El Paso Car Tune Up « Brake Buddy's Auto Repair & Maintenance Blog

Posts Tagged ‘El Paso Car Tune Up’

How To Jump Start A Car

Thursday, January 20th, 2011

So you’ve left the interior lights on in your car or truck over night and your battery is dead. It’s not that big of a problem.

If you or a friend has jumper cables, you can easily recharge your car or truck’s battery. If you’ve never jump started a car before, here is what you need to know.

Step 1: Have a running car park next to your car with the dead battery.

Step 2: Make sure both cars are off and locate the battery. For each car, find the positive “+” and negative “-“ terminals. These should have a plus and a minus sign. They also may be red (positive) and black (negative).

Step 3: On the good battery, attached the red jumper cable to the positive terminal and the black jumper cable to the negative terminal.

Step 4: On the dead battery attach the red jumper to the positive terminal and the black jumper to a piece of unpainted metal.

Step 5: Start the engine of the car with the good battery. Let the car run for a minute or two. Then, try starting the car with the dead battery. If it has trouble starting, let it sit for another minute or two. Then try again. If you’re still having problems, you may need a tow truck.

If you manage to get the car started it is important to carefully remove the jumper cables. You do not want the red jumper to touch the black jumper when removing.

Following these tips will help you jump start your car. It’s important to have your battery checked from time to time during an El Paso car tune up or a Las Cruces car tune up.

Tags: dead battery, El Paso Car Tune Up, jump start car, jumper cables, Las Cruces car tune up
Posted in Automotive Maintenance | Comments Off

Understanding Gasoline Grades

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

We’ve all seen these numbers at the gas pump … 87, 89, 92, etc. You probably know these as octane ratings.

We all know the higher the number the more you pay per gallon. But have you ever wondered what these grades of gasoline do for your car or truck? Octane ratings rate the volatility of gasoline.

By this we mean burn rate. For example, an 87 grade of gasoline will burn faster than a 92 grade. There are three distinct levels of gasoline. They’re probably familiar:

Regular – 85 to 88
Mid/Plus – 89 to 90
Premium – 92 and over

You may notice different states have different octane levels. For instance in mountainous areas, “Regular” octane grade levels may be at 85. That is because of the altitude.

Changes in altitude, humidity and temperature can affect a car or truck’s engine. Changes octane grades in gasoline from state to state take into account antiknock guidelines. These guidelines help to prevent engine knock.

If you don’t know what engine knock sounds like you can see it here.

So what grade of gasoline should you put in your car or truck?

The rule of thumb is to following your vehicle’s owner’s manual. You also should replace your gas filter. There’s no miles rule like oil changes, but you should try to change the filter at least once a year for preventative purposes.

The next time your getting a Tucson oil change or an El Paso car tune up talk to your mechanic to see what’s the best fuel for your car or truck.

Tags: El Paso Car Tune Up, gas grades, gas octane, gas octane grades, Tucson Oil Change
Posted in Car Fluids Info | Comments Off

How To Replace A Fuse In Your Car Or Truck

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

If you’ve been driving your car or truck long enough, you’re bound to encounter a blown fuse.

A blown fuse means some electrical feature of your car is no longer working. Often it’s the radio, interior lights or turn signals. Checking to see if a fuse is blown is an easy process.

Following these steps will help to determine if you need to replace your fuse.

Step 1: Find your owner’s manual and locate the section on fuses. Your owner’s manual will tell you where the fuse box is located. The fuse box is often somewhere below the dash. It’s usually to the left of the steering wheel or near the parking brake.

Step 2: After locating the fuse box, remove the fuse box cover. It should usually snap open. You may need to open it with a screwdriver.

Step 3: Using your owner’s manual, locate the diagram. The diagram will tell you which fuse corresponds with the stereo, interior lighting, etc. Sometimes the fuse diagram is on the lid of the fuse box.

Step 4: Remove the fuse for the electrical feature that is no longer working. You may need tweezers to remove the fuse.

Step 5: After removing a fuse, turn it over to see if it is blown. Check the metal link inside the fuse. If it is separated, the fuse is broken and needs to be replaced.

Buying Fuses

Every parts store should carry fuses. Visit any nearby parts store to purchase replacement fuses. Before buying, check to see if your car has some extra fuses. Some cars come with extras.

Installing the Fuse

Installing a new fuse is easy. Just push the new fuse into place and reattach the fuse box lid. Check to see if the malfunctioning part is now working. If it’s not, you may have some other electrical issue. For lights, it may be the light bulb.

If you’re having any trouble diagnosing an electrical problem, a technician can help you during an El Paso car tune up or a Santa Fe oil change.

Tags: car fuse, El Paso Car Tune Up, fuse replacement, replace car fuse, Santa Fe oil change
Posted in Car Repair | Comments Off

Why These Ignition Parts Need To Be Changed In Your Next Automotive Tune Up

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

A few days ago, we had an automotive checklist that looked at when you should replace your oil, air, fuel and transmission filters. Today we’re looking at ignition parts.

Regularly inspecting your spark plugs, spark plug wires and distributor cap can help improve your vehicle’s performance and keep it on the road longer. Below is a checklist on replacing ignition parts for you to follow. Be sure to check your vehicle’s operations manual to see if it has different recommendations. Depending on the make and model of your vehicle, replacements may need to be done sooner.

