Author Archives: Justin Smith

About Justin Smith

As the man at the helm of BreakerLink, it is no surprise that its Director, Justin Smith, has always had a keen interest in cars, bikes and most things wheeled. Having spent over two decades in the car parts industry, Justin combines his passion that since 2002, has successfully united those looking for new and used car parts with the breaker that supplies them. Follow Justin on LinkedIn.

The Importance of your Seating Position When Driving

There is increasing evidence that sitting is not great for your health. Long periods behind the driver’s wheel can result in back pain. Getting in a car shouldn’t damage your health, and we’re not talking about avoiding accidents either. You’ll want to avoid damage to your body, which can play havoc with every aspect of your life. Ask any serious chronic back pain sufferer.

What can you do to ensure that you’re sitting comfortably, and you’re not suffering from those telling little back twinges behind the wheel, that could add up to some serious pain?

Continue reading →

How to Tow a Broken Down Car

At some point in your life you might need a tow. Whether that’s because of a breakdown now, or your electrical car runs out of juice in the future, there’s no better way to get a downed vehicle off the road. Especially if you don’t have breakdown cover.

And there are times when your safety might be compromised, if you leave a broken down car on the road. You could need a quick tow to a safe place. Other times you may still need to be towed by the breakdown company. How do you get towed safely?

Continue reading →

9 Signs Your Air Filter Needs Changing

Your car needs to combust petrol. And as every GCSE science student will tell you, this needs three things. Fuel, an ignition source and air.

In engines, this is supplied by the petrol, diesel or other fuel source, the spark plugs, and the air is drawn through the air filter, ensuring that dirt and muck doesn’t enter into the piston chambers. Of course – all that filth ends up caught in the air filter, reducing its effectiveness.

Continue reading →

Driving Tired – When Drowsy Equals Danger

Driving drunk is a big no-no. Many people won’t drive when ill. But you may be shocked to find out that driving when you’re tired can be almost as dangerous.

With one in six crashes now being linked to driver fatigue, this is too significant a problem not to notice. As police can’t check for tiredness with a simple breath test – as with alcohol – it’s up to us all to ensure that we don’t get behind the wheel when we should be hitting the hay.

Continue reading →

What to Do if You Have a Car Accident?

No one wants to have a crash. But as the saying goes accidents do happen. And the more you’re out on the road, the more likely it is that you’ll either make an error of judgement, or perhaps be on the receiving end of someone else’s.

If you are involved in a crash the number one rule is to stay calm and cool. It’s a high pressure situation where people are likely to be shocked, scared and even a little angry. However, with some preparation and fore-knowledge it’s possible to make this bad situation more than bearable. Consider the following information:

Continue reading →

13 Signs Your Cam Belt could be Failing

Replacing your cam belt is a vital part of your car’s maintenance schedule. Leave it to break, and you could cause untold damage to the rest of the car. If it fails, then the knock on effects can cause the engine’s pistons and valves to collide. Your car will break down, and it’s likely that the repair bill will be very hefty.

Yes, replacing the cam belt comes in at a significant cost. Which is why people might choose to ignore the warning signs. Remember however, that a written off engine is far more problematic.

Continue reading →

Dealing with Skids – Staying in Control

Skids are more likely to occur when there is a loss of friction and therefore traction on the roads. Snow, ice and water can cause a lack of proper grip on the tarmac causing your car to slip and slide.

Throw understeer, oversteer, acceleration and braking into the mix and you could have difficulty controlling your vehicle. When this happens it’s vital you remain calm. Even if you can’t avoid an accident, you can reduce the danger to yourself and others – by taking remedial action.

How can you avoid getting into a skid – and more importantly, what can you do if you should find yourself in one of the two different types of skid, oversteer or understeer?

Continue reading →

How to Clean Your Fuel Injectors

Your fuel injectors are a vital part of the engine. As part of the main combustion system, they deliver fuel into the pistons, ensuring there’s enough fuel to drive your vehicle forward as you depress the accelerator. `

To keep the injectors in tip top condition they have to be cleaned from time to time. You might even find that with some complaints such as lit check engine lights and maintenance problems can actually be solved by unclogging your injectors before you embark on a costly course of replacement fuel injector. This bodes the question – what’s the best way to get them clean?

Continue reading →

How to Get Your Vehicle Unstuck from the Snow

It’s a rare year in the UK when there’s no snow whatsoever. All too often a sudden flurry or storm can take the local services by surprise, making roads treacherous and difficult. Even if the council manages to deploy the gritters at short notice, then they probably won’t touch the side roads – making it too easy to get stuck in the snow.

Some cars have a winch, to help to pull your vehicle free from deeper drifts, and the RAC, AA or even your local towing company can help free you from the powder. But if none of these are an option for you, what’s the best way to free your vehicle?

Continue reading →

Signs that Your Head Gasket is Failing

Your head gasket is a vital part of the engine. If it’s not working as the manufacturer intended then this can lead to bigger problems. You’ll find this critical seal between the engine block and the cylinder heads. It should be typically made of steel or copper, although some manufacturers use graphite and there are even asbestos gaskets in older cars.

The gasket helps ensure that the engine remains fully pressurised during the combustion process. Remember that the dynamic release of energy when fuel is ignited drives the pistons – so any drop in pressure means a drop in power. Oil and coolant are also supplied to the engine through the gasket, which means that problems with the part could lead to cross contamination between the two fluids – a problematic scenario for any engine.

Continue reading →