Auto Care Corner

In this episode from our archives, John and Rich discuss the summer driving season, tips on keeping your car at the ready. How to increase fuel mileage and given the spike in gas prices you definitely want to listen in.

If you’re a quart low, there isn’t enough oil to lubricate your engine properly.  The extra friction causes drag that reduces fuel economy.

Same goes for dirty oil.  It doesn’t reduce friction properly.  The result is you get to watch those numbers at the gas pump rolling higher and higher.

The transmission also needs the proper amount of clean fluid to do its work.  When it’s in need of service, the transmission drags your fuel economy down.

So, keep it clean and give yourself a fighting chance.

Stop in for service at any of our 7 New England locations. Visit us on the web at autocareplus.com to find out more or to schedule service.

In today’s episode, John discusses your a/c system. What to look out for, when to get it serviced professionally, things you can do maintenance wise to prevent system failures and much more.

We will discuss the movement from R-134a refrigerant to the newest type called R-1234yf.

Basic theory and operation of the a/c system, the components involved and the items that breakdown, why they breakdown and how that can be avoided.

It gets hot and sticky here in New England in the summer! Soon, you’ll be slipping behind the wheel of your car, starting the ignition and powering on the air conditioner. But what do you do if the car air conditioner is blowing hot air or, worse yet, not functioning at all? Here are five tips to help you beat the sweat and some inspiration to fix your air conditioning:

Your car’s cabin has an air filter, which expedites the flow of air from the air conditioning system under the hood and into your vehicle’s interior. That cabin filter is located either inside your glove box, under the dashboard or under the hood. Wherever it may be, locate it and pull it out. You will know that it is clogged if it is blackened and filled with debris. Replacing it may be all it takes to resolve your car air conditioner problem.

Under the hood, immediately in front of the radiator, sits another part prone to clogging: the condenser. Fortunately, you don’t have to remove the condenser to clean it and free up air flow. Instead, you can used compressed air or even a leaf blower to clean the louvers or if you don’t have those tools available, simply put a garden hose on a medium to high setting and direct the water flow through the grille’s louvers. The lower portion of the grille is an especially important target, as that is where contaminants like road salt will collect.

What do you do if there is warm air coming out of the vents? Today’s cars are usually equipped with under-the-hood electric cooling fans so when the air conditioner is on, the cooling fan is running, sometimes it turns on a second auxiliary fan in order to handle the extra load of the a/c. If it isn’t working, then either the relay, temperature sensor, control module or fan motor has malfunctioned. In most cases, the relay is to blame for shutting down your air conditioner. Visible signs of corrosion or burnt wiring are a sure indicator that the relay should be replaced. Other items to watch for is the temperature of your engine. Monitor your temperature guage and if it starts to get hotter than normal then you may have a cooling fan problem.

Another critical component in the car air conditioner system is the compressor. The compressor is tasked with handling low-temperature refrigerant gas and compressing it into a high-pressure, high-temperature gas. When the compressor is working, it sends refrigerant to the condenser. The compressor should be turning if the serpentine belt is turning; if the belt is not turning, it may need to be replaced. If it is turning, then the clutch wire or compressor piston(s) may have broken. Look for signs of fluid leakage at the a/c fittings and hoses. If they are damp then chances are you have a leak and the special lubricating oil for the compressor has leaked out and could cause major damage to your a/c compressor. If the oil has leaked out then it is guaranteed that the refrigerant has leaked out as well.

Other possible problems could be a bad thermostat, bad clutch oil or low refrigerant levels, which can cause the compressor to shut down. Unless you have the tools and the expertise required to address these issues, your compressor problems should likely be left to the professionals at Auto Care Plus.

So, the compressor is running and the air feels cool at the vents but it just isn’t coming out of the vents? Well this could be a problem with your blower motor system. This motor sits behind the cabin air filter and blows air across the evaporator coil and into the cabin to cool you down. The blower motor can blow a fuse, it can get clogged up with rodents, rodents build nests inside the housing of the motor. There is wiring and resistors that change the speeds of the blower motor that often fail. Some can even cause a fire. If you smell burning wires then turn off the a/c and have a professional examine your a/c system.

