E3 Spark Plugs News

Hey racers and racing crew! There’s still time to register for the 2013 class of Team E3 Racing Sponsorship Contest winners.

E3 Spark Plugs is looking for up-and-coming racing competitors and pit crew members who want to rev up their careers. And as long as it has an engine, it doesn’t matter what you race. Our inaugural class of Team E3 Racing members head for the finish line piloting everything from high-dollar speed boats to riding lawn mowers. Crew competitors have been racing team owners, pit crew managers and mechanics.

We want to hear from career hopefuls who understand not just the track side, but the business and promotions side of professional racing, too. If you’re chosen as a Team E3 Racing winner, you’ll get a publicity boost via the E3 Spark Plugs website blog and Facebook fan page. Plus, we’ll send you $500 in cash, 16 E3 Spark Plugs, and official E3 apparel and decals for you, your team and your ride.

But time is running out. To enter, make sure you’re a fan of the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page. Then, click the “Sponsorship Contest” tab, complete the form and click “Submit.” You’ve got until 11:59 p.m. on January 31 to enter (be sure to read all the rules and regs). We’ll announce the winners in February.

Good luck!

Oh, no - What's that noise?! E3 Spark Plugs can help you decipher the message your car is sending via those pops, screetches and clunks.

You know that sinking-in-your-stomach feeling when you first hear that weird clinking, popping or screeching sound emanating from somewhere in your vehicle while cruising down the highway? Yeah – we hate that feeling too. Some of those noises simply serve as maintenance reminders. Others are signs something is seriously wrong. Don’t cover your ears in denial. Find out what your car is trying to tell you fast, before the damage and the costs rack up.

E3 Spark Plugs shares a few tips on deciphering just what that weird noise might be:

• Squealing brakes: This may just mean there is dirt on the brake rotors, drums pads or shoes. But it also can be a red flag that some component of your brakes is worn or defective.
• Scraping rear brakes: Your brake shoes may be worn.
• Clunking brakes: Could be as simple as the disc brake caliper being improperly mounted, but also could be an indication of damaged brake hardware or worn steering system components.
• Hissing engine: Quick! Check your temperature gauge. Your engine may be overheating. If so, pull over immediately and call a tow truck. That hissing may also mean you’ve got a leak in your coolant or air/vacuum hoses.
• Popping engine: A popping noise coming from your engine can be caused by a myriad of problems including a dirty air filter, clogged fuel filter, dirty or worn spark plugs, damaged spark plug wires, water in your gasoline or ignition trouble.
• Popping from the exhaust: Your fuel injectors may be leaking or you might have a leak in your exhaust.
• Ticking engine: Your valves may be stuck or simply need a little adjusting. But it also could be an indication that your engine oil level or pressure is low or that engine sludge is keeping the oil from circulating properly.
• Squealing engine: If you hear a squeal while you’re accelerating, chances are you’ve got a loose belt or your engine’s drive pulleys are misaligned.
• Screeching steering: Can your neighbor hear you coming from six blocks away when you turn the corner? That screech likely means that your power steering belt is slipping; your steering linkage is damaged, loose or dry; or that your suspension pieces are worn.
• Clicking wheels: Check for a loose hubcap or a small object (such as a pebble) lodged in your hubcap or tire tread.

Whatever noise you’re hearing, E3 Spark Plugs highly recommends getting it checked out as early as possible. Some of these noises are indications of minor troubles that can be inexpensive to fix early on, but ultimately very costly if ignored.

Is your ride ready for the fall and winter seasons? E3 Spark Plugs has seven easy DIY auto maintenance tips.

Temps are dropping and the sun’s going down earlier. The onset of the fall season means it’s time to ready your ride for the coming winter. E3 Spark Plugs recommends these six easy auto maintenance tips for the DIY mechanic.

1. Change your windshield wiper blades: You’ll use yours more often in the fall and winter time, so it’s best to start the season with a fresh set. Don’t forget that back blade if you drive a hatchback, station wagon or SUV with a rear window wiper.
2. Check your spare tire: Spare tires often are an out-of-sight, out-of-mind item but when you need yours, it’s critical that it’s in good shape. Tire pressure typically drops one PSI (pound per square inch) for every 10 degree drop in temperature, so check yours weekly as winter sets in. If the spare tire for your pickup truck or SUV is housed beneath your vehicle, try lowering, then raising it to make sure the cable mechanism that holds it is working properly. A good dose of WD-40 and lubing with white lithium grease each fall helps keep it working smoothly.
3. Check and top off all fluids: Topped off windshield wiper fluid, brake fluid and antifreeze levels are a must. Replace your windshield washer fluid with a solvent that’s suited for cold weather use. Top off the antifreeze in your coolant recovery reservoir and make sure you’re using the correct type. Orange and green coolants cannot be mixed. As brakes wear, a minor drop in your brake fluid level is normal. If you see a significant drop, it may be a sign of a leak or other problem in your braking system. Get to the mechanic before the roads ice up.
4. Replace the air filter: If your air filter is clogged, your vehicle’s fuel economy, performance and emissions suffer. And all that means money out of your pocket. We recommend changing your car’s or truck’s air filter twice a year.
5. Check your battery terminals: Lots of ignition and electrical problems start with loose or corroded battery connections. The time it takes you to tighten them and the $4 you’ll spend on a brush to clean them is a lot easier and cheaper than dealing with bigger issues down the road.
6. Check your lights: Shorter periods of sunlight make it tougher for you to see other vehicles on the road, and tougher for them to see you too.
7. Check your spark plugs: Worn, fouled or cracked spark plugs can cause misfires, muddle your car’s performance and eat up its fuel economy. E3 car spark plugs, truck spark plugs, Jeep spark plugs and motorcycle spark plugs assure better mileage, better performance and a cleaner ride.

