Los Altos Auto Repair

Cayenne here and today I am going to let you on a little secret about Good Service and Good Fuel Economy.  Let's get barking!

Most Los Altos auto owners want to save on gas and seek our advice on improving economy. At Allied Auto Works, we are frequently asked, however, if it is really worth the extra effort. Just how much money can Los Altos drivers actually save?

In today's Allied Auto Works article, we're focusing on the things you can do to improve your vehicle’s economy driving around CA. We'll tell you the potential savings per gallon of gas at three dollars and fifty cents, and we'll show a chart that also shows the savings at three and four dollars.

DOLLARS PER GALLON $3.00 / $3.50 / $4.00

TUNE UP 4%.12.14.16

The next item is replacing a clogged engine air filter. Your engine needs enough air to burn fuel efficiently for the best mileage. A clean air filter means you get plenty of air. The fact that the air's clean protects your engine. That can save you up to ten percent or thirty-five cents a gallon.

DOLLARS PER GALLON$3.00 / $3.50 / $4.00

AIR FILTER 10%.30.35.40

Fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve economy by up to forty percent. That's a whopping dollar forty in savings per gallon. Bring your car to Allied Auto Works in Los Altos and we'll check your oxygen sensor.

DOLLARS PER GALLON$3.00 / $3.50 / $4.00

FAULTY O2 SENSOR 40%1.201.401.60

Chances are that if your oxygen sensor is kaput your check engine light will come on. Now, there's any number of things that could cause your check engine light to come on besides oxygen sensor problems. But if it's on, get it checked out as soon as you can at Allied Auto Works.

Here's an easy one for Los Altos auto owners. Inflate your tires to the recommended pressure. That could save you three percent or eleven cents a gallon. Even a little drop in pressure will bring down your economy, so check your tires every week.

DOLLARS PER GALLON$3.00 / $3.50 / $4.00

TIRE INFLATION 3%.09.11.12

Your vehicle has recommended a specific weight of motor oil. The recommendation is based on engine design and will give you the best protection. Using a heavier weight could cost one to two percent in reduced economy, or up to seven cents a gallon.

Another thing Los Altos vehicle owners can do to improve that costs nothing is to toss the junk out of our trunks. In other words, clean out the car and stop hauling around non-essentials. Don't treat your vehicle like a storage locker. Dumping one hundred pounds of extra weight adds up to a 2% savings at the pump.

So when you tell someone you were going somewhere anyway and they're welcome to come along, that's okay. But if someone tells you they need to come along and it's no harm to you since you were going anyway—well, now you can tell them, “Sorry, dude, but you're an extra fifteen cents a gallon!”

All joking aside, let's all do ourselves a favor and fatten up our wallets by practicing good car care and better driving habits in California and Allied Auto Works is here to help.

Til next time, this is Cayenne! 

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227
http://www.alliedautoworks.com

Hey it is Duke and today we need to do some DEEP CLEANING for our fuel systems,

Having trouble with your fuel system? Bring your vehicle into Allied Auto Works for a check up.

In today's Allied Auto Works auto post, we're talking about fuel system cleaning. The first thing to know is how it is to have a clean fuel system. Los Altos residents need fuel to go, and the cleaner the fuel system, the more efficiently the fuel will burn. That means more power and better mileage .

A clean fuel system saves money for Los Altos drivers at CA gas stations. We guess you could say, it all starts and ends at the pump. One of the most important things Los Altos residents can do to keep their vehicle 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 CA can actually be more expensive for Los Altos drivers in the long run. Now, most cars on CA roads 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 vehicle 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. So Los Altos residents should have their fuel filter changed when recommended. Check your owner's manual or ask your friendly and knowledgeable Allied Auto Works service advisor if your fuel filter is due for replacement.

Well I do not know about you, but I am going to clean my DOGHOUSE,  till next week this DUKE!

Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227
http://www.alliedautoworks.com

Hi Duke here and do you ever wonder were all the junk comes from in your car and how it weighs your car down.  Well that is what we are going to explore today.

The team at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos and CA car owners are all talking MPG right now. Better gas mileage. Fewer emissions. Los Altos car owners want to save the environment and their pocketbooks.

And we all know—or should know—that preventive maintenance will help maximize MPG. But is there something more Los Altos car owners can do? After all, some of us Los Altos folks can’t cut back on our driving, and others would like to do more to economize.

Weight is one major enemy of fuel economy. The more you lug around in your vehicle, the more fuel you have to burn to get from Los Altos to Cupertino. And that means buying more gas in Los Altos and producing more emissions.

