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Preventing Breakdowns Send this article to: Print
Email When an air conditioner quits working or does not cool enough, proper diagnosis is essential. This is not difficult, with a few tools and a little knowledge. Understanding refrigerant gauges is easy, with a few tips.
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Email Two things most people know about automotive air conditioning are, it is hard to live without, and repairing it is expensive. The next few articles give increasingly more complex ways of checking and servicing air-conditioning systems in vehicles.
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Email In modern vehicles, a smooth comfortable ride is taken for granted. A great deal of technology is involved. When the ride becomes rough, there are reasons and this article may help find them.
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Email When the battery and cables are good and a vehicle will not crank, a few simple procedures can often help isolate the problem.
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Email Not cranking and not starting may seem like the same thing. They are very different situations, from a standpoint of repair. This Detailed Topic is designed to help those, without special equipment or training, understand the engine cranking system. A later topic will address the issue of not starting.
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Email Mark Twain once wrote, "It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so." Much common knowledge about vehicles falls into this category. Here's a short list of things that just ain't so.
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Email The lead acid battery has been used to start cars for many years. They are dependable and affordable sources of electric power. They are also lasting less time than in the past, for several reasons. Understanding how they work can help extend their lives.
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Email Several times a year, vehicles are brought to us with major brake issues. Common symptoms include the brake pedal going to the floor or the wheels locking up. Often these are low mileage vehicles that had no previous problems. Someone has added the wrong fluid to the brake system, and the result is very expensive.
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Email They're called temporary or emergency battery cable ends. Be careful, they may also cause far more problems than they solve.
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Email We perform quite a few pre-purchase inspections on vehicles clients intend to buy. I am often surprised at the number of really poor vehicles that are brought in and the amount they are listed for. Vehicles are NOT inexpensive. New cars easily cost $20,000 to $30,000. Finding a good used vehicle for under $10,000 is also pretty tough.
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Email Gasoline prices are again on the rise. When fuel prices rise, looking for ways to save is natural. Not always considered, but the driver has control of the largest savings in fuel cost and it cost almost nothing.
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Email In July 2010, we wrote an article, advising against filling tires with nitrogen. At that time, most of the information available came from the companies promoting the service. Since that time far more sources are questioning the worth of nitrogen inflation.
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Email Really like buying new vehicles? This lighthearted view of half dozen tried and proven methods, is sure to kill a car in short order.
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Email Often, solving automobile problems means diagnosing the electrical system, as circuits have become a much larger portion of modern vehicles. Knowing how to check basic components can make a repair easier.
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Email When a vehicle pulls to one side, many folks think it is time for a wheel alignment. Torque-steer often produces the same symptom, but requires a very different repair.
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Email Tire rotation is a simple matter, but like many things automotive it is also loaded with mis-information. The principle is to even out tire wear, between the front and rear of the vehicle. In theory this should provide longer tire service and there are four patterns in general use.
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Email Many people think that once a vehicle is declared a total-loss, that is the end of it. This is far from the truth. In many cases, seriously wrecked vehicles are repaired and sold to the public.
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Email Several times a month, vehicles come in with major damage caused by trying to tow too much weight. Information on towing is plentiful, but often inaccurate and incomplete from a repair standpoint. Surprisingly, most trucks we see will NOT tow their rated capacity without problems.
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Email Brake lights seem extremely simple. Press the brake pedal and they come on, release, and they go off. Many things can and do go wrong. When they do, this guide can help find the problem.
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Email A proper automatic transmission service can never harm a transmission, regardless of mileage. Properly done, service can prevent problems and extend the useful life of the transmission. Improper service can be worse than no service at all. I feel it is very important to have only a trusted specialist service your transmission.
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Email Henry Ford and many people like him built empires, by providing quality and value. Henry was also smart enough to know if he provided jobs and paid fair wages, folks could buy his cars. He employed countless US craftsman, building cars, parts and a high standard of living. While the names of domestic manufacturers may still be in use, their concern for US jobs is far from apparent.
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Email Deep in South Louisiana, Carnival season is as big as Christmas, New Years and the Super Bowl, all rolled into one. Mardi Gras day is the culmination, and the last blowout before the Lenten Season begins. Aside from being beautiful, each of the Mardi Gras colors has a special meaning.
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Email No one likes having services pushed at them that they feel they do not need. This is often the case when there are no symptoms, and expensive service is suggested. Sometimes this is a total rip off, other times it is wise to listen.
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Email Almost any problem with a modern vehicle involves checking electrical circuits. Basic testing is easy, but a good deal of damage can be done by careless methods. These tips will make the process much easier.
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Email The gasoline nozzle cuts off when the fuel tank is full, and this prevents overfilling. This can also become a very annoying cycle, when the nozzle continues to click off, several times in the process. Finding the causes are easier with a little understanding of the system.