Although some air conditioner problems can be resolved using common hand tools, more complex problems may require air conditioning testing, scanning and specialty tools, something not every weekend mechanic owns. When in doubt, take your car to a mechanic — a wrong move could do further damage to the air conditioning system.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/73YOkgn7_Qk

In this episode, John discusses the importance of your suspension system in stopping your vehicle. The impact on stopping distances with worn suspension parts. Profound effects of worn out shocks and struts.

Shock absorbers and struts influence the control and handling characteristics of your vehicle. They work together with your springs to dampen the bouncing motion of the vehicle as affected by road conditions. The energy is absorbed as a piston inside the shock pushes against hydraulic fluid. This restricts the rebounding movement of the springs. Your shock absorbers or struts should be replaced every 50,000 miles or immediately if a fluid leak is detected. Driving with old or faulty shocks will lead to premature and uneven tire wear, plus increased wear to other suspension components. This reduces the vehicle’s handling ability and can cause it to become unstable, possibly causing an accident. Replacing shocks and struts on a regular basis and immediately upon indication of a leak will prevent premature tire wear and reduce wear on other vehicle systems. From a safety standpoint, since shocks and struts control vehicle handling, your ride quality will be greatly affected, as well as your stopping distance greatly increased. This could result in an uncomfortable ride and could possibly endanger your life and those of others. 

We love to see those warm, spring days as we emerge from winter. But springtime in New England brings an unwanted consequence: potholes!

In the worst-case scenario, hitting a pothole can result in a tire blowout or bent wheel. But even in non-catastrophic impacts add up over time and have a negative impact on your vehicle:

With winter firmly fixed in your rearview mirror, you can now turn your attention to getting your car ready for the warmer months. One of the first things to do is rid your vehicle of road salt and grime buildup, restoring it to its proper luster with a wash and wax. You also need to consider possible damage to the vehicle due to rough road surfaces. Damage from potholes isn’t always easy to spot. If you suspect your vehicle may have suffered pothole damage, pay attention to warning signs while you’re driving.

In this episode, John talks with Rich about the pothole season and the affects hitting them has on your vehicle. Great tips on the warning signs you should look out for after you hit one.

It starts out as a frost heave where the water under the pavement freezes and expands the pavement up above the road surface. Then in the spring when the ground begins to thaw out a pothole forms. A pothole is a small crevice or hole in the road caused by water from melted snow and ice permeating the pavement, thereby softening it. As a result of successive cold spells, the water refreezes, then expands, causing the underlying pavement to separate. The resulting gaps in the pavement and additional moisture seeping in weaken it further. With each passing vehicle, the pavement begins to separate more. Finally, with traffic continuing to cross the broken section, pieces of the roadway get kicked out, leaving a hole in its place. If you could observe the hole from its sides, it usually resembles a pot, thus the name pothole.

As you might imagine, driving over a pothole is never a good thing for any vehicle. Your tires make the first contact, which could lead to a blowout or cause rim damage. Less obvious, at least initially, is damage to your vehicle’s suspension system. Some of these telltale signs are as follows:

Physical signs of pothole damage include dents and rust, which may, on closer inspection, reveal a problem with a shock, strut, bushings, bearings, joints, linkages and other suspension parts. These can work loose and damage the car’s body.

In the worst-case scenario, hitting a pothole can result in a tire blowout or bent wheel. But even in non-catastrophic impacts add up over time and have a negative impact on your vehicle:

Whatever the problem detected, take care of it immediately to avoid further damage or a serious accident. Come in to Auto Care Plus immediately and click on this link for our Pothole Special!

