E3 Spark Plugs News

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.

Let me gues... E3 Spark Plugs lists the top 10 reasons your car breaks down.

So you’re on the side the road again, hoping your cell phone battery will hold out long enough for you to get through a phone call with the tow trucker, dad, significant other, best friend, neighbor, guy you met in the bar last night, or whomever else you can think of who might be willing to give you a lift home. E3 Spark Plugs probably knows why you’re there. Here are our top ten reasons for auto breakdowns:

1. You’ve got a bum battery. Small trips can be a big drain on a battery. Make sure your car gets an extended run every few weeks. It’s a great excuse for a fun day trip.
2. You lost your keys. Again. Make several copies of your car keys. Keep one in your purse or wallet, another at your home and one or two with a trusted family member, friend or neighbor.
3. Your tire went flat. Check your tires weekly to make sure the tread remains deep and your tires remain adequately aired up.
4. You’ve got a damaged distributor cap. Damp conditions can play a part in this little fiasco if your distributor cap happens to be cracked or otherwise damaged. It can cause a high voltage short circuit, preventing the spark from reaching your spark plugs.
5. You’ve got a faulty alternator. Check for a worn drive belt or a wonky connection.
6. You’ve got fuel trouble. Were you paying attention at the gas station? Accidentally filling up (even just a little) with diesel gas instead of regular can damage your engine.
7. Your clutch cable is shot. A clutch cable engages every single time you change gears. Eventually, it will wear out and, unfortunately, it doesn’t always give you any warning.
8. Your spark plugs have lost their spark. If they’re misfiring or just not sparking, they may be fouled. You may be able to give them a good cleaning and re-install. But if they’re worn or cracked, you may have to switch them out for new ones.
9. Your HT leads have fizzled out. HT leads deliver high voltage currents to your spark plugs. Long periods of repeated temperature cycling can deteriorate them and cause them to fail without warning.
10. Your starter won’t start. Your starter may be shot, but it could also be a bad battery, worn battery cables, broken starter mounting bolts, a stuck neutral safety switch, the starter solenoid or armature.

If you suspect it’s your spark plugs, be sure to check our online cross reference catalog to choose the right spark plugs for your vehicle.

Pro MotoX racer Ashley Fiolek and SuperX champ Jeremy McGrath appear in Honda's "The Undying Dream" documentary short.

A while back, E3 Spark Plugs introduced our blog readers “The Power of Dreams,” Honda’s amazingly inspiring short documentary series. Indy car racer Danica Patrick appeared in one installment titled “Failure: The Secret to Success.”With another browse through the series’ website, we recently spotted other familiar faces are in the mix.

Pro Motocross racer Ashley Fiolek and Supercross champion Jeremy McGrath – both Honda racers, appear in a six-minute piece titled “The Undying Dream,” which parallels their own quests to become racing royalty with Honda’s quest to create increasingly energy-efficient, clean vehicles.

“As the energy shortage becomes more critical, there will be a shift for everyone to use public transportation instead of personal mobility,” says Honda Motor Co. President and CEO Takanobu Ito. “But that’s not our goal. We want to guarantee the freedom and the joy of personal mobility into the future.”

“The Undying Dream” also shows early home video of a three-year-old Fiolek already on the tracks, and of pro surfing king Laird Hamilton, who talks of growing up wanting to be a world famous wave rider and of conquering the famed Millenium wave.

“I know I can do it. I know I can achieve my goals,” says Fiolek about her drive to become the first woman to qualify for a men’s national race. “That’s a good feeling, to be first and to be successful.”

“It’s a battle between me and me,” adds McGrath, talking about the quest to continually improve his racing. “When you’re battling to be the best, you’re battling with yourself.”

You’ll also see some great vintage video of early Honda motorcycles that’ll have you reminiscing about your own first bike. But mostly, it’ll leave you feeling inspired. Have you seen any of Honda’s “The Power of Dreams” series? Which is your favorite? Has it inspired you to make a change, set a goal or implement a plan? E3 Spark Plugs wants to hear your thoughts. Leave us a comment on the E3 Spark Plugs website blog or on our Facebook fan page.

