Chesapeake Auto Repair

Differential Service At West Service Center, Inc.: Vive ala Difference Your browser does not support video Every van on Virginia highways has a differential, and it is important to the proper operation of the vehicle, but most Chesapeake motorists don’t have a clue what it is. The differential compensates for differing wheel speeds. For example, when you turn, the inside tire on the turn travels a much shorter distance than the outside wheel. So the inside wheel of the van must move at a slower speed than the outside wheel. Without a differential, the wheels would hop and scrape while turning. Have you ever seen the large bugle-shaped object in the middle of the rear axle of a truck? That’s the differential. In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the differential is located on the back axle. Four-wheel drive vehicles and SUV’s have differentials on both the front and the rear axle. You might expect that the differential is loca ... read more

Looking Down the Road – Headlamps   If you’ve ever been driving around Chesapeake and had a headlamp go out, you’ve probably just wanted to replace the bad bulb. If your car uses halogen headlamps, they dim over time. So if you just put in one, they won’t have the same brightness which can be distracting and will affect your field of vision. To have your headlights inspected, visit us at West Service Center, Inc.. We’re at 904 Cavalier Blvd in Chesapeake, Virginia 23323. Or give us a call at 757-487-4420 Experts in Chesapeake recommend replacing your halogen headlamps every year. It’s easy to remember if you do it when daylight savings time changes in the fall. That way you’ll have bright headlamps for those long Chesapeake winter nights. There are other types of headlamps in addition to halogen. There are the old standard bulbs that have been around for decades. These are OK, but you can us ... read more

Your Well Trained Technician At West Service Center, Inc.   When your van has a problem, or just needs some routine service, you might get a little nervous. Your car’s so important to your life in Chesapeake, you need to back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time. If you’ve ever checked into some of the technician training West Service Center, Inc. professionals receive, you may be surprised at how much specialized knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car. For example: Today there are four cylinder engines that generate more power than the 1980s-era V-8’s. I mean a new V-6 Toyota Camry could beat Sonny Crocket’s Ferrari in a race to sixty. Some vans have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle operations as well. Norfolk motorists take all of this sophistication for granted – but somebody has to fix it w ... read more

The Right Automotive Fluids For Chesapeake Drivers   All those automotive fluids can be confusing for Chesapeake auto owners. Recent years have brought new grades of engine oil, types of transmission fluid, coolant, and brake fluid. The right fluid protects your vehicle and helps it perform at its best. The wrong fluid won’t work as well for Chesapeake auto owners and could even cause damage. In addition to new grades of engine oil, many vans now leave the factory with synthetic oil. Chesapeake motorists should always use the grade recommended by their auto maker  and type of oil in their engine. All coolant, also called antifreeze, used to be green. Now there are several other colors of coolant sold at West Service Center, Inc. in Chesapeake. Each type is designed to protect the cooling system components that are particular to your vehicle. The wrong stuff can void your van coolin ... read more

Tire Tread Depth for Chesapeake, Virginia Drivers Driving on bald tires is like playing roulette. Though you may be fine today, eventually your luck is going to run out. The Feds don’t have any laws for tread depth, but 42 of the states, and all of Canada, do have regulations. They consider two-thirty-seconds of an inch to be the minimum legal tread depth. Two other states, including California, consider one-thirty-second to be the minimum and six states have no standards at all. Call us at West Service Center, Inc.; (just call 757-487-4420) to find out what your requirements are in the Chesapeake, Virginia area. Since 1968, U.S. law has required that a raised bar be molded across all tires. When tires are worn enough that this bar becomes visible, there’s just 2/32” of tread left. But does that older standard give Chesapeake auto owners enough safety? Consider this: Consumer Reports recommends tire replacement when tread reaches 4/32&rdq ... read more