Our Auto Repair Service Blog – Bucaro Brothers Auto Care

On average, your vehicle’s battery should last between three to five years. During that time, however, it can take a beating from rush hour traffic, soaring summer temperatures, and winter deep freezes. To protect your battery and extend its lifetime to the max, here are five things you should do. 1. Make sure it’s tightly fastened to the mounting bracket. Batteries not firmly attached to the mounting bracket can vibrate and bounce around, potentially leading to internal damage to the battery and short circuits. This is especially a problem if you often drive on bumpy roads or rough terrain. Check the battery’s mounting from time to time, making sure it’s firmly secured. 2. Limit the use of electronics while idling. If you commute to and from work and often find yourself bogged down in heavy traffic, it’s a good idea to turn off some devices. Things like the radio and the air conditioning, if you can stand it. These put a heavy strain on the battery when your vehicle is merely idling. 3. Minimize the short drives. Those short hops here and there drain your battery without giving it time to recharge. So, try to keep those to a minimum…. Read more

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Your vehicle’s engine can overheat any time of the year. Here are some of the main causes and what you can do about them. 1. Low coolant Maintaining an adequate coolant level is essential to keep your engine from overheating. The coolant circulating through the engine absorbs heat that the coolant moves to the radiator. The radiator fan helps reduce the temperature of the coolant that recirculates through the engine, repeating the cooling cycle. A low coolant level may indicate a leak in your cooling system, possibly in the radiator hose. These leaks can be extremely hard to find, however, and it’s a good idea to have your favorite mechanic check for the source of the leak. 2. Low oil level or oil that’s old and dirty The oil in your engine plays a dual role. Obviously, it lubricates the moving parts of the engine, but in addition, by reducing friction it helps prevent your engine from overheating. Old engine oil containing large quantities of contaminants doesn’t lubricate and reduce friction as well as clean, fresh oil. With today’s lubricants, you can usually drive 5,000 to 7,500 miles between oil changes. This can vary, however, depending on your driving conditions…. Read more

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Water is essential for human survival. Likewise, our vehicles must have certain fluids to operate effectively without breaking down. As a vehicle owner, you need to know what these fluids are and what they do. Oil This one is perhaps the most vital of them all. The primary function of motor oil is to lubricate the engine’s components and prevent them from overheating. As a responsible owner, you need to check the oil level frequently and add oil when needed. When it comes to changing the oil, for most vehicles this should probably be done every 5,000-7,500 miles. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended schedule for oil changes. Windshield Wiper Fluid This fluid is sometimes overlooked, but it’s extremely important, especially during winter when windshields ice over, limiting your vision. Just remember to use winter fluid that won’t freeze on the windshield and helps loosen ice and snow from the glass. Brake Fluid This fluid is absolutely essential for your brakes to operate effectively in slowing and stopping your vehicle. If your brake pedal starts to feel “mushy” or soft when you brake, have your mechanic check the fluid level. Transmission Fluid This fluid lubricates your transmission, like the… Read more

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If you don’t spend time under the hood of your vehicle, you may not be familiar with the timing belt, but it’s a vital part of your engine. So, what is the timing belt, and why is it so important? Please read on as we try to explain. Timing Belt Perhaps the best way to describe the timing belt is to compare it to a bicycle chain. As you crank the pedals, the chain keeps the front and back sprockets working together, moving the bike forward. In a similar way, the timing belt keeps the moving parts of your vehicle’s engine working in sync. The timing belt is made of rubber and has hard teeth that interlock with the cogwheels of the crankshaft and camshafts. This coordination ensures that the engine’s intake and exhaust valves are opening and closing in time with the pistons. If the timing belt is extremely worn or broken, these engine components won’t operate in sync. Consequently, they can damage each other, your vehicle won’t run correctly, and you’ll be left with a costly repair bill. Signs of Trouble Here are some warning signs indicating you may need to replace your timing belt: Engine overheating Vibration… Read more

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When the temperature is freezing, you wouldn’t think the heating and cooling system in your vehicle could overheat. That can happen, however, and there are several things that can cause the problem. 1. Low Coolant Coolant is a vital part of your vehicle’s engine. The engine produces heat through a combination of combustion and friction. This heat is transferred to the coolant circulating through the engine and carried to the radiator. There, air passing through the radiator dissipates the heat, preventing the engine from overheating. Leaks can occur, however, and if you don’t have enough coolant in the system, engine heat is not transferred to the radiator. The end result is an overheated engine, no matter the outside temperature. 2. Faulty Thermostat This is a second problem that can lead to an overheated engine. Though it’s a vital component of your engine, the thermostat is a simple device. Basically, it’s a valve located in the cooling system that is opened and closed with a spring, piston or other thermally controlled device. Its job is to regulate the amount of coolant circulating through the engine and radiator. That keeps the engine operating within an acceptable temperature range, whatever the outside temperature…. Read more

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