Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

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Hi Van Nuys motorists. Let's talk fuel injectors. A fuel injector is a valve that delivers fuel to a vehicle’s engine. It has to deliver the precise amount of fuel, to precisely the right place, precisely when the engine needs it. The fuel also has to be mixed with air before it can burn in the engine.

Fuel injectors are engineered to spray fuel in a specific pattern into the engine. (The pattern varies by engine type and design.) In order to achieve these spray patterns, the fuel must be pressurized.

The pressure in a fuel injection system varies depending on its type. Many gasoline sedan engines use port injection systems, which operate with a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. Newer direct injection systems operate at 10 to 30 times that pressure. Some diesel passenger vehicles have fuel injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch.

Vehicles have one fuel injector for each cylinder in the engine. Your vehicle’s control computer constantly monitors the engine and various sensors in the vehicle and adjusts the fuel injectors accordingly so that they can deliver the proper amount of fuel to the engine. As you can see, fuel injectors are a sophisticated and vital part of your vehicle’s engine. Because fuel injectors are such precision instruments, dirt and contaminants are a serious detriment to their performance. When an injector gets gummed up, it affects the pressure, pattern and timing of the fuel delivery. The result is a decrease in fuel efficiency and loss of engine performance for Van Nuys motorists.

So it’s to Van Nuys motorists' advantage to keep their fuel injectors clean. That starts with keeping the fuel in your tank clean. High-quality fuel contains detergents and additives that help clean your engine. Brand-name fuel companies also deliver a more consistent quality of fuel to Van Nuys motorists than do bargain Los Angeles area service stations.

The second way to keep your injectors clean is to keep your fuel filter clean. This filter screens dirt and rust out of the fuel as it travels from the tank to the engine. If the filter clogs up, fuel will bypass it and carry its load of dirt into the engine.

Van Nuys motorists should check their owner’s manual to find out how often they should change their fuel filter. This should be part of your regular preventive maintenance. Also, remember that if you use bargain-brand or low-grade fuels, or if you drive an older vehicle between Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks and Encino , your filter will need to be changed more often.

You can also purchase cleaners at AutoAid & Rescue that will protect your fuel injectors. These cleaners are added to the fuel tank. They work best at preventing build-up in your fuel injectors and can clean up small amounts of carbon, gum and varnish. But they won’t be able to clean a fully gummed-up injector. Read the labels before using any of these products for full directions on their use. If your fuel injectors are gummed up, you can get a professional deep cleaning service at AutoAid & Rescue in Van Nuys that will result in better fuel efficiency and improved vehicle performance.

Good car care will prevent serious damage to your fuel injector system. And this is one system that you want to keep in perfect condition.

July 12, 2013 at 11:34 AM ET Max Sauberman, 18, from Millburn, N.J., checks his text messages has he waits in the passenger seat of his friend's car. Sauberman, who will be startin... Jon Sweeney / NBC News Max Sauberman, 18, from Millburn, N.J., checks his text messages as he waits in the passenger seat of his friend's car. Sauberman, who will be starting at Yale University in the fall, recently got his learner's permit but says he's been too busy to get his license. For the parents of today’s teens, getting a driver's license was a rite of passage often considered crucial to everything from dating to working -- and feeling like an adult. For today’s teens themselves? Not as much. The percentage of teens with a driver’s license has fallen significantly over the past few decades, and experts suspect there’s no one explanation for the shift. Instead, they cite a host of reasons, including everything from high gas and insurance prices to more of a willingness to let Mom and Dad drive ... read more

http://m.nbcnews.com/business/teens-waiting-longer-take-wheel-6C

You know, at AutoAid & Rescue we get a lot of people asking about how to prepare their car for a trip. That’s a big deal. You could be driving through mountains and deserts in some pretty lonely areas outside of Van Nuys so you may be anxious to know that the car is up to the task and won’t leave you stranded. You really do need to plan ahead for a major road trip – there are a lot of things to get ready. Where should you start? You could start with the tires. Look them over for tread wear and check to see that they are properly inflated. Take a quick test drive around Van Nuys to see if you can feel any vibrations: are the wheels are in balance? Is the car tracking straight? Is the alignment ok? The next thing is a full service oil change to make sure all of your fluids are topped off and you have fresh oil for the trip. And if your car has over 75,000 mile ... read more

