phone: 972.231.0211
fax: 972.231.6510
fax: 972.231.6510
There is NO
substitute for quality!
Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday 7am-6pm
Saturday 8am-5pm
Monday-Friday 7am-6pm
Saturday 8am-5pm
Web by N Designs
Why is preventative maintenance important?
Should I mix tire types on my car?
How do I know if my car really needs a brake job?
How can I tell if my battery is low and needs to be recharged?
What type of motor oil is best for my engine?
How often should I replace my air filter?
Why you should replace your spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotors.
What is a cooling system service?
What is a cooling system service?
Your radiator protects your engine and air conditioning condenser from overheating. It also plays another important role. In today's computer-controlled engines, a radiator coolant temperature sensor actually tells your car's computer and other sensors how to adjust your fuel mixture and timing. So, the efficiency of your radiator directly effects the efficiency of your engine and fuel economy.
That's why we recommend flushing your cooling system and pH balancing your antifreeze at least once every two years. More importantly, we recommend having this service performed by a knowledgeable repair shop with the right equipment. A proper mixture of antifreeze and water is required. The molecules in water are spaced far apart, so water easily absorbs heat from the engine, but water can freeze and corrode metal. The molecules in antifreeze are packed tightly together, so antifreeze does not absorb heat from the engine as efficiently as water, but its ethylene glycol silicone base keeps the water from freezing, protects your radiator from corrosion and lubricates the moving parts in your cooling system.
We also add a special concentrate to achieve the correct pH level of 10.5 throughout the cooling system. Without this, the 7.0/7.2 pH of water would combine with the 10.5 pH of antifreeze to create an 8.75 pH mixture so acidic that the resulting electrochemical degradation would deteriorate your radiator, heater core, water pump, head gaskets, freeze plugs, radiator and heater hoses. Finally, we pressure test your cooling system for leaks, clean the recovery bottle and test the radiator cap to be sure that it holds the proper pressure. Once your cooling system service is completed, the radiator coolant should stay in the safe pH range of between 9.8 and 10.5 for about 2 years or 30,000 miles.
BACK TO TOP
Why you should replace your spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor.
Spark plugs, wires, distributor caps and rotors break down and fail over time, due to exposure to moisture, oil, grease and under hood temperatures that can reach as much as 550 to 700 degrees.
Here's what happens:
Worn spark plugs cause higher voltage requirements, forcing the ignition module and coil to produce higher and higher voltages to overcome the resistance. The higher voltage breaks down the insulation on the spark plug wires. This allows voltage to escape through the sides of the wires to the easiest path to ground. This causes the ignition module and coil to produce even more voltage, creating even higher current temperatures within them. (Remember that higher resistance correlates to higher current temperatures and that electricity always finds the easiest path to ground.) This higher than normal resistance weakens transistors and electrical insulation within modules, coils and computers, resulting in intermittent and premature failure.
What does all this mean to you?
If your vehicle has over 60,000 miles on it and you haven't replaced your spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, you may experience a variety of drivability problems that are often difficult and very costly to diagnose and repair. In fact, ignition modules and vehicle computers range in price from $200 to $450, plus labor!
That's why you should replace your spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor after 60,000 miles. (On distributor-less ignition, the spark plugs and wires should be replaced.) Take care of your vehicle, and your vehicle will take care of you!
BACK TO TOP
How often should I replace my air filter?
It’s hard to give a specific time or mileage figure because the life of the filter depends on how much crud it ingests. A filter that lasts 20,000 or even 30,000 miles on a vehicle that’s driven mostly on expressways may last only a month or two in a rural setting where the vehicle is driven frequently on gravel roads. Changing it annually or every 15,000 miles for preventative maintenance may be a good recommendation for the city driver, but not its country cousin. Regardless of the mileage or time, a filter should be replaced before it reaches the point where it creates a significant restriction to airflow. But when exactly that point is reached is subject to opinion.
