Mishawaka Auto Repair

1. Dark puddles under my car. Always check to see if there are dark brown or yellow puddles where your car was sitting. (Pro-Tip: If you don’t have a dedicated parking space you can watch for spotting, lay down a piece of cardboard or a plastic plate underneath your vehicle when you park. (Pro-Tip: Keep a piece of cardboard or plastic to put under your car.) That way you can confirm the leak is coming from your car, not someone else’s.) If your oil pan has a leak, it will spill out directly onto the pavement. Oil leaks can cause issues with oil levels and pressure.   2. Smoke from the engine   3. The dashboard oil light is on   4. Engine overheating.   5. Smell of burning oil.     Keeping up on your vehicles maintenance, is the best way to keep up on any leaks. Your car’s manual will detail exactly how often this is. At Ricks Auto Service, every oil change service comes with a courtesy vehicle inspection. That can alert you to a ... read more

  Cars, Temperature and Pets. “Can a dog recover from Heat stroke?” Did you know that when the Temperature outside is 80 degrees that after 10 minutes the inside of your car is 89? If you leave your Pet in the car longer than 30 minutes it is 104 inside your car. Heat stroke is common in dogs, but rare in cats(please don’t leave any animal in your car). Heat Stroke can happen when your animal is in a small and confined environment, even with windows down, it is still hot in your vehicle.      Dogs with moderate heat stroke ( a body temperature of 104) can recover. Giving prompt first aid and veterinary care is crucial. When your dog’s body temperatures are over 106, that could be life-threatening. Your animal needs prompt medical care. Age of the animal can also be a factor of fatality for your dog

" What is routine maintenance on my car?" "How often should my vehicle be washed?" or does my vehicle really need to be washed regularly?  Keeping your car looking sharp. It also helps with the resale value. General Maintenance. I know I am always talking about maintenance, but it also allows you to fine any thing that might be loose and fix it (headlights, mirrors antennas etc). Outside finish. Dirt dulls the finish, check out older models, the clear finish is worn off. Keeping the car clean protects the car from possible rust. Outside elements: moisture/dust/dirt/ rude birds which their poo is highly acidic which can eat away the clear coat and paint. Washing is the only way to remove road salt. Salt is more corrosive then dirt or bugs. The salt if not removed accelerates rust on the frame of your vehicle. Impacts visibility. Even a layer can impact how ... read more

As the winter months are still with us, Let’s talk about a filter that can be overlooked. The Cabin Filter is the filter responsible for the filtering of air in your vehicles air conditioning and heating systems. As the transition from heat to cool takes place and pollen, dust and other foreign matter in the air gets into your vehicle. Those of us who suffer from allergies, changing the filter regularly is a must. #cabinfilter #Pollen #breathing #RicksAutoService #airconditioning

What function does a timing  belt play? The timing belt connects the camshaft to the crankshaft and keeps the engine valves opening and closing in time with the movement of the pistons….Ok stop right there what is a cam- shaft/crankshaft and pistons…I asked A camshaft—this may still be Greek to you and me so here goes!!! The #camshaft is critical to the basic function of an #engine.  It has two distinct parts: the #cams  and the #shaft, the camshaft is the element that enables #valves to open. As the shaft rotates, the egg-shaped cams (or “lobes”) push the valves open in sync with the crankshaft gear. A Crankshaft is a shaft which transmits the power developed by the engine to various parts of the vehicle. As one website put it: the major link between the input and output of the vehic ... read more

Just some TLC to add to your Total Car Care Please don’t ignore CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. This can end up in costly repairs. Just as you need to filtrate and care for yourself CHANGING FLUIDS AND FILTERS in your car is essential. They are required for the operation of your vehicles systems and components. Getting new shoes regularly is as important as CHECKING YOUR VEHICLES TIRES.FOLLOWING A SERVICE SCHEDULE. Routine inspections and timely repairs help you avoid more expensive repairs down the road. KEEPING A DIRTY CAR. A buildup of damaging chemicals and dirt are potential rust for your car later. ARE YOU A SEVERE DRIVER?  Driving smart and observing speed limit improves gas economy and helps with long term wear and tear

PUMPING GAS WITH CAR RUNNING – HOW DANGEROUS IS IT? So, a couple of weeks ago, when our weather was so so cold, when I went to pump gas into my car, I noticed out of the 6 cars pumping gas, 4 had their vehicles running. I started thinking about is it ok or not okay to keep my engine running, the articles I came across were a little scary….read on. 1.       DAMAGES TO CAR: It could damage something in the evap. system. Only a tiny drop of the gasoline is enough for the parts like engine, exhaust tailpipe, and catalytic converter to catch fire.  Ignition on a gas engine uses a spark, what if the boots, cables are old or cracked…the spark is there. 2.       HARMFUL VAPORS. Let’s say your hood is open the chances of gas vapors to flee are higher.  The vapors themselves have side ... read more

So I thought this would just interesting, I was impressed with the whole look in the engine. That could also be that the owner is very careful with his engine and keeps it very clean! Any way a SuperCharge is something you would add to have more power upwards to 46% more power!!! It basically (if I have this right) forces more air into the combustion chamber, which means more fuel can be added, and more fuel means a bigger explosion and greater horsepower. #horsepower #maintenance #fuel #safety #engine

Generally a really bad intake manifold gasket will make a car run rough at idle and/or cause a service engine light to illuminate. ... As far as driving the car, as long as you don't have a fluid leak or the car is not stalling or running rough, it should be fine to drive for a few months. As you can see from the picture our Mechanic is taking extra precautions that nothing drops into the manifold.  Here are the top 5 symptoms of gaskets for an intake manifold going bad: Is the COOLANT LEAKING?  The gaskets act like a seal for the coolant in the engine. When the seals go bad the coolant starts seeping thru you can smell it. If really bad you can see the steam and puddles under your car. Has the ENGINE started STALLING? If your engine stop ... read more

  REMEMBER: Driving on a flat tire can cause internal structural damage to the TIRE, may lead to wheel and vehicle damage and may result in poor vehicle handling and control. Steps to Follow The interesting thing about tire blowouts is that they require you to act counterintuitively. While your instincts may tell you to slam on your brakes and veer off the road if your tire blows out, this is actually the exact opposite of what you should do. Don’t Panic You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor by not shutting down and entering crisis mode when you have a tire blowout. So after your tire blows out, remain as calm as possible, and put the following procedure into place. Keep Control of Your Vehicle Again, though you may want to brake, you need to keep your foot on the gas pedal. Continue steering in the direction that you are heading, rather than veering immediately to get off the ro ... read more