HomeTowne Auto Repair and Tire Blog

Why is diagnostic testing important?

In Automotive Diagnostics by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireJanuary 29, 2020

A customer came to HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire, because their vehicle’s check engine light had turned on.

They stated that they weren’t having any problems when driving the car, but the light had turned on a couple days earlier.

The check engine light coming on is one problem that can be addressed through diagnostic testing.

You may have heard of this process if you’ve had something going on with your car.

Diagnostics might sound unnecessary, but it’s a very helpful and important part of getting your vehicle back on the road.

The importance of performing diagnostics

Diagnostic testing goes beyond reading a code or looking over a vehicle.

Anybody can take a car to have a code read, or check it out themselves with a flashlight. Diagnostic testing enables technicians to dig deeper into the problem.

Codes are like zip codes — they tell us where in the neighborhood you’re supposed to be. However, further investigation is necessary, because they can mask other issues.

For example, there could be a code for a catalytic converter and we could say, “OK. We read the code. Replace it.” But the code could really be caused by oxygen sensors that aren’t reading correctly.

Through diagnostic testing, technicians are able to determine the actual reason for a failure or problem, which can help you save money in the long run.

Diagnostic testing process

The diagnostic testing process begins by gathering relevant information from our customers.

This includes any sounds, a problem (or problems) they are experiencing, when they are noticing an issue, and any incidents that may be connected with it.

Providing as much information you can helps us narrow down the investigation and come up with a solution more quickly.

Once all of the details have been collected, our Woodbridge mechanics will conduct a courtesy inspection, where they ensure that nothing seems amiss on the vehicle.

Then, the technicians try to encourage the problem to reoccur. This includes performing a test drive, which helps them determine if there are any odd noises or the car isn’t running correctly. As the procedure continues, we hope to zone in on a certain part of the vehicle and, eventually, the cause itself.

While diagnosing a noise or behavior, we also do our own research using Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) – in case it’s a common problem with this type of vehicle. Additionally, our employees utilize diagnostic equipment with built in diagnostic capabilities and other resources that are tailored to auto repair shops.

Using a scan tool on a Jeep. — Using a scan tool on a Jeep

It can sometimes be difficult to pinpoint the problem, especially if what the driver is experiencing isn’t occurring all the time.

For example, the A/C on a Chevy Colorado we’re working on next week will randomly stop blowing air. That could be caused by a few different problems – it may have a bad blower motor or the wiring may need to be replaced.

So, performing diagnostics can take time. You may even need to pick up the vehicle and bring it back when the problem starts happening more frequently.

HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire is an authorized Michelin and BFGoodrich tire dealer located in Woodbridge, Virginia. Automotive repair services are performed on all makes and models, including oil changes, brakes, alignments, inspections, and computer engine diagnostics.

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What is a timing chain?

In Auto Parts by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireJanuary 23, 2020

A new timing chain has been installed on a 2007 Mazda Miata.

The vehicle was brought in when the driver heard a noise at certain revolutions. This sound was caused by a variable valve timing sprocket, which had a broken pin.

Special tools were needed to make sure everything was lined up properly.

Located in the front of the engine, the timing chain connects the camshaft and the crankshaft, which controls the valves.

Hearing a noise when starting the vehicle is one sign that it needs a new one.

Timing chain maintenance

Motorists can help prevent the chain and the guides from going bad by having oil changes performed regularly.

Contaminants in the oil can eat away at the plastic, causing the chain to go into it.

Regular oil changes can also help you save money.

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Ripped CV Boots found during Virginia Safety Inspection

In Tires & Wheels by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireJanuary 14, 2020

Written by Erin Flynn

This week, I decided to have the oil changed for my Volkswagen Beetle at HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire.

Since it was already going to be in the shop, I also asked them to do a Virginia Safety Inspection.

While they were conducting the inspection, they discovered that the Constant-Velocity (CV) Boots have ripped.

What are CV boots?

The CV Boot is part of the CV Axle, and it holds in grease for the CV Joint. The CV Axle powers the wheels from the transmission.

If a vehicle loses the grease, it will cause more metal on metal friction overtime. This creates more heat and shortens the CV Joint’s shelf life.

If properly maintained, CV Boots can last 20 years. However, as soon as you get any type of oil or air mixture, it’s really bad for the rubber and causes the rubber to crack and break.

I wouldn’t have known about the CV Boots being ripped if they hadn’t performed a Virginia Safety Inspection. Depending on where you go, that sort of problem can be missed during a regular oil change.

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Tire shop compared to discount tire place

In Tires & Wheels by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireJanuary 10, 2020

HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire in Woodbridge is a Michelin, BFGoodrich and Uniroyal tire dealer.

We do sell other tires, depending on the needs of the customer and what kind of vehicle they have.

As a tire shop, we can repair tires, as well. We use a patch plug from the inside, according to the Tire Industry Association guidelines.

Doing a patch plug from the inside allows you to see if there is other tire damage on the inside that you wouldn’t be able to see if you used a string plug.

We have employees who have completed training on tires.

