you...

Chilling out.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(ccolers)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Those long, lazy summer drives are a great way to unwind--that is, until you find yourself sticking to the seat in a most ungraceful manner. The Norcord SummerSeat can help. The portable cooler uses an adjustable, built-in fan to pull the hot...

Ground-based surveillance.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(rolling cameras)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... When you look into a crystal ball, you normally see the future, but what this silver sphere reveals is the present. Sony Ericsson's ROB-1 is a 4.3-in.-dia. rolling camera that broadcasts to a mobile phone using Bluetooth wireless technology....

Road show.(UPGRADE: Wish List)
June 1, 2005... No, it's not a new Billy Bob Thornton flick. The Slingbox redirects video from your digital video recorder, cable or satellite system to any computer on Earth that has broadband Internet access. It's a remarkable advance. Just remember: When...

Cool hand luke.(UPGRADE: Wish List)
June 1, 2005... Gamers, picture this: You're steering a Subaru Impreza WRX STi into a hairpin curve in Gran Turismo 4 when the controller slips from your clammy palms. Nyko Air Flo controllers ward off such disasters with fans that dry your hands. Available...

The layabout.(UPGRADE: Wish List)
June 1, 2005... This summer, Americans will be relaxing in all manner of collapsible, foldable, sling-over-your-shoulder seating. But you can outrelax them all with the Kelsyus portable backpack hammock. It has a strong, folding steel frame that weighs (oof!)...

MP3 express.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2005... Who has time to rip music files? These services will convert your entire CD collection into a pristine, portable music library--filling up your iPod in one fell swoop. Pacific...

Know your [H.sub.2]O: is tap water tasty or toxic? We ran two sources through a new, low-price home test kit, then double-checked with a professional lab to see if you can really chem-class your way to aquatic confidence in your own kitchen.(UPGRADE: Off The Shelf)
June 1, 2005... HOME KIT We analyzed tap water from a big-city municipal water supply and well water from a house next to a horse farm. Results from the home kit were similar to the lab findings on most tests, but the kit's test strips--two with pass/fail...

Summer essentials: here's the gear you need to get the most out of the beaches, campgrounds and backyard pools of America.(UPGRADE: The Right Stuff)
June 1, 2005... 1 Coleman Ultimate Xtreme 50-Quart Wheeled Cooler This ultra-insulated food and drink caddy can store ice in 90[degrees] heat for up to six days. $50; www .coleman.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 Sony PlayStation Portable A...

New face for DVD: high definition is coming to your DVD player soon. Deciding which of two rival formats to buy might take longer.(UPGRADE)
June 1, 2005... Clearly, the era of high-definition television [HDTV] is upon us. But buying one of these beautiful new displays is only half the equation--you need high-definition content to take advantage of the greater detail that the technology provides....

British tailoring: you don't need an O.B.E. to drive this rolling sex pistol, just money. Lots of money.(NEW CARS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... There's a good reason TV's Magnum drove a Ferrari and the Duke boys tore through Hazzard County in a Dodge Charger. Certain cars simply exude the essence of the person--fictional or otherwise--behind the wheel. And that is why Aston Martin is...

Tracking on new wheels.(DETROIT)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Ford is planning a major update for the Explorer Sport Trac. This 2006 prototype, seen in its camouflage cover-up, is appreciably larger than the current model. That's because the Sport Trac of the future will be built on the same platform as...

Swan song for an ugly duckling.(DETROIT)(General Motors)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... We won't have the Pontiac Aztek to kick around any longer. The top brass at GM has been taking a hard look at which vehicles aren't selling well and letting them go to the big scrapyard in the sky. Pontiac's controversial Aztek is the latest in...

On a limb.(DETROIT)(SUVs)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... We're going to guess this small SUV will initially carry a Cadillac crest in its grille since we can't see where else in GM's lineup it might fit. This view is an artist's enhanced copy of a photo taken in a very secret location--we don't want...

Taking aim.(DETROIT)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Dodge unveiled its Caliber concept vehicle earlier this year at the Geneva International Auto Show. At the time, DaimlerChrysler executives were firm in labeling the vehicle a concept only. There were no promises made about production. Well,...

Two is a lonely number.(EUROPE)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... It is possible that Porsche's success with the Cayenne has come at the cost of 911 and Boxster sales, which are down. Perhaps this has brought about the realization that folks with enough money to drive a Porsche need accommodations for more...

Land of the free.(EUROPE)(Land Rover)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Land Rover is bringing out a new Freelander in 2006, based on an all-new chassis. The three-door version is no longer part of the mix--all will have five doors. This is a much bigger vehicle, which will make it less capable off-road--but...

Leave the driving to us.(And Another Thing ... AUTOMOTIVE)
June 1, 2005... What used to be a sophisticated but purely mechanic device has evolved into a technological tour de force beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. That innocent-looking car sitting in your driveway packs more computing power than anything...

Making their skin crawl: people with creepy symptoms find a diagnosis on the Internet. But are they jumping to conclusions?(SCIENCE)
June 1, 2005... Miles Lawrence, a landscaper in Florence, Texas, was supposed to be packing for a road trip to Las Vegas when he noticed his finger tingling. He stared in disbelief, he says, as "little spiny things" sprouted out of the skin where he'd just...

