On-Board Diagnostics in Redding California

Some people are confused by charges for diagnostic services for a vehicle repair, even though many other services in life include diagnostic fees – things like computer service,  and appliance repair.


Even when we go into the doctor for a medical problem, we’re paying him/her to diagnose our ailment and of course for the tests that go along with it. So receiving a diagnostic charge for a tricky automotive problem shouldn’t be a surprise.
Automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your brakes, a quick visual check is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you’re having an intermittent problem with your engine, diagnosis may be much more involved.
Some think that when the check engine light comes on, the engine computer tells the technician exactly what the problem is. The reality is much different. The trouble code just tells your technician what engine parameter is out of range, not what’s causing it. Your technician at Bryant Automotive needs to determine the underlying problem that’s causing the symptom.

As you can imagine, some automotive diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved and difficult. Of course, we at Bryant Automotive want to figure out what’s wrong with your vehicle and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

At Bryant Automotive in Redding California (96002) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530.222.3313. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Under Pressure: Your TPMS System In Redding CA

Flats, blow outs, skids and longer stopping distances can all be the result of folks driving around on under-inflated tires. Now, it’s hard to tell when a radial tire is under-inflated but your service technician at Bryant Automotive can help you. The tire may not look low until it gets below 20 pounds – which is significantly under-inflated.

Your newer SUV or light truck might be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). This technology has been used by California race car drivers for years. They are able to head off problems from under inflation by closely monitoring tire pressure on the track.

Obviously, TMPS systems don’t come free for Redding car buyers. U.S. government studies have estimated the net costs of the TPMS system itself, maintaining the system, replacement of worn or broken parts and tire repair cost increases. The costs are partially offset for drivers by savings in fuel and tire wear. There’s also a saving in property damage and travel delay. The net cost is estimated to be between $27 and $100.

The government predicts fewer fatal accidents. They estimate that it will cost between three and nine million dollars for every life saved. This new safety equipment will help Redding motorists avoid the most common vehicle failure, and possibly a catastrophic accident.

At Bryant Automotive in Redding California (96002) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530.222.3313. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Clean Air For Your Engine Engine Air Filters In Redding

Every Redding car owner who has taken their car in for an oil change has been told that their engine air filter’s dirty. Here’s what goes into the determination of when to change the filter: First, your SUV owner’s manual will have a recommendation of when to change the filter. Second, a visual inspection by your Bryant Auto technician may determine that your filter it is visibly dirty and needs to be changed.
So between your SUV owner’s manual and yourtechnician’s inspection there’s really no guesswork involved.
Now, most air filters purchased in Redding don’t cost a lot to replace. It’s just that most people hate getting caught with an unexpected expense. On the plus side, though, changing a dirty air filter at Bryant Automotive can often save enough on gas to pay for itself before your next oil change.
Think about a dirty furnace filter in your Redding home. When it’s all clogged up, enough clean air can’t get through. In your SUV, that means that your engine can’t get as much air as it needs to burn the fuel efficiently. So it makes do with less air and has to use more gas to move your vehicle around Redding roads.

Your SUV actually needs about 12,000 gallons of air for every gallon of gas it burns. Engine air filters don’t cost much. When it’s time to change yours, just get it done. You’ll save money, have better performance and protect your engine.

Give us a call:
530.222.3313
Bryant Automotive
2354 Churn Creek Rd
Redding, California 96002

At Bryant Automotive we install quality NAPA replacement parts.

A Hand grenade in your car?

No, we're not talking about the explosive kind. This is the hydraulic tensioner for a timing belt. It functions to keep the Timing Belt tight, and removes any slack which could cause the timing belt to skip and ultimately fail, possibly leading to severe engine damage.  It is nicknamed a "hand grenade" for obvious reasons; you have to pull the pin for it to work.

 Hand grenade Hydraulic Tensioner

The Tensioner comes from the factory ready to go. once the pin is pulled, it presses on a lever attached to a pulley which tightens the timing belt itself.  The Timing belt usually links the Crank Shaft to both the Camshaft (which controls the intake and exhaust valves) and the water pump.  

Our Timing Belt Display, showing the Hydraulic Tensioner in the lower left The timing belt

The timing belt as it sits on the vehicle

If you would like to know more about the Timing Belt, Click Here and navigate to the "Timing Belt" link on the lower left for an animation and video.

