If you’re a car guy, you’d probably heard of Motul. Yup, it’s that French high-performance automotive lubricant company that’s often associated with racing, be it bikes or cars.

Well, it looks like they have shifted gears into the grooming space, bringing a lineup of products designed to make car care easier, more effective, and surprisingly eco-friendly. Let’s take a closer look at what the premium brand has to offer.

A Debut Tailored for Singapore

Motul’s Car Care Range first made waves in Europe and the USA in 2022, impressing enthusiasts with its innovative formulas and results-driven performance. After fine-tuning the lineup to suit Asia Pacific’s unique needs and weather conditions, the brand launched in Singapore in October 2024.

Whether battling Singapore’s unpredictable rains, harsh sun, or day-to-day urban grime, these products have been crafted to handle it all with ease.

Standing Out in a Crowded Market

Let’s be honest—the car grooming industry is saturated with products promising miracles. So, what’s different about Motul?

Well, sustainability actually.

“Sustainability is at the heart of the Motul Car Care Range. Each product is formulated with over 60% biodegradable ingredients, pH-balanced for safety, and free from harmful chemicals, ensuring they are as kind to the environment as they are effective. Our commitment extends to our packaging, which incorporates up to 50% recycled plastic, further reducing our environmental footprint. The eco-friendly label on every product is a testament to Motul’s pledge to deliver safer, more sustainable solutions for our customers and the planet,” says Carlo Savoca, Chief Marketing Officer – Motul Asia Pacific.

Which if you think about it, it makes perfect sense, since car grooming products have never been known to contain the most biodegradable materials, and there must be a way to take that tech-forward in these times.

But before we get to carried away with the tree-hugging spiel, let’s not forget that Motul has decades of lubricant expertise and a solid reputation among car enthusiasts and professionals alike.

So their new Car Care Range definitely promises to perform too! Currently, they are divided into three main categories:

• Protection: Think paintwork that gleams like it just rolled out of the showroom.
• Exterior Clean: Products designed to tackle micro-abrasive particles and keep grime at bay.
• Interior Clean: Leather and interior cleaners that are oil-free, odourless, and made to maintain that new-car feel.

OK, So Why Is Motul Moving Beyond Lubricants?

According to the brand, it’s a natural evolution.

“Motul understands that car care is closely linked to performance, and it’s about ensuring every drive is a pleasure. By listening to our customers, we recognised the need to expand our portfolio and offer a complete solution for vehicle maintenance, ” Savoca adds.

So, while its lubricants keep engines running smoothly, the new Car Care Range enhances every other aspect of vehicle ownership, from aesthetics to comfort.

Pride for your car, inside and out.

But Can Eco-Friendly Car Care Still Perform?

We’ll be testing out some samples soon and will share our thoughts. In the meantime, we recognise that in a world that’s finally waking up to environmental responsibility, Motul’s decision to prioritise sustainability can’t be faulted.

But while their Car Care Range is pH-balanced, safe to use, and kind to the planet, we certainly do hope that they deliver on the promise of pro-level results with minimal effort. As car detailing buffs ourselves, we can’t wait.

First impressions from the mint-scented car shampoo are already kind of ‘fresh’ (we’ve never encountered car shampoo that smells like Mentos before) and unique!

Where Can You Get It?

Motul’s Car Care Range is available online, so you won’t have to hunt it down in stores. You can find it on Autobacs Singapore, Steve & Leif’s e-commerce pages, and Shopee. It’s all about convenience; shop from the comfort of your home and deliver what you need directly to your doorstep.

The Final Word

Motul’s Car Care Range offers a chance to take vehicle maintenance to the next level without harming the environment, for drivers who value quality and innovation.

So, whether you’re a meticulous detailer or someone who wants their car to feel showroom-fresh, it looks like Motul’s got you covered.

In a market saturated with options, Motul is trying to set a new standard for car care.

If you’re ready to buff up your detailing routine and achieve a showroom-worthy finish, maybe give it a shot and let us know your findings!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV and on TikTok!

For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle’s 12-volt battery. This battery can be found under the bonnet in the engine compartment, or in a specific purpose-built recess in the boot.

There are some rare occasions where the 12-volt battery can be found under one of the seats in a multipurpose vehicle (MPV) or in the footwell of some supercars. There are also some higher-end vehicles which may feature two batteries instead of just one, with one usually smaller than the other.

In any case, the main function of the 12-volt battery is to provide cranking power to start your vehicle’s ICE. Its other function is to provide protection against voltage spikes and surges to the vehicle’s various computers.

With the engine running, the alternator provides electricity to the various components of a vehicle as well as charging the battery. When the engine is not running, power to run lights, the infotainment system, alarm and security system, and stereo comes from the battery.

This is why it is not a good idea to run these items for too long with the engine off, since the alternator, which is driven off the engine, is not spinning and charging the battery.

Types of Batteries

We’ll focus on the four main types of batteries that are readily available in the market. First, the two wet-cell types.

Flooded Lead Acid Battery (FLAB)

This is the oldest type, is very common and the most affordable. Most FLABs are typically comprised of six cells of lead-antimony plates, which are immersed (flooded) in a sulphuric-acid-and-water electrolyte solution.

Occasional maintenance is required for this type of battery, by checking and topping off each cell to the required level with battery water. FLABs must also be installed vertically to prevent the electrolyte from spilling.

If discharged to below 50% of the rated capacity, FLABs will experience significant shortening of their lifespan.

Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB)

The EFB is also a common battery type. If you’ve heard of mechanics and fellow car owners talking about maintenance-free batteries, they’re likely referring to the EFB. EFBs still contain an electrolyte solution and cells of lead-antimony plates, but they’re all sealed within the outer plastic housing.

This battery type was introduced to provide more lifespan than its older FLAB ancestor. However, just like its ancestor, EFBs should be mounted vertically and should not be discharged to below 50% of their rated capacity, lest their lifespan is significantly shortened.

Next are the two common types of dry cell batteries.

Gel Cell Battery

Gel cell batteries, or gel batteries, were developed as a spill-proof version of the FLABs and EFBs. Instead of lead-antimony plates, gel batteries feature calcium-lead plates. Silica is added to the electrolyte to turn it into a spill-proof gel.

Gel batteries can be horizontally-mounted if need be, and are more shock- and vibration-resistant than FLABs and EFBs.

Gel batteries are also better suited to deep-discharge applications such as vehicles with very high-powered custom in-car audio installations, and will not wear out as quickly as FLABs and EFBs.

