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Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
History Of Perodua Myvi
4:58 PM
madich
an Information For Those who are Looking For Myvi
To understand what’s so special about the Myvi, you must first understand how product development was undertaken when Perodua started. Back then, designs already completed by Daihatsu were provided and minor changes were made to give them a Perodua identity. In the industry, this is often called ‘badge engineering’, suggesting that the only ‘engineering’ done is to change the badge on the grille or bonnet. All else is the same as the original model apart from some specifications to meet local cost targets or consumer requirements.
The Kancil started off that way and Perodua was never shy to admit that it was a cosmetic job on a Daihatsu model known as the Mira. Its engineers were young and had much to learn from the Japanese and during the 1990s, they would be diligent students. Perodua had the intention to develop in-house capability but it was not overly-ambitious and took measured steps, each one bringing on more confidence and increased capability to do more.
By the late 1990s, Perodua’s R&D had enough confidence and skill to undertake a major facelift to the Kancil. Using the original design as a basis, it was given a fresh new appearance and a major change was in the dashboard which saw the relocation of the instrument panel to the middle section. The result was encouraging and boosted the confidence of the Malaysian engineers.
The restructuring of Perodua which saw Daihatsu taking a majority stake in the manufacturing operations saw the relationship changing to one where Perodua was given a more substantial role. For its next all-new model, scheduled for introduction in 2005, Perodua was invited to be an active participant in the development of the model from day one. This was a brand new model that was to be developed by Daihatsu and Toyota and Perodua would be part of the team. In the past, the two Japanese companies would have proceeded on their own and Perodua would only get the finished design with critical dimensions fixed and the only changes that could be made could be cosmetic.
This time, 80 engineers were sent to Japan to work on the new model and to provide their inputs right from the very start of the project which was in early 2002. What this meant was that the model (coded ‘D73A’) which would come to be known as the Daihatsu Boon/Toyota Passo actually has some Malaysian involvement in it as well – and that is something Malaysians should be proud of. In fact, former Perodua MD Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Omar once told the media that a concept model which Perodua had built itself in 2001 had impressed the Japanese a lot and when you look at that concept car now, you can see that there may have been some styling elements which were picked for the Myvi/Boon/Passo.
Of course, apart from working on the original design, the Malaysian team (who stayed in Japan for such a long period that they started to miss nasi lemak badly, according to a Perodua source!) also worked on customising certain areas for the Perodua version which would become the Myvi. Besides the R&D personnel, there were also Malaysian engineers from the manufacturing side who were sent to Japan to work simultaneously on the production issues related to the new model.
The collaboration between Perodua, Daihatsu and Toyota can be compared to that between Ford and Mazda when the two companies developed models such as the Laser/323, Telstar/626, Escape/Tribute and Ranger/Fighter. Such collaboration is necessary nowadays because the cost of developing an all-new model is incredibly expensive and being able to share the cost makes it possible to price the product more competitively. In the case of the Myvi, Perodua says that it spent around RM210 million, a fifth of what it would have cost if it had tried to develop the model alone.
This is just the start of a new section of the learning curve for Perodua and who knows, as its capabilities grow, it could be assigned more substantial responsibilities in new model development. It is not out of the question that sometime in the future, Perodua could even be given the task of developing models for the developing Asian markets while Daihatsu focuses on models for the more developed countries. But that’s a long way off and as some philosopher once said, every journey starts with the first step – and Perodua has taken that step.
The Passo/Boon were launched a year ago in Japan and the question that many may ask is if Perodua collaborated on the project, how come the Myvi could not be launched at that time? After all, if the argument is that it did not have to wait for the new model design to be completed before starting its own customisation, why such a big gap?
