Windshield Scratch Repair

Windshield Scratch Repair

From time to time, people get chips and small cracks in their car windshield, usually from a small rock being thrown up off the road or some other type of debris. When this happens it is important to fix the damage as soon as possible by either calling a windshield scratch repair company or repairing the scratch yourself.

A windshield scratch is not only cosmetic damage, it can also become a driving hazard. A small scratch can impair your vision while driving if the scratch happens to be in the right place. If your windshield scratch is not repaired, then it can become a much larger crack or expand in a spider web pattern. Not only do large scratches and cracks pose a driving hazard, they will also cause you to have to replace the entire windshield instead of making a simple repair.

If your windshield gets a small crack or scratch, you have a few windshield scratch repair options: using a scratch repair company or performing a simple fix yourself. There are advantages to using both.

Windshield scratch repair company

Mobility – Repairing a small windshield scratch or crack is usually an easy job that requires few, if any, tools. This makes it very easy for windshield scratch repair companies to come directly to your car to make the repair, either at your home or at your place of employment.

Insurance – Windshield scratches and cracks often fall under the comprehensive coverage portion of your car insurance. Most insurance companies will even waive your deductible if you get a small crack repaired before it requires a whole windshield replacement. Usually, the scratch repair company will simply bill your insurance company directly with no out-of-pocket expense to you.

Do-it-yourself repair

Cost – If you don’t have the necessary insurance coverage to get your windshield scratch repair made for free, then you can make the repairs yourself with a windshield and glass sealer. These sealers are available at most auto parts stores for less than $10. Simply spray or brush the sealer into the crack and wipe away the excess.

Convenience – If you do a lot of driving on unpaved roads or anywhere else where windshield cracks and scratches are likely to occur, then you can just keep a bottle of windshield repair sealer in your car to immediately repair any cracks.

By taking care of minor windshield cracks and scratches early, you can save yourself time and money.

Engine Chip Tuning: Is it Legal?

Engine Chip Tuning Legalized Or Not

The right performance chip or engine control unit can change the software in your engine’s computer, giving you more horsepower or more efficiency. In theory, it’s your vehicle, so you can do whatever you want to it.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers would like to change that. This group of 12 automobile manufacturers seeks to prohibit car owners from changing the software in their cars. But do they have legal grounds to make that claim?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act

It all comes down to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Passed in 1998, the DMCA was designed to specifically deal with issues of copyright and intellectual property in the digital age. At the time, it dealt with music, movies, software, and other digital products.

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is petitioning to have the software within the car’s computer covered under the DMCA. They claim that they have a copyright on the software. Like software companies, they’d like to limit the ability of the consumer to copy or modify the software. If the petition is approved, then it could prevent car owners from performing any modification that changes the software.

The Argument for Limiting ECU Tuning

At first glance this push against chip tuning might seem like it’s out of left field, but there is logic behind the Alliance’s case. Early engine computers might have only determined one thing, such as the fuel/air ratio in the fuel injector. Modern cars can have over 80 different computers or chips scattered around the vehicle. They can control everything from the engine to the anti-lock brake system to the steering to emissions.

When a car leaves the factory, the software is carefully set to very specific parameters. Some of these ensure that the car meets emission standards. Others ensure that the car meets safety standards, efficiency standards, and more. If someone changes these settings without knowing what they’re doing, the results can be damage the vehicle, and may even lead to accidents.

The Argument Against Limiting ECU Tuning

Opponents and car enthusiasts are aware that there are risks to any customization, but contend that these risks are actually very minor. To put things in perspective, they’ll point to classic cars. For example, a car from the 1950s will not be up to modern standards, no matter how well maintained it is. Even if adding performance chips to modern cars makes them slightly less safe, they’ll still be safer, cleaner, and in more compliance with standards than older cars.

But the biggest argument they have against limitations is the infringement of ownership rights. Placing remapping or other software modifications under the DMCA means that car owners only have a license to the software, rather than full ownership. This would mean that the car companies would own part of your car, and have a direct say in what you do with it. Opponents are also concerned about it being a slippery slope. For example, a different set of rims changes the parameters the software works with, and could then no longer be allowed.

Before you get any performance chip, chip tuning, engine remapping, or other software work done, it’s a good idea to check with a pro. They’ll be able to give you the most recent updates on the progression of the debate to help you make your decision.

Risks of Engine Chip Tuning

Engine Chip Tuning

Engine chip tuning, also known as engine remapping or simply chip tuning, can be a great way to get more out of your car. It’s a relatively small modification that can drastically change how your engine runs. But those changes can also have a downside. Here are a few risks you take when you tweak the ECU or engine control unit.

It Can Push the Engine Too Hard

One of the most common engine remaps is to get more power out of the engine. The right settings for the fuel/air mixture and timing can get your engine functioning at a higher speed and getting more power with every stroke.

But that extra power can push the engine parts beyond normal stress limits. At the same time, the increased heat and repetition lead to higher wear levels. Both of these factors can combine to increase the risk of catastrophic engine failure. This is why engine tuning can often void your powertrain warranty unless it’s done with the right gear by the right person.

The Engine Can Be More Susceptible to Changes

The default chip parameters are set by the manufacturer to make the vehicle as versatile as possible. After all, consumers are all over the globe, and most of them just want a reliable car they don’t have to worry about.

