Ever wonder if that car you love to drive every day, could ever look and drive like the day you purchased it? Ever wonder why the cars on a good previously owned car lot look and smell so good, and yours – well it is just not up to par any more.
The answer could be an auto restoration from a professional who knows what they are doing. Pops Auto Electric of Central Florida has been performing auto restoration for not only classic cars but cars as new as 2010, to make them look and feel like a new car.
With the prices of new cars today, and the increased frequency of lemons, see the GM recall of millions of cars as an example of why you may be better served restoring that reliable car you already own.
Let’s look at how the auto restoration process works and how far Pops Auto Electric of Orlando Florida can take that car you love, but just needs some TLC to be the car you want it to be. For those of us whose dream cars come from yesterday, we can’t just walk into a car dealership and buy one.
At the same time, buying a used car that’s older can present a whole host of mechanical problems. Is the engine in good shape? How about the transmission and electrical systems? In addition, the upholstery inside and the paint outside may be in questionable condition.
Auto restoration fixes many of these problems, making a good car great. A car which has been in the owner’s possession for years and has been kept well, but has some of these problems is the best candidate for auto restoration. Cars aren’t built to last forever, but restoration can breathe new life into an older vehicle and make it look and run like new. This makes the car more valuable at a sale or auction, guaranteeing its collectable status.
The auto restoration won’t be easy. The job — and its cost — will depend on what car you’ve selected and how much work needs to be done. But if it’s done correctly, auto restoration gives everyday drivers a chance to tool around in a classic automobile as if it had just come off the dealer’s lot the year it was made. Even if a car looks perfect on the outside, if you step inside and the upholstery is torn and the gauges are falling out of the dashboard, the auto restoration job can hardly be considered complete.
A complete interior auto restoration job usually involves completely vacuuming out the car, removing the floor panels and inner door panels, thoroughly cleaning the inside with a solvent or other cleansing solution, taking out the old seats and re-installing the new parts which may have broken piece by piece. A top auto restoration should also carefully clean and restore smaller parts like the glove compartment and sun visors that may be broken or missing.
Luckily, auto restoration doesn’t have to break the bank — that is, if you’re smart about it. Pops Auto Electric of Orlando Florida knows that door panels sometimes can be saved and restored if the vinyl is undamaged. Chrome spray paint can touch up the chrome trim inside the car. Also, every part doesn’t necessarily need to be ordered brand new.
In fact, many parts in a scrap yard or outsourced to many manufacturers known only to top professionals in the restoration industry. They say first impressions last forever. On any car, the first thing we notice is the way it looks on the outside. If you’re going to go through an auto restoration, with the intent to show it off or just to sell it at an auction or other event, it had better have a top-notch exterior or it won’t get noticed.
Pops Auto Electric of Orlando is shipped cars from around the country because they know all the latest methods of auto restoration are used to make that car look perfect, attract the eyes and have that showroom fresh feel. Think about all of the parts that comprise the outside of a car — door handles, mirrors, the windshield, the gas cap, headlights, taillights, bumpers, hood latches and more. All of these things need to be examined and repaired or replaced as necessary in the auto restoration process.
One of Pops Auto Electric’s specialties is making those dull and yellowed headlight covers, and all the plastic parts on the exterior, look like the day they were manufactured. This is your chance to get a beloved car looking, feeling and driving like the day you brought it home.
Whether you are asking Pops Auto Electric of Orlando to do an auto restoration a 1995 Corvette LT1 to showroom condition, or just wanting auto restoration to make that 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee look as good as it still drives, Pops Auto Electric can handle it. From 2005 Mercedes 550 to 1968 Mustangs, from 2001 Hondas to 1978 Porsche 911, Pops Auto Electric has you covered with the most innovative and complete auto restoration in Florida!
Pops Auto Electric & AC of Orlando Florida Explains Oil Change for Honda Civic
Filter access
First step when you want to do an oil change for Honda Civic with the D16 engine, the oil filter is located on the back side of the engine, beneath the intake manifold, making access difficult from above. The best method to remove the old filter is to use a “cup type” oil filter wrench. Once you have this wrench, it fits the flutes on the end of the filter, use an extension of appropriate length, and a ratchet handle; this assembly is wormed down through the very narrow space between intake manifold and firewall and onto the filter.
4 reasons uninstalling an oil filter for Honda Civic can become complicated:
1) An oil filter has previously been installed which has a different size than the stock Honda filter. Some of the national oil-change chains will often install what they have and make it fit.
2) The oil filter may refuse to be removed may be because of over tightening when installed
3) Too long a time lapse since the last installation of the filter
4) In some cases use of oil leak sealant additives, which can cause the rubber seal on the filter to adhere tightly to the block this is by design, to cause rubber gaskets to seal more tightly and stop an oil leak.
Any of the problems above may give you pause before attempting an oil change for Honda Civic. Many simply do not change the Oil Filter, a very big mistake. We at Pops Auto Electric can quickly, efficiently and at a price that will not break the bank, handle any of these problems. Pops Auto Electric is a full service shop, we are not a chain and we want to help you keep that Honda Civic on the road for many years. When it comes to customizing paint restoration even installing power windows, we will be here to help.
Let’s assume you got the oil filter off and have not stripped the engine attachment threads when doing an oil change for Honda Civic:
Oil Draining Plug
When doing an oil change for Honda Civic the oil drain plug can be a source of problems. The stock plug uses an aluminum crush washer to seal against leaks, which must be torqued fairly tightly (the same system is used on the manual transmission fill and drain plugs). Contrary to occasional practice, the washer should never be reused except as a temporary measure in an emergency, as it then requires even more torque to properly seal. Given the relatively high torque needed to properly seal the plug, it is not unusual for the plug to be over tightened and the threads stripped; luckily, it is usually the plug which is damaged and can be replaced, rather than the more complex process of fixing damaged threads in the oil pan. Some enterprising mechanics substitute a nylon washer, as is sometimes found on other cars, rather than the aluminum washer; the torque required for proper sealing is greatly lessened, but the nylon has a tendency to soften when hot and creep out from under the plug, so that leaks develop over time, particularly in warmer temperatures. One possible solution is to install one of the oil drain valves, available either from Fumoto or Fram. These take the place of the stock drain plug, by threading into the oil pan, and utilize a valve which is turned by hand to drain the engine oil. While tapping the drain hole and installing a larger plug, or installing a self-tapping plug are acceptable, they are not the recommended solution, as these types of plugs tend develop leaks over a short period of time. Also, the metal shavings created by the tap may become suspended in the remaining oil, causing premature engine wear. The proper repair, if the threads for the drain plug in the oil pan become stripped, is to replace the engine oil pan altogether. Simply stated, oil change for Honda Civic is no easy task, it can cause serious damage to the engine if preformed improperly and extra experience to repair the damage you have done. Complications can arise from oil changes preformed by a previous owner, in the best case situation; you need specialized tools and the knowledge that only comes from years of experience.
Call us; we are here to help you with oil change for Honda Civic, with a very special price.
Pops Auto Electric & AC, a full service auto repair shop
Symptoms and Common Problems of an Automotive Air Conditioning System
In Florida, A broken automotive air conditioning system can be almost as bad as not having a car in the first place. Yet another hot, humid Florida summer is suddenly upon us and we can’t put off automotive air conditioning system problems another day. Suddenly having an automotive air conditioning system that works, and works well, is of the utmost importance to your very existence. It is almost imposable to arrive at a meeting, the mall, or a friend’s house sweating and flushed by stale, hot car air, and in Central Florida, downright unhealthy!
