Think about this: Most vehicle belts fail without warning. Now think about yourself stranded on the side of the road. Not a pretty picture, is it?
Visit Advanced Auto Clinic for belts and hoses inspection. If needed, we’ll install a new NAPA Premium Micro-V AT Serpentine Belt and DriveAlign Tensioner – and you’ll save $25 instantly! Start off 2015 right!
Offer is good through February 28, 2015!
Through December 31, 2014, at participating locations, enjoy Buy 1 Get 1 Free when you upgrade to NAPA Premium Headlight Capsules or replace your NAPA-branded Wiper Blades.
*Offer valid November 1 – December 31, 2014 at participating locations.
Most passenger cars, light trucks or SUV’s. With Appointment. *Qualifying Capsules: NAPA Lamps SafeLite, WhiteLite and LongLite Premium Capsules.
Delavan drivers push a few buttons or turn some knobs, and voila, they have balmy air blowing on their feet or cool air chilling their face. How does all that happen? Well, it’s all thanks to the air blend box. This box lives behind your dash and delivers just the right temperature of air right where you want it.
Let’s break it down. First there is the blower fan that circulates the air through the heating/air conditioning system. The fan can blow at different speeds, depending on how much hot or cold air is required to be comfortable. The blend box can either bring fresh air from outside, or recirculate air from inside the cabin. Delavan drivers often choose to recirculate air when first starting the vehicle until it starts to either cool down or warm up.
The next thing the blend box does is convey airflow over the heater core to warm the air, or over the air conditioner evaporator core to chill it – or a blend of hot and cold to get it just right. From there the blend box can direct the air out into the passenger compartment through the floor vents, the panel vents, the defroster, or a combination. All of this allows Delavan car owners to customize the climate just the way the like it.
Some vehicles have different climate control zones, like one for the driver and one for the passenger – or even more zones for the back seat. Additional blend boxes are used for this. Climate controls could be manually adjusted or computer controlled depending on your vehicle.
The blower motor and all of the little actuator motors that open and close the various blend doors can fail and need to be replaced. Most new vehicles come with a cabin air filter. This filter cleans the air before it gets into the blend box. If you neglect changing the cabin air filter, it can get clogged, smelly, and even allow mildew and other microorganisms to build up in the blend box.
Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan can carry out a heating/air conditioning system cleaning service that will clean and disinfect the system, restoring a fresh clean scent. If you are not getting enough hot or cold air, Advanced Auto Clinic can review your system, diagnose the cause and set things right. And don’t forget to replace the cabin air filter on schedule. In addition, if you live and drive in dusty Delavan conditions or where there is a lot of pollen or other pollutants, you may need to replace your cabin air filter more frequently.
Give Advanced Auto Clinic a call today!
Delavan drivers who are old enough have probably heard the term “fan belt”. Back in the day the radiator fan in your vehicle was turned by a belt driven by the engine. There are still belt driven fans – although most are now driven by the serpentine belt. But most Delavan drivers now have electric fans that deliver fresh air across the radiator to cool it.
As coolant/antifreeze circulates in the cooling system it captures heat from the engine and flows into the radiator. Air cools the radiator and the coolant in it before it delivers it back into the engine to pick up some more heat. Now your engine has an ideal temperature range in which it is most efficient: it shouldn’t be too hot or too cool. The electric radiator fans help maintain the ideal temperature.
A switch mounted in a cooling system passage checks the temperature of the coolant. If the coolant is at the low end of the range, the switch turns off the fan motor. When the coolant rises to a certain temperature, the switch turns on the fan. When you are running the air conditioning, the radiator fan will likely be turned on as well to help reduce the extra engine heat created by the load placed on it by the air conditioner.
A lot of Delavan drivers’ vehicles will actually have two radiator fans. One or both or neither may be running at any given time depending on the conditions. When you are cruising at Darien highway speeds, the air rushing over the radiator and around the engine will help control the heat. By contrast, stop and go driving around Delavan doesn’t generate much natural air flow so the radiator fans will be working hard.
