Fake Auto Parts Sdn Tanggung

Counterfeiting in the automotive industry is not a new problem. In the past fake/imitation/counterfeit parts were mainly on non-safety items such as skirting, spoiler and body parts.

Today, the authority has many times warned that many cars could be death-traps for using safety-related fake/imitation items - such as brake pads, brake discs, suspension and steering linkages. There were many cases where cars fitted with fake brake pad /discs and steering linkages made of very low quality materials involved in fatal accidents.

Consumers should use reputable service centers. However, even some service centers may be unaware the parts are fake because they may be conned into buying what they believe to be cheap genuine products. The problem is that the fake/counterfeit products today have been designed to look like almost perfect replicas of the genuine product, so people don't know a counterfeit when they see one.

Now... fake engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, spark plug, oil filter, air filter, etc. are easily available on-line and from your own 'friends' at lower costs and you think can save some money....but you are probably buying fake/imitation/counterfeit products.

Now, think a moment. .. how much is your life worth?

Are Your Brembo Discs Genuine?

I asked Brembo how to identify if the discs are genuine. I was informed that Genuine Brembo Discs should...

• be either blanks, cross-drilled, or slotted. No combination of cross-drilled and slotted. The drilled or slotted discs are coated in a zinc/cadmium plating to help prevent rust and ensure disc longevity.

• have identification number starting with "09" or "08" such as 09.xxxx.xx. The Brembo discs also have a Brembo Logo and stamp on the disc lip.

• came in a thick brown cardboard box. The fakes came in a thin white cardboard box.

• be machined all surfaces including inside hat except on the ventilation vanes. Fake discs have rough cast hat, with a wide gap between the rotor vanes and the braking surface - not machined at all.

• weigh heavier than the fake discs. Brembo brake rotors are high carbon discs, and have the ability to better dampen vibration and noise

• have two equal and identical braking surfaces. Both sides have exactly the same thickness [10mm?]. Fakes Brembo discs have one side thicker than the other.

• have Ventilation Vanes extend out to the very outer edge of the braking surface (both inside and outside). Fake Vanes are sunken into the disc surface around 6mm (on the inside and outside), meaning there is less material connecting the two disc surfaces.

Fake Brembo Discs...

Both discs are fake!

The Genuine "Brembo"stamping c/w logo are clean and more easily distinguishable...

... whereas the disc shown below with not-so-sharp "Brembo MAX" stamping and w/o logo is questionable. You judge it for yourself. I'm doubtful and I will not buy this one...

WARNING! Imitation Spark Plugs

How to Identify Imitation Spark Plugs? [from NGK website]

click on the image to enlarge

When I checked the factory fitted NGK platinum spark plugs on my Peugeot 308 I got these laser-print "four-digit number" on the bi-hex... "H7Z8." as shown in the picture below.

and also some numbers are stamped on the spark plug body [serial number or something?].


Genuine NGK electrodes [platinum tip and disc] at 40,000km!...

...the tip and disc are still shiny and intact - probably counterfeit tip and disc would have already vaporized at 40,000km.

What about "Laser Iridium" spark plugs which some of you and I bought on-line?





The welding around the electrode looks a little weird to me....

There is also no "four-digit number" stamped/printed on the bi-hex.
I decided not to use these "questionable" spark plugs. Investigation with NGK is in progress.

UPDATE: Received an email from Andrew Hauenstein, Technical & Training Specialist, NGK Spark Plugs (USA), Inc - Friday July 1st 2011

"The build date (four-digit code) should be marked vertically on the BI-Hex. Yes our Laser plugs are laser welded.... ",

So IMHO, NGK spark plugs without the "four-digit" code marking on the bi-hex could be fake or failed QC.

Iridium Spark Plugs

FAQ: Any Improvement in Performance for using Iridium Spark Plug?
I think they add nothing more to performance than new and clean standard spark plugs. Experts also say little to none as far as power gains.
They might last longer since Iridium alloy spark plugs take longer to wear out.