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Email Women often feel particularly vulnerable when they need auto repair. The fact is, members of either sex are equally prone to scams. Shopping methods increase the odds of being taken advantage of and are a key to getting better results.
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Email New vehicles are extremely expensive. Getting more miles from a current vehicle makes more sense than ever. Many AGCO clients are keeping their vehicles for 200,000 miles and a lot more. It is called agconomics and here is how it works.
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Email The modern automotive heater provides comfort in the coldest situation. When it fails to provide heat, finding the cause is easier with a basic understanding.
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Email Automatic transmissions benefit from proper service. Unfortunately, many places push a highly profitable up-sell instead. The transmission flush does the vehicle little good and may cause harm.
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Email Many people have asked if there is a way to hear the Automotive Hour, without having to listen Saturday morning. The answer is yes, there are several alternative methods of hearing the Automotive Hour.
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Email As in previous years, AGCO will be closed between Christmas and New Year. This year we will be closed Friday December 23rd through Monday January 1st.
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Email Tire speed rating is extremely important to handling and braking, yet it may be one of the most misunderstood tire ratings.
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Email Automatic transmission fluid color, along with other symptoms, can be an indication of an automatic transmission problem. The color of the transmission fluid alone, is NOT a reliable indicator. Transmission fluid color varies widely with modern fluid. Darkening of fluid with age is also a normal characteristic. Knowing the normal color and looking for other symptoms can prevent being taken advantage of.
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Email The AGCO Automotive Idle radio campaign is nearing the end and has been our most successful ever.
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Email Louisiana, like many States, collects a disposal fee on used tires. Though they are paid to do so, tire transporters may not be disposing of all used tires. Outdated used tires may be sold to the public, at used tire stores and flea markets, with no regulation.
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Email Engine oil is the lifeblood of an engine. Run out of oil, for just a few seconds, and the engine will be destroyed. With extended oil changes, oil loss is on the increase and not checking the oil level may lead to major problems.
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Email A hum or roar that increases with the speed of the vehicle is often a bad front wheel bearing. Like most things, the front-wheel bearings have undergone an extensive evolution. Many today are sealed and the only service is a replacement.
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Email Set the temperature and the vehicle stays comfortable. Climate control technology is usually taken for granted, until something goes wrong. When it does, the cost can be quite surprising.
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Email Many people consider an auxiliary automatic transmission cooler for their vehicle. In some cases transmission coolers do offer benefits. Many of the claims for transmission coolers are overstated and, improperly installed, they may do more harm than good.
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Email With vehicle odors, the symptom is not hard to identify. Finding the source and eliminating the problem is more difficult, but this guide may make it a lot easier.
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Email The practice is called menu pricing. Trying to select service, like a commodity, simply by comparing price on a menu. In reality the practice may insure, not only unpleasant surprises with regard to price, but that they will be taken advantage of.
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Email The sign says "Brake Job $89.99." You drop the vehicle off, wait and then get the call . We have checked your brakes and you need yada, yada, yada, that comes to $497.60. Frustrated, you authorize the repair. When you pick up the vehicle you notice the brake pedal is low and the steering wheel shakes when you brake. ARGGGGGGGG! . . .
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Email Auto enthusiast and "gear heads" are some of the most difficult folks in the world to buy things for Christmas. For one thing, they are almost always highly technical. For another, they generally have just about everything they want.
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Email Henry Ford did not invent the automobile, nor did he discover the use of mass production. Instead, he combined the technologies of the day. Henry Ford provided affordable transportation for the common man and changed the world forever.
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Email Modern engines are designed to run within a narrow range of temperature. Because the metals used in an engine, expand at different rates, excess temperature causes a great many problems. Above a certain temperature, permanent engine damage will result.
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Email Internal combustion engines convert fuel into mechanical energy and a lot of heat. When the heat of an engine is not controlled, by the cooling system, things get out of hand very quickly. At what temperature is an engine considered overheated and what happens when it is?
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Email Many times folks come in with major problems, that might had been avoided, if caught sooner. Not noticing the symptoms are the number one reason such problems go unnoticed. A quite drive and these tips may help prevent this from happening.
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Email Vehicle fluids, such as engine oil, automatic transmission fluid and even power steering fluid are highly specialized. Engineers take a multitude of factors into account when specifying these fluids. Damage can be done by using the incompatible fluids or by using stop-leak additives.
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Email Not many people would consider renting a car, for years on end. Leasing is the same thing, except for being obligated until the lease ends. This is one reason why financial experts like Dave Ramsey, refer to them as a fleece.
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Email Most folks are unfamiliar with the new vehicle warranty process. What is covered by the warranty, what is a recall, what is a TSB and a policy adjustment? Knowing these answers can save frustration, as well as dollars.
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