New Life for Your Older Car in Idaho Falls
Posted April 24, 2016 2:13 AMIsn't it amazing how much of our stuff is disposable these days? Clothes, electronics, housewares, furniture.
Remember the days when Idaho Falls families mended their clothes, polished their shoes and neatly put away their toys every night? If something was lost or ruined through neglect, your parents just told you to do without, that you should have taken better care of it. They considered the loss a “life lesson.”
But today many Idaho Falls drivers tend to neglect one of the more expensive and important purchases we make: our vehicles. Vehicles are a lot more reliable today than back when we polished our shoes, and that reliability can sometimes make us take them for granted. Drivers in Idaho Falls neglect good vehicle care practices and procrastinate when it comes to preventive maintenance. What we're really doing is heading straight for one of those dreaded “life lessons.” Eventually we'll pay for our neglect in repair bills and a shorter life for our vehicle.
Is procrastinating on routine maintenance really so terrible? Consider what happens when you procrastinate on brushing your teeth, washing your clothes or getting the dishes done. Gunk builds up, makes the job harder and ultimately damages your teeth, clothing or dishes. It's the same with your vehicle. Some of the best auto advice out there for Idaho Falls drivers is to stay on top of routine oil changes by bringing their car into All Things Automotive & Diesel Service. Even a little extra interval between oil changes can result in oil sludge, which can clog passages in your engine. This means oil can't get to some of the engine components, and they'll wear out faster without lubrication. Every time you put off an oil change, the problem gets worse, eventually cutting years off the life of your engine.
The same is true if you skip cooling system service. Corrosion inhibitors in the fluid become depleted over time, opening the system up to damage. Consistent neglect will lead to holes in your radiator. Talk to your friendly service advisor at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service for suggestions and feedback.
Neglect of other fluids can also result in engine damage. Brake fluid, transmission fluid, differential fluid—all of these need to be serviced on a regular basis. In addition, your fuel system needs periodic cleaning or it can start to break down and cause permanent damage to your engine.
The good news is that it's never too late to get on track and start getting good, regular preventive maintenance for your vehicle at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service. You may not be able to reverse damage that's already been done, but you can prevent further damage.
It really does all start with an oil change. With a full-service oil change at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service, your fluids will be checked and your car inspected for wear and tear. Our pros at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service can also advise you of other inspections and maintenance items that are coming due. If you're on top of oil changes, your service advisor will keep track of your maintenance schedule and remind you what needs to be done.
Older vehicles are going to need repairs. But with good maintenance, those repairs will involve fairly routine stuff like alternators, water pumps, belts and batteries. The cost of these replacement parts at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service is much cheaper than the repair bills that come with serious engine damage, and they're certainly less than the cost of a new car.
We may not need to polish our shoes anymore, and tossing out that outdated cell phone may not be such a loss. But when it comes to our vehicles, they're just too valuable to be treated as disposable. Let's take a step back, listen to our parents and take care of our stuff. If we don't, we could be on our way to a “life lesson” involving our bank account and a bus pass.
All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903
Time for Differential Service at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service?
Posted April 17, 2016 3:36 AM
Hello Idaho Falls - let's talk differentials. If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, your differential is on the back axle. With front-wheel drive cars, the differential is up front. All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive vehicles have three differentials - front, rear and in the middle. So you see, you've got a differential (or two or three) and it needs service now and then.
What does your vehicle differential do? Well, it compensates for the differences in speed between your outer and inner wheels in a turn. Using the dimensions of a typical car, let's compare the distance the wheels travel from the start of a turn through to the completion of the turn.
The inside wheel travels about 12.6 feet/3.8 meters. How much farther does the outside wheel travel? About 18.8 feet/5.7 meters – over 6 feet/1.9 meters more. This means the outer tire has to rotate 9 times in the same amount of time that the inner tire has to rotate only 6 times - so the outer tire has to spin faster in order to keep up. The differential makes this possible.
The gears in the differential are cooled and lubricated by differential fluid. It's this fluid that needs to be serviced. Small bits of the gears break off and are suspended in the differential fluid. The dirtier the fluid, the faster the gears wear.
So your All Things Automotive & Diesel Service technician drains the old fluid out and replaces it with fresh fluid. Some differentials also need a special additive that is put in at this time.
So when should you have your vehicle differential serviced? Intervals vary from vehicle to vehicle – and may be as short as 15,000 miles/24,000 km – so check your vehicle owner's manual or ask us at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service. If you frequently drive with heavy loads, tow a trailer or drive in hot ID conditions, you may need to change differential fluid more often. Servicing your differential on schedule at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service can save a pricey replacement down the road.
Give us a call.
All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903
Idaho Falls Exhaust and Emissions Service
Posted April 11, 2016 4:45 AM
Many Idaho Falls residents don't realize that there is more to exhaust system maintenance than just tailpipes and mufflers, if you can see smoke or if it's too loud. Exhaust service at a full-service automotive center like All Things Automotive & Diesel Service is really a lot more comprehensive these days.
For example, in the U.S., the federal government required catalytic converters for all cars in 1976 and on-board emission control computers in 1990. ID and federal emissions requirements have forced manufacturers to come up with much more sophisticated ways to comply with environmental laws. This also goes for cars sold in Canada.
So, exhaust service has really become exhaust and emissions service. High-tech computer-controlled emissions devices are now necessary. And because it's so sophisticated, we recommend having your emission system checked out by a qualified technician, like the ones we have at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service, regularly to make sure everything's working right – which is usually every six months or 6,000 miles/10,000 kilometers.
If your 'check engine light' comes on while you are driving around the Idaho Falls area, especially if it's flashing, then you need to bring your car into All Things Automotive & Diesel Service ASAP. Chances are it's an emission related problem. Signs of exhaust or emissions trouble include difficulty starting, engine noise or smoke.
We hope this hasn't been too 'exhausting' of a discussion. Remember that a properly functioning exhaust system is for ID’s health and safety. Talk with your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service in Idaho Falls if you think you might need your exhaust system checked. A quick look can sure save a lot of pain down the road.
All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903
Clean Fuel Makes a Happy Engine in Idaho Falls, ID
Posted April 4, 2016 6:28 AMIf the fuel system in your vehicle is dirty, you will be hurting your engine and losing performance as you drive around Idaho Falls, ID.
Unless they drive a vintage car, Idaho Falls auto owners have fuel injectors which need to be properly maintained. That is why your vehicle owner's manual has a schedule for cleaning your fuel injectors and other parts of your fuel system.
Your friendly and knowledgeable service advisor at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service in Idaho Falls has the tools and chemicals to do the job right. All Things Automotive & Diesel Service uses a process that gives your car a deep, professional fuel system cleaning. The particles, gum and varnish that build up in your fuel system are removed so that it can run cleanly and efficiently.
After a professional fuel system cleaning at All Things Automotive & Diesel Service, you'll notice more power, improved and reduced exhaust emissions. We strongly recommend you follow your fuel system cleaning service recommendations to keep your vehicle running strong.
Idaho Falls drivers don't need the added expense of replacing a fuel injector that's been damaged by neglect. Check with your friendly and knowledgeable All Things Automotive & Diesel Service service advisor and see when your car is scheduled for fuel system cleaning.
All Things Automotive & Diesel Service
1997 Walton Ave #C
Idaho Falls, ID 83401
208-523-3903