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Skipping an Oil Change

The Harm in Skipping an Oil Change

Sep 3rd, 2017

Some new are now recommending much higher oil change intervals than they have in the past. As much as 5,000 to 10,000 miles, or 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers, or more. Following these recommendations is very important to avoid engine damage. When Lake Barrington drivers go too long between oil changes, oil starts to turn to sludge. This causes small oil passages to clog and engine parts to fail.

What causes oil sludge? It’s a factor of time and mileage. There are hot spots in every vehicle engine that cause oil burn off that leads to sludge. Also, water from normal condensation can build up in the oil. This water also creates sludge. Severe driving conditions in IL lead to more rapid sludge formation.

Severe driving includes short trips around Lake Barrington or trips in freezing IL conditions. The engine just doesn’t get warm enough for the water in the oil to evaporate. Severe conditions are at the heart of the problem. Stop and go driving, towing, dusty conditions, heavy loads, very hot or very cold Arlington Heights temperatures, a car top carrier – these are all conditions that would suggest that the severe service schedule should be considered.

The severe service schedule has much shorter oil change intervals. Lake Barrington drivers just need to honestly evaluate how they drive to determine if they should change their oil closer to the severe service schedule or to the standard schedule.

Some vehicles give oil change reminders. But it’s important to know how that reminder is determined. For some, the reminder simply comes when the standard mileage interval has rolled around. Others use a computer algorithm that takes into consideration the number of cold starts, trip length, engine temperature and so on. It’s programmed to approximate where on the standard/severe service spectrum you fall. Some more expensive vehicles actually have sensors that test the cleanliness and effectiveness of the oil.

For the rest of us Lake Barrington drivers, better safe than sorry should be the guiding principle. Talk with your friendly and knowledgeable Red’s Auto Repair service advisor and work it out together. Find out what kind of oil the factory sends out in your vehicle. Sometimes it’s a premium grade that costs more than standard oil – but it may be what’s needed to meet a higher factory recommended interval.

Give us a call.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

At Red’s Auto Repair we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

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Fuel Economy

Better Service, Better Fuel Economy in Lake Barrington

Jun 2nd, 2018

Many Arlington Heights area folks want to know how to improve gas mileage. At Red’s Auto Repair, we help Lake Barrington keep their vehicles in prime condition which makes them more efficient fuel-wise. When your car works the way it was designed to, it means it uses less fuel, and you save money.

To help organize our discussion, let’s think of things that rob us of fuel economy in two ways: increased friction and inefficient fuel combustion.

Friction. Anything that increases friction increases drag or load on the engine. It has to work harder to overcome the drag – and that takes more fuel. The first thing that comes to mind is engine oil. Low oil means there’s not enough to fully lubricate the engine so there’s more friction.

The wrong viscosity and grade of oil can also adversely affect fuel economy. Talk to your friendly and knowledgeable Red’s Auto Repair service advisor about the right kind of oil for your car. Dirty oil won’t lubricate as well as clean oil. The same principles apply to transmission fluid. Getting your oil changed and transmission serviced on schedule at Red’s Auto Repair will reduce friction and save money on gas.

Consider upgrading to synthetic oils in your differentials, engine and transmission to reduce friction. Another friction-related factor is under-inflated tires. When tires are low on air, it’s like driving through sand – the engine has to work harder to move every mile or kilometer. Lake Barrington should check their tire pressure at least once a month.

Sticking or binding brakes put a drag on your vehicle and can hurt fuel economy. A simple brake inspection at Red’s Auto Repair in Lake Barrington can uncover potential problems.

Let’s move on to fuel. A dirty fuel system has varnish and gum interfering, and the fuel injectors may be unable to deliver the correct amount of fuel at the right pressure and in the spray pattern that the engineers intended. A fuel system cleaning will get all of that working right and really improve fuel economy.

Replacing worn spark plugs will burn your fuel as efficiently as possible, saving at Lake Barrington pumps.

Give us a call.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

At Red’s Auto Repair we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

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Alignment

Simple Answers from Red’s Auto Repair: Alignment

Oct 15th, 2018

Simple

Question:
How do I know when I need a wheel alignment?

Red’s Auto Repair Answer:
When Lake Barrington drivers’ wheels are properly aligned they all point in the same direction. When they are out of alignment, most IL drivers notice a couple of things. First the vehicle pulls to one side when driving. It could be slight or pretty severe. If your wheels have been out of alignment for a while, you’ll also start to see uneven tire wear – the shoulder on either the outside or inside of the tire is worn down more than the other.

A whole bunch of steering and suspension components are joined together. Everyday Lake Barrington driving can cause Lake Barrington drivers’ wheels to go out of alignment over time just from the joints loosening up. That’s why most recommend an alignment check every couple of years. Depending on where you live in IL or the conditions you drive in (off-road driving, harsh Lake Barrington winter conditions, poor pavement, etc.), an alignment inspection every year at Red’s Auto Repair may be called for.

Suspension and steering components wear over time as well, which can lead to and alignment issues for Lake Barrington drivers. Of course, a big bump, like hitting a curb or pothole, can knock a wheel out of alignment or damage a steering or suspension part.