No matter how well they're made, vehicles in Van Nuys, CA will have design or manufacturing problems. And when the government thinks a problem is really serious for people in Van Nuys, CA, they require the manufactruer to issue a recall notice and fix the car free of charge. The manufactruer then tries to contact everyone in Van Nuys, CA who owns that type of car to get the recall work done. Perhaps you have received a postcard notifying you of a recall issue on your car. Because these recalls always affect safety, Los Angeles car owners should take them seriously. This isn't difficult to do because it's easy to see if a vehicle's being recalled. The government has links on its websites, or just visit AutoNetTV for links. There are many websites with free recall information and searches. There's ... read more

Virtually all vehicles come with power steering so many Van Nuys drivers have never driven a car or truck without it. Power steering assists you when you turn your sedan steering wheel. Without it, it would be very hard to steer. Now this power assist comes in a couple of forms. In recent years, a lot of Los Angeles vehicles have an electric motor that reduces steering effort and helps improve fuel economy. The other kind of power steering is hydraulic. This is the kind most older CA vehicles, and a lot of newer ones, have. Power steering fluid is pressurized by a pump and is used to assist steering. Of course, Los Angeles drivers need the right amount of fluid in the system. If it’s too low your steering is affected and you could damage your sedan pump. Also, power steering fluid can become corrosive over time and damage the pump, hoses and connectors; leading to leaks ... read more

There are so many tire choices in the Van Nuys, Encino, and Tarzana area, selecting the right one can be a bit overwhelming for Los Angeles auto owners. And even though it’s kind of fun to have new tires on your sedan, they’re a significant investment for most Los Angeles folks so you want do it right. Tip: talk with your family AutoAid & Rescue tire professional. He’ll help you sort through the choices. Here are some of the issues you’ll talk about: One is size – you know, all those numbers on the side of the tire. The right size is key. All new vehicles are required to have stability control which, along with other important safety systems, is calibrated to work with specific tire sizes. Your Van Nuys tire professional can help stay within vehicle manufactruers' specifications or program a different tire size into your sedan’s computer. And you’ll want to discuss how and where y ... read more

All pilots have checklists for every aspect of flying. They always use their checklists even if they only have two steps on them. They do this simply because a checklist is a great way to not forget important steps. It is also how you can assure a predictable outcome. That is why Sherman Oaks and Encino automotive service centers have procedural standards for each service they perform. Technicians are trained step by step. And they perform the procedures step by step, the same way each time. By training to procedural standards, centers can assure a quality outcome. The job is done right every time and you are happy with how your car performs. Each company trains its technicians to standards. The industry as a whole is very committed to standards of excellence and encourages individual service center operators to apply them to every vehicle they service. An example is how service technicians grade problems and communicate their recommendations. If a technician tells you that a repair ... read more

It's important for Van Nuys auto owners to know battery basics. First, let’s talk about which is harder on a battery – hot or cold CA weather. Most Los Angeles auto owners think it’s cold weather because that’s when we call on our batteries to have enough power to start a cold sedan engine. However, heat does more damage to a battery than cold. Truth is, our batteries start to die a little from day one. Keeping a full charge slows the process, which is hard with short Van Nuys trips because the alternator doesn’t have time to fully recharge the battery from starting the engine. Van Nuys auto owners can top off the charge with a computer controlled battery charger – say, once a month in the summer and every three months during the winter. As far as how long a battery will last, statistics show that 70% have given up the ghost within four years. By ... read more