Suzuki's Brett Metcalfe claimed his first Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship overall win in the 450cc class at Southwick, MA.

Neither rain nor snow nor Hurricane Irene could keep the 450cc motocross riders from delivering the mail at the Moto-X 338 track over the rain-soaked weekend at Southwick, MA. Storms rolled in early Saturday morning and each group’s lap times continued to soar as track conditions progressively deteriorated throughout the practice sessions. However, once the premier class of the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship class took to the track, well things just got stranger by the lap.

At the end of the day, a rookie 450 rider would have claimed his first ever win in only his second race, a seasoned veteran would have claimed his first ever overall victory, a former points leader would sit dejected on the sideline with a broken bike, and the defending class champion would mount a come-from-behind ride that legends are made of. That’s right. Honda’s Justin Barcia led wire to wire in Moto 2 to claim his first win in the big bike class. Popular Aussie Brett Metcalfe claimed his first overall victory aboard his Rockstar/Makita Suzuki. Multi-time class champion Chad Reed’s DNFs in both motos would essentially eliminate the TwoTwo Motorsports rider from the 2011 championship chase.

Oh yeah, did we mentioned that first-moto winner Ryan Dungey put on a mind-blowing performance in Moto 2 after his Suzuki arrived at the starting line about a minute and half after the rest of the field took the green flag. Yep, the kind of stuff legends are made of. Dungey mounted his Rockstar/Makita Suzuki in 40th position almost a lap down to the leaders and went to work to salvage his opportunity for a second AMA 450cc MX championship. With points leader Ryan Villopoto on cruise control, Dungey made it look simple. Just go faster than everyone else and never say die.

When the checkered flag flew, Dungey was in seventh place just two positions behind Villopoto. With his win in Moto 1, Dungey would finish the day losing but a single point to his Kawasaki rival and now trails Villopoto by eight points with only two rounds remaining. Reed’s dismal performance leaves the Honda rider 65 points out of the lead. So, the stage is set for E3 spark plugs racing fans to catch the final two AMA pro outdoor motocross races at Steel City raceway outside Pittsburg, PA, and Pala raceway in the southern California desert. Don’t forget to pick up a box of E3 replacement plugs for your favorite ride. See you at the track.

Honda’s Justin Barcia moved up to the 450 cc class for Round 9 of the AMA Pro MX Championship over weekend. The nineteen year old New York native finished third overall in his debut race. Photo courtesy of powersports.honda.com.

Since 1970, motocross racing fans have been traveling to the mid-state Leatherneck region of New York State for one of AMA’s oldest outdoor motocross events. This year was no exception as fans lined the fence three-deep for the start of the first moto of the 450 cc class. After the disappointment of not winning the Lucas Oil AMA Championship round at his home track in Washougal, Ryan Villopoto gave himself an early birthday present by winning both motos at the Unadilla National.

In his first ever professional race on the big bikes, Honda’s Justin Barcia took the early lead in front of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Villopoto and the Rockstar Makita Suzuki of Ryan Dungey. After season-ending injuries to Honda’s Trey Canard and Josh Grant, the factory race team decided to promote Barcia from the 250 cc Lites class. Barcia didn’t disappoint with solid top three performances in both motos. But nobody, including Barcia, could touch the new 2012 Kawasaki.

Villopoto slipped by Barcia early in race one and was never challenged for the win. After a good duel early on, Dungey also got past Barcia to claim a second place finish. TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed passed Jake Weimer late in Moto One for fourth and fifth place respectively. In Moto Two, Villopoto would work his way around early leader Mike Alessi on the factory KTM. Barcia and Dungey would have a classic battle for second overall before the two clipped handlebars and Barcia would again have to settle for third.

As the teams take a week off, Villopoto holds a seven-point lead in the AMA Pro MX Championship over Dungey. Reed’s fourth place overall at Unadilla would drop the Honda rider to 25 points behind Villopoto with three races remaining. Round 10 of the race for the national title will be held at the famed Southwick MX track in Massachusetts on August 27. If you’re looking for an advantage for your favorite ride, pick up a box of E3 motorcycle spark plugs at your favorite discount or auto parts store. E3 spark plugs were Born to Burn.