A slightly dirty filter actually cleans more efficiently than a brand new filter. That’s because the debris trapped by the filter element helps screen out smaller particles that try to get through. But eventually every filter reaches the point where it causes enough of a pressure drop to restrict airflow. Fuel economy, performance and emissions begin to deteriorate and get progressively worse until the dirty filter is replaced.
Removing the filter and holding it up to a light will show you how dirty it is. If it’s really caked with dirt, it obviously needs to be replaced. Trying to shake or blow the dirt out is a waste of time because too much of it will be embedded in the filter fibers.
NOTE: Many filters that appear to be dirty are in fact still good and do not really need to be replaced. So it’s up to you. If you think it’s dirty, replace it. If you don’t think it’s dirty enough to need replacing, then don’t.
BACK TO TOP
What type of motor oil is best for my engine?
The type specified by the vehicle manufacturer in your owner’s manual. For most passenger car and light truck gasoline engines today, it’s any oil that meets the American Petroleum Institutes "SH" rating.
As for the viscosity of oil to use, most new engines today require a multiviscosity 5W-30 oil for all-round driving. The lighter 5W-30 oils contain friction reducing additives that help improve fuel economy, and also allow the oil to quickly reach critical upper valve train components when a cold engine is first started. Most engine wear occurs immediately after a cold start, so it’s important to have oil that is thin enough to circulate easily -- especially at cold temperatures.
For older engines and ones that are driven at sustained highways speeds during hot weather, 10W-30 or 10W-40 is a good choice. Heavier multiviscosity oils such as 20W-40 are for high rpm, high-load applications primarily and are not recommended for cold weather driving.
Straight weight 30W and 40W oils aren’t very popular anymore, but some diehards insist on using them. They say the thicker oil holds up better under high temperature (which it does), increases oil pressure and reduces oil consumption in high mileage engines. But straight 30W and 40W oils are too thick for cold weather and may make an engine hard to start. They may also be too thick to provide adequate start-up lubrication to critical upper valve train components during cold weather. So switching to a straight 20W oil would be necessary for cold weather driving. Straight 10W oil can also improve cold starting, but is very thin and should only be used in sub-zero climates. A multiviscosity 10W-30 or 10W-40 will provide the same cold starting benefits of a 10W oil and the high temperature protection of a 30W or 40W oil.
For the ultimate in high temperature protection, durability and all-round performance, synthetic oils are the way to go. Unfortunately, most synthetic oils cost up to three times as much as ordinary petroleum-based oils. They cost more because synthetics are manmade rather than refined from petroleum. But this improves their performance in virtually every aspect:
· Superior temperature resistance. Synthetics can safely handle higher operating temperatures without oxidizing (burning) or breaking down. The upper limit for most mineral based oils is about 250 to 300 degrees F. Synthetics can take up to 450 degrees F. or higher. This makes synthetics well-suited for turbo applications as well as high rpm and high output engine applications.
· Better low temperature performance. Synthetics flow freely at subzero temperatures, pouring easily at -40 or -50 degrees F. where ordinary oils turn to molasses. This makes for easier cold starts and provides faster upper valve train lubrication during the first critical moments when most engine wear occurs.
· Better engine performance. Synthetics tend to be more slippery than their petroleum-based counterparts, which improves fuel economy, cuts frictional horsepower losses and helps the engine run cooler. The difference isn’t great, but it can make a noticeable difference.
· Longer oil change intervals. Because synthetics resist oxidation and viscosity breakdown better than ordinary motor oils, some suppliers say oil change intervals can be safely extended -- in some cases stretched to as much as 25,000 miles. Such claims are justified by the fact that synthetics don’t break down or sludge up as fast as ordinary mineral-based oils do in use.
· CAUTION: For vehicles under warranty, extending the normal change interval is not recommended because failing to follow the OEM’s maintenance schedule can void your warranty.
· Synthetics are available in the same grades as ordinary motor oils (5W-30, 5W-20 and 10W-30) as well as "extended" grades such as 15W-50 and even 5W-50.
· There are also lower-cost synthetic "blends" that combine synthetic and petroleum-based oils in the same container. But you can do your own blend to save money by simply substituting a quart or two of synthetic oil for conventional oil when you change oil. Synthetics are compatible with conventional motor oils.