Long-term tests: a rookie and an old veteran of the SUV wars join our test fleet as a very European station wagon leaves.(AUTOMOTIVE)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... first report PORSCHE CAYENNE S To us it seemed sacrilege: a Porsche sport utility vehicle. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be. Surely Dr. Porsche would be spinning in his grave. We mean, Porsches have to have only two doors, right? And...

Meet the PM digital family: we needed a set of PM readers to install and test every must-have piece of high-tech wizardry any family could drool over. It's good to be the Joneses.(FIRST IN THE DIGITAL FAMILY SERIES)
June 1, 2005... Put together a tech-hungry family, the expertise of POPULAR MECHANICS, and a whole lot of cutting-edge digital gear and what do you get? The ideal forum for conducting an in-depth, months-long test of electronics for the home. Every week, it...

Couch to combat: a popular computer game called "America's Army" has evolved into a high-tech tool for training today's soldiers.(MILITARY)
June 1, 2005... Phillip Bossant doesn't shoot guns. Sure, he's been on a firing range once or twice, but that was amateur stuff--pistols and a shotgun--not military-grade weaponry. But there, before him, on a table in a room on a military base in southeast...

Pour-N-Restore.(THE goods: Great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
June 1, 2005... Pour-N-Restore easily Lifts and absorbs tough oil stains as it dries from a Liquid to a powder No scrubbing or rinsing is needed. Just apply, Let it dry, and sweep it up. Pour-N-Restore is citrus-based, biodegradable, and phosphate-free. ...

Gold Eagle[R] Co.'s 104+[R].(THE goods: Great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
June 1, 2005... Performance Additives provide more power, acceleration and horsepower for today's engines. The high performance formulas clean fuel injectors and the complete fuel system in one use white improving throttle response and gas mileage. 104+...

Take me fishing.(THE goods: Great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
June 1, 2005... Talk. Laugh. Reconnect. That's what happens when you go boating and fishing. So take someone you love out on the water. And see where the water takes you. Rediscover the joy of boating and fishing. Get information and get going at...

Wix Filters.(THE goods: Great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
June 1, 2005... WIX Fitters has joined forces with Speedway Motorsports Inc. (SMI), to sponsor the 2005 Super Six Sweepstakes, a year-long contest that enables six Lucky fans to experience a VIP trip for two to one of six NEXTEL Cup races at an SMI racetrack...

Freedom of the road: when we asked our readers, writers and friends for their favorite drives, they came up with 40 routes that hit all 50 states. So get going. And remember: the gas pedal is on the right.
June 1, 2005... It's a big, magnificent country, founded by intrepid souls who just had to see what was over the next range and around the next bend. Americans are still restless, but now at least we can drive to intriguing corners of the country. Here, then,...

The great shuttle debate: as NASA rebounds from the Columbia disaster with the launch of a refurbished Discovery, an old dispute gains new life. The shuttle is slated for retirement in 2010. But is it worth the risk to keep it flying until then? PM asks two experts for their take.(Cover Story)
June 1, 2005... Retire It Now Alex Roland Professor of history, Duke University, and former NASA historian THE SHUTTLE HAS COST MORE THAN IT IS WORTH from the very beginning. None of the things that it can theoretically be used for--as a mobile...

Fix it or ditch it?(A GUIDE TO MAKING THE TOUGH CALLS)(home appliances)
June 1, 2005... They've served you well, cooking meals, washing clothes, chugging away year after year. But all good things come to an end, so when a loyal household appliance goes on the fritz, a homeowner faces a perplexing quandary. Call a repairman? Fix...

The Lucas effect: the original "Star Wars" not only inspired movie lovers, it launched a revolution in filmmaking. With each installment since, director George Lucas has broken new ground in special effects, sound quality and camera technology. On the eve of the release of "Star Wars: Episode III--Revenge of the Sith," Lucas's ultimate vision is in sight: the totally digital movie, from set to screen.
June 1, 2005... GEORGE LUCAS ALWAYS hated making movies the old-fashioned way. He has compared traditional, film-based movie production to wearing handcuffs and waging war. But instead of just complaining, Lucas decided that there had to be a better way--and...

But when driving, these sunglasses may save your life! To some, sunglasses are a fashion accessory ...(Health News--Eye Protection)(Advertisement)
June 1, 2005... Driving can expose you to more dangerous glare than any sunny summer day at the beach can... do you know how to protect yourself? An amazing breakthrough in optic technology by NASA called Eagle Eyes[R] can be your answer. The sun rises and...

Fencing lessons: turning your backyard into a distinctive living space.(HOME JOURNAL)
June 1, 2005... If you just want a fence to keep out the neighbor's dog, there are plenty of off-the-shelf choices at your local home center. If, on the other hand, the idea of defining your personal landscape with a touch of architectural flair grabs your...

Tankless water heaters.(EXPERT Q+A)
June 1, 2005... Q I am considering buying a new water heater and have heard about the instantaneous type. How does it work? ALEX K. Via E-Mail A An automatic instantaneous water heater (that's its full name) is an appliance that heats water as...