Got more DIY tips for fall/winter auto maintenance? Leave us a comment on the E3 Spark Plugs blog or our E3 Spark Plugs Facebook fan page.

Camp Jeep at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show

If you’ll be in the New York City area later this month, E3 Spark Plugs recommends making time for the New York International Auto Show April 22-May 1 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It’s more than 846,000 square feet of all the stuff of an auto buff’s dream. Nearly 1,000 of the latest and greatest in cars, trucks, SUVS, minivans and motorcycles make up the “world’s largest showroom” and America’s oldest auto exhibition. More than a million auto enthusiasts pack the house each year for a look at what’s new on the highways, not just in looks, but in the latest automotive technology, safety and environmental enhancements.

With a rich history as the nation’s first automotive exhibition (the show debuted in 1900), the New York International Auto Show has lots to offer visitors this year. Our favorite: Camp Jeep! You’ll think you stepped right into a theme park when you see Camp Jeep’s 25,000-square-foot interactive off-road display. Professional drivers take show-goers along on a five-minute ride through or over mountains, fallen logs, large rocks, steep hills and water features in an effort to show off the latest Jeep models’ ground clearance, traction, stability, articulation and suspension. No doubt you’ll finish the ride wanting to run to your nearest Jeep dealer. Just be sure you outfit your new ride with E3 Jeep spark plugs.

The DUB Super Series Custom Auto Show April 29-May 1 gives a glimpse at some of the hottest custom cars, trucks, SUVs and motorcycles, plus 2011′s newest wheels, body kits, performance parts, interior mods and sound systems. Classic car buffs should not miss the LeMay Museum Exhibit. And if you’re taking the little tykes along, they’ll get a kick out of getting their pictures taken with the characters from Disney/Pixar’s “Cars 2” movie. A career fair is free to students on Tuesday and Wednesday. NBA legend and former New York Knick Earl Monroe signs autographs on Saturday, April 30th.

If you haven’t yet bought your tickets or booked your hotel room, E3 Spark Plugs recommends you get a move on. This event is one of New York’s biggest. Enjoy!

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

We sell a lot of E3 jeep spark plugs and our Jeep Grand Cherokee-driving customers are among the proudest. Well, those Jeep lovers just nabbed bragging rights. Editors of Decisive Auto magazine and a panel of 15 independent automotive journalists named the new Jeep Grand Cherokee the “2011 Urban Truck of the Year.”

The honor is the latest in an already impressive list of accolades for the Jeep’s new premium SUV. Other kudos include:

• Consumers Digest “Best Buy”
• Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Off-Road Ability
• Texas Auto Writers Association “SUV of Texas”
• Texas Auto Writers Association “Full-size SUV of Texas”
• Ruedas ESPN “Best SUV”
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Top Safety Pick

“While faithfully capturing the spirit of its predecessor, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is new and improved in every way,” said Decisive Auto Editor-in-Chief Lyndon Bell. “The Jeep’s over-the-road dynamics easily rivals that of its competitors’ less capable crossover vehicles. Meanwhile, the Jeep is also perfectly proficient at traversing any terrain. Luxurious interior appointments – along with the fact that drivers aren’t penalized into accepting a lower trim level if they opt for the more fuel-efficient engine – speaks volumes to the way Jeep’s engineers and product planners incorporated 21st century realities into America’s most iconic SUV.

Judges spent several months driving dozens of vehicles in multiple North American urban settings and focused on attributes including styling, practicality and attainability. The new Jeep Grand Cherokee is built on a Mercedes M-class platform and comes with two engine options: a 3.6-liter aluminum V-6 that gets 280 horsepower, and a 5.7-liter V-8 Hemi that adds 80 horses and towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds. It features a tighter suspension and better insulation (including a new firewall separating the engine and cabin) for a quieter, more comfortable ride. A smoother, sleeker interior offers four more inches of legroom and adjustable seatbacks for back-seat passengers. A rotary dial operates Jeep’s new Selec-Terrain system and a tight 39-foot turning radius makes parking and U-turns a cinch. Base price is about $30,995.

The Urban Vehicles of the Year will be formally presented at the 15th Annual Urban Wheel Awards on January 9, leading into the North American International Auto Show at the COBO Center in Detroit, Michigan. Get your tickets or credentials for the Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview or Public Show quickly. And if you drive a Jeep, be sure you give them a performance boost with a set of E3 Jeep spark plugs.