Other tire shop services

A tire shop is also able to check your vehicle’s wheel alignment and make any needed adjustments.

You should get an alignment when you’re getting tires. This helps with the longevity of the tires, so they don’t wear out too quickly because of a suspension or steering component problem.

Some of the discount tire places only put on tires, they don’t perform alignments and they may not necessarily do a patch plug from the inside.

HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire also recommends road hazard warranty on the tires. Therefore, if you have a problem with your tire — like, if you hit a curb or something damages the tire’s sidewall — it would be covered. At discount tire places, they may not offer that.

A lot of the time, the manufacturer’s warranty doesn’t cover items that puncture the tire while driving on the road.

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Is your vehicle overheating?

In Vehicle Fluids by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireJanuary 2, 2020

Last month, Jason worked on a 2012 Buick Enclave that had a leaking water pump.

The vehicle’s owner mentioned that it was overheating.

When he noticed that the vehicle didn’t have any coolant in it, Jason filled it up and pressure tested it. The coolant poured out of the water pump area.

Typically, water pumps can last between 1 and 140,000 miles. Their lifespan depends on the vehicle.

Sometimes, the seal can fail. There are also wearable items on pulleys, such as bearings, that can go bad.

A vehicle overheating doesn’t necessarily mean that the water pump is leaking.

Additional repairs performed on Buick

Jason also replaced the thermostat on the Buick Enclave.

Thermostats have a thermal element, which tells it when to open. It’s preset to a certain temperature, and when it reaches it, the valve in the thermostat will open. This allows coolant to travel from the hot engine into the radiator.

The radiator, then, cools off the coolant and returns it back to the engine 35 percent cooler than how it entered. That’s what prevents a vehicle from overheating.

If a car doesn’t have coolant, the heat is contained in the engine.

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Brake service: When and why to have it done

In Brakes by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireDecember 27, 2019

Written by Sydney Jones, General Service Technician for HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire

The most crucial safety device in your car is the brakes.

As Newton’s first law of motion tells us, an object in motion will stay in motion until stopped by an external force such as friction. We can’t rely on friction to stop our cars while going 70 miles per hour on the highway, so we have brakes to stop our wheels from turning.

It’s not as simple as “hit the pedal, stop the car,” though. Laws of physics and elements of chemistry come into play, as well.

How brakes work

You hit the brake pedal with your foot, yes. This action then sets off a chain of reactions. When you push down the brake pedal, you tell the master cylinder to apply pressure to the brake fluid running through the brake lines underneath your car.

You have four brake lines, each one going to one of your four wheels. The pressurized brake fluid causes the calipers to press inward on the brake pads, which provide a much greater level of friction than the road and stop your car much faster.

Overtime, the fluid running through your brake lines will get old and obtain air bubbles, and condensated water is created when liquid is on the brake pads. More liquid in the system causes the brake fluid boiling point to decrease whereas it is normally very high to withstand the heat produced from braking.

The lower boiling point will allow for metal pieces to begin to deteriorate. Since the brake lines are made of copper, they leave copper residue in the fluid, resulting in lower braking power and eventually the costly replacement of calipers and brake lines.

About the BG Brake Service

To combat this you should have your brake fluid serviced every 30,000 miles. The BG Brake Service is done by taking contaminated fluid out of the master cylinder, pressurizing it, and adding DOT 3 or DOT 4 Ultra Drive Flushing Formula Brake Fluid — depending on the needs of your car — into the master cylinder until only new fluid is coming out of the lines at each wheel.

This removes air and condensated liquid, leaving only your incompressible brake fluid and giving you maximum braking power.

It is important to get this service done every 30,000 miles in order to be covered under the BG Lifetime Protection Plan, which will protect your Master Cylinder, Brake Lines, and Calipers up to $4,000 should they ever fail.

You can have brake service performed at any BG Certified shop, such as Hometowne Auto Repair & Tire.

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Oil change service levels

In Oil Change by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireDecember 16, 2019

Written by Sydney Jones, General Service Technician for HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire

Most car owners know that they have to change their oil to keep their car running, but many don’t know the intervals between oil changes and how different types of oil can change that interval.

Many GDI engine owners are unaware of the BG Oil Change service and the various levels of this service that each offer different things.

In general, the basic rule is that you get your oil changed every 3,000 miles. However, this is if you use Conventional oil which is perfectly acceptable for most cars.

Most mechanics will recommend synthetic oil, which costs a little more but improves the way your engine runs and lasts for 5,000 miles, leading to a more cost effective solution in the long run.

Oil Change Service 2019. — Oil Change Service 2019

If your car is registered under the BG Warranty, however, and you’ve kept up with your oil changes you are offered three different levels of an oil change service, each service providing more care to various parts of the engine.

Depending on where your car stands, you may need one of these services above your generic standard oil change.

Oil change service options

The Basic Oil Change is called “basic,” but is a step above your normal oil change and lasts much longer than 3,000 or 5,000 miles.

The Premier Oil Service is a better option that also keeps your fuel system clean.

