Tag Archives: lexus

Brake pad noises and wear out explained

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Brake noise is a common part of brake operation. A majority of the time you will hear nothing inside your vehicle. Worn brake pads can make noises you would hear inside your vehicle. The most common noises are a crunch or runch sound. Another noise you may hear is a high pitch shriek. Shriek noises are very common with very worn brake pads or budget “cheep quality” brake pads, even if newly installed.

I like to install OE dealer brake parts when ever possible. OE parts fit correctly and offer the best noise control for the life of the brake pads.

When grinding noises happen every time you press the brake peddle. Your brakes are 100% worn out. the metal part of the brake pad is making contact with the metal brake rotor.

The service “wear out” specs on brake pad thickness can vary from 1mm to 2mm. Brake wear sensors will normally turn on the dash brake wear light around 2mm.

Brake pads that use a noise tab built into the pad, may make a high pitch noise only when backing up, but quiet going forward.

When I inspect brakes for wear, I look at the thinest brake pad to judge the wear % remaining. Once below 30% remaining life (around 3mm of pad thickness remaining) brake replacement will be needed soon.

If you are noticing brake noises, stop in at your local repair shop and have them inspect your cars brakes. Waiting to see if the noise just goes away can cause bigger issues.  If the brake rotors or brake calipers become damaged from metal to metal contact it can increase the cost of your brake repairs.

HeyAnthonyAZ.com

 

Just stop in!

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We are your friendly Neighborhood Garage, just stop in.

Too many times I hear this phrase, “I was driving by and you guys looked so busy.” Don’t wait, just stop in. I hear this one too, “I didn’t think you had time to look at it.” Don’t wait, just stop in. We are your friendly neighborhood garage and ready to help. Maintenance ignored leads to a break down on the road. Nobody likes sitting at the side of the road waiting on a tow truck.

Do you have a funky noise? We can look at that. Is it time for service? We do service work on all makes and models. A no start problem is no problem at Tony’s Service Center. Just stop in, we fix broken cars. Car care is a part of owning a car. Car repairs will happen and you need to be ready. Just stop in and say hi.

Need an oil change today?

We use a “synthetic blend” as our standard oil. Servicing you car is the most common reason to visit a repair garage. We use a synthetic blend because it extends the oil life, offering better protection against wear and resists carbon coking. If your car needs full synthetic we stock that too.

Regular motor oil: Regular oil works great for older engines, but if you do not service it regularly and or ignore your service intervals. It can lead to heavy carbon build up “hard sludge” or coking of the internal engine parts. “Coking aka soft sludge” “Coking” is characteristic of a high temperature reactions involving hydrocarbons. On todays small high revving engines, carbon deposits may cause restricted oil flow, shortening the life span of your engine.

Full Synthetic motor oil:  Synthetic oils primary use is in high heat stress applications like Arizona. Jet engines use Synthetic oil. Synthetic oils are great for cold climates too, it will flow normally even in freezing temperatures.  European cars, motor cycles and many of todays small turbo charged engines need full synthetic oils to prevent sludge and carbon build up.

Just stop in and let us know how we can help. 

HeyAnthonyAz.com & TonysServiceCenter.com

 

 

Fuel Economy

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When an alternator decoupler pulley fails, the alternator may still be producing the correct volts and amps. The decoupler pulley is a “one way clutch”. When an engine is at a cruising RPM of “3400 RPM” and the engine suddenly drops to an idle around 800 RPM the inside moving parts of the alternator do not have to slow down at the same time as the engine. Mass in motion stays in motion. The one way clutch or “decoupler” allows the rotating mass “heavy parts of the alternator” to rotate freely, independently of the engines drive belt. This decoupling pulley reduces the flywheel effect placed on the engine and the engines drive belt. When the decoupler goes bad. Fuel economy will be reduced.

I have clients that think they need a tune up because they are not getting the same fuel mileage as they use to and it turns out the one way clutch on the alternator could be the cause. Many things on todays car can be broken or very worn and you will never know they are bad. Some broken parts will never turn on a check engine light. During a major service interval, I may have the drive belt off during the service and that is the best time to inspect the alternator decoupler.