Buckled siding.(EXPERT Q+A)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Q We've noticed that the new vinyl siding on our house is buckling. Is direct sunlight the cause? JOAN DONNELLAN Enfield, CT A Buckling is usually caused by fastening the siding too tightly to the substrate. This does not allow...

3 basic multimeter tests.(SHORT COURSE)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2005... In electrical repairs there's no such thing as "close." A multimeter measures voltage, current and resistance (ohms) and takes the guesswork out of electrical projects. "An inexpensive multimeter does so much, it hardly makes sense to buy an...

A fine line.(TOOL ROUNDUP)
June 1, 2005... Take your pick. Bosch has introduced three miter saws with arbor-mounted lasers that project a crisp line when you putt the saw trigger. A 10-in. sliding dual-bevel model costs $5/+9, a 12-in. sliding dual-bevel is $6/,9 and a 12-in. dual-bevel...

Power up.(TOOL ROUNDUP)
June 1, 2005... Opening another front in the cordless-tool power wars, Milwaukee has introduced a line of products powered by a 28-volt lithium-manganese battery. Each tool's circuitry is designed to maximize battery performance by improving discharge both...

Plunge in.(TOOL ROUNDUP)
June 1, 2005... Hitachi's KM12SC single-speed router provides as much wood-shaping capability as you're likely to need. The router motor comes with a removable plunge base and a fixed base, both of which are installed or removed with a toolfree clamp...

Vibrating faucet.(EXPERT Q+A)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Q Our outside faucet vibrates when turned on. You have to adjust the water flow to eliminate the noise. How can I stop the faucet from making noise? KRIS C. KERSCH Yerington, NV A Usually the vibration and noise is the result of a...

Backflow valve.(EXPERT Q+A)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Q I need information on an anti-backflow valve to prevent basement flooding from a sewer line. Can we install the valve? ELIZABETH STEPHENS Via E-Mail A Basement plumbing fixtures such as a toilet, bathtub or shower are vulnerable to...

Creating a summer oasis.
June 1, 2005... Pools & Spas treats its topic as a mechanical one, and that's good. Pool construction, pumps, heaters and skimmers are covered with detail that's hard to find in other books. Especially welcome are the chapters on water chemistry and...

Hanging by a thread.(COOL TOOL)
June 1, 2005... A screw pitch gauge is a multileaf tool with notches cut in each leaf to correspond to specific thread profiles. It sounds like an arcane tool for machinists, but it's useful in a number of home maintenance applications. Without it, the only...

Dryer booster fan.(EXPERT Q+A)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Q My house has a centrally located laundry room. The dryer's duct has several 90 [degrees] elbows and makes several long, straight runs before it exits the house. Is there a fan that can be installed in the duct to assist airflow? HAROLD...

Replacing front-drive axles.(SATURDAY MECHANIC)
June 1, 2005... That clicking noise that your front-wheel-drive car makes as you accelerate around low-speed righthand corners has been getting a little louder for weeks. One afternoon, just as you pull out of the parking lot, there's a loud banging noise and...

Doing the twist.(EXPERT Q+A)(Ford Mustang)
June 1, 2005... Q I was working on the suspension on my old Mustang and had to remove a brake line to get it out of the way. In doing so, I twisted the end of the hard line up like a pretzel. So I cut it off and used a compression fitting to patch the end of...

Glowworm style.(NEW PRODUCTS)
June 1, 2005... Finding oil leaks is always tough. There's oil everywhere and no way to tell where it's fresh. Try adding a few ccs of Tracerline's fluorescent dye to your oil filler, and then run the engine for a few minutes. Turn off the shop lights and don...

Reader project.(CAR CARE: Auto Clinic)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Billy Shomada Mechanicsville, VA I'm 16 and have been building go-karts and other fun things since I was a little kid. I built my first go-kart at age 12. I always wanted to build something faster, so about a year ago I sat down and...

Has your painted aluminum hood started to blister or bubble only a few months after it was repainted?(SERVICE TiP)
June 1, 2005... Has your painted aluminum hood started to blister or bubble only a few months after it was repainted? Ford Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 0425-1 suggests that iron contamination from body-shop tools and sanding materials may be the cause.

Chrysler.(SERVICE TiP)
June 1, 2005... Chrysler TSB 08 026-04 says that delayed updating of the outside air temperature display on 2005 300s and Dodge Magnums is normal. It's necessary to maintain 20 mph for 3 consecutive minutes to allow the display to update.

Family feud.(EXPERT Q+A)(automotive transmissions)
June 1, 2005... Q My father-in-law says he shifts his automatic transmission into Neutral at traffic lights to save wear and tear on the trans and save gas. Right or wrong? My son-in-law says he shifts his manual transmission into Neutral at stoplights to...

Joining the blogosphere: online journals let a guy say what needs saying--on music, politics, cars or all of the above--to a worldwide audience. Getting started is easy.(TECHNOLOGY)
June 1, 2005... It's an old observation that freedom of the press exists primarily for people who own a printing press. The Internet has changed that, as seen in the growth of blogs, the Web logs (or online journals) that countless people use every day to...