Tag Archives: phoenix auto repair 85016

Your license tags are due, but your check engine light is on.

Posted on by
Reply

Your check engine light has been on for 3 months and now it’s time to go to emissions. You already know why the check engine light is on. You had an auto parts store do a free code check. ???  Making the repair is going to cost money, but the repair is needed to get your new tags.

ADEQ

Tony’s Service Center participates with the Arizona Emissions repair program ADEQ. The ADEQ program helps car owners pay for the emissions repair. AZ pays up to $900 for repairs. The average emissions repair is around $1,200. Remember, any help is good help.

How do you get on the ADEQ program?

ADEQ Program

ADEQ Program step 1

ADEQ Program step 1

ADEQ Program step 2

ADEQ Program step 2

ADEQ Program step 3

ADEQ Program step 3

ADEQ Program step 4

ADEQ Program step 4

Is it easy?

Yes, yes it is. Tony’s Service Center is here to help with your emissions repairs. Give us a call today. 602-264-9866.

The main takeaway: Some emissions issues don’t get fixed. Why will clients give up on the repair? It’s all about the cost. I have some clients say no to repairs because of the age or condition of the car. Buying a new car or getting a newer used car in better condition is always an option.

I look at it this way. If an emissions repair is under $2,000. you should fix the car you own. You will never buy a good car for $2,000.

Fix your old car, if it’s in good shape.

 

PROJECT BUILD PAINS! What are automotive growing pains?

Posted on by
Reply

A new project rolls into the shop. It is a simple task. A 65 Mustang that needs the rear drum brakes changed over to disc brakes. Simple, easy and painless.

NO! No it’s not…

Project cars can be easy, but not without complications. Many jobs on older project cars and trucks can go smooth, but… Some times they have a mind of there own.

Things that cause the most issues are parts availability and the quality of the parts available. This 65 Mustang is on upgrade #6 a rear drum to disc conversion. The after market brake kits have a wide range of prices. Price is related to the overall quality of the parts in the kit.

Little red 65 Mustang.

1st: Take it apart and see if the axle shafts will be ok to be used with disc brakes.

Old drum brakes with axle in place

Too much runout at the flange will require new axles to be installed. Yep, they are bent. 🙁  A dial indicator is used to confirm that they are bent.

Taking a runout reading on a brake rotor.

2nd: After replacing the axle shafts, new bearings and seals. Plus a dry fit check of all brackets it was time to do the final machine work on the rotor with the new axles. Even with new axles, the flange still has a small amount of runout, but it was way better than the old bent axles. Below is a video for an on the car machine I use to machine the rotor true to the axle flange.

On the car rotor turning machine, used to cut the surface of the brake rotor bringing the surface true to the axle flange.

3rd: Once the rotor is machined all the remaining parts can be installed. Bleed the brake system, check for leaks and test drive for normal operation.

Caliper installed on ford 8 inch differential. Parking brake cables installed.

Rotor, caliper and spacer installed. Almost ready to bleed the brakes.

The instructions stated that the average working time was 3.5 hours. NOT! Actual working time was over 8 hours and 4 delays for parts that did not fit or needed to be fitted to the car.

No, the job did not go smooth. The job was finished and it worked correctly, but… It needed more. More vacuum boost. The boosters job is to help you push your brakes. It adds assist to the foot pressure you are applying.

Master cylinder and 9 inch booster.

So, even though the brakes worked good. The effort to stop the car needed an upgrade.

A bigger 9 inch booster and a over boar 1.25″ inch master cylinder plus 6 more hours of labor did the trick. New lines and bleed out the brakes again! Test drive and check for leaks one more time.

Done.

TSC Logo – Tony’s Service Center Phoenix, AZ 85016

 

It’s time for an oil change, it’s been how long?

Posted on by
Reply

Why wait to change your oil?

The date on the old filter is from June 2024 and I only got about 2 quarts of oil out of the engine. Waiting on an oil change is an engine killer.

Forgetting to service your car can lead to an inconvenient breakdown or catastrophic failure. Too busy, forgetful, personal issues? It does not matter to the car, it still needs service to keep going.

Keep up on service and your car will get you where you need to go.

Aftermarket parts cost less for a reason.