I have had some clients, that watch fuel mileage for work related jobs. Tell me that they noticed up to a 1.5 MPG change after replacing the faulty decoupler. That may not seen like that big of a deal, but over a years worth of driving it adds up.

HeyAnthonyAz.com

Lemonade

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You just bought a used car.

It’s your first week of driving your “new, used car”. Yep, its new to you, but it’s still a used car. Everything seems great, but a couple of things are bothering you. A click sound from the front end, the radio does not lock on your favorite station and the A/C just does not blow cold in the middle of the day.

You think to your self, maybe I should get this car checked out. Plus it may need other things. So a visit to the repair shop should shed some light on the small things that you have noticed so far.

“You should always get a car checked out” before you sign the papers or lay down your money for your new ride. A proper inspection can save you money.

Just because you took a friend or a person that knows cars with you when you went looking for cars does not protect you from a lemon. An ASE mechanic can see the red flags. A lemon is not that easy to identify, but the red flags will still be seen better by an auto technician vs a friend. Repair tech’s will look at a car with an objective pair of eyes. I know when I look at a car for a pre-purchase inspection, I have no attachment to it. I only care about one thing. “Is it worth the price being asked.”

KBB.com is a great place to find out what a car is worth.

The color and style are not factor during an inspection. The only thing that matters to me is, “is it worth the money.”  So I look at 3 key factors during an inspection. 1: Is the car safe. 2: Does it drive the way it should if it was brand new off the showroom floor. 3: I look all over the vehicle for hidden damage, neglect, missed fluid services or maintenance and modifications that will affect the overall life of the vehicle.

Aftermarket and remanufactured parts are a double-edged sword. Some are great and work just like the original equipment part. My focus is on the “crappy parts” that cause early failures. Cheep aftermarket parts can cause vibration, leaks and fit issues that could lead to an on the road brake-down. I will not use an aftermarket part that can not last at least “3 years or 36,000 miles.” I would not use a part on my own vehicle that could not at least make it that long. I do not like doing repairs twice.

3 years or 36,000 miles

At Tony’s we use lot’s of dealer parts and high quality select aftermarket parts. The aftermarket parts must last as long as the original equipment part should for us to use them. Dealer parts last a long time. In most cases the OE parts will last just as long as the originally installed part did. Some aftermarket and remanufactured parts don’t last as long as the OE parts, but they should last at least 3 years or 36,000 miles.

Time to go shopping.

Shopping for a car is not a big deal because your going to bring the vehicle to Tony’s Service Center to get it checked out before you buy it. Well that’s what I recommend. The things you need to look for when you are deciding on a used vehicle are the following items.

1- Go and look at vehicles during the day when the sun is up. Sun light will help you see paint flaws easier. The heat of the day will let you check the A/C for correct cooling. Check the heat, cooling and all modes of the controls. Everybody needs A/C in Arizona!

2- Does the car smell bad when it sits closed up in the heat. It may look clean, but is it? It could have been in a flood and it was cleaned up really good. Smells like mold, pet dander and smoking can linger even after a pro level detail. Close the car up and let it sit in the sun for an hour. Then go check for odd smells.

3- Drive it for 3 miles city and follow it up with a 5 mile freeway drive. You may have to spiff the sales man 20 bucks to make this happen, but it is worth it. Pay close attention and listen for road and wind noises with the windows up. Next listen for clicks and rattles, drive next to a brick wall with windows open for this part of the drive. Go drive it hard on the freeway, full throttle accelerations and hard stops. If it has an issue getting up to speed or stopping, you need to know before you bring it to me for an inspection. Check the cruse control and other options installed. Lastly anyone that rides with you, have them shut up and be quiet. Jabbering on can pull your attention away from what the test drive is for, finding flaws. Better yet, go drive the vehicle by your self.

4- Let the engine idle for 20 min with the A/C on max air. This helps check for A/C issues or poor cooling at the ducts. Take a thermometer with you so you can see what the duct temp is, your hand is not an accurate guide. Any temp higher than 58 degrees on max air settings is no good.

