May 17, 2012

Brake Service At Perry’s Automotive Inc In Redding

Filed under: Power Brakes — perrys827 @ 9:27 pm

Brake Service At Perry's Automotive Inc In Redding

Most Redding drivers know that braking means slowing or stopping a vehicle. The mechanical aspects of the brakes themselves are just one issue. There’s also the power brake system and brake fluid. And then there are the tires, which are critical to the effectiveness of the brakes.

Let’s step back. A car or truck rolls brand new off the showroom floor at a local Redding dealer. It has brand new brakes with brand new brake pads. The brake lines and the power assist are filled with fresh fluid and are completely clean inside. And the family car tires are brand new, with full tread. Naturally, braking power is at its peak performance.
 
Now, as your drive from Redding to Redding and back, the miles start to add up. Most Redding car owners tend to focus on the brake pads. In the Redding automotive service community, the pads, and shoes on drum brakes, are called the friction material. That’s because they provide the friction used to stop the family car. The pads are designed to be effective throughout their useful life – it’s not until they are worn so thin as to be out of spec that they lose stopping effectiveness.

The mechanical parts of the brakes have pistons and springs that get quite a workout while stopping the family car. Over many miles, these wear and get gummed up. They start to lose effectiveness gradually and could even fail. That’s why a regular brake inspection is important. At Perry’s Automotive Inc, we can test the operation of the brakes and see if any parts need cleaning or replacing.

That leads us to brake fluid service at Perry’s Automotive Inc. Some of the critical additives in the fluid that lubricate and clean the family car fluid system are depleted over time. That and moisture building up in the system deteriorate the performance of the brake fluid. Brake fluid replacement at Perry’s Automotive Inc includes flushing the brake system to clean out deposits, water and dirt. Then the system is filled up with fresh fluid.

The tires are what connect the family car to the road. The stopping force is ultimately dependent on the traction provided by the tires. The better they grip the road, the quicker you’ll stop as you drive around Redding.

For questions about brakes, brake pads, battery service, CV joint repair, or tires, talk to Perry’s Automotive Inc  manager Glen McNeely.

Give us a call

Perry’s Automotive Inc
530-241-8544
660 Twin View Blvd
Redding, CA 96003

At Perry’s Automotive Inc in Redding CA (96003) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530-241-8544. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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May 11, 2012

Battery Replacement In Redding

Filed under: Battery — perrys827 @ 7:14 pm

Battery Replacement In Redding

Car batteries wear out just like any other battery and need to be replaced. There are a couple of things Redding family car owners should know when looking for a new car battery: one is cold cranking amps and the other is reserve capacity.

Let’s start with cold cranking amps. This can be thought of as the power output used to start a cold family car engine. The number of cold cranking amps you need depends on your vehicle and where you live around Redding, specifically how cold it is where you live. The two factors are that the colder an engine is, the more power it takes to turn the family car engine over to get it started. It has all that cold, sluggish oil to contend with. The other factor is that the chemical reaction in the battery that creates electrical energy is less efficient in the cold.

So the colder it gets in Redding, more power is needed, but the available power drops.

If you live where it’s cold, you need a battery with more cold cranking amps than you do where it’s moderate or hot. You should always get at least as many cold cranking amps as the manufacturer recommends, but may want to upgrade at Perry’s Automotive Inc if you live where it gets real cold.

An important note: Batteries may also list the Cranking Amps – CA – number. It is the Cold Cranking Amps – or CCA – that is the important number here. CCA is the number to use in your comparisons.

Now with all this talk of cold temperatures in Redding, it’s important to note that heat is the real enemy of long battery life. In other words, the damage that’s done over the hot summer months in Redding shows up with the increased demands on the family car battery when the weather turns cold.

Now on to reserve capacity: It’s a measurement of the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has at a given load. The number is more important these days because of parasitic drain. Parasitic drain is the battery energy that’s used when the key is off. So the power drawn by the family car security system, the remote start system, even the power the family car computers require to maintain their memory.

Reserves are also needed when you make very short trips around Redding. You’re not driving long enough for the battery to recover the energy it used to start the family car engine.

So go with the minimum recommended by your manufacturer and upgrade if you need more. Talk with your appreciative Perry’s Automotive Inc service advisor about options. If you need more from your battery, a larger capacity battery may be called for.

Batteries are a big ticket item for most Redding motorists, so the warranty gives peace of mind. Be sure to ask about the car battery warranty at Perry’s Automotive Inc so you know what you’re getting. At Perry’s Automotive Inc, we have been providing quality auto service in Redding for 43 years.

Give us a call

Perry’s Automotive Inc
660 Twin View Blvd
Redding, CA 96003

At Perry’s Automotive Inc in Redding CA (96003) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530-241-8544. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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May 1, 2012

Why Is My Check Engine Light On? Perry’s Automotive Inc Has Answers

Filed under: Check Engine Light — perrys827 @ 4:19 pm

Why Is My Check Engine Light On Perry's Automotive Inc Has Answers

The Check Engine Light strikes fear into the hearts of some Redding drivers and is totally ignored by just as many. Just what it means is a mystery to most of us in CA.

