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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.
So this is no surprise to me! Having an online booking system is part of our customer care system. Of course not only for booking in jobs but also for keeping records of our customers purchases for warranty purposes.
In fact, we have two online booking systems! On is for our MOT testing customers and we also have a tyre lookup and booking in system online.
Garage work provider, WhoCanFixMyCar.com has reported a 205 per cent surge in jobs requested, rising from 27,000 in April to 85,000 in September. After initially seeing repair requests grind to a complete stop, the uncertainty of
Eric Roberts was not very pleased at the decision to stop MOT testing altogether during the recent covid 19 pandemic. Testing was suspended for six months and a massive backlog later on in the year certainly kept us on our feet. Going forward to the spring of 2021 then things have now settled down and testing is back to normal. So, our garage customers have been very helpful and understanding during this horrible pandemic.
Social distancing and masks wearing is still common practise and we have had no problems with complying with the law.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/canstockphoto88031629-scaled.jpg17072560Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-06-05 19:39:572023-06-05 19:39:57Online Bookings on Increase-Online servicing and repair jobs surging with 205% increase
So, I have found over many years that anything metal and left about and outside the premises will very quickly be stolen. In our part of Yorkshire there are people in transit van pickups, constantly driving around looking for anything metal to collect. In some instances metal objects are even stolen.
Indeed a friend of mine was recently given a metal greenhouse for the garden. Unable to erect it straight away, he left the greenhouse on the lawn close to the erection site.
Would you believe it! The following day the metal greenhouse had vanished. We now who did but the police were not interested. Anything left outside that is metal will be stolen. It has all a value and is worth the risk to these people, who make their living from other people’s misery.
Exhausts were once the target.
About twenty years ago we had to build a special locked up compound to keep all our metal scrap secure from theft. Attempts to steel our scrap metal were common place. This leads up to the present day and catalytic convertors.
The unexpected and inconvenient realisation that someone has tampered with cars exhaust system. While you are asleep in bed is something that every owner of a motor vehicle dreads.
In recent years, there has been a huge rise in the Thefts of Catalytic Converters. We know because many of our customers have become victims of this crime.
So, now this has developed into an ongoing issue that is difficult to control. This article delves into the why, how, and preventative measures that can be taken regarding the persistent tide of criminal activity.
Catalytic converter thefts have become an epidemic in recent years.
Theft of a catalytic converter is considered a more serious offence than a minor theft. It’s an epidemic that’s spreading all across the world.
The exhaust emission control system, which is an essential component of every contemporary car, has become a rising target for thieves. The reason why? The precious metals that are contained within. Criminals can gain a lot of money by stealing catalytic converters since they contain high-value materials like platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
What’s Behind the Recent Uptick in Stolen Catalytic Converters?
Why has there been such a significant increase in the number of Thefts of Catalytic Converters? The story can be told by looking at demand and supply. When emission rules are tightened all around the world, there will be an increased demand for these valuable metals. Meanwhile, dealers on the illegal market want converters because of the value they have for recycling, which adds gasoline to the fire of criminal activity. To put it another way, these sneaky and quick-moving criminals will consider your parked car an easy target.
How Criminals Steal Catalytic Converters is the Headline of This Article
Thieves are known for their meticulous methods. A seasoned criminal can remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle in a matter of minutes, frequently without being discovered. They will use simple tools to get beneath your vehicle, make quick cuts, and then get away with the prize. Who was the victim? You are now stuck with a high repair price and a car that sounds like a raging monster when it drives.
Theft of Catalytic Converters: Preventative Steps
Awareness is a powerful tool in the answer. The power of knowledge might be your greatest asset. Investing in a security system, such as alarms, cameras, or parking in well-lit, frequented locations, can serve as powerful deterrents to potential criminals. Some people even go so far as to choose catalytic converter protection devices, which is a more direct technique. Another possible solution would be to engrave the vehicle identification number (VIN) onto the converter. This would make the car less desirable to potential Thefts of Catalytic Converters and would make it simpler to locate if it were stolen
.