Some Delavan auto owners may experience the sound of the radiator fan running after turning the vehicle off. This keeps the engine from heating excessively after it has been run and shut off.
Now the radiator fan motors and the switch are critical wear items that will eventually fail. If your temperature light comes on while driving, you have a cooling system issue. Your knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic technician can check your entire cooling system, including the radiator fans, to determine what is causing the indicator light. Of course, servicing the cooling system as recommended will help extend the life of all the components. Ask your Advanced Auto Clinic service advisor if you are due for acooling system service.
Give us a call
Advanced Auto Clinic
1101 Ann Streeet
Delavan, WI 53115
262.728.2944
At Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan WI (53115) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 262.728.2944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.
Let’s start with the noise:
Most brake pads have an audible brake wear indicator. This is a small piece of metal that rubs on your brake rotor when the brake pads are worn to the point they should be replaced. The noise is a chirp or soft squeal. This noise gives drivers enough vital warning to get their brakes serviced while there is still enough brake pad left to enable you to stop safely.
Auto owners who ignore the chirp typically find that the sound changes to a grinding noise. That is more serious. It means that the friction material on your brake pad is worn away and metal parts of the brake are grinding against the rotor when you press on the brakes. Obviously, this dangerous metal-on-metal means that your brakes aren’t stopping very well. It also means that your rotor is being damaged. It may need to be resurfaced or even replaced.
Pedal pulsation is another noticeable trouble. When your rotor is not in perfect alignment, it pushes against the brake pads unevenly as you apply the brakes. There could be a number of reasons for this. The rotor and wheel hub may not be mating well, causing the rotor to be spinning out of vertical alignment. This dangerous misalignment can be caused by either the rotor or the hub, or a combination of the two. If this problem persists, the rotor may even start to wear unevenly to the point that its thickness varies, causing an even more noticeable pulsation. This uneven mating of the brake pad and the rotor when braking means less contact and it will diminish braking power.
Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan, WI can determine the cause of the harmful misalignment and remedy the issue.
Either unusual brake noise or pedal pulsation are signs for you Delavan motorists that there are brake problems. Auto owners should have a tech at Advanced Auto Clinic inspect their brakes thoroughly and recommend any essential steps necessary to correct the trouble.
A regular brake inspection is on every family car’s recommended list.
Ask your knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic service specialist if it’s time for a critical brake inspection.
Give us a call 262 – 728 – 2944
When someone mentions diesels around Delavan – images of smoky, rattly trucks may spring to mind. The fact is that the modern clean diesel engine is much more refined than in the old days. Sure, diesel engines remain a very popular choice with heavy duty pick-up truck drivers in Delavan, but they are finding their way into nearly every segment of the WI automotive market. Why is that? Well, its science.
Diesel fuel contains more energy than the same amount of gasoline. So it takes less diesel fuel to do the same amount of work as gas – so Delavan diesel drivers get more miles per gallon and lower emissions. In Europe, where fuel is very expensive and high mileage is very essential, around half of passenger vehicles are powered by diesel engines. This goes for small economy cars all the way up to the world’s most costly luxury vehicles.
The driving experience is also very good with diesel engines – in fact Delavan auto owners may not even be able to tell the difference between riding in or driving a diesel powered vehicle. So what are the factors to think about when deciding whether or not to choose a diesel engine?
One consideration is price. Diesel engines cost more to build and are an extra cost option for most vehicles. So Delavan car owners need to do the math to see how long it will take the increased fuel efficiency to pay for the extra up-front cost of a diesel engine. The cost of diesel fuel in Darien is also a factor. There is no clear correlation between gas prices and diesel prices because the refining and distribution systems are so different. This means that the difference in price per gallon for diesel and gasoline can vary a great deal depending on where you live in WI. Just watch diesel and gas prices for a while (or talk with a diesel owner in Delavan) so you can get a feel for how much price per gallon figures into your purchase decision.
Also important to examine is your expected use of the vehicle. For example, if you tow heavy trailers or haul heavy loads around Delavan, the extra power many diesel engines offer (while getting better fuel efficiency than a gas engine) may affect your decision. Your highway/city driving mix may play into the decision as well. Diesels shine in the highway mileage department. And the more you drive in a year, the more attractive diesel engines become.
