There are generally two camps of petrolheads, one that desires fast revving, screaming VTECs, excellent throttle response drivers, basically known as the NA buffs. 9000RPMs, lightened flywheels, short-shifters and modified final drive ratios are not unfamiliar territory to drivers from this camp.
The other camp are the Forced-Induction gang, people who appreciate effortless power, smooth and linear delivery of torque, the addictive effect of being pushed ruthlessly back onto their car seats, and the irresistable and unmistakable “psst-psst” sound of the blow-off valve of the turbo setup. Not forgetting the supercharged camp, where linear torque response marries excellent throttle response.
But hold on, are we forgetting Diesels?
Frequently accused as “polluting”, “noisy”, “clattering” and “dirty”, Diesel engines have experienced a renaissance of sorts in this decade with the introduction of the common-rail direct fuel-injection ignition system. Basically, it features piezoelectric injectors for increased precision at pressures of up to 1800 bar (26,000 psi)~!!! This leads to vastly improved efficiencies and clean emissions. In fact, Euro 5 Diesel engines have a reduction of 80% of particulate matter and 20% reduction of nitrous oxides, owing to the use of Diesel Particulate Filters. Hence, we can now safely say the modern Euro 5 diesel engines are even cleaner than modern petrol engines.
Moreover, to achieve stringent emission targets, manufacturers have turned to turbocharging Diesel engines as their robust construction (diesel engines require greater strength in materials used due to native high compression ratios) allows for easy modification to the original block. As such, modern Diesel engines are almost certainly turbocharged, offering delicious usable low end torque. Have you always found it a little difficult to chase that pesky blue Sonata, silver Hyundai i30 Wagon, or the latest addition… the maroon red Chevy Epica Taxis? Go figure, they all have at least 300 Nm of torque thanks to their turbo diesel engines. That is more than a stock 2.0 TSi VW Scirocco !!
Now let us look a simple feasibility study on Diesel. With the recent announcements in Budget 2012, it has been declared that the diesel special tax on Euro 5 Diesel vehicles will be revised after 1st January 2013. Instead of the current rate of $1.25 per cc, it will be reduced to $0.40 per cc for Euro 5 compliant diesel engines. What does this mean to future users of clean diesel technology? Lets crunch some numbers:
Assume a clean Euro 5 compliant BMW 320D, 1995cc N47 top spec-ed turbodiesel engine.
Road Tax – [$950 + 1.5x(1984-1600)] x 0.782 = $1193.33 a year
Total Road Tax Payable – $1193.33
I’m sure people with this engine will average at most 10-12km/l with this 2.0L turbocharged beauty on the 70-30 City/Highway pattern.
Okay, going by today’s fuel prices, where a litre of 98 Octane Petrol costs $2.157, and a litre of Diesel costs $1.577. So, going by an annual mileage of 30,000 KM (in which I do), here are the numbers:
Mileage – 30,000 KM
Diesel used (average 17 km/l) – 1765 L
Cost of Diesel – $2783.40
Running cost of BMW 320D – $2783.40 + $2004.24 (tax) = $4787.64
There you have it, hard numbers crunched out an annual savings of $2287.83 after the new Diesel tax structure if one travels 30,000km, after taking into account of all prevailing taxes and fuel costs. This comparison is done comparing both cars of similar power outputs, and not pitting a VW Polo Bluemotion with a VW Golf TSi. Interestingly, the VW Polo Bluemotion will return at least 20 km/l compared to the 13 km/l for a Golf TSi, with much much lower running costs.
In fact, to achieve a yearly running cost of ~$7100 similar to the 2.0 petrol VW, the diesel engine needs to have an efficiency of 9km/l, in which we are in the realm of 3.0 V6 Turbodiesels producing in excess of 550Nm of torque, and bhp becomes trivial until you fit our Michelin Pilot Super Sports “Y-rated” tires. Then again, the tax they command, a good $3580 a year, makes this article irrelevant…
Moreover, as the Diesel engine is already robust, tuning the Diesel engine is generally easier, with significant gains in power and torque figures without extensive modding. The same can’t be said for turbocharged petrol engines.
