what do different colored exhaust smokes coming out of exhaust pipe mean?? Diagnose this problem at PartsAvatar.

Learn how toquickly check your car’s health from the color of the smoke emitted by your car exhaust – Tips from Partsavatar Aftermarket Parts.

You can easily determine an auto malfunction from the smoke emissions. It is definitely time to pay attention to your car if you notice smoke of different colors emitting from exhaust tailpipe.

Not all type of smokes determine auto malfunction. In some cases, if you notice a large amount of smoke coming out of car exhaust pipe, you would more or less consider that something is wrong with your car’s engine. But it is to be noted that it is not always the same case. Not all automotive problems can be detected from smoke types. But still, how do you know that the smoke is ruining your engine? When do you think is the time to visit the mechanic once you notice smoke?

Parts Avatar gives you the answer. In this article, we shall differentiate between different colored auto smokes that you must be familiar with along with their causes.

What are the Causes of Smoke?

First and foremost let us know why the smoke is produced before analyzing different colors of smoke. If there is some problem with the engine that produces smoke, that smoke makes its exit through the exhaust.

Sometimes, fire under the hood produces engine smoke and in the worst case flames may start coming out which could lead to a disaster. Do yourself a favor and get far away from your car if you notice something like this. It is foolish decision to keep on driving as it will eventually become risky for your safety.

Oil dripping from leaking valve cover gasket into the hot manifold may also produce smoke. You will also notice oil pooling under the car or the driveway if the leak is large.You can replace car valve cover gasket under aftermarket prices which are quite cheap.

So, not always there is issue with engine. But to begin with, smoke is not a good sign. Hand over your car to a certified technician and let him figure out what to do. Now let us discuss causes of different colored smoke emitted out of exhaust.

White Exhaust Smoke

Sometimes small amount of condensed vapors come out of exhaust in the form of white smoke. It is not that dangerous though. Vapors quickly dissipate in the atmosphere after exiting car exhaust tailpipe. But if your car is producing frequent thick white smoke, then it might be alarming.There is possibility that coolant might be burning inside the internal combustion chamber. There are various causes behind this as follows.

Cylinder Head

As the combustion chamber is located in the cylinder head, most explosive processes take place in here.Engine misfires are always caused due to cracks in cylinder head.

The crack in the cylinder head causes the coolant to enter the combustion chamber.

Due to too much heat inside the chamber, overheating can be caused. Due to immense heat, a lot of stress is put on cylinder head. As the cooling system has already failed and pressure has been built, this whole scenario causes the head gasket to malfunction and the cylinder head starts to crack. When the mixture of coolant and fuel is burnt for combustion process, it produces white smoke.

Auto Cylinder heads are one of the car’s costly repairs. Your car may need complete replacement of cylinder head. If the cylinder heads are ignored, by time the damage is so big that you might need to consider buying a new car.

Blown Head Gasket

The basic purpose of head gasket is to seal the block and the cylinder head. Often a damaged head gasket or cracks in the engine block makes passage for the coolant to enter the combustion chamber and get mixed with the fuel. Thus white smoke is produced. car's engine Head gaskets are cheap to purchase but at the same time costly when it comes to the labor.

Cracked engine block

A crack in the deck of engine block near the coolant jacket will cause the coolant to enter the combustion chamber.Cracked engine block can become a grave problem for your car’s engine. It is virtually impossible to repair a cracked engine block. Engine block supports almost all the components of the engine.

A crack in the block will cause huge leakages making your car emit white smoke. It is better to get an engine replacement as a whole.

It is to be noted that emission of white smoke is the first sign of engine overheating problem.Overheating of engine can lead to massive auto component damage under the hood. So call your mechanic immediately.

Gray/Blue Exhaust Smoke

A malfunctioning turbocharger or burning of oil in the combustion chamber can cause the exhaust to emit blue smoke.You might need to replace turbocharger of your car if it is faulty.These are possible symptoms.

Transmission fluid leakage

The transmission fluid used by your vehicle’s transmission might be leaking and getting mixed with the oil or fuel and getting burnt. A malfunctioning transmission vacuum modulator may be the culprit here which is causing the leakage and burning.

Leaking Valve stem seal

The valve stems regulate the oil to lubricate the guides in the chamber. Grey emissions might be produced due to faulty stem seals as they make the way for the oil to enter the combustion chamber. The best way is to either replace Auto Valve stem seal set or just replace the engine if the damage is quite big. Worn or damaged piston rings, damaged valve guides also cause grey smoke to be emitted out of the exhaust.Replace car's piston rings in combustion chamber too.