5- After the 20 minuet idling, give the throttle a good brisk snap, rev the engine up over 4k RPM’s and check to see if any blue smoke kicks out the tail pipe. Blue smoke indicates engine wear. The engine has not been serviced correctly or its worn out.

6- If all of the above things check out good. Its time to bring the vehicle to a repair shop for a full inspection of all hidden factors and a ASE tech to shake it down. At tony’s Service Center we charge for the inspection, but its worth the money and time you will spend.

HeyAnthonyAZ.com

2010 Dodge Challenger R/T 5.7L HEMI with 28,000 miles on it. All service intervals have been over looked. It has been lowered and has non factory wheels. It rides hard, like a typical lowered car. It has aftermarket muffler’s and they drone very hard at 2000 RPM’s. The trans fluid is black and it has a clicking noise at the rear. Overall it’s in need. It is clean-looking on the outside. The inside is showing wear. This car is not in excellent condition, but this is what a typical used car will look like.

 

Yep, it’s broken; Plastics…

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Plastics, they don’t last forever.

Unhappy owners with broken cars arrive at my shop every month, and the owners just do not understand why the car has broken down. Well, if you drive it, it will wear out…..

Todays autos use lot’s of plastics. Auto makers have always used plastic parts, but in todays cars and trucks plastic parts are used for so many things, it can be frustrating when parts don’t last because they are made of plastic.wp-image-33241149jpg.jpg

Today I have a Nissan Frontier in the shop with a coolant leak at a plastic fitting on the heater core. This is a common thing on a vehicle that is 10 years old or older.

The hard part is informing the client that the engine is bad, because it over heated, due to a plastic part that failed. Using plastics to make a car lighter, and get better emissions is great, but at what cost to the client. I would rather have all cooling system parts made from metal. The auto maker makes the parts out of plastic because it’s cheaper to manufacture.

So what do they care if the part fails and the engine goes bad. That’s why they make new cars anyway.

Fix it right, fix it once. HeyAnthonyAz.com

Cheap Parts & Service = Poor Satisfaction!

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The bitterness of “poor quality” lingers long after the sweetness of “low price” is forgotten: Ben Franklin

Fixing your vehicle does not have to break the bank. When a vehicle repair has good value, the cost of the repair is not a huge issue any longer. We use quality parts plus offer a solid warranty. Our goal is to offer vehicle repairs that have value and prevent breakdowns.

Knowing you get what you pay for. Haggling about the labor and using the cheapest parts possible to save money is asking for trouble. Sitting at the side of the road waiting for a tow truck is no fun.

We offer quality repairs with value. All repairs we do must stand up to our 2 year / 24,000 mile warranty. As an independent repair shop we use many dealer parts. The dealer parts fit correctly, and exceed our 2 year / 24,000 mile warranty. The aftermarket parts we use must “fit and function” just like the original equipment dealer parts we install.

Some clients will ask if we can find less expensive parts, and we say yes we can, but the part warranty may not be 2 years / 24,000 miles.

The warranty will be what the parts manufacturer offers, and you get no labor coverage. Our job is to show you the value of doing the repair correctly the first time.

“Fix my car as cheap as you can, Blah, Blah, I am selling it next week.”

Some aftermarket parts may only have a 90 day warranty. Granted most parts should last at least 90 days, but if the part goes bad you get to pay labor again, even if the part has a warranty.

For Example: A car owner goes to a quick lube shop for a 14.95 oil change, and the shop strips the threads out of the oil pan. Anyway you look at this, your cheap oil change just turned into a big mess. Our standard oil change out the door is about $41.00 but it has good value. We do not shortcut the job, just to get it out the door. We spend up to 45 minutes on your vehicle, looking for things that may cause you a break down. If we find issues that need repair, we show you what we found, and we give you prices. We help you plan for your maintenance needs.