Well, isn’t it time to give Diesel power a serious second look?
Cars submerged in floods waters at a Honda car factory outside Ayutthaya, north of Bangkok (AFP)
We have seen how severe the floods in Thailand are over the past weeks with people who are trapped in certain regions, risking electrocution, disease and lack of food and drinking water.
At Autokinetics, we believe that we can all do our part in giving back to society. We have purchased a container space and will be filling it with supplies. If you have clothes, food supplies such as tins of biscuits, or medical supplies, please donate them to Autokinetics at our shop at 290 Macpherson Road within the next 2 weeks. All donations will go towards the relief aid for the flood victims in Thailand. Please donate only items which can still be used and strictly no cash donations. Thank you, your donations will go a long way in helping these flood victims… The Way It Should Be.
Floodwaters in Pathum Thani province, suburban Bangkok (AFP)
Mon, Wed to Sat – 10.00AM to 7.00PM
Sundays – 10.00AM to 4.00PM
Closed on Tuesdays
Please call to check on Public Holidays and for special arrangements after opening hours (We work when you need us to. Feel free to make an appointment!)
Hi there again to all our car enthusiasts and esteemed readers,
As mentioned in our previous post, we are indeed moving. Just an update on the renovation and shifting progress, the interior walls of our new shop have already been knocked down to create space for our office, washroom and for cars to park in. Currently, the new walls, pipes and wires are being installed. Renovation works are approximately 40% done, and we should be moving in within 2 weeks time.
Work in Progress
In the meantime, we have been going around sourcing for the latest-tech machineries. We will be acquiring brand new equipment such as tyre changers and wheel balancer to provide quality services for our customers. We hope to deliver a faster and more efficient installation process, minimize or eliminate the risk of damages, and a more cosy and comfortable environment at our new shop.
Stay tuned for the address of our new shop! We are still located in the East!
As your favourite online tyre shop, we would very much like to advertise on the radio, newspapers, TV, magazines etc… alas, we do not (yet). So… we have to let you know where to click to find our attractive deals and promotions!
S0, without further ado, please support AutoKinetics by staying up to date with our latest promotions on our hot deals at sgcarmart.com!
As we all know, rims are the metal bits between your tire and the car. In that aspect, they are extremely important to how your car functions. Low quality rims can be warped (not round), poorly balanced (thus requiring a lot of weights to balance) or very weak (shatter on impact).
This would lead to vibrations in the steering wheel, loss of car control, an uncomfortable ride, bad fuel economy and can be possibly fatal – should the rim fail catastrophically.
Today, car rims are getting cheaper and cheaper. Imports from China have flooded the market, providing a great variety of sizes and patterns. BUT…… are all these rims good? Or does the adage “you pay for what you get” stand?
OVERVIEW
Rim quality (in order from worst to best): Gravity Casted rim < Low Pressure Casted rim < High Pressure Casted rim < Liquid Forged rim/Forged rim/Billet Machined rim
Most rims that are made in China are gravity casted, whereas some Taiwan rims are low pressure casted and one (to my knowledge) is liquid forged. Some Taiwanese rims are also roll forged. Japanese rims are minimally pressure casted and some are forged. European rims are minimally low pressure casted and some are forged. American rims sold in Singapore are generally forged.
One may be surprised that even big name brands such as Breyton manufacture their rims in China (albeit not all, some are still from Germany). Certain over-hyped brands use low tech manufacturing methods yet still sell at exorbitant prices (sorry guys, as much as I would like to identify what brands they are, this is a public document and I would refrain from being explicit due to litigation issues. However if you are really interested, do email us and I will give you a personal reply). It is kind of like paying a high premium for a BMW without getting the high performance of a BMW, if you get my analogy.
Autokinetics would like to share and discuss about this topic but first let us get down to the basics.
