As time progressed, the auto industry added to it.  The ”Tune Up” started to include timing adjustments, carburetor adjustments, and the replacement of various ignition parts.  However, with the advent of computers the need for manual adjustments has been eliminated for a lot of the newer vehicles.  With the newer vehicles the “Tune Up” has to do with diagnosing which part failed and then replacing it.  The art of being a good technician isn’t in fine tuning the way a coil sparks, the fuel flows, or timing the motor so it sound just right.  It’s understanding how the computers process the information from all the sensors and coming to a conclusion on what part failed.  Just so you know, when a problem with a drivability issue is diagnosed, it’s usually not the spark plugs. However, the spark plugs should be replaced at proper intervals because they can cause other parts to go bad when they get worn out.

So, when there is a problem with your vehicle instead of saying it needs a “Tune Up”, tell the repair center what is happening to your vehicle (e.g. “My car is hesitating while accelerating from a stop”).  This allows the mechanic to test drive and experience the problem the vehicle is having and replace the appropriate part to get the vehicle driving the way it is supposed to.

The best one is when the customer says, “I need a tune up.” The repair shop then says, “OK.” Now what just went unsaid is that the customer is experiencing a poor running engine and the repair shop said that they will be replacing the spark plugs, air filter, and fuel filter.

So, the repair shop returns a “tuned up” (by the way I dislike the term “tune up”, more on this later) car to the customer and the customer gets a car that still runs the same way it did before spending money that they did not want to spend in the first place.

What should have happened when the car was dropped off? The customer could have said, “My car is not running the way it is supposed to when it ….” Regardless of what the customer said the repair shop should have said, “Is the tune up due to be done for maintenance or are you experiencing any problems with your engine?” And that is all it takes to start the dialog to get a properly repaired car instead of a technician saying, “Well I’ve got your car tuned up, would you like me to check into why the engine is running poorly too?”

THE REAL COST OF DRIVING

Q: Do you know how much it costs you to drive a new vehicle?

A: The average cost of driving over a four-year period is $32,404.00 — excluding gas, tires and sales tax! Compare this to spending $1687.07 in maintenance. For $1,687.07, or an average of $70.29 per month, maintenance and repairs will add another 24 months and/or 30,000 miles to the life of your vehicle! A great deal in transportation cost! Compare this to buying a $25,955 new car. Wouldn’t you rather use that $16,202.00 to realize your dreams toward retirement or to pay for your children’s education?

Car Maintenance – Dakota K – Arlington Heights, IL

Keep your vehicle maintained at Dakota K Auto Repair and Tire. Call today (847) 398-4645 or CLICK HERE.

Emissions failure means that your vehicle is sending too much fuel out of the tail pipe that is not being used by your engine. It is the same as a large gas leak! If you fail because of high limits of hydrocarbons (HC), it means that raw fuel is being sent out of the gas pipe because the vehicle’s engine is not completely converting the fuel into energy. This raw fuel can contribute to premature engine wear by washing off the protective layer of oil off the moving parts inside the engine. If the failure is because of carbon monoxide (CO) being too high, the fuel and air mixture is off — meaning that there could be incomplete combustion.

To pass emissions, your vehicle’s engine and fuel delivery system must be properly adjusted to allow the gasoline to burn properly. In addition, any parts that were ruined because the system was out of adjustment must be replaced. This means that we first have to determine the cause of the problem and then see if the initial problem created more damage. We will test your vehicle, repair it ,and take it back through the testing lane!

Shocks or Struts

Should only be replaced when they are leaking, broken or when you are unhappy with the ride they are offering. Normally, they last at least 50,000+ miles.

Cranking

It’s important to note the difference between a no start, no crank and a car that cranks but won’t start. “No start – no crank” means that the engine is not cranking over at all and the problem is, most likely, in the charging area: battery, battery connections, starter, alternator, or even a belt. If the engine “cranks” or “turns over” that is an entirely different matter and involves spark, compression and/or fuel. The information that you give to your auto technician/mechanic is going to set them off in a certain direction, save time and money by giving the best information you can

What is a Catalytic Converter?

The catalytic converter is one of the greatest emission control inventions in the history of monitoring carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. It starts in the engine, but the catalytic converter is the last stop for exhaust gases and the last chance to clean that disgusting air before it shoots into the atmosphere, and our nostrils.

How It Works:

Hot exhaust gases exit your engine and head through your exhaust to the catalytic converter. Inside this expanded tube is a large network or honeycomb of ceramics. This ceramic checkpoint has been coated with compounds that react with the exhaust to eliminate certain dangerous emissions. Even though the exhaust is flying through the tube at high speed, the molecules that coat the ceramics are able to react in milliseconds, hanging on to the bad stuff until it’s converted to something  less harmful like Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide or water vapor.

Come visit us at Dakota K Auto Repair and Tire Center for all of your automobile maintenance needs. Call today to schedule an appointment. (847) 398-4645

What causes brakes to squeak?

Dirt on the brakes:

Squeaking is a normal reaction of the brake rotor when the pad is new and just wearing in. The pad material is worn away by the braking action, in the process causing brake dirt. This gets on the rotor, or drum, causing the brakes to squeak. In time this will disappear as the brakes wear in.
Outside forces: Substances such as water or oil from the roads or from another system within the vehicle may get on the brake rotor causing it to squeak when in use. Usually, brakes dry rapidly, especially if the issue is from outside the car. If the squeak continues, be sure to have your vehicle inspected for leaks within the automobile that can be affecting your brakes.

Warning tab:

The brake pads are all equipped with a warning tab. This measures the amount of surface you have left on your brake pad and produces a squeal when the pad becomes worn. This is the most common cause of brake noise. This is your first warning to have your brakes checked and the pads replaced.

Bad Brakes:

Sometimes, if you ignore the warning tab, or if your car doesn’t have one for one reason or another, you may hear a noise that is worst than nails on chalkboard every time you press the brake. The metal to metal squeal is a very good indication that you have a brake problem . If you do nothing, you will loose all braking power and are at risk of having a crash. Bring your car in immediately to Dakota K Auto Repair and Tire Center, and see what the problem is. Don’t risk your life driving a car with faulty breaks.

Brake springs:

The braking system made up of a myriad of springs and hydraulic pistons. A squeaking noise may be coming from one of the numerous springs. This is one case that would warrant having a ASE certified mechanic at Dakota K Auto Repair and Tire Center in Arlington Heights, IL take a look.

Come visit us at Dakota K Auto Repair and Tire Center for all of your automobile repair and maintenance needs. Call today to schedule an appointment. (847) 398-4645