Here’s a question: How often should you change your oil filter? If you’ve ever wondered just what’s in that little round canister called an oil filter, have a look. Those manila-envelope colored pieces you see are the outer edges of material that traps contaminants — things that can clog and damage the working parts of your vehicle’s engine. If you look in your vehicle’s owner’s manual, you’ll probably see a recommendation that you change your oil at certain intervals based

Chase Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS team finished 19th in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Elliott took the green flag in 22nd at his home track Atlanta Motor Speedway. The driver of the No. 9 wasted little time advancing through the field as he climbed to 11th by Lap 8. He continued to knock on the door of the top 10 for the remainder of the segment, finishing Stage 1 in 14th. Thanks to quick work by the NAPA AUTO PARTS team on pit road

Starters rarely fail, but being an integral component in the starting system, you’ll know it when they do. And despite the rarity, there are a number of ways and reasons a starter very quickly becomes anything but. Luckily, knowing what you’re dealing with can help diagnose or preserve the life of your current starter and help you answer a vital question: Why do good starters go bad? Thriving Startup A starter is an electromagnetic actuator comprised of several mechanisms wor

Yes, unhealthy and unpleasant air is everywhere, but why allow it to funnel into your car and make even the shortest drives unbearable? A new cabin air filter improves the air quality in your car dramatically. Here are 5 things you may not know about cabin air filters and how they make your vehicle a healthier, more comfortable place to be. The Air Inside Your Vehicle Can Be 6 Times More Polluted Than The Air Outside: Without proper filtration, the air inside the passenger ca

Most vehicles come with a hydraulic braking system, which kicks in the moment you apply force to the brake pedal. Energy is immediately transferred to all four brakes, bringing your vehicle to a safe stop. While this system has worked well for generations, cutting-edge brake innovation technologies may soon change the way your future vehicle stops. What’s not to love about a car, truck or crossover that reduces your chances of an accident? 1. Brake-by-Wire When we drive, most

There are some compelling reasons to recycle a car battery. While these batteries are harmless under the hood of your vehicle, they can be tremendously damaging to the environment if not properly discarded. Below, we’ll share six reasons for recycling this critical automotive component. Why Recycle Your Car’s Battery? Recycling your car’s battery makes sense for the following reasons: 1. It protects groundwater from heavy-metal poisoning. Car batteries contain heavy metals su

What are winter wiper blades? You’ve no doubt seen this item lurking on the shelves of your local auto parts store, but a quick inspection doesn’t necessarily reveal the key differences between these wipers and the spring/summer/fall set you’re used to running. Why would you consider swapping in a different set of wiper blades once the snow starts to fall and the cold weather sets in? Is it really necessary, or merely optional, from a safety standpoint? Let’s take a closer lo

There’s a clear advantage to having a garage if you own one or more cars. A garage protects your vehicle from the elements when you’re not driving it, but not everyone has access to one. In that case, a car cover offers the protection your ride needs. There are several options available, but the benefits of car covers ought to make you think twice before you use a tarp or leave your vehicle uncovered. You could just leave your vehicle outside, which is indeed what almost ever

Plans sometimes have a way of snowballing, especially when it comes to building a car. Just about every gearhead has a story about how “it started out as a brake job and turned into a complete restoration”, or something to that effect. This 1969 Plymouth Road Runner is absolutely one of those stories. It rolled into the Red Dirt Rodz studio as a mildly restored original muscle car. It had shiny blue paint, a running 383 and bone-stock interior. Owner Joe McCalla III wanted to

Curious about the history of windshield wipers? Was there ever a time when this most basic — and seemingly necessary — aspect of automotive safety equipment wasn’t a common feature on every vehicle? It might surprise you that not only is the answer to that question “yes,” but there have been a number of improvements and innovations that have guided the evolution of the humble wiper to its modern form. Let’s take a quick look at the path that’s been taken, and the reasons behi