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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.

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How to Prevent Cold-Weather Stalls: Winterizing your Battery

Hunting season is fast approaching, and that means it is time to at least start THINKING about winterizing your vehicle. Have you ever jumped inside your car to head to work in the morning to find your car will not start? It’s happened to the best of us, but there are a few simple things you can do to help prevent this scenario from happening to you this winter.

Something to keep in mind is that our car’s battery loses about a third of its starting power when the temps dip down into the 30’s. In addition, our driving habits in the winter make it less likely the alternator will be able to fully recharge our car battery as we drive. For example, we tend to drive less often and we drive shorter distances in the winter, we constantly run the defrost and we are using our headlights more than in the warmer months – all putting a larger load on the alternator.

So what can you do?

1) Take a Peek Under the Hood: Have your battery checked before winter hits to make sure your terminals are tight and your battery is not corroded. (Stop in at Cars For Keeps & We’ll do it FREE!)

2) Turn “Stuff” Off: Turn off your blowers and accessories when you turn off your car so there isn’t as large of a load on your battery when you go to start your vehicle again. Turn your headlights on after you start your vehicle, NOT before.

3) Park Inside: Park your vehicle in a garage if you have one. This will help keep the battery somewhat warmer.

4) Pay Attention to Your Headlights: Do they dim and brighten on occasion? If so, stop by Cars4Keeps and one of our technicians can test your alternator for you.

5) Listen to Your Vehicle Start: Do you notice your car is having trouble turning over (starting), but once it is running everything seems normal? This may indicate that your battery has a low charge, weak connection or strater getting ready to leave you walking.

The last thing any of us need this winter is to be stranded somewhere with flakes swirling around us and a car that refuses to start. Be proactive and take winterizing your vehicle seriously this year. While there is more to it than batteries and alternators, a quick stop into Cars4Keeps is all you need to get your car in top winter condition.

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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!

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Know What You Are Doing

Many of today’s autos have timing belts. If you keep up with all the necessary services today’s automobiles are engineered to last well over 100,000 miles. Your auto, being in good shape now has 50,000 plus miles on it and you plan on keeping it. You will now have to consider the big expensive service. The Timing Belt.

This timing belt is made of the same basic materials that the other drive (fan) belts are made of. The timing belt is probably one of the more expensive and more important maintenance items you will have to do. Follow your manufacturer’s time and mileage recommendations for this service. Many of today’s engines are called “interference engines”. This means if your timing belt skips or breaks the valve and pistons are no longer in sync and will hit each other causing very extensive damage internally to the point of having to replace the complete engine itself.

If you plan on replacing the timing belt yourself you best be very mechanically inclined. Replacing this belt on a four cylinder engine is not all that difficult if you know what you are doing. Replacing this belt on a six cylinder engine, especially a transverse engine, can be over bearing for the average backyard do-it-yourselfer. If the engine is not an interference type and belt timing is off by a few teeth the worse that will happen is the engine not running properly and the belt has to be re-timed. If the engine is an interference type and the belt is off by too many teeth the valves and piston will hit each other, so by trying to save money you have just ruined the entire engine. Think twice or three times before attempting this belt replacement by yourself. Some things are better left to pros even if it costs more. Don’t forget, at least this way you have a certain warrantee on the repair should something go wrong.

Choosing not to do the timing belt when the service is due can lead to the same engine damage should this belt skip a few teeth or break from age

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When To Replace Your Timing Belt

Timing belt replacement is the “must-do” service operation which every car owner should know about. Along with that knowledge, we should be aware of whether our engine is considered an interference engine or not. These two bits of information can, at a minimum, save us from unexpected breakdown and in the extreme can help us avoid thousands of dollars in repairs.
Without getting too technical, the synchronization between two internal engine parts (the crank and cam shafts) is accomplished with the help of the timing belt. In the process of these two parts moving the valves open and close in close proximity to the pistons. This constitutes an interference engine, because if the timing belt jumps a tooth on the sprocket on which it rides or the belt fails altogether the valves and pistons will “interfere” with each other.

This collision will cause major damage to the engine. The repair bill will, on older vehicles, often exceed the value of the car. On the other hand, a car whose engine is not configured this way will simply lose power or will not start. While this might be more desirable than facing huge repair costs, it is something that is better avoided if possible.

The motivation for preemptive replacement of the timing belt is obvious. But how do you know when to replace it? There is always the owner’s manual which will indicate mileage of anywhere from 50,000 to 90,000 miles. For a comprehensive list of timing belt service intervals and the type of engine (interference or not) check out About.com.

