look – Timing belt diagram maintenance replacement

May 5, 2014

How to Diagnose a Dead Car Battery

A car that refuses to start can have any number of things wrong with it, but by far the most common is a dead battery. Rather than paying a tow truck to bring it in to the shop here at Cars for Keeps, there are a few simple ways to diagnose whether your battery is dead or something more serious is amiss.

Here are a few simple ways to check if it’s time to get a new battery or some professional help from a mechanic.

Try turning the headlights on. If you turn the ignition key and hear a “click”, but the engine doesn’t roll over, this is a good indicator that there’s not enough juice to turn the engine. A good way to double-check this is to try the electrical system by turning on your headlights and attempting to honk the horn. If they don’t work, it’s a likely bet your engine is dead. If your lights work but the engine might roll over, there may be a problem with your carburetor or fuel injector, and it’s time to bring it in to Cars for Keeps for some car battery repair.

Check for dirty or faulty battery connections. Put on some non-conductive (latex) gloves, pop the hood and check the cable connections to your battery. If you’re not at all mechanically inclined, simply look for the two large lead terminals protruding from a box, with cables leading out from the terminals. Wiggle the clamps to see if their loose, then reaffix them securely to the terminals. Clean excessive dirt from the lead terminals if they’re dirty, then try starting the car again. If it still doesn’t start, it’s probably time to visit Cars for Keeps for some car battery maintenance.

Try jumpstarting the battery. Just like in Princess Bride, car batteries have different levels of “deadness”. A car battery that’s mostly dead will start when jumpstarted. If the car does jumpstart, you’ll want to make sure the engine is turned on long enough for the car to recharge. If it doesn’t restart, the car battery is likely all dead – or something more serious is wrong. Rather than looking through its pockets for loose change, give us a call.

Faulty alternators, fuel injectors and carburetors can often mimic a dead car battery, so if your vehicle has reoccuring start problems or none of the above tests work, it’s a good idea to have a professional mechanic take a look under the hood. Catching these types of problems before they blossom into a full breakdown can save on hefty repair costs.

May 5, 2014

Automatic Transmission Failure: How to Check Fluid and Prevent Costly Breakdowns

No two words strike fear into the hearts of those of us who are not mechanically inclined like the words: transmission failure.

Checking my engine oil may be the extent of my automotive expertise, but I’ve learned that having a faulty automatic transmission can mean almost certain death for a vehicle. For most cars, particularly those that are getting on in life, the cost of replacing an automatic transmission exceeds the value of the entire vehicle – rather like totaling your car.

Fortunately, transmission failure does not happen randomly; indeed, catching the early signs of transmission trouble is easy if you know what to look for. Here are a few things you can do to make sure your automatic transmission doesn’t cause premature car death.

1) Own cars with manual transmissions. Ok, so this isn’t exactly a solution to maintaining an automatic transmission, but car owners should be aware of the differences between manual (standard) and automatic transmissions. Manual transmissions (or “stick shifts”) are more energy efficient than automatics, but more importantly, they have far fewer moving parts – which means way less maintenance and risk of part failure. Sure, you can talk on your cell phone, keep the kids in the backseat from fighting and drink your coffee simultaneously while driving an automatic, but a manual transmission will never conk out like an automatic.

2) Check automatic transmission fluid (ATF) regularly. This is really not hard – no harder than checking your oil levels. If you’re unsure exactly which dipstick is for the ATF or what to look for once you find it, watch this short video on how to check your car’s ATF. If you’re still unsure, there’s a great little auto repair shop on Fulton Street where the mechanics would be happy to show you.

Keep in mind, you’re looking for two things: level and color. The fluid mark needs to hit between the low and high marks, and it should be nice and red.

3) Change your ATF regularly! Although it may seem like this step would naturally follow the previous step, there are those of us (like me) who need the reminder. If your transmission fluid is dark, brown or muddy-colored, it’s time for a professional to take a peek and probably perform a transmission fluid flush.

Please think twice before taking your car to a drive-through service for transmission fluid flushes. There are many reasons why these places don’t always offer the best service for your money, but a certified AAA repair shop like Cars for Keeps will certainly give you a more thorough flush and overall checkup.

4) Listen to your car. As we’ve said here before, your car will usually tell you something is wrong before a major breakdown. Any out of the ordinary noises could be suspect, so bring your car in for inspection if you hear anything unusual. J.B. Herbert gives us a few pointers here:

Safe driving and healthy cars until next time!

July 12, 2012November 16, 2014

Timing belt diagram for Volkswagen Crafter 2.5

Short instructions:

1. cylinder no.1 on top (picture 3)
2. Lock cylinder no.1 crankshaft position (picture 4,8,9 and 10)
3. Lock cylinder no.1 camshaft position (picture 1,2 and 5)
4. Ring crankshaft position (after having done step 2.) take a look at picture 6

Soon on this page we will post timing belt diagram and replacement instructions for Volkswagen Crafter 2.5.
Currently working on this project, please visit us soon.