Having an automotive air conditioner system that works only part way may get by in a northern city with 3 months of hot weather, but faulty air conditioners can cause bigger damage to your car down the road if left unattended in an area with a full 8 months of truly hot weather.
An air conditioner running low on Freon, on dirty coolant or on faulty electrical wiring can end up ruining the entire air conditioning compressor (much more expensive than a simple recharge or flush). An automotive air conditioning systems are connected to the rest of the vehicle’s electrical system, meaning a surge or problem with the air conditioner can cause problems with the rest of the car, causing poor idling, fuel inefficiencies or drained batteries, or much worse – prematurely spent alternator and serpentine belt.
Generally, automotive air conditioning systems are fast, easy and inexpensive to repair if handled correctly with the right equipment or by a professional with the same. Most automotive air conditioning system problems are coolant-related, and may often be as simple as getting a coolant flush, refill or fixed leak. Do not be fooled by the “you can fix the leak yourself” cans available at your local Wal-Mart and Big Lots, you will more than likely destroy your compressor, do not use these products!
With that said, your automotive air conditioning system is not one of those devices most technicians recommend fixing at home anyway, unless you’re a qualified mechanic. Most do-it-yourself instructions for fixing broken auto air conditioners contain scary phrases, like “it is illegal to release Freon gas into the atmosphere” and “be sure to wear proper hand and eye protection”. Plus, there are many different things that could be wrong with the car’s air conditioning system, which if handled by a professional could be a simple fix, yet handled wrong could turn into a repair costing literally thousands.
Pop’s Auto Electric and AC has compiled a list of most often found problems associated with automotive air conditioning systems:
1) Coolant and/or Refrigerant Leaks:
This generally applies to older, less computerized vehicles. Refrigerant can run out on its own over the course of time, or leaks may have developed in the car’s AC compressor or one of its hoses. If your vehicle has never had a coolant flush or refill and it’s pushing 75,000 miles or more, you need a coolant flush and ac tune up.
2) Noisy AC Compressor:
Noises that occur when your car’s AC is turned on can come from minor engine noises or hoses, but they could also be symptoms of problems with the compressor. If the problem is the AC compressor, it will likely have to be replaced. If you do not have the noise looked at and it turns out to be a faulty compressor, what could have been just a compressor replacement, can turn into a whole system replacement as pieces of the disintegrating compressor are spread throughout the entire automotive air conditioning system, if it is to completely come apart.
3) Fluctuating Temperatures:
When a car’s AC blows out air with sporadic temperatures, it’s often likely that moisture is building up in one of the hoses or assemblies, causing ice to accumulate and clog. Removing ice from a car’s air conditioning assembly is a short and easy procedure. Delaying this repair, can damage the dryer, compressor and lead to much higher repair cost.
4) Faulty Car Electrical System:
pops auto and electric
A weak car battery can cause your auto air conditioner to function weakly or not at all. Car batteries need to have enough voltage to trigger the AC compressor, and while it may be strong enough to run the rest of your car, it may still be too weak to run your car’s air conditioning. Electric is one of Pop’s Auto Electric & AC’s particular specialties, no problem with this one!
5) Bacteria Buildup:
Funky smells emanating from your automotive air conditioning system vents are likely caused by a bacteria buildup in the evaporator. Pops Auto Electric & AC will have the proper tools to flush the evaporator out quickly and without much cost. Your car will smell clean and fresh again without that pine sent thing, we like to make you smile!
So what are some basic ways to tell if any of these are a problem for your car’s air conditioning unit? Here’s a basic checklist of symptoms which indicate something is wrong with your auto AC:
If the AC system doesn’t produce cold air
If the fan or blower doesn’t work
If the fan, blower or AC is noisy when turned on
If one of the dashboard controls malfunctions
If the vent, car heater or defroster are having problems working correctly
If the air conditioning smells funny
If the car has a tendency to overheat
If the air filter or dryer have not been replaced, or if the AC has never been serviced and the car is over 75,000 miles old
If one of these symptoms applies to your automotive air conditioning system, it’s probably time to have it inspected by a qualified mechanic at Pop’s Auto Electric & AC here in Central Florida. Caught early, most auto air conditioning problems are fairly easy and inexpensive to fix. It is worth the trip to come to an honest mechanic, a shop that specializes in automotive air conditioning systems and has a good on line reputation is your best bet; don’t take chances and beat the heat!
Info
Address:
Pops Auto Electric & AC
4704 S. Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32806
Phone:
407.857.8579
407.420.1244
Fax:
407.857.6535
Simply mention the coupon when calling from the website
Pops Auto Electric, Explains the Ups and Downs of Amperes
Amperes
Amperes, amps, or current is the measure of the flow of electricity through a given circuit, and vital in diagnosing automotive electrical problems. It’s the (I) in the Ohm’s law equation above. Amps are different than voltage in that amps are the same throughout the entire circuit, unlike voltage, which starts out high then drops to zero when it reaches the negative battery post. Amps are the same at the beginning and the end of a circuit. If you have five amps at the beginning of the circuit, you’ll have five amps at the end of the circuit.
To continue with our automotive analogy, we’ll equate amps to speed. The higher the amps, the faster the speed. The number of amps a circuit uses is dictated by the load and the resistance in the circuit. The bigger the load, the more amps a circuit will use. A starter motor will use a lot more amps than a window motor because the window motor will not need as many amps to run as a starter motor would. This next fact about amps gets a little weird. The lower the resistance in a circuit, the higher the amp flow.
Sticking with our speed analogy, the more amps you have in a circuit, the faster things flow. Remember in the first blog we stated that if you had a short circuit you’d blow fuses and possibly burn things up? That was talking about amps.
If you have unrestricted electron flow with no load, amps get out of control. It’s like a speeding locomotive that goes off the track. Something is going to break. With automotive electrical problems, it’s usually the weakest link, which should be the fuse. Ever notice how fuses are rated in amps, not voltage? Now you know why.
One last little factoid about amps: You can have high voltage in a circuit and it won’t be that harmful to you. It’ll wake you up for sure, but it won’t kill you. However, if you have just a few amps to go with that high voltage, watch out. As little as 0.2 amps mixed with the right amount of voltage can kill you.
In fact, it might even be less than that depending on the circumstances. It’s not the voltage that hurts you; it’s the amps. It doesn’t take too many amps to knock you on your butt, so be extra careful when dealing with amps. This is why, if you don’t fully understand automotive electric problems, leave it to the professionals, call Pops Auto Electric now. To use another common analogy, if volts are pressure, amps are intensity or volume. You can have lots of pressure, but when you add intensity, things can get lively.
Ampere Testing
Professionals don’t often do amp testing when dealing with automotive circuits, other than when performing a parasitic draw test. There are two ways you can test amps in an automotive circuit when diagnosing automotive electrical problems. The first is with an inductive amp meter.
This is a tool that measures the magnetic field around a wire. The circuit has to be live for this to work. Say you’re looking to test the amps going to the starter via the positive battery cable. Place your amp meter around the positive battery cable and engage the starter to take your reading. You won’t get a reading if you’re not cranking the starter.