· Who should use a synthetic oil? The premium-priced oil is best for:
· Turbocharged or supercharged engines
· Performance or high output engines
· Vehicles used for towing (especially during hot weather)
· Vehicles that are operated in extremely cold or hot climates
· Anyone who wants the ultimate in lubrication and protection
BACK TO TOP
How can I tell if my battery is low and needs to be recharged?
The first and most likely indication of a low battery would be a hard starting problem caused by slow cranking. If the battery seems weak or fails to crank your engine normally, it may be low. To find out, you need to check the battery’s "state of charge." A battery is nothing more than a chemical storage device for holding electrons until they’re needed to crank the engine or run the lights or other electrical accessories on your vehicle. Checking the battery’s state of charge will tell you how much juice the battery has available for such purposes.
If your battery is low, it needs to be recharged, not only to restore full power, but also to prevent possible damage to the battery. Ordinary automotive lead-acid storage batteries must be kept at or near full charge to keep the cell plates from becoming "sulfated" (a condition that occurs if the battery is run down and left in a discharged condition for more than a few days). As sulfate builds up, it reduces the battery’s ability to hold a charge and supply voltage. Eventually the battery becomes useless and must be replaced.
BACK TO TOP
How do I know when my car really needs a brake job?
You need a "brake job" when your brake linings are worn down to the minimum acceptable thickness specified by the vehicle manufacturer or the applicable state agency in areas that set their own requirements. The only way to determine if new linings are required, therefore, is to inspect the brakes.
You may also need a brake job if you’re having brake problems such as grabbing, pulling, low or soft pedal, pedal vibration, noise, etc., or if some component in your brake system has failed. But if the problem is isolated to only one component, there’s no need to replace other parts that are still in perfectly good working order.
There is no specific mileage interval at which the brakes need to be relined because brake wear varies depending on how the vehicle is driven, the braking habits of the driver, the weight of the vehicle, the design of the brake system and a dozen other variables. A set of brake linings that last 70,000 miles or more on a car driven mostly on the highway may last only 30,000 or 40,000 miles on the same vehicle that is driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic.
As a rule, the front brakes wear out before the ones on the rear because the front brakes handle a higher percentage of the braking load -- especially in front-wheel drive cars and minivans. So many service facilities advertise $59.95 brake job "specials" that replace the linings on the front brakes only. Doing the front brakes only is okay and can save you money as long as the rear brakes are in good condition. But if the rear brakes need attention, they should be relined too.
One of the problems with the brake specials you see advertised in the newspaper is that the price is very misleading. A person typically goes in expecting to spend $59.95 for a brake job, but usually ends up spending considerably more because the brakes need more than the minimum amount of work to restore them to like-new condition. The price of a brake job depends entirely on the work that needs to be performed. So any advertised special is not a firm price, but only an estimate of the least amount of money it might cost you to get your brakes fixed. A price should not be quoted until after the brakes have been inspected. Then and only then can an accurate determination be made of the parts that actually need to be replaced.
BACK TO TOP
Should I mix tire types on my car?
Tires of different size designations, constructions, and stages of wear may affect vehicle handling and stability. For best all-around performance, it is recommended that all tires be of the same size, construction (radial, non-radial) and speed rating. If tires of different speed ratings are mounted on a vehicle, the same size, type and speed ratings need to be placed on the same axle, the tires with the lower speed rating will be the determining factor for permissible tire related vehicle speed. Never mix radial and bias-ply tires on the same axle.
BACK TO TOP
Why is preventative maintenance important?
Manufacturers know that a properly maintained vehicle will be mo re dependable, safer, last longer and increase your satisfaction with their product. Car manufacturers and owners also have a responsibility to make sure emission controls receive regular service and are functioning properly. Regular maintenance helps accomplish these goals by keeping your engine running efficiently and eliminating potential problems that may leave you stranded.
What's In It For You?
* Saves you money!
