"It's not a heap, dad. It's a classic." That's harder to justify when your classic muscle car won't start. Nothing like a high-compression V8 combined with a battery that hasn't seen a charge for a ...

Older vehicles with distributor-based ignition systems need their timing checked on a regular basis, otherwise you can have a host of problems. Starting becomes difficult, idling will be rough, ...

Engine knocking, or detonation, occurs when fuel in the cylinders ignites unevenly, causing metallic pinging sounds, reduced power, and potential engine damage. Key causes include low-octane fuel, ...

Pinging—that sound that resembles pebbles being thrown on a tin roof—has become familiar to all of us as a common occurance with today's low-octane fuel and reduced engine speeds. Call it pinging, ...

There's a tiny silver can on the side of most distributors that is easily the most misunderstood component of any distributor-based ignition system. Feared by many, and ignored by many more, the ...

Precise ignition timing is essential for high-performance engine tuning and ensuring your small-block or big-block is delivering every horsepower within its capability. Since the era of poodle skirts, ...