HOW RIMS ARE MADE:
Rims are manufactured in 6 different methods:
Gravity casting
Low pressure casting
High pressure casting
Roll forged
Liquid forging
Cold forging
*there are hybrid composition methods used by some Japanese companies such as SSR and Enkei but their basis technological concept is the same
1. GRAVITY CASTING
Gravity casting is the cheapest and the lousiest of methods to make a wheel. As its name suggests, gravity casting is basically pouring liquid alloy into a mould and using the force of gravity to allow the molten metal to conform to the shape of the wheel.
In this manufacturing process, all the metal entering the mould is subjected to turbulence. This turbulence can cause severe defects such as oxide inclusions and entrapped gas porosity and in certain cases, mould erosion and hotspots.
Why is gravity casting undesirable? Due to the wheels being susceptible to:
Air cavities within the metal
Uneven expansion during cooling
Uneven material density
Low density
Poor surface finish
This leads to a wheel that is not only weak but imbalanced and heavier than equivalent designs of similar size. We purchased a 15” SSR Type F replica. Though it’s a 15” without the tyre, it required 30 grams of weight just to balance.
While it may not seem much that 35g of weight is placed along the rim, with tyres this weight was required to be increased to 70g, meaning that there is a large amount of inertia generated when the wheel is spinning at high speeds. Though it may seem minor, these weights have implications on braking, acceleration, stability and fuel consumption.
Gravity casted wheels are heavier as they require more metal in order to achieve the required strength for their purpose. Below we can see the material grain structure of a casted wheel.
Here we can see the porosity of a casted wheel. As we can see, the wheel snapped on impact due to the shearing forces acting along the grain. Simply said, the grain structure of gravity casted wheels is not ideal for rims. In the picture, it shows what happens to a casted wheel when things go terribly wrong. (Note: above rim should be low pressure casted)
A clear example of a gravity casted wheel: the finishing is so bad that you can see the porosity of the metal even after it has been painted. Note the bulges in the metal.
Beware, if you see this, don’t buy it. It’s a low quality wheel. No matter how cheap it is, you’re risking your life!
2. LOW PRESSURE CASTING
Low Pressure casting is an upgrade from Gravity casting; it is marginally more expansive to manufacture wheels using this method. The benefits of Low Pressure casting are that the metal has less air cavities and slightly better density uniformity.
Most (not all) casted car wheels manufactured in Japan and Europe use this technology. Due to the added cost, such technology is seldom seen among the cheap China-made options flooding the market these days. Certain rims from Taiwan also use this technology.
The full benefits of Low Pressure casting are:
Less air cavities
Decrease in unwanted exposure to air when the alloy is molten (changes its properties)
Improved density distribution of the alloy
Better tolerances due to more uniform contraction and expansion of alloy upon cooling
Low Pressure casting enables wheels to be stronger than Gravity casting. Alas, a casting is still a casting and the grain structure of the alloy is not ideal, resulting in fissures upon impact. Low Pressure casted wheels are still subjected to air cavities in the metal, thereby decreasing the strength of the wheel.
All in all, Low Pressure casted wheels are more desirable than Gravity casted wheels. They allow for low costs to manufacturers thus translating to low prices for consumers, while at the same time improving the quality and strength of the wheel.
Some wheel brands using Low Pressure casting are ADVANTI and Kyowa.
Below is a picture of the finish of a Low Pressure casted wheel:
Note the porosity of the metal, here it can be seen that the finishing is much better than that of a Gravity casted wheel.
3. HIGH PRESSURE CASTING
High Pressure casting is the best of all the casting methods. However it is more expensive to produce a wheel using this method. There are very few wheels that are manufactured using High Pressure casting.
The molten alloy is forced into the moulds thus increasing density, reducing air cavities and creating a wheel that is more precise. However the grain structure of the alloy is still that of a casted form. Hence although the material is much stronger due to how it is manufactured, the grain structure of the material is still has marginal porosity. As a result, compared to Forging and Billet Machining, High pressure casted wheels are still weaker and also heavier in order to be sufficiently strong for use, due to material density.
