Search results

Toyota wants plugs changed at 60K on the 2GR-FSE/FXS/FKS, 4GR-FSE, 1UR-FSE and 2UR-GSE/FSE in many Lexus and newer V6 Camry/Sienna and Tacomas. They use a tri-ground electrode plug to handle direct injection and are hard on plugs. Subaru wants 60K as well on their newer engines. Funny enough...

NGK’s OE Laser plugs are double precious metal tipped, and meant for longer life - OE recommended replacement if the car was OE with double platinum/iridium-platinum plugs. Notable exceptions are Subarus and V6/V8 Toyota D4-S engines in Lexus models or the later Camry/Sienna/Highlander/Tacoma...

Quick lubes here use Service Champ or Prime Guard. The PG ones look nicely made.

Duralast Gold is made in India - same deal with BrakeBest Select in the yellow/gold box and ImportDirect at OR as well as Carquest Premium/Platinum at AA/Carquest. MAT Roulunds, aka Dan-Blok makes them, and Mercedes Star Parts as well as Volvo uses them as a supplier too. Bendix pads are now...

Those PerfectStops are pretty decent pads. One of the local parts houses carries them as an Auto Value affiliate. Around here, I see more AutoZone drivers than O’Reilly - especially at the mom and pops and Firestone shops.

And the Japanese also had their suppliers come here or formed joint ventures with existing domestic suppliers so they can play by their rules and adopt JIT. One example is interiors - Toyota has their own interiors/safety supplier, Tokai Rika. Tokai Rika setup joint ventures with the then...

I wouldn’t fret over a Honda HR-V or Subaru Forester - both are compact with CVTs, made in Japan. Honestly, you’d be hard-pressed to spot a difference between a Japanese and Canadian built RAV4 or a CR-V made in Japan/Ohio/Canada/Mexico. The Japanese are much better at consistency and having...

Bosch’s regular plugs are just fine in Mercedes, VW and Stihl engines. Their OE-style Pt/Ir plugs are copies of NGK/Denso design. It’s their closed-top Bosch Platinum/+4/Ir Fusion plugs that’s the problem. An ex-friend had the Bosch OE-style plugs in a L31 Vortec, my choice would be ACDelco or...

Heard of a kid who got poisoned with coolant in their bottle. Animals also can’t taste Bitrex, which is used to embitter coolant. Cats, dogs and rodents especially not.

Seems like Peak 10X but made with PG vs. EG, like the old Sierra and Prestone Low-Tox coolants. I like the idea of a “safer” coolant, buses here are running glycerin-based coolant. Sierra and Low-Tox was pricey, and you can’t use a EG hydrometer to check freeze point.

I’m happy with an EGo 56V chainsaw. It’s not as fast as the Echo it replaced but one less carb and less gas to worry about going bad.

If you go into parts of Asia(more so Southeast and South Asia) where 2-strokes are still popular, they still have a problem with air pollution despite cleaner JASO FC/FD oils. Japanese clone scooters and 2-stroke engines are predominant there. Granted, new 2-stroke OPE does run much cleaner, you...

That filter is for older Nissans and Subarus not using a PH7317/6607 filter. Think the older VG30E.

Wells Fargo is making similar moves, though bulk of their staff is in Manhattan, Charlotte(via Wachovia) and Sioux City their legal domicile is in San Francisco. They’re moving people to Dallas.

I was just at Walmart yesterday. Now it’s time to go back tonight.

Sumitomo Rubber and Goodyear let the Dunlop brand rot. It’s primarily a OE fitment now, but somehow their motorcycle tires are still pretty decent. Harley uses Dunlop or Michelin from the factory. Falken is Sumitomo’s flagship brand.

Toyota installs some marginally safe tires IMO. Honda used to install decent tires. It’s more of a CAFE/NVH thing. OTOH, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche have strict criteria for Star-Spec, MO & MOExtended and N-spec.

Red Line for years was seen as a local pride thing with the race crowd and enthusiasts in the Bay Area. Even to the point where kids slapped Red Line Oil stickers on their BMX bikes. In their old hometown of Martinez and Benicia, CA, there was even a Red Line Oil banner at the local Little League.

I currently have M1 ESP 0W-30 in it. I’ll see what WM has - AutoZone is running a tax month promo. $50 for a jug of M1 with an STP blue oil filter(AZ version of a Ecogard/Premium Guard) and air filter.

dexos1/2 or a Euro oil has been proven to be friendly to cats - but Castrol has touted “phosphorus replacement technology” in GTX High Mileage, a syn blend. I was able to largely reduce oil consumption in an older Prius with a mix of BG EPR, VPBR, piston soaks, HPL engine cleaner and even their...