Of course, your sedan’s weight isn’t negotiable. And you can’t do much about the weight of your passengers. And this isn’t an article about diet and exercise.

But look around your sedan. Are you hauling a bunch of unnecessary weight around CA? Do you really need your golf clubs every time you leave your Los Altos home? Store sports equipment in the garage. Load it when you need it and store it when you don’t. Who knows? The extra exercise just might reduce the other type of weight in your vehicle.

The same goes for anything else in your car: make-up kits, music collections, extra electronics, spare clothing; whatever your particular extras may be. Pack it when you need it; store it when you don’t.

Clean out your vehicle. You’d be surprised how much weight you’re lugging around Los Altos in plain old junk. Toss old papers, leftover food, and regular old dirt. Even if it’s not a lot of weight, you’ll feel better when you get into your car. A good cleaning is also part of good car care.

Now, don’t toss stuff you really do need. You do need that spare tire—the one in your trunk. And a kit of emergency essentials is not a bad idea. But just carry around the day-to-day essentials. You can pack a more extensive kit and store it in your garage, then toss it in your Los Altos when you go on a longer trip, but you don’t have to lug it around all the time. After all, are you a driver? Or are you a junk chauffeur?

Lose the junk and save some money in Los Altos.

Now where did i put that bone? I better go check Jeep!

Duke

Hi Duke here and today Duke Does Diesels,

Something you’re going to be hearing a lot about around Los Altos, CA is diesel engines. We’re not talking about semi-trucks and buses – We’re talking about diesel engine cars, pick-ups and SUVs.

Most people in Los Altos, CA are surprised to learn that around half the cars on the road in Europe have diesel engines. Nearly all import auto makers offer a range of diesel engines abroad – even the ultra-luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW. For the most part, these diesel engines haven’t been available in Los Altos, CA. But that’s about to change.

In the past, North American diesel fuel has had a much higher sulfur content than European fuel. Recent environmental laws have required changes in diesel formulation and emissions standards here in Los Altos, CA so we are now ready to start seeing more diesel options offered to Los Altos car owners over the next few years.

Why are so many Los Altos car owners interested in diesel engines? Well first off, diesel fuel is more energy dense. There’s more power in a barrel of diesel fuel than there is in a barrel of gasoline. The result? Better performance and improved fuel economy.

Diesel powered vehicles get about 20 percent better gas mileage. And as for power – why do you think that the majority of new heavy duty pick-up trucks are being sold in Los Altos with diesel engines?

If you think back to the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, you may shudder when you think of the diesel powered cars of the day – noisy, smoky, under-powered beasts that rattled and shook their passengers. Modern diesels sold in CA have evolved considerably.

They are quiet, clean – and powerful. They’re so refined that many Los Altos auto owners can’t even tell they’re riding in a diesel powered sedan. In addition to fuel savings, diesels generally last longer than gasoline engines because of their heavy duty construction.

Another thing the Los Altos green crowd takes advantage of is the use of bio-diesel in diesel vehicles. Bio-diesel is made from vegetable oil – even recycled cooking oil from Los Altos restaurants. There is a lot of buzz about Hybrid cars in CA. Look to diesel-electric hybrids in years to come to make a good idea even better.

Every year, auto manufacturers introduce new diesel models. Look for diesels in domestic light trucks, SUVs and passenger cars. Import manufacturers have plans to bring more of their outstanding diesel engines to Los Altos, CA as well.

New Los Altos diesel owners need to know that properly maintaining a diesel engine is somewhat different than a gasoline engine. Fluid change intervals are different. Emissions control devices have to work harder to filter diesel fuel and to scrub the exhaust so you will need to pay attention to that. And the fuel injection system operates at much higher pressures than gas fuel injection systems, so it’s essential to keep your fuel system clean with a diesel.

The good news is that Allied Auto Works in  Los Altos is keeping up with the new diesel technology and will be able to advise you on maintaining your diesel.

When we tell you to look for more diesels on Los Altos streets, you won’t be looking for smoky tail pipes as a clue. You also won’t be listening for that familiar big rig rattle. And, you certainly won’t be waiting for them at the stoplight, because modern diesels are as quick as their gasoline counterparts.

From all of us at Allied Auto Works and Duke, ten four, good buddy.

Cayenne here, let's talk about alternative fuel vehicles.

In their quest to reduce the use of fossil fuels and harmful exhaust emissions in our Los Altos environment, automakers will have a number of alternatives for Los Altos drivers very soon.

