All Car Repair Articles

All Car Repair Articles

of course car repairs are what we call a “bread and butter” job. Hence, i thought that i would show a video to demonstrate the things that our technicians have to do when repairing a car.
We often have our customers ringing us. Significantly, they ask the question, “how can i tell if my car needs repairing”. Therefore, I usually answer with the same explanation. You’ll know when the vehicle requires attention! So, when a car eventually arrives in the workshop. We treat it with extreme care and attention.

car suspension parts

Shock Absorbers-How to tell if your car needs New Ones – The Globe and Mail

/1 Comment/in /by

How to tell if your car needs new shocks 

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

The car in the picture needs more than shock absorbers

Cheap Shock absorbers tend swing in and out of fashion? About twenty years it was all the rage to have your shocks checked out and replace, much the

same as wheel alignment is today. All the large equipment manufacturers were making machines to enable garages to check the shock on cars that were in for a menu car service.

So the role of the cars shock absorber is to keep the car’s tyres in constant  contact with the road. Giving the car optimum grip. Of course, when the car is cornering and braking. Shock absorbers are part of the cars springs  suspension. So if the shocks are worn, the vehicle’s ride and comfort is compromised, and you will get the feeling of drifting. Especially, when cornering and general insecurity when driving.

I remember visiting a motor equipment show in London; I think it was in Earls Court. One of the companies exhibiting at the time was SUN Garage Equipment. Subsequently, SUN were a well-known Garage Equipment Suppliers, well established company and had on display a wonderful looking shock absorbers testing machine.

I asked for a demonstration and was very impressed with it.

The machine worked by the car driving onto plates and a shaker, driven by an electric motor shook one axle at a time. The machine then printed out a sort of impression of how the shock  absorbers performed, if the lines were close together and tight looking then the Car Shock Absorbers were alright, but if they were sort of wobbly and not consistent then the shocks would worn out and needed replacing Shock Absorber Replacement was a lucrative business for us the Sun machine was very accurate and popular amongst our customers. In those days we used a few different makes but we became impressed with a brand called Monroe Shock Absorbers and tended to stick to this brand, for the quality and also we had a good deal from the local factor, which helped in our decision to fit them.

I was most impressed with this machine as it gave a print out and a visual aid to the customer. It was only a matter of days when I ordered one and had it delivered and installed. What a great asset this proved to be. I believe that VOSA the UK MOT governing body are considering a similar thing, with vibrating plates to test the shock absorbers

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

/in /by

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax
Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

Eric Roberts says that with modern steering and braking, they are becoming more accurate. Then wheel alignment is becoming more and more crucial. Hence, for the correct handling of your car,.

As a result, it takes only a small misalignment to create problems with your vehicle. Which is why proper four-wheel alignment should be carried out on your car. Simply put, all of the combined components of your steering mechanism that help your vehicle keep in a straight line are only corrected by having a wheel alignment.

Why is four-wheel alignment in Halifax important?

Improper wheel alignment can effect driving performance as well as cost you money. Total four-wheel alignment sets all four wheels straight ahead. Including your steering wheel. The steering wheel gives you the first sign of out-of-alignment steering geometry. The first sign to the customer is that the car pulls to the left or right.

Four Wheel Alignment Halifax

Whilst driving, your vehicles steering can also cause a feeling of looseness or wandering. All of these signs can be corrected with a total alignment check. When corrected, your steering geometry will be corrected to the car manufacturer’s specifications. Of course, when the alignment is corrected, you will feel good again. Steering correctly and pulling to the left or right.

Another of the signs of wheel misalignment is uneven or excessive tyre wear. Therefore, if your vehicle is not aligned properly, your tyres can show premature wear. Usually on the inside or outside of your tyres tread area. This is because your car is not driving in a correct straight line. Hence, your tyres are sort of being dragged against their will. Thus, causing to wear off on the tread edges.

So, by having your vehicle aligned properly,

. It corrects any rolling resistance that affects your tyres. Another fact worth looking at is that when your wheels are out of alignment,. Then the tyres are causing resistance between the car and the road. Because of the dragging affect. Believe it or not, this means that your car engine is doing extra work to push the car along. This extra work then increases the amount of fuel that the car needs.

Having your cars wheel alignment correctly set up will help you drive more safely. Of course, you will not be consistently battling against your steering wheel to keep the car in a straight line.