Posted on by

Today I had a Toyota Tacoma client pop in for an oil change. I see this truck about 4 times a year for service needs. The client keeps the truck clean and up to date on all service needs. A year ago the truck was in fender bender and the OE headlights got crunched. The client came in with some aftermarket headlight units and had us install them. I mentioned that the aftermarket plastics don’t hold up in the Arizona heat. The client said he saved a lot of money and they look fine to him.

14 months later they look like poop! The plastics are hazed over, but not on the outside. This issue is on the inside, you can not fix an inside issue. You have to replace them again.

The end story is the aftermarket parts are less expensive because they are a lower quality part. They look the same, but upon close inspection, they are not the same quality.

Aftermarket parts are a problem. Many do not fit correctly, plus the over all finish is not O.E. level. They just do not last as long…

When ever I can, I try to get the client to see the value in using factory parts when ever possible. This is not to say all aftermarket parts are poor quality. We use many aftermarket parts that match OE quality.

When we know that an aftermarket part is ok to use, we use them. We are always watching out for the client. In turn we do not want to use a part that will fail. If the aftermarket part can not meet our 3 year 36,000 warranty we do not want to use it.

We install many O.E. parts on clients cars.

The end game is to fix the clients vehicle correctly and offer a repair that lasts.

HeyAnthonyAz.com

Brake pad noises and wear out explained

Posted on by

Brake noise is a common part of brake operation. A majority of the time you will hear nothing inside your vehicle. Worn brake pads can make noises you would hear inside your vehicle. The most common noises are a crunch or runch sound. Another noise you may hear is a high pitch shriek. Shriek noises are very common with very worn brake pads or budget “cheep quality” brake pads, even if newly installed.

I like to install OE dealer brake parts when ever possible. OE parts fit correctly and offer the best noise control for the life of the brake pads.

When grinding noises happen every time you press the brake peddle. Your brakes are 100% worn out. the metal part of the brake pad is making contact with the metal brake rotor.

The service “wear out” specs on brake pad thickness can vary from 1mm to 2mm. Brake wear sensors will normally turn on the dash brake wear light around 2mm.

Brake pads that use a noise tab built into the pad, may make a high pitch noise only when backing up, but quiet going forward.

When I inspect brakes for wear, I look at the thinest brake pad to judge the wear % remaining. Once below 30% remaining life (around 3mm of pad thickness remaining) brake replacement will be needed soon.

If you are noticing brake noises, stop in at your local repair shop and have them inspect your cars brakes. Waiting to see if the noise just goes away can cause bigger issues.  If the brake rotors or brake calipers become damaged from metal to metal contact it can increase the cost of your brake repairs.

HeyAnthonyAZ.com

 

Before you buy a used car, get it checked out.

Posted on by

Always get a used car checked out before you buy it. Once the papers are signed and money is paid. The chance that you will get any money back when the poop hits the fan, is close to 0%

Bring your car to any ASE mechanic and they will tell you if it’s ok to buy. It is important to use a 3rd party service for your inspection. A friend or some gear head buddy may miss things that would be noticed by a professional mechanic.

HeyAnthonyAz.com

Just stop in!

Posted on by

We are your friendly Neighborhood Garage, just stop in.

Too many times I hear this phrase, “I was driving by and you guys looked so busy.” Don’t wait, just stop in. I hear this one too, “I didn’t think you had time to look at it.” Don’t wait, just stop in. We are your friendly neighborhood garage and ready to help. Maintenance ignored leads to a break down on the road. Nobody likes sitting at the side of the road waiting on a tow truck.

Do you have a funky noise? We can look at that. Is it time for service? We do service work on all makes and models. A no start problem is no problem at Tony’s Service Center. Just stop in, we fix broken cars. Car care is a part of owning a car. Car repairs will happen and you need to be ready. Just stop in and say hi.

Need an oil change today?

We use a “synthetic blend” as our standard oil. Servicing you car is the most common reason to visit a repair garage. We use a synthetic blend because it extends the oil life, offering better protection against wear and resists carbon coking. If your car needs full synthetic we stock that too.

Regular motor oil: Regular oil works great for older engines, but if you do not service it regularly and or ignore your service intervals. It can lead to heavy carbon build up “hard sludge” or coking of the internal engine parts. “Coking aka soft sludge” “Coking” is characteristic of a high temperature reactions involving hydrocarbons. On todays small high revving engines, carbon deposits may cause restricted oil flow, shortening the life span of your engine.

