Express Car Care of Denver

"Denver's Best Auto Repair and Quick Lube"

Serpentine Belt Replacement

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Your serpentine belt is a long belt that’s driven by your engine.  It winds around several accessories that power important automotive systems.  Let’s go over them.

  • First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system.
  • Next, the belt powers the alternator.
  • The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes.  In some vehicles, power steering may have an electric drive and power brakes can be vacuum driven.
  • On many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump ( on some cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt).

Your service technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and also measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

There’s a special, spring-loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley and sometimes an extra pulley called the idler pulley.  Their job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip.  The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight.  That’s why it’s often recommended that the tensioner, and the idler pulley, if so equipped, be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

All in all, the serpentine belt’s an important part for the function of your vehicle and it’s not as expensive to replace as you might think.  So it’s good to do your serpentine belt replacement before it fails.

Give us a call and let us help you.

Simple Answers: Air Conditioner

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Question:  Why isn’t my air conditioner blowing cold air?

Express Car Care Answer:  Your air conditioner uses refrigerant to create cold air.  The most common reasons drivers lose their cold air have to do with the refrigerant.

The first reason is not enough refrigerant.  Refrigerant is a gas in the air conditioning system and if there are small holes in a hose, seal or coupler, enough gas can leak out and prevent the system from creating cold air.

Another potential problem for auto owners is contamination.  Over time, the inside of the rubber hoses can deteriorate, and little bits of rubber can clog up various filters and other parts of the vehicle air conditioning system, preventing proper circulation of the refrigerant.  A component of the system could also be worn or broken.  So the first step for drivers who can’t cool their vehicle is a thorough air conditioning inspection, looking for leaks and worn parts.  In fact, Federal law requires an inspection before adding refrigerant.  Some states do not allowing topping off a leaking system.

Once any repairs are made, refrigerant is added.  At the same time, special oil is added to the system.  This oil cools and lubricates various components as it circulates along with the refrigerant.  If you have a refrigerant leak, you also have an oil leak – and it’s important that both be replenished for proper function and protection of your A/C system.

Sometimes overlooked by drivers is the fact that a worn serpentine belt ( which drives the A/C compressor) leads to belt slippage which puts additional strain on the compressor.  Replacing your serpentine belt and belt tensioner on schedule at Express Car Care will extend the life of your A/C compressor and other belt driven accessories.

Come in and see us.

Advice on Your Cooling System

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Last week I was out running errands and my temperature warning light came on – total panic!  I pulled over and my car was overheating.  After I waited for it to cool down, I went right into my Denver service center to have them take a look.  My service adviser at Express Car Care told me my water pump was leaking and needed to be replaced.  He said water pumps just wear out and that they need to be replaced, because they have the important task of pumping the coolant that cools the engine while it’s running.

He told me they checked out my radiator hoses, serpentine belt and tensioner and that they were fine, but I was overdue for changing my coolant – embarrassingly overdue.  I didn’t realize there was a schedule in my owner’s manual for when to change my coolant.  My Express Car Care service professional said that the coolant actually becomes corrosive over time and could damage my radiator, head gaskets, intake manifold gaskets, heater core, metal cooling pipes, expansion plugs,…the list goes on.  That’s why they recommend changing the fluid on schedule.

So after they replaced the coolant with the kind my owner’s manual recommends and after learning a difficult lesson, I was on my way.  It feels good knowing my cooling system is healthy now and I don’t need to worry about it.  At least until my next scheduled coolant change.

Air Conditioning

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Let’s talk about air conditioning service and repair issues today.  Most of us in Denver don’t give our air conditioning a second thought – just as long as it’s making cold air.  But it’s a complex and expensive system that we should think more about before it starts blowing out hot air.

The refrigerant in the air conditioner contains a special oil that lubricates and cools the A/C parts.  When enough refrigerant leaks out, your air conditioner still makes cold air, but the parts don’t have enough oil to protect them and they wear out faster than they should.  That’s why it’s so important to service the air conditioner as recommended by your service center.

Replacing old refrigerant has another benefit:  refrigerant tends to gather moisture and become corrosive.  That causes leaks in the system which can be expensive to repair.  Fresh refrigerant protects the air conditioning components and keeps the system operating at peak efficiency so it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep you cool.

Even with regular service, A/C parts can just wear out.  Normal wear and tear eventually affects all moving parts.

Addressing early problems can save on more extensive repairs down the road.  For instance, a common failure is the clutch that turns the compressor on and off.  If you can take care of a bad A/C clutch when it first starts having problems, you may be able to save the compressor.  But if you wait too long you’ll have to replace them both.

Check your owner’s manual or ask your service adviser for service recommendations.  And if you are hearing strange sounds when your air conditioning turns on, or if it just isn’t as cold as it used to be, have us give it the once over and see what it will take to keep you cool.