Simply put, your front wheels “steer” or drive the vehicle while the rear wheels “direct” the vehicle. Four-wheel alignment solves handling problems by referencing all four wheels to a common centre line. As a result of, say, an accident in the car, it is more likely or not that the cars alignment will need correcting. Also, hitting one of our millions of potholes will knock out your alignment.

It takes only a small misalignment to create problems with your vehicle

which is why proper wheel alignment is important. Simply put, all of components that make your vehicle go straight are called alignment. As I have said, a  sizable pothole can bump your suspension out. Subsequently, of the precisely calculated set of measurements,. That is required to dictate proper wheel alignment.

When you have new tyres fitted then spend a little more to make sure that the alignment on your car is correct. This way you will enjoy trouble free driving. Without battling against your cars steering wheel.

Eric Roberts

Broken Spring Problem

Broken Spring Problem

/1 Comment/in /by

Broken Spring Problem

Broken Spring Problem
Broken Spring Problem

Roadwork causing Broken Spring Problems to many cars, including many broken springs

WAFF

EricRoberts‘s insight:

Broken springs are a problem

As to damaging your car’s tyres. So potholes are notorious. Including, ruining the alignment of your wheels. Of course, as well as the suspension and undercarriage of the vehicle. Therefore,when the car’s alignment is affected. Perhaps most serious but often the most overlooked problem. Hence,is that your steering wheel wont be straight.

Importantly, this can cause your car to veer off to the side. naturally when you are driving. Thus, left untreated this can become a potentially damaging problem.

Potholes are bad news for motorists everywhere. Increasing the chances of hitting a pothole and having your tyres damaged. Hence is significantly high.

After the terrible winter we have just had,. Then it is important that drivers are on constant lookout. Especially for potentially dangerous potholes when out driving. As a result, some of the potholes. Arare a result of the terrible winter weather.

Literally tearing people’s car tyres to pieces when driving over them. Especially on those dark winter nights.

A broken spring problem caused by huge pothole. Broken Spring Problem

Potholes are impossible to see. It is estimated that in Britain the price of repairing all the potholes on the roads is in the region of ₤ 10 million and will take around ten years to repair every single one.

If you come across a particularly big pothole. That you believe is going to cause your car suspension including the springs and tyres some serious damage. Then the best course of action is to avoid them as best you can. If this is not an option drive over the potholes at a very slow speed, this should minimise the impact of hitting one.

There are some things though that people need to be made aware of when it comes to potholes. Including, the damage that they inflict upon a car’s tyres.  Are you aware that you are not liable for the pothole damage to your car? Drivers can claim for damages caused by a pothole. Just send them the proof from a photo or an image from your cellphone.

If you are planning on travelling around Great Britain. So and would like to check what the roads . Especially, in the areas you are going to be driving. Then there are many websites that have been set up to inform you. Many even have maps. Hence,to let you know where potholes are. Simply search for this kind of information on Google.

Because, you are bound to find a number of these websites.

The broken Problem could be anywhere in the world

The problem of roadworks appears to be World wide. This article by WAFF is about the roads in the USA, but we have just the same problem here in

the UK. These roads with there ditches and potholes are not doing the cars suspension any good at all.

We seam to have half the roads in Yorkshire dug up at the moment ( probably getting ready for the Tour De France cycle race). The main problem for my garage at the moment is a broken wheel alignment in Halifax being knocked out of position. These roads also have other premature steering problems, such as worn-out ball-joints. All MOT test failures.

Mechanics said you should have your car alignment checked every year, but if you drive through a roadwork zone often or hit a big pothole, you should have it checked as soon as possible.

The main problem to me. Is when the authorities repair a road they do not fill back the hole correctly. Of course, in a week or two, holes appear in the road. Thus, causing the surface to break up and later more pot holes spring up.

Most motorists do not know that they have a Broken Spring Problem

Of course, until their car has an MOT test and it fails the test, they will not knowing that if they knew where the hole in the road was, then they could have taken a photo and claimed for the damage caused from the local council.

I suppose I should not be complaining as long as we get some of the work in our garage ?

Moving forward to 2019, then things have not really improved ! So, the old problems of potholes and motorists buying part worn tyres have not gone away. Significantly, it appears that the dreaded pot holes are affecting even our motorways. These days, I drive many miles delivering our battery products all over the UK.

As a result, the majority of motorways have these holes. Broken Spring Problem

which are primarily on the white lines where the carriageway divides.Some roads in Scotland are badly affected. So, I suppose these roads are extremely busy ! However, is there no excuse not to repair the holes to make driving much safer ?

