Category Archives: Engine Mechanical

Engine mechanical operation, failures, modifications

Ms. Kate

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Ms. Kate asked; why can’t you guarantee the repair will fix my car?

Ms. Kate has an almost broken car. Some failures and repairs will fall into a gray area, and Ms. Kate’s Ford was just that, a gray area repair.

The car would stall out when coming to a stop, but restart. Plus it would sometimes not start when hot. It would start after it cooled down for about 1 hour. The condition is intermittent, and it has never acted up for us in the shop. Plus the car’s computer had no codes.

The client never had time to leave the car for a full day.

Ms. Kate does not trust the car and fears driving it because it could stall at the wrong time.

After testing the car a couple of times, my best guess was it could be one of three things. #1 it could be a faulty crank shaft sensor. #2 it could be a faulty fuel pump. #3 it could be a wire fault related to a poor connection at a wire connector or wire junction. More testing was needed.

The big issue for the client is she is on a tight budget and can only spend what is needed to do the needed repair. I understand this all to well. I have a budget and have to stick to it.

To help the client, I advised her to let me have the car for a couple of days so I could leave my test gear hooked up and drive the car at random times. Ms. Kate did not like being without her car, but it needed to be done.

What I found; it did have a faulty crank shaft sensor and a bad fuel pump. The crank sensor was related to the stalling condition and the fuel pump was related to the random hot no start.

I always like to test the car and confirm the fault area. Guessing about what repairs are needed can lead to wasted money and time.

Some times a best guess is all we have, but it must be a good solid guess, 80% chance or more. Give me some time with your car and we can find the fault part 100% confirmed!

I want all my clients to feel good about the money they spend. I want 100% of your business, and I want you to be happy that you used Tony’s Service Center for your repair needs. Ms. Kate is happy because we fixed the cars issues. It did take three days to get it to act up, but only 4 hours to make the repairs once we knew what was broken.

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

For Sale

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Yep! It’s For Sale.   ****One owner, driven only on Sunday’s!****

So you are looking for a new car. Maybe not brand new, but new to you. Surfing the web to find a car, can be frustrating.

You may find one you like, but when you go see it in person things change.

I recommend to every client, if you are going to buy a used car. Bring it into the shop for us to check it out. A full car inspection is a small drop in the bucket and it can keep you from getting into a money pit.

Some cars are not worth it, they will suck the money from your budget, and leave you disappointed. The car you choose needs to fit into your budget not eat it alive.

50 to 60% of the cars and trucks that visit the shop for a pre-purchase inspection are only in fair condition. Not worth your time or money

The seller is getting rid of a problem child.

I find a diamond in the rough from time to time, but for the most part many cars I inspect are worn out.

Buying the right car takes a little time. I find that many clients will look at more than 10 cars before they find a keeper.

Cars and trucks from an auction house can be a high risk, so beware that repairs could cost you big if you get a lemon.

So here are 5 basic steps to help you look for your new car.

Step 1: Go look at cars during the day.

Cars on the car lot will look real nice under the bright lights, but you will miss many details at night. During the day it is easy to see all the flaws. Paint color issues and poorly done body repairs are the big defects that hide at night.

Take a flashlight. You need to look behind and under the seats, in the trunk and under the dash. You are looking for anything that looks broken or in need of repair.

Step 2: Buy 2 to 4 years old, let the first owner take the hit.

When you buy a gently used 2 to 4-year-old car, the first owner will take the hit on the deprecation of the car. Almost all cars and trucks take a huge dip in value in the first 5 years. It is best to buy a car no older than 8 years. This way you will still have service parts available to keep your car looking and running good.

Auto manufactures start to drop cosmetic parts at 8 years of age. Cosmetic parts keep your car looking good. If it is in an accident it will need cosmetic parts to put it back together. So It is best to get something newer vs real old.

Mechanical parts will still be available for many years and you may have to go to a regular auto parts source (NAPA) for some things as the car ages past 15 years. Personally I drive a 1993 Toyota Tercel and my Toyota is 20 years old, but Toyota still services almost 80% of the parts for this car.

As long as you love your car and we can get quality parts for it, we can keep your car running great.

Gear head alert: If you have mechanical skills, the year of the car will never matter, but I will still recommend you to have an independent shop inspect the car, because it will be an objective opinion. If I save you money and keep you from buying a money pit, it will be worth every penny for the inspection.

Step 3: Drive the car in the city and on the freeway.