Stuck PCV Valve

Blue or gray smoke could also be produced due to immense crankcase pressure caused by the stuck PCV Valve. Stuck valve may cause oil leakage into the chamber thus producing grey fumes. If they are loose, tighten PCV Valve of car and check whether the smoke persists. Otherwise call your mechanic for better advice.

Black Exhaust Smoke

Burning of excessive fuel in the engine often causes the black exhaust smoke to emit. This means that too much gas is entering the chamber but only small amount of fuel is being burnt. In this case fill your gas tank with relevant amount of fuel. Let us take a look at some other causes.

Dirty Air filter

The air filter allows the oxygen to enter the combustion chamber and blocks other substances from entering the chamber. But if it is clogged, less air is allowed in the chamber resulting in your car burning too much fuel with small amount of oxygen which results in black smoke. It is better to replace the car air filter if you notice any symptom of malfunction.

Faulty Fuel Pressure Regulator

Our car’s fuel system is designed to work in different range of pressures.The fuel pressure regulator controls the pressure with which your car runs. A faulty regulator may cause the pressure to fluctuate and if it falls too low then there may not be enough fuel reaching the engine to start it. Replace the fuel pressure regulator if necessary.

Clogged Fuel injectors

Fuel injectors are the devices that are used to spray small amount of atomized gasoline into the vehicle’s Engine intake manifold which is meant to mix with the oxygen to start your car’s engine. A faulty fuel injector will cause too much fuel to leak inside the chamber which in turn produces black smoke. The remedy is to repair the auto fuel injectors.

Fuel Return

A restricted fuel return line allows too much fuel to be dissipated for combustion purposes. If the amount of fuel for combustion is higher than normal, more fuel will be burnt and the rate of burnt gases leaving the combustion chamber will also increase resulting in black smoke.

Burning excessive fuel will affect your car’s fuel economy. So pay attention to what it needs to ensure more miles for your car.

Bottom line

If your vehicle is running on too much oil, engine is burning too much oil or if you notice oil or coolant leakage, then there is a possibility that your engine is malfunctioning.

Smoke depicts that the car is in distress. Always diagnose what needs to be repaired and beware of the fake auto repair shops. Take advice from a professional or even take second opinion. Don’t wait for the engine light to flash.

Keep an eye on the smoke emitter by your car’s exhaust and keep proper level of Auto transmission fluid and coolant of car in your car.

For best deal of aftermarket Auto parts visit Partsavatar.ca.

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AfterMarket Parts Vs OEM? Learn if OEM car Parts are worth the Extra Money!

Partsavatar believes in providing its valuable customers with best car parts. For auto parts replacement you have two options- Aftermarket and OEM. Make the best decision for your car by going through this article.

When you want to buy auto parts for your car, you have several options like Aftermarket and OEM. Buying the best car part is your first priority because it not only ensures best performance but also ensures safety for you on the road.

 In this article let us explore, what these two terms mean and how reliable these are for vehicle’s performance.

Original Equipment Manufacturer or OEM auto parts are made by the car’s manufacturer. These auto parts match the specification of your vehicle.

Whereas, aftermarket parts are produced by different companies other than the real manufacturer. You have a wide option of brands in this case and buying and selling is also easy. There are numerous companies that design or produce auto parts separately that perform same function than the OEM or even better.

There is a lot of argument going on this topic , so lets differentiate both terms in easy manner and learn their pros and cons.

Aftermarket

The aftermarket is actually remanufacturing, retailing, distributing and even installing the vehicle parts and accessories that are not produced by the original manufacturer.

The consumers can either repair their auto vehicle by themselves by going through do it yourself manuals or take mechanic or professionals help.

Aftermarket always involves the third party auto parts manufacturer yet the functions are same and the prices are quite cheap and affordable as compared to OEM.

Nowadays, aftermarket auto parts are quite in trend. A lot of online stores like PartsAvatar Canada provide reliable purchasing at your doorsteps. People are often interested in buying an aftermarket auto part rather going to real manufacturer. It is a very rare case or for exceptional car parts, the consumer chooses OEM auto parts.

