![](images/InteriorBanner3.jpg)
Archive for July 2024Why is Air Not Coming Out of My Vents?Posted July 28, 2024 4:00 AMYou climb inside your vehicle, start the ignition, and reach for the fan control for the heating or air conditioning. But when you try to crank it up, no air comes out of the vents. It can make for a very uncomfortable trip, whether it’s hot or cold outside. It’s important for the comfort of you and your passengers to regulate the temperature in your vehicle’s cabin. Not having air coming through the vents can also be a safety issue when you’re trying to defrost the windshield and front windows when they fog up and your visibility is affected. There can be many reasons why the air isn’t blowing through your vents. The blower motor may have failed or the switch that controls it wore out. It could be as simple as a blown fuse, or perhaps an electrical component that regulates the fan speed may have stopped working. One of the ducts that direct the air from the outside to the cabin may have broken. Or the air intake where the outside air is collected may be clogged up with leaves or other debris. If your vents aren’t blowing air, it’s time to bring in your vehicle to have one of our technicians diagnose and repair it. They will examine the electrical and mechanical components to see where the problem is. The remedy can be something simple, or it may involve a more extensive repair. Keeping the cabin temperature temperate and having good air flow are vital to your comfort, especially when the weather outside is extremely hot or cold. Folsom Autotech Flat Tire? Three?s the Charm (Tire Repair)Posted July 21, 2024 4:00 AMFor most drivers, at some point you’re going to have a flat tire. Depending on how it was damaged, it may have to be replaced. But sometimes, a repair will do the trick, as long as the puncture isn’t on the sidewall and the hole is smaller than ¼ inch/6.35mm in diameter. Here are the three common ways your tire can be fixed. One way is to put a plug in the hole. Since most tires are damaged by running over sharp objects such as screws and nails, the small hole from which the air is escaping is on the part of the tire that touches the road. If it’s in the sidewall, it most likely can’t be fixed. In the plug method, a technician inserets a rubber plug. It is covered with some sticky, gluey stuff, and is pushed into the hole from the outside. That plugs the hole and stays in place, thanks to the glue. Friction from driving heats it up and seals the deal. Another method is to patch the hole. For this, your tire has to first be taken off the vehicle, then off the rim so the technician can get access to the inside. There, they’ll clean the inside surface around the hole and apply a rubber patch with an adhesive on it. This type of patch works well, and because of the extra steps and complexity, costs more than having your tire plugged. There’s also a combination of those methods just described, the plug-patch. It is, in essence, a type of patch with glue on it that has a plug sticking out of it. The plug is inserted into the tire from the inside and pulled through the hole from the outside, drawing the attached patch tight against the tire’s inside surface. The last two methods can’t be used if the hole is near another repair or the sidewall. The good news is if it’s fixed properly, your repaired tire should give you good service. Folsom Autotech The ?Man-Made? Engine Oil (Synthetic Oil Change)Posted July 14, 2024 4:01 AMIf you own a newer vehicle, your vehicle’s manufacturer may require that it use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil. Synthetic oils are more stable, don’t break down as easily, and provide better engine protection than conventional oil. All those things can prolong the life of your engine and help it run better. Imagine the damage that could happen to your engine as it operates at high speeds and very hot temperatures. Oil reduces the friction between the metal parts. That’s why it’s important that it maintains its lubricating properties for a long time, which synthetic oil does better than conventional oil. Clean oil is better than dirty oil because it has fewer impurities. Synthetic oil is purer because of how it’s formulated and manufactured. Plus, as the outside temperatures change, the ability of oil to operate in those conditions is important. It’s not only newer vehicles that can benefit from synthetic oil. If you have an older vehicle, synthetic oil may offer superior lubricating than conventional. Our technicians can advise you what’s the best oil for your vehicle and how often you need to change it, which may vary from the owner’s manual recommendations. You might find you’re able to change your oil less frequently than you used to with conventional oil. Yes, synthetic oil is more expensive than conventional, so let us help you decide whether its advantages are worth the difference in price. Folsom Autotech Timing is Everything (Timing Belt)Posted July 7, 2024 4:01 AMTalk about exquisite choreography; it happens under the hood of your vehicle every time you take a drive. Your engine’s many complex parts must work exactly together. One key is a part called a timing belt, which enables the synchronizing of two of your engine’s components, the camshaft, and the crankshaft. The timing belt coordinates the valves in your engine to open and close at the appropriate time to get exhaust out of the engine’s cylinders. Timing belts may also power the water pump and the oil