What is Iridium in the First Place?
Iridium is a very hard and brittle metal [in the same family as the Platinum], is one of the rarest elements ever found on earth. It is the heaviest metal known to mankind beside Osmium and is the most corrosion-resistant metal even at 2000 °C. Annual production and consumption only three tonnes. As expensive as Gold but Iridium alloys [with Osmium and Ruthenium] can be up to five times more expensive!

Some scientists suggest that Iridium [first discovered in 1803] came down to the earth with the asteroids because it is found in meteorite fragments much higher than its average abundance in the Earth's crust...

Why Iridium Spark Plug?
Iridium spark plugs wear out much slower due to its super strength against corrosion/oxidation/wear&tear at extreme temperatures and pressures in hell-like environment of the combustion chambers.

Nevertheless, it is a common misconception that Iridium spark plugs give more horse power and better fuel consumption. The truth is if the conventional spark plug is new and in good condition, we still can get best fuel consumption and maximum performance from the engine.

It doesn't matter which kind of spark plug we use as long as it is within the specifications. If freshly installed, there is no difference at all. But after more than 20,000km, the cheap or standard plugs give a little bit more fuel consumption and reduce power while the Iridium plugs are still as good as new....

... up to 200,000km for iridium spark plug with platinum ground-electrode[?]

What about "Multi-electrode" spark plugs?
This type of spark plugs produce only one spark on the smallest gap available. The wear is divided over multiple gaps so it stays "fresher" for a longer time. For instance, for a 4-electrode spark plug, it takes about 4 times longer for those to show the same wear as standard plugs.

This means that we can keep them 4 times longer or replace them in the normal interval and have a better spark in average. Again, it is another myth saying that multi-electrode spark plug gives higher performance.I use 4-electrode plugs for a D-segment car and keep them twice as long. This generates the same costs for spare plugs but gives me a slightly better spark where standard ones would be seriously worn already.

The Truths?
Iridium and multi-electrode spark plug do not produce higher horse-power and give lower fuel consumption so to speak. They just maintain top performance longer than the conventional/standard spark plus. That's all...

Conclusion?
As an analogy, it does not matter whether you use 18k-Gold Zippo Lighter or Mancis Cap Lada to light-up an Altadis’ Behike Cigar!

Night Riders be Prepared...

I prefer to drive after midnight for non-stop long distance journeys - just like inter-continental flights from KLIA.
Reasons for a Long-Distance Night Rider
Usually I go to bed as early as 9:30pm and wake up around 2:00 - 3:00am and sleep again around midday during lunch hours w/o taking any meal because I normally take brunch at 10:00am and dinner around 5:00pm.

Danger for Night Riders!
Surely, there are fewer vehicles on the road after midnight but ironically it is the riskiest time for driving. There are many factors which increase the risk of "after midnight driving".

• Most people on the road are likely to be tired and sleepy.

• Headlight beam from incoming vehicles causing a nuisance to other road users which can leave them blind or black-out for up to a few seconds. The lights of vehicles 'cucuk' from behind also can cause glare.

• Cows, water buffalo and other 'night-active' animals camouflage in the darkness, may appear suddenly on the road out of nowhere and too late for the driver to respond in time.

• Heavy vehicles such as lorries, trucks, buses are driven by Night Riders

Night Riders be Prepared for Yourselves FIRST...
If you are going to be driving at night, no matter what your age, it is vitally important that you are prepared. If you end up making an unexpected trip in the dark and find yourself tired, it's essential that you pull over and rest in a safe place so that you are not a danger to yourself or others on the road. Remember, tired driving is as dangerous as drunk driving because your reaction time can be equally affected, plus you run the risk of falling asleep at the wheel.

Other things that you can do to make your night time trips as safe as possible.

• Make sure that you see your eye doctor regularly for eye exams. (At least once every two years, more often if you have certain conditions. Diabetics should see their eye doctor every year.) This way any problems with night vision can be noted and dealt with. I take green tea or teh o without sugar...
  

• Don't forget your vitamins. Vitamin A deficiency causes a condition called night blindness which can make it difficult or impossible to drive safely at night. I drink carrot susu...
  