There are certain benefits of aftermarket parts as follows

Less expensive

The very first reason for choosing aftermarket over OEM is that they provide better quality auto parts under cheap prices. Aftermarket retail shops and websites offer cost saving and convenient auto products. The price can vary with the brand you are choosing and most importantly you can see all the specifications of that brand and hence selecting is quite easy as everything is in front of you.

Due to free shipping offered by some online retail stores like Partsavatar, your time and travelling expenses are also saved. You cannot compromise for quality for low price, so you can research for that brand on internet for quality check as aftermarket always sells registered brands.

Variety

Aftermarket is all about variety of brands. You have so many options available that sometimes it really becomes difficult to choose. Specific companies make specific parts like Monroe. If you are confused regarding selection of a best auto part, it is better to take advice from your trusted mechanic. Always choose what fits your vehicle more precisely.

High Quality

Aftermarket auto parts stores generally try to provide high quality auto parts equal to or more than the OEM ones. Quality is the thing that cannot be compromised, so there foremost purpose is to sell best quality parts even better than the original one.

While looking for quality, also look for better warranty offered by the company. It is wise to take advice of a professional to make a better choice.

Many aftermarket performance parts are available under high quality and also in fashion as auto Brake pads, radiator of car, Remanufactured auto Alternators, cars' control arm etc.

Many expensive repair auto parts are also available in aftermarket like car's Oxygen sensors, auto Head gasket sets etc.

Cons

The main con that is evident is due to its main pro that is vast variety. Due to so much variety, you have a large option, if you are ignorant of the brand or the part then it may create issue for you.

Sometimes, we pick cheap priced auto part other than more costly one. Its better to take advice of your mechanic or search for the brands reliability before ordering anything.

Another con is the warranty. Some auto parts do not provide warranty though they are high performance parts than the original one. So warranty causes issues sometimes for expensive or delicate products.

OEM

OEM parts are manufacturer produced. Your car dealership offers these parts as they are same as the ones in your vehicle. These parts are quite expensive. Let us read about major benefits and cons of these over aftermarket auto products.

Warranty

OEM parts provide warranty. Most automakers provide one year warranty with their parts.

Easy selection

As you have to buy the exact auto part for replacement, so the choice has nothing to do here. You just go to the dealership’s parts counter and get the desired one easily. You don’t even have to worry about quality or price of auto part.

Quality Assurance

Quality is assured as the OEM part works the same as the previous part so you are familiar with the quality.

Cons

Even though you purchase OEM product thinking that it will be far better than the aftermarket one, but sometimes you may not get what you wished for. Sometimes you are just paying money for bigger brand names. Aftermarket products produce quality equal or more than that of OEM. So you should be careful.

OEM parts are very expensive. Its price is not something you can bargain so you will have to pay for fixed cost. Auto parts like Catalytic converters are quite expensive to replace due to their delicate design.

As aftermarket provides shipping facilities, so is not with OEM. You will have to visit the dealership to shop for desired product. You will also have to pay for the costly labour to fit that part there.

Bottom-line?

If you are familiar with the brands and their working reliability, then you can easily choose aftermarket products. But make sure quality should not be compromised because, repair is always done to get better performance out of your vehicle and quality is the one factor that can assure it.

It is wise to research the aftermarket brand before making decision. Or if you are still ignorant and confused it is better to stick to OEM for your satisfaction.

If you have selected the aftermarket option, then visit PartsAvatar for best brand and cheap priced replacement Auto parts for your vehicle.

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Is Engine light flashing on? Check what it could be indicating to @Partsavatar.ca

Determine various causes of flashing “check engine light” on your dashboard.

Check engine light indicator is the most misunderstood indicator on your car’s dashboard. Most of the times you start to freak out when you see engine light flashing because the exact cause is unknown. You wonder what went wrong with your engine or other component.

Rather than stopping your car on one side of road and calling a tow truck, it’s better to diagnose the problem yourself. “Check engine light” is very confusing indicator with no information telling you what the problem is.

Do not ignore the warning. You could end up damaging other auto parts along with the damaged one too.  In this article we would read about check engine light and its significance and how to know what exactly is wrong with your car when it flashes on.

Check engine light is very confusing, so it is important to know what it means exactly. Check engine light is basically a part of your car’s Onboard Diagnostics system. It is basically an indicator to indicate malfunctioning of a computerized engine management system. It is meant to indicate troubles with the engine, charging system and breakdown. 

