Emergency! (Vehicle Emergency items)
March 21, 2021
"I never expected it could happen to me." Countless drivers have said that after they've had an emergency turn their lives upside down. So before that happens to you, let's thinking about planning ahead for an emergency with a few things you should keep in your vehicle. Road flares. If you've ev... More
Start Me Up (Ignition Systems)
March 14, 2021
When you start up your gasoline engine car, you may not know that it's using the same ignition principles as it has for decades. You have spark plugs that require enough power so a spark can jump across a gap at its tip. Years ago, a vehicle's 12-volt system had to produce 15,000-25,000 volts t... More
QUIET TIME (Listening for Vehicle Problems)
March 7, 2021
Everybody's got friends like this. You know, the kind who, the minute they get in their vehicle and turn the key, the sound system is deafening. They just love to hear that music, sports, news anything but the sound of the vehicle itself. And maybe you're that person, too. Here's something to ... More
Oswego Drivers: Is It Time to Replace Your PCV Valve?
February 28, 2021
The crankcase is the lower part of the engine where the crankshaft is housed and where the engine oil lives. The crankshaft is connected to the pistons that power the engine. When you are diving around Oswego, fuel is burned in your vehicle engine, it pushes the pistons down and the crankshaft ... More
When Are Your Tires Worn Out?
February 21, 2021
Hey Oswego area drivers, are your tires worn out? What is the standard for our Illinois streets? How can you tell on your vehicle?While there may be legal requirements for the Oswego area, there are safety concerns that go beyond meeting minimum replacement mandates.Two-thirty-seconds of an inc... More
I Had No Idea! (Four Things You Didn't Know About Vehicles)
February 14, 2021
Bet you didn't know: Some of the earliest rearview mirrors were marketed as "Cop Spotters" so drivers would know when police were following them. Who wants a ticket, anyway? According to eBay Motors, Elmer Berger first patented a rearview mirror that was mounted on the front fenders, on the spare... More
The Best Book that's Not a Best-Seller
February 7, 2021
Sometimes the movie is better than the book, sometimes it's the other way around. But when it comes to your vehicle, the best book of all is the owner's manual. The plot is simple: Owner wants long life and dependable performance from the vehicle, manual has the way to achieve that long life and... More
Steer Clear of Power Steering Problems (Power Steering Maintenance)
January 31, 2021
We usually take our vehicle's easy steering for granted until something goes wrong. Power steering is what makes it almost effortless to turn the steering wheel, aiming your vehicle in the direction you want to go. Without the assistance of power from the engine, steering would be a laborious pr... More
Conventional or Synthetic? (Switching to Synthetic Oil)
January 24, 2021
If you keep up on technology trends, then you may be intrigued about synthetic motor oil. It was introduced in the 1960s when Mobil came up with it. Mobil's oil was different from conventional motor oil because it was first broken down to its basic molecules. Then, Mobil removed additional imp... More
A Not-So-Straight Story (Vehicle Pulls to One Side)
January 17, 2021
A vehicle should travel straight down a straight road with the steering wheel centered. But time and travel can take their toll and soon you may find your vehicle pulling to the left or right. Those are not good signs and should be taken care of fairly quickly. One thing that you should note is... More