A VIEW FROM THE PUMPS – AUG. 2022 Pt.2

BEING THE COOLEST PERSON ON THE BLOCK

When I was growing up being cool meant wearing jeans and a white T-shirt with a pack of Lucky’s rolled up in your sleeve. Then it became being the first one on your block to actually own a vehicle. But I was super cool because my first vehicle was a rag top and that top stayed down from April to November because I had a heater that would melt stockings (or so my girlfriend and eventual wife would complain).

Now being cool in Southwest Fl. is all about being comfortable and content while driving on Florida’s highways without hearing any road noise or outside noises such as ghetto blasters and the like. Just being enveloped in a cool, noiseless cocoon devoid of all other sensory functions and sensations is supposed to be like being in heaven. Yet to this day it amazes me how many people do not know how to use their air conditioners to this day.

Last week we talked about the natural cooling processes that make hot air cool; I kept it very basic because the cooling process has not changed since the beginning of time and it will never. What has changed is the dependence on multiple other systems in your automobile that have to work together to keep that air cold. This does not even count the different control systems that make the passenger cabin habitable for every part of the country.

Cause and Effect

Anything that puts a burden on the cooling system of the engine will affect your air conditioning; that includes the ambient temperature, low or contaminated coolant, loose or worn drive belts, electric fans that fail to operate as designed, and anything that blocks the flow of air through the condenser from broken air dams to something as simple as sand packed into the fins of the condenser. So the first type of maintenance for your cooling pleasure is to make sure that all of your belts and hoses are in good shape, that you haven’t left half of your air dam in Publix’s parking lot, that any electric fans come on, and visibly change their speed as demand increases and finally once in a while when the engine is NOT running use a GARDEN hose and flush out the radiator and condenser fins from the engine side out especially if you live in the Ranchettes or on a non-paved road. You will be utterly stunned at the amount of debris that will come out of those fins, and more importantly, you will immediately feel the difference in the temperature of the air.

The second most important form of maintenance for your air conditioning system is to make sure that Freon levels are where they are supposed to be. Remember when I said that up in N.J. we would just top them off and let them go until next year, and that was only because the A/C season was so short there, but now not only is your air conditioning affected by the proper amount of Freon so too is your defroster and heating systems.
Usually, the first sign of a low system is a system that cools okay at the beginning and end of the day but cannot keep up when traveling during the heat of the day. This is accompanied by the constant cycling (clicking) of the A/C compressor. But now many vehicles have what is called modulated compressors that actually change the displacement of the compressor so that the clutch (that’s what that clicking noise is) stays engaged and doesn’t cycle on and off.

Get Professional Help

Now the sad fact of life is that an A/C system is a closed system and if it’s low then you have a leak. Just how big that leak is and where it is, becomes the crucial difference. All systems will develop a leak after a few years, rubber hoses deteriorate and sweat, and “o” rings become brittle and less resilient and allow minute amounts of Freon to escape. These first instances of low Freon levels are generally hard to find unless the technician utilizes a halogen detector or a blue light/dye combination to find the leak. Many times if the leak is very small, the Freon level can be brought up to its proper level by using a series of measurements on various components to ascertain just how much Freon needs to be added.

However if these leaks become chronic then the only real way to make sure that the levels are correct is by recovering what Freon that might still be in the system and recharging the system with the proper amount of refrigerant oil and Freon to bring it back to specs. This is where people get into trouble! They are usually anxious and they run off to one of those “BOX STORES” to buy a can of sealer and Freon and just top it off. That’s where it’s going to cost you money! First off you really don’t know what they are using as a sealer and it can destroy a compressor, secondly, as I mentioned last week, these systems are getting smaller and smaller and unless you know exactly how much gas you are installing, you can cause a good amount of damage. If you’re lucky it just won’t cool, if you’re not, you will either seize a compressor or develop so much head pressure that it will either blow a hose or rupture the condenser. These new systems do not take well to being over-charged.

Here is my gift to you!

I’m going to teach you just how to operate your air conditioning/heater for efficiency, and comfort and to maximize your vehicle’s ability to get the most miles per gallon.

1. If your vehicle is parked outside all day, open the doors and windows to let the bulk of the super-heated air out.
2. Drive with your windows open and turn on your A/C to the fresh air mode. As the inside temperature drops close the windows.
3. Now turn your A/C controls to recirculate (that’s the button on the car with the “u-shaped” arrow in the middle of it)
4. Now here is the most important part; turn the blower speed down as low as you can. You should not feel the wind from the vents hitting you. This will give you a gain of almost 9 degrees.

If you have automatic HVAC controls set your temperature to your preference, if not and you feel a little chilly in the cabin’ then just turn up the temp control a notch or two and you’ll be fine.

So until next week BE COOL, BE CALM AND COLLECTED, and remember always:

MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 000001.

P.S. As of this time either nobody read last week’s article or the trivia question was too hard. So here’s a Hint: It was 1939 and it wasn’t Nash or Cadillac.

A VIEW FROM THE PUMPS – AUG. 2022 Pt.1

‘TIS THE SEASON

What season is it now, Baseball, Track, Christmas, maybe Beach Volley Ball?