Nevertheless, High Pressure casted wheels are getting better with improvements in their strength and weight approaching to that of the quality of Forged wheels.
However they are undoubtedly expansive. A form of High Pressure casting can be seen in certain wheels brands such as ENKEI, SSR and BuddyClub. ENKEI is notable as they use a form of semi-solid high pressure casting which changes the grain structure of their wheels towards a forged wheel.
The benefits of High Pressure casting are the improvements over Low Pressure casting on all fronts:
Denser material
Reduced air cavities
Tighter tolerances
More concentric wheel as rims are less subjected to expansion and contraction irregularities upon cooling
This leads to a wheel that is stronger, lighter and has a better finish. Examples of High Pressure casted wheels are Team Dynamics Pro Race 1.2 18” at 9 kg (unconfirmed production method but confirmed weight).
4. ROLL/ROTARY FORGED
Roll Forged rims are a rare type of wheel though present in Singapore. Only certain shops carry it and they come mostly in big sizes i.e. 18 inch onwards.
Roll forged rims are basically casted rims that have specially treated barrel section. This means that the whole rim is casted and the barrel of the rim, which is in contact with the tyres are rolled, compressed and formed by another machine.
Therefore what we have then is a hybrid wheel. The centre of the wheel is casted (the spokes) and the rim/barrel of the wheel is high pressure rolled. What this gives is a wheel that is lighter than a casted rim and has a stronger rim/barrel section. It must be noted that these wheels are not truly forged, as its basis is a casted wheel.
Roll forged barrels have lines when stripped of its paint like this.
5. LIQUID FORGING
Liquid Forged rims are a new generation of rims utilizing a special method of manufacture. They are basically liquid metal forced into a mould and cooled under pressure, giving them the approximate grain structure of a forged rim. Although Liquid Forging and High Pressure casting seem similar, the amount of pressure used is very different. There is much more compressive force in liquid forging.
There are many benefits to liquid forging:
Very precise components and tolerances
Void of air bubbles just like a forged or billet rim
Very even material density
Good surface finishing due to minimal porosity
Very light weight wheel due to high density of material achieved
A picture of the material porosity: it can be seen that there is next to no visible porous ‘holes’ (the black specks are paint spilled over from spraying)
Liquid Forged rims are as light and possibly as strong as forged rims but at a lower price. Their manufacturing process is much more expensive than any form of casted rim. However they are indeed the best bang for buck (value-for-money) wheels in the market; coming in at half to a third of the price of forged rims in Japan or Europe yet having all the structural benefits of its more expensive counterparts.
Liquid Forged rims are extremely rare, to our knowledge only one company used to produce them and they have since shut down the plant in Taiwan. (Please let us know if you know of any company that has this technology for rims, if you know of any, thanks)
This is as Liquid Forged wheels are not well known in the market and coupled with the low brand exposure have consigned the liquid forged wheel to oblivion… for now.
For those lucky enough to find these wheels, they used to be sold under the Magline brand in Singapore. Those who use it before would know how strong and true (round) these wheels are. I know, because I am using a Magline 8 which I purchased second hand to replace the initial wheels I had. My old set of casted wheels were not round when they were first sold to me brand new, they vibrated so badly that my metal watch would make a clacking sound on my wrist no matter how many weights I used to balance them.
What is even more appalling is that those wheels were from a very big tyre company… all I can say is that they were made in Philippines. To date after 8 years of driving, through Malaysia and bad roads and careless kerbing, the Magline rims are amazingly still perfectly round and have perfect balance. Best of all for a 16” wheel, it weighs in only at 5kg odd!
If you look closely you can see the damage to the rim on the bottom right corner, I used 280 grit then 400 grit sand papers to repair the damage.
Balance is still perfect!