When chip tuning brings out more power or efficiency, it often comes at the cost of that versatility. This means that the engine can be more susceptible to factors like a bad tank of gas or higher air temperatures.

It’s Easy to Make Mistakes

The ECU controls a lot of different systems, and most of them are vital to how the engine works. Many of these systems are interconnected. For example, the fuel/air mixture is tied to the spark timing which is tied to the transmission. Tweaking one of these settings without changing the others accordingly can actually make the engine perform worse than it did before.

The wrong adjustments can do more than just lower the quality of the engine’s performance—they can actually cause the engine to break down entirely. These breakdowns can cause irreparable damage, so it’s important to know exactly what you’re doing.

Other Parts May Need to be Replaced

Changing the tuning of your ECU will give your engine and vehicle better performance, but all of the stock parts are chosen with the manufacturer’s default settings in mind. So they might not give you the best results after tuning.

Parts that directly concern running the vehicle are hit the most by this. Things like spark plugs, distributors, wires, and valves should all be replaced in order to get the most out of the tuning. This risk is probably the least of all the others, but it can be a hefty hit to your budget.

Why You Should Leave Engine Control Unit Repairs to the Pros

Engine Control Unit Repair Pros

Modern cars can have over 80 separate computers scattered around the car, but one of the big ones is the engine control unit (ECU). Also known as the engine control module (ECM), this controls most of the key engine functions, including the fuel/air mixture, spark timing, and more.

From the outside, an ECU looks like a box due to the housing that protects the circuitboards. If you have a certain amount of mechanical aptitude, it can seem like all you have to do to repair it, replace it, or tune it is to unplug it and plug a new one in. But this can create some big problems.

Here are some reasons why you should leave this job to the pros.

They Know What to Adjust

Whether you need a complete replacement or just want a chip tuning module added, you need to check all of the variables. Even small changes in the settings or software can have big consequences, including causing the whole engine to break down.

Even if the computer is exactly the same, all of these variables need to be double-checked. If the job is to install an engine remapping chip, then these variables need to be adjusted to make sure that they’re all within the right areas. Plainly put, a pro will make sure everything’s working together nicely.

They Have the Equipment

The best a home mechanic can hope for is to plug a chip tuning unit in and hope everything works out. If there’s anything wrong, then it could seriously damage your engine. There is equipment that can perform a full diagnostic and check all of the above variables, but it’s not exactly in the budget of the average car owner.

Pro shops have the resources needed to buy that equipment. They also have extensive training in how to use that equipment. As a result, you can count on them to make sure everything’s set up correctly down to the last detail.

They Have the Experience

Even if you’re the most avid car enthusiast, odds are good that you’d only own a handful of cars that need ECU work. And if you mess this procedure up, you could be looking at a very expensive repair bill.

But not the pros. Over their years of experience they’ve tuned and remapped hundreds of cars in a wide variety of makes and models. They know the ins and outs to safely make any repairs of modifications. They also know the pitfalls to avoid.

When you come right down to it: doing your own ECU repairs or modifications is taking a big risk with your very expensive car. You’re much safer to spend the extra amount necessary to get it installed by the pros.

How to Repair a Valance

How to Repair a Valance

PARTS

Buffing Ball

TOOLS

Sander

Screwdriver

Safety Tip:Always wear safety glasses when working on your vehicle. Wear other personal protective equipment (PPE) when necessary, for example latex gloves or closed toe shoes.

1

Using a door trim panel tool (for clips) or a torx head driver (for torx screws), remove all the clips/screws that are holding the bumper cover to the vehicle. Remove the bumper cover.

2

Remove the valance from the bumper cover by removing the clips that hold it on. Remove any lamps or reflectors that may be attached to the panel.
Photo may not be specific to your vehicle

3

Once the valance is removed, lightly sand the area that is scuffed. Start with a heavier grit sandpaper working up to a lighter grit paper until the scuff is removed and the surface is smooth.

4

Clean the area so that it is free of dirt.

5

Apply a thin coat of body filler to the sanded area.

6

Sand the body filler until it is smooth and matches the rest of the bumper.

7

Prep the valance for paint by cleaning the entire panel with an alcohol/water mixture. Do an initial wet sand and scuff of the paint with a Scott's bright pad and clean the entire panel again.

8

Spray primer to the damaged area on the valance.

9

Mix and apply the basecoat paint onto the damaged area. Use a blending technique to blend the paint into the rest of the valance. This will allow a smooth transition of the new color into the old color.

10

Allow the paint to dry before clear coat is applied. The best technique is to bake the paint in a booth to help speed up and dry the paint for reapplication.

11

Apply the clear coat application across the entire valance panel with a similar technique as the basecoat.

12

Allow clear coat to dry. Bake to help speed up process.

13

Check for nibs in paint (nibs are trash that has become stuck in the clear coat during application).

14

Remove any large nibs with a sharp razor blade.

15

Soak 1500 grit sandpaper in soapy water.

16

Add soapy water in a spray bottle and spray on the painted surface.

17

Use a block with the sandpaper to help apply even pressure when sanding.

18

Sand the area in a circular motion until all the trash is removed.

19

Repeat the process with 2000 grit sandpaper that has been soaked in soapy water.

20

Wipe the part down with an alcohol water mixture and inspect for trash.

21

Use a three stage compound polish to remove any swirl marks left from the sanding.

22

Reinstall the valance panel to the bumper cover with new clips.

23

Reinstall the bumper cover to the vehicle.

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