If you elect a diesel engine, remember that it still requires vital maintenance like your gas powered vehicles always have. Oil changes, cooling system service, power steering, brakes, tires, etc. – all need to be maintained. Some of the schedules may be different because of the unique design of diesel engines. Your knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic technician will be able to help you properly maintain your diesel vehicle, helping it last longer and continue to deliver great performance and fuel efficiency.
Give us a call
Advanced Auto Clinic
1101 Ann Streeet
Delavan, WI 53115
262.728.2944
At Advanced Auto Clinic in Delavan WI (53115) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 262.728.2944. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.
When they first put the battery into your vehicle at the factory, the auto manufacturer had no idea where it would end up over its life or how YOU would use it where you drive in WI. That battery was chosen to meet the needs of a wide range of motorists. Replacement time is a good opportunity to talk to your service specialist about how you use your vehicle so you can get just the right battery.
An obvious criterion is where you live – whether in Delavan or somewhere else. Cold starts require a lot of power from your battery. The colder the climate, the more power needed. This comes from a combination of cold sluggish oil and the slower chemical reaction within the battery itself when it is cold. If this sounds like you, speak with your Advanced Auto Clinic service professional about a battery with more Cold Cranking Amps.
The next consideration for Delavan car owners is reserve capacity.
This is the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has under a particular load. If your driving is mostly short stop-and-go trips around Delavan, your battery may not have time to fully recharge while driving. You may need to tap into those reserves to get started again. Also, modern vehicles have a lot of always-on systems that draw on the battery things like the security system, remote sensors, and vehicle computers. These combine with the electronic entertainment system, sensors, heated seats, and even chargers for phones, tablets, and computers to put a fairly high load on the battery. Your Advanced Auto Clinic service specialist can give you his thoughts on the reserve capacity you might need.
Most standard batteries are wet-cell meaning they are filled with liquid battery acid. New Absorbed Gas Mat (AGM) batteries are non- spillable which makes them safer for Delavan motorists. They also have a longer life span and greater cycle life than wet-cell batteries. Darien off-roader like these batteries because their performance is not affected by steep inclines and odd angles. They are also well suited for Delavan RV and boat owners.
Lastly, an essential consideration for Delavan drivers is warranty.
Premium batteries generally come with a longer warranty. Warranties are typically either full-replacement (the battery is replaced if it fails within the warranty period) or pro-rated (a partial credit is given for the failed battery depending on how far into the warranty period you are when it fails).
When the battery is replaced, your knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic service professional may often need to recalibrate some accessories such as power windows and sunroofs. Also, some vehicles may need to have the battery registered into the engine computer.
Your Advanced Auto Clinic tech can help you know how to decide which battery is right for you and your vehicle. Just give us a call 262-728-2944
Struts are a structural part of the suspension system and are mounted to the chassis of the vehicle on the top, and they come down through. They give us a place to mount the coil spring, and the spring is what maintains the height of the vehicle, so we have a plate in here for the spring.
Car Struts are used on the front end of nearly every front-wheel-drive vehicle. They are more than shock absorbers and with a different name. A strut integrates numerous different suspension parts into one compact assembly. This includes:
The Coil Spring
The Spring Seats
The Shock Absorbers
The Strut Bearing
The Steering Knuckle
The shock absorber portion of the strut is the most commonly serviced part of the strut assembly.
Struts perform two jobs: They provide a dampening function like shock absorbers, and they provide structural support for the vehicle suspension. That means struts deliver a bit more than shock absorbers.
A shock absorber keeps the vehicle from bouncing. It limits the rapid movement of the wheel when it hits something , like a pot hole. A shock absorber is basically an oil pump placed between the frame of the car and the wheels.
Upper & Lower Mounts
The upper mount of the shock connects to the frame & the lower mount connects to the axle, near the wheel.
