So I got this interesting question. What is a Ram Cylinder? Why did they even use it?

All cars were manual steering up to 1950’s. Starting in the early 1950’s, manufacturers such as Saginaw (now part of Delphi) experiemented with external valves, known as a control valve to give assist. This was extremely complicated for the time, but solved a major problem. Car Makers could not make cars much bigger because they were simply too hard to turn. Any assist would change the whole landscape.

So this setup used 4 steering parts. The steering pump uses a pulley to draw power from the engine and then pressurizes the system. The steering box that turned steering wheel movement into direction change of the vehicle. Then the control valve and ram cylinder to pressurize the wheels back and forth.

The upside is that it worked, it is much easier than manual steering. The downside was because of the number of parts and hoses, it was notoriously problematic. These are very common leakers. Starting in about 1957 with the Cadillac Deville, they introduced integral power steering. This moved all of the ram and control valve functions to inside the gearbox. This greatly helped with defectives.

I will preface this with the following statement - I like Lexus. I feel any car guy (or gal) can find a couple Lexus cars to love. Lexus has also been a serious trendsetter. It was the first luxury brand to introduce hybrid engines, the first luxury brand to introduce an 8 speed automatic transmission (yes, you read that right, EIGHT), not to mention it single handedly pioneered the “Crossover” - Lexus RX. In fact, the Germans are STILL playing catchup to all of the above mentions.

Enough of the bun on top of the criticism sandwich, lets get to the meat. Lexus recently introduced the Lexus LFA, a $350,000 “bargain” per Car and Driver. Go ahead, click it, I’ll wait.

Perplexing? It was to me. The maker of a Scion Xb wants over a quarter million dollars for a car. I don’t get it. Just thinking about the price tag alone, barring any supercar references, BMW has Rolls Royce, Mercedes has Maybach, Audi/VW has Bentley. The vanity of prestige is often used to justify these car brands’ illustrious price tags. The rich histories of Rolls, the ‘Bach, and Bent help justify it as well. Lexus has neither.

It might not be fair to compare a Bentley to a Lexus. So lets compare the market Lexus is going after, the Lamborghini and Ferrari buyers. History and prestige which, I would argue, also help justify supercars’ price tags. The two factors are (again) absent for Lexus. And the LFA is already being dubbed as an exotic? Call me old school but for me, mid (or rear) engine and exotic are synonymous. The LFA’s competition - Gallardo, R8, Porsche 911, Ferrari F430, all have engines where? That’s right, the back.

Nissan still has trouble justifying the $75k price tag for the GTR which, by the way, matches the LFA’s performance numbers to the tee. I don’t know why anyone would pay $350,000 for a Celica (R.I.P) on HGH with a Yamaha built V10. But hey, let’s only make a few hundred of these and people will buy em! Of course they will. People will buy anything. Pontiac Aztec, anyone?

—Lets play a game called LFA or Celica?

I had someone looking to buy some videos for a car parts project they were working on. They wanted more than just a book walking them through it, they wanted to see it. I recommended the browse youtube. Try some variations on your search and you’re likely to find something useful there. Most of us are visual learners, so just watching a bit can go a long way towards making a project easier.

Believe it or not, there are some good videos out there. YouTube.com has everything from published professional videos to amatuer stuff. I would stick to ones that look legit, or are almost identical to what you are doing. Don’t be too trusting.

A few auto parts companies even publish some videos on YouTube. I found Car Parts Warehouse had some wheel hub videos. Discount AC Parts had some AC Compressor installation Videos and Turbochargerpros.com had some of their turbos videos there. Might be good to see some info on the parts before installation. Like mentioned earlier, just being able to see something and how it looks makes things easier.

Beyond YouTube there are other sites offering videos on installation. Many are free, but many are require subscription. If you really need help, then paying for it will save you in the long run.

For many home mechanics, this can be a real nuisance. You take out your original part, do your research and make sure you get the “OEM” Original equipment replacement part from the parts store. However, when you open the box, it looks nothing like the original. You immediately think the parts store is pulling a fast one on you.

The truth is, OEM car parts over time improve in design. OEM number changes commonly occur in car steering racks, ac compressors and fuel pumps. This is especially true if your car is at least 5-10 years old. I found such an issue with a client who thought he had purchased the wrong fuel pump. The one in particular was a Delphi fuel pump. Manufacturers often make adjustments to assure higher efficiency and better overall operation.

I have included pictures of the Original Fuel Pump and the Improved design. In this particular case, the original fuel pump had the fuel strainer on the outside of the physical pump whereas in the new design the fuel pump has the strainer built inside the body of the pump itself. This change, along with the new locking ring, improved RFI noise filtering and reduced amperage. Tons of changes, but the part number stays the same.

OEM number changes occur and it is a natural part of the car parts industry. Instead of immediately questioning the parts store, question the part itself and look for any OEM changes when in doubt.

I was working with someone who had a kit car. It was a classic mercedes that required a Mustang manual steering rack.

I was fairly impressed with the price and availability for these. Apparently alot of companies are building kits that use this Ford Steering Rack. Who would have thought a 70’s Mustang II steering rack would still be so popular?

