JJ's Auto Clinic

Tires

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:58:35 +0000

Tires can be checked with a simple visual inspection and a penny. Tires are worn out when the tread is down to 2/32. As a general rule, if you insert a penny with Lincoln’s head upside down into the tread of your tire and you can see his entire head, it is time for new tires. There is also a high spot molded into the rubber called a wear indicator that indicates when the 2/32 mark has been reached.

Tread depth is not the only consideration when evaluating your tires. It is also important to frequently check the tire pressure and visually inspect them for cracks, bulges and uneven wear. If your vehicles seems hard to handle or keep going straight on dry roads, imagine how much worse it may be on ice or snow.

If you do need new tires, be sure to get a good quality tire from a reliable shop that is willing to stand behind the product they sell if a warranty situation occurs.

Ceramic Brake Pads

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:56:48 +0000

Ceramic brake pads although cost a bit more offer some great advantages. These pads use ceramic compounds and copper fibers in place of semi-metallic pad’s steel fibers. This allows the pads to handle high brake temperatures and faster recovery after the stop. Another great benefit is they produce a light colored dust that is much less noticeable and less likely to stick to the wheels which gives your vehicle a cleaner appearance. Some other benefits are quieter braking, longer lasting and they meet or exceed all original equipment standards for durability, stopping distance and noise. If you would like a FREE brake inspection to find out if ceramic pads are right for your vehicle, please call, we are here to help!

E85 Fuel

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:54:59 +0000

E85 is a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% regular gasoline. Ethanol is an alcohol based fuel made primarily from corn. It has been around for over 100 years, but is gaining popularity now because our country is trying to reduce dependence on fossil fuels which will eventually run out.

A lot of gasoline stations sell a blend that contains up to 10% ethanol which will have little or no effect on your vehicle even if it is not designed for ethanol use. If your car is not equipped to handle the higher concentration of ethanol, it can cause damage to the fuel pump, fuel lines and/ or fuel injectors due to the chemical properties of ethanol. If you are unsure, I recommend not putting it your car until you get a definite answer from a qualified source.

One last note, most people will notice a decrease in fuel economy when using E85 blended fuel because ethanol does not have as much energy per gallon as regular gasoline. There are lots of articles on the internet related to ethanol for more information.

ABS Brakes

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:52:42 +0000

ABS stands for antilock brake system. ABS is essentially an add-on to the existing brake system. It only comes into play when traction conditions are marginal or during sudden panic stops. The rest of the time it has no effect on normal driving or braking. What the system is designed to do is “pump” the brake pedal for you when it is commanded to come on. If your brakes are pulling, pulsating or grabbing during normal braking it is not an ABS problem. The vehicle has a conventional brake problem needing attention. If you have any brake questions or would like your conventional brake system inspected for FREE please call us, we will be happy to help.

Over Heating Engine

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:51:14 +0000

The first and most important thing to do is get you and your car somewhere safe and out of traffic. Next is to immediately shut off the engine. On some vehicles if the ignition key is left in the run position with the engine OFF it will allow the engine cooling fan or fans to run which will aid in cooling the engine faster. You can then open the hood which will allow the heat to escape faster. NEVER EVER try to take the radiator cap off at this point. Severe burns can occur because the coolant and steam is very, very hot. If you can, call your favorite repair shop to get advice what to do next. Chances are your vehicle will need to be towed in for repair.

Transmission Fluid Flushes.

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:50:07 +0000

Nearly nine out of ten transmission failures are due to overheating and fluid contamination. Just like the oil in your car’s engine, automatic transmission fluid suffers from heat, friction and electro-chemical degradation. Once this process starts your transmissions vital parts begin to clog with sludge and varnish deposits. Unlike your car’s engine where all the oil can be drained, 75% of the transmission fluid stays up inside the transmission and does not drain into the transmission pan making a complete fluid DRAIN impossible. This is why a complete fluid FLUSH is the preferred method.

My car seems to be running rough. Does it need a tune up?

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:48:04 +0000

It might need a tune up to get it running good again or there might be something else causing it. Before I can answer that question, I would need more information. The questions I am going to list can help you help your technician find the problem in less time and with greater accuracy. First of all, is the check engine light on? Second, does the engine run rough on initial start up or after it has been running a while and is warmed up? How many miles have elapsed since your last tune up? Does it sound any different? Do you notice any fluid leaking? Has the fuel economy gone down?

Depending on your answers to these questions, I may have more for you. The key is to be aware of changes in sound, fuel economy, fluid leaks, warning lights in the dash, etc… to help you know when something does not seem right. The more information you can give your shop when they look at your car, the more time and money you can save.

My brakes seem to work ok on my vehicle, but is there a set mileage that I should at least have them inspected?

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:46:33 +0000

The length of time your brakes can last depends on a number of things. One factor would be what you use your vehicle for? Someone that does alot of in town driving will wear the brakes out faster then someone that sticks mainly to driving on the highway. If a brake component malfunctions it can cause them to also wear out prematurely. On a typical vehicle used for normal every day driving you could expect the front brakes to last from 40,000 to 60,000 miles. Rear brakes depending on the style can last anywhere from 60,000 to 100,000 miles. To be sure your brakes last to there full potential an inspection should be done every time the tires are rotated which is normally every 9,000 to 12,000 miles.

The heater in my car does not feel very warm. What could be wrong with it?

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:45:26 +0000

Several things can cause insufficient heating. The thermostat in the engine which is designed to keep the engine at about 195 degrees might be opening too soon and the engine might be running too cold. This could also cause poor fuel economy since a cold engine needs more fuel to run. The cooling system might also be partially plugged and not allowing the coolant to flow through the heater core correctly. Inadequate coolant flow means inadequate heat. Another potential problem would be the doors in the heater system that control the airflow. One of them may be binding or the motor that is supposed to move the doors may not be correctly.

In the winter is synthetic oil better then regular oil?

owner — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 19:43:59 +0000

The answer is yes. The main reason synthetic oil works so well when it is very cold out is because of its ability to flow through the engine in extreme low temperatures. The chemical makeup of the synthetic keeps the lubrication fluid less likely to congeal or freeze up. With the oil flowing easier through the engine it allows the car owner to be able to crank the car in the lowest temperatures. We all know that getting a car started in the cold is half the battle. The quicker the oil pumps through the engine the faster the car can be started and the heater turned on.