Absorbent Glass Mat Battery (AGM)

Although AGMs are referred to as dry-cell batteries, they’re actually quite similar to the wet-cell types. A fibreglass separator, or glass mat, absorbs the electrolyte and holds it in place.

AGMs can charge up to five times faster than their wet-cell counterparts. They’re also capable of being deep-discharged like the gel batteries. Naturally, AGMs are the most expensive battery-type of the four.

Modern cars with auto engine start/stop technology and mild-hybrid vehicles that recover energy from braking use AGM batteries. For such vehicles, replacement batteries must be of the AGM type, and the other three types should not be used.

One More Dry-Cell Battery

We haven’t forgotten lithium-based 12-volt batteries. These offer much stronger engine cranking and can charge up much quicker than FLABs and EFBs. They’re also much lighter than most other battery-types, but are much more expensive and are primarily used in weight-reduction scenarios, such as in motorcycles and motorsport applications.

Unless you know what you’re doing, there’s no need to spring for lithium-based batteries.

Replacing Batteries

The important thing to look out for is that the replacement battery must be of the same capacity as the outgoing one, meaning it needs to have the same or better cranking amps (CA) or cold cranking amps (CCA).

Cars with engine start/stop technology and/or mild hybrid drivetrains require AGM batteries, and only these should be used for replacement. Older vehicles which use FLABs or EFBs can be replaced with FLABs, EFBs and gel batteries, or even AGM if the vehicle owner is feeling generous.

Something else we’ve noticed is that regardless of battery type, the change interval in Singapore is around two years. This is likely due to our climate, driving conditions and the increased popularity of dashcams.

Yes, dashcams. A dashcam that is set to operate most if not all the time when parked can contribute to shorter battery lifespan, so keep that in mind when choosing your dashcam’s ‘parking’ setting.

Gel cell or AGM batteries would be more suitable for vehicles with permanently-wired dashcams, or you could choose to have an accessory battery pack installed specially for this purpose..

I’ve got a dead battery HALP!

Many of us have faced this dreaded scenario before.

We go to our car, unlock it, get in the driver’s seat and try to start the engine, only to be met with a solitary click or a series of clicks from the starter motor and nothing else. Sometimes, the engine may crank very slowly but doesn’t fire into life.

Here are two methods of jump-starting a vehicle with a dead battery.

1. Two-Vehicle Jump-Start

The first item needed for a two-vehicle jump-start is a pair of jumper cables. Be aware though, not all jumper cables are created equal. See the two images below:

Always use a quality set of jumper cables with thicker-gauge wires. The reason for this is because starting an ICE requires high power draw. A thinner-gauge set of jumper cables may not be able to deliver all the cranking amps needed at best, or start to overheat and present a fire hazard at worst.

Now that a suitable set of jumper cables that are sufficiently long have been obtained, get a friend to help. Doing this as a tag-team makes things so much easier.

First, drive the boosting vehicle to the one with the dead battery so that the batteries or manufacturer-specified jump-points are in relatively close proximity. In most cases, this would mean engine-bay to engine-bay.

Then, get your helper to hold one end of the jumper cables up and apart from each other.

This is important because the jaws of the jumper cable should never come into contact with each other, lest a short circuit is created that can potentially fry sensitive electronics and also start a fire.

Get the helper to connect the red cable’s jaw-end to the positive battery terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Then do the same on the boosting vehicle.

With this done, the helper will connect the other jaw-end of the black cable to a suitable body grounding point on the vehicle with the dead battery. Usually this would be a bolt on the strut tower, the grounding point on the engine itself, or the negative terminal of a manufacturer-specified jump point.

Finally, proceed to connect the the jaw-end of the black cable to the negative battery terminal of the boosting car. Both vehicles are now electrically connected to each other. We can proceed to jump-start the vehicle with the dead battery.

Get the helper to sit in the driver’s seat of the boosting vehicle, start the engine, and then bring engine revolutions up to 2,500rpm. This will allow the boosting vehicle’s alternator to charge at its rated capacity and help the jump-starting process.

Finally, jump into the dead-battery vehicle’s driver seat, turn off all unnecessary ancillaries such as the aircon, headlights and stereo, then proceed to start the engine. It should fire into life normally. If it doesn’t, try one more time and then call for a tow truck if the engine doesn’t start the second time.

With the distressed vehicle’s engine now running, disconnect the jumper cables after a couple of minutes in this order.

• negative on dead-battery vehicle
• negative on boosting vehicle
• positive on boosting vehicle
• positive on dead-battery vehicle

Remember never to allow any jumper cable-ends to contact each other or the bodywork of either vehicle during this procedure.

The dead-battery vehicle can now be driven to a workshop for a battery health check and replacement if needed.

2. Jump-Pack Jump-Start

Jump-packs come in all shapes and sizes, with the more powerful ones holding a bank of lithium cells. There are even supercapacitor-based jump packs that can charge their built-in supercapacitors with a dead battery’s remaining charge, and discharge all of that energy in a quick burst to start an engine.

Using a jump-pack is pretty simple. Connect the black cable to the negative battery terminal, and the red to the positive of the distressed vehicle. Remember not to touch any part of the bodywork with the jaw-ends.

Then turn on the jump-pack, start the engine normally, and disconnect the jump-pack.

Seven Tips to Extend Your Vehicle’s Battery Lifespan

The big question at this point is how should one care for their vehicle’s battery? Here are seven tips.

1. Avoid prolonged periods of inactivity

Modern vehicles have computers that monitor various aspects and functions. When parked, most of these computers go to sleep, but one or two may awaken at select periods to monitor certain things, like the security system. This, naturally, puts a small load on the vehicle’s battery and causes it to discharge.

If a vehicle is to be parked for more than a week, it is advisable to connect a good quality trickle charger to the battery to keep it charged up for the next engine start and commute. Trickle chargers of higher quality are also able to desulphate lead sulphate crystals built up on the battery plates to improve the battery’s health.

If you live in a HDB flat or condominium where power outlets are not available, consider disconnecting the negative terminal lead instead to cut off any electrical draw.

2. Avoid too many short journeys

Along with not letting a vehicle sit parked for too long, short start-stop journeys put a huge strain on the electrical system since the alternator would not have sufficient time to charge the battery up.

Modern vehicles also feature auto start-stop technology which kills an engine when stopped in traffic and starts it up again when one is ready to move off. Auto start-stop is an even larger strain, and combined with short journeys actually accelerate battery drain.

If your typical commute involves short journeys of five kilometres or less, or a purely street-based commute with multiple traffic-light stops , consider taking a longer drive of around 50-100km at least once a week, if not twice.