The other way to measure amps is by tying into the circuit directly, or tying in ‘series’. This means you open the circuit somewhere and insert your amp meter. All the amps in the circuit need to flow through your meter in order to test this way.
This can be tricky, and many a DVOM has suffered from improper amp testing. Don’t worry; most of them are fused, so if you mess up, hopefully you’ll be able to replace a fuse and be back in business. So to be safe when checking high amp circuits, use an inductive lead instead of connecting in series, or simply make an appointment with Pops Auto Electric and avoid problems. Remember, be careful when dealing with amps.
This works for every electrical circuit according to Ohm’s law. Once you know the circuit, you know where the gas (voltage) is going and you can measure it at different points in the circuit to get a good idea of how the circuit is operating.
One last example that might give you some practical insight: Say you have an electrical connector with some corrosion in it. You can’t see the corrosion, but you suspect it’s there. You can take a voltage reading before and after the connector to check the voltage drop across the connector. You should see close to zero volts. If you see a higher voltage than expected, you’ve found increased resistance in the circuit.
Voltage drop testing is your best friend when it comes to diagnosing automotive electric circuits. At Pop’s Auto Electric, we are experts in all forms of voltage testing. In fact local shops call us to trace, diagnose and fix difficult automotive electrical problems. Call Pop’s Auto Electric today for a free estimate.
Call Pops Auto Electric today for any repair work, but call right now if you experience any of the automotive electric system repair signs listed above, save your families life, fix those problems now!
Contact Info
Address:
Pops Auto Electric & AC
4704 S. Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32806
Phone:
407.857.8579
407.420.1244
Fax:
407.857.6535
Simply mention the coupon when calling from the website
What is a “complete” brake job? It is a brake repair job that does not leave important things undone to save time and money. We are talking about things like rebuilding or replacing high mileage calipers and wheel cylinders, replacing disc and drum brake hardware, resurfacing or replacing drums and rotors, changing the brake fluid and bleeding all the lines, checking and adjusting the parking brake and even checking the ABS system.
Overlooking items such as these may have no immediate impact on how the brakes work, but it may at some point down the road. And that can often mean the difference between a brake job that lasts and one that does not last or performs poorly.
Not everybody can afford a comprehensive overhaul of their brake system, and many vehicles don’t need a lot of work. But in instances where additional work can prolong the life of the brake system, improve safety or enhance brake performance, it should be done.
For instance, there’s no need to reline the rear brakes when installing a set of front disc brake pads as long as the rear brakes are in good condition. But if the shoes are marginal or have been contaminated by fluid leaks or grease, they should be replaced — along with any other drum components that are not in acceptable condition. Even if the shoes are still within service limits, you should ask yourself if they’ll last as long as the pads you’re replacing up front. If the shoes don’t have a lot of meat left in them, install new linings on the rear brakes as well.
Whether or not the brake calipers and wheel cylinders need attention also depends on their condition. Any sign of leakage or binding calls for immediate repair or replacement. And even if they’re not leaking, sticking or frozen, you can rebuild or replace these components for preventive maintenance to extend the life of the brake system. Caliper seals harden with age and piston bores corrode. When a piston is shoved back into its bore to accept new thicker pads, seal wear may accelerate if the seals are rubbing against a pitted or corroded surface. This can lead to fluid leakage and contamination of the brake pads.
Brake Repair Precautions
NEVER crawl under an improperly supported vehicle. In other words, never trust a jack alone to hold the vehicle up. Always use a pair of support stands positioned underneath the vehicle to keep it from falling on you. Make sure the weight ratings on the support stands is more than adequate to hold up the vehicle’s weight, too. Do not use blocks of wood, boxes, wheels or bricks for supports because these may slip or collapse and allow the vehicle to fall.
Wear breathing protection (an OSHA-approved mask, not just a cheap dust mask) when removing brake dust. NEVER use an air hose to blow brake dust off brake components. Brake dust may contain asbestos or other fibers that can cause lung disease if inhaled. Use a liquid cleaner to remove brake dust.
Do not open any brake lines or replace any components in a vehicle equipped with an “integral” ABS system (one where the master cylinder is combined with the ABS modulator, pump and pressure accumulator) without first depressurizing the system. This can usually be done by depressing the brake pedal 24 to 40 times while the key is off.
WHERE TO START: BRAKE INSPECTION
Good brakes are absolutely essential for safe driving, so the foundation of a complete brake job begins with a thorough inspection of the entire brake system, including the antilock brake system if the vehicle is so equipped.
On ABS-equipped vehicles, turn the ignition on to verify the ABS warning light circuit works. The ABS light should come on for a few seconds then go out if everything is fine. No light? Then you’ve found a bulb that needs replacing or a wiring problem. If the light comes on and remains on (does not go out), then further diagnosis will be required to find out what’s wrong with the ABS system. For more information about ABS brakes, call Pop’s Auto Electric and AC.
On some ABS systems, faults may have occurred that may not be serious enough to cause a continuous ABS warning light. These may be stored in the ABS module’s memory as “non-latching” or “soft” fault codes. To read ABS codes, you need a scan tool with ABS capability.
Next comes the brake system itself:
Apply the brakes and start the engine. Does the pedal drop slightly? That’s good because it indicates a good vacuum booster. No boost may indicate a leaky booster diaphragm or vacuum connection
How does the brake pedal feel? Is it firm? A soft or mushy-feeling pedal usually indicates air in the lines or leaks. A pedal that slowly sinks is a classic symptom of a worn master cylinder. Is the amount of pedal travel normal? A low pedal may indicate worn linings, the need for adjustment, defective or frozen drum brake adjusters or a low fluid level.
Do the brake lights come on when you step on the pedal? No lights may indicate a defective or misadjusted brake light pedal switch or burned out bulbs in the tail lights.
Apply the parking brake. Does the pedal or handle work smoothly? Is it adjusted properly? Does the brake light come on? No brake warning light may indicate a bad bulb or defective or misadjusted parking brake switch. Does the parking brake hold the vehicle? Put the transmission into gear while the parking brake is applied. If it fails to hold the vehicle, it needs adjusting. Now release the parking brake. Failure to release fully means the linkage or cables need attention.
Open the hood and check the fluid level and its appearance. A low level may indicate a leak or worn linings. Discoloration indicates moisture contamination and the need for a fluid change.
Remove a front wheel and measure the thickness of the brake pads. If worn down to minimum specifications or if wear indicators are making contact with the rotor, new linings are needed. If the pads are still above specs, you might want to replace them anyway if they are near the end of their service life or if they are noisy.
Replacing your old noisy brake pads with ceramic pads can eliminate annoying brake squeal.
Applying a moly-based high temperature brake grease to the backs of the pads
can also help dampen vibrations and noise.
REPLACE BRAKE PADS
Replacement brake pads are available in many different brands and grades. Economy grade or “value” line pads are the least expensive. They are okay for many vehicles, but will not last or provide the same kind of stopping performance as standard grade or premium grade pads. Standard replacement pads are for everyday driving and are a good choice for many applications.
Braking performance and service life should be similar to the original equipment pads. Premium pads (ceramic or semi-metallic) are usually recommended for vehicles where wear or noise has been a problem, or for hard-use, high temperature applications. Ceramic pads are also low dusting, so they are a good upgrade if you drive a European vehicle and you don’t like to see black brake dust on your wheels.