One reason given is that last year, Perodua had secured the contract to assemble the Toyota Avanza and it was felt that to also introduce a brand new model – especially one of such significance – would stretch resources too much. The other reason is that Perodua wanted to reach a new and much higher level of quality than before and by delaying its own launch, it could find out which areas of the Passo/Boon had minor issues or needed refinement and sort them out. In other words, just as the first version of a new software is often known to have bugs and wise consumers will wait till later versions when the bugs have been ironed out, the same can be said of the Myvi being a later version with less ‘bugs’,
Another thing was the aim was to have high local content (80% of parts or 976 items come from 147 suppliers in Malaysia or Asean countries) for the car so as to keep costs down. Localisation of parts needs a bit of extra time as additional testing has to be done to ensure that the parts meet the required standards – consistently. This high local content from start is also an achievement because it took almost 9 years to reach that sort of level with the Kancil.
Again, the determination to offer a Perodua product of much higher quality than ever before meant that extra time was needed; Perodua does not believe in making its customers ‘test’ components (and having to pay for the ‘privilege ‘too!) and wants to get everything as perfect as possible before the units go to the showrooms.
The result is that the Myvi is claimed to have a level of quality which is 10 times better than the first model Perodua produced. With its first model, the defect rate was 2.0 – 2.5 defects per car but with the Myvi, it is 0.2 defects per car – that’s 2 defects in every 10 cars. It’s not the best that can be achieved because in Japan, the factory doing Lexus models is down to 0.05 defects per car – 5 defects in every 100 cars! The maintenance of these levels is taken very seriously and constantly monitored. And they are said to have been achieved on units which will be delivered to customers too, not just on factory test runs.
According to Perodua MD, Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, many strategies were used to ensure these quality targets were met. One approach taken was to recruit operators early so that they could receive more training time and get more familiar. They were constantly tested and only those who achieved certain scores would be entrusted to work on the Myvi line. Thus, by the time mass production began a couple of months ago, these operators already had quite a lot of experience and did not compromise quality by having to become familiar with making the new model.
POWERPLANTS
While it’s not unusual for a model to have a few different engine sizes, what is rather special for the Myvi is that its two engines come from entirely different families. The smaller engine is a 3-cylinder unit whereas the bigger one is a 4-cylinder unit, meaning mounting points are different. However, a Perodua engineer said that this was planned right from the start and such a variation is properly engineered for.
The smaller engine is the 989 cc EJ-VE engine which is a variant of the one found in the Kelisa/Kenari (EJ-DE). However, as the EJ-VE, it has the Dynamic Variable Valve Timing (DVVT) mechanism which allows for constant alteration of the intake valve timing to suit driving conditions and demands, extending the powerband, improving low-end torque, increasing fuel economy and also lowering toxic exhausts emissions. This engine has actually been used in the Kelisa exported to UK to meet the tougher emission control standards there and now it is being offered in the Myvi because Perodua expects Malaysian emission control standards to be upgraded in the near future. Therefore rather than wait till that time to upgrade the engine, they might as well start now – and do the environment a good deed too.
Power output from the twincam EFI 12-valve engine is 43 kW/58.4 bhp at 6000 rpm with 88 Nm of torque at 3600 rpm. It sounds like a modest output but given the body weight of 900 kgs, it should be sufficient to provide brisk performance. This engine option is only available with a 5-speed manual transmission and part of the reason for this limitation is to provide a really low-priced version of the Myvi.
The 1298 cc K3-VE engine is also no stranger to Perodua owners: it powers the Kembara DVVT and Toyota also uses the same engine in the Avanza. However, it would not be right to say that the engine is identical in all three models as the tuning has been customised to suit the different characters of each model (MPV, SUV and hatchback). This engine also has DVVT and can produce 64 kW/87 bhp of power at 6000 rpm with 116 Nm of torque at 3200 rpm. In order to enhance durability, the engine uses a chain drive which has been designed for low noise.
For the 1.3-litre engine, both manual and automatic transmissions are available, the automatic being an electronically controlled type with shift programming to give smoother transitions between gears, even when the accelerator pedal is floored.