No, it’s the season that people are most concerned with when they purchase a used vehicle. Does the air blow cold? A good salesman would smile and say politely “yes of course”, a salesman that we all were taught to avoid would answer, “yeah you can hang meat in there”. So typically if all you want is cold air, that’s doable. If you want cold air to last for more than a couple of months, takes a little bit more scrutiny. To have it work properly and not destroy expensive components during the course of “keeping the air cold”, takes a considerable amount of knowledge and an array of tools and equipment.

First, let’s talk about just how that air gets cold. The medium that does this is of course Freon. You’ll notice that Freon is capitalized because it is trademarked by our friendly scientists from Dupont. Its real name is dichlorodifluoromethane gas. Dupont actually developed the R ratings based on the gas’ molecular structure which is why everyone thinks of R-12 when we speak of automotive Freon. Now we have R134a which is soon to be replaced by HFO1234yf. The most common type of Freon was R-12. Just how cold is Freon? R-12 boils at 28 degrees below 0. Ask yourself how many old-time mechanics have frostbite on their fingertips because they mishandled Freon, better yet ask yourself how many died from phosgene gas poisoning, which is produced when you heat Freon with a butane or propane torch because that is how we were taught to check for leaks. I told you that this is a tough business!

Cooling air is not a process of making something cold; it’s a process of removing the heat from the air that we want to cool us. This brings us right back to the natural laws of heat exchange. Air conditioning systems are the same as in your home and in your refrigerator. It consists of a closed system that recirculates a medium that is extremely cold and by the laws of physics attracts any heat from its surrounding area.

Okay back to air conditioning; here we are in our vehicles and we want some nice cool air so we can close the windows. So we pass some air over a heat exchanger, also known as an evaporator core, and we take the heat from the air so that now it’s “COOL”. So we’re all happy as clams in the vehicle because it’s cool. But now that nice cold Freon has become heated up from all the heat it just attracted from the incoming air. How do we make it cold again?

Here is the cycle; the heated Freon is sucked back to the compressor where it is compressed. It is then sent to the condenser as a high-pressure gas where it condenses into a high-pressure liquid. High pressure means high heat with Freon. It then passes through a restriction, also known as an expansion valve or an orifice tube that forces the pressure down, and makes the Freon cold again, and the cycle continues.

When I was just a young buck in New Jersey, I went to all the air conditioning classes and I thought to myself this is pretty simple. Because “the season” in New Jersey was only 2-3 months long it was a practice to just top off those systems that were not working properly and send them on their way. The following year we would see the same folks and do it all over again. When I moved to Florida in 1985 I really learned just how crucial it was for an a/c system to be properly maintained. But in the ’70s, the year of the gas shortage and the new mantra of everyone in America became “miles per gallon”. Like everything else in those vehicles, the air conditioning system was all downsized and made of aluminum, and THEN we found out about “GLOBAL WARMING“ and how all that R-12 was leaking from our cars was going to kill us and give us permanent sunburns. This led to the development of our latest Freon R134a.

Technicians had found that they had to take special classes, and buy expensive equipment to keep up with this new technology. In two weeks we’ll bring you the REST OF THE STORY

Normally this is where I would sign off and tell you the Maintenance starts at Mile 00001, but being the type of man that I am I have to know if you guys are reading the whole story, so if you are and you’re the first to call 941 575-8868 and ask for Lynda and tell her which Automobile Company was the first to install factory air conditioning and in what year, I’ll give you a $25.00 Visa gift card, but you have to leave your name address and e-mail so that we can contact you. If you’re not the first one we’ll put your information in a drawing for some cool kind of prize on October 1st. If by chance you’re already a client and an “Insider’s Car Care Member” we’ll put your name in twice. Oh by the way if you’re the lucky winner and you’re already an Insider Car Care Member that gift card will be for $50.00.

See you in two weeks, Same Bat Time – Same Bat Channel.

A 2nd VIEW FROM THE PUMPS – Nov. 2021

From Their Exhaust To Your Lungs

Did you know that cars and trucks once had separate air intakes that allowed air from the outside to enter the passenger compartment? Those were those handles that said “Vent”. Those vent handles allowed fresh air to pass from the front of the vehicle directly to the passenger compartment. That was when air conditioning was an option and not the norm.

Now because of the air conditioning systems and the sophistication of these systems, all the air that comes into your vehicle comes through the same route. Over the engine, into the fresh air ducts, into the evaporator case, around the evaporator core and heater core, through the blower fan housing, and then finally into the passenger compartment where you are.

Because we live in southwest Florida I challenge you to see just how many vehicles have their windows open on the road at any given time. So the long and short of it means that as you are driving on the road behind a diesel, or a poorly maintained vehicle that is smoking or running too rich, or in a dusty condition all of those contaminants and debris are coming into your vehicle and into your lungs.

Why are we not aware of this? Because our engineers have put in systems to trap those particles so that we are not endangered. Every breath of air that runs into the new vehicles runs through or over an evaporator core and a cabin filter. The cabin filter is the most overlooked filter in a vehicle and most owners do not even know that they exist. They are usually located under the dash in the evaporator case hidden by glove boxes or lower dash panels. Everyone knows the importance of the air filter for the efficiency of the engine so this is to protect our lungs.

