Popular Mechanics articles from October 2005

Popular Mechanics archives from October 2005

NAPA auto parts: puts you under the hood.(National Automotive Parts Association)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... NASCAR is often criticized because its Nextel Cup racers are powered by low-tech, ohv V-8s. But wait! These "old-fashioned" engines produce over 750 hp from 5.8-liters, or 130 hp per-liter! That's spectacular output for any normally-aspirated...

A new "Spin" on technology improves oil filter performance.(Spin-Flow technology )(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... Not since the introduction of the spin-on filter has there been an advancement of such importance. Called NASCAR Select by NAPA, the new filter employs patented Spin-Flow technology to maximize the capacity and efficiency of the filter. In...

Living the story.(EDITOR'S NOTES)
October 1, 2005... On our letters page this month (page 12), reader Leonard Gaston writes, "I don't know how you manage to publish a magazine from New York and still stay so in tune with what folks out here in the heartland are really interested in." The answer...

Lessons from Iraq.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... As I began this letter to thank you for the article "Lessons From Iraq" (Aug. 2005), I was struck by the location of your editorial offices. I don't know how you manage to publish a magazine from New York and still stay so in tune with what...

Project: siding.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... You warn against painting a dark color over a light-colored vinyl siding because dark colors absorb more heat, causing the siding to buckle and the paint to peel off ("When Bad Things Happen to Good Projects," Aug. 2005). You then say it is...

Tough enough.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... The Nokia 3120 you tested is tough ("Will It Break?" Aug. 2005). The phone fell out of my van while I was going 45 mph. When I retrieved it, the phone was still on and worked fine. TIM HECKLER Bartlett, IL

Survival tactics.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... While reading your article ("Would You Survive?" Aug. 2005), it hit me that you could buy a 40 meter CW (Morse code) radio that weighs as much as a transistor AM radio. With a simple antenna made of magnet wire, one could contact another radio...

Followup.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2005... After "Would You Survive?" appeared, we were contacted by Barbara Peterson, whose husband was one of the survivors described in our piece. We hadn't been able to locate the Petersons before publication, but now Barbara Peterson helped fill in...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2005... In the story "This Is My Job: Camera Operator" (Aug. 2005), the dolly is identified incorrectly. The dolly pictured is a Chapman Hybrid Ill. To have a letter considered for publication, please include your full name and address, even if...

Before TiVo: we've embraced cathode rays, color tubes and cable--how come there's still nothing on?(TIME MACHINE)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... JANUARY 1954 CLEARER THAN BLACK AND WHITE Vying for FCC approval, RCA and CBS duked it out over whose color TV technology made more sense (RCA won). Perhaps trying to console those on a budget, PM pointed out the flaws of the new $1000...

Tipping point.(TECH WATCH)(Thunder Horse: world's biggest semisubmersible oil rig)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... "Everybody thought it was on its way down," Coast Guard spokesman Andrew Kendrick says of Thunder Horse, the world's biggest semisubmersible oil rig. The drilling platform took a titanic tilt this summer just a few months before it was...

Steepest leap.(base jumping from New River Gorge Bridge)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... More than 400 people will leap from the second longest steel-arch bridge in the world on Bridge Day (Oct. 15) in Fayetteville, W.Va. The event, held annually since 1980, is expected to draw 200,000 spectators to the 876-ft.-tall New River Gorge...

End of the draft.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(standards for Ironman World Championship cyclists)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... On Oct. 15, Ironman World Championship cyclists must keep a minimum three-bike-length distance from each other during the 112-mile cycling portion of the Hawaiian triathlon. Researchers from race sponsor Ford used wind tunnels to prove that...

Silliest prize.(1g Nobel Prize )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Honoring scientists who make people laugh and think, the 15th First Annual 1g Nobel Prize ceremony will be held on the 6th at Harvard University. Last year, prizes were awarded to the Japanese inventor of karaoke and the father and son team...

Loftiest tourist.(Gregory Olsen, space tourist)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... American millionaire Gregory Olsen blasts off aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket this month to become the third tourist in space. Like Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth before him, Olsen paid some $20 million for a 10-day trip to the International...

