7 to 7 Auto Services: the Dealer Alternative

Replacing an air-conditioner can cost more than a few hundred dollars, depending on the make and model of the vehicle. Air-conditioning components have been replaced in recent years, most importantly in terms of refrigerants. The old R-12 refrigerant was swapped out with the R-14 in 1994. This means, if a vehicle was made before 1994, the refrigerant fluid used in the air-conditioning system is of the R-12 variety. New refrigerant, oil, a cleaning, and components may all be required, if damage is present.

Here in San Diego, we are used to hot weather. For about eleven months out of the year, we drive our vehicles in the heat with the help of air-conditioning, of course. Even in the brief season of a California winter, an air conditioner is important to keep the defroster working for our safety. Unknown to many, the AC must dry the air first, before it can be directed to your windshield to clear the glass of ice and condensation.

So, what would we do without it?! After all those seasons we put our air conditioners through, it is important to get an AC checkup service, in order to keep our cooling systems in tip-top shape. Keeping your air conditioner working for you is our priority. Our backgrounds in Physics at 7 to 7 Auto Services allow us to address the problems of air conditioning systems with an effective, scientific approach. HOW DOES AN AIR CONDITIONER WORK? Answering this question helps us to best serve you, by maximizing the efficiency and life-span of your AC.

WHY MIGHT AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ANALYSIS BE IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CAR?

A lack of steady electrical current can create many problems. Two systems work together to produce the wave of voltage that makes up a steady current – the starting system and the charging system. The starting system, which puts the engine in motion, is made up of a starter motor, starter solenoid, starter relay, neutral safety switch, and ignition switch. The starter solenoids and relays can be a part of the starter or mounted on top of it. If the vehicle does “cranks”, the problem may or may not be caused by the starter, depending on the location of the parts in question. Any problems with either of these systems can disrupt a steady electrical current. If you have experienced the following, a lack of steady electrical current is most likely to blame:

WHY DO BATTERIES FAIL?

The Car Care Council reports that an average of one out of four vehicles gets a new battery every year. Preemptively replacing a battery prevents the costs of road-side assistance or just simple inconvenience of a car that won’t start when you need to be somewhere.

Car-Battery trouble can be traced back to weather. Hot weather affects the actual structure of the battery and its internal fluids. In warmer months of the year, high heat causes the battery fluid to evaporate and components in the charging system to malfunction. When a battery is low on battery fluid or charging at too high of a rate, the internal make-up of the battery experiences some rapid wear and tear. Slowly but surely, batteries in hot weather will go out like a light.

HOW DO BRAKES WORK?

A typical automotive brake system is made of disk brakes or drum brakes. Disk brakes are located in the front of the vehicle; drum brakes in the rear and are connected to the master cylinder at each wheel via tubes and hoses. One-hundred years of modification and improvement of the brake systems we use in our cars today ensures that the brakes we have today are as dependable and efficient as history has allowed. Parking brakes, power brake boosters, and anti-lock systems are some of these modern modifications.

WHY YOU SHOULD SERVICE YOUR BRAKE FLUID?

Your brake fluid requires regular service because it becomes contaminated by moisture.

How does moisture get into your brake fluid? Brake fluid is hygroscopic, which means that it magnetically attracts and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere, usually through the brake master cylinder reservoir and permeable brake hoses. Moisture contamination lowers the boiling point of your brake fluid, so, even under ordinary driving conditions, it could cause the fluid to boil and release vapor into your brake system. When this vapor compresses inside the system, you may find yourself facing one of the most dreaded driving crises a dangerously low brake pedal or even no brake pedal!

WHAT IS A CATALYTIC CONVERTER?

Catalytic Converters are pollution-control devices located in your car’s exhaust system. It is a honey-comb structure coated with platinum and rhodium – two substances that speed up chemical reactions.

Why are chemical reactions important? This little machine converts the carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrous oxides that make up a car’s exhaust into water, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen gas. Platinum and rhodium help to turn the harmful gases of the vehicle’s waste into safer bi-products for the environment. Water and carbon dioxide are safer to be released into the environment than carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. Nitrogen gas actually makes up 78% of the air, already. For this reason, Catalytic Converters have been required on all new vehicles since in the 1980s.

WHAT IS A COOLING SYSTEM?

The cooling system in your vehicle uses water circulated through a pump and a radiator to cool moving parts. Some older cars cool the engine by air, rather than water, but this is generally less efficient. A radiator is positioned on the outside of a fan, containing a water pump. A thermostat measures the temperature of the water and two sets of hoses channel the water through the vehicle via transmission cooling lines.

WHAT IS A COOLING SYSTEM SERVICE?

Many know that the radiator, a part of your vehicle’s cooling system, keeps your engine from overheating. However, a little known fact is that the radiator also adjusts your fuel mixture and timing. The modern cooling system’s sensors enable your vehicle’s efficiency.

1. Clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder is bad. The master or slave cylinder can fail due to an internal or external seal leak. The most common seems to be external seal leakage. Inspect the clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder for leakage and rebuild or replace if leaking. One check you can perform on the master cylinder is to depress the clutch pedal while someone watches the brake fluid reservoir level. If the level rises while the clutch pedal is being depressed, the clutch master cylinder is bad and should be rebuilt or replaced. 

Diagram of a cooling system showing how all the plumbing is connected

The cooling system in most cars consists of the radiator and water pump. Water circulates through passages around the cylinders and then travels through the radiator to cool it off. In a few cars (most notably older Volkswagen Beetles), as well as most motorcycles and lawn mowers, the engine is air-cooled instead (You can tell an air-cooled engine by the fins adorning the outside of each cylinder to help dissipate heat.). Air-cooling makes the engine lighter but hotter, generally decreasing engine life and overall performance.

Rebuilt Engine:

When a car or truck suffers major engine damage, the first reaction of most vehicle owners is to buy a new or used car or truck. This makes sense in some cases, but often, it is not necessary.

Re-powering your car or truck’s worn out engine with a rebuilt/re-manufactured engine can also be considerably less expensive than buying a new or used car. A rebuilt engine is one that is re-manufactured to prescribed standards and specifications by highly-skilled machinists using state-of-the-art equipment and components. During this process, many of the new components installed meet or exceed original equipment performance standards.

WHY SHOULD YOU PERFORM A FUEL INJECTION SERVICE AND CLEANING?

Over time, materials from the air and the road will begin to get up inside your fuel system, coating intake valves or combustion areas with dirt, varnishes or carbon deposits. These build-ups reduce your vehicle’s ability to operate efficiently. If left there, such elements can damage the function of important parts, requiring costly repairs. Carbon buildup can cause the following problems in your vehicle:

• engine “pinging”
• hesitation

What is it?

Lights and wipers play a major role in safe driving – the chances for accidents increase if you can’t see or be seen. Some states have laws that require the headlights to be on with the wipers. If you detect any problems with your car’s lights or wipers, have them checked out at once.What does it do?

The wiper system keeps excessive water, snow or dirt from building up on the windshield and removes them to maintain clear visibility through

WHY YOU SHOULD FLUSH OUT YOUR POWER STEERING FLUID

At one time or another, most drivers encounter a power steering problem with their car anything from fluid leaks or noise to stiff steering or hard turning after first starting the car. Normal driving eventually causes your power steering fluid to suffer from heat, friction and electrochemical degradation. The high pressure created when you hold hard turns is especially damaging.

Your power steering fluid, which starts out clear, eventually turns dark with age. Sludge and varnish deposits build up in your power steering system and prevent the easy turning and responsive handling you expect from your vehicle.

Our Power Steering Fluid Flush safely removes varnish and sludge deposits. It is also the best way to remove wear metals that slowly grind

What keeps your tires on the ground, while they spin in motion?

What keeps your vehicle balanced, as it navigates curves and brakes in motion?

Your shocks and struts are important parts of your vehicle’s suspension system. They control movement, keep parts from wearing down, keep your wheels well aligned, provide braking and handling capabilities, and ensure a smooth ride. The faster shocks and struts move, the more they face resistance. Enabling them to do their jobs well is crucial to controlling suspension movement, particularly steering and braking systems.

WHAT IS A TIMING BELT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

It’s all about timing! This is certainly true for the performance of your engine; if the timing belt in your engine isn’t functioning properly, your vehicle may suddenly stop or coast to a stopped position. Such an inconvenience can be avoided by replacing the timing belt before it gives out. The timing belt’s health is often over-looked during routine maintenance. Here at 7 to 7 Auto Services, we take care to make sure the timing of your engine is spot on for a safe, reliable ride. /Usually made from rubber and lined with nylon, a timing belt looks a little like a serpentine belt only with square on its interior.

WHY SHOULD YOU FLUSH OUT YOUR TRANSMISSION FLUID?

Nearly nine out of ten transmission failures are due to overheating and fluid contamination. The transmission’s parts can get plugged up with deposits over-time, reducing its ability to function properly. This contaminated fluid is difficult to get completely out of the system, unlike oil. Typical transmission service takes out and replaces only 25% of this contaminated transmission fluid. When you add new fluid without removing the old, this can sometimes make the problem worse.

WHAT IS A TUNE-UP?

The term “tune-up” comes from the age of Henry Ford, used to describe tweaking the four ignition coils in the original Model T. When all ignition coils were adjusted properly, they buzzed in “tune”. If the spark plugs were not properly aligned, the engine would malfunction.

Obviously, our vehicles do not require this kind of “tune-up”, but our cars do need routine maintenance to keep them working smoothly. A tune-up is a recommended list of services, usually including the replacement of spark plugs, PCV valves, fuel filters, emission levels, oil/fluid levels, brake check, ignition check, and other items related to engine operation. Being proactive in care of your vehicle will prevent costly repairs in the future!