Los Altos Auto Repair

Hi from Cayenne and Allied Auto Works,

If you aren’t currently using synthetic motor oil in your Los Altos vehicle, maybe now’s the time to consider it. Need more information? Well, synthetic motor oil is a substitute for petroleum based oil says Cayenne.

Cayenne knows synthetic oil doesn’t gel or gum-up like petroleum based oil and it doesn’t vaporize as easily. "It protects better in severe driving conditions like stop and go driving around Los Altos, as well as in very hot or very cold conditions. More and more new vehicles are being delivered with full synthetic motor oil; with the recommendation to use synthetic for the life of the vehicle." says Cayenne.

Why is this asks Cayenne? Synthetic motor oil maximizes engine power and fuel economy. To see why; we’d need a microscope, so we’ll have to settle for using our imaginations.

The molecules of conventional motor oil are long hydrocarbon chains. Synthetic motor oil, on the other hand, has uniform, round molecules. Which is more slippery, a pile of pencils or a pile of marbles? How about bones?   Hmmm I'll have to look into that says Cayenne.

Synthetic motor oil lubricates better because there’s less friction. That means better wear protection, cooler operating temperatures, more power and better fuel economy. And synthetic oil doesn’t sludge up like conventional oil, so it prevents those small oil passages from clogging up.

Some manufacturers are extending oil change intervals. The added protection of synthetic oil covers you for these longer intervals. Talk with your service advisor about how you drive and see if he thinks you can benefit from synthetic oil. Also ask about the appropriate oil change interval for synthetic, because it may very well be longer than for conventional oil.

Most of us here in Los Altos have a busy life taking care of us dogs and might occasionally miss an oil change; go ahead admit it. Since we’re not perfect, doesn’t it make sense to use a motor oil that’s got your back?

Now synthetic oil costs more. But it lasts longer, protects better and increases fuel economy. You’ll likely save money in the long run. If you’re serious about making your car last longer, start using synthetic motor oil right away.

Give us a call at 650.968.7227 to schedule an oil change, or visit us at our Allied Auto Works website and tell them Cayenne sent you.

Till next time,

Cayenne  

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your sedan into Allied Auto Works for a check up.  Tell them Cayenne sent you.
2073 Grant Road  or 1540 Miramonte Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 (Grant) & 650.947.7227 (Miramonte)

In today's Allied Auto Works auto post from Cayenne, she is talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how important it is to have a clean fuel system. Los Altos car owners need fuel to go, and the cleaner the fuel system, the more efficiently the fuel will burn. That means more power and better fuel economy.

A clean fuel system saves money at the pump. Cayenne says, it all starts and ends at the pump.  One of the most important things Mt. View car owners can do to keep their sedan fuel system clean is to buy good quality gas. Major brands have detergents that keep gum and varnish from rapidly building up in the fuel system.

So buying cheaper gas in Los Altos can actually cost more in the long run. Cayenne knows most cars on CA highways are more than five or six years old. That means they've had time for some dirt and rust to start accumulating in the fuel tank. This junk needs to be filtered out of the fuel before it hits your sedan engine. That's the fuel filter's job.

When the fuel filter is clogged, the dirty fuel will bypass the filter and go on up to the engine where it can clog fuel injectors and get into the cylinders. That could do some damage. So Cupertino auto owners should have their fuel filter changed when recommended. Check your owner's manual or ask your personal and trusted Allied Auto Works technician if your fuel filter is due for replacement.

The fuel then goes up into the throttle body. This is another area where varnish and gum can accumulate. A professional fuel system cleaning at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos will use a combination of special cleaning chemicals and old fashioned swabbing to clean out the throttle body. Now, the fuel injectors are the last stop in the fuel delivery system.

Cayenne wants you keep those fuel injectors clean. The fuel injectors need to deliver a precise amount of fuel, at exactly the right time, in a particular spray pattern. They just can't do that if they're dirty. Dirty fuel injectors really rob power and hurt gas mileage.

It is important for the fuel system proper, but there are a couple other things that will help keep your sedan engine clean as well. Of course, air is mixed with the fuel before it's burned. Dirty air means dirt gets into your engine, so you need to replace your engine air filter when it's dirty.

The PCV value routes unburned fuel that escapes into the lower engine back up into the intake system to be burned. A sticky PCV valve needs to be replaced at Allied Auto Works to make sure that system is working properly and the breather filter needs to be replaced if it's dirty as well.

Do all these things and your sedan engine's air and fuel will be as clean as possible. You'll get much better fuel economy and better power.

Till next week,

Cayenne      

Since driving requirements and lifestyles differ among Los Altos motorists, sedan manufacturers publish two auto maintenance schedules: the regular schedule and the severe service schedule. Which schedule should you follow?
Here are some questions to ask yourself:  Says Cayenne.

Are most of your trips less than four miles?  Getting dog biscuits and such.
Are most of your trips less than 10 miles in below-zero CA temps?
Are most of your trips off-highway?  Yes full freedom for us dogs to run.
Do you drive often in dusty areas?
Do you regularly tow a trailer or carry heavy loads around Los Altos?
Do you drive in very hot or very cold CA weather?

Cayenne wants you to think about your typical week. Do you live by your nearest Los Altos freeway on-ramp and enjoy a non-stop commute to Los Altos or Cupertino? Or, do you drive the neighborhood car pool or to your local pet store in stop-and-go traffic on surface streets?