First, if your family car check engine light is flashing, that means that something is wrong that could cause severe damage to the catalytic converter or other components. Get that taken care of right away. If your check engine light is flashing, you shouldn’t drive at Redding highway speeds, tow or haul heavy loads. Take it easy all the way to Perry’s Automotive Inc in Redding.

If the light is glowing steadily, you should keep an eye on it for a day or two. If the light doesn’t go off, schedule an appointment with your Redding service advisor to get it checked out.

Some more information from Perry’s Automotive Inc on how the Check Engine Light works may be informative. Most of your family car engine functions are controlled by a computer, not surprisingly, called an engine control computer. The computer is able to adjust many engine parameters for environmental conditions, engine condition and even the way you drive in Redding.

In order to make these adjustments, the family car computer relies on a network of sensors to provide data. The computer knows the proper operating range for each sensor. When a sensor reading is out of range the computer runs some tests and may turn on the Check Engine Light.

The family car computer will also try to make adjustments to compensate for some readings. If it can do so, it’ll then turn off the Check Engine Light.

If the problem can’t be resolved then the light will remain on and you should get your family car looked at at Perry’s Automotive Inc. Your appreciative service technician will plug a scanner into the on-board diagnostic port and read the trouble code stored in the computer. The trouble code will give your Perry’s Automotive Inc technician a starting place as he diagnoses the cause of the problem.

At Perry’s Automotive Inc, we also offer battery service and CV joint repair.

Give us a call

Perry’s Automotive Inc
530-241-8544
660 Twin View Blvd
Redding, CA 96003

At Perry’s Automotive Inc in Redding CA (96003) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530-241-8544. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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April 24, 2012

Viva la Differential At Perry’s Automotive Inc

Filed under: Differential Service — perrys827 @ 8:25 pm

Viva la Differential At Perry's Automotive Inc

With front-wheel drive being so common in Redding these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Redding folks don’t even have to think about it. And most rear-wheel drive family car differentials don’t need to be serviced for many miles, so it’s understandable that it’s not something on the top of mind. So it’s not uncommon for CA people to not know they have a differential let alone know that it needs service.

To better understand what a differential does, think about a high school track. There are lanes marked off on the track. For the longer distance races, the starting lines are staggered. The starting lines for the outside lanes are ahead of the starting lines for the inside lanes. That’s to compensate for the longer length of the outside lanes. Staggering the starting lines means that each runner has the same distance to run.

The differential compensates for the difference in speeds on drive wheels between the inside wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.

Many family car differentials do a lot of work and require very heavy duty parts. And those parts need protection. The differential fluid lubricates the gears in the differential and keeps them cool. The fluid eventually gets dirty and worn down. Some kinds of differentials require special additives that break down over time. So manufacturers and Perry’s Automotive Inc technicians recommend intervals for replacing your differential fluid.

Your Perry’s Automotive Inc service technician will drain the used fluid and check it out for metal bits, which could be a sign of excessive wear on the gears. He’ll then replace the fluid and install the additives if necessary.

Redding four wheel drive family cars need special attention to their differentials because they have a differential on both the front and rear axles that work at different times and sometimes under heavy loads – so they may need to be serviced at Perry’s Automotive Inc at different intervals.

Your Redding service advisor can look up the manufacturer’s recommended service interval or you can check your family car owner’s manual.

Give us a call

Perry’s Automotive Inc
530-241-8544
660 Twin View Blvd
Redding, CA 96003

At Perry’s Automotive Inc in Redding CA (96003) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530-241-8544. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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April 20, 2012

Wheel Alignment Service At Perry’s Automotive Inc In Redding

Filed under: Alignment — perrys827 @ 6:23 pm

Wheel Alignment Service At Perry's Automotive Inc In Redding

When all of a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Hitting a road hazard in Redding or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday CA driving can cause your family car wheels to be out of alignment. This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear.

Here are some alignment basics from Perry’s Automotive Inc:
The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire.
The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top.
And finally, there is castor. Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle.

The ideal alignment for your family car was designed by its engineers. Perry’s Automotive Inc alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out. Then the Perry’s Automotive Inc technician will look at tire condition. From there, the family car is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. The wheels are then aligned to manufacturer’s specifications.

Your owner’s manual probably has a recommendation for how often your family car alignment should be checked – usually every couple of years. If you suspect an alignment problem with your family car, get it checked at Perry’s Automotive Inc before you suffer expensive tire or suspension damage.

Give us a call

Perry’s Automotive Inc
530-241-8544
660 Twin View Blvd
Redding, CA 96003

At Perry’s Automotive Inc in Redding CA (96003) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 530-241-8544. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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