Just as important as changing these cabin filters every 15,000 miles or yearly, you should have the evaporator core cleaned at regular intervals, too. The evaporator core and the heater core both look and act like mini radiators for your automobile. Their sole purpose is to act as a heat exchanger to the hot or cold air that is coming into the passenger compartment. If they are working properly, they both have the opportunity to “sweat” (That’s what that puddle of water is under your vehicle on a humid day). This sweating process turns those cores into magnets that trap dust, organic material, and road debris.

If the cabin filters are too overloaded with debris the filtering process becomes null and void. It then becomes the perfect breeding ground for MOLD. Mold is hazardous to your health, it can make you sick, it can aggravate any breathing disorders that you may be experiencing and it could very well be deadly.

The solution? Have your service provider check your cabin air filter if you have never had it checked. If you are driving for long periods of time in your vehicle and feel ill or have trouble breathing (or have a strange “gym sock odor”), it may be time to have your evaporator core sanitized. It is after all YOUR health.

P.S. Here is something no one has ever taught you. The proper way to use your air conditioning. Here is the scenario: Your vehicle is parked outside during the heat of the day and it’s time to go home. Here’s what you should do:

1. Open your windows and let the heat out of the car, before you even start it.
2. After starting it up place you’re A/C controls to fresh air and turn the blower up 2-3 speeds to expel the superheated air in the vents.
3. Now close your windows and let the temperature of the air stabilize.
4. As soon as the temperature of the air is cool switch your controls to recirculation and lower your blower speed to 1-2. You should not feel the speed of air hitting you. You should just feel comfortable in the vehicle, not in a wind tunnel.

Here’s the best part, you’ll get better fuel economy!

A VIEW FROM THE PUMPS – November 2021

VALVES, SOLENOIDS, FLUIDS, AND TECHNIQUES TO PRESERVE YOUR A.B.S. BRAKE SYSTEM

ABS, Traction Control, red brake lights, orange triangles or orange ABS lamps; every late model vehicle has them. And in the privacy of brakes classes where everyone is a wrench, we commonly referred to these warning lamps as the “check money lamp.”

To everyone that was proactive last month and took part in our “Putting the Brakes on Autism Campaign”, Thank You. A check for 10% of our brakes sales will go directly to Harbour Heights Charities.

Without becoming extremely technical and boring, I will attempt to very simply explain the concepts of these systems and then, more importantly, explain how easily they can be maintained and kept functional, saving you thousands of dollars in repairs.

To put it very simply ABS really stands for Antilock Brake System, which keeps the rear brakes from locking up and putting you into a rear skid condition. Unbeknownst to most, when those rear brakes lock up, the rear wheels actually rise up off of the road surface losing the benefit of friction which actually makes the vehicle speed up. Originally the first types of ABS systems were called single-channel systems, whereupon the wheel sensor was in the rear differential housing or in the transmission rear extension housing. By monitoring the speed of the drive shaft, the ABS controller could control the rear brakes of the vehicle as a single unit.

With the introduction of independent suspensions it became obvious that each wheel will have to be controlled independently. By installing a speed sensor on each rear wheel, the ABS controller would be able to monitor each of the rear wheels independently. This was the beginning of two-channel ABS systems. Shortly after, many trucks that were straight axle units came into service with 3-channel ABS systems which had a wheel speed sensor on each front wheel and a single sensor in the rear differential. Finally, we have 4-channel ABS which has a speed sensor on each wheel. This system has developed into a most functional system that not only can stop a lock-up situation, but also identify a wheel that has lost traction on acceleration, it monitors and becomes a redundant odometer, and cruise control, and airbag confirmation point.

Early antilock brake systems monitored the rotational speed of every tire when the brakes are applied or the brake lights were activated. If and when one or multiple wheels slow down far faster than the others the ABS controller then releases the brake pressure to each of these wheels. This is done by preventing the fluid pressure to each of these wheels for microseconds at a time allowing the locked-up wheel or wheels to momentarily turn so as to be able to control the braking event. This allows the driver to have a controlled yet quick braking event, without losing control of the vehicle. The only difference to the driver is that they would feel a rapidly pulsating brake pedal as the skid is kept under control. When the wheel speeds normalize the pulsation goes away. Traction control is Antilock in reverse. When the controller senses that upon acceleration one or more wheels is turning faster than designed the Traction Control /ABS controller actually applies the brakes to slow those wheels down. So for all of you old gear heads “leaving rubber”, that will never happen again.

Given the complexity of these systems there are only 2 things that have the ability to run through these components; they are brake fluid and electrons!

As far as the redundant monitoring for the speedometer, cruise control, and airbags, just think of it like this: As the transmission is running and sending data to the transmission control module, it controls the shift points and pressures. If this information becomes corrupted the Powertrain Control Module can refer back to the ABS controller to decide if the vehicle or transmission control system is at fault. Likewise, if the airbag impact sensor registers an impact the PCM will look back to the transmission control for rapid deceleration. The ABS system looks for rapidly slowing wheel speeds or even lock-ups, and finally to see if the brake lights are on before it will detonate the airbag. This and more happens in less than 500micro seconds.

Now that we can understand why it works, I can tell you how it works. It’s all pretty simple; built within the circuitry is an external pump, which takes control away from the driver’s foot. It sends or removes the pressure to the ABS control unit’s hydraulic circuit. Inside this controller are a series of “dithering” valves and solenoids that have the ability to turn on or off up to 32 times a second. This valving is what applies or removes the brake pressure to the wheels.