Simply jump on the nearest highway and drive around the island until you circumnavigate your way back home, or go visit a relative or friend who lives further away. This will allow the alternator to charge more optimally and the battery itself won’t be subject to heavier loads during a longer distance cruise.

3. Unplug cables and accessories

Parasitic draw is a large but often hidden cause of battery drain. Mechanics have encountered situations where a brand new battery goes flat within a month, and the parasitic-draw issue was painstakingly tracked down to an errant electrical accessory that continued to stay powered on while the vehicle was turned off.

Consider disconnecting your USB cables and devices, and any other accessories that are powered by the vehicle’s electrical system before locking and leaving your vehicle.

Which then brings us to the next tip…

4. Turn off lights when locking and leaving your vehicle

“We’ve all done it before – leaving the interior light(s) on after looking for something in your cabin or the headlights on after parking your car after a driving on a rainy day.

These lights, when left on overnight, will cause a battery drain and much frustration when the vehicle fails to start the next time.

A good habit is to always turn around when leaving to check your car if lights have been left on, and also admire how well you’ve parked.”

– Kenneth Yeo, General Manager, AutoApp

5. Keep the terminals clean

Another source of poor electrical performance in a vehicle is corroded battery terminals. We’re talking about the unsightly green powdery stuff that builds up on the terminals of FLABs and EFBs, and can cause connection issues.

A DIY remedy is to pour some hot water on the terminals to flush away the build-up. A small copper brush and degreaser can also help with cleaning duties.

Once the terminals are clean, apply a thin layer of automotive grease to the terminals to reduce the incidence of such corrosion. Also inspect the terminals once a month and during each service.

6. Have the battery tested periodically

When booking a service, you should request to have your vehicle’s battery health ascertained. This involves connecting a tester to the terminals and applying a load to see if the battery’s rated CA or CCA matches what the tester is seeing, as well as its state of charge.

Readings that are significantly lower could be indicative of a battery on its last legs.

7. Do not wait to replace an ageing battery

A tell-tale sign of a dying battery is a noticeably longer duration to crank the engine over into life. Engine cranking would also be slower and feel more strained.

Another, for more modern cars with auto start-stop technology, is the engine remains running while an advisory warning pops up on the instrument cluster saying something to the effect of “Auto Start/Stop Unavailable – Battery Charge” or similar.

One more is a bunch of unrelated error messages and codes that get thrown up once the vehicle is started.

All of these point to a battery that’s on its way out.

Since no one likes to be left stranded with a dead vehicle, have your vehicle’s battery tested periodically and changed around every two years, or when the tested CA is significantly lower than the battery’s rated CA, whichever happens first.

Overwhelmed?

Well, don’t be.

AutoApp can handle all of your car’s servicing needs and keep you updated along the way. Battery health checks can be scheduled together with your regular servicing, and we’ll even remind you when it’s due for replacement.

Our panel of partner workshops are carefully curated to offer the most optimal and timely servicing solutions for your car. We’ll also remind you when your next servicing is due so that you don’t have to worry about getting it done on time.

Other safety-related and maintenance checks such as the wear of brakes and tyres are checked during servicing with Autoapp.

Leave the hassle to us. Let go, let AutoApp.

Download the app here.

Click here for enquiries.

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!

Using windscreen wipers when the heavens open up is a foregone conclusion. Newer cars come with rain-sensing wipers which automatically activate when the celestial sprinkle starts, which pretty much means set and forget it.

The problem here is that with the set-and-forget mindset, people simply forget that their wiper blades are a regular service item, only to be frustrated by streaks and uneven wipes that impede outward vision during rainy weather.

The follow-on problem is that people also forget that their vision was marred post wet-weather drive, and go about their business as usual until the next inclement weather episode.

Frustrate-and-forget. Rinse and repeat.

When to Change

Let’s start with the obvious. If your wiper blades are well and truly worn, and/or leave streaks and un-wiped patches in its swept area on the windscreen, it is high time to change them out.

This would also be true if the blades are chattering and/or squeaking badly while wiping.

However, it’s best not to let things get to this stage, as worn blades can also lead to windscreen damage by instilling scratches that might require highly specialised polishing to remove at best, or a windscreen replacement at worst. Windscreens ain’t cheap folks.

If your vehicle is always parked outdoors under the elements and susceptible to fallout from trees, industrial sources and the like, consider changing your wiper blades when streaks start to show or every year, whichever comes first.

Remember, it isn’t just wiping that deteriorates blades. So do sun and associated heat and UV exposure, and accumulated debris along the blade that can cause it to deteriorate faster.

Otherwise, consider changing the blades when streaks start to show or every two years, whichever comes first. This will allow you to retain better forward visibility during wet weather and will also protect your windscreen from scratches.

Types of Wiper Blades

The most common and affordable is the conventional type.

These types of wipers have a cartridge comprising two shorter suspension arms built into a longer bridge that holds the actual blade to the windscreen. The benefit of the conventional type is twofold.

One is that the entire cartridge together with the blade can be replaced, which makes things much more convenient.

The other is that blade inserts can be purchased and replaced on the existing cartridge if preferred, offering a more cost-effective replacement solution. Usually, the cartridge can last many years, which means cost-savings on inserts.

The other common and newer wiper blade is the flat type.

Flat-type blades have tensioned metal within that supports the blade. This is why when the arm is picked up off the windscreen, flat type blades tend to resemble a bow. This means the blade can better conform to the curvature of the windscreen and is much more effective at wiping.

Furthermore, a flat-type blade has an aerodynamic spoiler integrated into its form. At highway speeds, this integrated spoiler causes the blade to press down with greater pressure and be more effective at wiping since the blade does not lift away from the windscreen.

There is a third type called a hybrid blade, which uses the best features of conventional and flat-type wipers.

The blades themselves can be made of natural or chloroprene rubber, or even silicone. While there is raging debate online on which of these is best, consider the recommended change interval and use whichever suits your wallet.

Wiper Care

Let’s say you’ve just had a set of brand-new blades installed. How do you take care of them so that they’ll last the distance?

A good rule of thumb when washing your car would be to lift the wiper arms off the windscreen and run your wash media (sponge, mitt, etc.) over the blade itself to remove accumulated debris.

This would help remove any road grime picked up from daily driving and make the blades more effective during rain.

During day-to-day usage, it’s best if you can check for debris on and under the wiper blades, and clear them out before setting off. This is especially so when parked in an open carpark.

Neglecting to do this is what causes streaks on the windscreen when the wipers are at work. Accumulated debris can permanently deform and/or damage the blade, or even scratch the windscreen, so spend a minute to clear the junk.

