Journal

Turbocharged engines breathe hard. Under boost, combustion pressures climb and a small but steady stream of combustion gases slips past the piston rings into…

An engine compression test measures the pressure built up inside each cylinder as the piston travels upward. The numbers reveal whether the rings, valves, and…

Modern engines rely on precise thermal management, and the wrong antifreeze can shorten the life of water pumps, radiators, aluminium cylinder heads and head…

That oil pressure warning light flickering at traffic lights in Melbourne's CBD is never welcome. For many Australian drivers, low pressure at idle creeps up…

Off-road trucks work in conditions that place unusual demands on the crankcase ventilation system. Low-speed climbs, deep sand, towing, high engine loads and…

Australia's love affair with turbocharged petrol engines has changed the way motorists think about maintenance. Direct injection, often abbreviated as GDI or…

Engines with serious kilometres on the clock behave very differently from factory-fresh units, and the ignition system sits near the top of the priority list…

Engine bays across Australia take a beating. From 38°C summers that hit cars parked in Parramatta shopping centre carparks to freezing winter mornings in…

Engine sludge is a thick mixture of oxidised oil, fuel residue, moisture and carbon deposits that can restrict oil flow and reduce lubrication. It commonly…

The mass air flow sensor sits inside the intake tract, measuring the volume and density of air entering the engine so the ECU can calculate the correct fuel…