Before you bring the car in for an inspection. You can rule out some things on your own. When you drive the car, does it drive straight down the road? On flat ground, under safe conditions, lightly grip the steering wheel while driving. If the car wants to turn or pull to one side, it could indicate repairs needed. Tires can also cause a pull, but so can worn suspension parts or poor quality accident repairs.

Do the same pull check when using the brakes, does it pull or shake? Take time to listen to the car not the radio. Is the car overly noisy when driving on a smooth road? Does it vibrate at an idle when it is in gear? Does it shake at high speeds above the speed limit…

Does the car smell musty or like an old gym bag when you first get in. This is mostly noticed when you live in a hot climate area like Phoenix, AZ.

Do all the electric devices work? Does the A/C and heat work correctly. This one is a must have in Phoenix, AZ

Just check everything you can, switch everything on and off plus open and close all windows and the sun roof if it has one. If it will pass basic tests you are ready for the next part of the inspection.

Then bring the car into the shop for a full inspection. We will check the engine, fuel and Ignition systems, scan the computer, emissions equipment, transmission and under chassis. We will look for hidden body repairs that may have not been reported to Carfax. If we find issues we can give you retail prices on the needed repairs. This repair list will give you power to wheel and deal with the seller or just pass on the car.

Step 4: Stay away from cars that have “Go Fast” modifications.

Modifications do not add to the retail value or private re-sale value of the car, unless done correctly. Too many times I see cars that are just hacked up, but they look good on the outside. You can break this rule if you want to, but let me tell you why this step is important.

Let’s say you buy a Ford Mustang with a smaller V8 or V6, but later will want to add performance parts to it to make it Go Fast. You just killed the re-sale value of the car and wasted your money for a small gain.

It would be better for you to just buy the Mustang GT. The GT will hold its value because it is not hacked up, plus it is a Go Fast car to start with. Buy right, buy once.

When performance parts go bad, finding replacement parts when traveling can cause issues. A near stock car can be serviced at almost any repair location. Modifications will cost extra to maintain, and may add extra repair labor when servicing your car.

Every change you make to the car has a price. The costs go way past the original installation the parts.

Step 5: The most important step is…

*** “Do not buy any car or truck without getting it inspected!” ***

Ok, this should be a no brainer, but it’s not. I have looked at many cars that clients have already signed the papers on and they own the car.

I act on the clients behalf to protect the client from the seller. Think of it as being your second set of eyes. About 99% of all used cars older than 5 years do not come with a warranty. Yes, you can spend extra money on a 3rd party warranty, but if you buy a good car, you will not need to worry about a warranty because you did your home work. So do not sign anything till you have had it checked out at an independent shop. Even if the car is from a friend!

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

 

P0171 & P0173

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Engine codes P0171 and P0173, a lean fuel system condition, the engine may miss fire or feel lazy. Modern cars and trucks have many sensors that send information to the engine computer. The engine computer looks at the information coming in from all the input sensors and then it makes changes to the, transmission operation, ignition timing and fuel injector delivery. The computer does this very fast, so fast most drivers will never feel the changes taking place.

The computer adjusts many outputs at the same time, every second.

The PCV hose pictured above, is for a 2009 Ford truck. The old hose went bad and caused two codes in the engine computer. P0171 and P0173 are codes for a lean condition inside the engine. The hose below failed, causing the codes to set in the engine computer.

When the C.E.L. (check engine light) comes on, it makes you wonder, is it critical or a minor issue. Plus now you have something new to fit into your budget, Great!

As long as your check engine light is not flashing at you, you can still drive your car, but should get it in for service as soon as possible. The light is on for a reason.

A lean condition can cause many issues. Fuel economy will become poor and the engine may even stall when coming to a stop. It will run rough when cold and lack power when warm. It needs attention, your ride is unhappy, and it’s time to make a repair.

Hose failure is the most common cause of a lean fuel system. Many parts on the engine can cause a lean code issue, so you should have a ASE certified shop look at your engine light issue. Free code checks at the auto parts store will not be 100%.

I use dealer parts often. In this case, the PCV hose has been updated. When ever I have a chance to make a repair that will solve more than one issue I do it. The hose was updated to prevent PCV carbon build up and the rubber hose joints are made thicker. The part was less than $30.00. An investment vs just using a regular chunk of hose, but it will last. At Tony’s service center every repair we do comes with a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty.

Stop in for a visit today.

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

 

Check it!

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It’s Monday, and I see a Chevrolet truck on the lot that has not been in for about 5 months.

