How to Delete Empty Columns in Excel with all Empty / Blank Cell Values

On the net you will find lots of info on how to delete empty columns in excel, using ‘go to special’. These are useless if you have some columns which have ‘some blanks’ and are looking for columns which have ‘only blanks’, because the method will delete the entire column even if it contains one blank cell.

I prefer instead to use the COUNTBLANK formula. Simply go to the last row/column of the data, and use countblank to find how many cells are empty/blank. then combine it with an IF statement, so that if the number of blanks is greater than the total number of columns/rows, then mark ‘delete’, and if not leave blank.

After this you simply sort your data by the column/row where you did the formula, and delete the relevant columns/rows. (Remember, when trying to delete empty columns, you will need to sort the data by the row which contains the formula. You do this by opening the ‘sort’ box and then pressing ‘options’ button)

Formula:

IF(COUNTBLANK(R[-27110]C:R[-1]C)>27109,”delete”,””)

in the above example, 27109 was the number of rows of data in my data – yours will be a different number.

delete empty columns in excel

 

 

List of Car Names for making sentences, stories or word games

Buy a car concept on brown paper bag which businessman has on head on cityscape backgroundList of Car Names which you can use as words for making funny sentences, stories, trivia/quiz challenges and word games.

The following English words are also the names of cars:

Applause, Beetle, Bluebird, Boxer, Caddy, Carry, Cavalier, Cherry, City, Cobra, Commander, Compass, Crown, Cube, Daily, Defender, Discovery, Dispatch, Expert, Fox, Ghost, Golf, Idea, Insight, Iq, Juke, Legend, Liberty, Logo, Magnum, Master, Metro, Midget, Mini, Montreal, Note, Panda, Partner, Patriot, Phantom, Pick Up, Picnic, Polo, Pony, Rapid, Rascal, Relay, Scenic, Shuttle, Spider, Sprinter, Stream, Superb, Swift, Trafic, Transporter, Tribute, Up, Wind, Yeti

And below is the breakdown of what car’s these are:

Model Word Associated Make
COBRA AC
LEGEND ACURA
MONTREAL ALFA ROMEO
SPIDER ALFA ROMEO
DISPATCH CITROEN
RELAY CITROEN
APPLAUSE DAIHATSU
IDEA FIAT
PANDA FIAT
CITY HONDA
INSIGHT HONDA
LEGEND HONDA
LOGO HONDA
SHUTTLE HONDA
STREAM HONDA
PONY HYUNDAI
DAILY IVECO
COMMANDER JEEP
COMPASS JEEP
LIBERTY JEEP
PATRIOT JEEP
DEFENDER LAND ROVER
DISCOVERY LAND ROVER
TRIBUTE MAZDA
SPRINTER MERCEDES-BENZ
METRO MG
MIDGET MG
MINI MINI
BLUEBIRD NISSAN
CHERRY NISSAN
CUBE NISSAN
JUKE NISSAN
NOTE NISSAN
PICK UP NISSAN
BOXER PEUGEOT
EXPERT PEUGEOT
PARTNER PEUGEOT
MASTER RENAULT
SCENIC RENAULT
TRAFIC RENAULT
WIND RENAULT
GHOST ROLLS-ROYCE
PHANTOM ROLLS-ROYCE
RAPID SKODA
SUPERB SKODA
YETI SKODA
CARRY SUZUKI
SWIFT SUZUKI
CROWN TOYOTA
IQ TOYOTA
PICNIC TOYOTA
CAVALIER VAUXHALL
MAGNUM VAUXHALL
RASCAL VAUXHALL
BEETLE VOLKSWAGEN
CADDY VOLKSWAGEN
FOX VOLKSWAGEN
GOLF VOLKSWAGEN
POLO VOLKSWAGEN
TRANSPORTER VOLKSWAGEN
UP VOLKSWAGEN

Understanding Car Parts: Part 1 – Genuine, OE Quality, Aftermarket and OE Parts

Before we begin Part 1 of our series ‘Understanding Car Parts,’ there’s a few things we need to clarify about OE Parts:

  1. Car Manufacturers (e.g. Ford) don’t manufacturer car parts, they manufacturer cars. They mostly assemble car parts which are bought from Car Part Manufacturers (e.g. Bosch Car Parts).
  2. OE stands for “Orignal Equipment” – It refers to the ‘factory fitted part‘. OE and Genuine refer to the same thing.
  3. Car Part Manufacturers (e.g. Bosch) who supply parts directly to Car Manufacturers (e.g. Ford) are referred to as OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)

What are OE Parts?