The thievery of catalytic converters is not a minor annoyance.
It’s an ongoing issue that requires constant care. Your vehicle can be protected from becoming a victim of this crime if you take preventative steps and maintain a state of vigilance. Always keep in mind that the cost of prevention is almost always going to be less than the cost of replacement. A Last Plea for Help in the Fight Against the Thefts of Catalytic Converters.
It is absolutely necessary to maintain a step advantage in this day and age of escalating Thefts of Catalytic Converters. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge base, make an investment in preventative measures, and check that your vehicle is secure. Let’s make it more difficult for these thieves to get away with their crimes and help put an end to this persistent problem.
Theft of catalytic converters, vehicle theft, preventative measures, and exhaust systems are some of the keywords that might be used here. thefts of catalytic converters, which cars are least likely to have catalytic converter stolen, catalytic converter theft prevention, catalytic converter theft Cambridge, catalytic converter lock fitted price. catalytic converter theft in uk.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.png00Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-06-05 10:12:492023-06-05 10:34:38Thefts of Catalytic Converters-Are a Persistent Epidemic-How Here’s to Protect Yourself and Your Business
So, this is a follow up to a recent post that I did about cat/converter thefts from the Halifax area of the UK. Unfortunately, this problem is nation wide. Because of the make up of these catalysts then they have become an easy target to steal. Cats contain precious metals that are in short supply. Consequently, illegal thefts are becoming common place.
Unfortunately, we are experiencing many of the thefts coming from Honda car models. Luckily some customers are covered by their car insurance but many are not. Going forward it would be worth drivers checking out with their insurance companies. Hence to see if they are covered or not!
Of course this type of practise is nothing new. Consequently, I know of a company in the Elland industrial area of West Yorkshire, that were badly hit. So, for ease of access to there vans then they were kept parked outside. Drivers made early starts giving the drivers a quick turn around in the early morning.
However one Monday morning the drivers turned up only to find that the whole fleet was stripped of their catalytic converters. What an horrific find ?
According to recent reports, catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise in the United Kingdom.
This is due to the fact that these devices, which are used to reduce harmful emissions from vehicles.
Are of course made of precious metals. Importantly, such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium. In order to prevent these thefts from occurring. Then it is important to take precautions. Cleverly, such as parking in a well-lit area or in a locked garage.
Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise here in the West Yorkshire and the rest of the UK. Once again because the converters are made of precious metals, such as platinum and palladium, which have been rising in value.
The thieves are targeting vehicles that are easy to access. Of course, such as those that are parked on the street or in public parking lots. Even in well-lit areas the thieves have the uncanny ability to crawl underneath a vehicle and remove the catalytic converter without detection.
Some well-lit car parking areas have had multiple thefts in one fowl swoop by the thieves.
Cat/converter thefts have dramatically increased since June with the number cases of reported to be “significant”. Crimes dropped to just 52 in April from over 400 at the start of the year in January but
An answer to the popular question “do I have to service my new car at the dealership?” straight from the horses mouth, Guelph Hyundai’s very own Service Adviser.
Car Servicing Advice-If you require car servicing or car repairs. The answer is NO?
“If you are a garage with a good reputation then the answer is In order to keep a warranty valid. So, the customer must perform all of the maintenance that is required. Of course and specified, in the owner’s manual to maintain the vehicle’s warranty”
This applies in the USA and also here in the European Union. Including here in Halifax Yorkshire, UK.
We are all covered by a right to repair law. Allowing us to repair cars that are still under warranty. Thus as long as the service parts fitted are up to the same standard. Hence, as the ones fitted as original equipment, by the car manufacturers.
This also applies to any new equipment that the car makers may bring out. Of course, they must release the patents for the aftercare garages . Or be able to repair and service the cars.
This prevents a closed shop scenario from being created. Consequently, with the new cars going to the main dealers only.
Toyota are having to release many patents to do with the EV cars. So that your regular garage can have a chance of repairing them.