Pellon tyre online tyres and car repairing servicing

Servicing tips -How to beat the sexist mechanics: Simple tips for women to avoid being ripped

/in , /by

How to beat the sexist mechanics: Servicing tips for women to avoid being ripped …

Women who know little about car repairs can make sure they aren’t being ripped off by their mechanic by simply suggesting a price for the work.

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

 Most women customers are very confident when buying anything including having their car repaired.We now even have more female

Mechanics

 So in general then I think that the garages who try to deceive female customers off. Of course, will be dishonest and also try to pull the wool over the eyes of all their customers ? men and women. “THESE GARAGES ARE A FOOL TO THEMSELVES”. So, our lady customers know when they are not been told the truth.

Hence, if the price looks and sounds wrong then it probably will be wrong. We are not now members of Unipart Car Care Centres. Having regular Servicing tips meetings and contacts with other garages.

It is our experience that our lady customers make up 60% of our total customer base. So, if a garage wants to keep this very important customer base then the ladies have to be treat in the correct manner especially by our mechanics..

Female customers look for a trustworthy garage

Believe me the ladies know what they are on about and would not go to the garage with their car that they did not trust. So, if they thought that they had been ripped off, they would not go back there a second time. Another addition to this story is that we now have an increasing number of female mechanics, with many Motor Mechanic Jobs going to females.

Incidentally, who are just as competent as male mechanics and are probably more sensible. A strange thing happened the other day? a lady customer who was in for an MOT test asked us the price of a service to go with the MOT test. The lady agreed to the price and we duly did the work;The lady was happy with the job and the price paid and went home, satisfied. About an hour later the ladies husband rang us up and told us in no uncertain words that we had RIPPED his wife off. WOW.

HERE IS A SECOND OPINION…

“You don’t ‘suggest’ a price to the garage looking to do the work, whether you know a bit or not. There is a price for the part/s and a price for the labour. The part/s you can research, but they may be privy to discounts etc you aren’t due to trade links, and the labour charge you either agree to or don’t – you could dispute the number of hours charged, but if you think it would take a shorter time, do it yourself. What a daft, American study from three probably biased and slightly bitter women who have fell foul, in their opinion of the motor trade”…

 
wiper blades-lady drivers

WIPER BLADES-Could Be a Thing Of The Past? “Ultrasonic Transducer” could replace them?

/in /by

WIPER BLADES

Could this be the beginning of the end for Wiper Blades?

Of course, when you fit a new set of wipers. Definitely test out the wiper blades before using them in real rain situations. Therefore,you can go to a car wash or spray your car down with a water hose. Of course then click the wiper switch. Hence, you have successfully install your new set of windshield blades if all goes well.

Usually there is a locking mechanism that attaches the windshield wipers to the wiper arm. Of course, which is in turn, connected to the blade motor. Unlocking this portion will enable the old wiper to come loose. Consequently, all you have to do is snap the new one in place. Then lock the mechanism up again. Ensuring that the replacement wiper is secure.

Just like anything else, the very best windshield wiper blades can be very expensive. Since there is usually a rainy season, possibly in winter and autumn. Of course, one can buy winter wipers for that one time of the year. Then wait until the next year to buy new ones. Also they can be an MOT test failure!

MODERN WIPER BLADES can be expensive?

It is no secret that some of our jet planes do not have Flat Wiper Blades fitted, but use another method of clearing the winter weather from their windscreen.

The windscreen is kept clean by an instrument called an “Ultrasonic Transducer” which sends ultrasonic sound waves across the windscreen surface that clears all screen from such things as snow and insects apart from the normal rain. Another added bonus to making the car lighter would be that the cars would not need a wiper motor and the cables and things that go with it.

This would be great for use on today’s cars as it would also increase the effect a more efficient air flow, as the car is driven along, making the car more aero- dynamic and also more fuel efficient due to slightly less drag, as the screen would be cleared instantly all the time and not just when the Flat Wiper Blades were applied.

I have a friend called Peter, who would not clear the windscreen until the very last minute that he could not see the road in front of him. This system would keep his screen clear all the time, thus reducing the chance of an accident happening because of the lack of vision.

WIPER BLADES invented in the USA by a lady driver?

Just for the record the Window Wipers blades that we use today were invented by an American lady, she was called Mary Anderson and the idea came to her whilst she was on a trip to New York, when she noticed that the early car drivers were sticking their heads out of the door windows, so that they could see where they were going when it rained.