Factory test figures show that both engines offer pretty good performance. For 0 – 100 km/h times, even the Myvi 1.0 is quicker than some rivals with bigger engines. And as for fuel consumption, figures achieved have been 15.2 kms/litre for the Myvi 1.0 which is better than the Kelisa and Kenari. The better power-to-weight ratio of the Myvi 1.3 manual achieves 17.1 kms/litre but the automatic does 13.5 kms/litre. Of course, these figures are in factory conditions and would vary depending on how you drive, where you drive and even the condition of the engine.
To understand what’s so special about the Myvi, you must first understand how product development was undertaken when Perodua started. Back then, designs already completed by Daihatsu were provided and minor changes were made to give them a Perodua identity. In the industry, this is often called ‘badge engineering’, suggesting that the only ‘engineering’ done is to change the badge on the grille or bonnet. All else is the same as the original model apart from some specifications to meet local cost targets or consumer requirements.
The Kancil started off that way and Perodua was never shy to admit that it was a cosmetic job on a Daihatsu model known as the Mira. Its engineers were young and had much to learn from the Japanese and during the 1990s, they would be diligent students. Perodua had the intention to develop in-house capability but it was not overly-ambitious and took measured steps, each one bringing on more confidence and increased capability to do more.
By the late 1990s, Perodua’s R&D had enough confidence and skill to undertake a major facelift to the Kancil. Using the original design as a basis, it was given a fresh new appearance and a major change was in the dashboard which saw the relocation of the instrument panel to the middle section. The result was encouraging and boosted the confidence of the Malaysian engineers.
The restructuring of Perodua which saw Daihatsu taking a majority stake in the manufacturing operations saw the relationship changing to one where Perodua was given a more substantial role. For its next all-new model, scheduled for introduction in 2005, Perodua was invited to be an active participant in the development of the model from day one. This was a brand new model that was to be developed by Daihatsu and Toyota and Perodua would be part of the team. In the past, the two Japanese companies would have proceeded on their own and Perodua would only get the finished design with critical dimensions fixed and the only changes that could be made could be cosmetic.
This time, 80 engineers were sent to Japan to work on the new model and to provide their inputs right from the very start of the project which was in early 2002. What this meant was that the model (coded ‘D73A’) which would come to be known as the Daihatsu Boon/Toyota Passo actually has some Malaysian involvement in it as well – and that is something Malaysians should be proud of. In fact, former Perodua MD Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Omar once told the media that a concept model which Perodua had built itself in 2001 had impressed the Japanese a lot and when you look at that concept car now, you can see that there may have been some styling elements which were picked for the Myvi/Boon/Passo.
Of course, apart from working on the original design, the Malaysian team (who stayed in Japan for such a long period that they started to miss nasi lemak badly, according to a Perodua source!) also worked on customising certain areas for the Perodua version which would become the Myvi. Besides the R&D personnel, there were also Malaysian engineers from the manufacturing side who were sent to Japan to work simultaneously on the production issues related to the new model.
The collaboration between Perodua, Daihatsu and Toyota can be compared to that between Ford and Mazda when the two companies developed models such as the Laser/323, Telstar/626, Escape/Tribute and Ranger/Fighter. Such collaboration is necessary nowadays because the cost of developing an all-new model is incredibly expensive and being able to share the cost makes it possible to price the product more competitively. In the case of the Myvi, Perodua says that it spent around RM210 million, a fifth of what it would have cost if it had tried to develop the model alone.
This is just the start of a new section of the learning curve for Perodua and who knows, as its capabilities grow, it could be assigned more substantial responsibilities in new model development. It is not out of the question that sometime in the future, Perodua could even be given the task of developing models for the developing Asian markets while Daihatsu focuses on models for the more developed countries. But that’s a long way off and as some philosopher once said, every journey starts with the first step – and Perodua has taken that step.
The Passo/Boon were launched a year ago in Japan and the question that many may ask is if Perodua collaborated on the project, how come the Myvi could not be launched at that time? After all, if the argument is that it did not have to wait for the new model design to be completed before starting its own customisation, why such a big gap?
