Malvern PA Auto Repair

Question: What benefit will I get out of a fuel system cleaning? ASM Auto LLC Answer: Well, the dirtier your fuel system is, the bigger the improvement you'll see in performance and fuel economy. But it's not wise to wait until your engine is running poorly, you've wasted hundreds of dollars in gas or maybe even damaged your fuel injectors and catalytic converter. Look, gasoline is a petroleum-based product and will leave some residue, gum and varnish along the way. Some of that can find its way into your fuel injectors and interfere with their job. The fuel injectors do just that – inject fuel into your vehicle engine. They spray a precise amount of fuel at a precise time in a precise pattern at a precise pressure. When they are dirty this precision just isn't possible. So your vehicle engine can run rough. Also carbon deposits build up on valves and in the combustion chamber. Fuel economy suffers and performance is degraded. These conditions allow excess ... read more

For most people buying tires is a big deal, so consult with your friendly and knowledgeable ASM Auto LLC tire professional about proper size, type and grade for your driving needs. He can help you balance load requirements, performance, durability and cost. When buying new tires it's best to replace both tires on the same axle in order to keep the rolling diameter as close as possible. Drivers with four-wheel-drive vehicles should replace all four tires at the same time because you can run into problems if the tires have different rolling diameters due to wear or different type of tire. Four-wheel-drive vehicles should have all tir ... read more

Question How do I know when I should get my tires rotated and balanced? Answer The interval for tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle maker. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles but could range from 3,000 to 8,000 miles. The background question is why do tires need to be rotated? Front tires wear differently than the rear tires because steering wears the shoulders faster up front. Rotating the position of the tires allows for more even wear among all the tires. Now the suspension set-up on certain vehicles may also affect the relative wear between the front and rear. There are several rotation patterns – your service advisor will see that you get the correct pattern for your particular vehicle. Wheels and tires are not perfectly balanced due to slight variations in the manufacturing process and the placement of tire pressure monitoring sensors. So, weights are strategically placed on the wheel to ensure that ... read more

Your suspension system keeps your car up off the road. From there, it’s responsible for a smooth and comfortable ride. It also keeps your wheels firmly planted over bumps and through curves. Your suspension system has many critical parts that do a big job. They should be inspected for damage and excessive wear at least once a year. A good time would be when you get your semiannual alignment check. Here are some warning signs of suspension problems: the car pulls to one side, wandering, erratic steering, uneven tire wear, leaning, shocks bottom out, poor ride or handling, oil leaking from shocks, and excessive bouncing. Now suspension parts just wear out over time. Shocks and struts eventually lose their ability to control your ride. If you’re in an accident, your suspension can be damaged or knocked out of alignment. Even a minor accident, like hitting a curb, pothole or large rock can mess things up. If you suspect suspension problems, ask for an inspection and let us s ... read more

If you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle or some specific rear wheel drive vehicles, it has components called CV joints which enable you to turn your wheels smoothly. The CV stands for “constant velocity.” In essence, it’s a set of gears that connect a shaft that allows power from the transmission to be sent to the wheels. When you turn the wheels, no matter what angle, the input velocity rotation will be equal to the output. Thus, the name, CV (constant velocity) joint. Other vehicles with 4-wheel drive and all-wheel drive also use CV joints. If one of your CV joints isn’t working right, you may find your vehicle difficult to handle. If one breaks, your vehicle may stop moving. So, it’s important that CV joints be in top working condition. The joints need a lot of lubrication, so they are surrounded by grease. There’s a rubber enclosure around them called the boot which holds the grease in and protects CV joints from the elements. The biggest probl ... read more