“Wipers are an important safety feature and something our Service Ambassadors check on every time we pick up your car for servicing en route to the workshop (among other checks and observations).

Our advice is not to compromise on a low-cost item that plays such a big part in our unpredictable weather. Ensure original or good OEM ones are used for effectiveness and a longer lifespan.”

– Kenneth Yeo, General Manager, AutoApp

Overlooked Wipers’ Assistant

Banish any thoughts of squeegee elves magically appearing and dancing on your vehicle’s bonnet while they sing and clean the glass. The most overlooked wipers’ assistant is actually the windscreen washer fluid.

Keep the washer fluid reservoir topped off for the unfortunate times when a bird decides to drop a strategically-aimed bomb out its backside, or when mud from the road is flung up by another vehicle onto your windscreen.

Premixed windscreen washer fluid is available for purchase at most petrol stations and car-accessory shops, and you’d only need to top off the reservoir. Some cars have their rear windscreen reservoir in the boot, so consult your owner’s manual as to the actual location(s).

Due to premixed washer fluid containing glycol, alcohol and/or surfactants, one may not want to use this due to the paintwork stains they can potentially leave behind. In this case, use straight distilled, de-ionized or reverse-osmosis water to reduce the amount of potential stains on paintwork.

Stressed Out?

Well, don’t be. AutoApp can handle all of your car’s servicing needs and keep you updated along the way. Wiper replacements can be scheduled together with your regular servicing, and we’ll even remind you when they’re due for replacement.

Our panel of partner workshops are carefully curated to offer the most optimal and timely servicing solutions for your car. We’ll also remind you when your next servicing is due so that you don’t have to worry about getting it done on time.

Other safety-related and maintenance checks such as the wear of brakes and tyres are checked during servicing with Autoapp.

The Invisible Wipers

Here’s some bonus content, which is probably the most important aspect of windscreen wipers’ efficacy. By getting rainwater to roll off your glass, your wipers will have a much easier time. No, it’s not voodoo or black magic.

The main phenomenon that obscures vision during a downpour is that rainwater sticks to a vehicle’s glass, be it the windscreens or side windows.

As speeds increase, the air that passes over the front windscreen with greater velocity causes the stuck-on rainwater to ripple, much like the ripples on the surface of a pond or lake on a windy day.

Do you recognise this exact scenario in the image below?

This phenomenon of water sticking to the glass and rippling more with speed is what causes your outward vision to be obscured during a downpour.

The solution, therefore, is to break the surface tension that causes rainwater to adhere to glass in the first place. This is where hydrophobic coatings come into their own, especially during torrential downpours that cause all and sundry on the road to shudder.

A hydrophobic coating breaks surface tension on the glass, causing water to bead up into droplets.

At lower speeds, these droplets are easily dealt with by wipers. At higher speeds, the air that passes over the windscreen literally ‘blows’ the droplets up and away, giving the wipers much less water to wipe.

Since there is no film of water adhered to the glass and rippling away with speed, you therefore enjoy a much clearer forward vision in the process to enhance safety.

AutoApp offers a service to prep and coat all the glass panels of your vehicle to make them hydrophobic. This is a thorough and involved process that takes around 1.5-hours to complete, and also includes cleaning the inside glass surfaces for clearer outward vision.

The coating lasts up to one year. Click here for enquiries.

Download AutoApp here. Leave the hassle to us. Let go, let AutoApp.

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!

Believe it or not, there are car owners who think that regular vehicle servicing is a conspiracy theory solely meant to enrich oil companies and spare parts manufacturers.

Well, here are two examples of engines, one out of an Infiniti and the other a turbodiesel Mercedes-Benz powerplant, that have been so severely neglected that their internals end up caked in sludge. Not to mention these engines have also self-destructed.

Here are some regular maintenance items to keep an eye on.

Engine Oil & Filter

Oil is the lifeblood of an internal combustion engine. It not only lubricates but also cools the engine as one drives down the road.

Without prompt and regular oil changes, an engine will not function well. In some extreme cases, it might even erupt violently while throwing a rod out the side of the engine block and leaving the owner stranded.

Imagine shelling out thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars to replace a blown engine because an owner was “too frugal” to spend on regular oil changes. Penny-wise, pound-foolish.

Along with engine oil, the oil filter needs to be replaced at the same interval as well.

If the interval calls for 10,000-kilometre oil changes or every year, whichever comes first, then follow it strictly. A couple of hundred kilometres or a couple of weeks either side of that interval is fine, but never let it get past that.

Even if you don’t use your car regularly and don’t clock the required mileage, the oil still needs to be changed periodically due to degradation from occasional cold-and-hot cycles.

Remember, oil is cheap but engines are expensive. Taking care of your engine is the best prevention tactic.

Transmission Fluid

Just like engine oil is the lifeblood of an internal combustion engine, transmission fluid is the lifeblood of a gearbox.

Manufacturers in recent times have been touting their transmission fluids to be “lifetime fluids” or “sealed for life.” We all know what happened to those transmissions, which proceeded to grenade themselves after a prolonged lack of transmission fluid changes.

‘Lifetime’ in manufacturers’ parlance likely means the warranty period or 100,000-kilometres. Why? Simply because they want you to buy more vehicles from them sooner!

Adopt a servicing regime of every 60,000 to 100,000-kilometres for your transmission fluid and your car will chug along happily. Even if the owner’s handbook doesn’t specify any intervals at all, it is good to keep this in mind.

This is also applicable for continuously variable transmissions or CVTs. Always ensure the correct fluid for the respective transmission is being used.

Engine Air Filter

Imagine someone plugging up your nostrils to a tenth of their regular size and you being forced to breathe through those tiny orifices. Difficult isn’t it? Likewise, your vehicle’s engine needs to breathe freely to run at its optimum.

The period to change the engine air filter can vary anywhere from every 50,000 to 80,000 kilometres, but follow the interval stated in your owner’s handbook and your engine will be much happier for it.

Cabin Air Filter

Just like the engine needs to breathe clean air, so do you and the occupants of your vehicle. Cabin air filters need to be changed every 20,000 to 30,000 kilometres, more so if the occupant(s) smoke(s).

A clogged and dirty cabin air filter will affect the efficiency of the vehicle’s aircon, and may also introduce foul smells into the cabin. For the sake of your health and that of your loved ones, have it changed regularly.

Timing Belts (and Chains)

Timing belts should be regularly replaced. The first replacement usually is at 100,000 kilometres, and subsequently every 80,000 to 100,000 kilometres thereafter.

A timing belt change will also usually involve changing out the coolant pump and coolant, as well as idler pulleys and tensioner bearings.