When it finds a problem in electronic control system that it can’t correct, the computer turns on the indicator of check engine light. In the garage, when the mechanic places a small computer underneath the dashboard it reads back the problem stated in the indicator.

Let us have a look at some common malfunctions that cause the engine light to come on.

OXYGEN SENSOR

Oxygen sensor generally monitors the amount of unburned oxygen from the exhaust. The sensor sends its data to the system computer which then uses this data to maintain right amount of air fuel mixture for maximum performance of the engine.

A faulty sensor can cause bad fuel mileage because it is not sending enough data to the computer. Engines that have bad oxygen sensors often run roughly.

There are many reasons that could contribute to a bad oxygen sensor. Over time oxygen sensors may get depleted by sulfur, lead, fuel additives, oil ash etc. this contamination causes the sensor to lose its ability to produce voltage and send right signal or data to the computer. Bad emission system and low quality gasoline may also speed up oxygen sensor failure.

You can change the faulty oxygen sensor at aftermarket prices here. You can take a professional’s help to install it.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER

Catalytic converter is one of the most expensive component of the exhaust system and extremely prone to theft. Their main job is to reduce the exhaust gases. These converters convert harmful gases like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide to less harmful hydrocarbons.

Strange performance of your car and loud noises may indicate bad catalytic converter. Lack of regular maintenance and servicing, failed oxygen sensor or spark plugs may lead to a bad catalytic converter. The replacement of catalytic converter may cost of a lot of dollars. It is better to resort to regular servicing.

But if it is a grave need to replace a catalytic converter then you can also opt for aftermarket catalytic converters accessories of car because your car’s manufacturer produced converters may cost near $2000.

MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR

auto Mass air flow sensor is used to find mass flow rate of air entering a fuel injected combustion engine. The air- fuel ratio can be controlled precisely, if the sensor is used in conjunction with the oxygen sensor.

These sensors use live wire to monitor and measure airflow. It tells the computer to add proper amount of fuel based on air coming through the engine.

Improper MAF sensors can lead to decreased fuel economy, stalling and rough idling of the vehicle and increased emissions. When you encounter such problem it is wise to replace MAF sensors as they are not that expensive as compared to catalytic converters.  These can be removed and cleaned. You can also use second option of replacing your car’s air filter first.

This is because air filter has direct impact on MAF sensors. The dust and dirt in the air filter could be accumulating on the sensor thus reducing its performance and hence triggering the check engine light.

SPARK PLUGS

Spark plugs are very important for your car to start. They provide ignition to the fuel. To do so, spark even has to jump across at little gap. By time, spark plugs may get damaged in the form of expanded gaps for the sparks to cross.

Thus worn spark plugs can cause ignition problems, decreasing fuel economy or damage to other internal systems. Spark plugs often misfire, when the plugs are failing. Your car just won’t start without spark plugs.

As soon as you encounter the problem of spark plugs, get them changed immediately. It is cheap and easy to change them. You can also shop for aftermarket auto spark plugs at cheap prices.

GAS CAP

A missing or damaged gas cap may cause the gas to evaporate. If you are out of gas often than usual, then this trivial thing could be the problem maker for you.

The gas cap may have been cracked or just wasn’t tightened well enough. auto Gas caps can be replaced easily on cheap prices. Even a quick twist on the cap could save you from heavy expenses.

Your check engine light may be a sign of seriously spooky engine troubles. These are only some of common possibilities, and there are plenty out there. Do something about the engine light, before it gets too late.

For aftermarket shopping of auto parts at affordable prices visit Partsavatar.ca.

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Save your hard earned cash and Upgrade your car with aftermarket performance auto parts available at Partsavatar.ca

Know how to transform your old car into a new one by upgrading to new aftermarket auto parts and refresh your driving experience.

For performance modification, buying an updated high tech car is not the only option. One can easily upgrade their old car with aftermarket products with the help of standard tools available at garage. You can easily upgrade your old car with aftermarket performance auto products available at Parts avatar under your budget. It is easy enough to transform your car and you can install the parts in your own garage. Thus, you can save your hard earned money that you might have shed on professionals or mechanics.

Some people think of performance upgrading as increasing fuel economy of a car. People want to ride an economical and enjoyable car that they can drive in every condition and weather without causing much damage. Today what we want more in a car is power, better handling and smooth riding in any temperature.