Currently Autokinetics has the last remaining production run of Liquid Forged Magline 5 rims in Singapore. Unfortunately they are very limited and are only in 18” form and PCD 5×114.3 for Japanese cars. Once this stock is exhausted, there will be no more as I have received confirmation from the factory that they have closed down permanently. Sets are very limited (less the 11 remaining!) and are moving fast, call 91853389 (Bryan) or email sales@autokinetics.sg for enquiries.
6. COLD FORGING
Cold forged wheels are wheels that are crafted like a samurai sword without the heating of metal.
Cold forged wheels are extremely costly to produce. They are made from a solid block of alloy metal using large hydraulic presses. Typically an 18” cold forged wheel costs between $900-2000 per rim. For certain Porsche rims, the price exceeds 2000 SGD per rim.
Cold forged rims are exceptionally strong and light. They are the best money can buy.
The benefits to cold forging are:
Very precise components and tolerances
Void of air bubbles
Very even material density
Good surface finishing due to minimal porosity
Very high material density
Very light weight wheel due to high density of material achieved
Companies that produce forged rims are NEEZ, HRE, ADV.1, Prodrive, Rays Engineering and so forth. While they are the best wheels money can buy, they are painfully expensive and thus normally do not come in small sizes. A 15” forged SSR Spec C costs around 500 SGD per piece. If you can afford one, get one. They are the best, with cold forged wheels, nothing else comes close.
Conclusion:
Wheels are an important part of your vehicle, dollar for dollar they represent the best upgrade you can make while improving your car. On the aesthetic front, they improve the look of your car like no other mod. Secondly, by allowing the decrease in rotating inertia and un-sprung mass, they provide more usable power, shorter braking distances, a more comfortable ride and improved handling.
So forget your lightened pulley systems or fancy body kits for now, put your money where it matters and where it would make the biggest difference to your drive, lap times, comfort and your safety.
Why does un-sprung mass and rotational inertia affect handling and comfort? COMING next…. The basics of handling…
I hope this sharing has managed to enlighten our esteemed readers out there.
Disclaimer: Image taken from myitchyfingers wordpress blog cos it is too cute!
Here’s the scenario: You enter a HDB multi-storey carpark to a nearby place with great food. You place a $1.00 coupon, thinking that 1 hour is sufficient for a good dinner. Halfway through dinner, you meet an old friend, and you engage in a conversation that was long overdue. You are so engrossed that you’d clean forgotten that your parking has expired, only to find the dreaded white slip at the windscreen… Damn.
I’m sure most, if not all of you, have met with this scenario once in a while, where your parking has expired but you may be too lazy to walk all the way back to your car to extend the session. The electronic gantry system is thus, a godsend; the system automatically deducts based on the time we enter and exit. This greatly reduces the hassle of parking, and we never have to worry about the ubiquitous Officers in white.
However, is this automated system really that good? Usually we would find that the rates for such automated parking higher than that of coupon parking; a price to pay for “automation”? I would think that for a peace of mind, I’d don’t mind paying a bit more.
Regarding the ever-present problem of not able/too lazy to walk back to the car to put 1 more coupon, I would suggest that URA or LTA adopt an SMS-style “time-extension” service for existing non-automated parking estates.
E.g. we send an SMS to a Central system that controls parking with the following text: “EXTEND SJL1234K 1430 to 1500 NRIC”, so that my car SJL1234K is extended 30 minutes, and the 50cents is charged to my telco’s monthly bill. Then, URA will receive the 50cents from my telco and thus erase any SJL1234K summon between 1430 to 1500 hours if booked by the Officers.
This system is similar to the electronic payment system for the current OPCs (Off-peak cars), where drivers are given a chance to decide whether to pay the peak hour fees if they want to use their cars then. OPC owners can choose not to pay, banking on their luck if their IU number is not registered in ANY location during their “secret” drive. Usually, OPC drivers will simply pay and not live with the nagging fear of fines.
AutoKinetics 