What do brakes do? Brakes are in the car for one reason. To stop the vehicle from moving. How do they do that? When you press down on the brake pedal that moves a piston in the master cylinder that forces brake fluid to each wheel. At each wheel, you have either a caliper for disc brakes are a wheel cylinder for drum brakes. The caliper and whee...
Read MoreWhat do timing belts do? Timing belts are there to spin the internal components of the engine. The belt goes around the crankshaft and the camshafts and allows everything to spin in sync. On many cars, the timing belt also spins the water pump allowing it to circulate the coolant.
Read MoreWhat does the parking brake do? In road vehicles, the parking brake is used to keep the vehicle stationary and, in many cases, also perform an emergency stop. Parking brakes on older cars often consisted of a cable connected to the rear brakes and the other end to a pulling mechanism which is operated with the driver's hand or foot. The mechanism m...
Read MoreMake sure its terminal connections are clean, snug and protected from the elements. Corrosion on the battery terminals can block the flow of electricity through the battery. That can cause the starter to have to pull more amps to crank the engine over and cause the alternator to have to work harder to charge the battery. Corroded terminals will a...
Read MoreIts that time of year again. It's hot outside, and it's really hot inside your car. Here are some tips to help you’re A/C work better. Park in Shade It may sound insignificant, but one way to start to minimize the AC’s work is by parking in a shaded spot if you’ll be away from your car for the entire afternoon. No matter how hot it gets throughou...
Read More