Andy Jensen
I Love Anything Automotive
I'm a traditionally educated journalist and automotive enthusiast that loves all aspects of the car industry. News and manufacturing, to racing and modifying, I enjoy writing about all of it!
PROJECTS
Jalopnik
Why I Love Speed Wagons (And You Should, Too)
I love wagons. One of my earliest car-related memories involves riding in the back of my friend's parents' station wagon. We entered through the rear hatch and plopped down on backward-facing seats. An ignorant kid, I viewed the wagon as a utility vehicle — until my buddy's dad stepped on...
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How to Swap a Timing Chain
The timing chain is a feared DIY job, but it doesn't have to be. With patience and some free time, even a beginner can get this maintenance done. If you've got a Saturday free, you can save nearly $1,000 by doing it yourself.
zeroto60times.com
Exclusive Interview with Classic Recreations Owner Jason Engel - Zero To 60 Times
Classic Recreations is a restoration/custom shop that rebuilds world-class Shelby Mustangs in Yukon, Oklahoma. The cars are customized according to customer desires, and are handcrafted works of art that are as fast as they are beautiful. We recently sat down with owner Jason Engel to find out about what makes...
mojomotors.com
What do NASCAR pros use as their daily drivers? - Mojo Motors Blog
What do NASCAR pros use as their daily drivers? - M...
Jalopnik
Diesel Facts to Dealership Hacks: An Industry Pro’s Car-Buying Tips
Diesel Facts to Dealership Hacks: An Industry Pro’s...
blog.carvana.com
Advice from a pro: How often to change your car’s fluids
Vehicles are lasting longer than ever, as long as you take care of them. You might know when to change your oil, but what about the transmission fluid? If you guessed “when it starts making a grinding noise,” you’re wrong. Here’s what a professional mechanic says about changing your fluids, so you can make your investment last.
Oil
Ask five random people about when to change a vehicle’s oil, and you’ll get six different answers. There’s a few reasons people are often confused about this one.
...
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How to Change Out a Blower Motor
Heat and air conditioning can make the difference between a comfortable drive or a brutal one. While a blower motor doesn't heat or cool the air, it is a critical component of your car's ability to do so, as it's responsible for pushing the heated or cooled air through the vehicle's HVAC vents.
blog.carvana.com
Top used SUVs for real life towing requirements
There are moments that sometimes require your SUV to have true versatility. Sometimes you need a work vehicle, or something to haul the crew and all their gear plus a trailer. Maybe you have a large family and a boat. Whatever the situation, if you’re needing high seating capacity and brute force towing capability, you can’t beat these heavy duty SUVs.
The workhorse of the Ford SUV fleet, the Expedition has been delivering huge cargo and towing abilities since the days you were using Netscape...
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How to Replace Door Lock Actuators
If your electronic door locks aren't unlocking when you hit the remote button or the door lock switch, it may be your remote. If you still have problems after swapping the battery, then it's likely the door lock actuators. This is a massive annoyance on vehicles around a decade old, and it will only get worse over time until you end up manually locking and unlocking each door with the physical key. Dealership service departments typically want nearly a grand for this repair, but you likely have all the tools on hand, so let's get it done.
blog.carvana.com
What’s the better buy: All-wheel drive or front-wheel drive?
There’s an assumption that all-wheel-drive is the best way to get around in rough winter weather. However, with today’s high tech winter tires, is there still an advantage to a vehicle with all-wheel drive? The answer depends on a number of factors.
Front wheel drive, or FWD, became the popular layout for economy cars back in the late 1970s. Cars like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla were beating their rear-wheel drive competitors such as the Chevy Monza and Ford Pinto because FWD layout be...
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The Weird World of Intake Manifolds
Intake manifolds are often a hot rodder's upgrade part but are otherwise mostly ignored. Every minivan on the road has an intake manifold feeding an air and fuel mixture to the cylinder heads, so they don't have the sexy and complex reputation of a turbocharger. Still, throughout the history of internal combustion, there have been several intake manifolds that left us scratching our heads. Here are a few of the weirdest.
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5 Things You Need to Do Before Modifying your Ride
Did you pick up a classic project car? Or did you simply decide that it's time to start modifying your current vehicle? Before you kick off the projects, there are a few things you should take care of—especially if you're planning on adding extra power. Whether you're working on a 1965 Falcon or 2015 F-150, here's what to do before modifying your ride.
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No Truck? No Problem! How to Tow With Your Car
A truck is great for getting work done, but what if you don't have one? Fear not—you can still make things happen. If you have a car, van, or crossover, odds are your vehicle has a tow rating. As long as you follow common sense when towing, you can probably get the job done with your car. Here's how.
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A High Torque Intro to Diesel Performance
When you hear "hot rod," you probably don't picture something with a diesel engine. Diesels are mainly found in heavy-duty trucks in the US, but lately they have been slung into lighter trucks and compact cars. Want to upgrade your diesel Ram 1500 or Chevy Cruze? Here's how to get started.