The Importance of Having a Dash Cam

Have you ever thought about getting a dash camera? Most people are more concerned with whether their Pre-Cat Oxygen Sensors and Post-Cat Oxygen Sensors are functioning properly, and that dash cams are just for police vehicles.

The driver pointing out his dash cam.

You might want to think again - there are several advantages to having a dash cam, first and foremost having a recorded account of anything you witness while driving. There is a video circulating online currently of a driver with a dash cam who had a car in front of them BACK INTO their vehicle. By law, this would normally be his fault as anything that looks like a rear-end is the fault of the rear driver. However, despite attempts of the front driver to threaten to call the police unless our driver pay him $500 on the spot, because of the dash cam he had evidence for his case.

This is also handy in case you witness a crime while driving, even if it doesn't involve your vehicle. Events like accidents and crimes can happen fast - human memory can prove to be hazy when pressed to recall exact details about a certain moment in time. A dash cam can be very useful in these situations to provide an accurate account of events, and to identify anyone involved.

Serious matters aside, footage from a dash cam can be entertaining. I'm sure you can think of a time when you've seen something while driving that is almost beyond belief, but upon telling the story to your friends it turns into one of those "you had to be there" moments. Showing the footage to friends, and even uploading it to popular video aggregating sites, enables you to share your hilarious moment with potentially thousands of people.

Lastly, footage from a dash cam can be artistic. Want to remember what that road trip was like a few years ago? A neat video compilation of normal hand-held video camera footage mixed with dash cam footage of your trip can provide a very cool experience for you and your loved ones to share.


Whatever you use it for, a dash cam can come in handy in the right moment. For all of it's uses, it seems worth the average $60 investment.

What is a Mass Air Flow Sensor?

A Mass Air Flow Sensor (MAF) is a device that measures the volume and density of the air entering the engine.  It is the first sensor to read the amount of air entering the motor. The MAF is made up of an air temperature sensor, an electronic control unit, and a hot wire.  The main job of this sensor is to convert the amount of air coming into the vehicle into a voltage signal.  Along with the assistance of oxygen sensors, the MAF provides the Engine Control Unit (ECU) with vital information. This data lets the ECU know how much fuel to inject, the timing of ignition, and when to shift a transmission.

There are two main types of mass air flow sensors in automotive engines, the vane meter and the hot wire. The vane meter is an older style.  It measures the amount of air with a spring loaded flap attached to a resistor.  The vane meter is not used as often as the hot wire because it restricts airflow, the moving parts wear easier, and finding a space to mount it is difficult. On the other hand, the hot wire style has minimal airflow resistance, it’s smaller, it has no moving parts that wear, and it responds very quickly to changes in air flow.  So, basically the hot wire is a skinnier, smarter version of the vane meter.

If your Mass Air Flow Sensor is malfunctioning your car may idle erratically, run lean, try to stall, and the throttle could decrease at highway speeds.  If you have a digital scanner you can make sure that your MAF is to blame by hooking the scanner up to the housing circuit and checking for codes. In some cases the sensor is just dirty and needs to be cleaned, but more commonly the part is broken.  MAFs are rarely repairable and a new one will run you a couple hundred dollars.

How to Determine Issues with an Oxygen Sensor

Many car issues are easy to determine but others are more elusive. Issues with an O2 sensor or Air Fuel Ratio Sensor can be extremely difficult to determine. Many a time the ECU will determine that the car is having an issue but when it comes to o2 sensors that issue may not be where the ECU says it is. More like the issue is being detected where the O2 sensor is.

When there is an issue internally with an engine the sensors are the first place that will show the signs of the problem. The reason for this is simple, all of the gasses leaving the engine pass these sensors and if there is excess fuel or burnt off oil it will be deposited on the oxygen sensor causing failure.   A failure of the o2 sensor will require replacement of the unit but it will also require the other issues to be fixed before the sensor is installed. If the other issues are not taken care of the o2 sensor is going to fail again and most parts suppliers will not warranty a part with foreign debris build up on the unit. Many times the issue that are causing the failure of the sensor and much larger than the electrical system many involve the fuel system or oil being burned off in the motor. A good example, when a turbo is failing it may send a large amount of oil though the engine and the left over burnt oil has to go somewhere after the ignition in the cylinder. The oil travels through the down pipe where it hits the sensor and not only gives a bad reading but also cakes on destroying the unit as well. These are just a few of the issues that can cause debris build up on the sensor and it is recommended by almost everyone in the car industry to take you to be inspected by a mechanic before buying parts like an O2 sensor.