One reason given is that last year, Perodua had secured the contract to assemble the Toyota Avanza and it was felt that to also introduce a brand new model – especially one of such significance – would stretch resources too much. The other reason is that Perodua wanted to reach a new and much higher level of quality than before and by delaying its own launch, it could find out which areas of the Passo/Boon had minor issues or needed refinement and sort them out. In other words, just as the first version of a new software is often known to have bugs and wise consumers will wait till later versions when the bugs have been ironed out, the same can be said of the Myvi being a later version with less ‘bugs’,
Another thing was the aim was to have high local content (80% of parts or 976 items come from 147 suppliers in Malaysia or Asean countries) for the car so as to keep costs down. Localisation of parts needs a bit of extra time as additional testing has to be done to ensure that the parts meet the required standards – consistently. This high local content from start is also an achievement because it took almost 9 years to reach that sort of level with the Kancil.
Again, the determination to offer a Perodua product of much higher quality than ever before meant that extra time was needed; Perodua does not believe in making its customers ‘test’ components (and having to pay for the ‘privilege ‘too!) and wants to get everything as perfect as possible before the units go to the showrooms.
The result is that the Myvi is claimed to have a level of quality which is 10 times better than the first model Perodua produced. With its first model, the defect rate was 2.0 – 2.5 defects per car but with the Myvi, it is 0.2 defects per car – that’s 2 defects in every 10 cars. It’s not the best that can be achieved because in Japan, the factory doing Lexus models is down to 0.05 defects per car – 5 defects in every 100 cars! The maintenance of these levels is taken very seriously and constantly monitored. And they are said to have been achieved on units which will be delivered to customers too, not just on factory test runs.
According to Perodua MD, Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, many strategies were used to ensure these quality targets were met. One approach taken was to recruit operators early so that they could receive more training time and get more familiar. They were constantly tested and only those who achieved certain scores would be entrusted to work on the Myvi line. Thus, by the time mass production began a couple of months ago, these operators already had quite a lot of experience and did not compromise quality by having to become familiar with making the new model.
POWERPLANTS
While it’s not unusual for a model to have a few different engine sizes, what is rather special for the Myvi is that its two engines come from entirely different families. The smaller engine is a 3-cylinder unit whereas the bigger one is a 4-cylinder unit, meaning mounting points are different. However, a Perodua engineer said that this was planned right from the start and such a variation is properly engineered for.
The smaller engine is the 989 cc EJ-VE engine which is a variant of the one found in the Kelisa/Kenari (EJ-DE). However, as the EJ-VE, it has the Dynamic Variable Valve Timing (DVVT) mechanism which allows for constant alteration of the intake valve timing to suit driving conditions and demands, extending the powerband, improving low-end torque, increasing fuel economy and also lowering toxic exhausts emissions. This engine has actually been used in the Kelisa exported to UK to meet the tougher emission control standards there and now it is being offered in the Myvi because Perodua expects Malaysian emission control standards to be upgraded in the near future. Therefore rather than wait till that time to upgrade the engine, they might as well start now – and do the environment a good deed too.
Power output from the twincam EFI 12-valve engine is 43 kW/58.4 bhp at 6000 rpm with 88 Nm of torque at 3600 rpm. It sounds like a modest output but given the body weight of 900 kgs, it should be sufficient to provide brisk performance. This engine option is only available with a 5-speed manual transmission and part of the reason for this limitation is to provide a really low-priced version of the Myvi.
The 1298 cc K3-VE engine is also no stranger to Perodua owners: it powers the Kembara DVVT and Toyota also uses the same engine in the Avanza. However, it would not be right to say that the engine is identical in all three models as the tuning has been customised to suit the different characters of each model (MPV, SUV and hatchback). This engine also has DVVT and can produce 64 kW/87 bhp of power at 6000 rpm with 116 Nm of torque at 3200 rpm. In order to enhance durability, the engine uses a chain drive which has been designed for low noise.