If you’ve recently bought a new car either from the dealership or from an independent seller, you may want to consider having a Performance Oil Service done to give the car a fresh start. It completely cleans out the system, removes sludge, and allows the engine to run better. You should, then, routinely have this service done every 24,000 miles to keep your engine running at peak performance.

The Premier Oil Service paired with the Fuel/Air Intake service would give you a fresh, clean engine with optimal running capabilities.

All of these Services can be performed at any BG Certified shop, such as Hometowne Auto and Tire Repair.

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Signs that your gas tank is leaking

In Automotive Diagnostics by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireDecember 13, 2019

Do you smell gas? Your vehicle’s gas tank could be leaking.

That is the case of 1990 GMC Sierra, which was brought into HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire.

The owners of the vehicle mentioned that they can smell fuel and see fuel when adding it.

When Jason started working on the GMC Sierra, he noticed the two seams of the gas tank are leaking. It will need a new tank.

If you smell fresh, raw fuel away from the gas station hours or days after you fill up your tank, then you probably have a fuel leak.

In the 1980’s, when cars were carbureted, it was normal to smell fuel when walking by the hood of a vehicle. Nowadays, everything is electronically controlled and the gas needs to be contained within the evaporative (EVAP) system at all times.

Gas tank replacement

A vehicle needing a new gas tank is rare.

Today, tanks are made up of plastics and are resilient. They take impact very well and don’t typically rust or deteriorate.

Some tanks, however, are made with plastic and have a metal ring where the pump sits. The rings do corrode, which causes gas leaks and the releasing of vapors.

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Is your vehicle’s sunroof clogged?

In Automotive Diagnostics by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireDecember 5, 2019

Over time, the sunroof of a vehicle can become clogged.

Charles from HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire faced this issue when he was working on a 2012 Toyota RAV4 last month.

The vehicle had come in because of a dead battery.

As he was looking into the problem, he noticed that the check engine light and oil pressure light stayed on, even when the key wasn’t in the ignition.

The floor on the passenger side was also saturated with water.

Many of the connectors were soaked and the sunroof was open.

Soaked floor on passenger side of Toyota RAV4. — Soaked floor

Potential sunroof clogged causes

Cars with sunroofs have a tube that runs down the vehicle.

If the sunroof is blocked with leaves or the bottom of the tube becomes clogged, it won’t drain properly. Instead, any water will overflow into the vehicle.

Charles cleared the hoses and, after closing the sunroof, ran water over it to make sure there weren’t any leaks in the tube.

Leaks can be the result of a poor windshield installation. Door seals can leak, as well.

As fall comes to an end and winter approaches, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for this problem and make sure your drains are clear.

You can do this by checking the sunroof for any leaves or buildup.

To check for any clogs in the tube, pour a bottle of water over the closed sunroof and look for any water that’s come out the bottom of the car. If you don’t see any water, you could have a clog.

If you suspect that there’s a clog in the tube, you should bring it into an auto repair shop to have it addressed.

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Air induction service for GDI engines

In Vehicle Maintenance by HomeTowne Auto Repair & TireNovember 27, 2019

Written by Sydney Jones, General Service Technician for HomeTowne Auto Repair & Tire

The GDI (Gasoline Direct Inject) fuel and air induction service is specifically catered to GDI engines, which aim to provide greater power in a smaller engine.

It was standard that a 4-cylinder engine had excellent gas mileage but not a whole lot of power. Meanwhile, a V8 engine had a huge amount of power but was a complete gas guzzler, so it wasn’t very cost effective.

GDI engines are made to combine the best of both worlds by providing the gas mileage of a 4-cylinder engine with the power of a V8 engine. This is done by taking a 4-cylinder engine, adding a turbo, and running it like a diesel, making it the most powerful and efficient car currently available.

Of course, nothing is completely perfect without proper maintenance and care.

The problem that GDI engines encounter most often is a build up of carbon on injectors. They are constantly subjected to the harsh environment of the combustion chamber, causing them to quickly clog up with carbon and misfire.

In the advancement of the GDI engine, the injectors were placed where fuel does not get the opportunity to wash over the intake valves to prevent carbon build up.

GDI Fuel and Air Induction Service

This is where the GDI Fuel and Air Induction Service comes into play.

It is recommended to have this service performed every 15,000 miles, though it can be done earlier because carbon can start to build up as early as 3,000 miles. The induction services is done by a BG certified mechanic and they work to clean the areas that carbon has built up.

The process is as follows:

BG 44k is poured into the gas tank as a cleanser that will continue to run through the engine until your next gas fill up.
Two 11oz cans of GDI Intake Valve cleaner are poured into the BG VIA — this is the machine that runs the actual cleaning process.
The solution is sprayed into the intake with the Air Intake Cleaning tool on the machine.
A can of fuel injection and combustion chamber cleaner is then poured into the BG VIA.
And the BG VIA is connected to the fuel rail and the fluid is sent into the engine.

Once this service is performed, the customer will notice quite an improvement in gas mileage, power, and a decrease in emissions. This service should be performed regularly in order to keep the GDI engine running smoothly and at peak performance.

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