Neglect this, and when the timing belt shreds itself to pieces, expect valves to make contact with pistons and carnage inside the engine to ensue. A timing belt replacement costs far, far less than an engine replacement.

A timing chain system, in theory, is meant to last the lifetime of the vehicle. In practice, chain guides can disintegrate and come apart, and chains can stretch. These can lead to valves making contact with pistons, leaving you with an ugly mess.

An experienced mechanic will know how to promptly identify the symptoms of a failing timing chain system, and remedy it with a new chain, tensioners and chain guides before calamity strikes.

Valve De-carbonisation

Purely direct-injected engines have issues with carbon building up on the intake valves. This is due to a lack of solvent (petrol) flowing over the valves to keep them clean, which is what a port injection system would do.

Some manufacturers such as Toyota have incorporated both port- and direct-injection, and such internal combustion engines do not require valve de-carbonisation.

If your vehicle’s engine is purely direct-injected, adopt a valve de-carbonisation servicing regime every 60,000 to 80,000 kilometres. This is a rather involved process, so leave at least half a day for it.

Neglect it, and expect the engine to run rough, skip timing and at worst, drop a valve into the combustion chamber and cause the engine to wreck itself.

Tearing Your Hair Out Yet?

Well, don’t.

Just realise that there’s more to car ownership and maintenance than the items stated above, such as changing spark plugs, brake fluid flush, periodic tyre rotation and wheel alignment, aircon and engine refresh, etc.

If this is way over your head, and all you want to do is drive your vehicle, there’s a ready solution for you.

AutoApp can handle your car’s servicing needs and keep you updated along the way.

Our panel of partner workshops are carefully curated to offer the most optimal and timely servicing solutions for your car. We’ll even remind you when your next servicing is due so that you don’t have to worry about getting it done on time.

Other safety-related and maintenance checks such as the wear of brakes, wipers and tyres are checked during servicing with Autoapp.

Leave the hassle to us. Let go, let AutoApp.

Download the app here.

Click here for enquiries.

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!

If you’re thinking, “I want to sell my car and get the best return,” you’re not alone. Everyone in Singapore is on the hunt for the highest return when it comes to selling their used car.

In a land where cars are a serious investment, every move you make can spell the difference between a good deal and a downright fantastic one. Especially now, with the 2023 budget revision slapping us with increased ARF rates, timing is the name of the game.

COE can play a big factor in pricing

The Certificate Of Entitlement or COE, for short. This little piece of paper wields the power to swing your car’s valuation. When COE prices shoot up, folks start eyeing the used car market with newfound interest, looking for a sweet deal that won’t burn a hole in their pockets compared to shelling out for a shiny new ride.

When that happens, the demand for used cars, whether they’re luxury models or everyday workhorses, goes through the roof. Suddenly, your trusty old ride becomes a hot commodity and its value skyrockets.

While cars in similar conditions might typically fetch similar prices, if your car boasts a lower COE, you might just find yourself with a heftier paycheck when you part ways with it.

However, this is only worthwhile if your car’s COE is much lower than prevailing prices and you’re not planning on buying another vehicle. Otherwise, purchasing another car, either new or second-hand, may negate any potential gains.

Essentially, in this current market, if you sell high, you buy high.  

It may be worthwhile to hold on to your car instead

This is why, in some situations, keeping your existing car can be more worthwhile down the line. The amount you’ll spend on maintenance will more than likely be cheaper overall than the costs required to run a new set of wheels.

“But my car looks old! How can I impress my new mother-in-law for CNY?” Fret not, as it is actually easy to give your older car a new refresh. And you’ll be surprised at just how much is on offer.

With AutoApp, we can help you bring new life into your current car. We cover an extensive range of services – be it spray painting, repairs, grooming, or new leather seats, the list is only limited by you.

We have dedicated service ambassadors who will take care of your car throughout its appointment, and we can even pick up and drop off your car at your doorstep. So you can just kick back and relax while we do the heavy lifting for you. Simple right?

Interested? Give us a call at +65 9102 8028 or drop an enquiry over on our website. For the best possible experience, download the AutoApp app to enjoy seamless bookings with us!

All you have to do is add your car details in the app, select which services you require, and sit back while we get to work. Our prices are always transparent, and we provide regular updates at each step of the way, so you can be certain only the best quality goes into your car.

Hold on to your car first, and ride the high COE wave

Instead of paying $100,000+ for a new COE, it may be in your best interests to keep your car and give it a new life. Your wallet will thank you too.

From complete engine overhauls to a brand new coat of paint, AutoApp can help everyone and every car to go the distance (until COE prices come down). Happy driving!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!

One of the last things that any driver wants is to be faced with an overheating engine. Putting aside inconvenience and loss-of-use, an overheating engine can quickly cause costs to spiral out of control if not attended to as quickly as possible. However, shtuff happens, so it’s good to be prepared and know what to do if and when faced with such a situation.

How to identify an overheating engine

One of the first things to be noticed is the coolant temperature gauge in the instrument cluster would be seen creeping toward the red zone. If said gauge is unavailable, a coolant warning light may illuminate on the dash instead.

This would likely be followed by an unmistakable sickly-sweet smell of coolant that permeates the interior of the vehicle. This could also be accompanied by steam billowing out from under the bonnet. Good-Samaritan motorists may also be urgently pointing at the car to indicate something has gone awry.

What to do

The first thing to do in the face of an overheating engine while on the road is to pull over, turn on the hazard lights and shut off the car as quickly as possible. This is because, if left unchecked, an overheat-situation can literally cause the engine to melt and distort, and this would mean breaking one’s wallet to shell out for a new engine.

That’s the best-case scenario.

The worst-case scenario involves one’s vehicle being engulfed in flames while the owner sadly watches their car literally burn to the ground. ‘Nuff said.

Next, get behind the crash barrier, if any, or onto the sidewalk and stand away from the vehicle’s engine. Most passenger cars are front-engined, so this would mean standing past the rear of the car. In the event that something decides to erupt or explode, one is at least not directly in the line of fire, and the closed bonnet would keep help things contained.

Finally, whether or not one is car-savvy, the best thing to do at this point would be to contact an automotive concierge service like AutoApp to arrange to have the vehicle towed to a partner-workshop for further diagnosis and repair.

What NOT to do

Never EVER open the bonnet when an engine is already overheating. Should the radiator cap, coolant-overflow tank, plastic radiator end-caps or coolant hoses fail while the bonnet is open, extremely hot, scalding coolant and steam can shoot out like a geyser and seriously injure anyone in its path.