Full Synthetic motor oil:  Synthetic oils primary use is in high heat stress applications like Arizona. Jet engines use Synthetic oil. Synthetic oils are great for cold climates too, it will flow normally even in freezing temperatures.  European cars, motor cycles and many of todays small turbo charged engines need full synthetic oils to prevent sludge and carbon build up.

Just stop in and let us know how we can help. 

HeyAnthonyAz.com & TonysServiceCenter.com

 

 

Lemonade

Posted on by

You just bought a used car.

It’s your first week of driving your “new, used car”. Yep, its new to you, but it’s still a used car. Everything seems great, but a couple of things are bothering you. A click sound from the front end, the radio does not lock on your favorite station and the A/C just does not blow cold in the middle of the day.

You think to your self, maybe I should get this car checked out. Plus it may need other things. So a visit to the repair shop should shed some light on the small things that you have noticed so far.

“You should always get a car checked out” before you sign the papers or lay down your money for your new ride. A proper inspection can save you money.

Just because you took a friend or a person that knows cars with you when you went looking for cars does not protect you from a lemon. An ASE mechanic can see the red flags. A lemon is not that easy to identify, but the red flags will still be seen better by an auto technician vs a friend. Repair tech’s will look at a car with an objective pair of eyes. I know when I look at a car for a pre-purchase inspection, I have no attachment to it. I only care about one thing. “Is it worth the price being asked.”

KBB.com is a great place to find out what a car is worth.

The color and style are not factor during an inspection. The only thing that matters to me is, “is it worth the money.”  So I look at 3 key factors during an inspection. 1: Is the car safe. 2: Does it drive the way it should if it was brand new off the showroom floor. 3: I look all over the vehicle for hidden damage, neglect, missed fluid services or maintenance and modifications that will affect the overall life of the vehicle.

Aftermarket and remanufactured parts are a double-edged sword. Some are great and work just like the original equipment part. My focus is on the “crappy parts” that cause early failures. Cheep aftermarket parts can cause vibration, leaks and fit issues that could lead to an on the road brake-down. I will not use an aftermarket part that can not last at least “3 years or 36,000 miles.” I would not use a part on my own vehicle that could not at least make it that long. I do not like doing repairs twice.

3 years or 36,000 miles

At Tony’s we use lot’s of dealer parts and high quality select aftermarket parts. The aftermarket parts must last as long as the original equipment part should for us to use them. Dealer parts last a long time. In most cases the OE parts will last just as long as the originally installed part did. Some aftermarket and remanufactured parts don’t last as long as the OE parts, but they should last at least 3 years or 36,000 miles.

Time to go shopping.

Shopping for a car is not a big deal because your going to bring the vehicle to Tony’s Service Center to get it checked out before you buy it. Well that’s what I recommend. The things you need to look for when you are deciding on a used vehicle are the following items.

1- Go and look at vehicles during the day when the sun is up. Sun light will help you see paint flaws easier. The heat of the day will let you check the A/C for correct cooling. Check the heat, cooling and all modes of the controls. Everybody needs A/C in Arizona!

2- Does the car smell bad when it sits closed up in the heat. It may look clean, but is it? It could have been in a flood and it was cleaned up really good. Smells like mold, pet dander and smoking can linger even after a pro level detail. Close the car up and let it sit in the sun for an hour. Then go check for odd smells.

3- Drive it for 3 miles city and follow it up with a 5 mile freeway drive. You may have to spiff the sales man 20 bucks to make this happen, but it is worth it. Pay close attention and listen for road and wind noises with the windows up. Next listen for clicks and rattles, drive next to a brick wall with windows open for this part of the drive. Go drive it hard on the freeway, full throttle accelerations and hard stops. If it has an issue getting up to speed or stopping, you need to know before you bring it to me for an inspection. Check the cruse control and other options installed. Lastly anyone that rides with you, have them shut up and be quiet. Jabbering on can pull your attention away from what the test drive is for, finding flaws. Better yet, go drive the vehicle by your self.

4- Let the engine idle for 20 min with the A/C on max air. This helps check for A/C issues or poor cooling at the ducts. Take a thermometer with you so you can see what the duct temp is, your hand is not an accurate guide. Any temp higher than 58 degrees on max air settings is no good.

5- After the 20 minuet idling, give the throttle a good brisk snap, rev the engine up over 4k RPM’s and check to see if any blue smoke kicks out the tail pipe. Blue smoke indicates engine wear. The engine has not been serviced correctly or its worn out.