If you have any questions about the timing belt on your vehicle and whether it needs to be replaced, don't hesitate to give us a call at (530) 222-3313

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Diagnosing a Smell

Often a customer will come in concerned that there vehicle has a peculiar smell. There are many different possibilities when it comes to smells in cars, from the cabin air filter that has become a rats new home, to an engine that's overheating.

This customer came in concerned that her car was in fact overheating, as the smell was only noticeable after 10 miles of driving. Her exact words were that it smelled "hot." However, no warning lights were illuminated, and the temperature was right in the normal range.

After test driving for 10 miles, the smell was noticeable at a stoplight. When back at the shop, we put the car on one of our lifts to examine from below.

 This is part of the exhaust just behind the transmission. The black that you see is transmission fluid that has been burning against the exhaust. You can see more of the oil on the cross member above the exhaust as well, showing that the leak had been present for quite some time.

 This photo shows transmission fluid actively dripping from the transmission pan gasket, just in front of the exhaust in the photo above.

What is inside the transmission pan.

After we replaced the pan gasket and exchanged the transmission fluid, the leaking ceased. However, as there was still oil on the exhaust, it will take some time before it is able to burn completely off, so the smell will not be gone for a while longer, even though the source of the problem has been repaired. 

We often find smells traced back to oil, whether it's from a leaking valve cover gasket allowing engine oil to drip onto the exhaust manifold, or as above, where transmission fluid was burning on the exhaust.  If you consistently smell something strange, acrid, or worrisome, don't hesitate to bring your car by so we can check that out for you.

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Severe Engine Noise

Today a customer called concerned with a loud noise she was hearing in her car. The car then stalled several times on the way to our shop. This is what we heard when the car arrived.

 

This noise is not reassuring and indicates an internal engine failure. To help diagnose this we took the oil filter apart to see if there was any metal particles trapped in the filter element. The following pictures show what we found.

Bearing material on the filter

 Bearing material inside the filter casing

Even more bearing material in the filter element itself

This is a significant amount of metal and shows a bearing failure within the engine.  There are several parts with several bearings each within the engine, including the camshaft and crankshaft. These bearings separate the metal parts reducing friction and wear.  The sound we hear in the video above is caused by the parts within the engine banging into each other as the bearings that separate them fail.

The oil filter's function is to remove the crud and metal that may be found within oil. By keeping these particles in the filter itself and not allowing them to flow throughout the motor we short circuit the failures that would otherwise occur and increase the longevity of the engine.

This particular vehicle had 220,000 miles on the engine, and its failure was not due to poor maintenance or abuse, but simply due to age.  


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Making Your Vehicle Last With Regular Service in Redding

A lot of people in California have older vehicles. They’re good commuters, grocery-getters or toy-haulers. They enjoy the fact that they’re paid off, or soon will be. They would gladly like to keep their vehicles for 200,000 miles or more – as long as it’s economical to do so.

There are plenty of people in Redding whose vehicles are running after 150,000 or 200,000 miles. We can learn from what they’re doing to keep our own cars on the road.

A common denominator is that they never skip an oil change. That may sound a bit unsophisticated, but it’s really not. First off, oil is the life blood of your engine and it needs to be clean to properly lubricate. Skipping oil changes leads to clogged oil filters and sludge that can damage your engine. Enough said.

There’s another reason why the scheduled oil change is so important. It’s simple – a Bryant Automotive professional is going to be looking at your car. All of your fluid levels will be inspected and topped off so they won’t get so low that damage can be done. If there is a significant fluid loss, let’s use brake fluid as an example, your personal Bryant Auto technician can look for the cause of the loss and find the problem before it leads to an accident or costly repair.

Your Redding service technician will also visually inspect the vehicle for worn belts and hoses, uneven tire wear, leaking shock absorbers and more. Problems get addressed before they lead to repairs that cost more than the car’s worth. And your Redding service advisor will be able to remind you of other services that the factory recommends you get done.

Just think of that oil change the same way as you do about going to the dentist for your six month cleaning and checkup. Don’t skip it.

Of course, good maintenance costs money, but it’s far cheaper than new car payments.
Give us a call to schedule your next oil change today. You can find us online at Bryant Automotive, or you can find us in Redding, California 96002 at 2354 Churn Creek Rd. Or simply give us a call at 530.222.3313. At Bryant Automotive we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.