The average cost of the hydraulic portion of the controller is usually between $1500.00 to $2500.00. The electronic portions of the controllers are pretty stable at about $900.00 plus labor and diagnostic testing.

Preventively the cost of flushing your brake’s hydraulic system once every 2 years is about $200.00 and replacing your battery before it goes dead is about $255.00. So when your service provider says that you should have your brake fluid flushed every 2 years no matter how many miles have been driven, think of this: “$200.00 or $1200.00”.

So for the bazillionth time, I end this story with:

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES DOWNTIME AND THE COST OF OWNERSHIP AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE BEGINS AT MILE 00001

LACK OF COMMON SENSE WILL ALWAYS COST YOU DOLLARS AND CENTS!

A VIEW FROM THE PUMPS – JUNE 2021

VISION AND SAFETY

Vision and safety; a strange combination of words probably only used in the automotive industry. Exactly what does that entail?  Well in my eye any part of an automobile that inhibits or does not protect the operator from the natural resources of their area is part of the vision and safety aspect of the vehicle.  The vision part of this statement is pretty much self-explanatory but the safety part is a double edge sword.  Safety not only pertains to the safety of the operator and the passengers but also the safety of on-coming traffic and above all the safety of pedestrians and motorcyclists.

As we talk about vision, of course, the first part of a vehicle that comes to mind is the windshield.  Proper care of the windshield is the first step in keeping your line of vision clear and unobstructed.  What is the proper care of your windshield; first of all, it means keeping it clean on both the inside and out.  That means cleaning it with a good foaming type glass cleaner and buffing it with a good polishing towel or cloth, the ultimate trick is to rub the outside of the windshield down with a clay bar, and then re-polish it with a good foaming cleaner.  It is highly advisable to install a protective treatment such as Rain X to help eliminate pests and debris from sticking to the glass.  Keeping the inside of the windshield clean is just as important as most vehicles in the sunbelt always have the windows closed and the  A/C on recirculate, which means that the same air and its contaminates are always in the passenger compartment.  This creates a film on the inside of the interior glass that is conducive to glare, especially during sunrises and sunsets.  Most people in S.W Florida live to watch our beautiful sunrises and sunsets yet that is the most dangerous time to be behind the wheel. Dusk is approaching and when do the headlights need to be turned on.  At sunrise, the sun is so bright and low on the horizon so that it is directly in the driver’s eyes especially if you are traveling due east.  Of course, everything we discuss about the windshield also pertains to all of the other windows in your vehicle except for the Rain X application, which should only be used on the windshield.  Cleaning the inside of your windshield with a Mr. Clean eraser sponge and then polishing it with a good foaming cleaner and a new microfiber towel is the best cleaning procedure. By using quality glass wax on the remainder of your glass should be protection enough.

The most detrimental damage done to windshields is done by the wiper blades that are being used.  Windshield wipers are one of those automotive enigmas that make shop owners like me crazy.  As a shop owner, I maintain that any part that is installed on a vehicle should be of the highest quality at the best price.  Unfortunately, sometimes trying to convince a client that the blades that we recommend are $30.00 apiece when the owner can run down to a discount store and buy the “SAME” thing for $4.00 a pair.

Take this with a grain of salt.  We just explained how to care for your windshield which by the way can run as high as $1000.00 to replace, and now you want to run a cheap rubber knife across its surface in order to save a couple of bucks.  A windshield wiper blade is a miniature squeegee.  Their efficiency depends on the material the blade is made of, which needs to be soft and pliable especially when it is exposed to the extreme heat in Florida.  It is also dependent on the contact points and pressures that are exerted on the windshield while the wipers are in use.  Today’s windshields are aerodynamic and have a different contour than the windshields of the past.

That means that the wiper blade must be able to conform to the shape of the windshield and provide even and constant pressure across the viewing area when in use, during different types of conditions.  When was the last time that you turned on the wipers and they hesitated to wipe right away or did you have to break them loose from the windshield, and when they did eventually work there was this huge area that either didn’t wipe or just plain smeared in your optimal viewing area?

That my friends are the difference between blades that retail for $4.95 a pair and $30.00 each.   With every service that we perform at Gregg’s, we monitor the condition of the blades, the condition of the rubber, and we install a glass treatment on the windshield, as your safety is our top priority.

Which wiper blade is the best?  Actually, that is a question that cannot be answered easily.  It depends on your budget, your vehicle, and how your vehicle is stored.  I can promise you this if you stay with name brands such as Anco, Trico, Rain X, Bosch, etc., and buy your blade by your vehicle’s specifics and not “universal” fits chances are you will not have any real issues.  We used ANCO’s contour blades as they seem to be the best of all worlds.  However, they have since been discontinued and we now recommend either Rain X or the new Bosch line. If you happen to be the proud owner of certain European vehicle’s we recommend OEM blades because we know that they work.

As usual, our concerns are for the safety of our clients, their families, and the thousands of others that share our roadways.

• MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 0001.
• SAFETY STARTS WHEN YOU OPEN THE CAR DOOR.
• LACK OF COMMON SENSE WILL COST YOU DOLLARS AND CENTS.

