On Board Diagnostics For Anchorage Motorists

Posted August 23, 2011 12:25 PM

Some Anchorage motorists are confused by L and M Motors Inc charges for diagnostic services for a vehicle repair. Many services at L and M Motors Inc and other Anchorage automotive repair shops include diagnostic fees.

When you take your laptop into a Elmendorf Afb computer repair shop for a problem you’ll likely have to leave a deposit for diagnostics. When we visit our Fort Richardson doctor for a medical problem, we’re paying him to diagnose our ailment and of course for the tests that go along with it.

So receiving a diagnostic charge at L and M Motors Inc for a tricky automotive problem shouldn’t be a surprise. In the Elmendorf Afb area, automotive diagnostics can cover quite a range. If you hear a noise in your family car brakes when you slow down in rush-hour traffic on a busy AK expressway, you pull off the next off-ramp and take a quick visual check. That is usually enough to know what needs to be done. If you’re having an intermittent problem with your family car engine, L and M Motors Inc diagnosis may be much more involved.

Much of the Elmendorf Afb public’s confusion comes when the problem involves the check engine light. The check engine light comes on when the engine management computer has sensed a problem.

There’s a common misconception among Fort Richardson, Indian, and Eagle River drivers that the trouble code tells the L and M Motors Inc technician exactly what’s wrong. Why then is there a diagnostic charge, the scanner just gave the diagnosis?

Reality is more involved than that. The computer monitors many sensors throughout the vehicle. When one of these sensors has a reading that’s out of parameters, the computer will record a trouble code and turn on the check engine light.

The family car computer's trouble code just tells the L and M Motors Inc technician what engine parameter is out of range – not what’s causing it. The technician needs to determine the underlying problem that’s causing the symptom.

There are many problems that could cause a troublesome sensor reading for L and M Motors Inc Anchorage customers. The L and M Motors Inc technician makes a list of the most likely causes and begins tracking down the source of the problem.

Elmendorf Afb service centers subscribe to databases that document possible causes for a given trouble code. They outline procedures for confirming a diagnosis and provide the documented fix. These databases are specific to each vehicle and engine combination.

Some diagnoses are quick and easy. Others are more involved and difficult. Of course L and M Motors Inc wants to figure out what’s wrong with your family car and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.

Posted in the Service Standards category

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Fuel Injector Cleaning In Fort Richardson, Indian, and Eagle River

Posted August 18, 2011 2:35 PM

In very simple terms, a fuel injector is a valve that squirts fuel into your family car engine. Your engine control computer tells the fuel injector how much fuel to deliver as well as the precise time it should be delivered. Of course this happens thousands of times a minute in every single fuel-injected car driving down Fort Richardson, Indian, and Eagle River roads.

Most fuel injectors for gas engines are known in the Elmendorf Afb auto industry as port fuel injectors because they deliver the fuel to a port just outside the cylinder. The fuel pump provides pressure needed to squirt the right amount of fuel into the engine.

A few auto makers have recently introduced gas direct injection systems on some engines. They are now available at some Elmendorf Afb dealerships. These systems inject the gas directly into the cylinders under very high pressure – many times the pressure of port injection systems.

Although more complicated, direct injection technology promises greater power with improved fuel economy for gas-poor Fort Richardson, Indian, and Eagle River commuters. AK motorists can expect to see more of it in the future.

High temperatures under your family car hood and variations in Elmendorf Afb gas quality cause fuel injectors to be fouled with wax, dirt, water, additives and carbon. Injectors can become partially clogged, preventing them from delivering the proper amount of fuel at the correct pressure.

When injectors are dirty, the fuel doesn’t burn as efficiently resulting in poor fuel economy and loss of power. So it’s important for Anchorage drivers keep their fuel injectors clean.

Your Anchorage L and M Motors Inc service center can perform a fuel system service for you in which the fuel injectors are cleaned so that they operate properly and deliver the right amount of fuel at the right time.

Proper maintenance of your family car fuel system means that you will spend less on gas, enjoy strong performance and prevent costly Elmendorf Afb repair bills down the road.

Posted in the Fuel System category

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Tracking True In AK: Wheel Alignment In Indian

Posted August 12, 2011 2:27 PM

Wheel alignment is often overlooked by busy Indian and Eagle River car owners until serious tire damage has been done. One wheel can be knocked out of alignment from the rest by hitting a curb or pothole on Elmendorf Afb roads.

When a vehicle’s out of alignment, one or more of the wheels does not track true and pulls against the others. The tires will wear out very quickly and will need to be replaced prematurely. It could also lead to family car suspension damage.

But the big issue for Indian, Eagle River, and Anchorage motorists is safety. When your family car wheels are out of alignment, the vehicle will pull to one side, which could lead to an accident. When you’re out of alignment, you should have it taken care of right away at L and M Motors Inc in Anchorage.

At L and M Motors Inc, your vehicle is put on an alignment rack where the tires, steering and suspension parts are checked for damage. Then the alignment is charted and checked against the factory settings.

Adjustments are made to bring the wheels back into alignment. This gets all four wheels going in precisely the same direction.

Signs of alignment problems are: Your car pulls to one side. Also, your steering wheel may not be centered when you’re going straight. If you see the edges of one or more tires rapidly wearing down, you should have your Elmendorf Afb service center look it over. If you’ve been in an auto accident in AK that involved a wheel, you should get your alignment checked.

A big jolt can seriously knock things out of alignment, but Indian drivers also need to understand that a series of smaller ones can add up.

That’s why your manufacturer recommends periodic alignment checks. If your family car owner’s manual doesn’t specify, once a year might be appropriate. Or check with Michael Feeney or your service advisor at L and M Motors Inc in Anchorage.

One thing’s for sure: the cost of the alignment at L and M Motors Inc is cheaper than having to buy a couple of new tires because of neglect.

Posted in the Alignment category

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