AUTONET TV

Lubricate Driveshaft

See if any of these are happening to your vehicle.  You feel it vibrating excessively underneath when it’s running, or you hear strange clunking, grating, or grinding sounds coming from beneath.  Maybe it’s hard to turn your vehicle, or you can hear squeaking when you’re going slow.  Perhaps you feel a shudder when you step on the throttle.  

Any of those could be signs that your vehicle’s driveshaft might need lubricating, and it’s important to have one of our technicians check it out. Your vehicle’s engine puts out a lot of twisting power.  That force is called torque, and the driveshaft is the part that handles the job of transferring all that torque from your engine to the wheels.  If it’s a four-wheel or all-wheel drive vehicle, it will have driveshafts front and rear. 

Some driveshafts have different segments which are connected by couplings called U-Joints.   So that everything can glide along fine, that whole assembly needs to stay well lubricated.  Our technician can inspect the driveshaft and U-joints to make sure there aren’t any broken or excessively worn parts.  

Many manufacturers recommend servicing and lubricating the driveshaft at certain intervals, and it’s important to keep on that schedule.  It’s essential because poor lubrication can lead to a failure while you are driving, possibly causing other expensive parts to fail.  Not keeping your driveshaft lubricated or failing to maintain it regularly is the top cause of driveshaft problems. 

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

It's (Not) Complicated (Engine Air Filter)

While many components of your vehicle are complex and composed of lots of mechanical and electrical parts, there's one that isn't complicated but still important.  It's your engine air filter.

(And, we should point out, the engine air filter isn't to be confused with the cabin air filter.  The cabin air filter cleans air that goes into the passenger compartment while the engine air filter cleans air that goes into the engine itself.)

Why does your engine need a filter? Think of all the stuff–dirt, dust, and debris in the air¬–that gets kicked up on the road.  If that were to go unfiltered into your engine, it could damage other components.

There are many different materials used in an engine air filter, including paper, cloth (frequently cotton), and other synthetic fabrics.  The material is usually folded tightly to maximize the filtering capability over a relatively small surface.  

Before computers were employed to determine the proper mix of air and gasoline, a dirty air filter could contribute to a decline in fuel economy.  But a study of engine air filters done by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009 found that in modern fuel-injected engines, computers can maintain the correct air/fuel mix even when an engine air filter is really dirty, minimizing effects on fuel economy.

That same clogged air filter, though, can affect your vehicle's performance, mainly how much power and acceleration it delivers.  In testing three different vehicles, a dirty air filter made the vehicles slower by about 6-12%.  That's something you'd definitely notice if you were driving.

But it happens slowly, over the course of several months, so you might not even know your engine air filter is dirty unless you bring it to us and have a technician inspect yours.  

There are many different types of engine air filters, from the ones made by the original vehicle manufacturer to aftermarket ones.  Some can increase your engine's performance; some can be washed and re-used but are generally more expensive.

Your service advisor can recommend several options for you, depending on the type of vehicle you drive and your driving habits.  Dirty, dusty roads will require more frequent engine air filter changes than cleaner drive routes, and each vehicle manufacturer recommends when your filter should be changed.  Keeping it clean will help your engine breathe a little bit easier.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Avoiding Exhaustion (EGR Valve Replacement)

No, ERG isn’t the sound a pirate makes.  It’s a part in your vehicle that recirculates exhaust gas to reduce certain gases and pollutants in the atmosphere.  In fact, ERG stands for “Exhaust Gas Recirculation.”

One gas our vehicles may make when they burn fuel is nitric oxide, which can play a big role in creating smog and acid rain.  It’s better for our planet if our vehicles aren’t spewing that into the air.  

One inventive way of reducing it is by taking the exhaust and channeling it back to the vehicle’s air intake system. When it travels through the engine again, its composition is changed, and it comes out cleaner.  It also helps the engine be more efficient.

The EGR valve can fail after a while, and some signs you may notice are the engine is miss firing, it may suddenly lose power or your Check Engine light may come on.  You may also see your fuel economy decrease or hear your engine knock. A bad EGR valve can also make your vehicle fail an emissions test.

There are several different types, including newer ones that are electronically controlled rather than working on vacuum pressure.  They are found in newer gasoline and diesel vehicles. If you notice any of the symptoms of a failing EGR valve, bring your vehicle in so a technician can check to see if your EGR is still up to its “exhausting” job.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Braking Good (Brake Drum Replacement)

Maybe your vehicle feels like Breaking Bad.  In other words, when you brake, things are bad.  You may find it takes you a longer distance to stop, you feel a vibration, or it’s pulsating when you depress the brake pedal, or perhaps your vehicle pulls to one side.

Those can be symptoms of failing brake drums.  While a lot more vehicles these days have disc brakes, many vehicles still have brake drums, almost always in the rear wheels. The drum is a cast iron shallow cylinder that surrounds the other parts, including curved brake shoes that press pads against the drum to slow you down or stop the vehicle.

