Helpful Hints
Take Control of Service & Repair
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Do your homework, ask friends and associates for recommendations.
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Follow the servicing recommendations of your owners manual.
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Put it in writing, list problems in detail; unusual noises, smells, changes in performance, etc.
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Stick with one facility, cultivate a good relationship, and allow the shop to maintain complete records on your vehicle.
When You Take Your Vehicle In
- Write down your exact mileage when you arrive.
- Go over your list of problems with the service advisor.
- Be sure the work order/estimate that is created covers all the issues you have with the vehicle.
- Ask questions, be sure you understand what is being proposed as work to be done and steps to be taken.
- Don't force the service advisor into an on-the-spot diagnosis, in most cases diagnosis time will be needed before an accurate estimate of final costs can be given.
Before You Leave Your Vehicle
- Be sure the Work Order lists all the work you want performed and the maximum costs that you will incur.
- Stay in touch, inform the shop of a valid phone number to reach you during the day. By law, no work can be performed without your express consent.
- Clarify the policy on guarantees and payment.
- Sign the work order/estimate and take a copy with you.
When You Pick Up Your Car
- Review what was done, have the Service Advisor go over each item on the Invoice and explain exactly what was done, and parts used.
- Get a copy of all inspections done.
- Do not pay for the work until you are satisfied with the explanations given.
- Resolve problems immediately.
Following Your Visit
- If you are happy with how you were treated, let the shop know!
- Tell others about your experience. Good shops depend on referrals.
- Resolve problems, don't rush off to another shop. Discuss the problem with the manager or owner - 95% of all problems are due to faulty communication. Good businesses understand the value of your business and will go out of their way to resolve a problem. Should that fail, use the channels available to you for third party resolution such as AAA, or the Better Business Bureau.
- Keep all your vehicle repair paperwork in a file. It's a method of staying on top of your vehicle's needs, and an excellent tool when you sell the vehicle.
Your engine needs 5 things to start and run properly:
1) A battery with enough power to turn the engine over fast enough to start.
2) A good starter strong enough to turn the engine over fast enough to start.
3) A engine in good mechanical shape with the correct valve timing and compression.
4) Proper fuel air mixture delivered to engine by the carburetor or fuel injection system.
5) Proper spark of high enough voltage across good spark plugs. This spark must happen at the correct time.
Cars that won't start usually have either a fuel supply problem or a no spark problem. A broken timing belt or chain can also stop your car dead! Here are some easy tests to do:
Fuel Test
Note: this applies to fuel injected gasoline engines. Almost all engines made after 1990 are fuel injected.
Get a friend to sit in the driver's seat. Go to the gas filler cap. Remove the cap and listen to the open gas filler pipe. Have the friend turn the ignition switch on, but don't turn the engine over (the rrrrrr sound). You should hear a whirring sound from the gas tank for a few seconds, then it should stop. This is the electric fuel pump running. No whirring sound, no running fuel pump. This means your fuel pump is either bad, or the relay powering it is bad, or the computer which runs the relay is bad.
Spark Test
Remove a spark plug wire. Insert a screwdriver or other metal object in the plug wire end. Hold this wire about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from a metal part of the engine (be careful of electric shocks). Have the friend turn the motor over. (making the rrrrr sound). There should be a nice blue spark jumping off the screwdriver to the engine metal part (pick a part, any part). Warning: Do not let the spark get near the battery!
No spark can also be caused by a bad coil, rotor, distributor cap, electronic ignition module, pickup coil assembly, or wiring defect.
Timing Belt Test for most cars
First, remove oil filler cap. You should be able to see the camshaft. Have a friend crank the engine. If there's no camshaft turning, then your timing belt is bad. If you can't see the camshaft, remove the distributor cap. With very few exceptions, the distributor is driven off the camshaft. If the distributor doesn't turn with the motor, the belt is probably bad.
Jim's Garage can help with any of these tests and all the repairs you may need. Call us at 596-6195 or stop in with your vehicle and let our technicians take a look!
You've got a good car. You don't have to do much besides put gas in it. Then one day you break down. It usually can't be at a worse time. And it can cost hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars!
You can do so much to avoid it, too. You don't have to run bald and beautiful tires. You don't have to let a leaky water pump slide too long. You don't have to wait until a belt breaks. When you break down, you can't shake your fist at the sky. Fix small problems now, so they won't become big problems later.
A modern car should last well in excess of 100,000 miles, with mileages of more than 250,000 being common. This is mileage without major drivetrain repairs. There are a number of components which do not last as long, however. Knowing what these components are and when they are likely to fail, and then fixing them before they leave you stranded, can save you big bucks.
There are 4 vital engine parts that wear out way before the engine does:
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Your water pump can fail in two ways: the bearings can fail and eventually either freeze up or throw the belt off. Or its seals can fail and leak engine coolant.
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The alternator, which keeps the battery charged and powers the electric equipment on the car can fail in a number of ways.
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Your starter one day will start to drag, click, or refuse to work.
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Your fuel pump can fail with little warning, too.
All the above parts will fail before 150,000 to 200,000 miles. Their bearings, brushes, rubber parts, and more just don't last that long. By the time you hit 200,000 miles you will have replaced all 4 of them. You can always stop by Jim's Garage and we'll check them.
Other parts to be aware of:
- Many cars have a timing belt. If it breaks it can destroy your engine in certain cars. Timing belts should be replaced every 60,000 miles. They may break any time after 60,000 miles or 7 years. They rarely much more than 100,000 miles.
- Bad CV joints on front wheel drive cars won't destroy your engine, but they're expensive to replace. CV joints have rubber boots which keep the grease in them and keep dirt out. These boots are supposed to be replaced and new grease put in the CV joint every 50,000 miles. If you do this, the axles should last 150,000+ miles with 50,000 mile services. In addition, it's important to check the 4 rubber boots regularly, especially before a long trip. They'll destroy themselves fairly rapidly, they will start making a clicking noise on turns, and then you have to replace the axles.
- Most of the time when you see a car on the side of the road it's because of something made of rubber. Rubber (like your tires and belts) wears out with time and mileage. Something made of rubber that is over 10 years old is likely to be bad no matter how much it's used.
- Radiator hoses as well as the often ignored heater and bypass hoses can fail after 50,000 miles. This can overheat your engine, causing serious damage: especially in this day of aluminum engine parts.
- Your engine also has a thermostat that can stick shut and overheat it. If you ever blow a hose or get the engine hot, the thermostat can be damaged. It works for awhile then sticks shut, overheating the engine again. It's not a bad idea to replace the thermostat whenever you replace the water pump or when you change all the hoses.
- Transmission cooler lines, especially flexible rubber ones, can leak , as well as many other vital seals and gaskets. It's a good idea to look for leaks and discover their source. Also notice any loss of fluids when you check your fluids - this should be done monthly or at least every few thousand miles.
- When your oil pressure light goes on, shut the engine off. Your engine can run with that light on about as long as you can live without a heartbeat. An exception is if you are slamming on brakes hard or cornering fast. In that case, stay off the gas. If the light goes off quickly, continue on, take it easy, and add oil as soon as possible.
- If your temperature light comes on, it's important, too. Turning on the heater can provide additional cooling. (Your heater is just a small radiator under the dash.) Stop to let your car cool off and check out the problem. This can save you a lot of money down the road.
- Listen to your vehicle, too. Any new squeals, taps, knocks, or rattles can be a warning sign. Bring your vehicle in to Jim's Garage and have them checked out.
When it is time to get your car or truck ready for winter.