Selecting New Tires and Wheels
Posted November 30, 2011 12:00 PM
Some of us Bushwood drivers just love tires. All those little rubber hairs on new tires and the smell is wonderful. We live in a great time for tires. No matter how you drive around Maryland, where you want to go or the look you're after; there is a tire for you.
The same is true about wheels. The hardest part is choosing from the thousands of wheels available at Maryland tire shops.
The team at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. can help you get some things in mind before you make a purchase. Let's start with function and think about how you drive.
For example, maybe you have a large SUV but you don't drive off-road around Maryland, so an off-road tread isn't important. Also, because you are not out bouncing over rocks in the Maryland backcountry, you don't need a high profile tire to protect your rims. So that means you can probably go with the low-wide look.
If you have a winter season with rain and snow or if you find you need better ice and snow performance, they make great, high-performance snow tires that won't make it look like you are driving a tractor.
There really are a lot of options for any given vehicle. Bushwood drivers will find it very helpful to have a discussion like this with their Bushwood tire pro or the tire experts at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. when they need new tires. You can find the best solutions for your driving needs and to make improvements in ride or handling.
Picking a wheel that is the same size as what you are now running on is important and pretty simple. But, it gets trickier if you want to upsize. Just get some help when you go bigger. All that tire and wheel still needs to fit in the available space. You do not want your tires to rub when you turn or hit a bump. Bushwood drivers also need to make sure their brakes and suspension bits will fit with their wheel of choice. It doesn't matter how great your car looks if it's not drivable.
Taller, wider wheels and tires probably weigh more than your stock shoes. And it's "unsprung" weight that has a big impact on brake performance. The upsized shoes increase rotational inertia; if you go too big you may need to upgrade your brakes to compensate.
Another possible problem is an inaccurate speedometer. This happens because the number of rotations can change with the new wheels. Fortunately, speedometers and odometers are all controlled by the engine computer; so they need to get reprogrammed at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. to compensate for the bigger tires.
No matter what you are after: low cost, long life, high performance, traction or stunning good looks, your wheel and tire professional at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. in Bushwood, Maryland, can help identify your needs and give you a custom fit. With all the options available, you don't have to compromise. There is a tire out there with your name on it!
Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400
How Your Check Engine Light Works
Posted November 24, 2011 12:00 PM
Have you ever had an experience like this in Bushwood, Maryland? You drive through the one of those automatic car washes. When you get to the end, where the dryer is blowing, your Check Engine light starts flashing!
You fear the worst, but within a block or two, the light stops flashing, but stays on. By the next day, the light is off.
You wonder; "What was going on?" Well, it's actually a good lesson in how the Check Engine light works.
Your air intake system has a sensor that measures how much air is coming through it. When you went under the high-speed dryer, all that air was blasting past the sensor. Your engine computer was saying, there shouldn't be that much air when the engine is just idling. Something's wrong. Whatever's wrong could cause some serious engine damage.
Warning, warning! It flashes the Check Engine light to alert you to take immediate action.
It stopped flashing because once you were out from under the dryer, the airflow returned to normal. Now the engine control computer says the danger is past, but I'm still concerned, I'll keep this light on for now.
Then the Check Engine light goes off in a day or two.
The condition never did recur, so the computer says whatever it was, it's gone now. The danger is past, I'll turn that light off.
Now a flashing Check Engine light is serious. You need to get it into Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. as soon as possible. But if it stops flashing you can wait a few days, so you have time to see if the problem will clear itself or if you need to get it checked. How does the computer know when to clear itself?
Think of it this way. The engine control computer is the brain that can make adjustments to manage the engine. Things like alter the air-to- fuel mix, spark advance and so on. The computer relies on a series of sensors to get the information it needs to make decisions on what to do.
The computer knows what readings are in a normal range for various conditions. Get out of range, and it logs a trouble code and lights up the Check Engine warning.
The computer will then try to make adjustments if it can. If the computer can't compensate for the problem, the Check Engine light stays on.
The computer logs a trouble code. Some people think the code will tell the technician exactly what's wrong.
Actually, the code will tell the technician what sensor reading is out of parameters. It can't really tell him why, because there could be any number of causes.
Let's say you're feeling hot. You get your heat sensor out – a thermometer – put it under our tongue and in a minute or two you learn that you have a fever of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
You know your symptom – a fever – but you don't know what's causing it. Is it the flu, a sinus infection or appendicitis?
