Des Moines Auto Repair

What your transmission does for you, and what you can do for it As a vehicle owner and non-mechanic, you don’t need to everything about how a transmission works. All you really need to know is what it does, so you understand two things: The kind of maintenance it needs, and Just how important that maintenance is The transmission, simplified The combustion engine comes with some of its own limitations. Combustion drives the pistons up and down, creating torque in the form of RPM’s. This output is what turns the drivetrain, which turns the wheels. The problem is that there is an ideal range of RPM’s the engine needs to operate in, to keep fuel efficiency up and engine wear down. Gearing can solve this problem. Gears can be thought of as radial levers. Large gears increase leverage, which increases the output of the motor. This means the motor can do more work, within the same operating range of RPMs. However, a larger gear turns slower. For every revolution produced by the motor, a lar ... read more

Despite the fact that winter continues to come at the end of every year, its easy to overlook preparing for it. The cold weather brings dangerous road conditions and reduced visibility. Here are some things to check up on now --- before you find yourself in immediate need in the dead of winter. 1. Test your heat. Just make sure its working. Test your seat warmers, too. If you haven’t used the heat for several months, there’s a chance something might have gone wrong. You’ll need your heat to defrost your windows, and to be comfortable driving in the middle of winter. Crank it up to max and make sure its putting out the right amount; even a small drop in the coolant level in your radiator can make the heat blow lukewarm or cold. 2. Check the quality of your antifreeze. Your antifreeze will eventually expire. When that happens, it can lose its antifreeze properties. Your coolant ought to be changed at regular intervals, anyways. For more on radiator and cooling system maintenance, see ... read more

In this post, we’ll address four questions for drivers who are less familiar with vehicle maintenance: What kind of service does my cooling system need How often is service necessary? What goes into cooling system maintenance IE what am I actually getting for my money? Can I do the maintenance myself? 1. What kind of maintenance does my cooling system need? Your coolant fill level needs to be kept up, or your vehicle is at risk of overheating. Check the level at regular intervals (say, once a month, when you’re refueling).Only do this when the vehicle is cold, as hot coolant is under pressure and can spray from the radiator, causing burns. Remove the cap from the radiator. Add coolant as needed to bring the level up to the bottom of the filler neck. A big concern with your radiator is that the coolant inside it can expire or potentially gum up if neglected. If coolant can’t circulate as intended, your vehicle will overheat, and this can cause engine components to war ... read more

If your car is overheating, the first thing you need to know is to pull over immediately, the very second it is safe to do so, since overheating can cause permanent damage to the engine. The next thing you need to know is how the cooling system works. A brief overview will help you understand what you can diagnose on your own, and what you will need the help of a professional for. How the cooling system works The combustion of the motor creates heat, obviously. The engine runs optimally at what is known as operating temperature, and the cooling system is supposed to help it stay right at that temp. As the temp climbs past this point, you’ll get coolant bubbling out of the system, steam/smoke, and, eventually, warped or cracked engine components. To keep all this from happening, the cooling system circulates coolant. This coolant heats up when it comes in contact with the heat radiating from the motor. As it flows away, its draws heat with it, to be released into the atmosphere through ... read more

Within the automotive service industry, there are third party organizations that seek to protect the consumer and help service shops to provide a better value to their customers. These networks set standards for transparency and professionalism and provide other benefits. Look for these badges at repair shops, as they demonstrate a service shop’s commitment to quality and customer service. ASA The Automotive Service Association is a prominent nationwide network that sets an industry standard for technicians. The ASA badge means that 1) techs are certified to national industry standards, and 2)that the business itself is in correspondence with the ASA to stay up-to-date on the latest standards and industry information. Napa Auto Care NAC mechanics use Napa parts, which come with a Napa-backed ... read more