WELCOME TO THE RAINY SEASON

In beautiful South West Florida, the span of time from June 1st to November 30th is known for two very distinct and different seasons. The first being Hurricane season which I’m sure that everyone is tired of hearing about and secondly is the “Rainy Season.”

The rainy season basically is three to four months of sweltering temperatures with humidity levels of 100 or so percent. Almost every day the sky’s will open, and the rain will come sometimes on and off for an entire day and sometimes for minutes to hours of “Frog Drowning Torrential Rains,” so heavy that you can sometimes not even see the front of your car, much less the car in front of you. However, if you’re reading this in the weekly paper you already know all of this, if you’re reading online, take notes.

The first of the most important parts of your car when it’s raining like this both contain rubber. Small rubber first, your wiper blades. You should think of your wiper blades like dental visits, once every six months. During the dry season, the winter months, your wiper blades are parked on the windshield just baking onto the glass. With temperatures in the eighties and nineties every day these rubber inserts are practically melting onto the glass. And the few times that they are actually used they are dry and ragged from being dragged over a hot windshield that is loaded with bugs and or sand. By the time summer has come they are not worth the packaging that they came in. My advice is to change the blades on the winter solstice and again on the summer solstice, that June 21st and December 21st in case you didn’t remember. Also, and most important is when shopping for these blades you will come across multiple price levels, from $4.99 a pair to $30.00 each. Once again, I advise you purchase the most expensive of these blades but not too far the ladder. You’ll notice that the better the blade the more silicone is built into the wiping portion. You’ll also notice that the blades are flexible and contoured so that they will conform to the shape of the windshield giving you a streakless area of vision. One last note by installing a glass conditioner or wax such as Rain X or Propel the rain will sheet better making the blades able to glide over the windshield.

The largest part of the vehicle that is made of rubber is, of course, the tires. The tires are a wonderful invention of its own. We use them as insulators from Mother Earth the biggest ground of all. We expect them to give us a smooth rolling area and to grip the road for traction but to be able to slide slightly when in sand or debris yet to hold the road while driving at breakneck speeds in puddles of water. The design of the tread is unique onto itself so that while driving through water it can remove the water away from the tire contact yet allow the tire to grip the pavement to give the vehicle stability and sure-footedness so that the vehicle never leaves the surface of the road. That my friends called hydroplaning, one of the most unfriendly and scariest parts of driving because you no longer have control of anything. The vehicle is actually being carried on a sheet of water unable to correct itself. For you sailors out there, this is akin to being in a sailboat in high winds across the beam and trying to point into the wind without a keel. Scary isn’t it?

So the most important facts about tire condition, there must be at least 3/32’s of tread. If you don’t have a depth gauge use a dime and make sure that Roosevelt’s head is partially covered, the more the better. Make sure that your tires are inflated to the proper specifications, there should be a sticker on the driver’s door jamb to tell you what that number is. If you must guess anywhere between 32 and 35 psi is a good number. And most important is to make sure that the best tires are in the rear, because if the rear lifts up just a little it WILL hydroplane, and you will be doing loops down the interstate.

If you have any questions or thoughts, please do not hesitate to contact us at Gregg’s Automotive at 236 Tamiami Tr. Punta Gorda, 33950 or call us at 941-575-8868.

Remember this; it is always cheaper to maintain a vehicle than to repair it, ad it is always cheaper to repair a vehicle than to replace it.

MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 000001

Diagnostics: The Key to the Repair

Imagine not feeling well, no lets go past that, imagine feeling so sick that you are beside yourself. You’re at the point when you can’t decide whether to grin and bear it and call your physician and hope that you can be fit in the day’s schedule, or go straight to the emergency room. So you call your Doctor and you get a machine that tells you what steps to take and if this is a medical emergency to call 911.

For arguments sake let’s say that you went to the ER and when you get past all of the signing and insurance questions, what is the first thing that happens? A barrage of questions come at you while at the same time someone is checking your vitals. By vitals we mean your temperature, your blood pressure, your heart beat and pulse. Then and only then does the doctor venture to DIAGNOSE what he or she thinks is the problem. We’ve all been through this and rightfully it’s meant to protect the Docs from making a mistake and to keep us from dying.

Imagine now that after the whole process of getting to the emergency room, when you finally get to see a doctor that you can’t speak, or worse you’re unconscious. Imagine what everyone in that room goes through. There is no history, no answers to questions concerning where it hurts, or how long it has been hurting. How about if you have a faint or an irregular- heartbeat while they are examining you, do you think that an electrocardiogram or a crash cart would not be in very close proximately?

Okay, so this is what happened: you’re a diabetic and you lost track of your insulin shots and double dosed yourself. Your blood sugar plunged in to the 50’s, and you passed out. After being rushed into the emergency room all of this was quickly established by the staff and all they had to do was give you a cup of orange juice to bring you back to your old self.

When you get the bill are you outraged: maybe, but truth be known if any of those procedures were not performed or at least around that little mistake could have become fatal, so you bite the bullet and pay the bill. Before anyone goes into an outrage, you must understand that I am not comparing myself to a Doctor, nor do I proclaim to have to access life and death issues at a moment’s notice.

