Wednesday 9 November 2011

What is an NGV?

A Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) is a vehicle which runs on natural gas, a fuel which burns much more cleanly than gasoline. 

Because many countries are seeking alternatives to gasoline as a fuel source, the use of NGVs is growing around the world, as the cars are energy efficient and very clean burning. Consumers in some countries can purchase NGVs, and existing cars can also be converted to use natural gas. In addition, many companies offer fleet vehicles which run on natural gas, allowing cities to convert their cars, buses, and trucks to natural gas.

Natural gas is a gaseous combination of hydrocarbons, typically heavy on methane. Technically, natural gas is a fossil fuel, and it is considered a nonrenewable resource as a result. However, natural gas is fairly abundant and is generally cheaper than gasoline. In addition, it burns much more cleanly than gasoline, making it a better choice for vehicle fueling since it can dramatically reduce emissions. In some cases, an NGV can run onbiofuel, a renewable form of natural gas made from biological material such as manure.

The design of a NGV is much like that of a conventional gasoline vehicle. The engine works in the same way, with explosions of gas firing cylinders. Instead of a singe gas tank, the NGVhas several heavily secured tanks designed to hold compressed natural gas. In some cases, aNGV is equipped to take liquefied natural gas, which is cooled so that it becomes a liquid, allowing the car to store more energy. NGVs drive, look, and feel like ordinary cars.

Fueling the NGV is somewhat more complicated than fueling a conventional car. Drivers need to find a natural gas fueling station, or they can use a home fueling system which taps into household natural gas. Typically, a home fueling system can take hours to fill, since the gas needs to be pressurized before it enters the car. Manufacturers of NGVs hope that consumer demand will increase the number of available fueling stations, which is important, since the cars have a shorter range than their gasoline consuming counterparts do.

Although the NGV is not a complete solution to reliance on fossil fuels, the vehicles were hailed as a step in the right direction when they began to be more widely produced in the late 1990s. In many cities around the world, NGV buses, taxis, and public works vehicles can be readily seen on the streets.

Source : wisegeek.com

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Sport Rim

Everyone wants to have beautiful car comes with a nice sport rims. Sport rims give your vehicle a sleek and sporty look.

It enhances the overall appearance of any vehicle be it a motor bike, truck, or car. At times, a good set of rims or mags is all you need to turn your car go from something ordinary to a big head turner. You can almost gasp out that everybody loves the look that after market wheels bring. However, there are a few things you should know before heading out to buy new sport rims.

Defining Terms

There are a few jargons that anyone has to get out of the way before they can make an informed choice when buying sport rims. You should be able to tell the difference between a rim offset from PCD and from the center bore. You should at least know these three things before you get caught up in buying sport rims. You’ll use all three terms in sizing up your rims.

Center Bore

The center bore refers to the hole where your hub fits into. It is located at the very back of your wheel and helps to get it seated properly. The center bore ideally should match your hub perfectly in order to get it seated correctly. With the bore and the hub matched correctly you will reduce the amount of vibration since the wheel will be well centered.

You’ll basically get two types of center bores out there. The first one is called the hubcentric bore and the other is called the lugcentric bore. Hubcentric bores are basically center bores that match your hubs perfectly. With these two parts matched perfectly, a lot of stress to center the wheel is taken off your car’s lug nuts.

But you won’t always get perfectly matched center bores when you’re out to buy new sport rims. In case you don’t get hubcentric wheels, you can settle for lugcentric wheels that use the lug nuts to center the wheels. Just make sure that center bore is at least equal to or even larger than the hub or else you won’t be able to mount your car’s wheel.

In order to help with that said situation, some manufacturers have created adapters. These are hubcentric rings that either slide or lock onto the back of your wheel and allows you to mount a bigger center bore to a smaller hub. You might want to check on this option when you buy new sport rims.

Rim Offset

Another important thing you should consider when you buy new sport rims is to check the rim offset. This refers to the distance of the rim’s centerline to its mounting surface. You either get a positive or a negative measurement when you check the rim offset.

If your vehicle has a positive rim offset then this simply means that the edge of the wheel of your car is closer to the hub mounting surface. This basically means that the wheel is designed to wrap around the brake hardware and the hub. If your vehicle is designed to have a negative offset then that means that the hub’s mounting surface is a lot closer to your wheels’ inside edge.

When you’re fitting your car with new sport rims make sure that you follow the car manufacturer’s specified rim offset. Not following the manufacturer specified offset can affect steering and scrub radius.