Your friendly and knowledgeable Red’s Auto Repair service advisor will check your tires for uneven wear. The type of wear provides clues for what might be wrong. Undercar parts are inspected for wear and damage. The alignment machine will provide a reading of how each wheel is aligned. The reading is compared with the alignment settings recommended by the manufacturer, and then the technician makes the necessary adjustments and repairs to bring your wheels back into alignment.

Now putting off a wheel alignment in Lake Barrington can get dangerous because of tire wear: a bad alignment can chew through a tire pretty quickly. If you see uneven tire wear, if your steering wheel is off center or your vehicle pulls to one side, ask your friendly and knowledgeable Red’s Auto Repair service advisor about getting an alignment check.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

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MAF Sensor and Engine Air Filter

MAF Sensor and Engine Air Filter

Sept 30th, 2018

Today’s Red’s Auto Repair post focuses on the importance of protecting your mass air flow sensor or MAF. Air and fuel are mixed together to be burned in your engine. The amount is controlled by how hard you press on the accelerator or by external factors like climbing hills or hauling loads. Based on how much air you need – and how much is available – your engine management computer tells your fuel injection system how much fuel to send to your engine. But what if the computer is getting the wrong information about how much air is coming into your engine? Well, it would send the wrong amount of fuel and your engine performance would suffer.

The Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor measures the volume, temperature and density of the air flowing into your engine. With that information, the computer calculates how much oxygen is available to burn and adjusts the amount of fuel it sends. A dirty or damaged MAF sensor can give the wrong readings, hurt your fuel economy, damage the catalytic converter, reduce engine performance, trigger the Check Engine light and, worst case, stop your engine.

Remember that you can drive your car if the Check Engine light is on – unless it’s flashing. If your Check Engine light indicates an MAF problem, Red’s Auto Repair recommends that you take action before you damage your catalytic converter.

How does an MAF sensor get damaged? Well, let’s look at this process again. As air comes into your engine, it first passes through the engine air filter. Dust, road grime, pollen and other contaminants are, hopefully, trapped in the filter. If the engine air filter becomes clogged, some of the pollutants can pass through and hit the MAF sensor. Thus, a clean engine air filter protects your MAF sensor. Reason number 47 to replace your engine air filter as recommended.

Now if your MAF sensor is contaminated, you may be able to clean it with an air induction cleaning service at Red’s Auto Repair in Lake Barrington. This service also cleans your throttle body and other fuel system components. In those circumstances where the MAF sensor is not only contaminated but actually damaged, it will need to be replaced. (And it costs a whole lot more than an engine air filter.)

Your Red’s Auto Repair can quickly inspect your engine air filter to see if you need a new one. A caution: low-line air filters may actually contribute to MAF sensor failure as filter material can come loose and contaminate the sensitive sensor elements – filter material is just as harmful as outside gunk.

When your friendly and knowledgeable Red’s Auto Repair recommends you replace your engine air filter, now you know how much is riding on that inexpensive but simple part.

Give us a call.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

At Red’s Auto Repair we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

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Check Engine Light

Important Facts Lake Barrington Drivers May Not Know About Their Check Engine Light

Sept 16th, 2018

The Check Engine light might come on in your vehicle. It’s an amber colored light that shows on your dashboard. In newer vehicles it might just be a problem with your gas cap not being screwed on tight enough (or a worn gas cap), causing the vehicle to fail the self-diagnostic evaporative emission test. All Lake Barrington drivers need to do is go to their gas cap and verify that it is tight. If that was the problem, the light will turn off and everything will be fine within one or two days.

At Red’s Auto Repair, we advise Lake Barrington drivers to resist the temptation to have someone “clear” the codes to turn off your vehicle check engine light. This erases important diagnostic information that your friendly and knowledgeable Red’s Auto Repair service advisor needs to diagnose the underlying problem for the Check Engine light – and any other pending problems that may be stored in the computer.

If the problem is still there – you still see the light – bring your vehicle in to Red’s Auto Repair in Lake Barrington and have it checked out as soon as possible.

Give us a call.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

At Red’s Auto Repair we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

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Smart Car Care for Lake Barrington Drivers: Alternator

Smart Car Care for Lake Barrington Drivers: Alternator

my battery keeps going dead

Question:
My battery keeps going dead. I had it tested and it is fine – what could be the problem?

Red’s Auto Repair Answer:
Well, your issue could be caused by several things. Let’s start with a likely suspect: your alternator. The alternator is like a little electrical generator. It is spun by the serpentine belt on your engine and makes electricity. This electricity is used to power the critical electrical systems required to run your family car. It also powers all of your electronic accessories like your stereo, navigation, heated seats, and air fans, as well as charging all the electronics you have plugged in.

After the alternator has carried out all that, any electricity that’s left over is used to charge your battery. You can see where we’re going: if the battery isn’t getting enough electricity to stay charged the trouble may have something to do with the alternator.

Now it could be that the alternator is bad – they do wear out over time. There are a number of failure points within the alternator, but in practice, it is less costly to simply replace the alternator than to take it apart and repair it.

