Website That Knows Your Vehicle

Have you ever been to or called a parts store to order part(s) for your car or truck, and they asked you about the engine and if its a single or dual overhead cam?
This a common question that parts stores ask a lot and most people don’t know right off. To avoid calling back or going back to the parts store, you can open the hood and sometimes on the engine it has SOHC or DOHC? SOHC means Single Overhead Cam and DOHC means Double Overhead Cam. I will explain the difference between the two in a later blog.

If there’s no SOHC or DOHC on the engine, the Pronto.net's VIN decoder can tell you that information. All you need is the vehicle’s VIN handy, go toPronto.net's VIN decoder, type in the VIN and hit “Submit.” It will provide you with some general information about the vehicle, like the manufacturer, assembly plant, year, make, model, body style, GVWR, (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.) The site also tells you about the vehicle’s engine (is it DOHC or SOHC), brake system, etc. The
Pronto.net web site is FREE!!!

This information can be printed out so the next time you go to or call the parts store, it will handy.

Roadside Emergency Kit

Do you have a roadside emergency kit? It’s good to have one for your vehicle in case you have a flat tire, get stuck, your vehicle stalls, or etc… A Roadside Emergency Kit can be bought at department stores like Wal-Mart or Menards or you can order one from the internet. A good kit can be bought for $20-$30.

A homemade Roadside Emergency can easily be made. You might have some item already in your home, otherwise you can purchase them at a store. A good Roadside Emergency Kit include:

• Tow Rope
• Jumper Cables
• Tire Puncture Repair
• Funnel or Cone
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Gloves
• Emergency Blanket
• Rain Poncho
• Help Flags
• Plastic Zip Ties
• Plastic Water Bag
• First Aid Kit

Some other things you may want to include:
• Water or something to Drink
• Food or Snacks
• Warm, heavy blanket
• Hats and Mitten
• Tools, a socket set

Even through you have an AAA, Cross County, On-Star or etc… membership, you could be waiting a half of hour to one hour before they can arrive to rescue you. In a situation where it’s near or below zero and you have to wait a while, you should consider having these items in your vehicle just in case:

• Warm Blanket
• Water or something to drink
• Food or Snacks
• Hats and Mittens
• First Aid Kit

Roadside Emergency Kits are a valuable item to have in you vehicle, they can help you get back on the road and keep you safe. I hope that nobody is out in the cold for a long time, but just in case you are put a warm heavy blanket in the vehicle before winter hits.