Because of the different friction characteristics of different kinds and brands of brake pads, you should replace same with same, or better.
If your car came originally equipped with non-asbestos organic (NAO) pads, you should look for replacement pads that are NAO. Or you could upgrade to ceramic pads for longer life and quieter braking, or even semi-metallic pads for high temperature, hard use driving.
If your car came originally equipped with ceramic pads (which are found on many late model cars), you should buy some brand of aftermarket ceramic pad. Likewise, if you drive a large SUV that is equipped with semi-metallic pads, you should replace them with an aftermarket quality brand of semi-metallic pads.
When you remove the old pads, look for uneven wear. If the inner or outer pad shows much more wear than its companion, the caliper may be sticking. This should be fixed before the new pads are installed.
Also check the old pads for any sign of contamination (brake fluid, oil or grease). If the caliper is leaking brake fluid, it must be rebuilt or replaced before new pads are installed. The same goes for a leaky wheel cylinder in a rear drum brake. Oil or grease can come from a leaky wheel bearing or axle seal.
Before you can install the new pads, the caliper piston(s) must be pushed back into the caliper to make room for the new pads (which will be thicker than the old worn pads). A large C-clamp can be used for this purpose.
When the new pads are installed, make sure they fit snugly in the caliper mount. If any mounting shims, springs or anti-rattle clips are badly corroded or missing, install new mounting hardware. Also inspect the caliper bushings, pins and slides for damage, wear or severe corrosion. Replace as needed.
ROTOR CHECKS
Also note the condition of the rotors. Deep scratches or grooves indicate a need for resurfacing. Are there discolored spots, heat cracks or warpage? These may also indicate a need for rotor resurfacing or replacement.
Rotor runout can be measured by placing a dial indicator against the face of the rotor and turning the rotor. If runout exceeds specifications, corrective measures are needed.
Measure runout and parallelism, too. As a general rule, the rotors on most cars and trucks should have less than .003 inches of runout, and some cars cannot tolerate any more than .0015 inches of runout. If runout is higher than this, it might be corrected by reindexing the position of the rotor on the hub (Note: hub runout should also be checked, resurfacing the rotors on the vehicle with an on-car lathe, or by installing tapered shims behind the rotors.)
Note the condition of the calipers and caliper mounts. Also note whether or not the pads are worn evenly. Uneven pad wear can be caused by corrosion on the caliper mounting guides or keyway.
Pull a drum and inspect the drum surface, brake shoes, hardware and wheel cylinder. If the shoe linings are at, or below minimum specifications, new shoes are needed. If the linings are still above minimum specs but are getting thin, new shoes should be recommended to extend the life of the brakes.
Check everywhere for leaks: the master cylinder, proportioning valve, steel brake lines and rubber hoses, and ABS components if so equipped. Have a helper apply the brakes while you look underneath. Rubber hoses should not expand under pressure. Any hoses that are chaffed, cracked or swell under pressure need to be replaced.
Any leak is a potential safety hazard because loss of fluid can mean loss of stopping power. If you discover a leak, do not postpone repairs because leaks create a potentially dangerous situation.
MINIMIZING BRAKE NOISE
That brings us to the problem of noise, which seems to be an especially troublesome problem these days for many vehicles. Another aspect of the complete brake job is doing everything you can to minimize noise.
Anything that causes or increases vibration amplifies brake noise. This includes excessive runout or roughness on the face of the rotors, glazed linings, loose pads, even rusted, worn or loose caliper mounts.
Resurfacing the rotors may therefore be necessary to reduce pad vibration. You might also install pad shims or insulators to dampen vibrations between the pads and calipers and new caliper mounting hardware to prevent problems here, too. Brake grease can also be applied to the backs of the pads to dampen noise.
BRAKE ROTOR RESURFACING
Rotor resurfacing is not necessary when the pads are replaced provided the rotors are in reasonably good condition (within acceptable runout, parallelism and wear specs). Even so, there are valid reasons for having the rotors resurfaced.
If a rotor is close to the OEM minimum thickness specification or cannot be resurfaced without exceeding the spec, then the rotor is near the end of its useful service life and replacement is recommended. If the rotor is at or below the minimum thickness specification, it must be replaced.
Worn rotors are dangerous rotors for three important reasons:
Worn rotors have less mass and are therefore less able to absorb and dissipate heat. This can elevate brake temperatures, which may lead to fading under hard use. Pad wear will also be accelerated.
Worn rotors are weak rotors. If not replaced, they may wear down to the point where they cause brake failure.
Worn rotors increase the distance the caliper piston(s) have to travel when the brakes are applied. If the distance is too great, there’s a danger of fluid leakage or the piston sticking.
Another reason for resurfacing rotors is if lateral runout or wobble exceeds OEM specs. You can attempt to reindex the rotor, but the best solution is to resurface the rotor on the vehicle with an on-car lathe. The lathe will cut the rotor true to the caliper mount or hub (depending upon how the equipment is mounted).
Resurfacing may also be needed if parallelism between the rotor faces exceeds OEM specs (generally about .0005 in.). If the rotor is warped or has hard spots, it will have to be resurfaced or replaced.
Hard spots that develop from overheating or uneven torquing of lug nuts can create raised areas on the surface that often extend below the surface. The metallurgical changes in the rotor will often cause the hard spots to return after a few thousand miles, so rotor replacement might be the best repair recommendation.
Regardless of the type of rotor resurfacing equipment used, always remove the least amount of metal necessary to restore the rotor surface. This will maximize rotor life. After turning the rotor on a lathe, some technicians will buff both sides of the rotor with a Flex Tool or sand the rotors with #120 to #150 grit sandpaper with moderate to heavy force for 60 seconds on each side to create a smooth, nondirectional or crosshatch finish. This is done to minimize the risk of noise with semimetallic pads.
REPLACING BRAKE HARDWARE
A complete brake job may also include new hardware. When replacing brake shoes, pay close attention to the condition of the hardware — especially the all-important return springs. Over time, heat weakens the springs and reduces their ability to pull the shoes back from the drum when the brakes are released. The brakes may begin to drag, causing shoe wear to accelerate and fuel economy to take a noticeable dip.
As the springs continue to age, they get weaker, stretch and may eventually break. MAP says there’s no reason to replace the springs unless they are obviously stretched, heat discolored, broken or damaged. But because of the risks associated with reusing high mileage springs and mounting hardware, you should install new return springs and other brake hardware — especially if the vehicle has a lot of miles on it.
If a parking brake cable is badly corroded and needs replacing, replace both cables to minimize the risk of future problems.
And don’t forget the wheel bearings. The greasable variety in older rear-wheel drive vehicles need to be cleaned, inspected, repacked with fresh grease, reinstalled with new seals and adjusted to specs. The sealed variety should be inspected for excessive play or roughness. If either type are not in acceptable condition, they need to be replaced.
Be sure to lubricate the shoe support pads on the drum backing plates with brake lubricant (never ordinary chassis grease). Also, lubricate the parking brake mechanism.
BLEED THE BRAKES
A complete brake repair job also includes fresh brake fluid. Bleeding is necessary for two reasons:
To remove air bubbles that may have entered the system while repairs were being made because of a leak or a brake fluid level that got too low. The air must be removed because it is compressible and can prevent a full, firm pedal.
