Temecula Auto Repair

Perform Transmission Fluid Service By ‘Severe Duty’ Change Intervalby AutoCarePro Team - Nov 18, 2014 Improved lubricants have allowed service intervals to extend for many vehicles with automatic transmissions, utilizing “lifetime fluids.” In the past, service recommendations for automatic transmissions were based on time/mileage tied to requirements of new vehicle warranties (2-3 years or 30,000 miles). Lifetime fluid recommendations are now 5-10 years or the life of the vehicle (100,000 miles) unless the vehicle is subjected to “severe duty.” The question that often comes up next: When is it appropriate to perform a fluid service? Taken directly from OEM owners’ manuals, “severe duty” has historically been defined as: • Operation o ... read more

An engine's hot intake valves are magnets for the carbon molecules splitting from fuel and oil vapors that waft up from the oil pan through the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system. Over time, the carbon bakes in place, interfering with air flow and preventing the valves from sealing properly. There is an issue with the proliferation of direct injected engines that is slowly creeping up in more and more discussions on message boards these days. Because these engines inject fuel directly into the cylinders, there is no fuel washing over the intake valves. There are detergents in most gasolines that help keep the intake valves clean. With Direct Injection, those detergents are essentially useless. As such carbon builds up on the intake valves and causes problems with Missfires, Check Engine Light and Rough Idle. It's not limited to one manufacturer either. I have seen it ... read more