On its last visit, it was low on oil, it did not read on the oil dip stick at all. It was low due to, the engine burns oil. The engine has no oil leaks, it burns the oil inside the engine because of its age. It’s old and has 140,000 miles of hard use.

At the last L.O.F. service, I talked to the client about checking the oil every 30 days or stopping by so I could check the oil for him. It only takes a moment to prevent a failure!

Well the engine ran out of oil for the last time. The engine failed. Checking the oil in your car or truck only takes 2 minuets, so why wait till the engine is making noise or worse.

I talk to clients about checking the engine oil, engine coolant and tire pressure every 30 days, but I only have a hand full that do it regularly. It only takes a moment to stop by for us to check it.

So why wait, check it today!

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

 

L.O.F.

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An L.O.F. is: the primary service your car needs every 3,000 to 5,000 miles.

Every car and truck needs service. Some people call it an oil change, in our shop we call it a L.O.F.

L.O.F. – Short for; Lube, Oil and Filter. Today I had a new client in for an oil change and everything went fine till it was time to talk about what the car needed. What it needed in addition to an oil change.

Yes, the car needed much more than just an oil change.

The client just could not come to grips with what we found. A leaky cooling system hose, a worn set of wiper blades, two brake light bulbs burnt out, an accessory drive belt with chunks of rubber missing. In all, the car needed many repairs.

The client said, his car can not be in that bad of shape, and we are just trying to rip him off.

During an oil change, it is my job as a service technician to inspect the car top to bottom and front to rear. I list and estimate anything I find that is worn out or a safety issue.

I am not checking everything out to rip someone off. I check everything out to keep my clients informed about needed repairs and safety concerns. No one likes to break down at the side of the road.

I help clients plan for repairs they need. Even if your car needs many repairs, nothing says you have to do the repairs on the same visit, unless it’s a safety repair.

If the car owner wants to wait till things are 100% broken, I understand. I can only recommend a repair to a client, I can’t force them to repair it.

 

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

 

WD40

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Spray penetrating oil; I like WD40. I have a use for it on every car that comes in for service. Door locks, hinges, hood latch’s. You name it I have a use for it.

Today I had a truck in for service that the rear door was not functioning correctly. The lock was not working. The client could not lock and unlock the door, plus the door latch’s hung up causing the door to not latch. The client has been slamming the door to close it, and now the doors metal frame was showing cracks near the latch.

After removing the doors inner panels. I sprayed down the latch’s and door lock. Now everything is happy, the lock turns and the door shuts easy.

The client was stunned, he said he sprayed lot’s of spray oil on the latch and lock and it never made them work well. The kicker was to spray the latch’s and lock from inside the door vs just from the outside.

 

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

 

 

Auto Repair 85016 – Oil Change Coupon

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Cheep oil changes, everybody want’s one!

Why do you want an oil change so cheep? It does not cost much anyway. Our average oil change price is $38.00 with an air filter installed. $30.00 with out an air filter. That is the, out the door price (tax, fees and service) Most cars only need 3 oil changes a year. Why skimp on an important service? 3 oil changes are less than $150.00 a year.

car care oil change sign

Changing your oil does not have to be pain full. The car care special we are running till the end of 2013 is a great deal. A full service Oil change with Air Filter if needed, all under hood Fluids topped off, Charging system checked, Battery checked, Lighting system checked, A/C system checked, Tire rotation, Brake inspection and more. It’s a huge savings and great value.

Coupon Oil Change, why use a coupon?

Yeah, you get your oil changed, but what type of product is going into your engine? Do you think that a $14.95 oil change is going to get high quality oil?

A major “chain store” retailer that does oil changes, uses recycled oil in the oil change special unless you pay extra for the new oil.

Ask for new oil and your oil change just jumped to $26.00 before tax and fees.

Every place that offers a coupon oil change is doing it at a loss. They figure, if they dangle the coupon oil change in front of you, you will spend money freely on other repairs needed.

Yeah, like that will happen, why do you think you are using a coupon.

Oil Change Loyalty

Our clients have the oil changed at least 3 times a year. During our oil change we look at the entire car. Front to rear, we look at everything we can without removing any major parts.

We do this to find any repairs that may be needed.

Yes, it is a fact-finding mission.

Yes, we want your business, but we will not lie to you to get it.

Once we inspect your car, we ask you if you would like prices for the things we see. If you say No. We note our findings as future needs on the work order and we finish the service.

