PCV Valve: What Is It?
Posted July 26, 2020 9:40 AMMost Medina drivers know something about preventive maintenance on a vehicle. We know we should routinely replace the oil and wiper blades and other fluids. But have you heard of a PCV valve ? This little car part needs to be replaced regularly or it can cause some serious problems in your vehicle engine.
PCV stands for Positive Crankcase Ventilation. The crankcase holds your motor oil and is located at the bottom of your engine.
When fuel is burned in your engine, it produces waste gases that are mostly vented out through your exhaust system. But some of these gases push their way past the pistons and into the crankcase. There, these gases can mix with motor oil to produce oil sludge, which can damage vehicle engine parts through corrosion and by clogging engine passages. Medina vehicle owners should be advised that if the engine is running at high speeds, these gases can also cause pressure inside the crankcase to build up. This pressure, in turn, can blow gaskets and damage seals, leading to oil leaks.
The waste gases that leave the engine are comprised of about 70% unburned fuel. They used to be vented off the crankcase into the atmosphere. But starting in 1964, laws mandated that these gases be recaptured. Manufacturers began installing PCV systems, which recycled the gases into the air intake system where they could be mixed with fuel and sent to the engine to be burned.
The PCV valve is a one-way valve attached to the crankcase. Waste gases exit the crankcase through the valve but cannot enter.
Over time, the waste gases leave deposits on the PCV valve that can gum it up. So it needs to be replaced occasionally. This is an inexpensive part of preventive maintenance that is often overlooked, but which can have very expensive consequences. It's good auto advice to keep this little valve clean and working well.
In order to maintain efficient circulation, the PCV system also has a breather tube that allows clean air to enter the crankcase. This air is usually filtered through the engine air filter. But some vehicles have a separate air filter for the breather tube called the breather element. If this is the case with your vehicle, proper maintenance of the PCV will include replacing this element. To find out whether your vehicle has this type of PCV system, check your owner's manual or ask your service advisor at Jud's Best Auto Service.
The PCV system reduces harmful vehicle emissions. The maintenance it requires is simple and inexpensive at Jud's Best Auto Service. A fouled or damaged PCV system can lead to serious engine damage for Medina drivers.
Let's all learn to practice good car care. It's good for our wallets, and it's good for our OH environment.
Jud's Best Auto Service
895 W Liberty Street
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 722-5100
http://www.judsbest.net/
Vive la Differential at Jud's Best Auto Service in Medina
Posted July 19, 2020 11:26 AM
There are a lot of drivers in Medina who are due for a differential service, but had never heard of a differential before. With front-wheel drive being so common in OH these days, the differential is just taken care of during a transmission service, so most Medina folks don't even have to think about it. And rear-wheel drive differentials don't need to be serviced for years, so it's understandable that it's not something on the top of your mind. It's not uncommon for people in Medina to not know they have a differential, let alone know that it needs service.
To better understand what a differential does, think about a track at any OH high school. 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 between the inside vehicle wheel and the outside wheel in a turn, because they have to travel together through slightly different distances.
It's a very important function. When you think of it, all the power to get a vehicle moving goes through the differential. Most cars weigh between 3,000 and 6,000 pounds (1,400 and 2,800 kg) – trucks even more. The power from the engine goes through the transmission and then through the differential to the drive wheels.
That's a lot of work and requires 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 recommend intervals for when to replace your differential fluid.
Your knowledgeable Jud's Best Auto Service 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.
Your Jud's Best Auto Service service advisor can look up the vehicle manufacturer's recommended service interval or you can check your owner's manual.
At Jud's Best Auto Service, we've been providing quality automotive service for our valued Medina customers since . If you need to schedule differential maintenance, or any other automotive service, give us a call at (330) 722-5100.
Jud's Best Auto Service
895 W Liberty Street
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 722-5100
http://www.judsbest.net/
Hey Medina Drivers; What Is the Most Distracting Food?
Posted July 12, 2020 8:37 AM
So what is the most distracting food to have in the car while driving around Medina?