For instance, Flex Fuel vehicles are already available in the Los Altos area. Flex Fuel vehicles can run on gasoline or on E85 fuel. E85 is a mixture of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. The ethanol is made from corn.  The benefits to Los Altos car owners are in using less petroleum and reduced pollution. The drawbacks are that E85 gets lower fuel economy and that when gas prices are low, E85 can be more pricey than straight gasoline.

Los Altos drivers should only use E85 if they have a Flex Fuel compatible engine. Flex Fuel vehicles have special seals and gaskets that can stand up to the high alcohol content of E85. Using E85 in a regular engine can lead to gas leaks and fires.

Diesel engines have been around the Los Altos area for a long, long time. Modern diesels are very refined and fuel efficient. Diesel fuel can be made from renewable sources like vegetable oil, too. Diesel fuel from algae and sunlight is reported to be pretty close to being commercially viable.

There are also a number of natural gas vehicles on our Los Altos roads. Gasoline engines are adapted to run on compressed natural gas. It's less expensive than gasoline and burns very cleanly. You can even refill it with a special pump from your gas line at home.

Natural gas engines don't make as much power and don't get as good fuel economy, but they cost Los Altos auto owners less per mile to run. The big inconvenience is that the tank that holds the compressed natural gas takes up a lot of room; even your whole trunk! And there may not be places to refuel on a road trip from Los Altos to Los Altos.

Plug-in electric vehicles are now available in our Los Altos area. Battery technology is the limiting factor right now. Electric cars have a limited range and are really best for use close to home. As battery technology advances, electric cars will perform closer and closer to conventional power plants.

That brings us to hybrids. There are a bunch of hybrids on our CA roads, with more to come. Hybrid technology combines internal combustion engines with electric motors.

A mild hybrid has a regular gas or diesel engine that's assisted by the electric motor. The electric motor can propel the vehicle by itself up to a certain speed under gentle acceleration. There are mild hybrids in full-sized pickups and SUVs. They deliver fuel economy similar to their highway ratings.

A full hybrid will rely primarily on the electric motor for power. It'll have a small gas or diesel engine that generates electricity for the batteries.

Another breakthrough technology from automobile manufacturers is hydrogen fuel cells. Fuel cell vehicles use hydrogen to generate electricity. Several global manufacturers have prototypes on the road. The appeal is that the only thing that comes out of the tail pipe is water vapor. It'll take some time to build a national infrastructure of hydrogen fueling stations before there's widespread use in CA.

A quick word from Allied Auto Works about safety around hybrid and electric vehicles. Unlike the battery in your current family car, these carry enough voltage to kill you. Never mess around under the hood or with the batteries or electrical wiring. Your Los Altos service technician at  Allied Auto Works is trained to safely disable the flow of electricity before performing maintenance or repairs on the vehicle.

Hybrids are really not do-it-yourself vehicles unless you're specifically trained on hybrid systems.

This is Cayenne and until next week!

Cayenne here and a lot of gas is wasted in the Sunnyvale area by dirty fuel delivery systems.  Let's bark at the tank.

The gas tank gathers dirt, rust and sediment over the years. That's why there's a fuel filter to clean the fuel after it leaves the tank. A dirty filter will rob the engine of the clean gas it needs to run efficiently.

The fuel intake components get coated with gum and varnish over time. This results in fuel being delivered inefficiently and some of that gunk getting into the engine. A fuel system service at Allied Auto Works will leave your intake as clean as a whistle.

The big fuel thief is dirty fuel injectors. They deliver fuel to the engine at a specified pressure and in a particular spray pattern. When they're clogged, the fuel doesn't get atomized the way it's supposed to and doesn't get burned as efficiently.

See your owner's manual or ask your service advisor at Allied Auto Works when a fuel system cleaning is recommended.

Well that was a gas, until next time, this is Fuel Efficient Cayenne

There's not much we can do about the price of gas in Los Altos CA, but we do quite a bit about how much we use as we're driving on our Los Altos streets. Hi it is Cayenne again and today we are talking about Fuel Saving Tips!

Our driving habits can dramatically affect our fuel economy.

The first thing we can do is watch the 'go-pedal'. Hard acceleration just sucks the gas. Gently leave stop lights and plan lane changes so you don't need to floor it. That can save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Go a little slower on the freeway to Los Altos. Once you're going more than sixty-five miles an hour your fuel economy starts to drop dramatically. Leave early so you don't need to rush to be on time. And cruise control is your friend – steady speed uses less gas.

Plan errands ahead. Make fewer trips by combining errands.