Any time you have things going wrong with your brakes, you should get them fixed soon.  Safely operating any vehicle depends on having the brakes be able to slow and stop you dependably.  It can make the difference between avoiding a collision and having one. 

When you bring your vehicle in, a technician will inspect your braking system. Depending on the wear, drum brakes can be resurfaced or replaced. Sometimes it’s cheaper to replace the drum than to resurface it.  It’s important for all the other brake system components to be inspected first and all worn parts replaced.  

Most of the time, when you have your drums resurfaced or replaced, the brake shoes should be replaced at the same time. You have brakes at each end of your axles, and the same brake service should be done at both ends so that both sides can have consistent, even stopping power. 

Your brakes can save your life.  If their braking power is bad, you owe it to yourself and others on the road to let us help make them good again.  Good and safe.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Getting Off to a Running Start (Starter Replacement)

When you start your vehicle’s engine, there’s another motor that makes that whole process possible.  It’s called the starter, and it’s a small electric motor that gets your vehicle running.  

As you can imagine, it’s quite a chore for a little electric motor to turn over the big engine that powers your vehicle.  And after hundreds of successful starting missions, after a while, it will start to give out.

You’ll know the starter is starting to give up the ghost when it turns too slowly or sometimes doesn’t do anything when you turn on the ignition.  Maybe it makes funny noises like grinding when you try to start your vehicle or maybe there’s just a click. Those are all reasons to get your vehicle over to us so we can see what’s going on. 

A technician will make sure the problem is the starter and not in the battery, a switch, or other electrical component or connections.  If all of those are ruled out, your starter will be replaced.  The technician will also make sure all the cables and connections to the battery are clean and solid.  

Often starter problems come on gradually, and they often give you advanced warning that it’s time to have it fixed—before you find yourself frustrated— and stranded.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Differential Essential (Differential Fluid Exchange)

What's the dif? To an automotive technician, it's the differential, a part of your vehicle that helps direct power from the engine to the wheels.  The differential is a gearbox that enables the drive wheels to turn at different speeds (they do that when you turn).  

Inside the differential is a fluid that makes sure those gears and other parts are lubricated since there are a lot of metal moving parts in there.  (Your vehicle may have more than one differential in it depending on the drivetrain.) 

As you can imagine, it's important that the lubricant in those differentials do its job.  Otherwise, the gears may be damaged by heat and friction. The more you drive your vehicle, the more likely it is for that lubricating fluid to break down.

So, it's important to have the differential fluid exchanged every so often.  Your vehicle's manufacturer recommends how often your model should have that done, but a common interval is every 30,000-60,000 miles/50,000 km-100,000km.  Regular exchange of differential fluid can reduce premature wear of the gears inside.

Scheduled maintenance goes a long way to preventing differential problems, but sometimes when they begin to fail, you may hear the vehicle sounding a little louder than usual where the differentials are located.  

When it comes to changing the differential fluid, some have a drain plug in them. Others require the entire cover to be removed to drain the fluid.  There are often gaskets that must be changed at the same time to make sure there are no leaks.
Now when someone asks you, "What's the dif?" You’ll know how essential the differential is and how to keep it running in top shape.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Motor Oil?The Synthetic Advantage (Synthetic oil vs Conventional)

You’ve probably already heard that regular oil changes are extremely important for the health of your vehicle’s engine. That’s sound advice.  But what you might not know is when it comes to motor oil, the real thing may not be the best thing for your engine.

There are different types of motor oil:
•    Conventional oil, extracted from the ground and refined.
•    Synthetic oil, manufactured from high-quality base oils and artificially-made chemical compounds.
•    Synthetic oil blend, a mixture of conventional and synthetic oils.

The first thing you need to know is that most new engines require synthetic oil.  If synthetic oil is recommended for your car – you MUST use it.

For the rest, there are many advantages to using synthetic oil over conventional oil. 

•    Synthetic oil provides better protection for your engine while helping it to perform better.
•    Conventional oil breaks down over time, while synthetic oil lasts longer.
•    Synthetics can stand higher temperature extremes, both heat, and cold.

Synthetic oil can be a better choice if you live in an extremely hot or cold climate or put a lot of strain on your engine by towing or carrying heavy loads.  It also may be good for older engines that sometimes have a tendency to develop sludge. 

Synthetic oil is a more expensive option, but you likely won’t have to have your oil changed as often.  Some synthetics are recommended to last 10,000-15,000 miles/16,000-24,000 km between changes. 

You might also consider a synthetic blend that gives you some of the advantages of synthetic oil at a lower cost. Have a talk with your service adviser about recommendations for what will best suit your vehicle and driving habits. 

It’s interesting to note that in recent years, more than one out of two vehicle owners are opting for synthetic oil or a synthetic blend when they get their oil changed. Sounds like they’re on to something. In the long run, if you have fewer oil changes with synthetics, you’ll use less oil, a bonus for our environment. 