Prepare Your Car
There are several things that you should do to get your car ready for safe night driving. This includes making it easier for you to see where you are going as well as easier for others to see where you are without causing nuisance to other road users.
Click for what I've done to Light Bulbs and Day Running Lights [DRL].

• Make sure that your head-lights and tail-lights are all working properly. The head-light covers must be clean whenever you head out on a nighttime trip, especially when there's bad weather like rain, mist or fog. Your headlights should also be properly aimed so that they are focused and directed correctly. Click HERE.
  

• Make sure that your windshield are clean so that there is no glare or obstructed vision.

• Adjust your outside mirrors so that they are in the right place; the body of your car should be just outside of the vision of the mirrors. Your rear and side mirrors should also be adjusted so that the glare from the headlights behind you is not a problem - our 308T rear view mirror has anti-glare feature though.

While on the road

• Night vision can be affected before the sun even goes down, so to make sure that your eyes stay sensitive.

• Make sure that you are looking from side to side so that your eyes stay sensitive to the darkness.

• Do not look at oncoming headlights while driving, it can leave you blind for as much as five full seconds.

• Make sure that you use the right/legal color temperature [ 'Legal' color temperature is 4300K ~ 4700K] and set your light beams correctly.

• If you are driving in the fog, use your low beams or/and fog-lights only because the high beams will not allow you to see well due to direct reflections. Make sure that you don't use your high beams if traffic is coming toward you either, and hopefully oncoming traffic will afford you the same courtesy.

• If you find yourself staring at the white line or other fixed object for too long, you may succumb to ‘highway hypnosis,’ which will decrease your reaction time.

• If you are driving through forest such as from Kuala Lipis to Gua Musang, use your peripheral vision to watch for animals on the sides of the road. Often times, you won't see the animal themselves, but their eyes reflecting the headlights of passing cars. If you have any passengers in your vehicle, ask them to keep watch so you can focus your attention on your driving.

• Continually evaluate your night-time driving skills, so that you are not endangering yourself and others. Sadly, night vision tends to worsen with age, so at some point you may need to limit your night-time driving.

Night time driving can be full of unpleasant surprises, so always expect the unexpected. Make sure you're alert at all times and ready for any emergency situation that could possibly crop up. Above all else, if at any point you feel like you're not seeing clearly, find a safe spot to pull over. And if you can't remedy the situation, just wait for daylight. It's much better to arrive a little later than planned, than to risk your safety and everyone else.

Nevertheless, the advantage after midnight is smooth high-speed driving - most of the time on Auto-Cruise is possible. Also less wear & tear on brake-pads/disk, tyres, air-cond system, etc... and of course less consumption on fuel.

I will be on another inter-continental night trip soon.
Till then, so loooongggg!!!

Happy Motoring

Peugeot 308 Turbo - the first 40,000km Expenses

I drive my cars [B, C, and D-segments] more than 30,000km in total per year. More than half of the total distance traveled was done in Peugeot 308T, the car which I normally drive for long distance trips throughout Malaya. Other cars are too old or too small for such long journeys...

The 308 hits 40,000km in slightly more than two years. The following are the actual expenses as a guide for the first young buyers...
As shown in the above table, about 2/3 of the monthly average expenses goes to installments and downpayments. Only 1/3 of the expenses used for running and maintaining the car. If you just have only one car, you would have traveled more and there will be higher average monthly expenses needed.

My early estimate around RM3000 per month for owning and running the 308T was not far off. I've heard a few young and freshly graduated fellas earning around RM3000pm were aiming at this car. Boleh hidup ke jang? Even yg bergaji sekitar RM5000 sebulan pun sekadar cukup makan je kalo pakai keto ni...

...and please don't even think of dreaming of an RCZ!

Do not just look at fuel and schedule maintenance expenses - look at the whole cost and figure out whether you are affordable or not in a long run... pastikan yg berhutang dgn PTPTN atau yg seumpamanya jelaskan bayaran bulanan tu dulu... [harap semua anak2 buah uncle baca ni]

Sorry ya.... uncle membebel siket harini. Org tua2 mmg camtu. he heee...