Question on Your Cooling System

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Express Car Care Question:  I was driving down the freeway in Denver and smoke started coming out of my car.  I pulled over and called my husband.  I had to be towed to my mechanic.  He said my car had overheated.  What can I do to prevent this from happening in the future?

Express Car Care Answer:  It sounds like you had a rough experience.  Unfortunately, overheating is the most common engine problem in Denver.  It’s also one of the simplest to prevent.

The basic idea is this:  you need to keep enough coolant/antifreeze flowing through your vehicle’s engine to keep it cool.  Problems come up for drivers when they develop leaks in their cooling systems – like in the radiator or a hose – and the coolant leaks out.  Sometimes the coolant gets so contaminated that it blocks up the radiator so the coolant can’t get through.  Too much of that and you can’t help but end up broken down on the side of the road.

Your owner’s manual recommends a schedule for coolant replacement.  That’s because your coolant actually becomes corrosive over time and starts to eat away at the cooling system, causing leaks or blockages.  Fluid that was once beneficial to your engine becomes damaging.  New coolant puts an end to that process.

Ask your knowledgeable service techs at Express Car Care about inspecting your vehicle cooling system for leaks, spongy hoses and other damage.  If it’s time to replace your coolant, hoses or other cooling system parts, have it done right away.  Prevention is the key to your cooling system question.

Water Pump

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Let’s talk water pumps for vehicles here in Denver.  The engine in your vehicle is cooled by coolant/antifreeze mixed with water.  This mixture circulates around the engine, absorbing some of the heat.  The coolant then flows through the radiator where air cools it down for the return trip back through the engine.  Your vehicle’s water pump is what drives this process.

Cooling system problems are the number one mechanical failure in Denver.  So the water pump plays a pretty important role.  You can’t get very far without a water pump.

After all the distance and years of pumping coolant, water pumps just wear out.  You might notice a whining or grinding sound coming from the water pump, or you might see coolant leaking from the pump itself.

The precise location of the water pump varies depending on the vehicle.  Some vehicles have the water pump attached to the outside of the engine where you can see it.  With these, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt.

Some vehicles have the water pump that is driven by the timing belt.  The timing belt cover often hides the water pump when it’s set up this way, so you can’t see the pump without removing the cover.

When you have Express Car Care replace the water pump on one of these, you really should replace the timing belt at the same time.  We’ve already gotten things taken apart and it’s very likely the belt has been contaminated by coolant.  Timing belts usually need to be replaced at similar intervals anyway, so it makes a lot of sense to do both jobs at once.

The opposite is true too; when you change the timing belt on this type of engine, replace the water pump while you’re at it.  The water pump will eventually fail and getting to it is an expensive project.  For not that much more you can take care of both the timing belt and the water pump at the same time.

Come in and see us if you think you can use our services for your water pump.

Heater Core

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You may have wondered where the warm air in your passenger compartment comes from.  Well, as your engine starts to warm up, it also warms the coolant/antifreeze that circulates around the engine and through the radiator.  There is also a hose that carries coolant/antifreeze from the engine to the heater core and another one that takes it back into the engine.  The heater core looks like a little radiator and lives in the air blend box behind the dashboard.

When you turn on the heat, air blows over the heater core which warms it and then blows it into the cabin.  Some vehicles have a heater valve that directs coolant through the heater core when the heat is on and bypasses the heater core when the heat is off.  In other vehicles, the temperature of the air is controlled within the air blend box by how much air is directed over the heater core.

The engine cooling system also encompasses the heater core.  Things that adversely affect your radiator will also harm your heater core.  The coolant/antifreeze contains corrosion inhibitors that coat the surfaces inside the cooling system, including the heater core.  When the corrosion inhibitors are depleted, the cooling system can become corroded, filled with contaminants and may even start to leak.

There are several signs of a leaky heater core:

  • First you may notice a sweet smell from your vents.  This is coolant leaking out and getting into the air.  You may even see vapor coming out of the vents and notice a film building up inside the windows.  Of course, breathing coolant vapors isn’t good for you.
  • You may also see coolant on the driveway.  Depending on the design of your vehicle, you may even get coolant leaking out into the foot wells of the cabin.

Coolant/antifreeze leaking out through the heater core means that the overall coolant level in the system will be low and the engine is in danger of overheating – which is the most common cause of mechanical breakdown.

The good news is that the things you do to protect your cooling system also protect your heater core.  Changing your coolant/antifreeze as directed by your vehicle manufacturer or on the advice of your service technician will help ensure your coolant has enough corrosion inhibitors working to protect the system.  Also, quickly repairing any leaks and inspecting hoses for signs of internal breakdown will help keep things from becoming an emergency.

Talk with your service adviser at Express Car Care about when a cooling system service should be performed.

Thermostat

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ThermostatThe thermostat on your vehicle is an important part of your cooling system.  Your thermostat performs a similar function to the thermostat in your home.  At home, you set your thermostat to maintain a comfortable temperature range.  When your home gets too hot, the air conditioning kicks on and when it gets too cool, then the heater.