Like we adapt to the environment we live in, same is with the car and the driver. The driver knows the best what his/her car needs the most. It is not only the things mentioned above like power but it can be acceleration, fuel consumption, interior or anything you are not satisfied with. You can one by one enhance your car with performance parts and figure out the improvement in your car’s performance. In this way you will easily know which part need up gradation the most. If you love to do things at once then your mechanic will do your job for you on heavy cash.

Let’s have a look at some parts that we can upgrade.

TIRES

Tires are those parts of a vehicle that have direct contact with the road. If you want to experience better handling and steering, then you can start with a good set of tires. Tires though are overlooked, but they are very important because if you don’t have quality rubber and adequate traction in your tire, they are more prone to wear issues. You should also regularly check air pressure of tires. Doing so can save you from upcoming danger.

Falken Azansis, Bridgestone Potenza, Michelin Pilot Super Sport are some of the brands that offer best ranged tires with specialized tread patterns.

EXHAUST UPGRADE

The better your car breathes, the better it runs. You can improve the intake and exhaust thus enabling the air to run freely. It not only reduces noises but also improves engine’s efficiency. Cold air intake supplies the engine more condensed air to work properly. So you can update various expensive exhaust system components like catalytic converters and direct fit converters of car available at aftermarkets on affordable prices.

Some of air intake best brands are Spectre Performance, K & N and AFE Power etc and for exhaust system components are Remus, Borla and Magnaflow etc.

SPARK PLUGS

car's Spark plugs wear out by time and force the ignition coil to do more work to produce hotter spark. Sparks and wires are quite cheap. Better quality of spark will ensure better combustion and eventually better power and fuel economy of your vehicle. If we are talking about increasing fuel economy then fuel filter cannot be over looked. A dirty fuel filter can damage your car’s fuel economy. So replacing car's fuel filter at aftermarket price is quite cheap and also essential for car. You can change it once every 15000 miles.

Denso iridium racing, NGK iridium IX and Bosch double iridium spark plugs are one of the high performance aftermarket spark plugs available.

STRUT BARS             

For the stability of your vehicle while making turns and rolling over bumps, you need strong Strut bars. In this way you can enhance the suspension system of your car indirectly.

BUSHINGS AND SWAY BARS

Factory rubber bushings help kill the vibrations in your car created either by suspension or engine and chassis. Rubber bushings frequently wear out. Polyurethane bushings are long lasting and do better job of killing vibrations and minimizing weight transfer.

Daystar, Prothane and Energy Suspension are some of the reckoned brands of Polurethane bushings.

The handling is damaged generally due to weight transfer and body rolls while leaning too much on taking turns. car's Sway bars connect right side wheels with left side wheels thus balancing the handling of the car.

Hellwig, Eibach and hotchkis provide good range of sway bars.

ENGINE CONTROL UNIT

The engine control unit is a factory manufactured device that is used to control the air- fuel mixture in the engine for optimization of power and efficiency. By reprogramming the ECU, we can help return better gas mileage and performance to our car.

APR ECU Flash, AEM EMS-4 and SCT Performance X4 power flash programmer are some of the best programmable engine management system that can be deployed in the car.

HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLIGHTS

The safety of driving especially during nighttime is wholly dependent on head lights of the vehicle. We can control our steering and push the brakes on day time but at night time without head lights it is near about impossible to see the objects on the road especially on cold or foggy regions.

For a bright and better visibility you can opt for HID headlights that are easily available online. You can also opt for projector based HIDs for a more refined lighting experience if you find simple HIDs too bright.

SHORT SHIFTERS

Short shifters minimize the distance the shifter has to travel and time it takes to select the next gear. Short shifter provides pure performance enhancement to your car. TVM Performance, Hurst and B&M racing and performance provide some of the best short shifters for fun and fast driving experience.

WARRANTIES

You can safely update your car without voiding the warranty. You can ask your service advisor about this. Review the terms of the warranty to easily understand your limitations.

By law, for a dealer to deny warranty service, he must prove that your modification materially damaged your car or it was broken at the time of replacement. In most cases, these changes won’t hurt your car so if you want you can do modifications prudently.

Convert your “to do” list into “got done” list with these mentioned mods. The basic formula for a modification is to research and do deep study on your car. You have to understand the need of your car rather going after luxuries and flashy interiors. So give it a go and change your old vintage into new Mercedes.

You can also purchase performance aftermarket auto parts at Partsavatar.ca at very lucrative prices.

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