Peugeot 308 Turbo Part Pricing

Happy Father's Day

A card frm a daughter of mine, Yayah [N.H. Wan]...

Do All Peugeot 308 Have Negative Camber?

What is Camber?
The camber is the angle, measured in degrees, between the center line of the wheel and the perpendicular to the ground, looking from the front.


What is Negative Camber ?
Negative camber is when the top of the wheel leans inwards. Extreme Negative Cambers are very common on racing cars in the 60's...
.. at which time I was still running naked racing old bicycle rims with cousins as depicted by Lat in "the Kampong Boy" .

Why Negative Camber?
According to my old school book negative camber improves grip for the outside tire on which most of the loads are concentrated when cornering.

The tyre tends to roll on itself while cornering. If non-negative camber, the inside edge of the contact patch would begin to lift off and reduce the area of the contact patch.
Negative camber reduces this effect and optimising the contact patch area hence the grip.However, negative camber is no good for straight-line performance because the maximum traction is achieved if the tyre tread is flat on the road i.e when the camber angle is zero. Negative Camber also makes inside tyre tread wear out faster hence tyres are forced to 'retire' earlier than expected...

I love Negative Camber because most of the roads I drive on need it....

How do I know myPeugeot 308 has Negative Camber?
By looking at the tyres when they are almost 'retired'...

CSC3 at 40-thousand km vs unused spare tyre.

At 40-thousand km, I thought the tyres on myPeugeot 308 would last for at least another 10-thousand km because the remaining outside tread was still 2mm above wear indicator.
Note: average tread consumption is around 1mm/5000km.However, when the tyres were taken out for routine DIY inspection, to my surprise the inside tread on all four tyres had gone. Botak licin you....!!!So, these are the inferences/evidence that Peugeot 308 has Negative Cambers on all wheels!. Whereas myPeugeot 206 and myPeugeot 405s have no camber angle at all on rear wheels hence the tyres on them worn out evenly ever since.

BTW, I've already replaced all the tyres on myPeugeot 308 at 40-thousand km.

1157 LED for DRL?

If any of you guys want to replace existing Day Running Lights (DRL) 1157 tungsten-filamen bulbs on your Peugeot 308 turbo with anything similar to THESE LEDs ... forget it. Don't waste your time and money. Do not buy!

1157 LED conversion light bulbs similar to THESE are not durable to be used as DRL on your Peugeot 308 Turbos.

So far I had tested SIX different sets of 1157 LEDs... ... and ALL of them kaput with at least one LED burned within one week of usage! I even assembled 'em by myself. Click HERE to see how I did. Probably those LEDs can be used at full brightness for 'short duration' such as turn-indicator and brake lights only - not for extended use like the DRLs. Special LEDs and electronic circuitry are required for extended use at full brightness. It was very difficult and expensive to buy aftermarket 'Audi-like' LED DRL before y2010.

Fortunately, as a result of European Union Directive coming into force on the Feb 7th 2011 all new passenger cars and small delivery vans throughout the EU will have to come equipped with daytime running lights. Since then, the right LED arrays for DRLs could be found easily at reasonable price.

Click HERE to find which one is suitable for you. I prefer 'W212-like' LED arrays. By installing them upside down, the LED arrays match and 'flow' with the curves on the front part of the 308...


These new DRL LED arrays are a lot brighter than the 'super bright' 1157 LEDs.

At the moment I use both - to compare their durability.

ECU Remapping may Damage your Turbo if...

Turbo Engines engines rely heavily on computer controlled Engine_management Control Unit [ECU]. Basically the engine has an array of sensors which monitor lots of things such as throttle position, crank position, airflow etc. These signals are sent to the ECU, which processes the information received to give the best engine performance for any given driving condition.

ECU remapping can alter engine performance for higher output and/or for better fuel consumption, nevertheless be extra careful even if the tuner a top programmer.

