David Muench (Carnes Mechanical)

API is an abbreviation of the American Petroleum Institute - this is where the API system was created back in 1947. There are 3 main types of API classification: For powertrain parts. For gasoline engines. For engines that run on diesel fuel. API Engine Oil Grade Meaning of letters Engine…

What is Engine oil viscosity modifiers Gasoline engine oil viscosity modifier maintains the quality of engine oil with additional additives that stabilize viscosity, reduce wear and reduce the intensity of oxidation processes. Engine oil viscosity modifier for gasoline engines provides additional protection against engine overheating and allows the engine oil…

What does oil viscosity mean? Viscosity tells how "viscous" the engine oil is at a given temperature. However, it initially says nothing about the quality of the engine oil. Low viscosity = low resistance to deformation "Thin viscosity" (example: water) High viscosity = high resistance to deformation "viscous" (example: honey)…

Anyone dealing with xenon headlights will come across lamp designations that begin with D. Why not X, for xenon? Well, the D stands for "Discharge". This is the technology by which xenon light works. The D is followed by a number, with the D1 being the newer lamp type compared…

LED lights made their debut in the first vehicle models around 20 years ago. Initially, they were installed in taillights and brake lights, and later also in turn signals and daytime running lights. In the meantime, LED lights are also used for low beam and high beam and have almost…

Luminous flux and power For household lamps, the world was simple for many decades. With light bulbs, also called bulbs because of their shape, it was the watt that counted in terms of brightness. A 60-watt bulb is more efficient than a 40-watt bulb, but when it comes to automotive…

The fog lights improve visibility in poor visibility conditions. They shine forward. It is different from the rear fog light. It shines bright red toward the rear. When may I switch on the fog lights? You should switch on the fog lights not only in fog but generally in poor…

The high beam and the headlight flasher The high beam is a very powerful headlight to the front. Turn it on, you can see farther and better. However, the high beams dazzle other vehicles and road users. If you switch on the high beam only briefly, this is the headlight…

The low beam is the headlight you turn on at dusk and dawn to illuminate the road ahead. The light reaches about 165 to 197 feet. It gives you better visibility without dazzling oncoming traffic. When you turn on the low beam, the front headlights and rear taillights illuminate. If…

Halo headlights (also known as halos or angel eyes because of the distinctive arrangement of the lights in a circle) are front car lighting units with glowing rings inside the headlight relay assembly. Introduced by BMW in 2000, Halo headlights were originally typical of that manufacturer's vehicles, but soon became…

Daytime running lights (DRL) are used to illuminate a vehicle in good visibility conditions during the day. On newer vehicles, it switches on automatically with the ignition and switches off as soon as the main lighting (low beam or high beam) is activated. What Are Daytime Running Lights (DRLs) for…

Combination low beam/ high beam describes a vehicle that uses ONE bulb on each side, with that bulb also functioning as a low beam/ high beam bulb. Such a vehicle will have a total of two separate headlight bulbs, one left and one right. Low beam and high beam headlamp…