Now your engine also has an optimal temperature range:  warm enough to run efficiently, and not so hot as to cause engine damage.  Your vehicle’s thermostat is a valve between the engine and the radiator.  When you first start a cold engine, the valve (thermostat) is closed, allowing the coolant surrounding the engine to warm up to the proper operating temperature.  As the coolant gets hotter, the thermostat opens, allowing coolant to flow through to the radiator to be cooled.  The thermostat opens and closes to keep the engine within a certain temperature range.

Now thermostats are rated for a specific temperature depending on the engine – not a one size fits all proposition.  Thermostats are subject to normal wear.  Proper operation depends on a special wax that expands as it heats up, to open a spring-loaded valve.  A worn thermostat could stick in the open position causing the engine to run too cool.  This is inefficient and could hurt performance and fuel economy.  If a thermostat sticks in the closed position, the engine can quickly overheat, possibly causing damage.

There isn’t a specific maintenance routine for the thermostat, but maintaining your cooling system by changing your coolant/antifreeze on schedule will make sure the coolant has enough corrosion inhibitors to protect the thermostat and other vital system components.  Cooling system experts recommend replacing your thermostat when you do a coolant flush or exchange.  Also, thermostats usually wear out faster than your hoses, so if you need to replace worn hoses, replace the thermostat at the same time.

If your temperature warning light comes on, have your cooling system inspected right away.  This could be a thermostat problem.  The thermostat could also be the culprit if you aren’t getting hot air when you turn on your heater.

The thermostat is a relatively inexpensive part that stands guard between you and catastrophic engine damage.  Follow your owner’s manual instructions, or check with your service adviser to see if it’s time for a cooling system inspection or service.

Cooling System Service

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Cooling System ServicePeople often ask questions about the cooling system – the system that cools your vehicle’s engine and keeps it at the proper operating temperature.  Let’s examine the topic in two areas:  First, the coolant itself and second, the parts that make up the cooling system.

The coolant is the mixture of water and antifreeze that circulates through the engine to draw off heat.  It’s important to have the proper amount because if you don’t have enough coolant it won’t be able to keep your engine cool.  You also need the right kind of coolant.  Different makes of vehicles require different coolant formulation to protect against corrosion.

Finally, your coolant needs to be fresh.  Over time and miles of driving, the anti-corrosion additives in the coolant are depleted and the coolant can actually start to eat away at the vehicle’s cooling system parts.  Your owner’s manual and Express Car Care adviser can help you with the recommended coolant replacement schedule and make sure you’re getting the right type of coolant.

Now let’s focus on the cooling system components.  These will all eventually wear out and need to be replaced.  Starting with the radiator, we see them coming into our shop with leaks or clogged with deposits.  Depending on the extent of the damage, at Express Car Care, we will clean, repair or replace.  We also see radiator pressure caps that can no longer hold the proper pressure.  We recommend replacing pressure caps when you change your coolant to avoid this problem.  We see leaky water pumps and hoses that need to be replaced.  there’s also a part called the thermostat that opens and closes to regulate the flow of coolant.  Sometimes they stick open or closed and the cooling system won’t work properly.

Engine damage from overheating can be very difficult and costly to fix so it’s important to maintain your cooling system properly with scheduled coolant replacement and periodic cooling system inspections.  Certainly come into Express Car Care if you suspect a leak and have us take a look.

Prevent Cooling System Problems

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Prevent Cooling System ProblemsCooling system problems are the most common reason for mechanical failure in a vehicle and they are largely avoidable.  Here’s what you need to know to prevent cooling system problems.  First, the terms coolant and antifreeze are often used interchangeably.  The fluid cools your engine while it’s running and it keeps it from freezing when it’s cold.

Your cooling system is filled with a 50/50 mixture of water and antifreeze/coolant.  So if you’re topping off antifreeze/coolant it is important to add the proper amount of each.  Distilled water is much better than tap water.  Now you can buy premixed coolant so you can be sure you know the mixture going in your vehicle is correct.

Two important precautions:  First, never add coolant when the engine is hot.  This can lead to serious burns.  Second, there are many antifreeze formulas out there.  Your manufacturer recommends a specific type that won’t harm your cooling system components.  Use the wrong fluid and you could en up voiding your cooling system warranty.  Your knowledgeable Express Car Care adviser can help you with all  of this.

Each manufacturer has a schedule for when you should change the coolant in your vehicle.  It’s important to follow this schedule because neglecting your cooling system allows the fluid to become corrosive.  Corrosion leads to leaks which can lead to greater damage.  Check with your service adviser at Express Car Care to see if it’s time for a cooling system inspection and service.  Give us a call and let us help.

Brakes Service

Oil Change

Suspension

Transmision Service

Engine Service

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