As a result, the first wiper blades were very simplistic. Just a metal arm device with a rubber blade. Operated manually by the driver. Thus, using a sort of lever inside the car. The invention was first thought of in 1903.By 1916 her invention became standard on all production cars in the USA. Only a year later in 1917 the first automatic wipers were invented by another lady in America called Charlotte Bridgewood, these were known as the   (Charlotte Bridgwood’s “Storm Windshield Cleaner”).

Charlotte invented this electric wiper system whilst she was the president of the” Bridge-wood Manufacturing company” in New York.

The Mclaren super car maker to end the wiper blade. 

Rumours are rife that the McLaren car maker are considering are to introduce this type of technology into their new models, it would be great to see if this idea works, but not if you are a wiper blade manufacturer.

 

mot testing and car servicing

Local Auto Centre-“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Waterloo Record

/in , /by

Local Auto Centre


Your Local Auto Centre will advise on timing belt change times

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure Waterloo Record Some of the most important maintenance services to have regularly performed at Local Auto Centre on your car include tyre rotation, four wheel alignment, transmission service, differential service,…

Eric Roberts‘s insight:

Car servicing

So. this is a great saying ! and of course it is correct”an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Of course the moral of the story is all about having your car serviced at your Local Auto Centre. So, and by doing so you are taking a preventative measure finding future faults and possible failures. Importantly, things like rotating your tyres, wheel alignment, checking brakes and steering before a more major fault appears, all these things will be checked out at your local service centre.

Of course, you should also be advised. Especially, about the time that you should have your timing belt changed. Hence, this is very important . Because it could mean a massive bill . Of course, for a new engine fitting . Thus, should you fail to change your timing belt . Especially, at the correct time. Please make sure that you have a regular service carried out on your car at a Local Auto Centre, here in the UK I recommend that you go online to find a Local Car Care Centre in your local town or look out for tyre prices online.

Back after Corvid 19

So, like many other auto centres then we are back to full strength. We have suffered the same millions of other small businesses. However we are pleased to say that our service and tyre business is picking back up nicely.

I would like to thank all our loyal customers for their support both now and in the future.

So here at Pellon we have a great tyre price portal called www.pellontyres.co.uk.

See on www.therecord.com

catalytic converter

Automotive Catalyst Diagnostics: How, Where and How Much

/1 Comment/in /by

Automotive Catalyst Diagnostics: How, Where and How Much

Automotive Catalyst Diagnostics: How, Where and How Much

The catalytic converter is one of the most important devices which make up the vehicle system. It was designed and implemented to solve emissions problems and make a growing number of cars more friendly to the environment. But a cat performs its functions properly only when the device is clean inside. The worse the quality of fuel you use, the sooner shallow holes of the honeycomb inner structure of the converter get clogged. When this happens, the airflow is restricted and metal parts can crack under the strain. In the worst case some engine problems occur.

That is why it is required to keep the cat unclogged. This is useful and pragmatic, since it is much cheaper to maintain the device rather than buy another one prematurely. But before contacting an automobile repair shop, you should get to know how the procedure is conducted.

How Emission Problems Can Be Solved

A comprehensive vehicle inspection consists of the following steps:

  • Obtaining the vehicle history and to answer the questions concerning fuel consumption, whether the engine is hard to start, the cat has been repaired or replaced, etc.
  • Correcting codes of the engine. You should know that typically codes from P0420 to P0424 and from P0430 to P0434 in order indicate some catalyst problems.
  • Identifying and fixing exhaust system leaks.
  • Checking cat temperature, back pressure, O2 sensor, and internal cooling system.
  • Fuel system inspection.
  • Measuring emissions with the help of a gas analyser.
  • Running a cylinder balance test.
  • Examining the mechanical condition of the parts and devices.

If you have noticed some exhaust system troubles, the vehicle doesn’t need to undergo a full technical inspection. Contact a repair shop for just a catalyst testing.

In case the inspection has revealed a crucial catalyst problem due to which the device should be replaced, we suggest you look for a new one on the website https://autocatalystmarket.com/us/en. This is the biggest catalyst market where you can select a catalytic converter for any car brand and model. The range comprises over 24,000 items! The company has been working in the market of catalytic converters since 2005. Each device on the website has real pictures and a detailed technical description for you to facilitate the selection process.