Campiest camp.(Space Camp in Huntsville)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Will Klingons sing duets with Jedi knights? We'll find out when fans of both series visit Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala., from the 26th to the 31st for the first-ever Sci-Fi Fan Trip. The event features writing workshops, an alien costume party...

Skin deep.(price look-up stickers on fruits, vegetables)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... That little sticker you've almost eaten a thousand times is about to disappear. Price look-up (PLU) stickers on fruits and veggies in the supermarket may soon be replaced by laser coding. Precisely emitted light removes the pigment surface...

Loan ranger.(On Time payment system)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Repo men may have to took for different work. The On Time payment system, installed under auto dashboards, alerts customers when car payments are due, then prevents the car from starting if a payment is late. (A code from the finance company...

Marine warfare.(lobsters, sensory organs)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... When lobsters fight, the loser steers clear of the winner in the future. But when Boston University marine biologists shaved off certain odor-sensing hairs on the losers, those lobsters became unable to recognize which bullies had dealt them a...

Playing with fire: how a dangerous explosive gas is making its way into auto air-conditioning systems.(hydrocarbon refrigerants)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Tragedy was narrowly averted at the 2004 Porsche 928 Owners Club International Convention in Wichita, Kan. No sooner had Louis Ott backed his '87 Porsche 928 S4 off the meet's dynamometer when it was rocked by an explosion that buckled the...

Star power.(2 white dwarf stars found)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Two white dwarf stars were discovered by the Chandra X-ray Observatory spinning around each other at more than a million miles per hour. The stars are now 50,000 miles apart and are expected to merge in 200,000 years. Someday, scientists hope...

Paleolithic genetics.(to recreate Neanderthal?)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... In a Jurassic Park-style project, German and U.S. geneticists are working to rebuild the Neanderthal genome. The team is decoding thousands of mitochondrial DNA samples from the teeth and bones of fossils from man's stocky relatives, who...

Digital backtrack.(back-tracking Witty computer worm )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... California computer scientists used network togs to trace the spread of the Witty computer worm in reverse and identify "Patient Zero." in 2004, Witty spread to 12,000 computers within 75 minutes of its launch, overwriting hard drives and...

Smart bridges: new structures detect problems before they occur by monitoring themselves.(TECH WATCH)
October 1, 2005... Drivers may not pay much attention to the new 1-25 highway bridge at New Mexico's Dona Ana Interchange when it opens this month, but scientists from New Mexico State University (NMSU) will be watching it very closely. The Dona Ana bridge will...

Keystroke of genius.(computer keyboards)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Monitors have slimmed down and the mouse has lost its tail, but the qwerty keyboard has changed little since the 1880s. Art Lebedev, a Russian design firm, has created a concept keyboard that may change the way our fingers do their tapping. The...

Technology: we'll push you to the limit but take no chances with your safety.(2006 Dodge Charger)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... The all-new 2006 Dodge Charger is a rare breed of modern American sports sedan--one that pays homage to the muscle cars of the 1960s but includes 21-century safety features standard on every model. The result? A safer muscle car than ever...

Design: Liberate yourself from the ordinary.(Dodge Charger)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... Ralph Gilles thinks the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger has unparalleled confidence and attitude. He should know: the 35-year-old Montreal native who spent his childhood sketching American cars (and criticizing the models that didn't meet his...

Dodge Charger: a smart investment that delivers.(POWER UNLEASHED)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... The all new 2006 Dodge Charger is the best value in its class of modern muscle cars, including features not available on competitive vehicles costing thousands more. This value starts with the engine. The 2006 Dodge Charger has the most...

Performance: a powerful deal: it'll grip you tightly as you grip the wheel.(Dodge Charger)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... Turn the ignition key in the all-new 2006 Dodge Charger and you're doing much more than starting a car. You're unleashing the power, performance, and passion of the modern American muscle car. Pump the throttle a couple of times and enjoy...

The strong, silent type: the military's next-generation off-roader gets a test drive in Iraq.(TECH WATCH)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... POWER The RST-V's diesel/ electric hybrid engine can push the truck to 70 mph, but also allows for a cool, quiet, all-electric "stealth mode." ARMOR Bolt-on steel/ceramic sandwiches protect the RST-V from roadside bombs....

