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Archive for December 2024The Flat Fix that Fits (Tire Repairs)Posted December 29, 2024 3:08 AMCan you think of anyone who likes getting a flat tire? Of course not. But when one of your tires winds up with a flat or leak, whether it be from things like hitting a curb, running over a nail or picking up a sharp stone, it's time to have someone who knows what they're doing take care of it. If you're thinking you'd like to avoid having to buy a new tire, you wonder if a patch or plug will suffice. It depends where the puncture is and how big the hole is. Most tire experts will say if the hole in the tire is less than ¼ of an inch or 6 mm, a patch can work. But a patch likely won't work if the compromised part of the tire is on its shoulder or sidewall. Here's why. The shoulder of a tire is the part between the sidewall and tread and it's usually rounded. It's under a lot of pressure, more than even the sidewalls. And because of that curved shape, it's hard to get a patch or plug to hold. The sidewall is the side of the tire. Sidewalls flex a lot when you drive, and the strain can cause a patch or plug to loosen up. A weak spot in a sidewall is much more likely to fail and cause a blowout. So if you have damage in the sidewall or shoulder, that tire is a good candidate for replacement, not repair. If you have a cut or gash in your tire, it's possible the cords that strengthen your tire have also been cut. That weak spot can spell trouble, and this type of damage usually means you should get a new one. Your service advisor can tell you what the appropriate action is to take when you have tire damage. You may be able to get good results with a patch, or you may have to replace one or more tires. Your safety is riding on them. Westmoreland Transmissions Beware Dangers of Spring Driving (Seasonal Driving Tips)Posted December 22, 2024 3:08 AMSure, winter is quickly fading in the rearview mirror, but the peril of icy roads is replaced with a whole new set of driving challenges in spring. Deer and other wildlife. You are not the only one who gets spring fever. Animals do, too, and spring is the time they start looking for mates and food. Be extra careful at dawn and dusk when deer are especially active. Hitting a deer (or having them jump into your path suddenly) is a frightening experience, and even a deer/vehicle collision at slow speeds can cause injury and/or loss of life for both animal and humans, let alone expensive damage to the vehicle. Be extra vigilant during spring. The angle of the light. As the seasons progress, you'll notice sun angles change. The sun is rising earlier every morning and setting later at light. When the sun is low in the sky, that glare can render you almost completely blind. Make sure your windows and windshield are clean; don't forget the inside glass, too, which can build up a haze over the winter. Potholes. The freezing and thawing of pavement is shockingly effective at busting up asphalt and concrete. The holes left behind can seem like moon craters, and if you hit one or more hard, they can cause you to lose control of your vehicle, increasing your chances of an accident. They also can cause some significant damage to your vehicle. If you feel your vehicle pulling to one side, notice it has a rough ride or hear noises you haven’t heard before, have your suspension's integrity inspected at your vehicle service facility. Children playing. Kids are excited to get back outside, running wild, playing with balls and toys… just being kids. These newly-rediscovered outside thrills can also steal away their attention from what's going on around them and they may dart out onto the street before you know it. Spring is a time to be vigilant and devote extra concentration to roads and neighborhoods. Spring is such a breath of fresh air. Remember to be super careful of a whole new set of hazards winter made you forget about for a while.