Winter is finally over so you should give your car a thorough cleaning. This will get rid of all the corrosive road salt and chemicals that collected on your car. It might look clean, but the undercarriage especially takes a beating through the winter months. Make sure you hose off and wash the whole car. When you’re done, consider giving it a wax to not only make it look great but to also protect the finish from the harsh summer sun.

The inside of your car also gets rough treatment during the winter and should be cleaned when warm weather arrives. The floor mats are likely holding a good bit of salt along with plenty of dirt. Vacuum your floor mats and then wash them with a floor mat cleaner. This is especially true if you have fabric floor mats rather than more rugged rubber mats as salt can ruin the fabric over time.

Snow and ice are hard on your wiper blades. Clean them off and do a quick visual check to be sure they weren’t damaged. If there are any rips or missing bits of rubber in either of the blades, then they’re not going to do a good job of keeping your windshield clear. If you see damage, then it’s time to get the blades replaced.

In New England we recommend changing out your snow tires before April 1st. Make sure the tires are not dry rotted and cracked, no rips or tears in the sidewalls. Tires are what keep your car connected to the road and ensure maximum stopping power. Checking them is a key part of car maintenance. Make sure they’re inflated to the manufacturer’s recommendations and add or remove air as needed. Also, check for tread wear to be sure there was no damage over the harsh winter months. If your tires aren’t in good shape, get them replaced.

Make sure that you have a stocked emergency kit just in case you have a breakdown or accident. It should (at least) include flares, a basic first aid kit, flashlight, jumper cables or a portable power supply, and a blanket.

Follow this simple checklist and do a little basic car maintenance before you head out on the road this spring and you’ll be sure to enjoy the ride.

In this episode, Master Automotive Technician Paul Rivard and Rich discuss how to get your vehicle ready for the spring driving season.

Check all the fluids. Check the boiling point of your coolant! No longer looking for freezing point!

Check belts and radiator hoses.

Wax your vehicle. Wash the undercarriage to remove all the sand and salt from the harsh New England winters. Take advantage of the car wash undercarriage cleaner.

In this episode, John and Rich talk about your car's battery. How to maintain it. How long it should last. How the extreme cold and hot weather affects your battery and much more.

In this episode, John and Rich talk about your car’s battery. How to maintain it. How long it should last. How the extreme cold and hot weather affects your battery and much more.

Batteries today are a big part of our everyday life. Think of how many batteries you have to keep charged.

Of course, our purpose here is to talk about your car battery. When people come into Auto Care Plus and need a new battery, they’re really not that happy about having to spend the money. But the fact is that 70 percent of batteries don’t make it to 4 years of service.

The hot summer is the number one killer of batteries followed by the cold winters.

There are some things that you can do to extend the life of your battery. First, keep it clean. If you see it getting dirty or greasy, let us know at Auto Care Plus and we can clean it off. A dirty battery runs hotter, and that shortens its life. If your battery terminals are corroded, let us take a look at that, too. We can clean them, and if the corrosion has gotten into the battery cables, we can replace them. All that corrosion impedes some or all of the power from getting to your cars starter which can leave you stranded out in the cold New England winter.

Check out our blog post for more information about your vehicle’s battery.

The engine is the power plant for your vehicle but did you know that it can't work properly without all of the accessories that it drives? How does it do that?

The serpentine belt, also known as the drive belt or multi-rib belt, is a single, continuous belt used to drive multiple accessory devices attached to the vehicle’s engine. These can include the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, air conditioning compressor as well as options like superchargers. Without the serpentine belt, there is no way to drive power to any of these devices. A serpentine belt should be replaced as soon as it shows any signs of fraying, is cracked or gets contaminated with oil. Most manufacturers recommend replacement every four (4) years or 50,000 miles as preventative maintenance. Especially in climates like here in New England where we experience extreme temperature variations. When a serpentine belt breaks, all drive power to whatever it turns is lost. This means the water pump stops circulating coolant through the engine, the alternator quits producing power and no longer is charging the vehicle’s battery, the power steering pump ceases to assist in the steering of the vehicle, and the air conditioner quits cooling and dehumidifying the windshield. Continued driving without power to your water pump will result in engine overheating and engine failure, requiring costly repairs and possibly even engine replacement. Ignoring serpentine belt replacement has a high safety impact, as you will lose the ability to steer the vehicle. You will most likely be stranded with no warning when the belt breaks. When replacing the serpentine belt it is highly recommended that we replace the belt tensioner at the same time as these hold spring pressure on the belt keeping it in place. These tend to weaken over time and mileage and need to be replaced periodically as well.