Slippery when stirred.(mini storms)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Shown here are microscopic hurricanes stirred up by MIT physicists. These storms are formed in a gas of lithium ions cooled to 50 billionths of a degree above absolute zero and provide the first direct evidence of a new frictionless form of...

Runway models: the oddball designs below were taken directly from four recently filed airplane patents. We showed them to our panel of experts and asked: Are these things for real, or will aviation companies just patent anything?(TECH WATCH: The Future of Flight?)
October 1, 2005... EXPERT PANEL Hans Weber, president of Tecop International, an aviation consulting firm Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group TRIBODY AIRCRAFT Patent: 6,851,650 Assignee: Boeing A commercial...

Finer focus.(UPGRADE: TINY MUSIC MAKER A STAND-UP FLASHLIGHT EASY EGG SANDWICHES TOUGH WORK GEAR)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... The "prosumer" digital SLR camera has been pretty much defined by Canon's Digital Rebel for two years, but Nikon's new $900 6.1-megapixel D50 (pictured) has suddenly made the segment a whole lot more competitive. Extremely fast and easy to use,...

Bright idea.(UPGRADE: Wish List)
October 1, 2005... No more holding the flashlight in your teeth. Stanley's new MaxLife 369 Tripod flashlight has legs that pop out to form a stand, and an articulating head to aim its LED lamps anywhere in the room. You also can adjust how long you want that beam...

Cold roller.
October 1, 2005... Cranking out your own homemade ice cream is a great way to turn a guilty pleasure into an irksome chore. That's why we love the Play and Freeze ice cream ball. Fill one side with ice and the other with ingredients, then roll it around for 15...

Music in miniature.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(mobiBLU Cube MP3 player )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... We don't care that the 1-in., rechargeable mobiBLU Cube is the smallest MP3 player on Earth. We do, however, care that the price is right at $100 for 512MB and $130 for 1GB. We also care very deeply for the bright, readable screen, the smartly...

Will it break?(UPGRADE: Wish List; Personal digital assistants tested)(palmOne Tungsten E2 )(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... This month we beat up on that most useful of digital devices, the PDA. Our palmOne Tungsten E2 ($230) was purchased off the top of the Amazon.com "top sellers" list. WE DROPPED IT We love the Tungsten E2's bright screen and Bluetooth...

Eggs over easy.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(Back to Basics Egg & Muffin Toaster )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Think of it as a toaster with an advanced degree in egg sandwiches. The Back to Basics Egg & Muffin Toaster can toast anything from bread to bagels, and its special boiling compartment can poach an egg in 4 minutes and heat up precooked ham or...

Hang time.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(The Clever Hook)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... It doesn't take a monumental feat of engineering to hang up a bathrobe, but we're pleased to see that somebody has injected some fresh thinking into the humble wall hook. The Clever Hook, from Swedish company Linden, is actually two hooks in...

The 5 most pointless applications of carbon fiber.(UPGRADE: Wish List)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... UNDERWOOD DESK ACCESSORIES $1710 For the highly stressed executive, this carbon-fiber desk set can withstand extreme stock fluctuations and intense scrutiny from board members. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] RAZO RA54 SHIFT KNOB ...

Hard workers.(UPGRADE: Abusive Lab Test)
October 1, 2005... Why would we take perfectly good pants, gloves and boots and subject them to harsh treatment using everything from power tools to firearms? To find out who's tougher: the old standbys of the workwear world, or the new kids on the block. ...

7 tech terms you need to know now: new innovations are changing the language of personal computing. Here's your guide to the lingo. (Yes, there will be a quiz.).(computer related terms)
October 1, 2005... (1) 64-BIT What it is: Most of the chips in today's computers process 32 bits of data at a time. Newer chips, like AMD's Athlon 64 series or Intel's Pentium D, are designed to double that. What it means to you: If your processor takes...

Henry Repeating Arms Company.(rifles)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... The Henry Repeating Arms Company is pleased to add two unique products to our lineup of finely crafted American made rifles: The Henry Big Boy .45 Colt "Cowboy Edition" and the .44 Magnum "Wildlife Edition." Each Genuine American walnut...

