Chesapeake Auto Repair

The West Service Center, Inc. Guide To Vehicle Diagnosis   Modern Chesapeake vehicles have several computers on board that control all kinds of things like engine functions, transmission shifts, traction control, anti-lock brakes, stability control, emissions – and on some vehicles, even steering, braking and the throttle. Think about that for a minute – things that used to be controlled by simple mechanical connections now have electronic controls that rely on computers, software and sensors. It’s no wonder that when something goes wrong with their van it can be pretty complicated for Chesapeake car owners to track down the source of the problem. To help your West Service Center, Inc. tech figure out what’s wrong, your van is equipped with on-board diagnostics. The Check Engine Light comes on to tell you there’s a problem and the engine manageme ... read more

West Service Center, Inc. Engine Air Filter Replacement When your experienced West Service Center, Inc. service advisor technician changes your oil, he will also inspect your air filter. You shouldn’t need a new filter at every oil change, but you will need to change it regularly. Heed your service specialist’s auto advice if they tell you to change your filter. It’s not expensive, and it makes a big difference to your van. An air filter does what its name implies: it filters stuff out of the air. Air is drawn into your engine through the filter because your engine needs air to burn fuel. If the filter weren’t there, a lot of dust and debris would come into the van engine with the air. That dust and debris would get hot, burn, and produce all kinds of ash and gumminess that would eventually clog up your engine. But air filters themselves get clogged up with all the junk they clean out of the Chesapeake air. This doesn ... read more

Nighttime Visibility In Chesapeake   There are a number of factors that contribute to the high nighttime accident rate in the greater Chesapeake area, things like drowsy driving and a higher rate of impaired driving. Without a doubt, visibility is a major contributor. Let’s focus on visibility… It’s said that 90 percent of our driving decisions are based on what we see. Nighttime driving has the effect of reducing 20/20 vision to the equivalent of 20/50 vision. What you could clearly see at 50 feet in daylight can’t be seen until you are just 20 feet away at night. Too make sure your headlights are giving you the greatest visibility, visit us at West Service Center, Inc.. you’ll find us located on 904 Cavalier Blvd, Chesapeake, Virginia 23323. Please give us a call to make an appointment: 757-487-4420. Accident avoidance is dependent on reaction time. Reaction time deteriorates measurably in low light ... read more

Fuel Saving Tip: Fuel System Cleaning Near Norfolk Virginia   A lot of gas is wasted in the Norfolk area by dirty fuel delivery systems. Let’s start at the tank. The gas tank gathers dirt, rust and sediment over the years. That’s why there’s a fuel filter to clean the fuel after it leaves the tank. A dirty filter will rob the engine of the clean gas it needs to run efficiently. The fuel intake components get coated with gum and varnish over time. This results in fuel being delivered inefficiently and some of that gunk getting into the engine. A fuel system service at West Service Center, Inc. will leave your intake as clean as a whistle. The big fuel thief is dirty fuel injectors. They deliver fuel to the engine at a specified pressure and in a particular spray pattern. When they’re clogged, the fuel doesn’t get atomized the way it’s supposed to and doesn’t get burned as ... read more

Exhaust Service at West Service Center, Inc.: Passing the Smell Test   The exhaust system on a vehicle is more complex than most Chesapeake car owners realize. It contains everything from old-fashioned pipes and clamps to sophisticated computers and sensors. All Virginia folks know a properly functioning exhaust system is good for the environment, but sometimes we forget that a damaged exhaust system can be deadly. That’s why preventive maintenance on your exhaust system is so essential. We can help you with that at West Service Center, Inc. in Chesapeake. The exhaust manifold is the first component in your exhaust system. The manifold is attached to the engine. It collects the gases that are produced by the engine and directs them into the exhaust pipes. At this point, these gases are both hot and chemically dangerous. One of the gases produced in your engine is carbon monoxide. This gas is colorless and odorless. Breathi ... read more