Hey at current gas prices, a lead-foot might as well be a gold foot.

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

Here's to saving at the Pump  ~ Cayenne

Happy Holidays, Cayenne here and today we will be discussing fuel injection systems.      All modern Los Altos vehicles come with fuel injection systems, so it’s a topic Los Altos motorists need to know something about. The mighty fuel injector is a valve that delivers the gas or diesel fuel to the right place, in the right amount, at the right time; to be mixed with air and burned in the engine.

So how many fuel injectors does your car have? There’s one for each cylinder. So four, six or eight for most folks in Los Altos, CA. Some vehicles have 10 or 12 cylinders. The engine control computer makes adjustments to the fuel injector as it monitors the engine and other sensors. Fuel injectors are a pretty high-tech.

Allied Auto Works can help Los Altos motorists with a fuel injector cleaning service. What’s the benefit? In order to work right, the fuel injectors have to deliver the fuel at a precise pressure at a very precise time. It's important that the fuel is sprayed in a particular pattern as determined by the engine design.

Over time, varnish can start to build up in the fuel injectors, effecting the pressure, pattern and timing of the fuel charge. The result is that the fuel doesn’t get burned as efficiently as it could. That robs performance and hurts fuel efficiency.

What about dirty fuel – how does that affect the fuel injectors? The fuel injectors are the last stop in the fuel system. It starts at the fuel tank. Frankly, the best way to keep your fuel injectors working well is to use high quality fuel. It's tempting to shop for bargains in  Los Altos with fuel prices as high as they are, but major brands in the Los Altos, CA area have better detergents and additives and deliver consistent quality.

What about a good fuel filter? The fuel filter is a vital component of the fuel system. Its job is to filter out the dirt and rust that collect in the fuel tank. If it’s clogged up, the dirt will bypass the filter and head upstream to the fuel injectors.

It’s vital to replace the fuel filter when your automobile manufacturer recommends it. That’s part of a comprehensive fuel system cleaning.

There are different kinds of fuel injection systems. Port fuel injection systems, the kind most gasoline engines have, operate at 60 pounds per square inch. The injectors for the new gas direct injection engines Los Altos drivers are starting to see require 10 to 30 times as much pressure. And some diesel engines for passenger vehicles have injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch. There’s no room for dirt and gum in a precision part like that.

There are a lot of good products available in Los Altos, CA that can clean fuel injectors. They’re best used by Los Altos car owners to prevent fouling in the fuel injectors. Many can’t clean a seriously gummed up injector – that requires a professional deep cleaning, like those we offer at Allied Auto Works in Los Altos. But putting the cleaner in the fuel tank after you’ve had Allied Auto Works take a look at your fuel system will help keep it clean. Be sure to read the label for directions.

Give us a call if you think your sedan may be ready for a fuel injector cleaning.

Managers: Matt Ahern & Travis Damberger
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road & 1540 Miramonte Ave
Los Altos, CA 94024
650.968.7227 (Grant- Matt) 650.947.7228 (Miramonte-Travis)

Have a joyous holiday,  Cayenne

Hi Cayenne here,

Have you ever gone to Los Altos to listen to an orchestra? The musicians take the stage early and tune their instruments. Each individual instrument must be in tune, but the critical thing is for the entire orchestra to be in tune with each other. That's why they tune up together.

Now this is no surprise; I'm going to relate the orchestra to your car. Your engine has many component systems that each need to be working properly. And the components need to be working in sync, all timed up together in order for the engine to work efficiently.

We call this, (ta-da) a tune-up. When an orchestra's out of tune you get a bad concert. When your vehicle's out of tune you get bad performance and bad fuel economy.

So check your owner's manual for recommended tune-up intervals. Or ask your Los Altos service advisor at Allied Auto Works what he thinks.

...Just be careful not to say you want to make beautiful music together – that kinda makes us uncomfortable.

Cayenne has a question for Los Altos, CA motorists: How long have you been enjoying the romantic glow of your check engine light?

Hey, it's not there to create ambiance; it's a warning that something's wrong. (And, by the way, Homer Simpson's fix of covering it with tape is not a good idea.)

If your check engine light comes on, check your gas cap. A loose gas cap can cause a false sensor reading that'll make the check engine light turn on.

Many conditions that trigger the check engine light can hurt your fuel economy. A lot.

If your date's eyes are smoldering in the soft glow of the check engine light, try to think of all the gas money you'll save by getting it fixed. Give Allied Auto Works a call when you are ready: 650.968.7227 and tell them Cayenne sent you!