Car servicing your new car Do you have to use the main dealer?
The straight forward answer to this is NO! You do not have to take your car back to the franchise car dealer from where you bought the car. The problem that we get at my garage here in Halifax Yorkshire, UK, is that many of the public think that you have to return back to the garage from where you purchased the vehicle to have a car service.
The franchise dealer will not of course tell you this when you buy the car, because they obviously want your business. But in many cases this could be inconvenient for the new car owner. We have many very satisfied customers who do not want to take their cars anywhere else, for repairs or for car servicing.
There are a few rules that you should follow, if you do go to your independent garage, they must adhere to a few rules. These rules were set out by the EU when the right to repair ruling first came out, and I think that this is something similar in the USA, with their “right to repair bill”.
Firstly they would like the garage to be of good standing and probably affiliated to a trade organization that gives the garage some credibility. Another way to check if your local garage has good standing is if they are an MOT testing station, here in the UK.
These accreditation’s will ensure that your car will have car servicing and repairs carried out to the right standards.
Another consideration to take into account is that you should check to see if your local garage uses car service parts that are as good as the manufacturer’s original equipment standards. Most quality garages will do this as a second nature, and use either OE parts (oil filters etc.) We use a top quality make called “Blue Print”, which are guaranteed to be just as good as the OE parts supplied by the main dealer garage.
If you stick to the rules and make sure that the car servicing booklet that is provided in every car is kept up to date, then you will have no problems if you have any warranty issues. By the way, if you do have a warranty problem then you should return the car back to the franchise dealer from where the car came.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/car-service-centre.jpg458688Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-06-03 19:39:252023-06-03 19:39:25Car Servicing Advice-Do I Have To Service My New Car At The Dealership? Look for quality and Standards
Just as I expected, the news is that consumers are keeping their vehicles longer at the moment. Importantly, I am old enough to know that this is always the case when any sort of crisis occurs! This time it is the “Covid 19” pandemic that we are having to face. So, in other years, we have had to suffer with financial downturns. However, this time it’s a health issue.
When there is a crisis, do businesses and regular workers always pull in their horns? It is not the time to be going out and buying a new car. especially with people not knowing whether they will have a job at the end of it all. Drivers are choosing to keep their old vehicles under the premise that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It’s better to spend a few hundred pounds on new tyres or a service than thousands on a new car.
This is welcome news to me as the owner of Pellon Tyre and Autocentre. Knowing that this pandemic will also slow down the rush to car electrification MOT testing is expected to remain at a high level, and our customers are certainly buying lots of tyres here in Halifax, UK.
Nowadays, Brits maintain their personal vehicles for longer.
In fact, according to the most recent statistics, the age of vehicles on the road is almost 12. That is significantly older than historical averages. Some dealers could be unsure about whether the epidemic will have any further effects on this psychological trend
MOT testing the ever-improving vehicle technology that makes them last longer. Some people like not having a car payment, so they aren’t in a rush to buy something brand new. But in the current economy, a growing number of people are saying no to trade-ins for a number of different reasons.
Customers might be keeping their dependable vehicles even longer these days.
Given the recent wave of furloughs and fears about job security. Some people might be reluctant to invest money on a new car. Some people may no longer need to drive because they are working from home on a longer-term basis.
Owners of vehicles can decide not to do any unneeded shopping for a lengthy period of time if they are worried about the threats to the public’s health. The current lack of new inventory is another factor.
People might be delaying their purchases of new vehicles until next year because there won’t be any inventory for 2020. Dealers would want to prepare for individuals retaining their automobiles much longer than previously if these factors are added to an upward growing trajectory.
Almost four million of the nation’s drivers have opted to keep their car for longer after spending money on repairs and maintenance, new research shows. The study for Kwik Fit, shows that the third of drivers
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/car-service-centre.jpg458688Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-05-29 19:39:592023-05-29 19:39:59Good News for Garages-Repair investment prompts 3.8 million owners to keep their car for longer
Fiat Punto have had a raw deal when it comes to clutches
So, recently, we have noticed that we have done more than our fair share of clutches. Especially on the Fiat Punto model of car. Interestingly, then I decided to do a little research. Finding some real horror stories. Subsequently, going back to the 2002 Punto models.