There are many tuners offering what seem like custom ECU remapping. Most of these tuners use and alter programs that are cheaply available through the internet or other sources and are not 'ngam' with the car engine requirements. These can actually damage the turbo/engine.

Remaping alone may not be adequate for the upgrade. Get a professional to do the job and you must get ready to spend on hardware upgrade as well - without which you will need to spend more money on repair bills later.

For performance you will probably reprogram the ECU to control ignition timing advance, force more fuel and more air into the combustion chambers, and make the turbo overspin and hold on to higher pressure than the turbo unit/system can handle and delay/never let the BOV open, which will ultimately damage it. Solution - get a better turbo system before remapping!For fuel economy and power - if you are familiar with nitro-methane RCM car engines you will know what to do at the expense of engine overheating, simply make the air-fuel mixture lean. The same applies to EP6DT engines. Go on reprogram the ECU at your own risk and save money on fuel to partially pay for the damage later on.For instance, PSA produces different EP6DT engine outputs [140THP, 150THP, 156THP, 175THP, 200THP....] based on similar engine but for each output there is not just the difference in ECU program but the turbo system and other hardware are unique .

Btw, even a stock Pug 308 THP140 is capable of hitting 100km/hr in around 9 secs, 1000m standing in less than 30sec, top speed more than 200km/hr .... still not enough for a 1.6liter family hatch?

Think about it! Again and again.

Fuel Saving Device - Anybody Interested?

With the consistently rising price of fuel many will find and try anything to improve the fuel consumption of their cars. Then they come across things like run your car on water, magnetic fuel saver, fuel saving tablets/additives, and many others. Those products claim to save money and give car better performance.

As long as cars have existed, inventors and salesmen have tried to sell fuel saver devices designed to give dramatic gains in fuel economy and power. While most of these devices install easily, and most are relatively inexpensive, the vast majority of these products very rarely meet the promises of their designers. Actually they are pure gimmicks and use false science to describe how they work and many of them will actually cause more problems or even a reduction in car performance and economy.. Don't be fooled.

Some of them are:
Magnets - By attaching to your fuel system it claim to alter the structure of the fuel as it passes through the lines are absolute not true. The explanation are based on false science. Hidro-carbon molecules do not attract to magnet!

Serbo - Is actually a device installed along air intake to ‘swirl’ the air before it enters into the engine, claimed to increase engine power as much as 20%. Do you believe? The fact is Supercharging an engine is a complex modification and is not just another plug and play toy. This is another gimmick and not worth spending the money. Our EP6DT twin scroll turbo in tandem with the ECU already work perfectly under all driving conditions.

Vaporiser/Atomizer - Claims to improve burning efficiency by vaporising the fuel that enters the engine. Probably only works on carburetor engines when it is cold. Fortunately direct fuel injection on our Peugeot 308 engine already have this effect.

Water Power - "wotta powwa" as how the Japanese pronounce. Sounds like Tsu-na-mi , hee.. heee... Basically it is a device that claims to convert water into hydrogen gas and improve the power and efficiency of the engine. Theoretically possible but these devices are at most could barely power an a/cond blower or radiator/condenser cooling fan!

Octane Booster - One should be very careful when using this chemical, as they may be harmful to the engine. True, some products work, but mostly don't. Be careful . In market there are plenty of imitation products. Racing teams have their secret recipe and develop on their own and not for sale.

These devices/chemical which claim to give reduction in fuel consumption may actually even cause potential engine damage or failure.

If you really want to save fuel, just improve your driving habits, choose cost effective route to follow and pump in the right fuel. Remember that who drives where, when and how is the main contributor to fuel saving.

Happy Motoring

Does anyone need a Voltage Stabilizer?

A Voltage stabilizer could be just a simple black-box of many capacitors... sometimes comes with attractive and convincing digital displays or blinking/colorful led's. ... attached directly across a battery at the positive and negative terminals to regulate the flow of electricity running from a car's battery to its electrical components. Plug n Play type is also available...The Voltage Stabilizers are believed can smooth idling, increase battery life, improve combustion efficiency hence increase power/torque, decreased emissions, improve output from headlights and audio equipment, etc....