Remember, the cooling system is pressurised and coolant usually sits around 75°-105° Celsius, and higher in an overheating scenario. If hospital-stays and skin grafts are not on one’s itinerary, leave the bonnet firmly closed and await the tow truck.

Do not ignore the coolant temperature gauge and keep driving when the engine is overheating. This will most likely lead to the aforementioned melted-engine at best and a flame-engulfed vehicle at worst leaving its occupants charred beyond recognitio ’nuff said.

There is ONE scenario where driving MAY be continued, but with a proviso that this applies ONLY to car-savvy folks who know what they’re doing.

If coolant temperature remains relatively normal during driving, and only starts to rise when the vehicle is stationary, then turn off the aircon compressor via the A/C button, wind down the windows, set the aircon thermostat to full heat and set the blower to maximum fan speed. This will allow for some additional cooling through the vehicle’s heater core within the interior, and help to mitigate rising coolant temperature somewhat. The engine would likely need to be turned off and restarted at traffic lights though, but it MAY be possible to limp the vehicle to the workshop in this manner. Again, the best thing to do would be to shut the engine off and get the vehicle towed.

Why do engines overheat?

The most common source of overheating engines comes from blocked coolant passages. If the engine’s cooling system is not properly maintained with coolant changes at mandated intervals, gunk can build up on the inner walls of the engine’s coolant jacket, resulting in poorer heat exchange from the engine to the coolant. If left unchecked, this in turn can lead to the rest of the cooling system gunking up, further worsening heat-exchange with the ambient air.

A good example of a neglected cooling system can be seen on this ChrisFix video. The point is to never allow the coolant and cooling system to degrade to such a state. Automotive concierge services such as AutoApp can take the headache and worry out of the equation, advising car owners when it is time to do a coolant flush, with pictures to illustrate why.

Another source of overheating engines is low coolant levels. There are a number of reasons why coolant levels can run low. Here are two common ones.

The first is a faulty head gasket, which allows coolant to enter the engine’s combustion chamber and be burned away during the combustion process. This phenomenon is most apparent during first-start in the morning when the engine is cold. A noticeable and relatively large puff of white smoke will be emitted via the exhaust pipe when the engine is started, indicating coolant in the combustion chamber(s). The effect of burning coolant off causes air pockets to be introduced into the cooling system, thereby degrading its performance. Also, hot combustion gases can make their way past the faulty head gasket and into the cooling system, thereby over-pressurising the system and further degrading cooling performance.

An unnoticed crack or puncture somewhere within the cooling system can also cause a leak, thereby running coolant levels low and degrading cooling performance.

Said crack can be easy to track down if it is in the radiator, one of the radiator hoses, or in the radiator’s plastic end-caps. Many a Subaru owner would be familiar with the latter, yours truly included. Leaks caused by such cracks are fairly common due to wear and tear, and keeping on top of things is key to a worry-free motoring experience. AutoApp can help owners stay ahead of the game in this regard, where checks are done on the engine and running gear during servicing, with preventative maintenance issues caught and highlighted before they occur – a mere oil change is simply not enough.

However, if the crack is located within the engine block or head, then it can be much more difficult to locate, and would require much more involved professional diagnosis. The usual cause of such cracking is one or more previous episodes of engine overheating where things were not properly handled in a timely manner. However, there have been instances of manufacturing defects that have also led to such occurrences.

A faulty thermostat can also lead an engine to overheat. The thermostat is supposed to open at a predetermined coolant temperature and divert hot coolant to the radiator to be cooled. However, if the thermostat is stuck closed, then hot coolant from the engine cannot make its way to the radiator, resulting in the engine overheating.

Finally, a fault in the cooling fans can also cause engine overheating. This may present itself in terms of a blown fuse, faulty fan relays, faulty fans or a combination of the three. This specific issue causes coolant temperature to rise while the vehicle is sitting stationary with the engine running at traffic lights or in a jam, and may not be apparent while underway because sufficient air is blowing past the radiator to keep things cooled. The aforementioned interior heater workaround combined with stopping and starting the engine would come into play in this scenario to limp the vehicle to a workshop, but best to shut down the vehicle and have it towed.

Keeping cool

No one wants to be caught out with a sizzling engine. However, as mentioned before, shtuff happens, so it is good to know what to do when the situation calls for it. Having AutoApp handy for such situations can mean the difference between being caught out like a deer in headlights, and catching and addressing the issue in a timely and proper manner. Less headache means more win for everyone involved.

Read more car maintenance tips and tricks here.

Engine oil is one of the most overlooked, yet vital components for any Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) car.  Like blood circulating throughout your body, the engine oil lubricates the moving parts and prevents bits of metal from rubbing against each other until there’s nothing left but a heap of filings. Oftentimes, only a film of engine oil, thinner than that of a fingernail prevents one part from rubbing against the other. 

Besides protection from engine wear, the other benefits that superior engine oils offer are lower fuel consumption, and therefore lower emissions. Additionally, it is also possible to get back the power and responsiveness that your car was designed to have when it rolled off the production line. 

From personal experience, this was evident after a recent oil change on my Toyota Estima. After 13 years and over 245,000km, it is fair to say that the “family bus” was beginning to feel its age. Especially after the previous 240,000km oil, as well as transmission fluid change, there was a noticeable sluggishness when moving from a standstill. Idling had also got rougher than usual as well so I thought that the engine mounts needed replacing as well. 

The additional incentive were the record high fuel prices. Any way of covering more kilometres between fill-ups would be a welcomed bonus. In better times, replacing the car with a newer, more efficient model would be the logical choice but the $100k-plus COE cycle at this point makes it worth exploring any other alternative I can… 

AutoApp to the rescue

Even though it was less than 10,000km since my last servicing, the sluggishness and excessive engine vibrations had reached a point where something had to be done. 

Coincidentally, around this time local lubricant manufacturer Eersta reached out to us about their latest range of automotive engine oils, the Accel/Enevra and Accel/Everex. With over 10 years of experience, Eersta has established itself in the marine, industrial and heavy-duty segment before venturing into the automotive world. 

More recently, Eersta has also launched a range of engine oils for motorcycles.

To evaluate the Eersta engine oil, I used the AutoApp Basic Service Package. This included 4-litres of Eersta Everex fully-synthetic engine oil, oil filter, labour and service as well as a 14-point safety check that includes engine fluids, brakes, tyres, battery condition, external lighting and a general undercarriage inspection.

While Eersta Accel Everex is recommended for Japanese and Korean cars, Eersta Accel Enerva is apparently more suitable for Continental models. 