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Easy on the Wheel (Power Steering)

Steering a vehicle these days doesn't take much effort, but if you got behind the wheel back before power steering was invented, you'd need to practically have the strength of Hercules to turn the wheel.   

The first power steering systems widely available changed everything.  Chrysler introduced its Hydraguide power system in 1951. The "hydra" was for a hydraulic pump. It pressurized fluid that multiplied the force applied to the steering wheel so it was easier to turn the wheels on the ground. That pump got power from a belt attached to the engine, but unfortunately it wasted a lot of energy in the process. Plus, the system of hoses and pumps required a fair amount of maintenance and repair. Some say this system provides the most "natural" steering experience of power systems.

Recently, automakers have turned to electric power steering.  It gets its power from the car's electrical battery and charging system and uses an electric motor to turn the wheels.  Since it's not powered by the mechanical energy of your vehicle's engine, electric power steering increases fuel economy.  Electric power steering also doesn't require hoses and fluids, meaning there are fewer things that can go wrong.  That means less maintenance. 

There's a third system that combines both of the others, called electro-hydraulic power steering. In this system, the hydraulic power steering pump is powered by an electric motor and, some say, gives the driver that more natural feel of hydraulic systems.  

Because steering is so important for the safe operation of any vehicle, it's essential to make sure yours is working the way it should. Different types of systems require different kinds of upkeep. Regular, scheduled maintenance according to the manufacturer's recommendations should help keep your steering in top shape so you can avoid any sudden steering failures.  Bring your vehicle to us so a technician can inspect your steering system.  And, of course, if you notice any steering problems, make an appointment right away to have those issues looked at.  Now that's one stop that makes sense!

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

Bump in the Road (Alignment)

There's something you can do that helps your tires last longer, wear more evenly and your vehicle handle better.  "Sign me up," you say! Wondering what that is? It's aligning your wheels, and it will literally point you in the right direction when it comes to a better and safer driving experience.

When your vehicle was designed, the engineers made sure your tires were all pointing the same way by designing the suspension to make optimal contact with the road. That way the ride is smooth, you don't feel vibrations or shimmying and your vehicle travels in a straight line, without pulling to one side or the other.

Unfortunately, your vehicle is not brand new; time and distance take their toll.  After hitting countless bumps, potholes, or the occasional curb, your suspension gets knocked a little out of kilter.  Those precise angles the engineers planned on for your vehicle? They get out of whack

Uneven or premature tire wear is one of the first signs your alignment may be off.  If you are driving straight and your steering wheel isn't pointing straight, that's another indication alignment might need checking. Tire squealing can also be a clue.

When you bring your vehicle in for an alignment, we use equipment designed to measure the tilts and angles of your suspension's parts.  The technician will also check to see if any of the vehicle's suspension components are worn or broken.  We will also check your steering angle sensor to make sure it's set properly. 

The process is different for vehicles that are front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, or 4-wheel drive. 

After your alignment, your tires should wear more evenly, your steering should be straight and your wheels vibration-free.  If it's been a while since you've had your vehicle aligned, bring it in and we'll check it.  Usually, your alignment will be a little off after one or two years of driving, and it's wise to follow your vehicle manufacturer's recommendation for how often your model should be checked.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255

When Your Tires are Tired (Tire Replacement)

Tires are so reliable these days that few drivers pay much attention to them.  But tires wear out.  They have a tough job since they are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road.  They have to get your vehicle going from a stop, keep it going, make sure it is headed in the direction you want it to go, and –importantly – slow and stop it.  

The only time many drivers think about their tires is when there's a problem, such as a flat.  Or, they may lose control when they find their vehicle isn't stopping or steering like it used to.  One major safety organization estimates that 1 out of every 11 crashes is related to a tire issue.  

Many of those problems are caused by tire tread wearing out.  The rubber is worn off by friction after hours and hours on roads.  The sidewalls can also be damaged by your tires hitting curbs, potholes, or other debris. Plus, rubber ages as time passes.  We recommend you let us inspect your tires periodically so we can spot potential problems before it's too late.  

When it's time for you to replace your tires, it's important to know which type is right for your driving habits and what environments your tires usually encounter.  The most common tires are called all-season. As the name says, they are pretty good in every season and their tread lasts a long time.  In other words, they're good all-purpose, all-around tires.

Another option is a performance all-season tire, which has a little more grip but won't last as long. Then there are ultra-high-performance tires (UHP) which have wonderful grip and handling but an even shorter lifespan. They also aren't the greatest in slippery conditions.

For those who live in more extreme climates, especially where there is a lot of snow, winter tires are definitely worth considering because their performance in cold, snowy conditions can make a huge difference in traction, improving steering, and stopping.  Some places require winter tires during certain periods of winter.

Don't underestimate how much of a difference tires can make on your vehicle.  Sure, you probably don't pay much attention to them, but they are one of the most important investments you can make, and they can pay valuable dividends when you need them to come through for you.

Economy Transmission and Auto Repair
201 Terryville Road
Bristol, CT 06010
8605891255