Stanley FatMax TruLaser Distance Measurer.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... The Stanley FatMax TruLaser Distance Measurer , (TLM 100) is the first "true" laser measuring I product available for under $100. Other electronic measuring devices at or below this price rely on sound waves (ultra-sonic) and use a laser...

Mothers[R] FX[TM].(polish)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... Mothers[R] Polishes.Waxes.Creaners has developed the FX[TM] line of car care products specifically for the next-generation car enthusiast looking for cutting-edge appearance and second-to-none shine. Using highly* advanced synthetic polymers,...

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

Watch out Hollywood: the entertainment industry's real threat isn't piracy, it's backyard Spielbergs armed with digital moviemaking gear.(Steven Speilberg)
October 1, 2005... Hollywood is in a panic over digital entertainment on the Internet. With a host of lawsuits and regulatory actions--from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to the Grokster case--movie studios are doing everything they can to shut down file...

To some, sunglasses are a fashion accessory ... But when driving, these sunglasses may save your life!(Eagle Eyes)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... Drivers Alert: The sun is at its most dangerous position in the autumn months, creating difficult driving conditions at rush hour. Dangerous glare is at maximum levels when the sun is low in the sky. In the fall, this glare is at its worst...

The whale trackers: whales have a surprising ally in their struggle for survival--a 200-ft. blimp.(airships)
October 1, 2005... From my seat in the cockpit, I scan the flat, gray-green waters of Cape Cod Bay off the coast of Massachusetts. Nothing but ripples. Then I glance down at the panel of flight controls. We're at an altitude of 500 ft., moving at 35 knots, and,...

2006 cars + trucks of the year.
October 1, 2005... Welcome to PM's inaugural Automotive Excellence awards. After driving hundreds of thousands of miles in well over 100 different new cars, trucks and SUVs, we've developed some likes, some dislikes and--let's face it--some pretty serious...

Tech marches on: evolution, not revolution, marks 2006 automotive technology--including more refined engines, transmission innovations, stiffer frames and sleeker bodies.(automobiles)(Industry Overview)
October 1, 2005... Engines As some engineers continue their quest for the holy grail of endless energy, others prove there's still lots of life in the internal-combustion engine. At GM, the pushrod engine reaches new levels. The 3.9-liter V6, as used in...

Now, in a new car dealership near you.(NEW CARS)(Buyers Guide)
October 1, 2005... Our award winners aren't the only noteworthy models this year. Here's a roundup of the best of the rest. Note that all prices are for base versions, including destination charges, and are correct as we go to press. But, as the ads say, "prices...

The China syndrome: get ready for the next wave of imports.(cars)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT on a first-name basis with Malcolm Bricklin, but you are in daily contact with his work. Bricklin brought us Subaru. (He also gave us Yugo.) Now the maverick importer intends to bring cars from China to his Visionary...

Fueling the future: with the outlook for oil uncertain, it's time for new ideas. Here are five emerging technologies--from buoys that harness the power of waves to bacteria that extract electricity from wastewater. Together they can keep the world humming.
October 1, 2005... Imagine driving your car for months without refilling your gas tank, powering your home with the energy of ocean waves, or running a laptop computer on electricity generated by your jacket. For anyone facing a gas pump that reads $2.50 for a...

Guitar builder: steel string theory in the heart of bluegrass country.(Wayne Henderson )
October 1, 2005... "YOU JUST GET A PILE OF GOOD WOOD, and you get yourself a sharp whittling knife," Wayne Henderson explains, "and then you carve away anything that doesn't look like a guitar." The man who arguably is America's greatest guitar builder is joking,...

Backyard power: basic lawn tractors are fine if you're just cutting the lawn. But for fall's big jobs, you need some real muscle. PM tested five can-do tractors on the toughest acres we could find.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2005... TRACTOR: Massey Ferguson Prestige ENGINE/TRANS: 23 hp/hydrostatic DECK: 54 in. WEIGHT: 858 lb. WHEELBASE: 53 in. UNCUT CIRCLE DIA.: 44 in. PRICE: $6700 REVERSE MOW: Yes TRACTOR: Husqvarna YTH1848XP ...