For the 1.3-litre engine, both manual and automatic transmissions are available, the automatic being an electronically controlled type with shift programming to give smoother transitions between gears, even when the accelerator pedal is floored.
Factory test figures show that both engines offer pretty good performance. For 0 – 100 km/h times, even the Myvi 1.0 is quicker than some rivals with bigger engines. And as for fuel consumption, figures achieved have been 15.2 kms/litre for the Myvi 1.0 which is better than the Kelisa and Kenari. The better power-to-weight ratio of the Myvi 1.3 manual achieves 17.1 kms/litre but the automatic does 13.5 kms/litre. Of course, these figures are in factory conditions and would vary depending on how you drive, where you drive and even the condition of the engine.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
GAB Suspension for Perodua cars
9:03 AM
madich
Can Match Your perodua Viva
HA series: winding road height adjustable
front & rear height adustable,maximum grip and traction,superb handling,hight quality & performance.AVCS (Auto Valve ControlSystem)
front height adjustable,best handling,comfort.
> special design for PROTON & PERODUA cars. AVCS
(Auto Valve Control System)
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Tyre Care Tips
6:37 AM
madich
Save Your Pockets with Tyre care Tips!
Tyres are expensive, and of all the consumables in motoring tyres come second only to fuel in terms of cost. As with fuel consumption, the way you drive can impact on your tyre consumption.
If a tyre does develop a problem, it is useful to be able to identify what that problem is, so that you can prevent it recurring. The main problems are wheel alignment and incorrect tyre pressure. Don't just assume that when you have had your alignment checked that it will be correct; keep an eye on your tyre wear. Similarly, air pressure needs to be checked, even on recently fitted tyres.
However, your driving habits may impact on your tyre wear. It has been said that high speed driving can overheat tyres and result in the degradation of the rubber, resulting in the breakdown of the tyre. This is true, but generally your car should be fitted with tyres with speed ratings above the maximum speed of the car itself. Also, that heat build-up usually only occurs when the tyre is under-inflated. So high speed driving alone is not usually the sole reason for tyre failure - or else our motorways would be littered with cars needing tyres replaced.
Tyre wear is accelerated under hard driving, so the heavy footed driver, both on the accelerator and brake is likely to see higher tyre wear. If he adds high speed cornering he can expect to increase tyre wear even more.
Harsh braking wears down tread quicker, and it can lead to flat spots, especially on older cars with oval brake drums or uneven discs.
Inflation is key to keeping tyres in good safe condition. The air in the tyres warms up very quickly, even on a cold day, and when the tyre starts rolling it generates some heat, which heats up the air in the tyre, which expands thus creating a higher air pressure. So, when you drive a mile to the garage to set your tyre pressures, and they are at 32lbs instead of 30lbs, and you drop them by 2lbs you have actually reduced the pressure from the correct 30lbs.
Tyre pressures should always be checked at cold before you move the car - which is why tyre pressure monitoring systems that function as soon as you put the key in the ignition are better than ABS fed systems. (Most cars sold in Europe with TPMS have electronic sensors in the wheels that check tyre pressure automatically).
Incorrect tyre pressures have various outcomes. Firstly too low a pressure can result in uneven wear on the shoulder of the tyre. It can lead to overheating and tyre breakdown. It makes the suspension feel softer, and can make the car's handling sluggish and slow to react to steering input.
Too high a pressure results in uneven wear around the centre of the tread. With less contact on the road it makes wheelspin and skidding more likely, accelerating wear in the high pressure contact area. The car will have very light steering and in some situations it will be over-responsive to steering input and have a propensity to skid.
There are very few circumstances where reducing tyre pressure on the road can be recommended. Not even in snow and ice. However, if towing, or running a heavily laden vehicle it may be a requirement that the tyres are inflated to a higher pressure - see your vehicle owners' handbook for details.