Ignition Parts Replacement Checklist

Spark Plugs: Change every 50,000 miles for standard spark plugs. Change every 100,000 miles for platinum spark plugs.
Spark Plug Wires: Change spark plug wires every 50,000 miles.
Distributor Cap: Change when showing wear and tear.

Besides filters and ignition parts, you should also check your oxygen and temperature sensors as well as coolant hoses and belts. Making sure these parts are working properly will add more miles onto your vehicle.

Changing these parts helps to maintain power to your engine as well as fuel efficiency. The next time you need an El Paso car tune up or an Albuquerque car tune up, be sure your mechanic checks your spark plugs, spark plug wires and distributor cap.

Tags: Albuquerque Car Tune Up, El Paso Car Tune Up, spark plugs
Posted in Automotive Maintenance | Comments Off

Is A No-Cost Maintenance Plan Right For You?

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

A lot of high-end auto dealerships offer no-cost maintenance plans as promotions when buying a new car. When opting into one of these plans you get a variety of services including:

• Oil Changes

• Engine Inspection Services

• Fluid Inspection and Replacement

• Belt Inspection

These deals vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some include brake inspection and pad replacements. Others do not. There are claims out there that these services are not free. The claims say that the no-cost services are included in the overall price of the vehicle.

Whether or not this is true, it comes down to this: Do you want dealer servicing your vehicle or do you want to take your vehicle somewhere else? Going to a dealer has its benefits as does going to an ASE certified mechanic.

It’s a tough decision. We recommend talking with family or friends that use no-cost maintenance plans. If you have a good relationship with an outside mechanic, a no-cost maintenance plan may not be the best option for you.

When thinking about a no-cost maintenance plan see what is offered. Are there enough incentives to justify the extra mark-up in price? It is our experience that these plans do not offer enough.

In the long run, an Albuquerque brake repair or an El Paso car tune up may be the best option. Remember, to seriously consider all your options when purchasing a new vehicle.

A lot of high-end auto dealerships offer no-cost maintenance plans as promotions when buying a new car. When opting into one of these plans you get a variety of services including:

Oil Changes
Engine Inspection Services
Fluid Inspection and Replacement
Belt Inspection

These deals vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some include brake inspection and pad replacements. Others do not. There are claims out there that these services are not free. The claims say that no-cost services are included in the overall price of the vehicle.

Whether or not this is true, it comes down to this: Do you want the dealer servicing your vehicle or do you want to take your vehicle somewhere else? Going to a dealer has its benefits as does going to an ASE certified mechanic.

When thinking about a no-cost maintenance plan, see what is offered. Are there enough incentives to justify the extra mark-up in price? It is our experience that these plans do not offer enough.

In the long run, an Albuquerque brake repair or an El Paso car tune up may be the best option. Remember, to seriously consider all your options when purchasing a new vehicle.

Tags: Albuquerque Brake Repair, ASE Certified Mechanic, El Paso Car Tune Up, No Cost Maintenance Plan
Posted in Car Repair | Comments Off

How To Check Your Vehicle’s Oil

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Checking your vehicle’s oil is a quick and easy process that is important to keeping your vehicle well maintained. Running low on oil or simply driving on old oil can be devastating to your engine and lead to some major repair bills later down the line.

Oil is one of the things that is checked during a El Paso car tune up, but here’s how to quickly check your oil on your own. Note that you will need to have your car turned off and wait till the engine is cool before you begin.

Pop open the hood and look for the brightly colored handle labeled “engine oil” or something similar.

Pull on the handle to remove the metal rod (called a dipstick) and thoroughly clean it with a rag or towel.

Now re-insert the dipstick and then remove it once again to check the oil level.

You should see how far up the oil was on the dipstick when fully inserted. There should be a line on the dipstick marked full and you want the oil to be as close to that line as possible. If it’s too far below that you will need to top off your oil.

You will also want to look at the color of the oil. If it appears really dark brown or black, it’s time for a El Paso oil change. If it’s light brown it should be okay for awhile.

Tags: El Paso Car Tune Up, El Paso oil change
Posted in Oil Change Tips | Comments Off

Do You Need a New Serpentine Belt?

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

What serpentine belts are and how to stop yours from breaking.

Most people are well aware that they will need an Albuquerque timing belt replacement every so often but are far less aware of the role a serpentine belt plays in their car.

First used on the Ford Mustang in 1979, a serpentine belt operates multiple secondary parts within the engine including the air, water, and power steering pumps, the alternator, and the A/C compressor. It took the place of a number of smaller belts used in older vehicles.

While this innovation has been used in most new cars, it is not without its drawbacks. If the serpentine belt breaks, all of the important parts that it powers will no longer operate until it is replaced. This is contrasted to older cars that were still able to operate the majority of their parts if only one belt broke.

To make sure that your serpentine belt doesn’t break, you should have it checked during your next El Paso car tune up.

The serpentine belt will generally show significant signs of wear before actually breaking, so you can also check your own belt regularly during normal maintenance.

Look for small rips and tears, or even small chunks that have fallen off the belt. Additionally you can listen for excess noise that may signal a problem with the belt.

To get optimal performance from your serpentine belt, replace it every 30,000 to 60,000 miles or consult with your owner’s manual.

Tags: Albuquerque Timing Belt Replacement, El Paso Car Tune Up, Serpentine Belt
Posted in Car Repair | Comments Off