Vintage Indian motorcycles (like the one above) will be parked adjacent to the Indian Motorcycle Display for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Aug. 8th thru Aug. 14th.

Indian motorcycles have played a major role in the colorful history of the famed Sturgis Rally. The company recently announced their plans for this year’s 71st annual Sturgis motorcycle rally to be held August 8th through August 14th in Sturgis, South Dakota. For over seven decades, since the first “Black Hills Classic” racing event was first run in 1938, Indian motorcycles have been a featured attraction of the annual rally. Festival organizers expect over 500,000 motorcycle enthusiasts and families will attend in 2011.

In addition to the traditional Sturgis activities, Indian Motorcycle has invited all Indian owners to enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow bikers by parking their motorcycles at the Indian Motorcycle Display. The Indian show truck will be parked at the corner of 4th Street and Lazalle in the heart of town and will also feature Indian’s complete line of 2012 motorcycles. Indian motorcycle accessories and apparel will be for sale at the display. E3 spark plugs encourages everyone to show off their ride and share their favorite Indian stories with other motorcyclist attending the weeklong event.

Indian Motorcycle Company will sponsor a breakfast and ride to the famous half-mile track on the morning of flat track races. Those interested in participating should go to the First Presbyterian Church, located downtown at 1319 Junction Avenue between 9:30 am and 10:30 am for breakfast. The scenic ride will leave from the church and wind through Spearfish Canyon before arriving at the Sturgis 1/2 mile race track. Everyone is invited to join in the fun. For additional information on the flat track races, motocross races, or hill climb events checkout the Jack Pine Gypsies motorcycle club website.

In addition, an “Indian Gathering” is slated for Friday, August 12th starting at 6 pm at the Knuckle Saloon located in Sturgis at 931 First Street. The event is open to the public and non-Indian riders who just want to see these classic bikes and hangout with their owners.

Over a half of million motorcycle enthusiasts are expected to travel to the Black Hills of South Dakota for the 71st Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

For over seven decades, motorcycle enthusiasts and E3 Spark Plugs racing fans have made the annual trek to Sturgis, South Dakota, for what is arguably the largest bike rally held in the United States. Both the Sturgis Rally and Daytona Bike Week typically draw several hundred thousand bikers to their respective venues with a reported 750,000-plus having attended the Sturgis event in 2000. This year over half a million motorcycle riders and their families are expected to migrate to the Black Hills for the official week of festivities from August 8th through August 14th.

Since the initial rally in 1938, which featured a single motorcycle race known as the “Black Hills Classic”, the event has grown to include something for everyone. With the revitalization of motorcycling across America, many new attendees now travel in campers, bring the kids and trailer their bikes. The 2011 Sturgis rally schedule features incredible live concerts, motorcycle races, beauty contests, midget bowling, burn-outs, charity rides and lots of good food. Although there are several places to park it for the night, none are more famous than the Buffalo Chip Campground.

On stage performers scheduled at the Buffalo Chip include Alice Cooper, Styx, Edgar Winter, Pop Evil, Sweet Cyanide, Buckcherry, Def Leppard, Toby Keith, Poison, Gregg Allman, Stevie Nicks, Saving Abel, Puddle of Mudd, George Thorogood, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and John Fogerty. In addition, the Bob Woodruff Foundation that helps educate the public about the needs of service members returning from war will host a charity event at the “Chip” (the American Thunder Music Festival) on Aug. 11 featuring actor/singer Jeff Bridges performing songs from his Academy Award winning movie “Crazy Heart”.

In between the bar hopping, hitting up the bike shows, attending concerts and watching motorcycle races at the famed Sturgis half-mile, event goers can stroll the vendor’s booths along Lazelle and Main Streets. A welcomed change for this year’s Black Hills festival will be improved traffic patterns. The State of South Dakota Highway Department and local officials worked together to develop new routes and improve the management of traffic signals to better facilitate the massive crowds. Plus, event promoters have promised more hot water and flushable toilets in prime public areas.