To remove moisture contamination.
Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time, which lowers its boiling point and contributes to internal corrosion.
Changing the fluid periodically (every two years or when the brakes are relined) for preventive maintenance rids the brake system of unwanted moisture, restores the fluid’s boiling temperature and prolongs the life of the hydraulic components by minimizing the potential for internal corrosion. This can be an especially important consideration on vehicles equipped with antilock brakes (ABS) because of the high replacement cost of the hydraulic modulator assembly.
FINISHING THE BRAKE REPAIR JO
When you’ve completed your brake repair, pump the brake pedal several times to confirm the pedal is firm before moving or driving the vehicle. If this is not done, the pedal may go to the floor and the brakes may be unable to stop the vehicle!
Do a short test drive at slow speed to confirm the brakes are working properly. The pedal should feel firm, the brakes should apply without pulling or grabbing, and you should hear no noise.
30/30/30 BRAKE PAD BURNISHING PROCEDURE
Perform 30 stops from 30 miles per hour with a 30-second cooling interval between stops. These stops will be performed at a decelerating rate of 12 feet per second or less. This means that it should be a gentle easy stop.
The 30/30/30 Burnish Procedure beds the pads and shoes into the rotor and drums. It also deposits the necessary friction transfer to the rotors and drums for optimum brake performance.
Do NOT go out and slam on the brakes as hard as you can. This can glaze the pads resulting in brake noise and reduced stopping performance. Take it easy on the brakes the first couple hundred miles of driving.
If the pedal feels soft or spongy, there may be air trapped in the brake lines. You should bleed the brake lines again to remove the air. If the pedal has too much travel, the self-adjusters inside the drums may need to be readjusted to reduce the clearance between the shoes and drums.
If the brakes pull or grab, a caliper may be sticking or there may be oil, grease or brake fluid on the pads or rotors. Inspect and clean as needed.
Complete brake repair job services are available from the experts at Pops Auto Electric and AC. Pop’s has certified brake experts and guarantee to meet or beat any brake repair quote from a legitimate auto service center. Give Pops Auto Electric and AC a call for all your auto repair needs, but epically if you hear any of the symptoms discussed above, don’t gamble with your families lives, call today:
Power brake boosters
Emergency / parking brake
Anti lock, disc and drum brakes
Call Pops Auto Electric today for any repair work, but call right now if you experience any of the brake system repair signs listed above, save your families life, fix those brakes!
Make Your Aging Auto Look New Again; Pop’s Auto Electric in Orlando Helps with Black to Black or Gray Bumper Restoration
The Process Works on Window Rubber and Trim Just as Well!
Are your car’s bumpers fading to gray, even though you are still making payments? Do you need to get the bumpers and trim on your car back to black? Have they faded to a horrible dull grey color? With so many different products on the market which is the best way to get them back to that deep back to black showroom blackness?
It can be very confusing, you’ve probably seen reference to them all; Protectants and restorative products, detailing products and bumper dressings, all designed to transform the look of your car bumpers and car trim back to black. But no matter how many of these products you try, they never work the way the package promises.
The problem with many of these products is that they make your trim look great on first application but will only tend to last a matter of weeks before they fade away and you then have to re-apply to get that car back to black look again.
So what causes the fading problem in the first place and how do you find a more permanent fix to you faded bumpers? The main cause of fading is bleaching from the sun’s UV ray. Many of the car back to black products available will therefore also contain chemicals and conditioners that provide additional protection from these UV rays, but again if they are not giving a longer term fix to the initial fading then they are mainly only preventing further dulling of the grayness.
Best Long Lasting Car Back to Black Products
From the hundreds of car back to black products available on the market there are only a handful that really provide more permanent, longer term solution. These actually bring long-lasting deep showroom blackness back to your faded bumpers and trim. But these are only available commercially and need to be professionally applied. Many of the dealers that do the applications are very expensive and the application needs time to “Cure”.
Pop’s Auto Electric can apply the commercial products quickly and inexpensively, giving your car a new appearance, and do the job while you are in for a tune up or AC repair. Few respected full service auto repair shops have full detailing facilities, but Pops Auto Electric in Orlando Florida is one that does.
To get the deep black color that you desire when doing it yourself, the steps you need to follow for true back to black results are really very simple and straight forward:
1) Simply remove all dirt and grease from your bumpers and trim
2) Ensure the parts to be re-colored are dry
3) Using either a supplied applicator or a sponge applicator pad, evenly apply a coating of your chosen product across the surface or your bumper or other trim.
The problem with the do it yourself back to black products is the effect is short lived, but if you want to try it, the process is just that simple.
You may find that with some older cars, ones with extreme sun bleaching that a second coat may be required one the first has dried but providing no dirt or grease has been allowed to settle on it then it’s simply a case of directly applying on top of the first coat. However if dirt or dust of any kind has settled on the bumper it will be a mess, like lacquer when dust or dirt falls on the surface before it fully dries. If the job is done at Pops Auto Electric in Orlando, this is never a problem getting back to black.
And it’s not just bumpers that these products can be used on, depending on your choice back to black results can also be seen on rubber parts and hoses, door handles, side trim, mud guards, interior plastic trim, running boards and even some soft-tops! If the job is done at Pop’s Auto Electric, you can simply request which parts you want restored professionally, to that showroom look.
So if your trim is looking a little faded hopefully the above will help you in your choice of products to help get the bumpers and other parts on your car back to black again. Hopefully, if you are like me and want the look going back to black but not the work, you call Pop’s Auto Electric and get a showroom look, it really makes you proud of that aging car, and its fast and easy, why not call today!
Seem complicated, we can help. For many years Pops Auto Electric in Orlando has been the expert dealers bring their problem auto AC systems to fix. These dealers and shops know that Pops Auto Electric will not only fix the problem, but do it as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. Pops Auto Electric located at the corner of Orange and Holden have all the latest in auto AC repair equipment, you can’t find a more competent or honest shop.
Have you seen a dash light come on and then headlights dim slightly when blinkers are on, how about a growling noise coming from under the hood. These could be signs of alternator problems, a very simple repair for a professional, but if unattended, can leave you stranded and at the mercy of whatever help happens to be in towing distance.
Here in Central Florida, Pops Auto Electric prides itself on superior service at very reasonable prices, and auto electric like the car’s alternator is a particular specialty. Wherever you are located in the world, find a trusted auto electric specialist like Pops Auto Electric here in Central Florida, because automobile alternators going bad can be a symptom of more complex auto electric problems.
Basically, when the engine is running, an automobile alternator, when functioning properly, provides all electric to the various needs of the automobile, from the operating of the spark plugs to lights, blinkers, radio, ac fan and charging the automobile battery. When you add after market electrical items like effect lighting or a high end speaker system, you must make sure the automobile alternator is rated to handle the extra load.
If you see dimming of lights, bad radio reception, and intermittent warning lights, this is not due to a failing battery, it is most likely a problem with your automobile alternator.
Here are the 5 signs of a failing or insufficient automobile alternator:
1) Warning Light: this light will be red usually and shaped like a battery or the letters ALT or GEN. This light comes on because of an automobile alternator problem or an electrical problem that is effecting the alternator’s ability to charge the battery. If you see this light on, and you are in Central Florida call 407 857 8597 for no cost advice or call a professional auto electric specialist in your area, immediately. This problem will not go away, the longer you wait the less choices you will have.