At Red’s Auto Repair in Lake Barrington, we can test your alternator to see if it needs to be replaced. We find that usually the alternator tests out as being OK – but for some other reason it’s not putting out enough electricity to keep the battery charged. Remember we said that the serpentine belt drives the alternator? Well the problem can often lie with the serpentine belt system.

The serpentine belt transfers power from the engine to the alternator. When the belt wears away to a certain point, it is no longer able to provide enough grip and the belt can slip on the alternator pulley so that it is not spinning fast enough to generate all the electricity that your family car needs.

A possible related trouble for Lake Barrington drivers is a worn serpentine belt tensioner pulley. This pulley provides tension on the serpentine belt so that it is tight enough to spin the alternator and other accessories. When the belt is too loose, it can slip on the alternator pulley and, once again, not enough electricity is made.

So, when you battery is going dead – test it. If the battery is still good – test the alternator. If the alternator is still good – inspect the serpentine belt and belt tensioner. Chances are good that your service center or the team of understanding service advisors at Red’s Auto Repair will get to the root of your issue.

Give us a call

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442

At Red’s Auto Repair in Lake Barrington IL (60010) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 847.382.1442. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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Wheel Bearings

Wheel Bearings

Sep 1st, 2018

Your wheel bearings may be something to which you’ve never given a thought while driving around Lake Barrington, IL. Wheel bearings are what enable your wheels to spin freely. Since they bear the entire weight of the vehicle, they have to be tough. Wheel bearings can last well over 60,000 miles or 100,000 kilometers. They do wear out though and must eventually be replaced.

You might hear a groaning sound from your wheels. The sound might disappear at some speeds and reappear at others. Your Lake Barrington, IL, service technician at Red’s Auto Repair can quickly tell if your bearings are bad by raising the vehicle and wiggling the wheel. When you grasp the top and bottom of the tire, it shouldn’t move along the vertical axis.

Many vehicles these days have wheel bearing assemblies that cannot be serviced at Red’s Auto Repair. When the bearings go bad, we simply replace the entire wheel bearing assembly.

For those vehicles with wheel bearings that can be accessed, we can do some preventive maintenance. You may have heard the phrase “pack the bearings.” With this procedure we remove the bearings, carefully clean them and inspect for any imperfection or wear. If the bearings can be reused, we reinstall them and pack them with grease. If not, we put in new bearings. Check your owner’s manual or ask your Lake Barrington, IL, service advisor at Red’s Auto Repair if your bearings can be serviced, and if so, when it should be done.

Now, taking care of bad bearings is extremely important. When bearings go bad, they generate tremendous amounts of heat, enough to lock up the wheel. That’s not a good thing at any speed. In some cases the wheel can even fall off. Either of these could cause a serious accident. So have your wheel bearings inspected if you suspect a problem and replace them right away if there is one.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

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Air Conditioner

Simple Answers From Red’s Auto Repair For Lake Barrington: Air Conditioner

Jul 12th, 2018

Réponses

Question:
Why isn’t my air conditioner blowing cold air?

Red’s Auto Repair Answer:
Your air conditioning system uses refrigerant to create cold air. The most common reasons Lake Barrington drivers lose their cold air have to do with the refrigerant.

The first is not enough refrigerant. Refrigerant is a gas in the system, and very small holes in a hose, seal or coupler can allow enough to leak out to prevent the creation of cold air.

Another potential problem for Lake Barrington auto owners is contamination. Over time the inside of the rubber hoses can deteriorate, and little bits of rubber can clog up various filters and other parts of the vehicle A/C system, preventing proper circulation of the refrigerant. And a component could also be worn or broken. So the first step for Lake Barrington drivers who can’t cool their vehicle is a thorough air conditioning inspection, looking for leaks and worn parts. In fact, Federal law requires an inspection before adding refrigerant. Some states do not allow topping off a leaking system.

Once any repairs are made, refrigerant is added. At the same time, special oil is added to the system. This oil cools and lubricates various components as it circulates along with the refrigerant. If you have a refrigerant leak, you also have an oil leak – and it’s important that both be replenished for proper function and protection of your A/C system.

Sometimes overlooked by Lake Barrington drivers is the fact that a worn serpentine belt (which drives the A/C compressor) leads to belt slippage which puts additional strain on the compressor. Replacing your serpentine belt and belt tensioner on schedule at Red’s Auto Repair will extend the life of your A/C compressor and other belt driven accessories.

Give us a call.

Red’s Auto Repair
22 N 049 Pepper Rd
Lake Barrington, IL 60010
847.382.1442
http://serviceassistant.autonettv.com

At Red’s Auto Repair we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

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Red’s Auto is #1 for car repair Barrington IL

Red’s Auto is #1 for car repair Barrington IL

If you’re sick of the weather, you might want to bring your car over to get ready for spring driving.  Spring driving still has volatile weather, potholes, remnants of salt and sand so the need for car repair Barrington IL is tremendous. Come in to Red’s and we’ll get you set up for the Spring.