Articles:

How Do You Save Gas in Maumee, OH?

No one in Maumee, OH, likes to spend a chunk of change at the gas pump. Rising OH fuel prices, however, have spurred Maumee drivers to focus on how to improve their fuel economy. North Americans literally drive billions of miles/kilometers less each month during times of high fuel prices. But we still need to drive (we love our vehicles, after all!), so it makes sense to try and increase our fuel economy however we can.Let's look at a real life example. This man has one of those really big SUVs. Lots of kids and horses to haul around, you know. His family was planning a four day camping trip. Here's what he did to cut his fuel costs:First, he installed a new, high flow engine air filter. Then he had his service center change his oil, flush his cooling system and service his front and rear differentials along with the transfer case. He also had a fuel system cleaning, replaced his PCV valve and breather element. He also made sure his tires were up to th ... read more

Categories:

Fuel System

Maintaining Your Older Car in Maumee, OH

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in Maumee, OH: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the Maumee motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new vehicle.Because new vehicles are more expensive, people in the Maumee area are driving their old vehicles longer. The average vehicle is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in OH have more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on them. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'.Give Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. a call at 419-897-9988 to schedule your next maintenance.Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done. In fa ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

E-85 Fuel Safety Advice from Lange`s Auto Care, Inc.

  Today at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. we want to talk with you about a very important safety issue. This automotive safety warning is coming from a very unusual source: fire fighting experts. You've probably heard of E-85 gasoline being offered in the Maumee area. Some newer vehicle models are specifically built to run on E-85 – the rest are not. Does your vehicle use E-85 gasoline? Bring it down to Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. at 825 Ford St Suite A in Maumee, OH 43537, to find out, or give us a call to make an appointment by calling 419-897-9988. E-85 gasoline has been developed to fight air pollution and reduce oil consumption. E-85 fuel is a mix of 85% ethanol, a grain-base alcohol, and 15% gasoline. So-called Flex-Fuel vehicles are designed to use either normal gasoline or E-85 gas. The result is lower exhaust emissions to our local Maumee community.All gas engines can run with up ... read more

Categories:

Warranty

Engine Air Filter from Lange`s Auto Care, Inc.

Many Maumee drivers have found themselves in the following situation: They go to get their oil changed and their friendly service advisor at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. recommends a new engine air filter. They say yes, but don't know what an air filter is or what it does.If this has happened to you, rest assured that you did the right thing by getting a new one. But you should never be too embarrassed to ask your Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. service advisor for more information. It's your vehicle and you have a right to understand what you're paying for.Let's review: "What does an air filter do?"Air is the focus of this discussion. What is the air like outside in Maumee right now? Can you see any smog? Is it full of pollen? How about dust? Anyone in OH with hay fever can tell you that there's plenty in the air that you can't see. Well, the engine air filter's job is to clean that air before it goes into your vehicle engine, to mix with the fuel and be burned ... read more

Categories:

Fuel System

Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. Maintenance Tips: The Belt Goes On

Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. Maintenance Tips: The Belt Goes On

All Maumee service advisors know that without the alternator, the battery will go dead in a few miles. The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. And on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine to keep it within normal operating temperatures. (On some vehicles, the water pump is powered by the timing belt instead of the serpentine belt.) So you can see the serpentine belt does a lot of work. And it if breaks, it affects a lot of systems. That's why your vehicle manufacturer and your service advisor at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. have recommended that it be changed every so often so that it doesn't fail.Your friendly and knowledgeable Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. service advisor can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will me ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Transmission Service at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc. in Maumee