Birds of mercy: when the call comes in, unarmed Army Black Hawks race to retrieve the wounded. Landing in Iraq's urban battle zones, flying when other aircraft are grounded, these helicopter medevac crews perform one of the war's toughest missions: saving lives.
October 1, 2005... THE VOICE IS FLAT and uninflected but its effect is electric: "Medevac, medevac, medevac." It takes only one "medevac" crackling over the walkie-talkies to spur the air ambulance company into action. Medic Spc. April Krueger and crew chief...

The big red shed: take care of all your outdoor storage needs with this two-for-one backyard building.(HOME JOURNAL: PLUMBING SYSTEM REPLACING OLD OUTLETS COOL PRODUCTS LADDER SAFETY )
October 1, 2005... Here's a handsome Colonial-style storage shed that's one of the most versatile, well-designed backyard buildings we've seen. In fact, it's really two sheds in one: a 10 x 12-ft. toolshed for general storage and an 8 x 10-ft. open-bay extension...

The plumbing system: now you can talk to your plumber.(How Your House Works: PART 1 of a new PM series)
October 1, 2005... PART 1 of a new PM series Plumbing has been around since early Roman times, but there s a good chance that the average man on the via didn't worry about how it worked. That was for the pros. Fast-forward several centuries to the aisles of...

Dealing with old outlets.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC: Q+A)
October 1, 2005... Q Can a two-prong outlet be replaced with a three-prong outlet? If so, what additional work is necessary beyond installing the outlet itself? TOM DRAGAS East Meadow, NY A Yes, you can replace a two-prong outlet with a three-prong...

The Crawler.(EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARDS: A few of our favorite new gadgets)
October 1, 2005... $799 Of all the products introduced at the recent National Hardware Show. The Crawler probably received the most attention as it slowly powered a rolling scaffold around the show floor. It received a PM Editor's Choice Award not just...

Briggs & Stratton ReadyStart.(EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARDS: A few of our favorite new gadgets)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... $15 * Small engines can be hard to start on a coo[ morning. We like Ready-Start because it adjusts the engine's choke plate based on engine temperature. Also, it eliminates the need for a separate choke or primer bulb. It's found on mowers...

Flamesaver propane tank.(EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARDS: A few of our favorite new gadgets)
October 1, 2005... $35 This 20-pound propane tank has a fitting that cuts fuel flow to alert you that 1 hour of fuel is left in reserve. To activate the tank's reserve, push a sliding switch to the On position and relight the grill, www .flamesaver.com ...

Turner deadbolt.(EDITOR'S CHOICE AWARDS: A few of our favorite new gadgets)
October 1, 2005... $45 The Turner deadbolt doesn't require a key to lock. When you leave home, rotate the device's outer collar. This throws the deadbolt, securely locking the door as if you had turned the mechanism with a key. Unlock it with a key when you...

Good idea.(Kidde Wireless System, First Alert OneLink, fire alarms )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Any time is a good time to think about improving your home's fire safety, but Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 9-15) is especially apt. Two manufacturers, Kidde and First Alert, have introduced wireless smoke alarms. Each works as a system, so the...

Attic mildew.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Q Recently, I went into the attic of the house that I bought eight months ago, just to do a visual inspection. I found that some of the trusses have black stuff on them. I used my pocketknife to poke into the wood, which is still hard and...

Step right up.(NOW YOU KNOW; safely using a ladder)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Nationwide, there were about 164,000 emergency room visits related to falls from ladders last year, according to Consumer Product Safety Commission statistics. That's about 449 injuries a day--in a year's time, that adds up to the population of...

Rust stains on carpet.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Q Our house is built on a monolithic slab with carpet over it. The carpet has rusty-looking spots on it and it's puckering, which, I assume, indicates moisture. Can this be caused by rusty rebar in the concrete? What preparation is needed prior...

Customized drywall compound.(mildew control)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Q I am about to install some drywall in a bathroom and shower area that has a moisture problem. I've heard that adding Lysol to the drywall joint compound helps prevent mold and mildew. Is this true? If so, how much Lysol should be added to...