Some other considerations relative to timing belt replacement are:

1) Is the vehicle leaking any type of fluid that might degrade the belt, if so disregard the suggested replacement interval and replace the belt ASAP as well as repair the leak;

2) Do you know the repair history of the vehicle if it is not verifiable err on the side of safety and replace the belt;

3) Timing belt replacement can be labor intensive. Since the water pump is usually accessed in the same operation you might consider replacing the pump at the same time even if it doesn’t leak. You will save on labor and possibly prevent a pump replacement later on that will also necessitate the belt to be replaced again;

4) To avoid subsequent failure consider replacing sprockets and tensioners that are part of the timing belt system. All components are sometimes sold as a kit and can be less expensive than purchasing them individually.

All service intervals should be followed in order to protect your investment and maintain the integrity of your warranty. In the case of the timing belt, it just makes sense.

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Timing Belt Symptoms

Timing Belt Symptoms

A timing belt handles the timing of the engine’s valves. If a timing belt snaps, certain kinds of engines could be damaged. It’s better to replace the timing belt if you have hit the amount of miles your vehicle manual recommends for a replacement, or if you notice some symptoms signaling which the timing belt is going bad.

There’s two different kinds of engines: interference and non-interference. In case your timing belt snaps or slips on an interference engine, the engine is going to be badly damaged costing a small money in repairs. In case a timing belt snaps on a non-interference engine, the engine is going to be damaged but won’t cost too much in repairs as an interference engine.

The failure of a timing belt is probably the most typical main reasons why cars breakdown. If you’re acquainted with the timing belt, the way it functions and the way to recognise whether or not some thing is wrong with it, you’ll be able to avoid serious damage to your vehicle and you will know when you should replace it. Know-how about timing belt symptoms could save you from having to experience being stuck on the side of a road due to a broken timing belt.

With no correctly functioning timing belt, an engine’s pistons would stop to operate therefore a vehicle will be not able to work. Worn timing belt can’t perform its job appropriately for this reason old timing belts can result in performance issues with a vehicle.

Now there are several timing belt symptoms to take into consideration: if the car’s engine vibrates a lot which it leads to the whole car to shake, in case your car starts belching much more exhaust than normal, if you encounter difficulty in starting the car or in the event you hear strange noises from the car’s engine. These types of are just some of the common timing belt symptoms. In the event you encounter one or more of those it might be ideal to consult with a mechanic as quickly as possible. Other timing belt symptoms can vary then one of them is emitting of excess smoke. When your car emits smoke a lot more than the usual that is a sign which your timing belt could have a issue.

These are the basic timing belt symptoms that you need to watch out for if you wish to prevent causing major damage to your car’s engine. Some of the reasons for timing belt damage are oil leak and getting too hot. To prevent these issues it’s better which you carry out regular check-up for your vehicle. If you’d like to learn more about timing belt as well as other timing belt symptoms, you could browse the internet for websites which has this type of information.

If you have ignored the symptoms and your vehicle conks out and stops running it’ll probably are already too late. So keep in mind, at the time you notice these timing belt symptoms it might be better to get your car checked. Awaiting the damage to become severe is certainly not something you will want to do.

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Timing Belt Symptoms of Failure

The failure of a timing belt is one of the most common reasons why cars break down. If you are familiar with the timing belt, how it functions and how to identify whether or not something is wrong with it, then you can prevent serious damage to your car and you’ll know when to replace it. Knowledge about timing belt symptoms will save you from having to experience being stuck on the side of a road because of a broken timing belt.
Belt failure
By definition, a timing belt is a chain or cam belt that is part of a car’s internal combustion engine. It connects a crankshaft to a camshaft which control the opening and closing of a car’s valves. Without a properly functioning timing belt, an engine’s pistons would cease to function hence a car would be unable to run. Worn timing belt can no longer perform its job properly this is why old timing belts can lead to performance problems with a car.
Now there are a number of timing belt symptoms to watch out for: if your car starts belching more exhaust than usual, if the car’s engine vibrates so much that it causes the entire car to shake, if you experience difficulty in starting the car or if you hear strange noises coming from the car’s engine. These are just some of the common timing belt symptoms. If you experience one or more of these it would be ideal to consult with a mechanic as soon as possible.
If you’ve ignored the symptoms and your car conks out and stops running it will probably have been too late. By this point the belt has probably already broken. The amount of collateral damage to the other parts of the engine will be determined by the type of engine. Interference engines will tend to experience a lot of collateral damage during a timing belt failure. Valve damage is not uncommon during these cases. Non-interference engines tend not to experience as much damage but will still be costly to fix.
So remember, once you notice these timing belt symptoms it would be best to get your car checked. Waiting for the damage to become grave is definitely not something you’ll want to do.