March 13, 2012

Severe Driving In Appleton

Filed under: Severe Service — afsser682 @ 4:53 pm

Most Appleton motorists know that their owner’s manuals have schedules for preventive maintenance. Things like oil changes, transmission service and so on. They say you should change your oil every so many miles or after so many months. Appleton people understand this very well. Severe Driving In AppletonWhat they may not know is that there are actually two service schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. The mileage and time intervals are lower on the severe service schedule.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Appleton. At AFS Service, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

  • Most trips are less than four miles
  • Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Appleton
  • You drive in very hot WI weather
  • Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
  • Stop and go driving
  • Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
  • You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your midside sedan

Most Appleton drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your midside sedan?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your AFS Service advisor can help you with your decision.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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March 6, 2012

PCV Valve Replacement At AFS Service

Filed under: PCV Valve — afsser682 @ 9:33 pm

Today’s Appleton car care article focuses on PCV valve replacement. The PCV valve is a little, inexpensive part that does a big job for your midside sedan. PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the midside sedan engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your midside sedan. PCV Valve Replacement At AFS ServiceAt high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Appleton car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at AFS Service. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many Appleton drivers don’t know about it.

Check your midside sedan owner’s manual or ask your AFS Service advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.

Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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February 29, 2012

On-Board Diagnostics in Hortonville WI

Filed under: Diagnostics — afsser682 @ 8:23 pm

On-Board Diagnostics Some people in Hortonville WI are confused by charges for diagnostic services for a vehicle repair, even though many other services in life include diagnostic fees – things like computer service and appliance repair in Hortonville.

Even when we go into the doctor for a medical problem, we’re paying her to diagnose our ailment and of course for the tests that go along with it. So receiving a diagnostic charge for a tricky automotive problem shouldn’t be a surprise.

Automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your brakes, a quick visual check is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you’re having an intermittent problem with your engine, diagnosis may be much more involved.

Some think that when the check engine light comes on, the engine computer tells the technician exactly what the problem is. The reality is much different. The trouble code just tells your Hortonville technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what’s causing it. Your Hortonville technician at AFS Service needs to determine the underlying problem that’s causing the symptom.

As you can imagine, some automotive diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved and difficult. Of course, we at AFS Service want to figure out what’s wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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February 22, 2012

Technician Training At AFS Service; You’re In Good Hands

Filed under: Diagnostics — afsser682 @ 6:10 pm

Technician Training At AFS Service You're In Good Hands

Your midside sedan’s so important to your life in Hortonville: when it breaks down, you need it back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time. If you’ve ever check into some of the training technicians at AFS Service receive, you may be surprised at how much knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car in Hortonville.

Our engines are more and more powerful, fuel efficient and reliable. This is all due to engineering. But the advances come at the price of simplicity. Modern cars in Hortonville are so much more complex from a mechanical and electronics standpoint that it makes your head spin. Vehicles have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle functions as well. Hortonville motorists take all of this sophistication for granted – but somebody has to fix it when it breaks.

It requires a high level of commitment on the part of the technician and AFS Service as well. In addition to the training, there’s the financial commitment by AFS Service to purchase the diagnostic and repair tools as well.

The ability to repair your midside sedan requires a strong combination of training and resources. So try to relax next time you bring your vehicle in to AFS Service. You’re in good hands.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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February 15, 2012

Hortonville Tire Tread Depth – Washington vs. Lincoln

Filed under: Tires — afsser682 @ 10:26 pm

Today’s AFS Service article discusses the effect of tire tread depth on braking. When talking about stopping power, Hortonville drivers tend to focus on brakes. But our tires are where the rubber meets the road. So having good brakes isn’t enough. Hortonville motorists have to have tires with enough traction to translate braking power into stopping power.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet Hortonville conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

Hortonville Tire Tread Depth - Washington vs. LincolnThat’s called hydroplaning. At AFS Service we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Hortonville roads.

So that’s why it’s so important for Hortonville drivers to replace the tires on their midside sedans when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.

And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from WI freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.

Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Hortonville car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.

At AFS Service in Hortonville WI (54944) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 920.779.4199. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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