Monthly Archives: July 2021

ABS - Anti-Lock Brakes

ABS - Anti-Lock Brakes Jul 25th, 2021 There’s a common misconception that Anti-Lock Brakes help you stop faster.  That is not always the case on loose gravel or snowy surfaces.  Anti-Lock Brakes, in fact, are designed to help you maintain control of your vehicle in an emergency braking situation.  Imagine you are driving on a snowy road.  You need to slam on your brakes and your rear wheels lock up.  Chances are good that the rear end of your vehicle will try to pass the front end and you can easily lose control.  What would happen in the same circumstance if your front wheels locked up?  Well you certainly would not be able to steer properly, and your front end would go to wherever gravity leads it. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) modulates your brakes on and off as many as 15 times a second.  This keeps your wheels from locking up while providing the greatest amount of braking possible.  You are better able to steer your vehicle ... read more

Your Nose Knows Gasoline

Your Nose Knows Gasoline Jul 24th, 2021 Each time we fuel up our vehicles, we get a little whiff of gasoline, so the smell is very familiar. There shouldn’t be any gasoline smell in or around your vehicle when you are away from the gas station. When you do smell gasoline away from the gas pump, the cause ranges from something simple to something that can be very dangerous. Let's start with the simple causes.  It could be a loose or faulty gas cap, or you might be missing one entirely. You may also have a leak in the fuel tank vent hose. These are relatively straightforward things to repair.  By the way, because your vehicle has fans that draw in outside air, you may be able to smell these outside fuel leaks inside the cabin. Here are some other possible sources of a gasoline smell.  You may have a leak in your fuel tank, and these are more common than you might think.  Fuel tanks can rot or get punctured by road debris.  The tank can be fixed or re ... read more

Get Proper Car Maintenance This Summer!

Get Proper Car Maintenance This Summer!

Summertime is a time of the year where many families and friends like to go out and about. We often overlook how much the hot weather can take a toll on our vehicles with all our fun plans in mind. However, the last thing you'd want to happen is for your car to break down amid your fun adventures. It would be best to give your vehicle the proper attention during the summer, or it won't keep taking you where you want to go. We've made a list of the top four priorities of every vehicle that you should routinely monitor this summer!   1) Air-Conditioning System  We depend on air conditioning in the summer as much as we rely on water. If your AC is older, then leaking freon is a common problem. As a result of the leak, you will be surprised by warm air blowing out of your vents. Carmasters Automotive has the equipment needed to properly recharge your air conditioning system if you are concerned about your air conditioning.    2) Air Filter While you ar ... read more

Radiator Fans

Jul 12th, 2021 If you’re old enough, you’ve heard the term “fan belt”. Back in the day the radiator fan in your vehicle was turned by a belt driven by the engine. There are still belt driven fans – although most are now driven by the serpentine belt. But most vehicles now have electric fans that draw fresh air across the radiator to cool it. As coolant/antifreeze circulates in the cooling system it captures heat from the engine and flows into the radiator. Air cools the radiator and the coolant in it before it flows back into the engine to pick up some more heat. Now your engine has an ideal temperature range in which it is most efficient: it shouldn’t be too hot or too cool. The electric radiator fans help maintain the ideal temperature. A switch mounted in a cooling system passage checks the temperature of the coolant. If the coolant is at the low end of the range, the switch turns off the fan motor. When the coolant rises to a certain temperatu ... read more

Carmasters Automotive Serpentine Belt Service

Carmasters Automotive Serpentine Belt Service Jul 5th, 2021 Your serpentine belt drives your alternator and air conditioning compressor.  The power steering and power brake pumps are driven by the serpentine belt in many vehicles.  In some vehicles, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt (in others it’s driven by the timing belt).  The radiator cooling fan on some vehicles are also driven by the serpentine belt.  Some have separate electric motors.  Serpentine belts do a lot of work, but they’re tough and can last for thousands of miles, but just how long will they last? That’ll vary for each individual car.  Your manufacturer will have a recommendation for when it should be changed, but it could need it sooner. The good news is that a visual inspection can reveal a belt that’s worn. It’s often recommended that the tensioner pulley that keeps the belt at the proper tension be replaced along with the serpentine belt ... read more

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