AGCO Auto Quick Tip:
Try our new Category View for Detailed topics segregated by their topic.
AGCO Auto Quick Tip:
You can also receive our Detailed Auto Topics, delivered to your computer, as soon as they are written. Please click
Detailed Topics
Print
Email Fortunately, in South Louisiana, the weather is nice and vehicles can be driven year round. Still there may be times when it is necessary to store a vehicle, for a period of time. While storing a vehicle is always less desirable than driving it, there are measures that lessen the detrimental affects.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (1)
Print
Email What is the difference in Price and Cost? The answer may save you thousands of dollars and a great deal of frustration . . .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email People who drive motor homes and pull travel trailers may be among the safest drivers on the road. They tend to maintain their vehicles very well, except possibly in one critical and often overlooked area.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Most modern vehicles do not shift out of park, without applying the brake. This is a safety feature and is all but unnoticed, until the vehicle will not come out of park, even with the brakes applied.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email A cracked flexplate is almost always a sign of other problems. If not properly diagnosed it will occur again and often damage to the transmission may follow.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Quality is not a slogan or marketing gimmick with AGCO, it is a way of life. President, Louis Altazan studied under Dr. W. Edwards Deming, and applied his theories and principles of quality management to the business.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Tom and Bob were best friends. They had known one another since grade school and now were graduating from college. Neither had a lot of money at this time, and both needed transportation.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Can vehicles last 100,000 miles? Two-hundred thousand, five-hundred thousand, longer . . .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Fuel filters clean fuel and protect fuel injectors. Good maintenance has always dictated replacing fuel filters at regular intervals. Today they are disappearing from maintenance schedules and the under side of vehicles.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email The automobile of today is an incredibly complex machine. Through the extensive integration of computers, this complexity can be utilized and made largely invisible to the driver. This is by design and a wonderful feature of modern vehicles. Simply turn a key an it starts, push a button and the climate is controlled, drive 500 miles without effort, until something goes wrong.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Hydraulic power steering is very dependable, but complex in operation. When problems occur a basic understanding prevents many expensive mistakes.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email As the accelerator is released, engine speed slows. At a preset speed the idle circuit takes over and the engine runs at the lowest speed possible, without stalling. Watch the tachometer and you will notice idle speed is around 500 to 900 RPM. You may also notice that it changes from time to time. The engine computer totally controls idle speed today, based on complex calculations.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email There are many places that cooling systems may leak, some obvious and others difficult to locate. Accurate diagnosis and repair will keep the problem from expanding drastically.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Years tend to slip by and with cars, this is no exception. It is easy to forget about the radiator. Radiators get rid of heat generated by the engine. When they fail, the results will be very clear.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Checking automatic transmission fluid is quite simple and straight forward, right? Well not really. Like so many things today, something that should be simple has become quite complex. The following is meant to serve as a guide to help simplify the process.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email If a vehicle has an in-dash fuel mileage indicator, manually verifying the readings can be a surprise. Accurately calculating fuel mileage is very easy and can be revealing.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Replacing an air filter is usually considered good vehicle maintenance, but not always. The truth may surprise you.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (1)
Print
Email Joe needs a set of tires for his vehicle and naturally he wants the best deal he can get. He shops a bit, but hears so many pitches that he has no idea who to believe. Exhausted, he buys a set that promises the lowest price. A few days later he notices a vibration as he drives . . .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email How to stretch more miles per gallon from your present vehicle, without spending a lot of money . . .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Before founding AGCO, in 1974, the fundamentals were being worked out. Three primary aims of the company would be,
1.) Fixed right the first time
2.) At the price quoted
3.) Delivered on time
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Most people understand that air conditioning cools the inside of a vehicle. The mechanical process is not complicated, and a bit of physics helps to understand how it all works.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email This year, as in years past, AGGO will close from Friday July 24th through Monday July 4th for Summer shop vacation. We will return, ready for work on Tuesday, July 5th .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email A great deal is written on oil change intervals and from many perspectives. Each appears to slant the facts to fit their position and it is difficult to know what is best.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email The most common question folks ask about auto repair may be setting them up for an expensive, frustrating experience . . .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Joe has a check engine light on. Since the vehicle still ran, he took it to a part store that checked the codes. The parts man grinned and said you need mass air flow sensor. Without much thought, Joe made his purchase and headed home to fix his car.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email In the hot climate of the Southern United States, average battery life is 37 months. When a battery lasts considerably less time, a problem is indicated. Diagnosing repeat battery failure is easier with an understanding of how they operate.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Modern vehicles are not designed to be operated without air conditioning. When the temperature rises, it does not take long to figure out whether the air conditioner is working or not. The extremely important key is why?