My best friend is a physician and we discuss all of these issues as we walk the miles we have accumulated. It’s good therapy for both of us and it keeps both of us sane. Here is the comparison, machines were invented by man, and the only machine that man could emulate was the human body.

Whenever a vehicle comes into the shop, we try to ask all of the right questions so that we can correctly DIAGNOSE the problem. Many times people feel that we are interrogating them and get inpatient; sometimes they have a ride waiting or are trying to get to work on time. Sometimes people feel that if they give us too much information that it will cost more money to repair the vehicle.

When a vehicle comes in on the hook (ambulance), and is not running (unconscious), we have to perform the same type of preliminary diagnostics. Does it have spark (heartbeat) how about fuel pressure (blood pressure), can it inhale (air intake) and exhale (exhaust), does it have codes in the power train computer (PCM) does the scanner need to be installed (electrocardiogram).

The whole point is that diagnostics take time, diagnostic equipment costs thousands of dollars, and the truth of the matter is the faster we can diagnose a vehicle especially using the newest and fastest equipment the less money it will cost you.

A 1998 Chevrolet Silverado has 28 different modules or computers all interconnected and communicating with each other. A 2005 BMW 7 Series has 54 modules, and like it or not many times they all have to be monitored. Many times we find problems that are not related to the reason that the vehicle is in the shop. This is like going to the doctor for a cold and then being told that you have diabetes or worse cancer, or a heart murmur.

Its news that nobody wants to hear but doctors are taught and required to inform you about them. A well trained technician and a responsible shop are required only by their devotion to our chosen industry and their integrity. Unfortunately this is called “UPSELLING” but if you can just look at it logically it is really called “PREVENTION “.

Gregg’s Automotive is now in the process of developing detailed questioners that can be sent to all of our clients electronically that can be filled out by you in the comfort of your own home and either brought in with your vehicle or sent back to us electronically. This way there is NO interrogation, no stress trying to remember every little detail. This saves us time and time saved is money saved.

We believe that we are the first shop to be embracing this new technology, and we are proud to be on the cutting edge.

So as we close this article once again I have to reiterate:

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE INCREASES RELIABILITY, COMFORT AND DECREASES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP.
MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center

236 S. Tamiami Tr.
Punta Gorda, Fl. 33950
941-575-8868
www.greggsauto.net
Auto Repair, A/C Repair, Oil Change, Brake Repair & Transmission Services

Smart Link: Automatic Maintenance Reminders

Smart link, what an intrinsically different name. Is it normally smart or must it be programmed to be smart? Just how smart is it or can it be? Will it infringe upon your privacy or worse yet will it open up your life and identity to cyberspace where anyone can pry into your life?

Actually it’s none of the above! You have the final say in the programming, it’s many features and who it will contact. As most folks are aware, every vehicle manufactured after 1996 is equipped with what is known in the industry as an ALDL. That acronym stands for Assembly Line Diagnostic Link.

This means that virtually every option, module, servo, and sensors are connected to this plug mounted under your dash. You might wonder how a simple 16 wire plug can access so much information.

How Smart Link Works

Well this is the answer; through the power of electronics, multiplexing, buss lines, and even optic fiber, most every act, decision and results of those decisions are available through this plug. This is the fascinating part, all of this information is available to anyone who wishes to invest into the equipment to gather and make this information viable and understandable. Obviously these little “code readers” that are made available in box stores or on-line only scratch the surface of the information that is available.

This is the first question that should be asked when allowing anyone to “plug in” to their vehicle. The first thing that you should know is does your service provider have the equipment to not only read the “generic” information as mandated by the federal government, or can they access the manufacturers information which requires a much more sophisticated piece of equipment.

Our Smart Link Scanners

Here at Gregg’s we have in our possession two $11,000.00 Snap On scanners as well as a European based scanner, a MATCO scanner that is up to date to 2010, and our old standby the “Red Brick” which we use for pre 1996 vehicles. Delphi Company, which by the way was the most contributing force in the design and development of “ONSTAR” is the owner and developer of this product.

Here are some of the most prominent features of this device. Once it is installed and programmed, you as the owner of your vehicle never have to touch it, look at it, or speak to it. The electronics within it actually speaks to a secure Global Positioning System most commonly described as a GPS, and a secure and protected set of servers.

This allows you and or your preferred service facility to receive alerts going on within your vehicle. This is live information so as it is being transmitted to the server it is also going to you, the owner of the vehicle and your service provider without any interaction by the driver no matter where they are, either two blocks or two states or time zones away.

This basically means that no matter where the vehicle is if “an event” occurs or a check engine light illuminates there is no question as to what the problem is or if it is ok to continue driving.

Service & Maintenance Reminders

Service and maintenance reminders can be programmed and be accessed through intelligent online portals allowing you the owner to make the necessary scheduling for preventive maintenance or repairs or to allow the portal to automatically to make those recommendations for service based solely on the way you drive your vehicle, by time, mileage or a combination of both.

Automatic Appointment Setting

This means that you never have to remember when maintenance is due the portal remembers it for you alerts you and allows you to forward that information to your service provider and make the appointment if you so desire it. You are always in control!