PCD

You should also check the PCD when you buy new sport rims. PCD is an acronym which stands for pitch circle diameter. This diameter is measured at the very center of your wheel’s bolt holes. This diameter is usually expressed in millimeters. All manufacturers follow their own conventions when it comes to PCD. However, it is observed that the most common ones are 100 to 114 mm.

Conventional rims either have four studs, meaning they have four bolt holes, or five studs. Vehicles with more bolt holes simply mean that the vehicle requires a lot more strength to hold a single rim. Universal-fit rims are also available from commercial manufacturers today. These feature elongated lug holes that number from eight to ten bolt holes covering various types of patterns. These models can fit a wide range of vehicles.

A Lot More Than Just Looks

There is a lot more to it than making your car look better when you buy new sport rims. You should check the PCD, rim offset, and center bore as well. These will affect not only how sleek your car will look, they can also affect how your vehicle will perform with the new rims on.

Source : sportrim.org

Friday 4 November 2011

Magnesium alloy wheels

What is magnesium alloy wheels. Lets read this article for more info.
Magnesium alloy wheel on a Porsche Carrera GT

Magnesium alloy wheels, or "mag wheels", are sometimes used on racing cars, in place of heavier steel or aluminum wheels, for better performance. Magnesium wheels can be produced through various methods.

Forging
Forging can be done by a one or multi-step process forging from various magnesium alloys, most commonly AZ80, ZK60 (MA14 in Russia). Wheels produced by this method are usually of higher toughness and ductility than aluminum wheels, although the costs are much higher.
High pressure die casting (HPDC)
This process uses a die arranged in a large machine that has high closing force to clamp the die closed. The molten magnesium is poured into a filler tube called a shot sleeve. A piston pushes the metal into the die with high speed and pressure, the magnesium solidifies and the die is opened and the wheel is released. Wheels produced by this method can offer reductions in price and improvements in corrosion resistance but they are less ductile and of lower strength due to the nature of HPDC.
Low pressure casting (LPDC)
This process usually employs a steel die, it is arranged above the crucible filled with molten magnesium. Most commonly the crucible is sealed against the die and pressurized air/cover gas mix is used to force the molten metal up a straw like filler tube into the die. When processed using best practice methods LPDC wheels can offer improvements in ductility over HPDC magnesium wheels and any cast aluminum wheels, they remain less ductile than forged magnesium.
Gravity casting (permanent mold and sand casting)
Gravity cast magnesium wheels have been in production since the early 1920's. This method offers wheels with good ductility, and relative properties above what can be made with aluminum casting. Tooling costs for gravity cast wheels are among the cheapest of any process. This has allowed small batch production, flexibility in design and short development time.

How is it? You can try to your new Myvi or your new car.

Source : en.wikipedia.org

Tuesday 1 November 2011

How to Protect Your Car With a Car Cover

Let's face it; most of us have spent a decent amount of money on our cars/Myvi

Protecting it to ensure that it lasts as long as possible and stays looking like new should be a top priority. But not everyone is fortunate enough to have a garage or carport to keep his or her car, truck, SUV, or van protected while it's parked. If you're not protecting your car from damaging elements like rain, snow, sun, bird droppings, or tree sap then you're neglecting your vehicle.

One of the easiest ways to ensure that your vehicle is always protected is by using a car cover. Many people don't realize that car covers are not only available for cars. Many companies create and sell truck covers, SUV covers, and van covers in addition to car covers. This form of protection is a small investment to make for the level of protection you receive. Auto covers come in many different types, sizes, cuts, and prices and each one protects differently. Multi-layer one's provide the most protection while single-layer one's are great for vehicles that are often stored indoors. Waterproof one's are typically manufactured with ultrasonically welded seams to prevent moisture from penetrating the barrier. Reflective one's are a great option for vehicles in desert regions that see a lot of sun.

For people who have spent lots of money on their vehicles, you might want to consider purchasing a custom-fit auto cover from a company like Covercraft. Custom auto covers are manufactured to a vehicle's exact specifications. If your budget doesn't allow for the higher prices associated with custom vehicle covers, consider a semi-custom vehicle cover. Semi-custom vehicle covers are less expensive than custom-fit vehicle covers but still offer the same great protection while sacrificing fit slightly. Finally, if you're looking for a truly inexpensive solution, consider a universal or ready-fit auto cover. Universal ready-fit auto covers are typically "one size fits all" so you might experience pooling around the base of your vehicle. But at the end of the day, even a universal ready-fit car cover is better than no car cover at all.

So no matter what type of element you're trying to protect against, one thing is certain. Investing in a car cover, truck cover, SUV cover, or van cover is an easy and affordable way to begin protecting your vehicle from the damaging elements it's exposed to every day.
By Curtis Phillips
Source: EzineArticles.com