ATV Safety Tire Pressure

Tire pressure is extremely important on fourwheelers especially if the tires are oversized.  When travelling at fast speeds taking corners exerts an extreme amount of force on the outer bead of the tire.  What happens is the bead will come off the rim and the fourwheeler will go out of control.  In the last month I know of two wrecks that that were caused from this and there was personal injury and severe damage to the fourwheelers. 

A simple safety check of tire pressure before going riding may potentially save your life!

Problems with Brake lights on Chevy Lumina?

The engineers that designed the electrical for the Lumina have impressed me.  Typically the brake lights are controlled by a switch that is made by pushing the brake.  On the Lumina in addition to this switch they ran the wires through the blinker switch.  So if the brake lights quit working check the blinker switch.  I had this problem and had to replace the blinker switch to make the brake lights work.  I wonder what the engineers was thinking when they designed this?

Chrysler/Dodge Vehicles

I had the opportunity to work on a dodge intrepid this weekend and I am astounded how the engine is designed.  A water pump is designed to have a port that will leak under the vehicle signaling that the pump needs to be changed.  On the Intrepid the pump leaks into the crankcase which will cause severe damage to the engine.  In addition the water pump is behind the timing chain so changing the pump is a huge task.  The only reason that I can fine that the engine was engineered this way is so vehicle owners would take the vehicle back to the dealer for repair.

I can tell you that I will not purchase a Dodge/Chrysler product because of this design.

Ford Expedition Rough Idle/Transmision Shifting Problems

Ford Expedition has a throttle position sensor that sometimes can malfunction enough to cause rough idling and transmision shifting problems without tripping an engine light.  If you automatic transmission constantly shifts in and out of overdrive before you spend thousands of dollars on the tranny, look at the throttle position sensor.

Problems with a chevy? Please post issue.

Problems with a ford? Please comment on issue.

Cold Winter Temperatures and Tire Pressure

Cold temperatures during the winter can have a profound effect on tire pressure in your automobile.  During the winter months monitoring your tire pressure will help keep your gas mileage consistent.  Low tire pressure will cause more resistance and less miles per gallon.  A simple check  can save you money!

Automobile Preparation for Winter

Is you vehicle ready for winter?  With winter upon us it is crucial for the life of your vehicle to ensure the antifreeze is adequate.  Five dollars can make the difference for your vehicle performing through freezing weather or a cracked block.  The cost of a tool to check the concentration of antifreeze in your cooling system is around five dollars-alot cheaper than replacing the motor.

Preparing Small engines for winter storage

With winter upon us we need to ensure that our mowers, weedeaters, are put up for the winter.  One method is to take all of the fuel out of the tank and start the engine and run until the fuel is out of the carb.  The problem with this is there can be residual fuel that will turn to a varnish type substance and when spring comes your engine will not start.  The best method is to use an additive to stabilize the gas through the winter so the engine will start!