For Example: Brake pads have one of the biggest issues with quality vs price. If you go to the dealer, they will only offer one part for your model car, and the price will be high, but the parts fit and work correctly. Now go to an aftermarket parts house, and they may have 5 to 10 different brands of brake pad, all at different prices. Some may work good but make noise, others may wear fast or worse not stop the car correctly. With aftermarket parts you must be selective.

Some aftermarket parts work very good, and if you know what works well, then it’s easy to offer the savings to the client. Our job is to know what works and offer the client the best repair.

For Example: Belts, Hoses and Water pumps have a wide range of price and quality. If I am looking for a belt in the aftermarket, and I can get Bando or Dayco I am happy. I know they are brands that last a long time. For Hoses, I look for the best fit, and rubber quality. The parts quality, affects its service life. A long service life keeps you from having to visit the shop over and over. For Water Pumps, I turn to the dealer 60% of the time, because they just last so much longer.

Fixing your vehicle correctly will reduce how many times you need to visit the repair shop each year. If you own 3 or more cars, you can see how important it is to fix it right the first time. Anyway, It’s not that we don’t want to see you again. We want our clients to be happy they used our services.

We are here to help, we fix sick cars!

With today’s vehicle’s, you visit the repair shop less often, but it feels like the repairs cost more, and more when you visit your mechanic.

Going to the “car doctor” is not on anyone’s top ten list, but when your vehicle breaks down, you know you’re going to spend money.

Preventing breakdowns is what we do. Keeping you informed of your vehicle’s condition let’s you save when faced with bigger repairs. Helping you keep your vehicle in good condition, and preventing breakdowns is our goal.

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We like our clients to visit the shop for service at least every 5,000 miles of driving or once every 4 months. Many things can happen in 4 months of driving. Our clients are always welcome to stop by in between vehicle servicings, for fluid top offs and airing up the tires.

Fix it right, Fix it once.  HeyAnthonyAz.com

Can I bring my own parts?

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When you go to a restaurant, do you bring your own food?

Every month, I have at least 5 people ask if we will install a part they bring in.

Our answer is no.

   It’s not that we do not want to put on your parts. It’s because of the warranty. If we sell you the part, it will come with a 2 year 24,000 mile warranty, and labor is covered 100%

If you bring in your own part, you get no warranty with us, and if the part fails, you pay the labor again to replace the part a second time.

Do we bent the rule? Some times. We have installed clients parts, depending on what the part is, and if it’s for a specialty reason like a classic car or super hard to find part, but they must sign a waiver, stating they understand the repair comes with no warranty, parts or labor.

Think about it, do you save that much?

Fix it right, Fix it once. HeyAnthonyAz.com

FREE Oil Change Monthly Drawing at Tony’s

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FREE OIL CHANGE @ TONY’S ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It’s time to change the oil!

Enter to win! Win a free oil change, enter your information @ Tony’s contact page.

Enter your contact information on Tony’s contact page & in the message box type “Free oil change monthly drawing” and include the make, model and year of your car.

You will be automatically entered into the drawing for the next months free oil change drawing. Enter as often as you like. The winner of the free oil change will be contacted by Tony’s at the end of each drawing month. The free oil change offer will be running till December 2015

The oil change includes, up to 5 qt’s of 10w30 synthetic blend oil, an oil filter, and under hood fluid top off’s, plus a vehicle safety inspection. This is a $30.00 value at our regular price & a great saving if you win it for free. So enter today, it’s easy and free.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HeyAnthonyAZ.com 2014 ~ It’s all good under the hood…

Rent a car for your small trip.

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Ryan has a 9-year-old Pontiac G6 GT with 218,000 miles. The car is not road ready. It is not ready to take an 800 mile trip at high speeds. Taking a long road trip in a car that needs many repairs and could leave you stranded at the side of the road.

Waiting for a tow truck is no fun.

Ryan is heading out-of-town for a 4 day weekend in Las Vegas. Renting a car is a great idea for a small weekend trip. Ryan’s car needs 1,800.00 of basic mechanical repairs. Plus his vehicle also needs tires. New tires will set Ryan back another 1000.00 bucks.

