Custom Automotive Care

  How a Car A/C Works (or Doesn’t) I'm sure at one time or another we all have found ourselves sitting in our vehicle on the hottest day of the summer with cold air blowing from the A/C system.  Sure, your car’s A/C (if it’s working correctly) turns hot air cold, which can feel miraculous on a sunny summer afternoon. But the way it cools that air isn’t as complicated as some people think. Parts of a Car A/C There are five main parts of a car A/C: Compressor Condenser Thermal expansion valve or orifice tube Evaporator Accumulator or receiver/drier Each of the parts is connected by tubing or hoses to form a closed loop. Through that loop runs refrigerant, which is what really does the work of cooling down the air. The Refrigeration Cycle (Round and Round We Go) The best way to explain how a car air conditioner works is to describe what happens to the refrigerant as it travels around the loop and through the differ ... read more

  Nowhere are the advances in automotive fluids more evident than in motor oil. Many new weights and formulations have been created to meet the demands of today’s modern engine designs. Modern engines have more parts and much higher tolerances. Every year, vehicle engines make more power and get better fuel economy. And with all the complication and sophistication, they still have to be durable for 5,000 miles or more. That's where the new grades of engine oil come in, Oils have to be formulated to lubricate, protect and clean all of those engine parts, big and small. The oil has to be thin enough to get into the small passages, yet resistant enough to vaporization. In Most modern engines the oil also acts as hydraulic fluid, changing the camshaft timing and disabling cylinders for better fuel economy. Make sure your using the correct oil your vehicle manufacturer requires.  #engineoil # oil #oilchange

      Brake fluid is confusing for some drivers. For a very long time, most vehicles used Dot 3 brake fluid. Now we have Dot 4 and Dot 5. Some people mistakenly think the higher number is an upgrade. You know, if 3 is good, then 4 must be better.  That’s not how this works. There are different formulations to meet the requirements of different brake systems. DOT 3 and 4 are compatible with each other but DOT 5 is not. Only one of them is recommended for your vehicle. If you are wondering which one to use, just give us a call.  #brakefluid #dot3 #dot4 #dot

            The answer is ....... no, it is important to use the correct fluids in your vehicle. Big advances in the automotive technology have led to the development of high tech fluids to keep pace. A simple example of this is the cooling system.  For decades it was primarily made out of iron, steel and rubber hoses, There was one kind of coolant that protected these components from corrosion.   Now cooling system components are made with various metal alloys and plastics.  These materials require different additives tp protect them from corrosion. Since the material used vary from ,manufacturer to manufacturer, we now have a number if different kinds of coolant And it is important for drivers to use the right coolant. If you pour in the wrong kind, it wont protect the cooling system and may even void the warranty. Of course, your friendly and knowledgeable pros at Custom Automotive Care will know the proper coo ... read more