How Much Does Catalyst Inspection Cost

The price depends on such factors as the car brand and model, current condition of the device, the amount of solid fuel residue in the grid holes, etc. In general, a cat repair costs between $900 and $2500. If you fill your vehicle with the fuel of good quality and keep the engine maintained, you need to have the converter repaired not less than every 100,000 km kilometres driven.

mot testing and car servicing

Maintenance-Emissions-and Privacy

/in /by

Maintenance-Emissions

Maintenance-Emissions
Maintenance-Emissions

Maintenance-Emissions

Of course, this all started before the 1950′. As a result, car engines and their faults were diagnosed and repaired by a few gauges and hand adjusted. Hence, by a mechanic. Most automotive systems were done like this.

I remember when I was an apprentice mechanic

in a small British Leyland independent garage in Batley, Yorkshire, UK. Whenever there was a suspicious engine problem,. Then our chief mechanic, “Brian,” would put a long screwdriver in his ear and the other end in the engine. Quietly, listening for any sound that would give him a clue as to what the problem could be?

Naturally, as time went by,

Cars became more complex, and problems became more complicated. Therefore, I remember the middle of the 1960’s . Engine problems began to rely more and more on using diagnostic equipment. Our boss, “Tom,” leased a massive machine with a video display. I think that it was made by Tecalamit; in fact, I am sure that it was.

Of course, the machine looked massive to me. Wires came out of it from all directions. Subsequently, I never got to learn how to use it; it was deemed as too complicated for an apprentice. The machine was a video display terminal and it was to help us diagnose engine problems. As far as I could remember, the machine was able to check the engines temperature, vacuum, and oil pressure.

Maintenance-Emissions move on

Later in the 1960’s came the computerised systems. With the introduction of the fuel-injected models of Volkswagen Type 3 cars,. Consequently, it was followed by the sporty 280Z made by Datsun. Following this, in the 1980’s, General Motors put its computerised “Assembly Line Diagnostic Link” into service.

Hence, this was to examine error codes

at a speed of 160 baud. However, this speed increased to 8192 baud by 1986, along with UART, or “Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter,” at half duplex. This type of diagnosis continued until the invention of complete on-board diagnostic packages. Of course, that’s what we see today.

The next part follows in this interesting article:

Source: Maintenance, Emissions, and Privacy: The OBD Story | Hackaday

Driving on Bad tyres

Tyres-Tarmac Mix

/7 Comments/in /by

Tyres-Tarmac Mix

Tyres-Tarmac Mix
© Can Stock Photo / XXLPhoto

Tyres-Tarmac Mix; First UK road to use the scrap tyres mix a great step forward

Breedon Aggregates have successfully completed the relaying of the A90 road in Scotland. Hence, the most remarkable thing about this is that they used a mix of tarmac and shredded waste tyres.

As a result, this is a massive step forward. Consequently,the new Tyres-Tarmac Mix  has a very promising future.Of course, the A90 road runs between Perth and Dundee. Moreover, the road is a duel-carriageway for most of its length. Of course, this particular stretch of road is one of the busiest in the country. Hence, is expected to be a great test for the Tyres-Tarmac Mix experiment. This road carries about 35,000 vehicles a day. So is also exposed to very inclement weather conditions.

As intended, the new material will be rigorously tested over the next few years. One of the most important tests is a skid resistance test. Signs so far are very promising. As a result,the surface has so far passed all the tests.

Tyres-Tarmac Mix from Denmark

New technology for the success of the new mix came from a Danish company,Genan. Enabling, the rubber particles from the shredded tyres to bind with a binding agent at low temperatures. Which also helps the environment because very little heat is required.

Most people know that since 2006, European Rules have banned the disposal of waste tyres at landfill sites, leaving very large amounts of scrap tyres to find other uses in many different forms of recycling. According to the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers Association, nearly 500,000 tonnes of scrap tyres arose in the UK in 2009. Studies show that for every tonne of scrap tyres used for rubber modification of bitumen and asphalt, 1.1 tonnes of CO2 emissions are saved compared with burning of the tyres for use in Cement kiln heating.

Tyres-Tarmac Mix-One day they may buy our old tyres again?

This is a great step forward and we must thank Breedon Aggregates for their work in this field to turn a waste product such as old tyres into a wonderful new product that will benefit us all in the long run. Breedon are now going to market the new product and sell it under the brand name of Breedon Polymer R+, and the tarmac will be produced at all its English and Scottish plants, a great step forward and who knows that some day companies may once again buy the old tyres from us again ?.

 Please click the link below for more information from Breedon Aggregates.