In addition, I also decided to try the AutoApp Engine refresh package for an additional $90. This involves using Liquid Moly Engine Flush Plus, Injection Cleaner and Cera Tec Oil Additive. For good measure, I also opted for the AutoApp Aircon Refresh Package. This uses Liqui Moly Klima Refresh that gets rid of long-term air-conditioning odours typically caused by bacteria and mould in the system. If you have a musty-smelling interior, this will get rid of the odour.

Along with these curated services, there was of course the unsurpassed convenience of AutoApp’s Concierge service where my car was collected and delivered back to me without having to leave my home or take time off from my schedule. Also, gone are the days of wasting hours on end just sitting in a waiting area, sitting amongst strangers, staring at my phone.  

Eersta, experience the difference

To say that I could feel the difference would be an understatement. When I drove my Estima after it had been returned, it felt like it had a brand new engine fitted, rather than an oil change. It instantly felt more responsive, driving with a level of smoothness and quietness I had forgotten it was capable of for some time. 

The oil change, engine flush and air-con refresh options I had gone instantly made my car feel and smell like it was new! 

The Eersta fully-synthetic engine oil, I later found out from its distributor, Start First, was formulated, “using leading engine oils as a starting point”. The company then worked with global international additive producers to fine-tune the lubricant to surpass its competitors. Speaking exclusively to AutoApp, Kelvin Loh, Director of Start First the official distributor, added that Eersta engine lubricants have received manufacturer approval from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Group vehicles.

Although Eersta Accel is developed to be used globally, being based in Singapore has its advantages. The manufacturer paid attention in enhancing the oil’s hot weather performance coupled with frequent short trips and stop-start traffic conditions.   

The hot spell during this time of the year was proof of this. No wonder my car feels more “at home” in heavy traffic than it used to. Perhaps the biggest upside I have experienced since the Eersta oil change is that the fuel consumption of my Estima seems to have reduced considerably.

Previously, this 8-seat Toyota would average just over 400km before the fuel warning light comes on. After the last top-up, I have driven more than 300km and the fuel gauge has only just reached the 1/2 tank mark. Check back for updates…

Read more car maintenance tips and tricks here.

When it comes to maintaining a car, people typically fall into one of two camps.

In one camp are the purists, who believe that their cars’ designers and engineers know best. They choose to replace parts with original items, enjoying the car as designed. In the other camp, however, are the enthusiastic modifiers — those that believe that anything and everything can be improved further. Lighter parts, larger wheels, stiffer suspension; the list goes on.

Certainly, car modification isn’t a binary thing. There are some car owners more, uh, enthusiastic than others. If you’re just starting out on the car modification process, you would probably want to take it nice and easy. So, to help you along, we’ve put together this list of what we consider basic car modifications; things that can be done in a few hours, without additional approval from the authorities.

Wheels and tyres

Swapping out your wheels and/or tyres are the most basic of car modifications in Singapore. Whether it’s to make your car look better with larger wheels, or to fit more performance-oriented rubber, new ‘shoes’ are a must for most drivers.

Before going out and buying the largest wheels that’ll fit, there are some considerations to keep in mind. Larger wheels equate to a larger contact patch; while generally a good idea, there are pros and cons to them.

First, the good. With larger & wider wheels, you’ll experience better road-holding and enhanced grip, bringing with it better handling. However, the increased tyre width and wheel weight might negatively impact fuel consumption and ride comfort.

For a comprehensive guide on swapping out your wheels and tyres, check out our Tyre Basics 101 guide!

Suspension

So you’ve fitted sporty performance tyres that offer more grip, but they’re being let down by your car’s roly-poly suspension. Time to get a suspension system that matches your tyres’ performance…

If you’re on a bit of a budget, lowering springs reduce your car’s ride height by a preset amount. As their name suggests, these suspension springs primarily serve to reduce the gap between the tyres and wheel well. However, they reduce your car’s centre of gravity as a nice bonus, which should mitigate the annoying roly-polyness.

Feeling a bit spendy? Replacing your car’s factory suspension with a set of coilovers will do wonders to the way it handles. They’re a customisable (and often adjustable) suspension setup that provides a lower ride height, stiffer damping, and even increased camber.

Waiting to get the most out of your factory suspension before upgrading? Our suspension guide shows you five telltale signs that your suspension components are at the end of their lifespan.

Brakes

Now you’ve gotten the basics sorted, it’s time to look at how efficiently you come to a stop. How fast your car slows down is just as important – if not more important – than how quickly your car accelerates.

There are many components to a brake system, including the calipers, pads, and hoses. Typically, the latter two are where you should start if you’re after better stopping performance and brake feel. Common upgrades include high-performance brake pads with a metallic or ceramic compound, together with stainless-steel brake hoses that minimise expansion under pressure.

What if you want even more braking performance? You’ll need to start looking at aftermarket packages that swap the caliper and discs out for larger units. With larger calipers come more pistons (typically 4 or more), increasing the clamping force of your pads against your discs.

Air Filter / Intake

With your wheels/tyres, suspension, and brakes done, it’s time for a bit of fiddling about in the engine bay. Swapping an air filter or installing an air intake is such a beginner-friendly task, you could simply do it yourself at home!

The simplest way to extract a bit of extra performance is with an aftermarket drop-in air filter. These filters are the exact same dimensions as your factory paper air filter, but are of a different material; typically cotton gauze or stainless steel mesh. As an added benefit, these filters can be washed and reused.

If you’re after a bit more performance, an open pod filter or aftermarket air intake system might be more suitable. Typically eliminating your factory air intake, these aftermarket air intake systems are redesigned. The goal? To draw larger amounts of cool air from outside the engine bay into your combustion chamber.

As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to avoid purportedly ‘universal’ air filter or intake systems, and instead go for something that’s been specifically designed for your car.

Not ready to zhng your car, and prefer to keep things as-is? Read our other maintenance articles to help keep your car in tip-top shape!

Just like how one single person can cause the creation of a new COVID-19 cluster — as we’ve recently discovered — the tiniest of stones can cause pretty severe windscreen damage. Windscreens not only keep rain out, but they also ensure that your field of vision remains clear.

Exposed to the elements, this hard-wearing piece of windscreen glass certainly takes a beating. Road debris, falling branches, and even bird strikes can very easily put a windscreen out of service. Windscreens are typically one of two types of safety glass — laminated glass or toughened (tempered) glass.

If you drive a newer vehicle, you will most likely have a laminated glass windscreen. However, older vehicles may have toughened glass windscreens. Toughened glass windscreens have been discontinued, as cracks immediately spread throughout the glass. On the contrary, laminated glass windscreens will not immediately shatter, instead creating localised damage with the possibility of repair.