6- If all of the above things check out good. Its time to bring the vehicle to a repair shop for a full inspection of all hidden factors and a ASE tech to shake it down. At tony’s Service Center we charge for the inspection, but its worth the money and time you will spend.

HeyAnthonyAZ.com

2010 Dodge Challenger R/T 5.7L HEMI with 28,000 miles on it. All service intervals have been over looked. It has been lowered and has non factory wheels. It rides hard, like a typical lowered car. It has aftermarket muffler’s and they drone very hard at 2000 RPM’s. The trans fluid is black and it has a clicking noise at the rear. Overall it’s in need. It is clean-looking on the outside. The inside is showing wear. This car is not in excellent condition, but this is what a typical used car will look like.

 

Nissan Sentra No Start

Posted on by

After many hours of work, the client said no to the repair.

This happens from time to time. It’s part of the car repair business, some clients say no. You check out a clients concern. You put together an estimate for the repairs needed. It’s common to have car owners under the age of 30 to take a couple of hours to decide to move forward with a repair. The 2008 Sentra I was working on needed a new engine computer. Something went wrong and the old one died. The repair was almost 900.00 and to me that was not much for a basic repair.

The client said no and the car was sold for scrap.

Part 2 of this story: The salvage buyer asked us to finish the repairs, but they wanted us to send the computer out for repairs. I have had zero luck using rebuild services for any

Old computer that was sent out for repairs. I don’t see any repairs done…

computer repair. So 3 weeks later the computer was back. The service said they made a repair and the computer works fine now.

I installed the computer and it did not work. The buyer said I diagnosed the problem wrong and the computer was fine. I said he was wrong and the computer repair was not a repair for the problem the computer had. After 2 more weeks of back and forth communications. The buyer finally said yes to a new computer from the dealer.

A new computer fixed the problem.

It’s common for computers to be replaced and they are not bad. It is a guess repair by the technician working on the car. I use a test simulation method to rule out input and output results to the computer. It takes longer, but it prevents a misdiagnosis. Time spent will prevent having to backtrack later or worse ruin a new computer because the part that killed the first computer just killed the new unit.

Fix it right, fix it once. HeyAnthonyAz.com

Tune-up

Posted on by

What is a Tune-up for a modern engine?

Carbon tracking on a 112,000 mile spark plug

From the mid 2000’s and up, the term Tune-up has been replaced with preventative maintenance. Newer engines don’t have anything to adjust. Everything is pre-set from the factory and you only replace parts if they fail or if you like to follow your maintenance schedule listed in the owner’s manual.

Converter meltdown due to a miss fire condition.

A modern engine can be adjusted through software changes, electronic tuning. Software tuning is not a normal undertaking and it voids the manufactures warranty. Programmers and software changes can build big power. All that power comes at a cost, more wear to the engine. When an engine replacement costs around 6,000.00 when it fails. What did you gain? You may also not pass emissions when it’s time for tags.

PCV hose failure.

You can make changes by putting aftermarket performance parts on the engine. Many parts you can bolt on will not void a warranty in most cases. Some bolt on parts can shorten engine life and cause emissions issues.

Replacing the exhaust system can have a big effect in power output. Exhaust changes effect how loud the tail pipe sounds. A loud exhaust is not needed to build power. The exhaust only needs to flow efficiently. Too much flow “big pipe exhaust systems” can hurt low rpm torque making your engine sluggish at lower speeds “city driving” and with the a/c on.

GM HEI Distributor showing a vacuüm advance and mechanical timing advancement weights.

The days of the real tune-ups, when engines had a real distributer, plug wires and a carburetor. It was a common to have 2 or 3 tune-ups a day back in the 80’s and 90’s. The carburetor needed adjustments at lease every time the season would change or around emissions time. The distributer had mechanical parts in it that would wear out. Hoses failed, air pumps died, catalytic converters would melt down. Yep, the good old days, nothing lasted for ever.

Modern cars have owners spoiled. driving a car a 100,000 miles or 10 years and never-changing the spark plugs, coils or installing a new fuel filter is amazing. Modern engines are built better and run cleaner. The improvements do have a price.

Ignition wire failure because it made contact with the hot exhaust manifold.

When parts fail, the price to fix the failure can be very large. When sticker shock sets in, many clients ask why is it so expensive.

I can only tell them that in the good old days it cost the same, it was just done in smaller installments over a 10 year period.

Fix it right, fix it once. HeyAnthonyAz.com