Them’s the Brakes (Brake Rotor Resurfacing)

Your vehicle’s brakes wear out. It’s inevitable. You’ll notice it when you step on the brake pedal and feel it harder to stop, or there’s vibration when you are braking.

Most modern vehicles have disc brakes that each use a brake pad that press on a disc (disc brakes!) called a rotor. The friction between them enables you to stop, and each time you do a little bit of the pad and the rotor wears down.

The original brakes on vehicles used a rotor that was thick enough to last through at least two replacements of the pads. But vehicle manufacturers who want to save costs and weight now make them thinner, and sometimes the rotors have to be replaced after the first pad replacement. But not always.

Vehicle manufacturers specify a minimum thickness to provide safe braking. Sometimes rather than having to have your rotors replaced, they can be put on a lathe and resurfaced. In other words, the surfaces of the disc can be slightly shaved off so the surface is flat and doesn’t wobble.

Whenever you bring your vehicle in to have the brakes checked, the technician will measure the thickness of the rotors to see if they can be resurfaced without leaving them too thin for safe braking. If they can, with the right tools and skill, the rotors can be resurfaced. If not, the rotors should be replaced.

Discuss the options with your service advisor. Our service center can recommend replacements that are designed to help stop your vehicle as well as or better than the vehicle’s original rotors.

Either way, keep in mind that keeping your brakes in top condition can supply the margin of safety that may one day save your life or the lives of those around you.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

Keeping Your Cool (Coolant System)

No matter what the weather is like outside, your internal combustion engine expects to keep its cool all the time, even when it’s really cold. That’s because engines create the power that moves you to your destination by a series of tiny explosions of a fuel and air mixture. In turn, that generates a lot of heat in a small space.

Your vehicle has a complete cooling system with a lot of different parts that work together to keep the temperature at a point where the metal engine parts won’t heat up enough to warp. Its lifeblood is coolant, a liquid that circulates through the engine (and, in most vehicles, the transmission, too) through a series of hoses and tubes.

In order to get rid of the coolant’s heat, your vehicle has a part you probably recognize: the radiator. It does what its name proclaims: radiates heat. The radiator has a series of thin metal fins that coolant goes through, and when outside air passes over them, the heat is dissipated from the radiator into the air.

The water pump (which is technically a coolant pump) is what propels the coolant where it needs to go.

When there’s a problem in the coolant system, it may because it’s leaking somewhere. A few things to look out for are the temperature gauge heading into the hot, or red, zone, fluid leaks under your vehicle, or the sweet smell of coolant under your vehicle after it’s been parked.

If your vehicle has any of those signs, bring it in so we can check things out. A technician will inspect the water pump and hoses for any signs of leaks. They’ll also look for leaks or holes in the radiator core or cores.

One other potential trouble spot is the radiator cap that can sometimes fail to keep the required pressure in the radiator. Once the problems are fixed, they’ll add the correct coolant and you’ll be on your way. We want you to always keep your cool.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com

Sounds Like a Hot Rod (Noisy Exhaust System)

Driving along, your exhaust system’s rumbling so loud that people turn and stare at you pass by. You’re wondering when the police are going to pull you over for illegal noise.

Your mind immediately thinks, aha! A broken muffler.

Well, your exhaust system is composed of many more parts than just a muffler.

Your engine makes power because of thousands of tiny explosions from detonating fuel. Those explosions make a racket, so engineers came up with a system that acoustically dampens that sound in addition to getting rid of harmful exhaust.

In the engine is the exhaust manifold that looks like several pipes that join up into one pipe. It directs exhaust to the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter converts harmful gases into less harmful gases using certain chemical reactions. Then comes the muffler that has baffles inside to quiet the sounds of your engine noise. Finally: the tailpipe.

All of those pipes and parts are joined together by clamps and held up by brackets, and they ride over some pretty bumpy roads. They are also exposed to the elements, like salt, water, rocks and grit. Chances are that one of those clamps or brackets has been weakened by corrosion. When you hit a bump, bingo! The crack widens into a gap and there’s a spot for the engine noise to come roaring out instead of being directed into the muffler’s quieting chambers.

You might be surprised to know that the exhaust system can rust from inside out. How? Moisture is one component of exhaust, and moisture on the inside can do the same kind of damage as moisture from the outside.

It’s a good idea to have your exhaust system looked at regularly by a technician. He or she can evaluate the condition of the metal and recommend when it might be time to replace parts before they break.

Then you’ll have a decision to make. Newer exhaust systems are made out of stainless steel that is much less prone to corrosion issues. Others are made of aluminized steel that also fights rust. You’ve probably already guessed that they can cost more, but the extra price up front may give you an exhaust system that will last much longer.

Sure, with a repaired exhaust system, you won’t have quite the head-turning vehicle you once had. You’ll just have to live with all the quiet.

Autotronics of St. Peter
111 Jefferson Avenue
St. Peter, MN 56082
507.934.9290
http://autotronicsstpeter.com