Chesapeake Auto Repair

Problems with Suspension Solved at West Service Center, Inc. in Chesapeake A vehicle’s suspension system is tough. It can last for years and tens of thousands of miles for Chesapeake drivers. But it can be damaged quickly by hitting a pothole, curb or rock, and it can wear more quickly if you frequently drive off-road or on bumpy roads. A workhorse vehicle — one that hauls heavy loads — is also going to be hard on its suspension system. Because the useful life of your suspension system contains these elements of unpredictability, it is important for Chesapeake auto owners to have them inspected periodically. Worn, broken and missing parts can be identified during an automotive analysis. An ineffective suspension system will lessen the driver’s control over a vehicle, so when it is damaged it frequently leads to the worst kind of vehicular damage — dangerous and costly accidents. The suspension system is composed of springs and shock absorbers (or shocks ... read more

It Is Time To Check Your Intervals Part of the engineering that goes into designing a vehicle is testing the components to ensure that they meet durability and safety standards. Because of this, manufacturers have a good idea as to how long the parts in your vehicle will last under normal driving conditions. For this reason, they give us guidelines to follow regarding how often to inspect the various parts and systems on our vans. Vehicular components are required to meet certain standards. The government mandates some of these standards. Others are set by the auto industry. Recommended car maintenance schedules are designed to help Chesapeake car owners maintain these standards. Disregarding routine maintenance or procrastinating preventive maintenance will result in lowered performance and reduced safety for a vehicle. Maintenance schedules are designed to ensure three areas of vital automotive performance for Chesapeake auto owners: protection of the vehicle it ... read more

When Are Your Tires Worn Out?   Hey Chesapeake, are your tires worn out? What is the standard for our Virginia streets? How can you tell on your van? While there may be legal requirements for the Chesapeake area, there are safety concerns that go beyond meeting minimum replacement mandates. 2/32 is the depth of the tire tread wear indicator bars that US law has required to be molded across all tires since August 1, 1968. When tires are worn so that this bar is visible, there’s just 2/32 of an inch – 1.6 millimeters – of tread left. It’s that level of wear that’s been called into question recently. We’re referring to the Consumer Reports call to consider replacing tires when tread reaches 4/32 of an inch, or 3.2 millimeters. And the recommendation is backed by some very compelling studies. The issue is braking on wet surfaces in and around Chesapeake. Most of us think of our brakes doing most of the work, but if you ... read more

Drive Train Service in Chesapeake at West Service Center, Inc. The drive train in your vehicle includes all the critical components that transfer power from the transmission to the wheels. Those components differ depending on what type of vehicle you drive, namely, front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. The preventive maintenance your driveshaft needs will also differ by what type of vehicle you drive. Let’s start with front-wheel drive. In this vehicle, the transmission and the differential are combined in one component, known as the transaxle. The transaxle is connected to two half-shafts (axles), which are then connected to the wheels with a constant velocity (or CV) joint, which is protected by an airtight rubber boot. West Service Center, Inc. service for this type of driveline includes servicing the transaxle and inspecting the CV boot. If the boot is damaged, the CV joint will n ... read more

Maintaining Your Diesel in Chesapeake Diesel engines have been used extensively in Europe and Asia for many years. They haven’t been as common in Chesapeake because of the high sulfur content in our diesel fuel. But the government is now mandating lower sulfur content and, as a result, we are going to see more Chesapeake drivers driving diesel-fueled vehicles on the road, especially in passenger cars and SUV’s. Diesels are popular in Chesapeake because they get better MPG than gas-powered engines. They also last longer. Modern diesel engines are quiet and powerful. And if you associate diesel engines with black smoke, then you’re not up with the times. That smoke is a thing of the past. Diesels don’t produce any more pollutants than gasoline engines. The pollution standards for diesel-powered vehicles are as strict in Virginia as for other vehicles. Also, diesel engines can run on bio-diesel&nb ... read more