Tag: jalopnik.com

For the most part, the mechanical system in your car is the same one used in almost every other car on the road. There are exceptions, of course, but there’s one system that you’ll be hard-pressed to find any differences in between models. It’s called rack-and-pinion steering, and it wasn’t the default choice back during its debut in…

Porsche is very near the top of the list for brands with high maintenance costs, and there are several factors that contribute to that distinction. Many Porsche models have expensive parts and high-strung high-performance engines that require special attention; they’re also a luxury brand, so high-end materials cost more to replace. But, there’s more to it.…

Despite Oldsmobile’s eventual reputation for living down to its name, you might have wished its final products were, in fact, more like your father’s Oldsmobile. At least, if your dad grew up in the muscle car era. Not only did the brand produce what’s actually considered America’s very first muscle car, but it also came…

Technologically progress always looks dramatic in retrospect, but how often can you compare the competitive advantage of that improvement decade to decade? In a recent video from Lando Norris‘ Quadrant squad, Norris and former teammate Carlos Sainz gathered to test go-karts from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and today in a back-to-back same-track-same-day run.…

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. The tires of your vehicle take a lot of abuse. And, as you probably know, they aren’t impervious to age, punctures, and damage caused by worn-out parts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends inspecting all tires at least once a month or before taking a road…

When Ford released the roadgoing version of its Le Mans winner, the GT40 Mk III, in 1967, Car and Driver jumped behind the wheel. Its initial thoughts? Outlook not so good. The glue-covered dash, missing parking light, or an ever-glowing brake warning indicator would surely scare off any buyer of a 1967 car with an…

Harley engines are not particularly smooth. Sure, the modern Milwaukee-Eight engines have improved things, but they’re still pretty vibey. And if you suspect unusually high levels of vibration, it’s likely that your compensator is on its way out. For the uninitiated, a compensator absorbs the engine pulses, protecting everything downstream of the crankshaft from sudden…

Way back in 1978, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a waiver to the Clean Air Act, allowing gasoline that was made up of up to 10% ethanol, or E10, to be sold at the fuel pump. E10 is still the gas that is most commonly sold today.  Decades later, in 2010, the EPA would…

The oil pan does more than store the lifeblood of your car’s engine. It also helps lower the oil temperature by allowing heat to dissipate. Lowering the oil temperature is critical since excess heat can significantly degrade the oil, making it inefficient in cooling and lubricating moving parts. Considering the oil in a gas engine can…

A healthy ignition system is key to a car’s overall efficiency and power output. If any of the components that have a hand in lighting off the air/fuel ratio are damaged or worn out, it could mean a drop in fuel economy, poor running conditions — such as misfires — and a significant lack of…