Alaskan Camper.(camping equipment)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... I designed this 25-ft.-long camper, the Miassis Dragon, around a Grumman Olson delivery box. It is attached to an International DT 466 flatbed truck, but can easily be removed using jacks so we can haul freight and logs. It sleeps two. ...

From the 2005 National Hardware Show and Lawn & Garden World[R].(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... The only housing after-market show that brings together manufacturers and resellers of all products used to remodel, repair, maintain and decorate the home and its surroundings. With over 3,000 exhibitors and an attendance exceeding 30,000,...

Take control with BFGoodrich[R] g-Force[TM] tires.(THE goods: Great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
October 1, 2005... BFGoodrich[R] g-Force T/A[R] KDW tires come in a choice of two tread patterns and more sizes than any other ultra high performance tire fine. So you can get exactly the took and performance you want. BFGoodrich[R] tires-The World's Hottest...

XM Satellite Radio.(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... XM Satellite Radio--In your car. At home. Or on the go. The handheld Pioneer XM2goTM lets you take XM Satellite Radio virtually anywhere. XM is America's largest playlist with 100% commercial-free music, plus sports, news and talk. Plus, you...

Goodwrench.(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... When the seasons change, think of Mr. Goodwrench, the one and only GM expert. Mr. Goodwrench wants to prepare your GM vehicle for the upcoming season, and he'll start by performing a GM Goodwrench Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection. With GM...

Save up to 50% or more on heating bills with econo-heat electric panel heaters.(THE goods: Great products and promotional offers from PM advertisers)
October 1, 2005... Enjoy the Warmth and Relish the savings with the award winning, low-cost solution to winter warmth! Costing only 3 cents per hour to operate, their slim, stylish design is taking America by storm! With no moving parts and silent operation, no...

Ball joint replacement.(car maintenance)
October 1, 2005... It started as a clicking noise as you backed out of the drive. Just a mild tap through the steering wheel. Sometimes it's not even there. But as the mileage builds over the next few weeks, the click gets bigger. Then it starts to morph into a...

Volume control.(Helmholtz resonator)
October 1, 2005... Q I had a very small electrical fire in the engine compartment of my SUV. The only real damage to anything--other than some wires--was this "thing" (I don't know what else to call it) that attaches to my air cleaner. My mechanic doesn't know...

Male enhancement products ... do they really work? Sex: how to improve. Increase. Enjoy.(Maxoderm)(Advertisement)
October 1, 2005... Q: Dear Steffanie, For the past year, I've been having some confidence issues. It's really dragging me and my relationship with my wife down. I wanted to try some pills I heard about but I found out they can take 3 or more months to work....

Back it on out.(TOOLKIT)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Cross-threaded spark plug threads: A mechanic's worst nightmare. They invariably happen on the night before a vacation or when you're working on a friend's car and he's waiting to pick up the kids from school or has some other can't-miss-it...

Help from vehicle makers tech bulletins.(SERVICE TIPS)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... * Is your 1996-2005 Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge minivan hard to move after being parked in below-freezing weather? Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 05-003-05 says it's from water entering the rear brakes and freezing the brake shoes to the drums....

Let us know.
October 1, 2005... GOT A HIGH-MILEAGE CAR? We're Looking for readers who have managed to maintain their vehicles so well that they don't ever seem to wear out. Forever is a long time, but if your favorite ride has rolled the odometer over a couple of times,...

Boiling it down.(AUTO CLINIC: Q+A)
October 1, 2005... Q I have a Ford Crown Vic, year 2000. If I drive it around town on short trips at 55 or less, it never uses any oil, even if I go 3000 miles between changes. But if I take it out of town on a 3000-mile trip, it will use a whole quart. The...

Lightning does strike twice.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2005... Q I have a 1995 Chevy Lumina van. The fuse for the mirrors, locks and interior lights blew out today. I replaced the fuse and then smoke started coming from the dash on the driver's side. I had to take the fuse out to stop the smoke. Can you...

Home computer tuneup: your PC occasionally needs a little TLC to keep it running right.(tender loving care)
October 1, 2005... You take your car in for an oil change every 3000 miles, have its tires rotated and get the engine tuned up from time to time. Yet while we all make sure to maintain our vehicles, most of us don't bother to perform similar tasks on our personal...