No high pressure. It’s Yes or No.

Chain stores use high pressure words and sales tricks to get you to say yes today, I do not. As long as the repairs needed are not a safety risk to you, we can plan for the repairs to be done on the next visit.

Why go cheep? Be Loyal and be rewarded.

A regular client does not have to question us about why the car needs repairs, but if they have questions about the repairs needed, we are here to help them. The goal is to keep the car in good shape. Nobody want’s to sit on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck. Cars wear out and need repair. If you drive it, it will break some day.

The idea of inspecting the car during an oil change is to inform the client of upcoming repairs. This gives the client the power to plan for the repair.

I have a budget and I know I have to stick to it. Most repairs do not need to be done that second, but should be done soon. I promote preventive maintenance. Repairing the car before you break down on the side of the road.

Oil Change Challenge!

I hear people say this often, I can’t afford that much for an oil change. You must plan for your cars service and repairs. A repair savings account is a good place to start. You can also try the oil change challenge below. What goes into the jug stays in the jug.

An oil change does not cost that much. Our basic oil change is $30.00 out the door. (tax, fees and service)

A coupon special may be $14.95 before tax and fees. By the time you walk out the door your bill is close to $ 25.00 or more. So did you save any money? Maybe, but how much?

My oil change challenge: save your spare change in a large jar or 2 qt. juice jug till it is time to change your oil. I know you will have more than you need to do an oil change. Plus you will have money remaining to do extra service repairs. Do not cheat the jug, what goes in, stays in till it’s time for service.

Bring us the coupon! “Coupon Oil Change”

If you need auto repairs, bring in any oil change coupon and we will match that coupon price during your repair visit.

In fact, mention HeyAnthonyAz.com and your oil change is on me. How cool is that, get your car repairs done here and you get a free oil change.

Yes, the free oil change has a catch. It has to be during a repair visit and your repair visit needs to be at least $150.00. It’s that easy.

 

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

Going to the dealer for repairs. Auto Repair 85016

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I have some clients that say this: I do not want to go to the dealer. 

Why?

The dealer has all the cool tools, great parts and factory trained mechanics. So why not go to the dealer. They know everything about the car you drive. It must be a great place.

I have worked in three dealerships. Everyone of them was challenging. Shop politics, back stabbing, steeling work from each other, breaking things to flag warranty time, high mechanic turn over and the list goes on. In short, it sucked.

Because I have morals, I never did very well at the dealership level. I did not play along with the shop games, politics and shady ways to flag time.

I did have an advantage, I could work on anything that rolled. I always had work when everyone else was standing around. In the long run I still made my pay check, but I did it the hard way, I worked for it.

I like working at a family owned repair shop.

Clients like the family owned repair shops because they get better overall service. A family shop is a great place to go for all your repair and maintenance needs. A family repair shop works on anything that rolls. Any year and model, we do not mind. A family owned shop can do everything the dealer can do. A family repair shop offers you a personal touch.

A family shop will always be a better place than the dealer, because we care about you.

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

Water pump replacement – Auto Repair 85016

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When is a good time to replace your water pump?

I have at least 2 cars a month that need a water pump replaced ASAP. If a water pump is leaking, you risk over heating your engine. An overheating condition can destroy an engine in less than couple of minuets.

If the engine over heats from coolant loss, repair costs can get ugly fast.

leaking water pump

This leaking Nissan water pump was changed before engine damage could happen, the leaky pump was noticed during the oil change service. Regular service visits can prevent bigger failures.

The best time to replace a leaking water pump is before engine damage occurs.

This is a no brainer. At least we would think that is the case.

On the web, you can find many auto forums that say, do not get ripped off by replacing parts before they break. Yes and No. Most forums are 50% helpful. Populated by wannabe mechanics or shade tree D.I.Y. guys and you can get advise that will cost you more in the long run.

So are you getting ripped off if you can prevent a bigger failure?

water pump failure causes timing belt and related engine damage audi a6

This mess is from an Audi A6. The water pump failed and caused the engine to over heat. The repairs totaled $6,400.00 because a $86.00 water pump failed at 39,000 miles.

Sometimes it is Ok to replace a part before it is 100% broken.

Would you fly in an airplane, if you knew the ground crew waited till an engine part was 100% broken before they replaced it?  > No! <

If I knew the airplane could break down when it was at 30,000 feet, I would never want to fly at all.

Preventative maintenance is just what it implies. Fix it before it fails.

