When you are looking for interesting information about cars, check out our blog! We strive to entertain and educate Truckee drivers about any and all auto repair related topics, and if you have any other questions, we encourage you to ask the auto mechanics at Quality Automotive Servicing.

Articles:

Wait, I just had my repair completed and my Check Engine light is back on.

We recognize that it is frustrating to have your vehicle diagnosed and repaired only to have the ‘check engine’ or ‘service engine soon’ light come on again. The function of your vehicles computer and the 'check engine' or 'service engine soon' light is to warn you of a problem. This might be related to the repair or it might be an entirely different problem. If there are several issues with the vehicle that the internal computer is detecting, the light will come on sometimes right away, sometimes later on down the road. You will need to have the vehicle re-inspected and possibly diagnosed to determine an additional problem

Steps to prevent overheating

Overheating is caused by anything that leads to a loss of coolant, prevents the cooling system from getting rid of heat, or causes excess heat in the engine itself. There are several components or conditions that can cause overheating; water pump, radiator, heater core, hoses, freeze plugs, head gasket, radiator cap, deposits and build up, thermostat, cooling fan, fan clutch, shroud, fan belt, ignition timing, or exhaust system. It’s important to discover the cause of overheating before you become stranded and do major damage to your engine

Categories:

Service

We often get the question "Why should I replace the spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor?" Here's the answer.

Spark plugs, wires, distributor caps and rotors break down and fail over time due to exposure to moisture, oil, grease and under hood temperatures that can reach as much as 550 to 700 degrees. Worn spark plugs require higher voltage, forcing the ignition module and coil to produce increasingly higher and higher voltages to overcome the resistance. This breaks down the spark plug wire's insulation causing the ignition module and coil to produce even more voltage, creating even higher temperatures within them. The increased resistance weakens transistors and electrical insulation within modules, coils and computers, resulting in intermittent and premature failure. For maximum fuel economy and peak engine performance, your spark plugs should be replaced every 30 months or 30,000 miles, unless your vehicle is equipped with 100,000-mile platinum tipped spark plugs. Vehicles 15+ years old are more likely to have standard plugs with approximate life expectancy of 12,0 ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Should I be doing regular tune-ups on my newer vehicle?

Today's automobiles do not require tune ups in the same way as older vehicles. Automobile manufacturers have set forth, in their recommended maintenance schedules, intervals for replacing spark plugs, PCV valves, fuel filters etc., while recommending that other items related to engine operation be inspected for proper operation and/or adjustment, such as ignition timing, idle speed and other emission control related devices. Therefore, the term "tune up" indicates the need for routine maintenance and should not be associated with poor performance. If your vehicle experiences any operation or performance problems between maintenance intervals, that specific problem should be addressed by performing an engine analysis to isolate that particular problem

Categories:

Maintenance

Should you use synthetic oil?

Synthetic oil is a great way to go and can save you time, money and gas. It’s a good choice for high output, turbocharged or supercharged engines, vehicles that are used for towing (especially during hot weather), and vehicles that are operated in extremely cold or hot climates. Though more expensive than mineral-based motor oils, synthetic oil can improve fuel economy. You also have longer intervals between changes which saves on time and ultimately will actually cost you less that mineral-based oil changes

Categories:

Oil Change