Posted on Tuesday26March 2013
We live such busy lives nowadays: work, social events, running the kids all over Centennial. Some days it's all we can do to keep track of everywhere we need to be. That's why you've gotta be organized. Smartphones, calendar apps - we have to keep track of it all.So let's talk about schedules. Specifically, automotive service schedules. And particularly, the scheduled services that are sometimes forgotten.Here is a list of 10 service items that are often overlooked by Centennial residents. They're all very important and need appropriate attention. So here we go, in no particular order.1. Power Steering ServiceBe honest; have you ever thought of this on your own? Your power steering fluid gets dirty and builds-up moisture over time. Cleaning out your power steering system means that dirt and gum are removed and your power steering parts are protected from corrosion. Next time you're in for an oil change, ask your Davis Automotive Repair service advisor if it's ... read more
Posted on Friday22March 2013
One might say the most challenging part of being an automotive service technician at Davis Automotive Repair in Centennial is diagnosing a problem before it can be fixed.Cars in Colorado are made up of a bunch of complex systems. There usually could be a number of reasons for any given symptom. So, it's challenging to track down the actual cause of the problem. And it can be frustrating for the vehicle owner because it can take time and money to get to the bottom of a problem. If it's not something obvious, it's easy for the customer to focus on the fixing and not the diagnosing.Let us at Davis Automotive Repair introduce you to something we'll call 'Customer Detective Work' – helping your technician find clues to what's wrong.We start with the detective basics: What, Where and When. Play along with me; You come in to Davis Automotive Repair and your car is making a funny sound... Q: Where's the sound? A: Around the right front wheel. Q: What kind of s ... read more
Posted on Wednesday13March 2013
How do Centennial drivers know if an odometer is telling the truth?Well, back in '86, Congress passed the Truth-in-Mileage Act to protect Colorado consumers against mileage fraud. It says a Colorado seller must certify the mileage reported is the actual mileage.To have your odometer checked in Centennial, Colorado, stop by Davis Automotive Repair: Davis Automotive Repair 6867 South Emporia Street Centennial, Colorado 80112 If it isn't, the seller must say why; for example, maybe the odometer is past its mechanical limits. Some older odometers only go to 99,999 and then start over at 0. Or, the odometer has been tampered with, broken or replaced.If the seller tells you the mileage isn't accurate, there's not much chance of putting a good number to it. And there's the unscrupulous seller who claims the reading is true, but it isn't. What can Centennial vehicle owners do?You can go to www.CarFax.com, where, for a small f ... read more
Posted on Wednesday06March 2013
The crankcase is the lower part of the engine where the crankshaft is housed and where the engine oil lives. The crankshaft is connected to the pistons that power the engine. When you are diving around Centennial, fuel is burned in your vehicle engine, it pushes the pistons down and the crankshaft rotates and sends power to the transmission. Some of the explosive gases from combustion squeeze past the pistons and down into the crankcase.Now this gas is about 70% unburned fuel. If it were allowed to remain in the crankcase, it would contaminate the oil and quickly turn it to sludge. Sludge is like Vaseline and clogs passages in the engine, leading to damage. Also, the pressure build up would blow out seals and gaskets. So in the old days, there was just a hose that vented the crankcase out into the air. Obviously, not good for our air quality in Centennial, Colorado.Enter the PCV valve. It's a small, one-way valve that lets out the gases from the crankcase and routes them back ... read more