I have a BMW client that comes in every 45,000 miles to replace the water pump, upper radiator hose, thermostat and coolant. This is because the water pump life span is about 50,000 miles and the client does not want to have any breakdowns. The above repair is only $590.00, but an engine replacement is around $9,000.00. The client understands the value and loves his car.

Volvo s80 water pump impeller failure

Water pumps do not have to leak to cause engine damage. This Volvo S80 water pump has a broken impeller. Repairs for this condition can range from $550.00 to $6000.00. It all depends on how hot the engine gets.

Yes, I know cars do not fly, but many states have safety inspections to keep cars in a safe working order. Brakes, tires, lights, steering, suspension and drive train parts must be in good working condition. If the car needs repairs, you do not drive the car till it pass’ inspection.

I do not like to wait till my car is broken down on the side of the road to take action. Maintenance is required to keep everything ship-shape and ready for the road.

leaky water pump removed from engine

This water pump caused over heating damage and the engine needed replacement because the over heating melted the pistons to the cylinder walls. The car was only 2 years old with 47,000 miles on the clock.

I like to see our clients in at least twice a year for service, but they can stop in anytime to get free air in the tires. Our clients know they are welcome to stop in anytime for a quick under hood check. A quick look costs nothing, but could save you big.

You do not have to wait till the next oil change to pop the hood.

 

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

 

DTC P0300 Random Engine Miss Fire Condition

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DTC P0300 is a Random Engine Miss Fire Condition

An engine miss fire feels like a bumping sensation. Most of the time, this is noticed by the driver when accelerating. A miss fire condition may cause the Check Engine Light to turn on or start flashing at you.

Carbon tracking on a spark plug

This is a spark plug with carbon tracking. The dark black lines running left to right in the center of the image is a carbon trail caused by a faulty spark plug wire. This type of condition will cause a single cylinder miss fire.

If an engine miss fire condition is causing poor tail pipe emissions, the check engine light will start to flash on and off.

When you see the check engine light flashing at you, do not continue to drive the car. Get it in for repairs right away. The catalytic converter maybe damaged if you continue to drive the car with the check engine light flashing.

catalytic converter failure core melted

A Catalytic Converter damaged by a miss fire condition. A miss fire condition will melt down a converter very quickly.

A catalytic converter is not chump change. On a Nissan Pathfinder, I just replaced both front catalytic converters on the Nissan and it was related to a miss fire condition. It was over $1,400.00 just for the dealer cats.

Worn spark plugs, causing engine code P0300

This set of worn spark plugs was causing a DTC P0300 on a Ford 4.2 V6. The plugs are 8 years old with 102,000 miles of use. The engine needed more parts than just spark plugs. This set of plugs also shows oil build up, the engine was due for a valve job on top of all the other needs.

If the check engine light is flashing, get it in for repairs!

OBD2 cars today can store a code that will direct the mechanic to look at a specific area.

A good example of this is when you have a DTC P0302 miss fire detected on cylinder #2, you have a place to look (cylinder #2 has a miss fire). You just have to look at things that would affect cylinder #2.

Oil fouled spark plug

Oil fouled spark plug, this plug was causing a single cylinder miss fire. (DTC P0304)

On a DTC P0300, this is a random miss fire condition that could be caused by anything. Anything that changes the air/fuel mixture to all of the cylinders in the engine at the same time.

A dirty MAF sensor can cause this type of change to all the cylinders.

MAF: Mass Air Flow Sensor, is a sensor that takes reading of the incoming air into the engine and sends a signal to the computer. The signal is used to make fuel system, cam timing and ignition timing adjustments.

The driver may not feel the engine miss fire with a DTC P0300, but the driver should see the check engine light turn on. Other things the driver may notice. The engine may feel like it is not responding crisply or the driver may notice that the fuel economy has been poor.

A couple other things that can cause a DTC P0300. Poor engine compression or an engine that is out of time due to a faulty timing belt or timing chain. A large centrally located vacuüm leak or a restricted exhaust system.

——————————————————————————————–

DTC P0300 Defined: Random Cylinder Miss Fire, this condition could be caused by any parts attached to the engine or parts inside the engine. You have to look for any condition that will change the air/fuel mixture, spark or compression to all the cylinders at the same time.

DTC P0301 Defined: Miss Fire on cylinder #1 or any cylinder that the code lists. (P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304) The last number in the DTC is pointing to the cylinder that set the code.

 

It’s all good under the hood. Anthony Xavier ASE Master Technician

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013