ThrottleHolic

Why Take Your Car to the Mechanic When You Can Simpy DIY?

Older Logs

Honda C50: A Look at My Famous, Efficient & Reliable Super Cub

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If someone had told me twenty years ago that I'd one day proudly own a small, grossly underpowered 49cc Honda C50 Super Cub with a top speed of only 60 km/h (about 35 mph), I would have low-key believed a prophet had cursed me.  Curiously, I recently spent my hard-earned money and travelled...

Motopower MP69033: Cheap Toy or Great Code Reader?

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As I pen down this Motopower MP69033 review, my mind floods with the memory of the evening I decided to buy and test the unit. Truth be told, I'm not a fan of budget code readers, and the only reason I bought this one is because it was on sale for a retail price lower than the amount I had paid for ...

Catalytic Converters and Gas Mileage: What’s the True Connection?

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“Throttle, my car is consuming a lot of fuel, and my mechanic said we need to install catalytic converters!” The voice on the phone sounded serious, matter-of-fact, and almost desperate. At the other end of the phone was one of my friends who lives miles away. Like most car owners, when he notic...

7 Options That Need To Be Standard On Every New Car

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If you're not intentionally interested in an online detox, a feature phone with a monochrome display and no internet connectivity appears to be a deliberate attempt at self-torture. So, are these 7 options that should be standard on every new car (but are almost always not). With phones? This is...

Ancel AD310: Perfect Beginner Code Reader or Cheap Imposter?

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Very few code readers have had the commercial success of the little, insignificant-looking Ancel AD310. On face value, there's little to suspect that the smallish-looking unit is worthy of some space in the glovebox of a car and is without question, the most affordable code reader worth your time. ...

Best Bi-Directional Scan Tool: One Indisputable Winner

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I was playing with one of my OBD II scan tools recently when it occurred to me that the tool in my hand wasn't just any professional scan tool with bi-directional capability: it was clearly the best bi-directional scan tool that does everything, without a subscription; perfect for the home mechanic ...

Ancel AD410 OBD2 Code Reader: 11 GREAT Reasons I Chose It

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If you've been reading my work here on ThrottleHolic (and elsewhere), you'd have noticed something by now: I venerate the Ancel AD410 code reader. I also recommend it widely for anyone looking for a reliable code reader that won't disappoint them. In my list & ranking of the best OBD2 scanners f...

Astro AI Digital Clamp Meter Review: Crap or DIY Must Have?

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When mechanics started taking me for a ride, I discovered the ultra-beautiful world of auto DIY. However, a subsequent problem, similar to the initial 'mechanical' challenge, presented itself: the challenge of finding DIY-friendly tools. The challenge of getting good, reliable auto DIY grade co...

Passive vs Active vs Forced DPF Regeneration Explained Simply

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I've you're an owner of a modern vehicle with a diesel-powered engine, then you must have heard the term 'DPF reset'. What you may not have heard (or don't understand) is the passive vs active vs forced DPF regeneration jargon.  While extremely simple and easy to understand, these terms all...

DPF Regeneration: What It Is, Why It Matters & How to Perform It

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Diesel engines (DPF regeneration/reset can wait a bit, I need to pay deserved homage first), especially examples powering heavy-duty trucks, are quite powerful, torquey, and capable of taking on an insane amount of work (with little or no appreciable wear). They are also known to last forever (think...