Balancing your wheels is important for several reasons. Firstly, an imbalance in the wheels, especially front, will be felt as a vibration through the steering at some or all speeds. It can increase noise levels and make the car uncomfortable to drive. On the short to long term it can increase mechanical component wear in the track rod ends, ball joints, steering rack and even the wheel bearings can fail. If you have your wheels balanced after a new tyre fit or a puncture repair, be wary of any detrimental changes to your car's "feel", it may need the wheels rebalancing.
Another area that causes increased tyre wear is that of road surfaces. There isn't a great deal that the driver can do, other than be aware that on some road surfaces - even those that appear smooth, there may be a multiplying factor on tyre wear. A worst case example would be that tyres that might do 30,000 miles in the UK, might, under similar driving conditions in some areas of Norway or Sweden only do 20,000 miles or less. This is because the Scandinavian road surfaces are built to offer better surface drainage and grip due to their adverse weather conditions.
Spotting the Faults
Tyre pressure is best checked with the tyres cold, in the morning. Tyres should be inflated to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations. However, when you buy replacement tyres you should check that they need to be inflated to the same level - some tyres operate batter at slightly different pressures.
Balancing. Any feel of vibration should be investigated, and the first stop is wheel balancing. If you are not happy with the response from one tyre fitter, use another.
Alignment is one of the bugbears. Every tyre depot claims to do wheel alignment but many just don't get it right, and that includes some very big names. So watch for uneven tyre wear and at the first sign of poor alignment or you can feel your steering pulling to one side under normal driving on a flat road get your car in and have it checked. You will be told that you may have kerbed the car, hit a pothole or similar, but have it checked by someone you can trust and who lets you see quite clearly what they are doing. If your tyre fitter doesn't use laser alignment then take it somewhere that does, and ask to see the figures.
Accounting for general wear requires tyre rotation. Most owner's manuals show the proper cycle for rotation.
Punctures can sometimes be avoided by removing objects just stuck in the tyre. Beware however, or removing penetrations from inflated tyres. You may be able to drive to a tyre depot with a nail in the tyre. This is because radial tyres have a soft butyl liner that seals around small penetrations to prevent sudden air loss. This minimises the risk of high speed sudden loss of pressure, and it allows a get to safety option. If you remove a screw or nail, the tyre will deflate quickly and you will need a roadside tyre change - not always the best place to do the job.
Tread Depth Law and The Effect of Tread Depth on Tyre Performance
Current tread depth legislation requires that car tyres must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread in a continuous band throughout the central ¾ of the tread width and over the whole circumference of the tyre.
However, despite the law, it is generally recognised in the tyre industry that the legal limit is an extreme. Many tyre manufacturers state that they design tyres to function as well at 1.6mm as they do at 9mm (the accepted normal tread depth when new). That is a surprising statement for any tyre company to make, but some have said just that.
So, if a tyre performs as well at 1.6mm as it does at 9mm, what happens at 1.5mm? Is there a sudden drop in performance? Actually there isn't, because industry testing has shown that when a tyre reaches around 3.5mm in tread depth, the level of performance in the wet, in particular, starts to deteriorate, as does its dry handling characteristics.
The recommended point for change is accepted Europe-wide as being 3mm. So much so that ministerial cars in the UK have their tyres changed at, you guessed it, 3mm.
Why then the current legal limit of 1.6mm? There are several arguments against the change, some of which you may question. One is that the sudden change from 1.6mm to 3mm would have a serious impact on the pockets of hundreds of thousands of motorists who are already struggling to keep their cars on the road. Another is that it would require changing all the tyre moulds in use to increase the tyre wear indicator depth to 3mm. And of course Europe plays a part, as there would not be universal implementation of 3mm tread depth, requiring double standards in production and possibly in policing.
The reality is that since tyres are now a global commodity it would almost require a global adoption of 3mm as a minimum. It doesn't take an Einstein to counter the arguments against 3mm, but until the legislation is in place you can make up your own mind, scrape by on 1.6mm, or be safe on 3mm. Your choice.
