Wanted to share some information from our Friends at NAPA Know How.

From our Friends at Napa Air tools vs electric tools: what are the pros & cons of each?

Tool Guide: Air Tools vs Electric Tools

• By Benjamin Jerew
• August 3, 2016

The first power tool was invented in 1895, a massive 16.5-pound electric drill designed by German engineering company C&E Fein. Underpowered and unwieldy, it started a revolution in power tools, and a century later, what is available is extensive and varied.
When choosing between air tools vs electric tools, it can be hard to figure out what’s going to work best for you and your project. For the purposes of this discussion, the electric tools are the battery-powered type, not the corded type.
Let’s consider a couple of average 1/2″ drive impact wrenches, how do they stack up?
Air Tools vs Electric Tools: Pros & Cons

	Air Tool	Electric Tool
Power	Up to 950 lb•ft max working torque, 1,295 lb•ft breakaway torque.	Up to 700 lb•ft working torque, 1,200 lb•ft breakaway torque.
Weight	About 4.5 lb, not including air-hose weight.	Around 7.2 lb, about 40% heavier. Could get tiring to use long-term.
Size	Usually about 7″ x 10″ not including hoses and fittings. Swivel joints can help, but they also can reduce power output.	Usually about 8.8″ x 10.7″ longer head makes some cramped locations difficult to access.
Portability	You are limited by the length of your air hose. Longer hoses increase reach, but also reduce power.	No limitations. You can take it anywhere, even to the driveway, parking lot or down the road.
Expense (MSRP)	About $70 less, but doesn’t include hundreds of dollars in quality air hoses and an air compressor.	About $50 more, which includes a couple of batteries and a charging station. No need to buy hoses or an air compressor.
Cleanliness	Air hoses drag on the ground, and if you drag it over your hood or inside the car, it will leave marks.	Unless the tool is left on the ground, it will stay relatively clean. It won’t leave any “footprints” in your car.
Longevity	You can rebuild your impact wrench every few years (either from a service or DIY). Don’t forget to regularly oil the air motor for max power and max life.	Some shy away from rechargeable batteries, but we’ve seen new Li-ion and NiCad rechargeable batteries last over five years. Always keep them fully charged.
Convenience	Air compressor is always on. As long as you have a big enough tank, you have unlimited power.	Batteries only last so long, so you may have to switch them out when they are exhausted. With constant use, you may have to wait for a battery to charge. Just always have two in chargers ready to go.

Final Thoughts
Depending on your needs, you may want both air and electric tools. In the end, it all depends on how and how often use you plan on using your tools. If you know you’ll never use your power tools outside the garage, and you have plenty of use for other air tools, buying a compressor is a good investment.
If you need to take your tools with you, battery-powered tools are more portable and battery packs are interchangeable. Some electric tools are absolutely indispensable, like small 1/4″ or hex impact wrenches, which are so powerful, compact and versatile you can use them for issues in the car, tractor, ATV, home, garage and yard. Plus, you don’t have to drag an air hose all over the place.
For more information on deciding between air tools vs electric tools, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.  Or Surry Equipment.

How the new pair of heavy-duty diesel engine oil formulations will impact contractors

Information we wanted to share with our Customers.


How the new pair of heavy-duty diesel engine oil formulations will impact contractors

Shared information from our friends at NAPA /2 Stroke vs 4 Stroke: Avoid Ethanol in Small Engines

We found this information to be very helpful and wanted to share with our customers.

Thank you NAPA for quality information.

2 Stroke vs 4 Stroke: Avoid Ethanol in Small Engines

• By Benjamin Hunting
• July 12, 2016

Understanding the differences between 2 stroke vs 4 stroke engines can play an important role in getting maximum performance and lifespan out of your small engines.

Fundamentals

At its core, the key design concept of a 2 stroke engine is that the piston only moves up and down once during a power cycle, with the exhaust and the intake steps occurring simultaneously. A 4 stroke engine, however, sends the piston up and down twice during the power cycle in order to split apart the exhaust gas venting and air, and fuel intake process.
The 2 stroke designs are simpler, which means once you introduce additives like ethanol into gasoline it’s much harder to fine-tune the combustion process like you can in a more complex 4 stroke automobile engine. As a result, ethanol does untold damage each and every year to thousands of small engines in chainsaws, lawn mowers and leaf blowers across the country.

What Kind Of Damage Does Ethanol Do?

As explained above, 2 stroke vs 4 stroke engines don’t offer the same level of precision when it comes to spark plug firing and air/fuel ratio mixture. These types of engines also require a specific ratio, mixing gasoline and oil together in order to stay properly lubricated.
Ethanol is a type of alcohol that can be burned as a fuel, and it is often mixed in with traditional gasoline in concentrations typically approaching 10 percent. In some cases, however, particularly in the Midwest, it’s possible to get much more concentrated ethanol mixtures, surpassing 15 percent and even 20 percent. At this level, the amount of ethanol in fuel can have a damaging effect on 2 stroke engine components.
Since the fuel burn is less precise in 2 stroke vs 4 stroke engines and cannot be adjusted via computer controls, ethanol-heavy gasoline can leave significantly more deposits behind inside a cylinder after it is ignited. When acting as a solvent, like any alcohol, ethanol in gasoline also runs the risk of breaking down engine sludge and sending it through the fueling system, where it can clog injectors and ports. That same solvent behavior also attacks plastic and rubber components, causing them to dissolve over time (especially on older engine designs). Finally, ethanol also attracts water, which means ethanol blended fuel can introduce moisture into a engine and lead to corrosion of the metallic surfaces inside the cylinder as well as in fuel lines and the fuel tank.

How Can You Avoid Ethanol Damage?

The easiest way to prevent ethanol damage is to simply avoid gasoline that contains an ethanol mixture. Always check at the pump to make sure that the fuel you are using is ethanol-free, or at the very least, contains 10 percent ethanol or less (the maximum safe ratio for newer 2 stroke engines). If you can’t find ethanol-free fuel at your local gas station, then you can always check your local NAPA Auto Parts store for a canister of ethanol-free, pre-mixed small engine fuel.
For more information on 2 stroke vs 4 stroke engine maintenance, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.
Photo courtesy of Freeimages

All Products with flexible oil drain hose. Information Bulletin

We are providing this information to our valued customers.  We are getting some customers with questions on the correct way to change the oil, or issues of oil loss after change.  Hope this helps.