Before you head north, stop by your favorite motorcycle shop or discount auto parts store for a box of E3 Motorcycle Spark Plugs and discover for yourself why E3 replacement plugs are “Born to Burn”. If you’re hauling your bikes to Sturgis, you can improve the performance of your favorite ride with a new set of E3 car or truck spark plugs featuring E3′s patented DiamondFire technology. Safe travel and keep it on two wheels.

DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha rider Kyle Cunningham has finished fourth overall in last three Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX 250cc championship races behind Pro Circuit's dynamic trio. Photo courtesy of www.yamaha-motor.com.

The Monster Energy 250cc Kawasaki team dominated the podium once again at Round 8 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship last weekend in Washougal, WA. Geico Honda’s Justin Barcia led the Lites class through turn one of the first moto ahead of Pro Circuit’s Blake Baggett and DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha’s Ryan Sipes. El Chupacabra wasted little time and quickly passed Barcia for the lead but Sipes, who was fastest of day in qualifying, would take the lead away before the close of lap one. Series points leader, Dean Wilson, had a bad start, clipped the fence and was struggling to work his way forward.

Although Sipes has shown the speed to unseat the Pro Circuit trio of Baggett, Wilson and Rattray, the Yamaha rider has lacked consistency. After Baggett re-passed the Star Racing Yamaha, Sipes would make several mistakes dropping him to an eventual 15th place finish. In the mean time, his Yamaha teammate, Kyle Cunningham and the green bike of Tyla Rattray were working their way by Barcia. Rattray would try to close the gap on Baggett but finished 11 seconds to the rears. Cunningham held on for third place with Barcia in fourth followed by a hard-charging Dean Wilson in fifth. Local favorite Tommy Weeck finished sixth on his Motosport Hillsboro Honda.

Wilson’s hard charge continued in Moto 2 as the Scotsman rounded the first turn of the difficult Washougal track in the lead. Barcia, Baggett and Cunningham were stuck in the pack and working hard to get by slower riders. Mr. Consistency, Tyla Rattray, had put his Pro Circuit Kawasaki in second and would challenge Wilson late in the Moto 2. But, Wilson would hold on to a slim half-second lead at the finish line over Rattray followed by El Chupacabra in third giving the Monster Energy Kawasaki team its fifth sweep of the overall podium in just eight races. The DNA Shred Stix/Star Racing Yamaha of Gareth Swanepoel crossed the line in fourth giving the South African a fifth place overall for the event.

Wilson retains the series points lead but once again failed to win an overall. Baggett’s 1-3 finishes gave the Kawasaki ace his fifth overall win for the season. Rattray, who is the only other Lites rider to win in 2011, finished second overall with Wilson in third. Cunningham’s 3-7 finishes added to the Yamaha rider’s streak of fourth-place overalls. Teams, riders and E3 spark plugs racing fans have the next two weekends off as everyone looks forward to Round 9 of the championship at the famed Unadilla MX track in New Berlin, NY. If you’re looking for a high performance car, truck, motorcycle or snowmobile spark plugs, stop by your favorite discount or auto parts store and pick up a box of E3 replacement plugs for your ride.

Bret Metcalfe seems to be regaining his 2010 AMA Championship pace with a podium finish at Washougal MX Park over the weekend in Round 8 of the 2011 Lucas Oil sponsored series. Photo courtesy of mx.rockstar69.com.

After Ryan Dungey won his hometown national last weekend at Millville’s Spring Creek MX National, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto hoped to keep the streak going at Round 8 of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX Championship at Washougal MX Park. Villopoto (a native of Poulsbo, Washington) has never won at his home track but served notice early in the day when he pulled the holeshot in Moto 1 ahead of his 450cc rivals Dungey aboard the Rockstar Makita Suzuki and the factory Honda of Trey Canard. TwoTwo Motorsports’ Chad Reed seemed to be a tick off the leader’s speed and may still be recovering from his spectacular crash at Spring Creek.