pump. The belt is made of rubber. Some engines use a timing chain (made of metal). Your vehicle’s manufacturer recommends an interval after which you should have your timing belt or chain replaced, and that service should be part of your vehicle’s regular maintenance. It’s always better to replace it before it breaks rather than after. After all, if your timing belt breaks while you’re driving down the road, it throws off the whole sync of engine parts and can cause major damage to the type of engines most commonly used in vehicles today. It's also important to remember that a timing belt is made of rubber, and rubber deteriorates with time, no matter how much use it gets. Have us look at your timing belt to see if it’s time to get it replaced. Here are some signs to look for that will let you know if your timing belt is failing. You might have trouble starting your vehicle, it may misfire or black smoke may come out the tailpipe. If you notice any of those symptoms, bring your vehicle in and have us take a look right away. When it comes to your engine, timing is everything. Folsom Autotech | ||
SearchArchiveNovember 2011 (4)December 2011 (4) January 2012 (5) February 2012 (3) March 2012 (5) April 2012 (4) May 2012 (5) June 2012 (4) July 2012 (4) August 2012 (4) September 2012 (4) October 2012 (5) November 2012 (4) December 2012 (4) January 2013 (5) February 2013 (4) March 2013 (4) April 2013 (4) May 2013 (5) June 2013 (4) July 2013 (5) August 2013 (4) September 2013 (4) October 2013 (5) November 2013 (6) December 2013 (4) January 2014 (4) February 2014 (5) March 2014 (4) April 2014 (5) May 2014 (2) July 2014 (3) August 2014 (8) September 2014 (4) October 2014 (5) November 2014 (4) December 2014 (5) January 2015 (4) February 2015 (4) March 2015 (4) April 2015 (5) May 2015 (2) June 2015 (6) July 2015 (1) September 2015 (2) October 2015 (4) November 2015 (5) December 2015 (2) February 2016 (2) March 2016 (4) April 2016 (4) May 2016 (5) June 2016 (4) July 2016 (5) August 2016 (4) September 2016 (4) October 2016 (5) November 2016 (4) December 2016 (4) January 2017 (5) February 2017 (3) March 2017 (5) April 2017 (4) May 2017 (4) June 2017 (4) July 2017 (4) August 2017 (4) September 2017 (3) October 2017 (5) November 2017 (4) December 2017 (2) January 2018 (5) February 2018 (4) March 2018 (4) April 2018 (5) July 2018 (5) August 2018 (4) September 2018 (5) October 2018 (1) November 2018 (2) December 2018 (5) January 2019 (5) February 2019 (4) March 2019 (5) April 2019 (4) May 2019 (4) June 2019 (5) July 2019 (4) August 2019 (4) September 2019 (5) October 2019 (4) November 2019 (4) December 2019 (5) January 2020 (5) February 2020 (4) March 2020 (5) April 2020 (4) May 2020 (5) June 2020 (4) July 2020 (4) August 2020 (5) September 2020 (4) October 2020 (4) November 2020 (5) December 2020 (4) January 2021 (6) February 2021 (4) March 2021 (4) April 2021 (4) May 2021 (5) June 2021 (4) July 2021 (4) August 2021 (5) September 2021 (4) October 2021 (5) November 2021 (4) December 2021 (4) January 2022 (6) February 2022 (4) March 2022 (4) April 2022 (4) May 2022 (5) June 2022 (4) July 2022 (5) August 2022 (4) September 2022 (4) October 2022 (5) November 2022 (4) December 2022 (4) January 2023 (5) February 2023 (4) March 2023 (4) April 2023 (5) May 2023 (4) June 2023 (4) July 2023 (5) August 2023 (4) September 2023 (4) October 2023 (5) November 2023 (2) January 2024 (1) February 2024 (4) April 2024 (1) May 2024 (4) June 2024 (5) July 2024 (4) August 2024 (4) September 2024 (1) | CategoriesTires and Wheels (37)Fuel System (43)Automotive News (8)Cabin Air Filter (8)Timing Belt (7)Drive Train (10)Dashboard (3)Maintenance (52)Alignment (17)Monitoring System (3)Service Standards (13)Air Conditioning (16)Steering (15)Cooling System (19)Tire Rotation and Balancing (4)Fluids (15)Windshield Wipers (9)Wheel Bearings (2)Battery (19)Service Intervals (10)Parts (6)Brakes (22)Inspection (11)Transmission (11)Diagnostics (5)Shocks & Struts (7)Older Vehicles (3)Fuel Economy (11)Headlamps (6)Check Engine Light (6)Safety (5)Exhaust (10)Diesel Maintenance (2)Engine Air Filter (3)Suspension (4)Differential Service (4)Keys to a long lasting vehicle (4)Serpentine Belt (6)Winter Prep (7)Alternator (6)Auto Safety (6)Emergency Items (1)Fuel Saving Tip: Slow Down (2)What Customers Should Know (83)Trip Inspection (3)Customer Detective Work (1)Oil Change (8)Safe Driving (1)Tires (11)Water Pump (2)Winter Tires (1)Spark Plugs (2)TPMS (3)Transfer Case Service (1)Brake Service (5)Fuel Pump (1)PCV Valve (1)Shocks and Struts (2)Fuel Filter (1) |
What our clients are saying about us
We have established longterm and stable partnerships with various clients thanks to our excellence in solving their automotive needs!
These mechanics fix your vehicle and stand behind their work. They bent over backwards to accommodate me and my schedule. They are located on an easily accessible corner with plenty of parking. The manager, Ron, and owner, Jim, were professional and courteous at all times with such great smiles and information as well as many years of experience and knowledge. A real find and I will continue to use them for my mechanical needs.
![reviewicon](custom/logo.png)
Folsom Autotech has been my go-to garage for over 15 years. I asked the guys I work with where they'd send their wife or daughter for car repairs and the resounding recommendations was Folsom Autotech. They were right, this is MY garage and I don't want or trust anyone else to work on our cars!
![reviewicon](custom/logo.png)