Take a look at your owner's manaual says Cayenne and suppose your owner’s manual says the severe service oil change recommendation is 3,000 miles and the standard recommendation is 5,000 miles. You know that you need to change the oil somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 miles. Analyze your driving patterns and Los Altos weather and road conditions to determine which end of the spectrum you’re closer to.

Why should Los Altos auto owners care about this? Normal condensation causes moisture accumulation in the engine oil. Short trips around Los Altos or winter driving means that the engine doesn’t heat up enough for the moisture to evaporate. The water in the oil turns to oil sludge that clogs up your engine and doesn’t let the oil protect it adequately. That’s why CA drivers need to change their oil more often – to clean the sludge out before it causes problems.

Carrying heavy loads like dog kibble (with or without a trailer) in nice CA summer weather causes your engine and transmission to run at higher temperatures and with more stress. The fluids will break down more quickly. Additives that clean and prevent corrosion will be depleted sooner. Air pollution and dust cause fluids to get dirty faster. Ditto for filters. All of these things can lead to premature wear and eventual repairs, not to mention your gas mileage. If you want some expert advice,Cayenne suggests you talk with your personal and trusted Allied Auto Works advisor. We can help you restore your sedan to good working order and help you know the best schedule to follow.

To learn more, watch our informative AutoNetTV auto video tips at the top of this post.  Thanks again for checking in with me.  

Allied Auto Works
650.968.7227
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024

With the recent focus in Mt. View on improving fuel economy, Cayenne's knows how important it is to maintain our tire pressure.

Los Altos auto owners know that tires wear out, but Cayenne's wants to make them last as long as possible because they're not cheap to replace and she does not want you going into her bone money jar. In addition to saving gas, properly inflated tires last longer. Under-inflated tires will wear out more quickly, Cayenne says they could make a good chew toy.

Some Mt. View auto owners wonder if they should add a few extra pounds of pressure when they fill up their tires.  Cayenne barks "Bad idea!"  In fact, there are very good reasons not to over-inflate your tires. For one, the middle of the tread will wear unevenly because the full tread is not contacting the road properly. That also adversely affects your handling.

Stop by Allied Auto Works to see about tire maintenance for your Los Altos, CA vehicle Cayenne advises.

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road  and 1540 Miramonte Ave.     
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 or 650.947.7228

Every vehicle in the Mt. View area has a sticker on the driver's side door jamb that tells you the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure. This recommendation is an integral part of the vehicle's suspension tuning. A lot of engineering actually goes into the recommended tire pressure, so it's important for Mt. View auto owners to follow it.

What else do Los Altos car owners need to know about tire maintenance? Tire rotation and balancing are very important. Let's start with rotation. Because the front tires handle the brunt of turning forces, the shoulders of the front tires wear more quickly than the rear tires. Cayenne says rotate the tires so that they all get to do some duty on the front and they'll all wear evenly over their life.

For most vehicles, front tires are rotated to the rear and vice versa. Others recommend a cross rotational pattern. Some vehicles use an asymmetrical tire so those tires need to stay on either the right or left side – it'll say which on the tire. Some high performance cars have asymmetrical tires and different sizes on the front and rear. These can't be rotated at all. Your owner's manual will have details for your car.  Cayenne says make sure you check that manual.

How often should Los Altos drivers rotate their tires? Your owner's manual will have a recommendation. "My personal and trusted Allied Auto Works tech at  Allied Auto Works in Los Altos can do a visual inspection to let you know if it looks like it should be done. The interval is typically around 5,000 miles." barks Cayenne.

Cayenne barks, "You know, some Los Altos people don't think new tires need to be balanced. What they aren't taking into account is the wheel. Between the wheel and the tire – even a new tire – there's enough variation to require balancing." 

When you add the valve stem and tire pressure monitoring sensors required on new cars, balancing is definitely in order. When a tire's out of balance, it's actually hopping down the road. You'll feel the vibration through the steering wheel if a front tire's out of balance and through your seat if it's a rear tire.

Proper wheel balance promotes tire life and increases safet y says Cayenne. Historically, lead weights have been attached to the wheel to bring it into balance. Lead gives some environmental concern, so steel weights are starting to be substituted.

Also Cayenne mentions, always use the same size tire on an axle. Different size tires on the front or on the back can lead to some real handling problems. And tire manufacturers recommend that when you get two new tires, they be installed on the rear because that's where you need the most traction to avoid spinning-out.  Drive safely and have a great day!  

See you next week!  

Imagine you've left Los Altos and you're up in the arctic on a dog sled.   "It could happen." says Cayenne.

Your dog team is pulling straight and true. You can cover a lot of ground fast. Now imagine what would happen if one or two of the dogs wanted to go their own way and were pulling off to the side.

That would slow you down. You would have to work harder to keep the sled going where you want it. The dogs are all working as hard as before, but you're covering less ground for the same effort.

"You're wasting valuable kibble!" Cayenne barks.

The same is true of your vehicle when the wheels are out of alignment. That wheel that's pulling to the side is dragging down the rest of the car; so you push a little harder on the gas pedal to keep up your speed. You're wasting gas.

So have your wheel alignment checked at least once a year. Get it checked right away if you feel the car pulling to one side.

Sometimes we bump a curb or hit a pothole and knock our wheels out of alignment. An accident can take the wheels out of alignment as well.  Cayenne invites to schedule an appointment today if wheel alignment is an issue for you.  Because well you never know when you might have to drive to Alaska.

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227

So make sure you're tracking straight. You'll save gas and your tires'll last longer. Now, mush!