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Spark plugs come in an abundance of designs. Many claims used in selling spark plugs are vastly overstated or false. Very sound reasons also exist, why spark plugs should be replaced. Many reasons for replacement are not common knowledge.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email As the temperature of the combustion chamber approaches 2500 degrees Fahrenheit, nitrous oxide emissions increase. The fuel air mixture can also spontaneously combust, causing valve clatter and damaging the engine. Allowing a small amount of exhaust gas back into the intake reduces combustion chamber temperature. Regulating the flow of exhaust gas is the job of the EGR system.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Check engine lights are one of the most misunderstood parts of a modern vehicle. What are they trying to say? Why do they come on and then go off? This simple overview may clear up many misconceptions.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email A vehicle that leans to one side is unsightly. Leaning can also affect tire wear, handling and wear to the suspension. Diagnosing the cause of leaning is not difficult, but it requires a structured approach.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Valve clatter, pinging, pre-ignition and detonation. These are all terms for the strange rattle or knock an engine can make when accelerating. Regardless of the name used, the cause is the same.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Driving about 45 MPH there is a sudden shutter in the vehicle. It almost feels like running over a rough spot in the road or cattle guard. As quick as it appeared, it is gone, until the next time it occurs.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Quite often folks call and ask how much is a brake job?
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Basic brake system hydraulics is very simple and very dependable. Occasionally something goes wrong and a bit of knowledge goes a long way in finding solutions.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Years ago, AGCO added automatic transmission repair to our list of services. I was amazed at how many folks came in for transmission repair. I was also amazed at how often the problem was not a transmission problem at all .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email A very wise person once wrote that nothing is ever truly free. I think most reasonable people realize that anything of value has a cost and the client always pays that cost. Still the word free is very often used in business to lure the unsuspecting. The lure of free is a very strong one, and people continue to be taken in, over and again.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email The frame and unibody structure of a vehicle can be damaged in several ways. Almost all can be properly repaired, if it is properly diagnosed beforehand.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Many folks have experienced the aggravation of a dead battery. Cheap batteries, that leak, may also cause other far more expensive problems.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Serpentine drive belts have been around for many years. Originally built of neoprene, a worn-out belt was easy to spot. Cracks in the ribs and fraying meant the belt was bad. A lack of cracking was meant the belt was considered okay.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (1)
Print
Email Why does AGCO have white floors in the service department . . .
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Estimates suggest people spend 18% of their total home budget on transportation cost. Inevitably the decision comes up, should I keep my vehicle or buy another?
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Every day money is wasted on automotive services and products that are not needed. Even worse, in many cases the replacement parts may not be as good as the parts replaced.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email A blown head gasket is a common cause for a number of symptoms. Coolant in the engine oil, an engine misfire, oil leaking could all be a symptom. These could each also have other causes and an actual blown head gasket may show none of the above symptoms.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email It is quite common to find out of round tires. They shake and often damage suspension components. A question I am often asked is, what makes tires go out of round? The fact is, tires do not go out of round.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email The Ford Modular engine is well designed, but very "picky" as to the lubrication and oil filter. Originally 5W30 was specified, later Ford changed to 5W20 and 5W20 synthetic blend. The oil filter also has a specific anti-drain back valve and for good reason.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email The positive crankcase ventilation or PCV valve is an inexpensive and often overlooked component. It is also one possible cause of expensive oil leaks and sludge buildup in an engine.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email One of the most persistent questions we get is, "How much air should I put in my tires?"
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Print
Email Change can be very useful. Poorly thought out change can also be very costly, without providing benefit. In my opinion, the Ford two-piece spark plug is a perfect example of the later. The multitude of people unlucky enough to own a vehicle with this plug may learn that the hardest way.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (2)
Print
Email There are two things most people know about synthetic oil. First, it cost a lot and second, it is man made in laboratories and better than conventional oil. The first might be so and the second might not. There is a great amount of mis-information on synthetic oil. The truth is, synthetic oil is NOT for everyone.
Read More... Post or Read Comments (0)
Search Detailed Auto Topics