The types of windscreen damage

Windscreen damage typically falls into two major types — impact damage and stress damage. The most commonly experienced type of damage is impact damage, caused by an external object striking the glass. Stress damage is less common in Singapore, caused by temperature changes or a structural weakness in a car’s chassis.

Stones and rocks kicked up by other vehicles are the main cause of sudden impact damage occurring on Singapore roads. Whenever possible, avoid travelling on roads near industrial areas to minimise the likelihood of damage. Depending on the velocity and shape of the offending debris, you might notice these common variations of windscreen damage:

Short Crack

Short cracks, as the name suggests, are a straight-line breach in the glass approximately 10mm in length. If located near the edge of the windscreen, short cracks may grow in length if left unrepaired.

Bullseye

Bullseye cracks are a large, circular spot of damage, named after the bullseye on a dartboard. Pebbles and other circular objects might cause this damage, but is repairable if addressed early.

Crater

Crater cracks typically resemble a bottle cap, with the middle area usually missing a small chunk of glass. A high-velocity impact might cause this damage, and is likely to require a windscreen replacement.

Star

Star cracks have a starburst pattern, and feature small cracks leading away from the point of impact. No glass is chipped off on a star crack. However, leaving the damage unattended can result in numerous long cracks appearing.

Combination

Combination cracks are the worst kind of damage. They typically leave a mix of bullseye and star cracks, with small missing pieces of glass. This type of damage is difficult to repair, and is likely to require a windscreen replacement.

The location matters

Not all windscreen damage is repairable. The reparability of damage not only depends on its type, but also its size, depth, and location. Yes, you read that right — location. Windscreen specialist shops commonly segregate a windscreen into two zones, A and B.

Zone A is the area directly in front of you, spanning 110mm from the centre of your steering wheel, considered a critical zone in the driver’s line of vision. Regardless of severity, damage in this area is thus deemed unrepairable.

Zone B covers the rest of the windscreen outside of Zone A. For cracks <150mm in length and chips <25mm in diameter, damage in Zone B can usually be repaired. However, if a crack reaches an edge of the windscreen, a replacement is required.

Repair, or replace?

Wherever possible, repairing a windscreen is always more time-efficient and cost-effective than replacing it. Repairing a windscreen typically takes 30 minutes and costs under $100; replacing a windscreen takes several hours and costs upwards of $300.

The repair process starts with removing moisture, broken glass, and debris from the damaged area. Next, they create a vacuum in preparation of the repair. Finally, they inject a liquid resin into the damaged area, which seals the gaps and prevents the damage from spreading further.

In most instances, the windscreen repair process is able to restore a large percentage of clarity. However, if the damage is too severe to repair, a replacement windscreen is necessary. Your insurer will typically cover the cost of replacement if insured under a comprehensive policy. However, a nominal damage excess may apply. If your car is under a third party insurance policy, the entire cost of replacement will unfortunately need to come out of pocket.

Have a damaged windscreen that could do with a repair? AutoApp’s panel of workshops include glass repair specialists that will have you seeing clearly in a jiffy. WhatsApp us at 91-028-028 for a quote!

For most of us, walnuts are a great source of nutrition and apparently have many health benefits. However, the shells, are usually discarded without a second thought. 

It might come as a surprise to you then, that the hardness of walnut shells has its applications.

In the 1960s, the US Navy pioneered an innovative coating removal blasting technology known as walnut shell blasting. Walnut shell blasting is used to remove the top coating in submarines and aircraft carriers without damaging the expensive undercoats.

Walnut shells are ground to a sandlike consistency, then blasted out with compressed air. With enough force, the walnut shells are hard enough to scrape away dirt and stubborn deposits but are pliant enough to leave the original surface unharmed. 

There are also many other mediums that are used for abrasive blasting:

• Shot blasting, which uses metal beads
• Sandblasting
• Plastic media blasting (PMB)
• Water blasting
• Dry ice and vapour, which are also used for various applications

Among these abrasive blasting media, walnut shells have numerous advantages. In addition to having just the right level of hardness, the material is also biodegradable. Spent walnut shells are easier to dispose compared to other blasting materials. For example, Unlike PMB, washing away walnut shells carries no risk to water sources or wildlife.

Walnut shells are also lighter than a similar volume of metal shot blasting media. This means that shipping them in bulk costs less, and the savings can be passed onto the customer. The biodegradability of walnut shells also means that the spent material will not occupy landfills for years to come. 

Walnut shell blasting for cars

In the last few years, Walnut shell blasting (WSB) has found its way to engine cleaning applications. Carbon deposits in engine manifolds are notoriously stubborn. They can also be hard to reach with conventional cleaning tools like brushes. If left unchecked, over the years, these unsightly deposits can accumulate and eventually decrease the size of the passageways where air enters into the cylinder chambers to combust the fuel.

However, finely ground walnut shells blasted out with compressed air can get into the smallest nooks and crannies to scrub away any carbon deposits. 

The engine’s ability to make as much power as it was designed to becomes reduced by restricted air volumes from dirty intake manifolds. Drivers commonly experience a drop in performance with older cars. Meanwhile, newer cars driven a lot at low and medium speeds can also be affected. Most Singapore cars are incidentally affected since the Causeway has been closed for over a year. 

This is where walnut shell blasting can help alleviate carbon build-up in exhaust manifolds. A mechanic takes apart the intake manifold and uses a special device that blasts the ground walnut shells with compressed air. Next, a high-powered vacuum sucks the spent walnut shells out of the cleaned areas along with the carbon deposits and dirt that have been dislodged by the process. 

The photos of the cylinder heads that have been cleaned by WSB show just how effective the process is as the surrounding areas look brand new again. Perhaps more importantly, drivers of these cars can attest to how much better their cars feel after just one session.

Usually, a proper WSB treatment should take about three to four hours depending on the type of engine and how easy or difficult the manifold is to access. 

The WSB process itself takes between an hour or two for a four or six-cylinder engine. Cars with more cylinders would naturally need more time, and it mainly depends on the complexity of accessing the manifold interior. 

Environmental win-win solution

It isn’t too often that we come across a solution that is environmentally sustainable, yet improves the performance of our cars and can improve our cars’ fuel consumption while saving us money in the process. 

WSB is actually such a solution. Walnut shells are a completely natural product that would otherwise be discarded by the food industry. As walnuts are cultivated mainly for food, the shells are effectively a renewable resource. 

Additionally, cleaning manifolds and cylinder heads back to their shiny, brand new glory undoubtedly improves fuel consumption which in turn, reduces emissions. It doesn’t get any better, does it?

Find out about more eco-friendly car care products here.