But before you make that choice, it might be worth your while having a look at the video indicated at the bottom of this article. It might make you change your mind.
Truck tyres currently have a 1mm legal minimum tread depth - which many are trying to drive up to 1.6mm - for exactly the same reasons as they want to see 3mm for car tyres.
Incidentally - you may wonder why the normal new tread depth is generally around 9mm. This is to do with the slip, ie distortion in a tyre block, and its level of hysteresis. If you take an eraser and holding it vertically, draw it across a desk, you will see that it distorts before it loses grip - that is what we call "slip". If you increase or decrease the length of rubber you are flexing, the slip increases or decreases. It becomes obvious that too much slip would make a vehicle unstable. Remember that the compound is a compromise too and the ratio of slip to tread block and the compound used is all finely tuned. The industry norm is for car, van and SUV treads, 9mm.
The Impact of Tread Depth on Tyre Safety
The braking and grip performance of tyres in wet weather deteriorates considerably once the tread depth reduces below 3mm. This is because the main function of the tread pattern of a tyre is to evacuate water. As the tread depth decreases it gradually loses the ability to evacuate all water from the road surface under the tyre and the car will eventually aquaplane.
Many tyre tests have shown that the wet braking distances of a new tyre compared with a tyre with only 1.6mm of tread left on it are huge and can be the difference between life and death.
Tyre Rotation
There is some dispute over the fitting of a pair of new tyres to a car. Simple logic suggests that the car needs most traction at the drive axle. In some cases that would be true, for instance if you were constantly driving in muddy conditions and needed the grip to keep you moving. However, irrespective of the vehicle, front or rear wheel drive, or even 4x4, the typical vehicle is designed to understeer in skid conditions. That is, it ploughs forwards.Generally, backing off the power and the brakes will recover the vehicle from the skid, though not always.
By putting the grippier tyres on a front wheel drive car, it increases grip at the front, but equally increases the difference in traction/grip between the front and the rear tyres, so the rear tyres lose grip early and as a consequence the car is at risk of going into oversteer. For the average motorist oversteer usually means ending up rear end first into the field (if they are lucky). That argument can also apply to rear wheel drive vehicles, it is not about getting the power down on the tarmac, it is about keeping the rear end of the car in contact with the road.
With four wheel drive vehicles, rotation of tyres is much more important and all four tyres, ideally, should be replaced at the same time. So, location should not be an issue. If it is, the same rule applies, newer tyres to the rear.
Replace your Viva with this one!
6:19 AM
madich
2008 Volkswagen R32 Performance & Efficiency Standard Features
3,189 cc 3.2 liters V 6 front engine with 84.0 mm bore, 95.9 mm stroke, 10.9 compression ratio, double overhead cam, variable valve timing/camshaft and four valves per cylinder
Premium unleaded fuel 91
Multi-point injection fuel system
14.5 gallon main premium unleaded fuel tank 12.1
Power: 186 kW , 250 HP SAE @ 6,300 rpm; 236 ft lb , 320 Nm @ 2,500 rpm
Monday, May 3, 2010
Power air Filter For Your Viva
5:54 PM
madich
Choose your performance air filters
Blitz Sus Filter
The BLITZ 'Sus' Power air filters are made from T304 stainless steel which is totally unique to Blitz. The entire filtration element is made from a fine stainless steel mesh which means the filters never wear out and Blitz claim they have substantially less restriction than any other filter. Some of the other aftermarket filters are made from paper or foam elements, and some do require oiling to maintain their filtration capacity. According to Blitz, this oil gradually disperses into the inlet tracts of an engine, and coats the walls and in particular the air flow sensor, slowly reducing the performance of the vehicle. The Blitz air filters also have the same fine mesh in the top of the filter, which improves the amount of air they can flow, and because the element is 100% metallic, Blitz claim the induction note it produces is similar to a Touring car or group 'A' rally car.