One unlucky customer. The owner of a “52” plate Punto 8 valve version. Complained to me about several problems that he had encountered. Including a very bad transmission judder and other small irritants. Unpleasant things, such as engine noises and various oil leaks. Recently, he had just had a clutch fitted! But 1400 miles later the juddering had returned.
Checked out his car on Fiat forums
Inquisitively, he too looked up the Fiat forums. Noticing the amount of Fiat owners who were experiencing various clutch problems on their Punto’s. So, the cars came mainly from the main dealers. Coming from different parts of the country. However, it looked as though Fiat knew about the problem. Subsequently, did little about the Punto problem.
Interestingly, other Fiat owners were experiencing problems. Especially, with a low biting point clutch pedal and rattling noises. Increasingly, when changing gears. Sounding as if there was a broken spring rattling noise. This can be a common sign that you have a clutch that needs changing. But disgruntled customers did not get much joy from Fiat. Indeed many Fiat drivers opted to have their clutches changed by an independent garage. In some cases a mechanically minded friend or relation was called into to help ?
Other owners complained about their pedals becoming hard when pressing to change gear. This then developed into them hearing scratching and clicking noises coming from the pedal area of the car, once again this is a sure sign that you need a replacement , in fact this is similar to the latest customers car that we fitted a new clutch to the other weekend and sure enough when we stripped it down the Punto needed a new clutch.
Fiat Punto clutch went again after only 2 weeks
Thank goodness the one that we did the other week was good and the car ran well after we had fitted it with a new clutch, but for some owners that was not the case. One unlucky gut had recently had a new clutch fitted, only to find that a few weeks later the same problems had come back to haunt him. The car had also had a new clutch pedal fitted, but after a few weeks the car once again became difficult to change gear, back to the same problem as pre new clutch?
The problem turned out to be a problem with the clutch bleeding. The mechanic who repaired the car did not know how to bleed the clutch because the Punto’s do not have a normal bleeding nipple system as do many other models of cars and for some reason some air had entered the fluid system of the clutch, making it difficult to change the gears again.
These Fiat Punto Clutch problems were corrected by the garage.
Who had just fitted the new clutch and the mistake was just put down to lack of Fiat Punto experience. So, this can very often happen in a garage that repairs mixed makes of cars.
Going back to the Fiat Punto in at my garage for a clutch. Well it was only the second clutch that this particular car had fitted since 2004 (ten years), so I do not think that that was at all bad. The job to fit a Fiat Punto clutch is one of the easiest to do and the car was back on the road in a couple of hours, the customer was delighted and off he went a few hundred pounds lighter, but happy?
Pellon Tyre and Auto-centre offer car and van servicing and repairs to all makes of vehicles. We are members of Unipart Car Care centres and give a nationwide guarantee for all our work and parts.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/clutch-image.jpg477725Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-05-20 19:39:112023-05-20 19:39:11Fiat Punto Clutch problems- since 2004? Popular car in Halifax UK
The most frustrating thing about shock absorbersand struts, (which are basically the same thing) is that they are sealed units and although they are classed as maintenance free, they will
very often start to leak. In some countries shock absorbers are known as dampers, because that is exactly what they do they damp down and level out the bumps that your car is picking up as it drives along the road.
Depending what the model of your car is, then the shock absorbers should be changed at certain mileage intervals,
If you are not sure what this is then you can perform a simple bounce test. All you have to do is to press the corner of your car a few times with your body weight and then stop the bouncing. Once you stop then your your nissan micra should settle back down straight away, if it bounces again more than twice then the very often start to leak. In some countries Shock Absorbers- Nissan Micra are known as dampers require changing. You do this procedure on each corner, bouncing the car and then releasing it.
