Bryan Auto Repair

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

Why does my air conditioning smell? The heating and air conditioning in your car is not unlike your house. While it controls temperature it also controls humidity. This is super necessary in the Brazos Valley. We definitely have wet air!! Air is brought in from the outside or inside depending on the setting and circulated through a cabin air filter and the evaporator. The evaporator removes moisture and lowers the temperature and sends the cooler drier air out the vent. The air is the recycled through the whole process again. The moisture condenses on the evaporator and runs out of the drain to the outside of the car. Keeping your filter changed is your first defense to keeping this drain free. When you start to get a smell most of the time it is from 2 problems. A cabin air filter left too long or mold and mildew built up from the moisture. In the Bryan College Station area allergies are rough and this can be problematic. Fortunately the fix is not that bad. We remove and replace the ... read more

Why does my car shake? Or What is making my car vibrate? Both are great questions and both will start with more questions. You will need to give your Mechanic as much information as possible so pay attention to When does it shake? Only when I accelerate…only on turns…when I stop etc. Don’t be afraid to describe it in great detail. This is very valuable information for the Auto Repair Shop to use in finding the cause and keeping you safe. As a general rule most vibration or shaking issues are related to rotating parts. Tires, Axles, Bearings, Pulleys…all are common causes. And there are many more, so answering the above questions will save your Automotive Technician time in finding the cause of your vibration. We all know that time is money so this is a great way to save you some money as well. It is important to note that most cars today are uni body meaning the body is part of the support structure of the car. This tends to make vibrations and sounds trans ... read more