Archive | Automotive Maintenance

Why do you need to do a Transmission Fluid Flush?  Because transmission fluid is constantly exposed to heat, friction, electrochemical degradation and it breaks down over time losing it viscosity and lubricating properties.  Vital parts of your car’s transmission can become clogged with sludge and varnish deposits.  90% of transmission failures are caused by overheating and contaminated fluid according to the Automotive Transmission Builder’s Association.

A Transmission Fluid Flush:

Improves hard shifting, chattering and slipping

Provides cooler operation

Reconditions seals and extends the transmissions life

When Power Steering Fluid is new, it is generally a translucent red but turns dark with age and heat.  Normal driving ultimately causes power steering fluid to be affected by heat, friction and electrochemical degradation.  Hard turns create high pressures and can cause more damage to the fluid.  Power Steering  problems contributed to contaminated fluid can include leaks, steering noises, stiff steering or hard turning after you first start your car.  Dark power steering fluid will also cause premature wear on your power steering components.

We recommend having a power steering flush done every 30,000 miles / 3 years.

This flush will:

Alleviate steering squeal caused by sticking valves

Corrects that “Jerky” feeling in the steering wheel

Helps prevent fluid leaks

Reduces wear

We keep track of your maintenance needs for you when you are our customer, so that you don’t have to worry about it.

The engine coolant in your vehicle needs to be flushed regularly because it loses its effectiveness to lubricate the water pump and other important coolant system components.  New coolant will also help reduce foam and rust throughout the coolant system.  Over time your coolant may not be capable of properly cooling your engine because of its pH level, Glycol % and clarity.  We recommend flushing your cooling system every 30,000 miles.  We also check the pH level everything we see your vehicle.

How often should you have a Brake Fluid Flush preformed on you vehicle?  Every 30 thousand miles.  Brake fluid requires regular service because it is hygroscopic – that means that it naturally absorbs moisture.  That moisture lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid.  When brake fluid boils, vapor or air bubbles are released into your brake system.  Since vapor and air compress the result could lead to a feeling of a “soft” brake pedal or no firmness in the brake pedal at all.

At Long’s we check the moisture level of your brake fluid every time you come in.  If you haven’t been a long time customer and don’t know when the last time you had this done, we will check the fluid for you.  If you are over 30,000 miles we are going to recommend that we do a brake flush, just to be on the safe side.

Your car needs an induction service every 30,000 miles / 3 years.  Why?  Well the newer vehicles are being built with smaller tolerances and less room for carbon build-ups and varnish therefore: when an engine reaches 30,000 miles, 15% of the engines efficiency is lost due to carbon build-up.  At 60,000 miles it loses another 15% and ot 90,000 yet another 15%.  This means that at 90,000 miles your vehicle has lost almost half of it’s efficiency.  Dirt, varnish and carbon deposits from the fuel system on the intake valves and in the combustion chamber areas of all vehicles.  If left untreated these build ups can reduce performance, mileage and power – and can lead to costly engine repairs.

This service:  Reduces emissions / Restores Horsepower / Increases and Maintains Fuel Economy / Cleans Fuel Injectors

If you haven’t had this service done in the last 30,000 miles, please give us a call, and we will get you in and get your vehicle running great again.

Do you ever  wonder your A/C isn’t blowing hard enough.  Well if your car is equipped with a cabin air filter, and it hasn’t been replaced in a while there is a chance it could be clogged and causing this issue.  Here’s an example of what a filter that wasn’t changed for 60k miles looks like.  We will be happy to check your filter and replace it if need be.  Also if the filter is clean, and isn’t causing the problem we will be able to diagnose the issue and have your A/C blowing nice cool air again in no time.

We are having unseasonably Hot Weather in the Seattle area this week.  Please, Please…I know we love our pets, and we like to take them everywhere with us, but Please don’t leave them in your car in this weather.  Horrible things can happen very quickly!!  If you can’t keep them safe, please leave them at home.

Have you Failed you Emissions Test?  If so we wanted you to know that we are a state certified emissions repair facility.  Our Technicians are all certified to do emissions diagnostics and repair.  So if you fail, just give us a call, and we will get you in and get that repair done in a jiffy.

Spring is in the air, which means warmer weather.  I don’t know about you, but when it gets hot outside I like my car to be cool inside.  Now is a great time to check and make sure that your air conditioning is working properly.  If you turn it on and it’s blowing warm air and you haven’t serviced it in 4 years, it probably just needs a service.  Over time condensation builds up in your system, which won’t allow it to blow cool air.  When we perform this service we also pressure test it to make sure there are now leaks.  If by chance there is a leak, we will be able to repair that for you also.  No matter what is preventing your A/C from keeping you cool, we will repair it and get you back on the road, don’t you sweat it.