An OE Car Part refers to any car part fitted to a vehicle from production/factory. It stands for Original Equipment and refers to any part which was originally fitted to the vehicle.

As previously stated, the OE part is the same as ‘factory fitted part’ or ‘genuine part’. It won’t usually be manufactured by the car manufacturer themselves, but by an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) who are a manufacturer of original car parts; Bosch, Mahle, Delphi, TRW, Lucas, Valeo, Hella are all examples of OEM.

Since OE refers to original part it is often considered to be the best in terms of quality as one assumes the OE Part manufacturer must adhere to the original specification of the Vehicle Manufacturer.

Aftermarket Parts

Aftermarket Part refers to any part which is not OE; OE Parts are replicated/copied by lots of different companies. Another term for an aftermarket part is ‘Pattern Part.’

E.g. Honda Accord/Civic 2.2 Mass Air Flow Sensor. The OE (original) part is/was made by Hitachi. OE  (Honda) Part Number is 37980RMAE01. In this case the OEM is Hitachi.

But this part will be available on the aftermarket (i.e. from non-dealership parts shops) who will offer the same part by different aftermarket part manufacturers.

E.g. Delphi Part Number AF10180-12B1 is equivalent to the OE Part number 37980RMAE01.

It is normal to fit aftermarket parts to vehicles and all garages/mechanics will replace OE parts with aftermarket parts when they need replacing. Is this bad? Not at all –  as long as the garage/mechanics fits a reputable aftermarket brand (OE Quality – see later) you shouldn’t worry because the aftermarket part will function the same as the OE part. Note that in the above example, the OEM for that Honda car is Hitachi, but it is also offered by another OEM called Delphi, and although Delphi is not the OEM for that model Honda they are considered to be an OEM because Delphi are also a company who supply parts directly to vehicle manufacturers but for other car models.

OE PartsFinding which brand originally made the any one part on the car is not easy, and in most cases the only option is to look for the brand name on the part itself.

Difference between OE and OE Quality?

So we have disguished between OE and Aftermarket, but there is another confusing term called “OE Quality“. OE Quality refers to a quality assurance certification which is given to Aftermarket Manufacturers to say ‘this company produces parts which match or exceed the quality of the original.’ Note that “OE Quality” and “OE” don’t refer to the same thing. There is an European Regulation which states that when an OE Quality certified part is fitted to a vehicle it should not invalidate the car’s warranty.

Below is an example of an OE Quality Certification statement:

“Blue Print components are specified to perform to the same standards as original equipment and to meet or exceed the matching quality requirements as detailed in the Block Exemption Regulation EC No. 46/2010. According to this regulation, the correct installation of such parts will not invalidate the vehicle manufacturer’s warranty.”

Many car parts brands are accredited with OE-Quality Certification but there are still variations in quality between different brands. Deciding which parts are better quality will often come down to Brand Reputation.

Is the OE part always the best quality?

Mostly OE is best, but unless you happen to know who the OEM is, the OE Part will only be available from the car’s dealership and this means it will be much more expensive. Also, there are examples of when the OE Part is not so durable or has a design flaw; this can lead to the part becoming a ‘common failure’ or ‘common mot failure’ – in these cases other part manufacturers may decide to tweak/modify the original part so that it is stronger/more durable than the original to prevent further failure. Such examples are common in suspension parts like anti-roll bar links, stabiliser links and ball joints, where the aftermarket offer a heavy duty version of the original part.

Some aftermarket manufacturers like First Line or ADL Blueprint have a high reputation for producing excellent OE Quality parts and there will be odd examples where the aftermarket version of the part is better than the original.

Sometimes the original OE Part is redesigned midway through the vehicle’s production. Such events contribute to complications like ‘part choices’ or ‘part options’ where the same model/specification car uses a certain part like e.g. brake pads will fit only up to a specific chassis number, and  after this chassis number it needs a different OE Part.

So which parts should I buy?

There are a few things to consider:

Price.

Because we often don’t know which company made the original part, OE Parts are usually bought from a Dealership. Dealerships are expensive and you can Buy Cheaper Car Parts from a multitude of other motor factors and stores which sell Car Parts Online.