Set Boundaries for Teen Drivers

Family safety! For those of you that still have a teenager driving your personal vehicles or even their own, or conversely those of you that have older parents driving. Geographic boundaries, curfews, speed limits can be set up within the portal. If these boundaries are violated ( a tough but necessary word) you as parents are notified by a text message or e-mail automatically. As far as dealing with our older population we see those silver alerts on the highway all of the time.

By being alerted immediately, being forced to find lost relatives, is easier as the police can be alerted as soon as that boundary has been breached, instead of hours after we realize that they have not made it home. As an added feature there is a “last known location” alert which indicates where the vehicle was when it was last shut down or started.

Fleet & Business Owner Benefits

Fleet owners can use these options to maintain and monitor their fleets for services or maintenance, driver’s actions and routes, all of which may present insurance discounts to you the owner.

Smart Link Installation Costs

Now here comes the $64.00 question? As I originally promised for the first five takers my cost is your cost. The device itself cost $180.00. Installation and programming by me will be free. The monthly fee to access all of this information available to consumers is $9.99 a month or 14.99 for the premium plan. Fleet plans start at $14.99 for the basic plan, $19.99 for the “plus” plan and $24.99 for the “Premium” plan.

As you can see there are no hidden clauses or options the price sheets are always available as are the differences between each plan. This is a win-win opportunity that will not last forever and as of right now we are the only provider in Charlotte County willing to make this available.

The only question is ARE YOU READY TO STEP INTO THE 21st CENTURY OF VEHICLE CARE AND MAINTENANCE?

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP.
MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center

236 S. Tamiami Tr.
Punta Gorda, Fl. 33950
941-575-8868
www.greggsauto.net
Auto Repair, A/C Repair, Oil Change, Brake Repair & Transmission Services

Techniques to Preserve your A.B.S. Brake System

Flush your Brakes Hydraulic System Every 2 years

ABS, Traction Control, red brake lights, orange triangles or orange ABS lamps; every late model vehicle has them; in the privacy of brakes classes where everyone is a wrench we commonly referred to these warning lamps as the “check money lamp.”

Without becoming extremely technical and boring, I will attempt very simply to explain the concepts of these systems and then more importantly explain how easily they can be maintained and kept functional, savings you thousands of dollars in repairs.

To put it very simply ABS this really stands for Anti-lock Brake System, which keeps the rear brakes from locking up and putting you into a rear skid condition. Unbeknownst to most, when those rear brakes lock up, the rear wheels actually rise up off of the road surface losing the benefit of friction which actually makes the vehicle speedup.

Types of A.B.S. Systems

Originally the first types of ABS systems were called single channel systems where upon the wheel sensor was in the rear differential housing or in the transmission rear extension housing. By monitoring the speed of the drive shaft, the ABS controller could control of the rear brakes of the vehicle as a single unit.

A.B.S. Controllers

With the introduction of independent suspensions it became obvious that each wheel will have to be controlled independently. By installing a speed sensor on each rear wheel, the ABS controller would be able to monitor each of the rear wheels independently. This was the beginning of two channel ABS systems. Shortly after many trucks that were straight axle units came into service with 3 channel ABS systems which had a wheel speed sensor on each front wheel and a single sensor in the rear differential.

4 Channel A.B.S. Brakes

Finally we have 4 channel ABS. which has a speed sensor on each wheel. This system has developed into a most functional system which not only can stop a lock up situation, but also a wheel that has lost traction on acceleration, monitors and becomes a redundant odometer, and cruise control and air bag confirmation point.
Antilock brakes monitor the rotational speed of every tire when the brakes are applied.

If and when one or multiple wheels slow down far faster than the others the ABS controller then releases the brake pressure to each of these wheels. This is done by preventing the fluid pressure to each of these wheels for micro seconds at a time allowing the locked up wheel or wheels to momentarily turn so as to be able to control the braking event.

This allows the driver to have a controlled yet quick braking event, without losing control of the vehicle. The only difference to the driver is that they would feel a rapidly pulsating brake pedal as the skid is kept under control. When the wheel speeds normalize the pulsation goes away.

Traction Control is Antilock in Reverse

Traction control is Antilock in reverse. When the controller senses that upon acceleration one or more wheels is turning faster than designed the Traction Control /ABS controller actually applies the brakes to slow those wheels down. So for all of you old gear heads “leaving rubber” will never happen again.

Redundant Monitoring

As so far as the redundant monitoring for the speedometer, cruise control and air bags, just think of it in this vein. As the transmission is running and sending data to the transmission control module, if this information becomes corrupted the Powertrain Control Module can refer back to the ABS controller to decide if the vehicle or trans control system is at fault.

Likewise if the airbag impact sensor registers an impact the PCM will look back to the trans control for a rapid deceleration , the ABS system for a rapidly slowing wheel speeds or even lock ups, and finally to see if the brake lights are on before it will detonate the air bag. This and more happens in less than 500micro seconds.

Now that we can understand why it works I can tell you how it works. It’s all pretty simple; built within the circuitry is an external pump, which takes control away from the driver’s foot. It sends or removes pressure to the ABS control unit’s hydraulic circuit. Inside this controller are a series of “dithering” valves and solenoids that have the ability to turn on or off in as many times as 32 times a second. This valving is what applies or removes the brake pressure to the wheels.

Given the complexity of these systems there are only 2 things that have the ability to run through these components; they are brake fluid and electrons!

