Dangers of Motorcycle Parts Defect

In Los Angeles, motorcycle parts defect that lead to accidents are not all that uncommon. With thousands of motorists riding these 2 wheeled vehicles for speed and convenience, the motorcycle has become a part of the culture of Los Angeles.

Most motorists who buy a new motorcycle quickly assumes that everything is perfectly fine only to be involved later on to an accident caused by a motorcycle part defect.

In fact just in 2005, more than 87,000 motorcyclists’ sustained injuries and more than 4,500 died as a result of motorcycle accidents, some of which were caused by motorcycle parts defect.

Who can blame them? Some of those buyers even bought the new motorcycle to replace an old defective motorcycle. That is why it is important to be careful in buying motorcycles or any other vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration or NHTSA sets the minimum performance requirement for all motorcycle parts.

It is also tasked to investigate complaints by motorists about certain safety-related defects and decide whether a recall will be necessary.

The United States Code for Motor Vehicle Safety refers to safety related defects as a problem that exists in a motorcycle or any vehicle equipment or part that:

• Poses a risk to motorcycle safety.

• May exist in a group of motorcycles of the same design and manufacture or items of the same type.

Here are some examples of motorcycle defects that may be safety related:

• Defective steering components that break suddenly resulting to lost control

• Fuel system component problems

• Accelerators controls that either breaks and/or sticks

• Cracked or broken tires

• Sears or back seats that fail during use

• Important motorcycle parts that breaks or separates from the vehicle resulting to loss of vehicle control

• Wiring system problems

• Defective child safety seats.

To avoid purchasing motorcycles with defective parts here are a few guidelines that you can follow in buying a motorcycle:

• Research – Research the model and manufacturer of the motorcycle you are about to buy. Find out if there has been a recall order on that particular motorcycle model.

• Get opinions – Talk to people who have purchased the same motorcycle model. Ask them if they are satisfied with the performance or are there problems that they are encountering. Even the small things may matter when you make a decision.

• Talk to mechanics – Ask them about their expert opinion about the model. You can also ask them if the motorcycle model is often brought to their shop for certain problems. You can also ask them to make a recommendation on what brand and model has the best overall performance.

• Get motorcycle history – If you are buying a used motorcycle, make sure you find out about its history. How many previous owners has it had? Had it been involved in an accident? Has any parts of the motorcycle been replaced? Those are just some of the things you have to find out about the vehicle.

• Be suspicious of cheap motorcycles – Most cheap motorcycles are just that. Cheap. There is a reason why these motorcycles are sold in a low price and most likely it is also because of very low quality.

There are already thousands of road accidents in Los Angeles that are caused by various reasons like speeding, dui, and reckless driving. It is best not to add motorcycle defects to those reasons if it can be avoided.

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Preview of 2 Umpire System presented by UmpireTeacher.com

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Preview of 2 Umpire System presented by UmpireTeacher.com

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How to Fix a Clogged Epson Printer

Epson printers have proven to be among the best inkjet printers in the world in terms of performance and economy. That being said, there are also crucial maintenance requirements to remember when using your printer.

Epson printing technology is unique, so it is helpful to understand some of the basic mechanics of the ink delivery system.

The print head built into the carriage. The carriage holds the ink cartridges and moves laterally across the paper when printing. The print head contains thousands of tiny nozzles that actually squirt the ink onto paper. The print head is the ink "control center" for the printer.

By far, the biggest issue with Epson printers is there tendency for their print heads to become clogged with ink. Since the nozzles are (depending on the model) a fraction of the size of a human hair, it is easy to see how clogging can become an issue.

I. Signs that your printer may be clogged

A. Full cartridge but no ink coming out on printed paper

B. Broken or white horizontal lines

C. Print becomes faint, then disappears completely on within first page but the cartridge is not empty.

D. Printed material comes out in one or two colors only

The first and best way to keep your Epson printer in good condition and free from clogs is to print regularly. The more you print the less problems you will have.

Printing regularly keeps the ink in the print head moving and fresh; preventing the ink from drying. Printing at least a page a week of black text and a page containing all three colors (cyan, magenta and yellow) is good for maintaining top printing performance.

Here is a link to a tune up pattern we recommend to use once a week if you do not print very often with your Epson printer.

http://www.asapinkjets.com/images/color-bar-test.bmp

The second defense against clogs is to make sure that you power down your printer using its' power button instead of the off switch on a power strip. This is especially important if you do not print at least once a week. Turning your printer off with your power strip prevents the printers' built in shut down process from sealing the print head.

If the print head is not sealed, the ink will slowly dry and harden in the print head. Eventually, the ink will dry and turn to the consistency of maple syrup or even putty. When this happens, the print head will partially or completely clog.

The next preventative tip is to remember to always keep a cartridge installed in the printer.

If you run out of ink, and take the empty cartridge with you to your local office supply store, make sure you replace it promptly. The ink will dry wherever exposed to the air, including in the ink-receptacle area where you just removed the cartridge from the carriage.