Up front, Canard continued to impress the E3 motorcycle spark plugs racing fans as he was able to match the pace of Villopoto and Dungey. After missing the first half of the 2011 National Championship season with a broken femur, the Honda rider has shown that he still has the speed to win. At the mid-point in the race, Dungey powered his Suzuki alongside Villopoto and challenged the Kawasaki rider for the race lead. In a similar move to the one that allowed Dungey to get by Villopoto at Spring Creek, Dungey dropped his bike in a rutted corner allowing Villopoto to escape with the moto win. The Suzuki rider remounted and held on for a second overall just ahead of a hard-charging Canard. The series points leader Reed would finish a disappointing seventh.

In Moto 2, Villopoto again charged to the front of the pack off the start with Dungey and Canard in hot pursuit. But, disaster struck early on as Canard cross-rutted on the face of a steep uphill and was launched over the handlebars. The Honda rider slammed into the Washington dirt and was unable to get up. Race officials red flagged the event as Canard had to be carted off by the expert medical team. On the restart, Dungey managed to swap positions and led Villopoto through turn one. Reed had his best start of the day in third followed by a very determined Bret Metcalfe aboard the other Rockstar Makita Suzuki. Early on Metcalfe would take advantage of Reed’s off day and passed his fellow Aussie for a third place.

At the mid-point in the race, it was all Ryan Dungey as he began to pull away from Villopoto for the win and his second national overall win in a row for the 2011 Lucas Oil AMA championship. Villopoto would hold on for second and finished second overall on the day. After a promising outdoor season last year, Metcalfe would claim third in Moto 2 for an overall podium finish, his first of the season. Reed’s fourth place finish in the second race was good enough for fourth overall but dropped the Honda veteran to third in championship nine points behind the new series leader Villopoto. Dungey trails Villopoto by a single point.

With the points race heating up, riders and teams have two weeks off before traveling to the east coast for Round 9 at the famed Unadilla MX National in New Berlin, NY. If you’re looking to avoid the “Honey Dos”, join E3 Spark Plugs racing fans at another race venue or take the time off to tune up your favorite ride with a set of our high performance replacement plugs. You can always rely on the plugs that are Born to Burn for your outdoor fun when you hit the trail, road, water or snow.

Chad Reed's Millville crash, which sent him flying more than 30 feet high, is one Motocross and E3 Spark Plugs racing fans will be talking about for a long time. Photo by Steve Cox.

E3 Motorcycle Spark Plug fans have lined the fences as TwoTwo Motorsport’s Chad Reed has been flying high all season. The Honda rider was literally without a ride for 2011 Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX National Championship when he decided to start his own race team. Since that time, Reed has proven that he is the rider to beat in the 450cc class. At the Spring Creek MX national, Reed grabbed an early lead in Moto One ahead of Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Ryan Dungey, Honda’s Trey Canard and KTM rider Mike Alessi. Canard would have an impressive fifth place finish in his first outdoor national of year having missed half the season with a broken femur. Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto worked his way around Alessi late in the race to claim third behind Reed and Dungey, respectively.

In Moto Two, Villopoto would lead the way through turn one but Reed wasted no time and quickly regained the lead. Just as it looked as though Reed would pull away, his Honda cross-rutted on the face of a high speed jump (watch the video below) launching the rider over 30 feet in the air. Very few of the Millville fans expected to see what happened next. A determined Reed staggered to his bike, remounted and set his aim on a top-20 finish. Reed’s incredible effort would pay off as the Honda rider worked his way to fourteenth salvaging precious championship points. At the front of the pack, Villopoto had his hands full with a hard-charging Ryan Dungey. Dungey would put an aggressive pass on Villopoto late in Moto Two for the win giving the defending national champion the overall win in front an excited hometown crowd. Villopoto finished second overall for the day with a very happy Trey Canard claiming the final step on the podium.

As the 450cc race teams and riders travel to Washougal, WA for Round 8, Reed maintains a six-point lead over Villopoto and a seven-point lead over Dungey with five races remaining in the 2011 AMA Pro MX season. Before you head west, don’t forget to pick up a box of E3 Spark Plugs for your favorite ride. E3 replacement plugs are Born to Burn.