If your vehicle’s automatic transmission isn’t shifting like it used to, you might be wondering if a large repair bill is in your future. Transmissions are complex and repairs can be costly, but many common problems, such as delayed or hard shifts and slipping, can be prevented or fixed without a trip to the shop. …
PROBLEM: As an angler, life often gets in the way of spending time on the water. Be it family, work, hunting or ice, extended sits can spell problems with your outboard engine. Without regular use, outboard motors are susceptible to aging fuel and even corrosion formation within the upper cylinder walls themselves. The problem stems…
In 45 years as an automotive and diesel technician, Richard Crabtree performed thousands of emissions tests on a wide range of vehicles in Northern California. The reasons for vehicles that failed were just as varied: misfires, bad O2 sensors, EVAP system leaks, bad fuel caps, failed catalytic converters—all things that would trigger one or more…
The Rough Idle Problem As your car or truck gets older and accumulates miles, you might notice that it doesn’t fire up and idle as well as it used to. Maybe you’re experiencing hard starts, or your car seems to run rough at idle, or it dies easily or intermittently after startup. There are many…
Cars are an investment, and in order to get the most out of that investment, we need to do everything we can to ensure a longer life for our vehicles. In most cases, that longer life begins and ends with the engine. Without frequent and proper care, your car’s engine can quickly gather oil crankcase…
If you’ve ever driven past an old used car lot, you’ve likely seen firsthand the effects the sun can have. Faded colors, splotchy paint, hideous cracks and peeling—the list goes on. Obviously, it isn’t a good look for any vehicle, but have you ever stopped to think about why this happens? The answer may surprise…
From monthly financing and insurance payments to regular maintenance, costs can quickly add up over a vehicle’s lifetime. This makes it especially important to find ways to reduce costs where you can when it comes to car ownership. One of the best ways to do this is to spend less time and money at the…
While late-season fishing is still going strong in many parts of the country, for others this is the time of the year to start thinking about tucking their boats in for the winter. Of course, you shouldn’t just park it in the shed for 4–6 months without at least some preparation. Proper fuel stabilization and…