* A more dependable vehicle
* A vehicle that retains more "new vehicle feel"
* Less chance of a costly breakdown
* A safer vehicle for you and your family
* Doing your part for cleaner air
* A car that is worth more at trade in or sale
* An intact warranty
BACK TO TOP
Should I mix tire types on my car?
How do I know if my car really needs a brake job?
How can I tell if my battery is low and needs to be recharged?
What type of motor oil is best for my engine?
How often should I replace my air filter?
Why you should replace your spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotors.
What is a cooling system service?
What is a cooling system service?
Your radiator protects your engine and air conditioning condenser from overheating. It also plays another important role. In today's computer-controlled engines, a radiator coolant temperature sensor actually tells your car's computer and other sensors how to adjust your fuel mixture and timing. So, the efficiency of your radiator directly effects the efficiency of your engine and fuel economy.
That's why we recommend flushing your cooling system and pH balancing your antifreeze at least once every two years. More importantly, we recommend having this service performed by a knowledgeable repair shop with the right equipment. A proper mixture of antifreeze and water is required. The molecules in water are spaced far apart, so water easily absorbs heat from the engine, but water can freeze and corrode metal. The molecules in antifreeze are packed tightly together, so antifreeze does not absorb heat from the engine as efficiently as water, but its ethylene glycol silicone base keeps the water from freezing, protects your radiator from corrosion and lubricates the moving parts in your cooling system.
We also add a special concentrate to achieve the correct pH level of 10.5 throughout the cooling system. Without this, the 7.0/7.2 pH of water would combine with the 10.5 pH of antifreeze to create an 8.75 pH mixture so acidic that the resulting electrochemical degradation would deteriorate your radiator, heater core, water pump, head gaskets, freeze plugs, radiator and heater hoses. Finally, we pressure test your cooling system for leaks, clean the recovery bottle and test the radiator cap to be sure that it holds the proper pressure. Once your cooling system service is completed, the radiator coolant should stay in the safe pH range of between 9.8 and 10.5 for about 2 years or 30,000 miles.
BACK TO TOP
Why you should replace your spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor.
Spark plugs, wires, distributor caps and rotors break down and fail over time, due to exposure to moisture, oil, grease and under hood temperatures that can reach as much as 550 to 700 degrees.
Here's what happens:
Worn spark plugs cause higher voltage requirements, forcing the ignition module and coil to produce higher and higher voltages to overcome the resistance. The higher voltage breaks down the insulation on the spark plug wires. This allows voltage to escape through the sides of the wires to the easiest path to ground. This causes the ignition module and coil to produce even more voltage, creating even higher current temperatures within them. (Remember that higher resistance correlates to higher current temperatures and that electricity always finds the easiest path to ground.) This higher than normal resistance weakens transistors and electrical insulation within modules, coils and computers, resulting in intermittent and premature failure.
What does all this mean to you?
If your vehicle has over 60,000 miles on it and you haven't replaced your spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, you may experience a variety of drivability problems that are often difficult and very costly to diagnose and repair. In fact, ignition modules and vehicle computers range in price from $200 to $450, plus labor!
That's why you should replace your spark plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor after 60,000 miles. (On distributor-less ignition, the spark plugs and wires should be replaced.) Take care of your vehicle, and your vehicle will take care of you!
BACK TO TOP
How often should I replace my air filter?
It’s hard to give a specific time or mileage figure because the life of the filter depends on how much crud it ingests. A filter that lasts 20,000 or even 30,000 miles on a vehicle that’s driven mostly on expressways may last only a month or two in a rural setting where the vehicle is driven frequently on gravel roads. Changing it annually or every 15,000 miles for preventative maintenance may be a good recommendation for the city driver, but not its country cousin. Regardless of the mileage or time, a filter should be replaced before it reaches the point where it creates a significant restriction to airflow. But when exactly that point is reached is subject to opinion.
A slightly dirty filter actually cleans more efficiently than a brand new filter. That’s because the debris trapped by the filter element helps screen out smaller particles that try to get through. But eventually every filter reaches the point where it causes enough of a pressure drop to restrict airflow. Fuel economy, performance and emissions begin to deteriorate and get progressively worse until the dirty filter is replaced.