In my opinion this is not a very satisfactory way of checking yourshock absorbers, but at the moment I have not seen a satisfactory machine that will do the job. The best machine that I ever saw and consequently bought was a tester that was sold by SUN equipment.
You drove the car onto vibration plates, which shook the cars suspension very violently and then suddenly stopped. The action of the shock absorbers was then recorded on to paper printouts via an ink needle, similar to the ones used in hospital heart machines. If the pattern was tight then the car shock absorbers were good, if they were wide, then the shocks needed replacing.
This was a great machine because it produced a print out so that the customer could see the state that his shocks were in. ironically the machine was scrapped by Kwik-Fit after I sold them the business and I don’t think that they are made any more.
How do Shock Absorbers work? Shock Absorbers- Nissan Micra
Some cars never have their shocks replaced, but with age the ride of your car will get bouncier and the cars steering will be all over the place when cornering, although this is sometimes
blamed on the cars tyres it is more often than not the shocks shock absorbers that need changing.
As I have said earlier, the most common problem is the fact that they leak oil. If this is the case then they will need changing. Any kind of shock absorber works on the same basis. There is a piston rod that enters a chamber that is filled with oil. The piston has oil seals to prevent leakage.
As the piston is compressed by the weight then it takes the force of the road surface and the car. Your shocks take all the up and down pressure (bumps) and the cars chassis remains level, or as level as possible whilst driving along.
When the shocks are worn or broken then you will get an uneven ride in your car. I think that the worse culprits of this are on cars that are used as Taxis. You can often feel the older cars bouncing up and down as you drive along, and apart from alcohol, I am convinced that this is one of the reasons that people are sick in the back of a Taxi.
Struts are normally fitted at the front of cars and are fitted inside a coil spring unit.
These are known as McPherson struts and just like the shock absorbers, they can leak oil. These struts along with the springs that they are inserted into can very often break, and the symptoms are rattling and banging noises coming from the car when going over bumps in the road, This is another problem that the potholescan cause. “Broken springs”
An old perennial that keeps cropping up is that when a shocker has to be replaced then should they be replaced in pairs. In my opinion this is a grey area, the manufacturers always recommend that you fit two, and I think that this is the perfect scenario, but in practice the customer wants to get away with having to spend as little as possible and in general only has the one fitted.
The rule to this is simple, if your car is relatively new, then just change the one, the one on the other side should still be good, but if the car is an older model then you should change the shocks on each side of the same axle, backs or fronts. This will give you an even ride and more stable cornering.
Normal shocks are fairly easy to change for the home mechanic
But the struts are more difficult and require some special tools, such as spring compressors and so I would take your car to a local garage, for the work doing.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/car-suspension-only.jpg300400Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-05-19 07:39:192023-05-20 07:42:53Shock Absorbers- Nissan Micra – MOT Test-Failure if they are Worn and Leaking
Importantly this also includes the following car models-Audi A3 (8V chassis), VW Golf (mk7), Seat Leon (5F chassis), Skoda Octavia (7N chassis).
So, this article explains about the repair instructions for a problem with the vehicles heater not working correctly. Fixing the heat exchanger blockage fixes the problem and explained in this attached article!
Opus IVS has released details of diagnostic support its IVS 360 VAG team offered to a technician requiring assistance with intermittent heat problems. Job sheet Makes and models: Audi A3 (8V chassis), VW Golf (mk7), Seat
So, looking back to the good old days. Then the modern driver knows nothing about car heating problems. As an old but active garage owner, then I can go back in time when certain cars were equipped with a blanket. Yes a blanket was provided to put over our laps keeping us warm. Heaters were very finicky and fragile often failing to work at all. Especially in cold winters. My first job as an apprentice mechanic brought me into contact with the first British leyland minis.