The average cost of the hydraulic portion of the controller is usually between $1500.00 to $2500.00. The electronic portions of the controllers are pretty stable at about $900.00 plus labor and diagnostic testing.

Flush your Brakes Hydraulic System

Preventively the cost of flushing your brakes hydraulic system once every 2 years is about $126.00 and replacing your battery before it goes dead is about $175.00. So when your service provider says that you should have your brake fluid flushed every 2 years no matter how many miles have been driven think of this “$126.00 or $1200.00.

So for the bazillionth time I end this story with PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES DOWNTIME AND THE COST OF OWNERSHIP” AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE BEGINS AT MILE 00001.

Don’t forget that during the month of October we are working in conjunction with WAGNER BRAKES and we are providing front or rear pads or shoes at no cost to you the consumer during our PUTTING THE BRAKES ON AUTISM campaign after which we will donate 10% of all the brake work we provide to HARBOUR HEIGHTS CHARITIES for all of the great work they do for the Autistic children in this county.

AND IF YOU JUST WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN COME DOWN AND GUESS THE WEIGHT OF THE GREAT PUMPKIN, YOU JUST MAY WIN A $100.00 GIFT CARD!

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP.
MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center

236 S. Tamiami Tr.
Punta Gorda, Fl. 33950
941-575-8868
www.greggsauto.net
Auto Repair, A/C Repair, Oil Change, Brake Repair & Transmission Services

The Story Behind Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

TPMS, aside from the last three letters being the scourge of every male on the face of the earth, this is one of the most misunderstood and misaligned function on today’s vehicles.

Honestly speaking this function was designed and has succeeded to save thousands of lives, merely by keeping tires inflated to their proper amounts. TPMS stands for Tire Pressure Monitoring System. To most it’s that orange lamp on the dash that looks like a tire with an explanation point in the middle.

Flashback to the middle to late nineties, Ford and Firestone were in the middle of a finger pointing session about who was to blame for the 100 plus deaths due to Explorer roll overs. Of course Ford blamed Firestone for the tire construction as Firestone blamed Ford for not having a more defined center of gravity.

TPMS sensor and component

As a service technician, and as a father, after the first few roll overs I blame the drivers and owners for not either replacing those tires before the Ford transfer campaign, or not being hyper vigilant at monitoring tire pressures every day. Because of this the government felt that they had to take control of yet one more thing in our lives.

Whether that was a good thing or bad is not the point, the point is that every time we get behind the wheel of a vehicle we are in charge of a 3000 pound or heavier killing machine. And not only do we put ourselves in jeopardy but also the lives of so many innocent people that we have contact with.

What exactly is a tire pressure monitor? Basically it’s a battery powered sensor that can monitor the pressure and temperature of the environment inside the tire. These sensors take these measurements and then change them into a signal that can be transmitted to the tire pressure control module and then sent to the dash or instrument panel that either turns on a light or can actually broadcast the position temperature and pressure of said tire.

As complex as these sensors are, their cost is low as compared to most Bluetooth devises. Expect the average cost to be in the $130.00-160.00 area. Because these sensors are completely separate from each other yet work in unison there are certain failures that may be connected or singular in repairs. Obviously if there is a failure within the control module then the information is either faulty or non-existent. This is truly a “garbage in, garbage out” scenario. If one of the sensors fail for any reason with the exception of battery failure usually means a single sensor replacement.

Low Pressure Tire Light

The engineers with their uncanny sense of “lets hang nine things on a single component that is held on with 2 bolts attitude” completely reversed themselves and noting that the weak link is the battery, devised a system that allows the battery to turn off until the tires start to turn that allows them to “wake up”. Some vehicles have sensors in the spare tire and by rights and design they should never be monitored but out in the field we have found that theory to be erroneous.

Tips for Car Sensor Maintenance and Care

This being a maintenance founded article I feel the necessity to give you tips on how to be proactive in the maintenance and care of the four or five sensors on your vehicle.

1. If you sensors do not have valve covers on them get a set and put them on.
2. Before you decide to crank down on that valve stem, TPMS sensors need to be torqued to a specified limit with a special tool.
3. Try not to hit curbs or abutments damaging the tire or the wheel.
4. Do not ignore the proper inflation parameters of the vehicle. They are usually on the driver’s door pillar, and remember if you are underinflated or over inflated the light will still come on. If you change tire sizes or wheel sizes remember to have your on board computer re flashed to compensate, as this will not only affect the tire pressures, ABS operation and speedometer accuracy.
5. Sensors do not like heat, debris or water, all of which are inside of every tire, unless you run your tires with nitrogen as I do and often tell others to.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The bottom line is as such; TPMS systems provide a measure of safety when used as designed; they promote better tire wear and fuel economy as side effects which save you money. The down side is if you start to realize that there is a battery issue, it is most prudent to bite the bullet and replace all four, and that damn annoying orange light is always on.

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REDUCES THE COST OF OWNERSHIP.
MAINTENANCE STARTS AT MILE 00001

Gregg’s Automotive Maintenance & Repair Center

236 S. Tamiami Tr.
Punta Gorda, Fl. 33950
941-575-8868
www.greggsauto.net
Auto Repair, A/C Repair, Oil Change, Brake Repair & Transmission Services