Ryan has been a client for many years and I did not want to see Ryan have issues out on the road.

Without a doubt, Ryan’s car needs many repairs, but what else could fail on a long road trip? It’s hard to know what could go wrong out on the road.

We offered Ryan a rental with an upgrade to a Lincoln for his long trip. Ryan is going to travel in style and his G6 GT is going to be getting the repairs it has needed for many months. When Ryan gets back to town his car will be ready to go.

The idea is to let the rental car take the beating. Driving out-of-town at high speeds, up hills with the AC cranked on high is a lot of stress for any car, so let the rental take the beating and save your ride for the easy in-town driving.

It’s all good under the hood, heyanthonyaz.com 2014

 

Adjust it till it fits?

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Hack Jobs Happen…

I see some crazy short cut repairs (hack jobs). “Hack jobs” by owners, shade tree mechanics and approved auto repair shops. Then I wonder why, why try, why risk a comeback. Why take the short cut in the first place. Why risk loosing a client when the hack job fails, leaving the vehicle owner stranded on the side of the road.

A hack job will fail, it’s a sub-standard repair.

 

Today I had an odd repair issue pop into the shop. Ronda had a fuel pump replaced on her 1995 Chevy Suburban about 30 days ago in Sedona Arizona. The truck has a 5.7 TBI fuel injected engine. (Throttle Body Injection System) Ronda only had one issue with the repair, the fuel economy was reduced by 30 to 40% and this was noticed right after the pump was installed. The shop that installed the pump had double checked the fuel system, and said nothing was wrong.

Ronda had moved to Sedona last year.

The client (Ronda) use to live right around the corner from our shop, but had moved to Sedona in 2013. Ronda happened to be in the valley for some doctors visits, so Ronda stopped in to see if we had time to look at this issue.

Testing showed the fuel system was running too rich. The scan tool (a computer that talks to the car’s computer) showed that the PCM (the car’s computer) was subtracting a lot of fuel. The engine computer uses a pair of fuel trim ratio numbers to display fuel system compensation (larger number = more fuel added to the engine Or a smaller number = less fuel, fuel reduced to the engine). A repair technician can view the fuel trim numbers “live” as they update (in real-time) and watch how the system is operating, rich, lean or normal.

Next I attached a gauge used to test fuel pressure to the engine’s fuel system. The fuel pressure gauge showed that the fuel system pressure was around 19 PSI of pressure. (Why?) The TBI system specification is 9 to 12 PSI. So why was the PSI so high?

I suspected it had the wrong fuel pump installed. So, I removed the fuel pump and found a big mess. What I found was a major issue, the person that did the repairs, must have had a huge loss of reasoning. The part was clearly the wrong part for the truck. When I entered the pump part number into a parts jobber, part interchange system. I discovered the part was the wrong pump for the truck.

The shop decided to adjust the wrong part till it would fit in the tank. But wait, that’s not all. The pump was for a 1996 5.7 MPI engine. (Multi Port Injection System) not a 1995 5.7 TBI system. The 1996 MPI system runs at 60 to 66 PSI. This is clearly too much pressure for the system to handle. To bleed off the high PSI. The shop that made the repairs, had removed the hose clamp to the PSI fuel coupling hose that connects the fuel pumps outlet pipe to the metal pipe going out to the engine’s fuel injector’s. Plus the old fuel pump harness was installed on the new pump, and the electrical connector had a broken retaining clip.

The adjustments and compromises should have never happened, but they did.

Just buy the correct part, and if the part arrives wrong, get the correct part. The correct part was available in Flagstaff, less than a 2 hour round trip from Sedona. The client had already waited 5 days, what was one more day to get the right part.

We fixed the truck and it is running correctly, with the correct part. The client is happy and the mileage is back to normal. Plus Ronda will be bringing her truck to us when ever she is in town every 3 to 4 months.

Keeping up on the needs of an older vehicle may seem costly, but if you do the math. The right older vehicle can be cost-effective in the long run. Every vehicle needs repairs someday, new or old.

It’s all good under the hood, heyanthonyaz.com 2014