Try not to take a cartridge out of the carriage unless you are replacing it within a couple minutes.

If you have received this article a day late and found that you have a clog, don't despair, there is hope.

Start with the easiest solution, try running a cleaning cycle using your printer utilities program. A few cleaning cycles (or cartridge priming cycle) will usually clear any air bubbles from a cartridge change or a small clog from the nozzles.

Select the utility tab (it might also be named "Maintenance") and there you'll find the head cleaning tool and nozzle check. Run the head cleaning cycle, then a nozzle check after to see the progress. Repeat these two steps 1- 4 times as until clear.

There is said to be a small chance of damaging the print head if multiple cleanings are performed consecutively without a nozzle check, so make sure to remember to do both

If no success there are still a couple of things you can try.

Option # 1. You can try using ammonia (or Windex is ok also) with a cotton swab. Basically, you'll need to first remove the cartridge of the color that's giving you problems. Put some ammonia in the top of the printhead (the carriage part in the printer) and let it sit overnight. Also put a little more ammonia in the printhead-resting seat. (The rubber part that seals off the printhead unit when in it's resting position.)

You will also take an ammonia dampened cotton swab and try gently wiping off the bottom part of the printhead (the end closest to the paper)

You can also take an old, inkjet cartridge and drill a hole in it, clean it out with the ammonia, fill it back up with ammonia and seal the hole. Put the improvised cleaning back in place and then run a few cleaning cycles or a long print routine. Then replace with regular cartridge to see if any progress has been made. Be warned that this could get messy, so have paper towels nearby.

The final option to fix a stubborn clog is to use a specific cleaner called "Print Head Clog Buster" which is made specifically for this purpose.

It's a 1 ounce bottle of cleanser that also comes with a plastic tube syringe for shooting cleaner directly through the printhead ports (works much better than a q-tip). It also comes with detailed instructions on how to use it. This is specially formulated, and works very well for stubborn clogs.

If you are interested in the Clog buster cleaner kit, the price is $14.95 with free shipping.

Here's a quick link that will add it to your shopping cart:

http://www.asapinkjets.com/cmd.php?products_id=596

Hopefully this information will keep your Epson printing for years to come.

Remember… Print weekly, and enjoy your printer for years to come.

Bob Stephens is director of operations for ASAP Inkjets, and an

authority on inkjet technology & mechanics. ASAP Inkjets offers

inkjet cartridges and laser toner at up to 80% below retail.

Signup for their free newsletter for tips & discount coupons at

http://www.asapinkjets.com/ or email: subscribe@asapinkjets.com

Video Source: Youtube

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Cyclone 866F Best Motorcycle Alarm - Check it Out.

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Your Drive Train Explained

The drive train serves two functions: it transmits power from the engine to the drive wheels, and it varies the amount of torque. "Power" is the rate or speed at which work is performed. "Torque" is turning or twisting force. Multiple ratio gearboxes are necessary because the engine delivers its maximum power at certain speeds, or RPM (Rotations Per Minute). In order to use the same engine RPM's at different road speeds, it is necessary to change the "Gear Ratio" between the engine and the drive wheels. Just like a bicycle, the car has to switch gears in order to move at a wide range of speeds. Unlike your bicycle, the car's drivetrain also has to allow you to back up. (Well, you could push it backwards if you ate your Wheaties)

There are actually two sets of gears in the drive train; the transmission and the differential. The transmission allows the gear ratio to be adjusted, and the differential lets the drive wheels turn at different speeds.

Manual transmissions usually have four or five speeds, and often have "overdrive", which means that the output shaft can turn faster than the input shaft for fuel economy on the highway. Some use an electric clutch and a switch that controls whether the overdrive is engaged or not. An interesting development on a few cars is the "clutchless" manual transmission, which uses a stick shift and an automatic electric clutch. Speed and position sensors, mini computers, and throttle controls keep the engine from over-revving when the driver shifts gears. As with many automotive "inventions", this is an old idea, which may now reach feasibility due to the computer revolution.

Automatic transmissions commonly use three forward gears to blend speed and torque. In the case of a three-speed transmission, first gear delivers maximum torque and minimum speed for starting. Second gear offers medium torque and speed for acceleration and hill climbing. Third gear allows maximum speed with minimum torque for highway travel. A reverse gear permits backward movement.

A transmission is a speed and power-changing device installed at some point between the engine and driving wheels of a vehicle. It provides a means for changing the ratio between engine RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) and driving wheel RPM to best meet each particular driving situation.

Some types of drive train layouts use a "Transaxle", which is simply a combination of the transmission and the differential. These are usually found on front wheel drive cars, but are also used on mid- and rear-engine cars. Some exotic cars have their engine in the front, and a transaxle in the rear of the car for better weight balance.

Torque is derived from power. The amount of torque obtainable from a source of power is proportional to the distance from the center of rotation at which it is applied. It is logical, then, that if we have a shaft (in this case, the crankshaft) rotating at any given speed, we can put gears of different sizes on the shaft and obtain different results. If we put a large gear on the shaft, we will get more speed and less power at the rim than with a small gear. If we place another shaft parallel to our driving shaft and install gears on it in line with those on the driving shaft, we can obtain almost any desired combination of speed or power within the limits of the engine's ability. That is exactly what an automobile transmission does by means of gears and other devices.