2) If your lights dim when the ac turns on or goes up and down slightly when the blinker is on, you have an electrical problem. Either the automobile alternator is failing or is insufficient to handle the power requirements of your mode of transportation, call for help before it is too late, the problem will not go away, it will get worse, and then the over strained or failing automobile alternator will simply fail all together.
3) Do you smell burning rubber, here a growling or wining sound, you may have waited too long, get to an auto electric specialist now! When an automobile alternator completely fails, it can seize, which stops the pulley of the serpentine belt (see Pops Auto Electric blog on Serpentine Belt on the previous page) and the belt will fail. If this happens, you are stuck wherever you are, do not attempt to drive the car with a broken serpentine belt, you will overheat and seize the engine. If this has happened to you, don’t worry, if you are in Central Florida call 407 857 8597 and Pops Auto Electric will come get you and fix your problems, you can depend on them.
4) If your car won’t start and you have a relatively new battery, a simple charge is probably not the answer; it is most likely an alternator or electric problem, go to an auto electric specialist in your area, this problem will not go away. If you left your lights on, a mistake we have all made, charge the battery, if the battery has gone dead for no apparent reason, it could be alternator, or improperly wired component, a short or any number of things only an auto electric specialist like Pops Auto Electric is qualified to diagnose.
5) If the battery goes dead but your alternator checks out OK, a professional like Pops Auto Electric, in Orlando Florida, can quickly and efficiently diagnose the problem. Don’t take chances; small electrical problems can lead to major life threatening automobile fires and life threatening situations. Automobile electric issues could mean you or your family may be injured, go to an auto electric specialist now.
If you own a late model car made somewhere on earth, you can bet it probably has a serpentine belt. A serpentine belt is a single ribbed belt that drives all the accessories, A/C, Power Steering, alternator and various other pumps and accessories with just one belt. They should require no maintenance unlike belts on older models called the V-Belt that needed periodic adjusting. Even though the serpentine belt requires no maintenance or adjustments as long as it is in good condition they do need to be inspected often to you replace the belt before it reaches the end of its life and leaves you dead on the road. If it starts to go bad, you can replace your serpentine belt at a time of your choosing and not when the belt decides for you. When a serpentine belt brakes, you lose everything, cooling, ac and alternator, you do not want to let this happen. Checking ribbed drive belts at every oil change, and the position of the self-adjusting mechanism indicator, will insure you catch a bad belt long before it snaps.
The backside of the serpentine drive belt, or the smooth side, usually drives the water pump. If the serpentine belt gets oil soaked or glazed, it will slip and not provide the proper circulation to keep the engine cool. And if there is oil on the serpentine belt, it’s coming from somewhere so you will need to find out where and fix it before putting on a new serpentine drive belt. We suggest calling Pops Auto Electric for help, but do it yourselfer read on.
Look for tears or abrasions. If you see any it means the serpentine drive belt is rubbing a pulley flange or bolt as it winds it way around. This will happen more often as the drive belt gets older. If this happens you may need to file a pulley flange smooth or bend something out of the way. We again recommend a qualified mechanic, for filing engine parts can cause permanent damage if not done correctly.
Also look for pinholes and/or bumps. If you see any it means dirt and debris is getting in between the serpentine drive belt and the pulleys. Turn the belt around and see if there are chunks of the ribs missing. You can crank the engine to expose sections of belt as you inspect. A few, small widely spaced chunks are okay, But if there are many and/or close together, replace the serpentine drive belt. We cannot emphasize strongly enough that inspecting the belt in this manor can endanger your fingers, hundreds of fingers are lost each year but not taking proper safety precautions, do not touch the belt when moving, the groves will grip your fingers and could cause irreparable damage to your person. Hairline cracks are normal, but if they go into the backing, or flat side, of the serpentine drive belt you will need to replace it.
A good rule of thumb for serpentine drive belts is that if cracks are observed 3 mm (1/8 in) apart, all around the belt, the belt may be reaching the end of its serviceable life and should be considered a candidate for changing. Small cracks spaced at greater intervals should not be considered as indicative that the belt needs changing. However, the onset of cracking typically signals that the belt is only about halfway through its usable life. Remember, using a qualified auto mechanic shop like Pops Auto Electric in Orlando Florida is inexpensive compared to the expense of replacing engine parts and worse case fingers.
Insulation of the Serpentine belt in Your Automobile
Check the tensioner first
A “good” tensioner arm should exhibit just a slight vibration with about 1/32 in. or less of arm movement. And the belt should run smoothly with no visible vibration. If the tensioner arm exhibits a jerky vibrating motion, the belt vibrates, or the tensioning arm moves 1/4 in., the tensioner is bad.
If your tensioner is bad and it’s one of the more difficult styles to replace, you won’t want to waste your time changing the belt. The shop would just have to remove the belt again to replace the tensioner. So check the tensioner first with these three tests and if it looks like it could be bad contact Pops Auto Electric in Central Florida or a qualified auto repair shop for verification.
The first test is a visual inspection with the engine running to assess the dampening feature of the tensioner. Pop the hood, start the engine and turn on the AC. Then shine a light on the belt tensioner and observe the tensioner arm roller for excessive movement (Photo 1). If it passes the visual test, move on to the “crank” test (Photo 2). The tensioner arm should rotate smoothly during crank and release with no binding. If the travel isn’t smooth, replace the entire tensioner. Next, check the condition of the tensioner arm pulley/roller (Photo 3). If the pulley or roller exhibits any roughness, binding or noise, that is also cause to replace the entire tensioner.
Many tensioners are readily accessible and attach to the engine with a single bolt. To replace that style, simply remove the belt and then the retaining bolt. Pull off the old tensioner, noting the location of the locking pin on the back. Then slide the new unit into place, lining up the locking pin with the hole in the engine. Hand-tighten the bolt and then tighten it with a torque wrench to the factory specifications shown in your shop manual.
How to tell if you need a new serpentine belt
Press the gauge into a belt groove. As long as the gauge sits above the ribs, the belt is good. If it slides down so it’s even with the rib, the belt is worn and must be replaced.
First-generation serpentine belts were made from a nitrile compound that cracked with use. If your belt has cracks in three or more adjacent ribs within a 1-in. span, or has four or more cracks per inch on a single rib, it’s time to replace it. You also need a new belt if you notice any of these conditions: chunks missing from the rib area, torn or frayed fabric, glazing on the belt’s back side or debris trapped in the ribs.
Starting with the 2000 models, carmakers switched from nitrile to ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) belts. EPDM belts last much longer and don’t crack or lose chunks the way nitrile belts do. But they do wear, and that wear is much harder to detect. You can measure EPDM belt wear with a gauge or a smartphone app. Both products are available for free from Gates Corp. (go to gatesprograms.com/beltwear and click on either tool).
In most cases, you’ll want to use the plastic gauge to measure your belt, as shown above. However, if you have a smartphone and enough maneuvering room to shoot a close-up photo (engine off), let technology do the work for you. The app works by analyzing the width of the ribs compared with the width of the grooves.
Always buy premium belts instead of economy grade — you’ll get almost twice the mileage.
The right tools make it a do-it-yourself project
Examine the decal that shows the belt routing. If yours doesn’t have one, draw one before you start the job.