Is it:
- A Hamburger;
- Coffee;
- A Soft Drink, or
- Gummy Bears?
Well, you may be surprised to learn that all but the gummy bears are in the top ten most distracting foods when you are driving. But if you chose 'coffee,' then give yourself an extra two points. Coffee is the number one food distraction for drivers in Medina and around the country.
Food distractions cause 25 percent of all car accidents; over a million and a half each year!
You'll notice that all of the top ten distracting food items are messy. Messy foods are the types of food you might spill (very distracting!), then try to clean up (a safe-driving impossibility!). If you gotta eat on the run, take five-then drive. You'll thank yourself later for two reasons: one, that you can actually relax for just a moment in our fast-paced world, and two, you won't have to worry about getting that cinnamon roll frosting out of your dashboard after that near miss.
Keep drinks in spill-proof containers, too, so you can keep your eyes on the Medina road without worrying about where that spill is headed.
So, taking a food break… or filling out accident reports. We don't have to ask you which you prefer; it's a no brainer.
Jud's Best Auto Service
895 W Liberty Street
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 722-5100
http://www.judsbest.net/
Gas Savings in Medina: Sharpen Your Pencil
Posted July 5, 2020 4:13 AM
High gas prices in Medina increase the cost of living for OH drivers. You've probably budgeted a certain amount for vehicle related expenses. Increased fuel costs now consume a larger portion of our incomes, causing some Medina vehicle owners to skimp in other areas – like scheduled maintenance.
According to OH news reports and automotive industry studies, this is becoming increasingly more common. In fact, nine out of ten personal vehicles on the road have at least one maintenance or repair item that hasn't been done. Some of these items pose serious safety risks. Others are just more likely to make it more expensive to drive.
In this area, we can take a lesson from professional Medina vehicle owners. I'm talking about fleet owners and operators. You know, Medina folks like the trucking companies and delivery services. Because their livelihood depends on it, they have gotten scheduled maintenance down to a science. And the last thing they skimp on is regular maintenance.
Why is that? Well, for one thing they know that routine maintenance prevents expensive repairs and costly breakdowns. They also know that a well-maintained vehicle uses less fuel. For them, even a small decrease in fuel efficiency may put their Medina business in the red.
So what does this mean to Medina drivers? Well, there's a 90 percent chance that you're missing some service that would improve your fuel economy. Here's a quick reminder list:
Fuel system cleaning, transmission service, differential service, engine air filter, wheel alignment, oil change, tune up.
Ring any bells? Can most Medina vehicle owners honestly say that there isn't at least one thing on the list that hasn't been done?
Let's suppose you chose to spend $150 and get caught up on some of these services at Jud's Best Auto Service. Figure that they combine to improve your fuel efficiency by 15 percent. What would that mean to your pocketbook?
Well, the average personal vehicle in Medina is driven about 12,000 a year. If you get 20 miles per gallon in your vehicle, over the course of one year you would pay for the $150 worth of service and save an additional $165 dollars if gas is at t$3.50. If gas is $4.50, you would save $255. And you'd rack up savings of $345 dollars with gas at $5.50.
GAS PRICE
$3.50
$4.50
$5.50
20 MPG
$165
$255
$345
From this you can see that the more fuel costs, the more it pays to keep up on scheduled maintenance. Some of us drive trucks in Medina for work or recreation – or want a large SUV for family needs. A 15 percent improvement in fuel economy can generate huge savings – $650 a year if gas is $4.50 a gallon in Medina. Take a look at this table to see where your savings could lie.
GAS PRICE
A) $3.50, B) $4.50, C) $5.50
10 MPG: A) $480, B) $660, C) $840
20 MPG: A) $165, B) $255, C) $345
30 MPG: A) $60, B) $120, C) $180
So catch up on those services you've been neglecting at Jud's Best Auto Service. Get a couple done now and a couple next time. Chances are you'll save a lot of money at Medina gas pumps this year – and a lot more on repairs in years to come.
Jud's Best Auto Service
895 W Liberty Street
Medina, OH 44256
(330) 722-5100
http://www.judsbest.net/