Twin-tube design: the upper mount is connected to a piston rod, which is connected to a piston, which in turn sits in a tube filled with hydraulic fluid. The inner tube is known as the pressure tube, and the outer tube is known as the reserve tube. The reserve tube stores excess hydraulic fluid.
When the car wheel encounters a bump in the road and causes the spring to coil and uncoil, the energy of the spring is transferred to the shock absorber through the upper mount, down through the piston rod and into the piston. Orifices perforate the piston and allow fluid to leak through as the piston moves up and down in the pressure tube. Because the orifices are relatively tiny, only a small amount of fluid, under great pressure, passes through. This slows down the piston, which in turn slows down the spring.
In modern shock absorbers the faster the suspension moves, the more resistance the shock absorber provides. This allows shocks to adjust to road conditions and to control all things such as bounce, sway, brake dive and acceleration squat.
When To Replace Your Shocks & Struts:
Because shocks and struts have so much to do with the handling of a car, they can be considered critical safety features.
Right now at Advanced Auto Clinic you can buy four qualifying NAPA Shocks and Struts for the price of three! Plus, with your purchase, receive a $50 NAPA AutoCare Center Service Card to use on a future service or repair of $75 or more! If your shocks and struts are worn, it may be time to replace them, so schedule your inspection today!
Offer good September 1 through October 31, 2014
You need three elements for combustion: fuel, oxygen, and ignition (spark plug in gasoline engines and compression in diesels). Superchargers and turbochargers deal with the oxygen part of the formula. In the normally aspirated engines Delavan drivers are familiar with, air is just drawn in from the outside by vacuum pressure created as the engine runs. Turbochargers and superchargers compress the air that goes into the engine’s combustion chamber, forcing in more oxygen. This forced charge of air allows an engine to make more power than a similarly sized normally aspirated engine.
So today we have small 4-cylinder turbocharged engines on Delavan expressways making more power than a full-sized V8 did twenty years ago and getting far better MPG. And the power on charged six and eight cylinder engines is through the roof.
In addition to power and fuel economy, charged engines deliver essential benefits for Delavan motorists at higher altitudes. As the air thins with an increase in elevation, there is less oxygen available to burn in the engine resulting in a significant power loss. Charging forces more air and oxygen into the engine, preserving much of the power at altitude. Turbochargers use exhaust from the engine to spin an impeller that compresses the air sent to the engine. Because there is a short time between when you step on the accelerator and the time the exhaust pressure builds up enough to spin the turbo up to speed, there is a short lag in power. To combat this “turbo lag⠀, some automobile manufacturers use two turbos: a small one that quickly spins up when engine speed is low and a larger one for when the engine is running fast. Others use a variable vane technology in the impeller to accomplish the same thing.
Superchargers are driven by a belt connected to the engine’s crankshaft.
There is no lag because charging starts immediately (it doesn’t have to wait for exhaust pressure). Superchargers are less efficient for Delavan drivers because they require engine power to run the compressor whereas turbochargers are powered by an exhaust. In both types, the air heats up as it is compressed. In some engines it is necessary to cool the air before it goes into the engine. In those engines, the air passes through what is called an intercooler to bring its temperature down to the proper range. An intercooler is like a small radiator and may be cooled by air flow or by liquid coolant.
Delavan owners of superchargers and turbochargers should always use the fuel grade recommended by their vehicle manufacturer. This is important in charged engines because of the extra pressure as the fuel and air is compressed. Using fuel with too low of an octane rating could lead to premature detonation which can cause pricey damage.
Generally speaking, turbochargers and superchargers do not require regular maintenance. But they do wear like any other part in your vehicle and will eventually need repair or replacement. All of your vital regular vehicle maintenance should be done on schedule – things like oil changes and transmission service and so on. Talk with your knowledgeable Advanced Auto Clinic tech about any concerns you have and about the next services your vehicle needs.
Advanced Auto Clinic
1101 Ann Street, Delavan, WI 53115
PHONE: (262) 728-2944
EMAIL: hwy50@aacdelavan.com
Fast, Convenient, Affordable Service:
4300 WI-50, Delavan, WI 53115
