Bryan Auto Repair

The Diagnostic Truth Why do we charge for looking at your car? A legitimate question most shops don’t like. To answer the question, we need to understand what we do. We are a service industry that sells 2 things : Parts and Labor. A part is bought and sold and labor is bought and sold. Most customers understand this as they come in with a problem, for example a water pump leaking. Shop purchases (part), replaces (labor) pump and no more leak. A physical problem that can be seen is fixed; a mechanical problem no one has a problem paying for. Our industry has evolved and is ever changing, and thus is requiring more and more trouble shooting. Cars and trucks today are not only a mechanical machine, they encompass computer networks that must interact with each other. There are automations in actuators and sensors that must work with the still present mechanical side. So a mechanic today really is a Technician. He has to be as proficient in networking as an IT specialist, understand ... read more

Quick Change lube stops are everywhere. An Oil Change or Oil Service is preventative maintenance and the most common service done hand down, but is faster better? Let me give you my thoughts. We live in a microwave society. We want it NOW! We love fast food and lighting quick WiFi and we HAVE to have it!! There is a trend out there for quick service and fast maintenance…so is that a problem?? I feel it is. Now, let me explain it this way, certain things should not be rushed. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a quick open heart surgery, instead I would prefer a surgeon who takes the time to do it right and look for future problems. The same with my car. I want to know what will be needed to keep my wife and daughters safe. What kind of shape is my car in? Look I get it we all need our cars and life is busy, but like the cardiologist, Oil is the life blood of you car. I have been doing this for 33 years and I cannot do a QUALITY oil service in 5 minutes, yet we ... read more

Does my Radiator really need a flush? This is a great question! We get it almost every day. The coolant does not have to deal with combustion gasses like engine oil does, but the additives do break down over time and lose its effectiveness. As time goes by, the additives for rust and corrosion tend to break down. You also start to lose the boiling point and freeze point protection. As rust and corrosion happens it sends particles and debris into the radiator and heater core. There they build up and start to affect the flow of coolant. This can cause an overheating of the engine or a lack of heat from the heater. Those particles are also like sand paper to moving parts like the water pump and thermostat. This can cause premature wear and failure. What does that mean to you ?? More Money More Money! So how often should I flush the coolant? How is it done? Glad you asked! Your best place for information is your owners manual. But as a general rule every 2-3 years or 30000 miles is a good ... read more

How do I jump start a car? How do I use Jumper Cables? Take out your jumper cables. It’s a good idea to buy a good set of jumper cables and keep them in the trunk. The bigger the cable size the easier and better they will work. Place the running car as close as possible and turn off ignition. Engage both parking brakes as well. Attach one of the red cables to the positive terminal of your battery. It is a good idea to clip the dead battery side cable to the insulated cable to prevent and accidental short. (see Pic) It has “POS” or “+” on it, or it’s bigger than the negative terminal. Attach the black lead to the negative side of the battery. On many cars today there is not access to the battery so look for a sticker that says jump start here. Attach the Red cable to the Positive terminal of the dead battery Attach the last black clip to an unpainted metal surface preferably on the engine block Start the working vehicle and let the engine r ... read more

What causes my car to overheat is a great question To answer the question why does my car overheat we need to understand the components that make up the cooling system. The major players are the radiator, water pump, thermostat, fan, and hoses. The radiator is a heat ex-changer that coolant runs through. Small tubes with fins carry the coolant where the heat is exchanged into the air. The water pump moves the coolant from the engine block where it absorbs heat to the radiator where the heat is removed by the radiator. The thermostat has two roles, to slow the flow down and to regulate the temperature. If the coolant runs through the system too fast it cannot adequately transfer the heat to the coolant. The temperature of an engine has an effect on the efficiency of the engine. Most gasoline engines today prefer to run around 190 to 212 degrees. This makes them run strongest and most fuel efficient. The fan can be driven by belt or electric motor. It pulls air through the radiator to co ... read more