Removing the filter and holding it up to a light will show you how dirty it is. If it’s really caked with dirt, it obviously needs to be replaced. Trying to shake or blow the dirt out is a waste of time because too much of it will be embedded in the filter fibers.
NOTE: Many filters that appear to be dirty are in fact still good and do not really need to be replaced. So it’s up to you. If you think it’s dirty, replace it. If you don’t think it’s dirty enough to need replacing, then don’t.
BACK TO TOP
What type of motor oil is best for my engine?
The type specified by the vehicle manufacturer in your owner’s manual. For most passenger car and light truck gasoline engines today, it’s any oil that meets the American Petroleum Institutes "SH" rating.
As for the viscosity of oil to use, most new engines today require a multiviscosity 5W-30 oil for all-round driving. The lighter 5W-30 oils contain friction reducing additives that help improve fuel economy, and also allow the oil to quickly reach critical upper valve train components when a cold engine is first started. Most engine wear occurs immediately after a cold start, so it’s important to have oil that is thin enough to circulate easily -- especially at cold temperatures.
For older engines and ones that are driven at sustained highways speeds during hot weather, 10W-30 or 10W-40 is a good choice. Heavier multiviscosity oils such as 20W-40 are for high rpm, high-load applications primarily and are not recommended for cold weather driving.
Straight weight 30W and 40W oils aren’t very popular anymore, but some diehards insist on using them. They say the thicker oil holds up better under high temperature (which it does), increases oil pressure and reduces oil consumption in high mileage engines. But straight 30W and 40W oils are too thick for cold weather and may make an engine hard to start. They may also be too thick to provide adequate start-up lubrication to critical upper valve train components during cold weather. So switching to a straight 20W oil would be necessary for cold weather driving. Straight 10W oil can also improve cold starting, but is very thin and should only be used in sub-zero climates. A multiviscosity 10W-30 or 10W-40 will provide the same cold starting benefits of a 10W oil and the high temperature protection of a 30W or 40W oil.
For the ultimate in high temperature protection, durability and all-round performance, synthetic oils are the way to go. Unfortunately, most synthetic oils cost up to three times as much as ordinary petroleum-based oils. They cost more because synthetics are manmade rather than refined from petroleum. But this improves their performance in virtually every aspect:
· Superior temperature resistance. Synthetics can safely handle higher operating temperatures without oxidizing (burning) or breaking down. The upper limit for most mineral based oils is about 250 to 300 degrees F. Synthetics can take up to 450 degrees F. or higher. This makes synthetics well-suited for turbo applications as well as high rpm and high output engine applications.
· Better low temperature performance. Synthetics flow freely at subzero temperatures, pouring easily at -40 or -50 degrees F. where ordinary oils turn to molasses. This makes for easier cold starts and provides faster upper valve train lubrication during the first critical moments when most engine wear occurs.
· Better engine performance. Synthetics tend to be more slippery than their petroleum-based counterparts, which improves fuel economy, cuts frictional horsepower losses and helps the engine run cooler. The difference isn’t great, but it can make a noticeable difference.
· Longer oil change intervals. Because synthetics resist oxidation and viscosity breakdown better than ordinary motor oils, some suppliers say oil change intervals can be safely extended -- in some cases stretched to as much as 25,000 miles. Such claims are justified by the fact that synthetics don’t break down or sludge up as fast as ordinary mineral-based oils do in use.
· CAUTION: For vehicles under warranty, extending the normal change interval is not recommended because failing to follow the OEM’s maintenance schedule can void your warranty.
· Synthetics are available in the same grades as ordinary motor oils (5W-30, 5W-20 and 10W-30) as well as "extended" grades such as 15W-50 and even 5W-50.
· There are also lower-cost synthetic "blends" that combine synthetic and petroleum-based oils in the same container. But you can do your own blend to save money by simply substituting a quart or two of synthetic oil for conventional oil when you change oil. Synthetics are compatible with conventional motor oils.