You can replace a serpentine belt with ordinary hand tools. But we don’t recommend it. The spaces are often tight and the belt-driven devices difficult to reach. Using a serpentine belt tool to loosen the tensioner and a belt placement tool to position the belt, we completed the entire job in less than 15 minutes, without breaking a sweat (or a knuckle). The serpentine belt tool comes with an assortment of sockets, making it the perfect choice for all the cars in your family. The two extension bars can be configured to reach the tensioner at the proper angle, and the extra-long handle provides maximum leverage so you can release the pressure easily. The belt placement tool allowed us to remove and properly place the new belt without reaching down into the pulley area.
Note: If your car requires the removal of an engine mount in order to remove the serpentine belt, or the belt’s just nearly impossible to get at, we recommend you leave the job to a professional.
Want to make this problem go away with one simple phone call?
How to Choose the Right Auto Window Tinting in Central Florida?
There are hundreds of shops and individuals offering auto window tinting servers in Central Florida, how do you know who to choose, who will give you the best material and the best instillation available? More importantly will the installer be available after the sale if something is not right, or needs to be adjusted?
1) Does the auto window tint company have a physical location in Central Florida and how long have they been in business at that location? A good tint shop will be established, and thrive despite the competition, reputation and location are key here. Pops Auto Electric has provided auto window tinting services in Central Florida for many years from the same location on the corner of Orange and Holden, and business is thriving!
2) Ask about the types of tint the shop carries, and the warrantee they offer their clients. A good auto window tinting shop should provide choice and specialty products to give you the look and function you are looking for, not push you into one single product that they happen to have available. Your happiness and satisfaction should be their main concern. Remember to purchase only from a shop that offers a good warrantee for both the auto window tinting and the workmanship.
3) Ask the tint shop if they are a full service auto repair and restoration center or just selling auto window tinting out of a small office and a parking lot. Ask to see examples and reviews by others that have used their services over the years. Remember a good full service shop should be willing to spend time with you and answer your questions; you should feel comfortable that they want your business, are in Central Florida to stay and will not only do a good job but still be in Central Florida after the auto window tinting job has been completed.
4) Make sure to get a price quote before the work is done, a good Central Florida auto window tinting shop like Pop’s Auto Electric will be happy to provide a detailed estimate and fully discuss it with you before and after the instillation.
5) It is important to use a professional Central Florida auto window tinting shop, that sets appointments and uses the latest equipment to tint your car. A tent in a parking lot somewhere that has a sing “drop ins welcome” is never a good sign of a professional and permanent auto window tinting service center.
At Pop’s Auto Electric, we have been tinting windows for many many years, we have seen the changes in the industry and can fix you up with the best possible material and instillation for your car. Auto window tinting is one of our specialties here at Pop’s Auto Electric of Central Florida. Remember our motto; “Our Passion is Cars…Our Obsession is Service”
Address:
Pops Auto Electric & AC
4704 S. Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32806
Auto AC Basics; How does Auto AC Work, How do I Know if all is Well?
Summer is around the corner, is your auto AC working properly? The first thing to understand about auto AC basics, before attempting “easy fixes” from the retail giants, is how auto AC works, and how you might be able to fix or improve Auto AC performance.
Part 1: Understanding Auto AC Basics; Car Air Conditioning
It is important to realize that auto AC basics is based on a refrigerator in a different layout. It’s designed to move heat from one place (the inside of your car) to some other place (the outdoors). While a complete discussion of every specific model and component is well outside the scope of this article, the following explanations of auto AC should give you a start on figuring out what the problem might be. This should also help you work with the right pieces if fixing it yourself or it will help you to talk intelligently to someone you can pay to fix it. Become familiar with the major components to auto air conditioning:
•Compressor:
This compresses is another basic part of auto AC basics and circulates the refrigerant in the system of the auto AC •Refrigerant: On modern cars, this is usually a substance called R-134a, while older cars have r-12 Freon in the auto AC, which is becoming increasingly more expensive and hard to find, Freon also requires a license to handle. The refrigerant carries the heat.
•Condenser:
The condenser is part of auto AC basics that changes the phase of the refrigerant from gas to liquid and expels heat removed from the car through the auto AC.
•Expansion valve (or orifice tube in some vehicles):
This part of auto AC basics is somewhat of a nozzle and functions to simultaneously drop the pressure of the refrigerant liquid, meter its flow, and atomize it within the auto AC. •Evaporator: This transfers heat to the refrigerant from the air blown across it, which is a vital part of the auto AC in cooling your car.
•Receiver/dryer: This functions as a filter for the refrigerant/oil, removing moisture and other contaminants from the auto AC system. Understand the air conditioning process of you auto AC is much the same as any refrigerant process. In a nutshell, the compressor puts the refrigerant under pressure and sends it to the condensing coils. In your car, these coils are generally in front of the radiator. Compressing a gas makes it quite hot. In the condenser, this added heat and the heat the refrigerant picked up in the evaporator is expelled to the air flowing across it from outside the car. When the refrigerant in the auto AC system is cooled to its saturation temperature, it will change phase from a gas back into a liquid (this gives off a bundle of heat known as the “latent heat of vaporization”). The liquid then passes through the expansion valve in the auto AC system to the evaporator, the coils inside of your car, where it loses pressure that was added to it in the compressor. This causes some of the liquid to change to a low-pressure gas as it cools the remaining liquid. This two-phase mixture enters the evaporator, and the liquid portion of the refrigerant absorbs the heat from the air across the coil and evaporates. Your car’s blower circulates air across the cold evaporator and into the interior. The refrigerant goes back through the cycle within the auto AC again and again.
Part 2 of Auto AC Basics: Fixing the auto AC
Check to see if all the R-134a leaks out of your auto AC (meaning there’s nothing in the loop to carry away heat). Leaks are easy to spot but not easy to fix without pulling the auto AC system apart. Most auto-supply stores carry a fluorescent dye that can be added to the system to check for leaks, and it will have instructions for use on the can. If there’s a bad enough leak, the system will have no pressure in it at all. Another part of auto AC basics; find the low-side valve for the auto AC and with a special gauge check the PSI level.
VERY IMPORTANT
•Do not use anything else to poke in the auto AC valve to see if coolant will come out, this is illegal and one of the auto AC basics. It’s called venting. Make sure the compressor is turning.
•Start the car, turn on the auto AC and look under the hood. The auto AC compressor is generally a pump-like thing off to one side with large rubber and steel hoses going to it. It will not have a filler cap on it, but will often have one or two things that look like the valve stems on a bike tire, this is part of auto AC basics and will be similar on every car. The pulley on the front of the auto AC compressor exists as an outer pulley and an inner hub which turns when an electric clutch is engaged.
•If the auto AC is on and the blower is on, but the center of the pulley is not turning, then the compressor’s clutch is not engaging, you have run into one of the auto AC basics. This could be a bad fuse, a wiring problem (see Pops Auto Electric on Auto Electric Repair), a broken auto AC switch in your dash, or the system could be low on refrigerant (most systems have a low-pressure safety cutout that will disable the compressor if there isn’t enough refrigerant in the auto AC system). Look for other things that can go wrong. The other sorts of problems that the auto AC might be experiencing include: bad switches, bad fuses, broken wires, broken fan belt (preventing the pump from turning), or seal failure inside the compressor. Feel for any cooling at all. If the system cools, but not much, it could just be low pressure in the auto AC and you can top up the refrigerant. Most auto-supply stores will have a kit to refill a system, complete with instructions.