Not So Cool (Air Conditioning Systems)Posted December 15, 2024 3:10 AMThere's nothing quite like getting in your vehicle on a hot day, switching on the air conditioning and having warm air blow out of the vents. You may have had no problem for months and then, one day, you are driving around in a sauna. You're hot stuff, but not in a good way! So what goes wrong when the AC isn't working? It could be a lot of things because the system has many different components. One thing that's a common cause is the vehicle is low on refrigerant (it used to be called Freon). If that's the case, it's not as simple as simply adding more. Sure, it may fix it quickly for a short time, but it's more likely than not that the refrigerant will just leak out again. The original Freon used in air conditioners was destroying the Earth's ozone layer, so that's not used much any more. But the one that's currently used also contributes to global warming, so it's important that as little of that escapes as possible. So a technician will determine if there's a leak in your system, where it is and fix that before adding new refrigerant. Your vehicle also has an evaporator or two, and those can fail. Leaks are often the problem with them as well. The big component that can go bad is the compressor, often a victim of age, wear or neglect. A technician will also check to see that the blower is working correctly. That's what blows that cool air into the cabin. Sometimes the motor will fail, a relay will go bad or a fuse will blow. As you can see, there are lots of different parts involved here! The good news is that your vehicle's service facility has the special equipment to recover the refrigerant and check the system's pressure, both vital to properly servicing the air conditioning system. As with many vehicle components, regular maintenance can go a long way to minimizing problems in the air conditioning system. It can reduce the chance of the compressor having to be replaced, too. Pretty cool, huh? Westmoreland Transmissions A Bright Spark (Ignition Coil Replacement)Posted December 8, 2024 3:08 AMEver wonder how your vehicle’s engine is able to take the 12-volts from its battery and ramp that up to as high as the tens of thousands of volts it takes to fire its spark plugs? The secret is something called an ignition coil. Most newer vehicles have an ignition coil at each cylinder, but older ones have a coil that serves all of the spark plugs. There are telltale signs that you have an ignition coil problem. As you might expect, one symptom is it’s hard to start your engine or it won’t start at all. If your engine is misfiring or not running smoothly or you see the Check Engine light come on, those all could point to an ignition coil failure. Several things can contribute to ignition coil trouble in addition to normal wear and tear. Moisture and dirt may have gotten inside the coil, plus the heat and vibration of your engine over time can contribute to them going bad. Bad spark plugs or plug wires can also be a cause. While ignition coils can last 100,000 miles/160,000 km, depending on how you drive and in what conditions. If you start noticing some of the signs and symptoms just described, it’s a good idea to schedule a visit to see us so a technician can diagnose what’s wrong. Driving too long with an engine misfiring can damage your catalytic converter, and that can be expensive to replace. A technician will thoroughly check your ignition system and determine where the failure is. If it’s only one coil that’s bad, it may be the only thing that will need replacing. If your vehicle has a distributor, it may also need to be replaced. Properly-working ignition coils will help your vehicle operate at its best and help prevent future engine damage. Westmoreland Transmissions Wired! (Battery Cable Service)Posted December 1, 2024 3:07 AMColder weather brings out the worst in a vehicle's battery. On a very cold day, you may have experienced that your engine cranks slowly when starting. But while it may be the battery itself, it may also be the parts that transfer the power to other the other electrical components, the battery cables. After all, you have to have some way to get the current out of the battery and out to where it needs to go. Battery cables have a couple of enemies: corrosion and age. You may have looked under the hood and noticed a light-colored powder or crust around the terminals. That's what happens when acids corrode the ends of the battery terminals. Corrosion inhibits the connection and may reduce the amount of power getting to the electrical accessories to the point where they are not working correctly, if at all. Here are some symptoms of problems with your battery cables. You might notice a clicking sound when you turn the key, some of your vehicle's electrical parts (like the sound system or the horn) don't work or, in some cases, the vehicle won't start at all. When you take your vehicle to a repair facility, the technician will use instruments to check voltages to see how much current is getting to what location. That includes a starter draw test during which the battery's voltage is checked when the starter is cranked. The technician will also visually inspect the cables and the charging system. To make sure the alternator is putting out the right voltage, the technician will measure that as well. If the problem is found to be the battery cable assembly, the entire set may have to be replaced. Sometimes they can be repaired. During the colder months, it's vital that your vehicle has the proper power going to its electrical components. Having a vehicle that won't start or run smoothly is not something you want to battle with when you're already up against challenging weather. Keep your electrons flowing… and your vehicle moving.
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Testimonials
Mrs. Irvine, 12/27/2024
Have used Westmoreland Transmission for both our personal and our business vehicles. High quality work, excellent customer service, we cannot say enough good things about Westmoreland!!!