· Who should use a synthetic oil? The premium-priced oil is best for:
· Turbocharged or supercharged engines
· Performance or high output engines
· Vehicles used for towing (especially during hot weather)
· Vehicles that are operated in extremely cold or hot climates
· Anyone who wants the ultimate in lubrication and protection
BACK TO TOP
How can I tell if my battery is low and needs to be recharged?
The first and most likely indication of a low battery would be a hard starting problem caused by slow cranking. If the battery seems weak or fails to crank your engine normally, it may be low. To find out, you need to check the battery’s "state of charge." A battery is nothing more than a chemical storage device for holding electrons until they’re needed to crank the engine or run the lights or other electrical accessories on your vehicle. Checking the battery’s state of charge will tell you how much juice the battery has available for such purposes.
If your battery is low, it needs to be recharged, not only to restore full power, but also to prevent possible damage to the battery. Ordinary automotive lead-acid storage batteries must be kept at or near full charge to keep the cell plates from becoming "sulfated" (a condition that occurs if the battery is run down and left in a discharged condition for more than a few days). As sulfate builds up, it reduces the battery’s ability to hold a charge and supply voltage. Eventually the battery becomes useless and must be replaced.
BACK TO TOP
How do I know when my car really needs a brake job?
You need a "brake job" when your brake linings are worn down to the minimum acceptable thickness specified by the vehicle manufacturer or the applicable state agency in areas that set their own requirements. The only way to determine if new linings are required, therefore, is to inspect the brakes.
You may also need a brake job if you’re having brake problems such as grabbing, pulling, low or soft pedal, pedal vibration, noise, etc., or if some component in your brake system has failed. But if the problem is isolated to only one component, there’s no need to replace other parts that are still in perfectly good working order.
There is no specific mileage interval at which the brakes need to be relined because brake wear varies depending on how the vehicle is driven, the braking habits of the driver, the weight of the vehicle, the design of the brake system and a dozen other variables. A set of brake linings that last 70,000 miles or more on a car driven mostly on the highway may last only 30,000 or 40,000 miles on the same vehicle that is driven mostly in stop-and-go city traffic.
As a rule, the front brakes wear out before the ones on the rear because the front brakes handle a higher percentage of the braking load -- especially in front-wheel drive cars and minivans. So many service facilities advertise $59.95 brake job "specials" that replace the linings on the front brakes only. Doing the front brakes only is okay and can save you money as long as the rear brakes are in good condition. But if the rear brakes need attention, they should be relined too.
One of the problems with the brake specials you see advertised in the newspaper is that the price is very misleading. A person typically goes in expecting to spend $59.95 for a brake job, but usually ends up spending considerably more because the brakes need more than the minimum amount of work to restore them to like-new condition. The price of a brake job depends entirely on the work that needs to be performed. So any advertised special is not a firm price, but only an estimate of the least amount of money it might cost you to get your brakes fixed. A price should not be quoted until after the brakes have been inspected. Then and only then can an accurate determination be made of the parts that actually need to be replaced.
BACK TO TOP
Should I mix tire types on my car?
Tires of different size designations, constructions, and stages of wear may affect vehicle handling and stability. For best all-around performance, it is recommended that all tires be of the same size, construction (radial, non-radial) and speed rating. If tires of different speed ratings are mounted on a vehicle, the same size, type and speed ratings need to be placed on the same axle, the tires with the lower speed rating will be the determining factor for permissible tire related vehicle speed. Never mix radial and bias-ply tires on the same axle.
BACK TO TOP
Why is preventative maintenance important?
Manufacturers know that a properly maintained vehicle will be mo re dependable, safer, last longer and increase your satisfaction with their product. Car manufacturers and owners also have a responsibility to make sure emission controls receive regular service and are functioning properly. Regular maintenance helps accomplish these goals by keeping your engine running efficiently and eliminating potential problems that may leave you stranded.
What's In It For You?
* Saves you money!
* A more dependable vehicle
* A vehicle that retains more "new vehicle feel"
* Less chance of a costly breakdown
* A safer vehicle for you and your family
* Doing your part for cleaner air
* A car that is worth more at trade in or sale
* An intact warranty
BACK TO TOP