OE Quality is OK

Aftermarket/Pattern Parts produced by reputable brands, who have OE Quality Certification, are widely accepted and used by the industry when a OE/Genuine/Original Part needs replacing. OE Quality parts will not invalidate your vehicle’s warranty.

What Part is it?

The type of part required is often a factor to consider. For example, many experts will say that it’s always better to use OE or OEM parts when replacing Engine Management Parts, like Mass Air Flow Sensors, EGR Valves and Lambda Sensors. This is because there are many diagnostic stories (maybe myths?) of cases where the aftermarket/pattern part did not turn off the fault light, but the OE or OEM part did. Conversely, when buying consumable parts and regular service items like brake pads, filters, suspension parts etc it might not be so crucial to look at OE or OEM. For Clutch Kits we always advise you buy a reputable OEM brand because fitting a clutch is an art and not all mechanics will have success installing a non-OEM clutch; Luk Clutches are Clutch Specialists and widely considered to be the best clutch brand.

Final Verdict: Buying OEM Brand Parts is the best of both

At Doctor Car Parts we choose our brands carefully. On all our product pages there is information about the brand including whether it’s an OE Quality Brand or an OEM Brand. Whenever possible we would advise to choose OEM Brand because this gives proper OE Quality from a parts manufacturer who is reputable enough to supply to vehicle manufacturers direct. Many OEMs will source and buy parts from other OEMs meaning it will often be the OE Part in the box (i.e. it will be manufactured by the same company who supplied the factory fitted original part).

I think that leaves us with only one thing to say…..

OE! OE! OE! ….Oi Oi Oi !!!

Aftermarket Lambda Sensor is different to the original?

https://doctorcarparts.com/car-partsToday I received an interesting email from one of my engine management part suppliers, Cambiare. It was about buying lambda sensors and why aftermarket parts can sometimes physically look different to the original but still be the correct part.

Below is the  example they gave:

LAMBDA 1

Figure A shows lambda sensor-A which corresponds to two O.E. numbers JP-123 and JP-124. (original equipment number means the genuine/dealer’s number). Notice the corner cut-out of the plug.

Figure B shows lambda sensor-B LAMBDA 2which  corresponds to OE number JP-125. Here the cut-out on the plug is bottom left.

Figure C shoLAMBDA 3ws  lamba sensor-C. This is the aftermarket version of the two sensors above.

This sensor can be used to replace any of the 3 OE numbers, namely JP-123, JP-124 and JP-125.

This practice of designing a part to cover more applications is common with lambda/oxygen sensors, but the same might apply in other parts where two parts are essentially the same except for e.g. the plug.

Anyone in the motor trade will agree that when buying car parts there’s a higher-than-average chance that you’ve got the wrong part, so it’s easy to immediately jump to this conclusion but this article is one example where it might not be so straightforward.  Good luck !

Juddering Clutch Brava/Bravo

Bravas/Bravos can be known to develop a juddering clutch and diagnosing the root problem is not always simple. I’ve heard cases where different mechanics diagnose different things for the same car; clutch, fluid, engine mount, tracking issues are all worth a mention. It could be any of these, but some are inter-related.

If I was to guess I would go with Clutch – over time the springs in the clutch get fatigued, loosen and cause a judder. it’s always worth checking the engine mounts also, as these can deteriorate (because of the judder in the clutch).

A good place to go for more info on fiat issues is:

http://www.fiatforum.com/bravo-brava/

 

 

Honda Jazz Juddering Problem and CVT Fluid Flush

My wife drives a Honda Jazz.

When you stop and start again (e.g. at a traffic light) it judders for a couple of seconds as you accelerate.

After speaking to a Honda Mechanic I know (along with some googling), it turns out this is a common problem! Some people have suggested trying to get this done by Honda as it was a known issue and Honda extended their warranty on it. The only problem with this is that Honda will charge you to diagnose, and if (BIG if) they find it’s due to the CVT factory fault, they will fix and refund for your diagnosis cost. I decided not to go down this route as I don’t trust dealerships as a rule.

From my research, the first course of action to fix this yourself is a ‘proper’ CVT Fluid Flush. (CVT stands for continuously variable transmission, something which Jazz’s have, so beware when changing/topping us your transmission fluid – it’s not your normal atf fluid!)

So back to the CVT Flush. The honda mechanic mate advised me once is not enough and you need to drain the fluid, fill and then drive and ‘burn’ the clutch; not to death but enough to get those crappy particles out. How you burn the clutch on this automatic jazz i am not so sure, but i think it’s a case of hitting brake and accelerator together at around 20-30mph.