Let's talk about transmission service. It can be easy for Maumee drivers to forget about getting their transmission serviced because it doesn't need it very often. It's easier for people in OH to remember to change the engine oil - you know, every 3,000 miles or 5,000 kilometers. But proper transmission servicing keeps your vehicle running smoothly and helps you avoid repairs down the road.The transmission undergoes a lot of stress. The grit you can see in used transmission fluid is actually bits of metal that wear off the gears in the transmission. In addition to that, the transmission operates at very high temperatures. Usually, it's much higher than engine temperatures. Those high temperatures eventually cause the transmission fluid to start to break down and lose efficiency.As the fluid gets older, it gets gritty and doesn't lubricate and cool the vehicle transmission as well - leading to even more wear. The fluid can actually get sludgy and plug up the maze of fluid pass ... read more

Categories:

Transmission

Timing Belt

Ever heard the sad tale of a staggeringly steep repair bill from a broken timing belt? Bad news. Let's take a lesson from their woes and remember to think about our timing belt.First, let's review what a timing belt does. The top part of the engine over the cylinders is called the cylinder head. The head contains the valves. There's at least one valve that lets the fresh air into the cylinder. This air, mixed with fuel, burns to create power. Then another valve or two will open to allow the exhaust out of the engine. Each cylinder has 2 to 4 valves - that's 12 to 24 valves for a V-6, up to 32 values on a V-8. The opening and closing of the valves is done by a camshaft. The timing belt uses the rotation of the engine to drive the camshaft which opens and close the valves. It's called a timing belt because it has to be adjusted to rotate the camshaft to keep proper time with the engine so that everything's in sync.The timing belt is a toothed rubber belt. But some vehicles use ... read more

Categories:

Parts

Maintenance Free Myth

Sometimes we hear people say, "What's up with all this maintenance stuff? Modern cars just don't break down." While it is true that today's cars and trucks are extremely reliable, they are also becoming increasingly complicated and use more exotic materials than ever before. All that complexity demands higher tolerances for everything. For example, most folks don't realize how high tech automotive fluids have become. Fluids like, engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant and brake fluid. Did you know that a modern engine would not run for more than a few months using motor oil formulas from 30 years ago? Today's automotive fluids contain a much higher percentage of additives to protect your vehicle's components from premature wear and corrosion. Time and miles march on for all of our cars. Please don't think we're using scare tactics to get you to take care of your ... read more

Categories:

Maintenance

Tire Tread Depth for Maumee, OH Drivers

Driving on bald tires is like playing roulette. Though you may be fine today, eventually your luck is going to run out.The Feds don't have any laws for tread depth, but 42 of the states, and all of Canada, do have regulations. They consider 2/32 of an inch to be the minimum legal tread depth. Two other states, including California, consider 1/32 to be the minimum and six states have no standards at all. Call us at Lange`s Auto Care, Inc.; (just call 419-897-9988) to find out what your requirements are in the Maumee, OH, area.Since 1968, U.S. law has required that a raised bar be molded across all tires. When tires are worn enough that this bar becomes visible, there's just 2/32 inch/1.6 mm of tread left. But does that older standard give Maumee vehicles enough safety?Consider this: Consumer Reports recommends tire replacement when tread reaches 4/32 inch/3.2 mm. And the recommendation is backed by some very compelling studies. Now before we go into the studies, y ... read more

Categories:

Tires and Wheels

Keeping Your Engine Cool in Maumee, OH

The cooling system keeps OH vehicle's engines from overheating while they are driving around Maumee. Its job is to move heat away from the engine. Let's talk about the various components of the system and how they make this happen.The radiator is the part most Maumee drivers associate with the cooling system. Coolant flows through the radiator which has fine cooling fins that draw the heat out of the coolant and dissipate it into the air. To make sure there's enough airflow over the radiator, a fan pulls air over the cooling fins even when the vehicle is idling.In some vehicles, the fan is powered by the serpentine belt. On others, an electric motor runs the fan. Electric fans turn on and off as needed. You may have heard the fan kick on shortly after you turn your vehicle off. The sensor has determined that the engine needs a little help cooling down to a safe temperature.A hose connects the radiator to the water pump. The water pump ... read more

Categories:

Cooling System
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