HKS Mega Flow Filters
HKS state that engine power is directly related to the amount of air an engine can take in and expel. Therefore, one of the easiest and least expensive ways to increase the horsepower of any engine is to improve the airflow into the cylinders. However, many products in the marketplace sacrifice air filtration capability for improved air flow characteristics. HKS claim that their High Performance Air Filter Systems offer the ultimate in both air filtration and air flow for maximum engine performance. The elements use a special oil to stop unwanted dirt particles from passing through the multi-layer polyurethane filter. Filters are thrown away when their lifetime has expired and are replaced with new filters, which are inexpensive and easy to replace.
Apexi Power Intake Filter
The Apexi dual funnel Power Intake has evolved from the Apexi Super Intake filter with some subtle refinements in the design and filter element. According to Apexi, this resulted in a 10% reduction in pressure drop by utilizing an upper and lower funnel. The Power Intake reduces air turbulence within the filter and creates smooth air flow into the throttle body. Maintenance is kept to a minimum as this filter is a dry-type air filter and will alleviate the problem of filter oil from "wet" air cleaners, interfering with the air-flow meter.
K & N Filtercharger
K & N use their own unique design unlike others which use a conventional paper or foam material. K & N state that because the dirt particles are trapped inside the passages of foam or paper filters, that they eventually clog, and when this occurs, airflow restriction increases dramatically. The K & N Filtercharger uses a special cotton fabric which is sandwiched between aluminum screen wires. K & N claim that the pleated design provides five times more filtering surface over the element circumference. The filter is then saturated with an air filter oil which attracts particles of dirt and debris which build up on the outside of the filter.
Blitz Sus Filter
The BLITZ 'Sus' Power air filters are made from T304 stainless steel which is totally unique to Blitz. The entire filtration element is made from a fine stainless steel mesh which means the filters never wear out and Blitz claim they have substantially less restriction than any other filter. Some of the other aftermarket filters are made from paper or foam elements, and some do require oiling to maintain their filtration capacity. According to Blitz, this oil gradually disperses into the inlet tracts of an engine, and coats the walls and in particular the air flow sensor, slowly reducing the performance of the vehicle. The Blitz air filters also have the same fine mesh in the top of the filter, which improves the amount of air they can flow, and because the element is 100% metallic, Blitz claim the induction note it produces is similar to a Touring car or group 'A' rally car.
HKS Mega Flow Filters
HKS state that engine power is directly related to the amount of air an engine can take in and expel. Therefore, one of the easiest and least expensive ways to increase the horsepower of any engine is to improve the airflow into the cylinders. However, many products in the marketplace sacrifice air filtration capability for improved air flow characteristics. HKS claim that their High Performance Air Filter Systems offer the ultimate in both air filtration and air flow for maximum engine performance. The elements use a special oil to stop unwanted dirt particles from passing through the multi-layer polyurethane filter. Filters are thrown away when their lifetime has expired and are replaced with new filters, which are inexpensive and easy to replace.
Apexi Power Intake Filter
The Apexi dual funnel Power Intake has evolved from the Apexi Super Intake filter with some subtle refinements in the design and filter element. According to Apexi, this resulted in a 10% reduction in pressure drop by utilizing an upper and lower funnel. The Power Intake reduces air turbulence within the filter and creates smooth air flow into the throttle body. Maintenance is kept to a minimum as this filter is a dry-type air filter and will alleviate the problem of filter oil from "wet" air cleaners, interfering with the air-flow meter.
K & N Filtercharger
K & N use their own unique design unlike others which use a conventional paper or foam material. K & N state that because the dirt particles are trapped inside the passages of foam or paper filters, that they eventually clog, and when this occurs, airflow restriction increases dramatically. The K & N Filtercharger uses a special cotton fabric which is sandwiched between aluminum screen wires. K & N claim that the pleated design provides five times more filtering surface over the element circumference. The filter is then saturated with an air filter oil which attracts particles of dirt and debris which build up on the outside of the filter.