After you’ve done the first change, do it again. then drain, and then fill the fluid.

I’ve not had my mechanic do this yet, so will keep posted and I’ll let you know how it went!

UPDATE: My mechanic changed the fluid twice and tried the above but it did not cure the problem. So, I took it to my local Honda dealership in Nottingham…

Honda were great. They initially gave me a price of £200 but I managed to haggle it to £150. They picked my car up from my work, and picked me up when it was ready and best of all?

It fixed the Juddering problem. So my advice if you have a juddering Honda Jazz? Bite the bullet and get Honda to fix it. (not often I say this, but sometimes it’s better to go with the dealer)

 

 

 

BMW E36 M3 Spark Plugs

The BMW E36 M3 produced between 1992 and 1999 had two different six cylinder engines fitted during its lifetime:

  • a 3.0L version S50 B30    (1992–1995)
  • a 3.2L version S50 B32    (1995–1999)

OEM (original equipment manufacturer) Spark plugs used by BMW in these engines were of two different types:

  • NGK PKR7A plugs fitted in the S50 B30
  • Bosch FGR8KQE plugs in the S50 B32

Original BMW part number for spark plugs: 12129069048

Upgrading to Iridium spark plugs

Some M3 owners, especially those who race or use their M3 on the track frequently have upgraded from the original spark plugs to Iridium plugs, with the NGK IX Iridium BKR6EIX being particularly popular among performance enthusiasts.

The main advantages in using Iridium plugs are that they last longer than normal copper or platinum coated plugs. They also have a finer tip which allows a hotter spark to be produced using the same current, which provides increased conductivity and improved anti-fouling of the plugs, leading to better fuel efficiency and better overall performance.

Changing spark plugs on a BMW E36 M3

The BMW M3 service manual recommends plug changes every 30,000 miles or 24 months as part of the Inspection II maintenance program.

How to replace the spark plugs on your BMW E36 M3:

  • First, remove the 2 round caps on the engine cover to access the 2 X 10mm nuts holding it in place
  • Remove the 2 X 10mm nuts and unscrew the oil filler cap in order to take the trim cover off
  • Put the oil filler cap back on – to avoid any contamination of the oil
  • Remove each ignition coil by prising up the flat metal clip and removing the two bolts which hold each electrical lead in place
  • Each coil is specific to each cylinder, so make sure you reinstall them as they were originally
  • Remove each plug with a spark plug wrench or socket wrench – check each plug for wear or abnormal residue
  • Before inserting the new plugs you can apply some anti-seizing compound on the thread

Difference between Clutch Bearing and Clutch Concentric Cylinder

It is becoming more common nowadays to come across what is known as a clutch concentric cylinder in both private cars and commercial vans and trucks. The clutch concentric cylinder is simply a slave cylinder fitted around the gearbox shaft, which does both the jobs of the traditional clutch release bearing and clutch slave cylinder.

A clutch basically disengages or isolates the drive power from the engine to the vehicle wheels momentarily while a different gear is selected. This avoids the damaging grinding together of gear cogs and provides for a smooth gear change. The clutch also allows your vehicle to stop without killing the engine.

The typical components of a traditional clutch are:

  • clutch pressure plate or clutch cover
  • clutch plate
  • clutch fork
  • clutch cable or hydraulic system and clutch bearing
  • clutch flywheel

A clutch concentric slave cylinder operates immediately in line with the clutch pressure plate and allows hydraulic pressure to be transmitted to the clutch through the clutch master cylinder and then the clutch concentric slave cylinder. The advantage of using a concentric slave cylinder is that less pressure is required from the clutch pedal, and it eliminates the possibility of the traditional problems associated with excessive bearing travel due to normal wear and tear with the old link or cable systems, and being a self adjusting system it can help prolong the life of the clutch.

This system basically eliminates the need for the traditional clutch bearing and clutch fork.

It is now considered good practice to replace the concentric slave cylinder at the same time as the clutch requires replacing to avoid possible damage to the new clutch and to avoid any unnecessary further expense and time later to replace only the cylinder.

Other advantages associated with the use of a concentric clutch slave cylinder include:

  • overall weight reduction (due to less components)
  • longer service life (because of less moving parts)
  • less prone to be affected by other external influences
  • reduced maintenance costs.