Abstract: The seal removal tool quickly and easily removes wax seals or other wax-like materials utilized as seals or decorative adornment on narrow neck, stopper-closed bottles such as wine bottles and the like. Removal of the wax seal prior to extracting the bottle stopper eliminates contamination of the stopper-extracting device, typically a corkscrew, by all or a portion of the seal. The operation of the tool can be accomplished by persons of right-handed or left-handed dominance. Seal removal is accomplished by one or more sequential operations utilizing various unique elements of the tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for installing an oil pan heater on an oil pan while the oil pan is mounted on an engine block. Oil is drained from the engine oil pan. Then the engine oil pan is pierced to provide a pilot hole having pierced ends extending into the engine oil pan. A circular chamfered groove is formed surrounding the pilot hole so as to provide an oil pan thickness at a base of the chamfered groove. A pull is inserted into the oil pan through the pilot hole to engage an internal portion of the oil pan surrounding the pilot hole. The pull extracts a circular slug from the oil pan and a substantially circular hole is formed in the oil pan. An expandable heater bushing is inserted in the substantially circular hole. The heater bushing has an expandable tubular section extending from an enlarged head. The tubular section is crimped and the enlarged head is sealed to the oil pan. Then the heater is attached to the enlarged head.

Abstract: A replaceable coolant filter assembly includes a housing, a filter element having and an end plate to define a fluid path through said filter and comprising a coolant additive sensor having a sacrificial sensing element disposed within said housing in contact with said fluid path. An electrical circuit connecting a microprocessor to the sensing element is grounded through the filter housing to an engine, the microprocessor being responsive to the opening of said sensing element circuit by corrosion an alarm device.

Abstract: A method is provided for installing an oil pan heater on an oil pan while the oil pan is mounted on an engine block. Oil is drained from the engine oil pan. Then the engine oil pan is pierced to provide a pilot hole having pierced ends extending into the engine oil pan. A circular chamfered groove is formed surrounding the pilot hole so as to provide an oil pan thickness at a base of the chamfered groove. A pull is inserted into the oil pan through the pilot hole to engage an internal portion of the oil pan surrounding the pilot hole. The pull extracts a circular slug from the oil pan and a substantially circular hole is formed in the oil pan. An expandable heater bushing is inserted in the substantially circular hole. The heater bushing has an expandable tubular section extending from an enlarged head. The tubular section is crimped and the enlarged head is sealed to the oil pan. Then the heater is attached to the enlarged head.

Abstract: An engine coolant additive sensor comprises two sections, each made of dissimilar metals which have a single point of contact therebetween. A closed circuit is formed through this point of contact and such point is placed into the engine coolant. When additives become depleted in the coolant, corrosion of one metal takes place breaking the closed circuit and creating an indication that coolant additive maintenance is required. Once maintenance is performed, the point of contact is reestablished, resetting the circuit.

Abstract: A continuous deaeration system for use in maintaining a high pressure oil rail of a hydraulically-actuated, electronically-controlled unit fuel injector system free of entrapped air including a tube, one end of which seats in an oil passage leading from the high pressure rail to the front injector of each bank of the engine. The other end of the tube seats within an upper area of the rail, where air may be trapped. The tube thus creates oil flow into the injector from the area of the rail having the air therein, causing the air to be quickly purged through the injector.

Abstract: A self-adjusting cooling system for an internal combustion engine comprising a first circuit re-circulating a larger fluid flow, and excluding the radiator, and a second circuit re-circulating a smaller amount of fluid which passes through the radiator. Three valve control system automatically re-routes the coolant fluid with the lowest temperature in either circuits, or a mixture of fluids in these circuits, into an aftercooler for cooling the air entering the engine.