Challenger Maintenance

One of the best things that you can do for your Hemi engine is to change your oil at the factory recommended intervals, or sooner, and to use a high quality oil filter. Clean motor oil is important because if the oil were left unfiltered for a period of time, it could become saturated with tiny, hard particles that can wear surfaces in your engine. This dirty oil can wear the oil pump’s machined components and damage the bearing surfaces in the engine. Here is how an oil filter works. The...

There has been much discussion if an oil catch can is necessary on a high performance engine. It is my opinion that the relatively modest price (usually about $100) is cheap insurance for your engine. First, let's go over what is currently happening in your engine without a catch can installed. All internal combustion engines that run off gasoline are 4-stroke engines. This means that the piston has to go up and down a total of 4 times to complete a cycle. The piston first goes down with...

My experience arresting the back quarter panel rust issue caused by the foam insulation.

Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) is an environmentally friendly repair method that restores a vehicle’s body to factory-like condition in a fraction of the time at a fraction of the cost. PDR can be used to remove dings and dents from vehicles, as well as creases and hail damage, as long as the paint is not chipped or cracked. Overall, PDR is an excellent alternative to traditional repairs. Each day, PDR technicians across the country safely restore vehicles to their original factory condition...

Synthetic oil is better than conventional oil when it comes to its form and function. Conventional oil could never stand up to synthetic when it comes to longevity and ability to handle extremely high temperatures. That’s why you see full synthetic oils in all race cars. Conventional and synthetic oils begin in the ground. But that’s where the similarities end. Synthetic oil is not only refined but also distilled, purified and broken down into its basic molecules. This process not only...

Almost all of today’s car batteries are "maintenance-free." However, your battery should be load-tested annually once it is 2 years old if you live in a warmer climate, or 4 years old if you live in a colder climate. Doing so tests its ability to hold voltage while being used, and the results will let you know when it’s time to start shopping. In addition, it is a good practice to check the terminals to ensure that the connectors are tight and free from corrosion. Car batteries typically...

The average life of a tire is determined by the conditions a tire is exposed to throughout its life - not measured in calendar years. Temperature changes, sun exposure, storage conditions, usage, and maintenance schedules all contribute to the rate at which a tire ages. It is impossible to determine a tire’s exact life expectancy, because there is no way to account for the level of influence any one of these factors may have on a tire. However, you can defer to the vehicle and tire...

A spark plug is a device for delivering electric current from an ignition system to the cylinders of an engine to ignite a compressed fuel/air mixture. A spark plug has a metal threaded shell, electrically isolated from a central electrode by a porcelain insulator. The central electrode, which may contain a resistor, is connected by a heavily insulated wire to the output terminal of an ignition coil, coil pack or magneto. The plug has an electrode than is well insulated from heat and cross...

Has it ever occurred to you to fill your tires with anything other than air? Because nitrogen is more stable than oxygen, it is commonly used in vehicles that require precise tuning, such as race cars, industrial machinery, aircraft, and spacecraft. That makes some drivers think that nitrogen is a better choice for their daily driver and there could be some truth to that. However, whether or not that’s true for your car depends on a number of factors. Consider that the air we breathe is...

Maintaining tire pressure may seem like a low priority, but keeping the correct air pressure in your tires is an important part of vehicle maintenance. It helps in the following areas: · Safety · Optimizing tire performance · Improving fuel economy · Improving handling and performance while driving · Extending treadwear · Maintaining steering response · Improving cornering ability and stability · Improving steering precision Your tires are properly inflated when they match the...

Alternators were first introduced as standard equipment on a production car by Chrysler for the Valiant model in 1960- several years ahead of Ford and General Motors. They replaced direct current generators (dynamos) because they were lighter, cheaper, more rugged and could provide a useful charge at idle speed. The present-day charging system hasn't changed much since 1960. It consists of the alternator, regulator (which is usually mounted inside the alternator) and the interconnecting...

The biggest enemy of your Challenger’s body is salt (sodium chloride). It can severely detract the appearance of your car and result in costly body work. Unfortunately, if you live in the northern part of the U.S., and your car is a daily driver in the winter, road salt is unavoidable. Parts most at risk from salt damage include the exhaust system, muffler, coil springs, subframe and hydraulic brake system. When saltwater and metal react, a process called electro-chemical corrosion occurs....