Category Archives: What happened!

In Need of Love.

Posted on by

No car is maintenance free.

I have clients that keep the car they drive at (A+) ready for the road condition. Everything is in good shape and the car looks and operates just like new.

At the opposite end of the scale is the fix it when it breaks clients. Most of the time this kind of car is not ugly on the outside, but it is in need of love under the hood.

Every car will need repairs someday.

Waiting till it breaks and you are at the side of the road is no fun. Only fixing things when they break will cost more in the long run. It may not feel like it at first, but if you put the numbers on paper they add up to more over time.

Starting a repair savings fund at your bank is one way to plan for future repair needs. I have three clients, that use a change jug. All spare change goes in and stays in till it’s time to service the car. Basic maintenance costs less than you think.

Getting your car repaired is as fun as going to the doctor, but If you plan for the repairs needed, it will take the sting out of the visit.

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

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

Yes Mother!

Posted on by

When your mom said, comb your hair and brush your teeth, did you do it?

Most kids do not listen to mom or dad. They respond as if they are listening, but it went in one ear and out the other.

Selective listening is what this is called.

As you get older you may grow out of it. I have car owners that selective listen all the time. They only hear what they want and the rest falls to the floor.

Part 1: Recently a young woman (mid 20’s) was in denile about the cars needs. It was explained three times, in different ways. She just did not understand why the car needed repair. The client only wanted to hear what she wanted to hear, she did not listen.

Part 2: Three days later the car came in on the hook, broken. The client was mad.

Why did my car break down?

When we explained what happened, she said, how can that be, you just checked it out and said nothing was wrong. After reprinting the last invoice and showing her the area outlining the needed cooling system repair, it finally hit her. The car needed repairs on the last visit and she did not listen.

Listening is an art. To get good at listening, you have to practice doing it.

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

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013

Chevy Truck Repairs, My engine runs rough.

Posted on by

1997 Chevrolet truck with a 4.3 engine runs rough.

The owner has maintained the truck very well, but with 300,000+ miles on the clock you would think it would be all worn out, but it’s not. This is why maintenance is critical to the long life of your car or truck. This truck looks and drives great because the owner loves his ride. The rough running condition was not setting any codes.

(This was a No Code, Driveablity Condition) 

It was not related to the ignition system or engine compression. It was caused by a faulty fuel pressure regulator on the fuel injection unit. The only way to spot an issue like this is to know fuel delivery basics.

The failure was not computer related.

Some engine parts go bad slowly over time. The client did not know that anything was wrong. The client only said it felt rough at an idle and to check it out. This little monster below is the fuel injection unit from under the intake manifold. It is hidden from sight. So when it has a leak, you do not smell it or see it, but your fuel economy will drop when it is going bad.

The client may have noticed that the engine was using more fuel, but he does not check the fuel mileage regularly. The easy way to check fuel usage is to zero out your trip meter when you fill up the gas tank. Then at the next fill up, divide the miles traveled by the fuel used to re-fill the tank. Presto, you just found out what your fuel MPG is. Now, do this at every fill up and if you notice your mileage drop over 20% suddenly, you may need repairs or lighter feet.

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

copyright: All rights reserved @ HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2013