You need more information than just that one sensor reading. But it does give you a place to start and narrows down the possible problems.
There are reports on the internet telling you that you can just go down to an auto parts store and get them to read your trouble code or buy a cheap scan tool to do it yourself.
There are two problems with that. First, the computer stores some trouble codes in short term memory and some in permanent memory. Each manufacturer's computer stores generic trouble codes, but they also store codes that are specific to their brand.
A cheap, generic scan tool, like you can buy online or that the auto parts store uses, doesn't have the ability to retrieve long-term storage or manufacturer specific codes. Your Bushwood, Maryland, service center has spent a lot of money on high-end scan tools and software to do a deep retrieval of information from your engine control computer.
The second problem is that once you've got the information, do you know what to do with it? For example, a very common trouble code comes up when the reading on the oxygen sensor is out of whack.
So the common solution is for the auto parts store to sell you a new oxygen sensor — which is not cheap — and send you off on your way. Now your oxygen sensor may indeed have been bad and needed replacing. But the error code could have come from any of a dozen of other problems.
How do you know the right solution? Back to the fever analogy, do you need surgery or an aspirin? Leave it to the pros at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.. Give us a call and let us help you resolve your check engine light issue.
Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400
Fuel Saving Tip: Fuel System Cleaning Near Bushwood, Maryland
Posted November 15, 2011 12:00 PM
A lot of fuel is wasted in the Bushwood area by dirty fuel delivery systems in vehicles.
Let's start at the tank. The gas tank gathers dirt, rust and sediment over the years. That's why there's a fuel filter to clean the fuel after it leaves the tank. A dirty filter will rob the engine of the clean gas it needs to run efficiently.
The fuel intake components get coated with gum and varnish over time. This results in fuel being delivered inefficiently and some of that gunk getting into the engine. A fuel system service at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. will leave your intake components as clean as a whistle.
The big fuel thief is dirty fuel injectors. They deliver fuel to the engine at a specified pressure and in a particular spray pattern. When they're clogged, the fuel doesn't get atomized the way it's supposed to and doesn't get burned as efficiently.
See your owner's manual or ask your Bushwood service advisor at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. when a fuel system cleaning is recommended.
Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400
Professional Fuel System Cleaning
Posted November 11, 2011 12:00 PM
Getting adequate fuel to your engine is very important for performance, fuel economy and safety. In order to accomplish this, your fuel system needs to be clean.
Today's production cars have fuel injectors, rather than a carburetor. The injectors need to be cleaned from time to time in order to deliver the fuel with the correct pressure, spray pattern and volume.
Bushwood drivers can buy fuel system cleaners that you pour into your gas tank to help maintain an already clean fuel system; however, they can't do a major cleaning. For that, you need to see Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. in Bushwood. We have the tools and chemicals to do the job right. Our friendly and knowledgeable team at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. can remove particles, gum and varnish from your fuel system and get those injectors running cleanly and efficiently.
You'll find Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. at 22829 colton point rd in Bushwood, Maryland 20618. Or just give us a call at 301-769-2400 to schedule an appointment.
You'll enjoy more power, better fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions. The cleaners also help prevent rust and corrosion in your fuel system and lubricate engine parts.
And, as with all maintenance, it can help prevent repairs that can happen because you didn't take preventative steps. Our advisors at Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. can tell you when your car is scheduled for a fuel system cleaning.
Finding Vehicle Recall Information in Bushwood, Maryland
Posted November 3, 2011 12:00 PM
No matter how well they're made, vehicles in Bushwood, Maryland, will have design or manufacturing problems.
And when the government thinks a problem is really serious for people in Bushwood, Maryland, they require the manufacturer to issue a recall notice and fix the vehicle free of charge. The manufacturer then tries to contact everyone in Maryland who owns that type of vehicle to get the recall work done. Perhaps you have received a postcard notifying you of a recall. The government has links on its websites, or just visit AutoNetTV for links. There are many websites with free recall information and searches. There's CarFax, AutoByTel and the DMV.
Recalls are serious but not all that common. Sometimes there are fewer issues, and for these, manufacturers issue a Technical Service Bulletin, or TSB, that tells service centers like Hill's Auto Repair, Inc. how to repair a frequent or difficult problem.
The pros get updated information through subscription plans, also available in consumer versions for a reasonable cost. So when recalls occur, get the work done, and keep you and yours safe.
Hill's Auto Repair, Inc.
22829 colton point rd
Bushwood, Maryland 20618
301-769-2400