There are two types of transmissions; manual and automatic. If you have a manual transmission, you have to shift the gears yourself, usually with a stick located on your console and the clutch pedal. If you have an automatic transmission, the mechanism changes without any help from you. This is accomplished through a system that works by oil pressure. Each shift of the gears is controlled by a shift valve; the gears shift change depending on speed, the road, and load conditions.

Another basic component of all drive trains is some form of a clutch. it allows the engine to continue rotating while the gears and wheels are stationary. Automatic transmission cars use a "torque converter" in lieu of a clutch.

The last component in the drive train is the axle. In a rear wheel drive car the axle is in the rear. Engine power is transmitted from the transmission to the axle via the drive shaft. The drive shaft is basically a metal tube with joints on each end called universal joints. These joints allow the tube to move in relation to the suspension and keep power flowing to the rear. In front wheel drive cars the axle is integrated into the transmission thus the term transaxle.

>From the back of the engine to where the rubber meets the road, the drive train encompasses one of the most complicated systems of your car. Some people say looking at a transmission "makes their brain hurt".

The above information is directly from the Auto Insight program, which you can buy online from AutoEducation.com.

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Diesel Engine Principles For Beginners

Diesel engine principles are pretty straight forward for the experienced mechanic but what about regular everyday people who have never taken the time to find out more about a diesel engine and how it works?

I am going to explain in layman's terms the basic principles of a diesel engine.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GASOLINE ENGINE AND A DIESEL ENGINE?...a quick overview.

The first thing you should know is a gasoline engine and a diesel engine are totally different. A gasoline engine is constructed much lighter than the heavier built diesel engine and runs on an air/fuel mixture combined with a high energy spark that is timed to ignite the air/fuel mixture inside each engine cylinder at the precise time creating power and torque [turning force] which drives your vehicle.

A diesel engine uses high compression [intake air that is compressed / squished] into a very small space inside each cylinder causing extreme heat! This is called 'Heat Of Compression' which ignites a very fine high pressure mist of diesel fuel that is injected into the cylinder at the exact time.

So you now know that a gasoline engine needs a high energy spark to run while a diesel uses 'Heat Of Compression'

THE FOUR STROKE PRINCIPLE

Every engine today runs on FOUR STROKES or FOUR CYCLES- both these terms mean the same. Here is how the four stroke diesel engine operates.

The four strokes are: INTAKE-COMPRESSION-POWER-EXHAUST. The pistons, valves and injectors work together in each cylinder in a set sequence over and over.

1} INTAKE STROKE:

Intake valves in the cylinder head open allowing pressurized air to enter each cylinder while the piston is travelling downward.{the pressurized air supply is made possible by the TURBOCHARGER which pushes air into the intake system giving the diesel engine a boost of air to keep up with instantaneous injection of fuel}

2} COMPRESSION STROKE:

When the piston starts to make it's way back upward the valves close which traps the intake air in the cylinder which allows compression to take place, the HEAT OF COMPRESSION is reached when the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, the diesel fuel is then injected into the cylinder at the precise time.

3} POWER STROKE:

After injection takes place an explosion occurs in the cylinder because of the combination of heat and atomized diesel fuel. This causes the piston to be forced downward which produces torque and the horsepower required from a typical diesel engine.

4} EXHAUST STROKE:

After the power stroke the piston moves upward once again while the exhaust valves open allowing the previously ignited gases to escape to the atmosphere out the exhaust system.

As mentioned before each cylinder goes through this exact sequence over and over in a set firing order. For instance, a 6 cylinder diesel engine has a firing order 1- 5- 3- 6- 2- 4 This is the order that each cylinder goes by, following the 4 strokes mentioned above. This sequence has been engineered to allow the diesel engine to run smoothly with no imbalance.

DIESEL ENGINE TRIVIA: Today's high performance diesel engines.

Fuel passes through the injector at speeds of nearly 1500 miles per hour - as fast as a jet plane at top speed.

Fuel is injected into the combustion chamber in less than 1.5 milliseconds, the same time it takes for a camera flash to go off.

The minimum amount of fuel injected into a diesel engine is one cubic millimetre - about the same volume as the head of a pin.

Volkswagen has developed a 1 litre diesel powered car that got 100 kilometres out of .89 litres of fuel {60 miles on approxiamately 3/4 of a quart of fuel!}

There is much to learn about diesel engines and a ton of information online. If you have ever considered buying a vehicle with a diesel engine you have my blessing! The extra cost will be to your benefit, so I recommend finding out more about diesel engines before you decide which one to choose..

I hope you have found this information on diesel engines helpful!

John Whelan

For more information go to:
http://www.schoolbusmechanic.blogspot.com

Feel free to use this article, all I ask is that the content does not get altered.

Thank You.

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