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FALCONER AUTO REPAIR

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Monthly Archives: July 2013

Cooling System Components

Today we want to talk about a system in our vehicles – the cooling system. It's one of those things that Falconer auto owners don't give much thought to until it fails and then they're stranded by the side of a road in New York.Cooling systems fail more often than any other mechanical system – usually because of neglect. Don't you hate it when something breaks and you could have done something to prevent it?The good news is that if Falconer drivers take care of their cooling systems, they can keep working for the life of their car.Here at I-86 Truck Repair & Auto Service in Falconer, we emphasize preventive maintenance services like replacing your coolant according to the factory schedule. But the various parts that make up the cooling system need attention too. The major components of the cooling system are the water pump, freeze plugs, the thermostat, radiator, cooling fans, the heater core, the pressure cap, the overflow ... read more

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Cooling System

Drive Train - What You Need to Know in Falconer

One Falconer automotive service issue that doesn't get much attention is driveline service. Drivelines don't get talked about very much around Falconer, but they're very important. First let's define what the driveline is:Taking a small step back, the power plant is comprised of the engine and transmission. The driveline starts there and includes all of the components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels.That's not really a lot of components, but they handle the full force of the engine. Without the driveline you're not moving. So Falconer residents need to take good care of it. The driveline components differ depending on whether your vehicle has front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all wheel drive or four wheel drive. For purposes of our discussion, we're going to have to oversimplify a bit. If you are ready to have your drive train looked at, give us a call at 716-665-2501. Let's start with front wheel drive. The point where the t ... read more

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Drive Train

Smooth Shifting in Falconer, New York: Transmission Service

So you have some exciting plans for the weekend. You're going to take some of your friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you've gotten the boat all ready. And you haven't forgotten about your tow vehicle. You've gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. However, there is something even more important than the cleanliness of the interior: you want to make sure that your vehicle maintenance is up to date. Think about it – heavy traffic on the way out of Falconer. There's hilly terrain as you get to the lake. Some dirt roads – and it's going to be pretty hot in New York this weekend. And all the time you'll be towing around a lot of extra weight. That all adds up a lot of severe strain on your engine, brakes and transmission. Let's just consider the transmission. It's going to be working overtime, spending more time in lower gears. The internal transmission temperature is going to be much higher than normal. A fun little blast to the loc ... read more

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Transmission

Stay Headed in the Right Direction, Falconer

Power steering is standard on nearly every vehicle in Falconer, New York, these days. Now there are some exotic, new types of power steering systems, but for the most part, the general setup is a pump that's driven by a belt powered by the engine. Contact the automotive professionals at I-86 Truck Repair & Auto Service in Falconer for questions about your power steering. The pump generates power that assists drivers as they steer their vehicle around Falconer, New York. Power steering systems use hoses to move pressurized fluid back and forth. These hoses can develop leaks so it's a good idea to have I-86 Truck Repair & Auto Service inspect them at every oil change. A check of the power steering fluid level is on the list for every full service oil change at I-86 Truck Repair & Auto Service because low fluid can damage the power steering pump. And the fluid needs to be compatible with the hoses and seals, so it's important to use the c ... read more

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Steering

Battery Basics for Falconer

Battery Basics for Falconer

It's important for Falconer drivers to know battery basics. First, let's talk about which is harder on a battery – hot or cold New York weather. Most Falconer area drivers think it's cold weather because that's when we call on our batteries to have enough power to start a cold vehicle 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 Falconer trips because the alternator doesn't have time to fully recharge the battery from starting the engine. Falconer drivers 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 that time, they aren't capable of taking a full charge like they used to ... read more

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Battery