Chesapeake Auto Repair

Clean Fuel Equals Clean Performance For Chesapeake Drivers Hello, Chesapeake auto owners. Let’s talk fuel filters. Fuel filters clean the dirt, dust and debris out of your fuel. Both gasoline and diesel-powered engines have them. The fuel filter is located in the fuel line between the fuel tank and the engine. Chesapeake drivers don’t need to filter their fuel because it has lots of grit in it; they need to filter it because it has some grit it in. Any dirt is bad for your engine. The cleaner the fuel, the better an engine will run. Over time, the small amounts of rust, dirt and contaminants in your fuel settle out inside the fuel tank. After about five years, this can amount to a quite a bit of sediment. This means that as your van ages, your fuel filter has to work harder to screen your fuel: more sediment in your tank means more potential for grit in your fuel. The harder your fuel filter works, the more often it ... read more

Vehicle Maintenance Videos by West Service Center, Inc.: Battery Testing The simple fact is that 70% of car batteries fail within 4 years. They just need to be replaced when they are no longer able to hold a full charge. Batteries are a big ticket item for most Chesapeake motorists and it’s tempting to put off buying a new one as long as possible. But a battery that cannot hold a full charge requires the alternator to work extra hard, causing it to wear out prematurely. Your West Service Center, Inc. service professional can test your battery to see if it should be replaced. Testing is a good idea for Virginia motorists because a battery might still be good, but become dead because of a bad alternator or even a worn serpentine belt and tensioner. Give us a call West Service Center, Inc. 757-487-4420 904 Cavalier Blvd Chesapeake, Virginia 23323      

West Service Center, Inc. Smart Car Care Videos: Tire Replacement Overview Tires are an expensive purchase so knowing when tires should be replaced is important for Chesapeake car owners. Tires will just wear out with normal use. The depth of the tread on your tire determines how well it will stop, start and steer – especially in wet conditions. 4/32th of an inch of tire tread is considered a safe amount of tread. Uneven tread wear can be a symptom of other problems and simply replacing your tires will not prevent the same uneven wear from happening to the new tires. We can review your tires for excessive or uneven wear. Unusual wear may lead to further analysis of steering, suspension or alignment problems. We can help with required repairs and with getting you the right tires for your needs. Give us a call West Service Center, Inc. 757-487-4420 904 Cavalier Blvd Chesapeake, Virginia 23323      

West Service Center, Inc. Auto Service and Maintenance Videos: Knowing When Your Timing Belt Should Be Replaced The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Chesapeake car owners need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure. Timing belts are very problematic to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more pricey maintenance services, but the cost to correct an engine damaged by a broken timing belt is much, much more. The timing belt has a tensioner to help maintain proper belt tension. The tensioner should be replaced along with the timing belt and any idler pulleys at the auto manufacturer’s specified service interval. Your honest West Service Center, Inc. service specialist can help you with the timing. Give us a call West Service Center, Inc. 757-487-4420 904 Cavalier Blvd Chesapeake, Virginia 23323      

Clean Air for Your Engine: A New Engine Air Filter at West Service Center, Inc. All of us Chesapeake auto owners know we have to get the oil changed in our vans periodically. That’s just part of good car care. But when Chesapeake service professionals change your oil, they also usually inspect your air filter. That’s why they sometimes let you know that your air filter needs to be changed before releasing your van. Don’t just chock this up to trying to sell you something else. Suffolk auto owners really do need to change their air filter when it gets dirty. You can check your owner’s manual to see how often your air filter should need to be changed, but remember, if you live in an area in Virginia with poor air quality, or if you drive a lot or drive under harsh conditions in the Chesapeake area, you may need to change that filter more often than is recommended. Changing an air filter ... read more