Please read more about this service here.

How to Properly Care for and Service the Vital Fluids in Your Vehicle.

In this episode of Auto Care Corner, John and Rich discuss not only why and when you should service your vehicles vital fluids but also by what methods. They also discuss water pumps and timing belts and why it is mission critical to service these 2 items together on certain vehicles.

John also explains why it is so important to have a competent shop with experienced master technicians using the proper equipment to properly flush out your vital fluids. Very important that the flushing equipment is non invasive meaning it uses the vehicles pumps to exchange the fluid. Much like a blood transfusion uses the body’s heart (pump) to pump out old blood and intake the new blood, a coolant, transmission or power steering fluid exchange machine uses the vehicles pumps to pump out the old fluid and intake the new fluid. Done properly, the vehicle never knows that there is a machine attached to it. Always a good idea to run a fluid conditioner (detergent) through the system first as this cleans it out and extends the life of the new fluid as it doesn’t have to deplete it’s own detergents as soon as it is injected into the vehicle.

The water pump is driven off either the engine’s serpentine belt or the engine’s timing belt. When driven off the timing belt it very important to replace the water pump when servicing and replacing the timing belt. Most timing belt replacements are very labor intensive and because they are usually serviced around the 90,000-100,000 mile interval it makes economic sense to replace the water pump because their life expectancy is just about 100,000 miles. If you don’t replace it and it leaks shortly after then the coolant leaks out of the water pump and contaminates your timing belt which will cause it to fail in short order which is exactly what you are trying to prevent in the first place. On most engines, timing belt failure will result in severe engine damage.

In this episode of Auto Care Corner, John and Rich discuss what you need to do to ensure your car is ready to provide you with trouble free driving in the harsh winter weather conditions. Considering items such as antifreeze (coolant), winter tires, belts, hoses, cabin heating system, essential fluids like engine oil and transmission oil and the effects that cold temperatures have on these fluids.

Flushing your radiator and cooling system is very cheap insurance to ensure your engine’s vital components like the water pump, radiator, heater core, thermostat, radiator hose and cylinder heads stay clean and prevents scale and build up on these vital components which leads to premature wear and failure!

Belts and hoses have a life span of about 6 years in the harsh weather conditions of New England. Long road trips will build up under-hood temperatures which can cause catastrophic failure of these vital components. If a coolant hose fails, the coolant is under pressure and will leak out almost immediately causing the engine to overheat which can cause severe engine damage. Belts don’t crack and show wear like they did on your fathers Oldsmobile but they do wear out. Much like a tire they have a tread depth that wears down and then the belt can slip off or break. Most cars have only one belt called a serpentine belt because of the way it snakes around all of your engine’s accessory pulleys. They drive things like your Power Steering Pump, your Water Pump, your Alternator which powers your car and charges your battery. If you lose the belt then you lose power steering, water pump and engine power!

Your tires are the single most important safety item on your vehicle. It is the only thing between you and the road. Tires enable you to start, stop, turn corners and drive down the road. If they are worn then they can’t do any of these things effectively. For example, if tires are worn then you can lose contact with the road in wet weather conditions causing you to lose control of the vehicle. Worn tires decrease your ability to start off in wet or snowy conditions. They drastically increase your stopping times and distance.

Winter tires for example are far superior to all season tires for:

For more on snow tires please check out John’s blog on that subject here