VERY IMPORTANT
•Auto AC basics; do not overfill the auto AC coolant! Adding more than the recommended amount of refrigerant will not improve performance but actually will decrease performance. In fact, the more expensive automated equipment found at nicer shops actually monitors cooling performance in real-time as it adds refrigerant. When the performance begins to decrease it removes refrigerant from the auto AC until the performance peaks again.
Tips
•Auto AC basics; if you suspect bad wiring, most compressors have a wire leading to the electric clutch. Find the connector in the middle of that wire, and unplug it. Take a length of wire and run it from the compressor’s wire to the plus (+) side of your battery. If you hear a loud CLACK, the electric clutch for the auto AC is fine and you should check the car’s wiring and fuses. If you get nothing, the electric clutch is bad and the auto AC compressor will have to be replaced. Ideally, if you can do this test while the car is running, you can see if the hub spins. Take care to keep fingers and loose clothes away from moving pulleys and belts. That would rule out an auto AC clutch that actuates properly but then slips so badly it won’t generate pressure.
•Auto AC basics 2; the auto AC system will have a light oil in it. •If your car has an auto AC, leak even though the drain pipe is clean, some water may have entered the AC system during a drive through rain.
•Another possible replacement refrigerant is HC12a which is used quite a bit more in Europe. This is another one of the auto AC basics as It performs better than R-134a or R12. It is more flammable. HC12a is illegal in many U.S. states, including Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. HC12a has a lesser environmental impact than R12 or R134a, but since HC12a contains hydrocarbons, it could contribute to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. This substance must be ordered on the Internet as local shops do not seem to stock it. The issue is that shops will not work on a car that has other refrigerants in it. Special equipment is needed for each type of refrigerant’s recovery. Standard R12 or R134a is a safer choice for any auto AC system.
•Sometimes the problem is not always about the refrigerant, or any of the auto AC basics. There may be a problem with heat radiation from nearby engine which is very hot and decrease the AC efficiency and performance. You can try to wrap / isolate the cold auto AC pipe near the engine to stop engine heat radiation from affecting the pipe and increase auto ac performance overall. Seem complicated, we can help. For many years Pops Auto Electric in Orlando has been the expert dealers bring their problem auto AC systems to fix the auto AC basics and the more critical problems as well. These dealers and shops know that Pops Auto Electric will not only fix the problem with auto AC basics, but do it as efficiently and inexpensively as possible.
Pops Auto Electric located at the corner of Orange and Holden have all the latest in auto AC repair equipment, you can’t find a more competent or honest shop.
Pops Auto Electric of Orlando Florida
407-857-8579
If you feel you have the expertise to continue repairing your auto AC basics yourself; we do feel we must list the following warnings:
Warnings
•You may not find a repair facility that will simply not top off the auto AC basics system, if they suspect that you need to repair a leak first. If you repaired the leaks and failed components yourself, it is legal to recharge the auto AC basics system with 134 without a license, but not R-12. However, getting a license to handle R-12 is easy online, and runs about $20.)
•Look out for moving fan blades and fan belts!
•If you have any reason to suspect that your auto AC refrigerant has leaked out completely (the auto AC DIY pressure gauge you bought at the parts store reads 0 psi; the compressor won’t engage because it may be sensing no pressure in the system; you checked the gauge and have no PSI level), then you are best off taking it to a professional unless you are familiar with what you are doing. As a general rule of thumb, you are probably not familiar enough if you are reading this article. The reason for this is that a completely depleted auto AC basics refrigerant system has no pressure to keep air and moisture from coming in through wherever the refrigerant leaked out. Air and moisture are possibly the two biggest enemies of an auto AC system. The ways in which they can do harm are outside the scope of this article, but suffice it to say that it is not okay to have a significant amount of either air or moisture in the auto AC lines. The receiver/dryer unit must be replaced in a case like this as you can almost guarantee that it has absorbed enough moisture to be completely useless, and before refilling the system it must be evacuated (pulling a vacuum on the system, effectively removing nearly all air and moisture from inside) with the proper equipment, which few auto AC Dyers are likely to have access or knowledge to use. Let a professional handle it, and you may get away with paying for a fixed leak and an evacuate/recharge of the auto AC system. Try to fix the auto AC yourself, and a few months down the road you might wind up having to pay for the same evacuate/recharge service, plus replacement of a seized compressor, as well as a new condenser, evaporator, and expansion valve/orifice tube because the compressor sent shards of metal throughout the entire auto AC basics system when the compressor died.
•HC12 and R-134A are non-flammable auto AC fluids at ambient temperatures and atmospheric pressure, but both may combust at high pressure and temperature under certain conditions (in contact with certain reactive metals), again, part of auto AC basics. Both also displace oxygen, so do not release a lot of the gas in a small, non-vented area under penalty of asphyxiation.
•Stay away from major leaks of refrigerant. As it vents the auto AC system, it will get cold enough to freeze your skin, resulting in frostbite, this is another of the auto AC basics. •Never connect auto AC refrigerant cans, oil or leak-detector cans to the “high pressure side” of the system, part of auto AC basics. This is often marked with H or HIGH, or a red connector cap. Cans can explode, and that would hurt. •Checking for refrigerant leaking from the auto AC system by poking something in the fitting and looking for venting may be illegal if it releases refrigerant into the atmosphere. (Please don’t do this with R-12 especially!) While it is not illegal to top off a leaking system, you must check your local regulations, as in some cases there is a state or local law against it, due to the possible emissions. Venting auto AC refrigerant, even R-134a, is illegal in the United States, so act accordingly, this is law regarding auto AC basics. •Be extremely cautious about converting your old R-12 auto AC system to R-134a. The R-134a conversion kits sold at Auto Parts stores and even Walmart, are called “Black Death Kits” by some auto AC repairmen. Frequently part of auto AC basics, the new R-134a refrigerant will not circulate the R-12 oil and you will burn up your compressor. The R-12 mineral oil has chlorine contaminants that will destroy the R-134a PAG or POE special oil. The only way to reliably convert auto AC from R-12 to R-134a is to remove the compressor and flush out all the old oil with the new type of oil; then replace the old Receiver-Dryer or Accumulator with a new one; then flush out all the lines, the evaporator, and the auto AC condenser with special cleaner then vacuum to a steady vacuum; and finally charge with 70-80%, (by weight) of the original R-12 weight, with R-134a; and expect poorer cooling ability. It is much easier to keep the old R-12 auto AC system running with R-12 that is readily available via eBay. You must have a license to buy and sell R-12, again auto AC basics.
◦Note that the above warning is controversial. Some repairmen claim to have converted hundreds of vehicles from R-12 to R134a without any problems or issues or failures after conversion.
Seem complicated, we can help with all the auto AC basics and beyond. For many years Pops Auto Electric in Orlando has been the expert dealers bring their problem auto AC systems to fix. These dealers and shops know that Pops Auto Electric will not only fix the problem, but do it as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. Pops Auto Electric located at the corner of Orange and Holden have all the latest in auto AC repair equipment, you can’t find a more competent or honest shop.