These little cars were also freezing cold with very ineffective heater systems that often failed the driver. Thankfully things have changed big style including the addition of air conditioning in most car models these days.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/car-owner.jpg435273Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-05-18 07:38:582023-05-18 07:38:58V W Problem Heater- VAG cabin heating not getting hot – Garagewire
So, as I have said before, one of the great things about owning a garage. Importantly, is the diversity of jobs that we can encounter. Hence in any busy working week. This past week was no exception. One of our lady customers called it with her car, a Toyota RAV 4 !
Alarmingly, the reason was that the car was performing badly when trying to overtake. Especially, when she put her foot down the car was very slow to respond.
She had a new Duel Mass Flywheel fitted about six months ago ! Interestingly, she had wondered if this could have anything to do with the cars recent problem?
The Toyota RAV 4 was fitted with the 2.0D-4 D engine. Importantly, she had not experienced many engine problems in the past. In fact apart from the clutch the car had been trouble free.
Ryan road tests the car !
When Ryan our workshop manager took the car out for a test drive. So, he noticed that the engine warning light was also illuminated . So on his return he plugged the car into our diagnostics machine. Finding that the code PO627 came up. When we looked the code fault up on our diagnostic site. Then it stated that the problem could be a couple of things.
That the internal fuel was below the target fuel pressure that it should be, despite the engine ECU opens the Suction Control Valve (SCV)
Fuel blockage.
Toyota RAV 42.0 D Engines are fitted with a Denso electronic high-pressure fuel pump. Controlling, the fuel rail pressure and the volume of fuel and are both replaceable items. Denso also make the Fuel Pressure Regulator (we call it the SCV) that can cause the lack of power problems with the Toyota RAV4
Problems.
Ryan suspected it to be the SCV and this was confirmed by a quick phone call to a friend of ours that specialises in diesel engines and fuel pumps. He told us that the SCV Valves had given most him most problems with this particular RAV 4 engine fault and so we took onto ourselves to tackle this particular problem.
New SCV ordered for the Toyota RAV 4
We contacted the customer with a price. Reluctantly, she gave us the go ahead to carry out the necessary work on the car’s engine. We could only buy the SCV parts from the Toyota dealership. Unfortunately, they were not available from any of the local parts factors.
The first part of the job was to remove the two bolts that fasten the radiator expansion tank to the car. Allowing you more room to work. Importantly, you can see this in the picture the arrow is pointing to ! Where the fuel pump is located. Down near the yellow dipstick top. Ryan then had to remove the remove the air intake/inter-cooler pipe.
The only difficult thing that Ryan could see was the location of the pump, that the SCV’s were located; they were located at the back of the pump, making the job a little fiddly.
When the new Toyota RAV 4 valves arrived. Hence they were both coloured differently. So,one was green and the other red. It was important that the new ones had to fit where the old ones had come from.
Hence the colour coding.
The valves are held into the pump by two heavy duty Allen screws each and were eventually freed by using an heavy duty Allen key type bit that fitted into an impact wrench set, with an extension tube to give him some leverage. This did the trick and the screws finally gave in to the pressure.
An important thing to watch out for is that the valve seats have two O-rings. These O-rings must be replaced and refitted into the valve seats; Ryan lubricated them when fitting them back, before the new valves were fitted back onto the pump.
Possible loss of fuel !
Another observation is that you will lose a small amount of fuel when doing this job, so protect the immediate area of the pump with some old cloth to soak up the diesel that comes out and you will not make a mess on the rest of the engine or the garage floor. We also thought it would be worth fitting a new fuel filter, and so we did.
When Ryan completed the work, he then re-set the Toyota RAV 4 engine diagnostic trouble codes , with our engine diagnostic machine and it then only took a couple of attempts to re start the engine, because there would have been a little trapped air in the system from when the valves were removed. If you are doing this job at home on your own one of these vehicles, we do recommend that you keep everything as clean as possible and do not let any dirt or other contamination onto the new valves.
The job only took about an hour
Including the ordering of the parts. Later the car was road tested and found to be cured of the problem. Happily, our lady customer picked up the Toyota RAV 4 paid us and went on her way a happy customer.