The truth is the battery itself is already like a large voltage stabilizer.
Everybody knows that the electrical system in most cars is 12 volt [24 volt system also got]. However, the charging system generates a voltage between 13.2 and 14.5 volts [based on my old school book] while the engine is running because it has to generate higher voltage than the battery's rated voltage to overcome the wiring and internal resistance of the battery. The current needed to recharge the battery would not flow at all if the charging system's output voltage is lower than or the same as the battery terminal voltage. There is also a voltage regulator at the alternator to regulate the dc voltage output.

Peugeot 405 Voltage Regulator

The alternator generate electricity and send it to the battery and other electrical loads. During low or moderate loads the excess electricity generated by the alternator charges the battery rather than increasing the voltage/current flow to the car electrical system and damaging them. When the demand of a car's electrical system exceeds the alternator output [normally at idling speeds] electricity is withdrawn from the battery to fill up the deficit.

Now, anyone still need a voltage stabilizer?

Lowest Fuel Consumption with Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra!

[updated version on June 7th 2011]

After 'flushing' my 308T combustion chambers with a few tanks of the new Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra I decided to carry out actual tests for the fuel consumptions on different kind of driving conditions covering more than 1200km.

BBBangi - Simpang Pulai - Gua Musang - Machang & around Kelantan - Kuala Berang-Kuantan - KLumpur - BBBangi.
Day 1: June 4th 2011
Sector 1: Economy Drive [215km] - 'warming-up lap' with auto-cruise without exceeding speed limits on PLUS from BBBangi to Simpang Pulai.

Average Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra Consumption: 5.8liter/100km
The Best Fuel Consumption running on normal RON95 fuel was 6.2liter/100km


Sector 2: Pushing 308T to the Limits [152km] - Crossed Main Range by driving-up winding road from Simpang Pulai to Blue Valley, stopped about 45minutes to buy farm produce then continued with downhill challenge all the way to Gua Musang. At Gua Musang stopped for lunch.

Average Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra Consumption: 8.8liter/100km. Last test using normal RON95 fuel was 9.9liter/100km.

Sector 3: Normal Driving with lots of Traffics [145km] - Anybody who drives at midday between Gua Musang to Kuala Krai, especially during holidays knows what kind of driving condition one has to endure.

Average Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra Consumption: 7.0liter/100km
Normal RON 95 fuel consumption for this sector was 7.6liter/100km

Overall Average fuel consumption on the new Petronas PRIMAX95 Xtra for the Day1 515km-trip (SKV-SimpangPulai-GuaMusang-Machang) is 6.9liter/100km.
The best average fuel consumption for similar trip on other RON95 fuel was 7.8liter/100km.

Day 2: June 5th 2011
Sector 4: Driving around Kelantan [104km] - Drove the car 'normally' around towns and along trunk roads, sometimes caught in traffic jams .... no hiways in Kelantan of course. Honestly I don't enjoy driving here.

Average Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra Consumption: 7.1liter/100km
Previous tests on normal RON95 never got less than 8liter/100km for driving the 308T around this 'gedebe & cas keting' state!

After travelling 620km on various types of road with different styles of driving the car consumed 44liters [3/4 tank] of Petronas PRIMAX 95 Xtra averaging 7liter/100km.
Balance 1/4 tank. Already topped up and ready for Day3 600km-return trip.

Day 3: June 6th 2011
Sector 5 - Non Stop Return Trip. Had to detour towards Kuala Berang before joining ECE due to heavy traffics on the way to Kuala Trengganu. Skipped passing over or stop at major towns. Reduced traveling distance from 620km to approx 590km.

40% Hi-ways [above 100km/hr] , 50% Trunk Roads [80~100km/hr] , 10% other roads [below 80km/hr]

Fuel left after 589km drive...

The over all fuel consumption for the 1209km journey was 84 liter [around RM160 @RM1.90/liter] of Petronas Primax 95 Xtra [PP95X].

________________________

The 225/45/17 CSC3 tyres had been abused at the end of their life at some points of this journey...