Albany Auto Repair

How Do I Get My Diesel Ready For Winter? Diesel engines are known for being more powerful and effective than their gasoline counterparts. An unfortunate thing they are known for is being harder to start in the winter. This is different for modern diesel engines. Because of the way older diesel engines operate, if they have not been very well maintained, there may be some trouble starting when the weather cools down for the winter.   Like modern gasoline engines, diesels have grown in complexity to enable them to produce more power and less emissions at the same time.    Diesel engines use glow plugs or intake heaters to warm the inside of the engine upon starting to help burn the diesel fuel. Since diesels don’t use spark plugs, but instead use heat and pressure to ignite the fuel. On a cold day, the engine needs to be warmed to help them start faster.   That is why in winter, especially on really cold days, you will see big semi trucks and even pickup t ... read more

Why does my car get hot?   Summertime, Bring on the fun and the sun! Some of the best things about summer can give your car the most trouble.   Heat! As we come into the summer months, the warmer temperatures can wreak havoc on your car or truck. It’s already getting warm out there; Texas is melting as we speak! With higher temps, your car's cooling system has to work harder than ever to keep the engine cool and keep you cool inside.    We have gone over the cooling system before, but with summer here now, it's a good time to go over a few things. When your car starts to warm up, your cooling fan will engage, the thermostat opens up, and your water pump may increase its speed.   Usually, that’s enough to keep things under control. But if you have a coolant leak and don’t have enough coolant in your car, then all those things won’t be enough. Or if your fan fails to turn on, the radiator is clogged, or your thermostat gets ... read more

Why Do Cars Need Antifreeze in the Summer?   Your vehicle’s cooling system uses a mixture of water and antifreeze to be able to operate in all weather conditions. Antifreeze is also referred to as coolant because of its chemical composition. It allows the water in the cooling system to work below freezing and above boiling temperatures.   Coolant is pumped through your engine and into the radiator, where a fan is used to pull air through the radiator, lowering the temperature of the coolant inside the radiator. It’s the same process used to heat or cool the inside of your car or home just in reverse.   Your cooling system has a few main components: a pump, radiator, thermostat, and the hoses that connect all these components together.    The Thermostat is what keeps the whole system at the correct temperature, too cold and it keeps the coolant from entering the radiator. Too warm and the thermostat opens, sending all the coolant into the rad ... read more