This problem can also be found on the following Toyota models
Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D (CDT220) 1999>2003,Toyota Avensis Verso 2.0D-4D (CLM20) 2001>2005,Toyota Corolla 2.0 D-4D (CDE110) 2000>2001,Toyota Corolla Verso 2.0 D-4D (CDE120) 001>2004,Toyota Corolla 2.0 D-4D (CDE120) 2001>2007 (90bhp & 109bhp),Toyota Previa 2.0 D-4D (CLR30) 2001>2007. This information is from Blue Print.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/4-x-4-vehicle.jpg340588Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-05-16 19:38:582023-05-16 19:38:58Toyota RAV 4 Poor Problems? Caused by the “Suction Control Valve” (SCV)
Wow ! I could not believe it when I first heard about the new development in automotive coil springs.
So, Coil springs have always been one of the most likely components to fail the British MOT test. Because, they are stuck beneath our cars. Subsequently, are open to everything that the elements and the roads have to throw at them. After all that they are expected to help take the strain off the car. Of course, when going over bad bumpy roads and also cornering and generally helping our cars give the owners a comfortable ride.
The springs are open to rusting and at the same time cope with the horrendous roads, full of potholes and generally in bad condition. The coil springs usually meet their end when the car does drive over a pothole and one of the coil springs breaks. Some rattle and bang but some break off at the top or bottom and are not detected until the dreaded MOT test or they are sometimes spotted on a service.
Coil springs have been around ever since I can remember and much longer
But now there is a new kid on the block, a coil spring made out of glass fibre and epoxy resin (FRP). These new springs are everything that the old steel versions are not. They are weather proof, this means that they will not rust and they are chemical proof and almost unbreakable. The other added bonus is that they weigh a lot less than the conventional steel counterparts. The FRP springs also consume much less energy than their steel cousins.
This new technology has been developed by the Sogefi Group who are very well known for their innovations and new developments in the Auto industry and have now come out with this excellent coil spring product that I am sure will sweep the world and replace the steel counterparts. The Sogefi group have specifically set out to create a replacement product of the steel coil spring and come out with something that is half the weight, which along with other lighter materials will help cars to become more Eco-friendly, with less fuel consumption than when fitted with the conventional steel coil springs. Another plus point for the FRP coil springs will be the fact that they can be mass produced.
I am not sure that it will be a good thing for our garage businesses
As replacing the coil springs one of the main Suspension Parts, is part of our bread and butter income, but if this helps the consumer, which I am sure it will then I am all for progress and moving forward . I must admit I have noticed that the steel made coil
springs seem to have being getting thinner in stature and not as robust as the ones that we have been replacing and so it might be time for a change and who knows if they do break on impact . Because they made of glass fibre and epoxy resin, then they may just be repairable. This material has been around for some time now and is very flexible and repairable. I was also wondering if we would still have to use our Coil Spring Compressors. So, to remove and fit a replacement spring? probably. I also wonder if our replacement spring suppliers will have to keep both types of Springs Manufacturer products in stock and will one replace the other?
Ford KA in for suspected broken coil springs.
This leads me onto my next little snippet. About a car that was left with us the other day . So, with a knocking noise coming from the front of his car. The car was an old style Ford KA 1.3, 2006 with a petrol engine. The noise wasn’t easy to find ! Happily, we found that a broken spring was the culprit. When I have read about the new style FRP Replacement Coil Springs. I cannot find where it tells us about their strength. Hence or whether or not they will outperform the steel ones. But changing the steel spring has certainly become good business for us. So only time will tell.
We got permission to change the broken spring from our customer and the job was done, the KA was picked up later that day and our customer went home a happy man.
https://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/car-suspension-only.jpg300400Eric Robertshttps://www.pellonautocentre.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Logo_Pellon.fw_.pngEric Roberts2023-05-12 07:40:052023-05-12 07:40:05Fibreglass Coil Springs-Made from Fibreglass could they Replace Steel Coil Springs?
