AUTONET TV

Helping Your Engine Breathe Easier

You may have heard someone tell you it’s time to replace your vehicle’s engine air filter and thought, “It’s OK.  I’ll do it in a while.”  While it’s tempting to put that off, keep in mind that having your engine air filter replaced is one of the easiest ways to maintain your vehicle’s performance and efficiency.  Here’s why.

Your engine needs the air that comes in to be clean because a proper fuel/oxygen mixture is necessary for good combustion.  If you wait too long to have the filter replaced, dust, dirt, air pollutants and debris from the road hamper the engine’s ability to get enough air.  That can lead to poor acceleration, lower fuel economy and strain on other engine parts.

The reason a dirty engine air filter reduces your fuel economy is that the engine’s computers have to compensate for lowered air intake by supplying more fuel to produce the same power. Over time, you’ll notice a significant difference. It’s important that you protect your engine from contaminants in the air. If dirt and dust aren’t filtered out before they get to the engine, that can cause premature wear on cylinders, pistons and other engine parts. In the long run, it may lead to costly repairs that are a lot more expensive than the cost of a filter.

If you value keeping our planet’s air clean, a fresh filter will improve the performance of your vehicle’s emission system, helping it run cleaner and reducing its impact on the environment

Think about it.  Getting a new engine air filter is quick, inexpensive and pays off with big benefits. Consider what it delivers for your engine’s performance, its long-term health and your fuel costs.  You and your engine will both breathe easier.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Fears and Gears (Signs of Automatic Transmission Problems)

Automatic transmissions rule. The old days of shifting your own gears are a thing of the past for most drivers.  But automatic transmission trouble can be a big inconvenience for any driver if it comes at the wrong time in the wrong place.  Here are some signs to look out for that may mean you are having transmission issues.

When you are driving, your vehicle seems to slip in an out of gear without you touching anything.  That's what some call, not surprisingly, a "slipping transmission." 

When your vehicle shifts from one gear to the next, you hear a loud "clunk." Transmissions are supposed to be nearly silent when they shift, so that noise is telling you something is wrong. 

If you notice there's a puddle of some fluid under your vehicle, your transmission could be leaking fluid.  Try to figure out what color it is (try putting a piece of cardboard underneath to capture some of the fluid).  If it is red or brown, that's a sign it could be transmission fluid. Sometimes you may smell the transmission fluid, too; it has what some consider a "sweet" odor.

You may have a warning light that goes on when your transmission fluid is low (it could be a special transmission symbol or simply the Check Engine light).  That light could also mean the fluid is too hot or has low pressure.

If you shift your vehicle into D (for Drive) and it doesn't move or slowly engages after some delay, you may be seeing the start of a serious problem.

Of course, you don't want a malfunctioning transmission to strand you at some inopportune time. So if your vehicle is showing any of these signs, arrange a time for a technician to check it out.  Not only are broken transmissions an inconvenience, they can be a safety hazard, too. 

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Make your Service Visit at S T Foreign Auto Service a Good One

Most people don't love going to get their vehicle serviced, but it's one of those things you just have to do. So you might as well get the most of out of it. There are some steps you can take that will likely help you get the best results possible.

For one thing, it's important to describe your problem (or problems) to the service advisor accurately and clearly. If your vehicle is making a noise, for example, take time to really listen to it and think of the best way to describe it. Does it increase in speed when you go faster? If you feel a vibration somewhere, where in the vehicle does it seem to originate? Some service advisors recommend writing things down. That way the driver won't forget any important clues that could lead to a successful resolution of the problem.

Another thing is to make sure your vehicle is cleaned out and free of junk. That way the technician can access those nooks and crannies where some vital components may be. If your vehicle is full of strollers, boxes or your collection of fast food containers, it won't be easy for the technician to reach some of those parts. Oh, and if your vehicle is neat, it does send a signal that you really care about it.

Finally, stay out of the way of the technician. A recent survey of technicians reveals they work more efficiently and do a better job when they don't have someone hanging on their every move. Can you imagine how you'd feel if someone hovered over you all day while you were trying to get your work done?

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com

Go with the Flow (MAF Sensor Replacement)

If your vehicle has an internal combustion engine, it depends on two things to make propulsion power for you to be able to motor on down the road: fuel and air.  The engine mixes the two in just the right proportion so that they can be ignited, creating a series of tiny explosions that are coordinated in such a way that your vehicle moves steadily ahead.

One of the key parts to making sure that mixture of air and fuel is correct is a little tube that measures the amount of air that’s coming into the engine.  It’s called a Mass Air Flow sensor, or MAF sensor.  There are two wires in this tube, one of which is heated up with electricity and the other isn’t.  When the air flows over the heated wire, it cools.  When the temperature of the two sensing wires is different, the MAF sensor either increases or decreases the current to the heated wire to try to make it the same as the other wire. That’s sent to a small computer that tells the engine to change the amount of air going into the engine.

Some signs of an MAF sensor problem?  Your vehicle doesn’t have as much power as it used to, or your fuel economy might drop.  Your vehicle may not start,   and the Check Engine light may come on.

If you spot these signs, it’s important to bring your vehicle in so we can check things out.  At the same time a technician looks at the MAF sensor, they’ll also check the connector that runs to the engine’s computer and replace it if necessary. They’ll also inspect other parts of the system, such as hoses, for problems.  

By the way, one way to minimized MAF sensor problems is make sure your vehicle’s engine air filter is regularly changed. That can help you be sure that the air that gets to your vehicle’s engine is clean.

S T Foreign Auto Service
415 E Brighton Ave.
Syracuse, NY 13210
315-478-2161
www.stforeignauto.com