They can also use power racks, which are nice if the car is bigger or heavier. If the car is lightweight and small I recommend sticking with power, since the power steering pump sucks power from the engine. Either way its nice to have a good supply of new racks and not have to worry about returning a core.

Here are some basic car maintenance tips to save gas.

1. A faulty oxygen sensor can be very bad. Replacing it can improve your mileage up to 40 percent.
2. Replacing a clogged air filter can save up to 10 percent. It also protects your engine from contamination and long term damage.
3. Replace spark plugs every 60-90K miles. Spark plugs get weaker over time. An improperly firing spark plug will decrease engine performance. Platinum plugs are usually only a few bucks more too.
4. Don’t speed. I don’t like this one either, but it does help. Note that best gas mileage is not low speeds but usually around 50-60mph when you transmission gets into top gear.
5. Easy on the brakes. Don’t speed up to stop. If you are coming to a stop, take your foot off the gas earlier. Using brakes equals bad gas mileage.
6. Overuse of AC compressor. A/c does not really take that much to run, but having cranked to max all the time will hurt a bit. Try a lower setting.
7. Lose gas gaps. Takes less than a second to check the cap each time.
8. Keep Tires Properly Inflated. You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure
9. Dirty or wrong engine oil. Do not used unsealed or unknown oil. Go with a Valvoline, Castol, Penzoil, etc, etc. Also be sure to use the exact oil. Using the wrong oil can take a few MPG off your trip.

‘Tis the question - especially considering everyone is “running lean” financially these days, why would anyone buy new car parts if cheaper, remanfactured, used parts are available. Well, there isn’t an easy answer. My recommendation - it depends on the car part you are replacing.

If it is a gearbox or rack and pinion, which in most cases are remanufactured anyway, you don’t really have a choice. It would be wise to consider the history of the rebuilder and the level of workmanship. A good way to gauge the quality is to look at the company’s warranty policy.

Other suspension parts, such as wheel hubs, struts, shocks, brakes, rotors, etc. you always want new. Last thing you want is a “spray and pray” part and be stuck with hundreds of dollars in labor plus the cost of the reman./used part.

Apply the same philosophy to your car’s air conditioning system. Rule of thumb: you always want to buy new, with a great warranty, unless a new compressor is not available anywhere and remanufactured is your only choice.

Same goes for turbochargers and superchargers - buy new. However, I have noticed the quality of rebuilt forced induction parts is improving. Do your research. When in doubt, check the warranty.

At the end of the day, if its mechanical, buy new, otherwise don’t bother. Car radios, car navigation units, and other interior parts might be important to you but they won’t keep your car from functioning. In other words, if it doesn’t affect the drivablity of your car, shoot for used/reman. The ultimate scenario you must avoid is your car out of commission, sitting at the shop because you “ran lean” on the wrong part.

Put yourself in the driver seat when your car was 20K miles younger. How about 40k? Dare to wander past 60k? Compare how your car feels now versus back then. There is, most definitely, a change in ride quality.

One component which often gets overlooked is the wheel hub assembly. It is the lone part which connects the tire to the vehicle. The wear and tear of the wheel hub can translate into the steering drifting lose, ghost road noises and insistent vibrations.

The idea is to keep the ride quality consistent. when the odometer approaches 90k, and you are seeing the aforementioned symptoms, it might be time to hone in on wheel hubs. You always want a complete wheel hub assembly with brand new bearings, sensor, and all. If a single bearing on the current hub(s) is out, it is best to replace the entire wheel hub assembly. Your car might never ride like it did 60K miles ago but this is one, often overlooked, way to maintain a consistent ride quality over the lifetime of the car.

I am a little frustrated. My car radio decided to leave me for eternity; it was time for us to part ways. The solution seems pretty simple right? Just go to the dealership and get a replacement CD changer. WRONG. I don’t understand how someone can ask for such a large amount of money for a 7 year old part. I know I am not getting the best bang for the buck. I know I am not getting the most up to date, audiophile quality head unit.

Truth is, I don’t want to. I am a simple human being. I want a simple replacement to what I’ve had in the my car for the past 7 years. So I try Best Buy, Fry’s, and other local electronic stores. Again, nothing. After banging my head online for a few hours, I found a great car radio replacement solution. Best Buy size selection and warranty in car audio minus the outrageous stealership prices - all for stock car radio parts.

Why aren’t there more of these? I am still searching but quite frankly, getting tired of stolen car stereos on ebay and craigslist and the lack of warranties from other stores. I am curious, am I the only one who likes my car audio the way it is - stock? And willing to go through all this to get my car back to its simple, clean look? Call me crazy but I’d rather rebuild my CD changer than part ways with it for eternity.

Time to get the A/C Season in shape for summer. Don’t want to be stuck in the heat without AC.

Service your A/C System every 60K miles. Take it to a licensed repair facility and have them evacuate and recharge your system. During this they will replace the ac compressor oil which is key to long life.

A couple of tips if you need to replace any ac components;

1. Always buy new. You can get lots of new A/C Compressors here.
2. Always change the drier and orifice tube (if applicable)
3. Always flush the system and put in new oil and new freon.

A/C systems are violent and difficult, not worth cutting corners on. Should be done by a licensed mechanic or someone who has worked on these.