AAMCO Sarasota, FL Blog

The Anatomy of a Brake Repair

Mon, 02 May 2022 16:41:36 GMT

We drive our vehicles often without really thinking about the impressive systems that allow them to function. When we press the brakes, we have full confidence that our vehicles will respond. However, we often don’t think about the inner workings of the components of our vehicle’s brakes. In this article, we will take a look at how brakes function and the anatomy of brake repair.

Before we discuss how brakes work, it is first important to cover the various components of a vehicle’s brakes.

Rotors . You’ll sometimes also hear these referred to as discs. These parts of your braking system rotate with the wheels of your vehicle. They are critical for stopping your vehicle through the use of friction.

Calipers . Calipers hold the brake pads, brake pistons, and brake fluid. They operate much like a clamp that puts pressure on the rotors. Typically, the calipers do not need to be replaced during regular maintenance.

Brake Pads . Your brake pads will need to be replaced the most often. These rest in the calipers on your vehicle and are pressed against the rotor to generate friction. There are different types of brake pads that will last various amounts of miles depending on their composition and your driving habits.

Brake Pistons . Pistons are housed in the caliper and push against the brake pads to create the friction that is used to stop your vehicle. There are typically one or two pistons per brake.

Brake Lines . Brake lines are tubes that connect brake fluid from the master cylinder to the wheels. They are typically made from rubber and stainless steel. These often last the life of your vehicle.

Brake Fluid. Brake fluid is the critical part of the system that provides the necessary pressure to stop your vehicle. Without brake fluid, the system would not function at all. This fluid can withstand the high temperatures created by the pressure and friction of vehicle braking

How Do Brakes Function?

We all know the basic concept. You press your foot down on the brake pedal in your vehicle and your vehicle will respond by stopping. After all, your foot doesn’t apply much force yet it is able to stop a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds fairly quickly.

What causes this to happen? The answer is hydraulics.

When you press the brake pedal, this force is transferred to the brake fluid via the hydraulic process. During this process, the force you apply with your foot is multiplied. A master cylinder operates the hydraulic circuits within the brake system. This cylinder transmits this pressure through your brake system via the brake fluid.

This fluid then puts pressure on the piston in the caliper. The piston presses against the brake pad, pushing it into contact with both sides of the rotors. Remember that the rotors are turning with the wheels of your vehicle. When the brake pads press against the rotors, this causes friction that transfers the force to the tires and tires to the pavement, ultimately stopping the vehicle.

The Anatomy of Brake Maintenance & Repair

Keeping your brakes functioning involves staying on top of brake maintenance and acting swiftly when your system needs brake repair. Regular maintenance of your braking system is important and there are a number of items that will be completed during the check.

Check Pads and Rotors

The most important part of regular brake maintenance is to check the status of your brake pads and rotors. The friction from their interaction will wear the pads down over time and can also cause damage to the rotors if you wait too long causing a metal-to-metal contact. Depending on the status of each, brake repair can include replacing your pads and replacing the rotors. Inspection and maintenance of your calipers and caliper mounting slides and hardware is also critical for a safe operating brake system that does not chatter, squeal or pull to one side or the other. If the calipers pistons become difficult to move in the caliper bores or show signs of leakage or boot damage, this will necessitate replacement and bleeding of the system. Many manufacturers also incorporate the parking brakes within the rear caliper pistons and bores, and it requires special tools and, in some cases, computerized equipment to retract the pistons to exchange the pads.

Flush Brake Fluid

Brake fluid is incredibly important as the source that transfers power from your foot to the calipers. It should be checked routinely, typically every 25,000 miles, and completely exchanged periodically according to your owner’s manual or if unspecified by your owner’s manual at every brake pad change. Keep an eye on the brake fluid, if it becomes low, it could be an indicator that your brake pads are getting low or worse, you have a hydraulic leak.

Bleed Brake Lines

If air becomes trapped inside your brake lines, it is important to discover why this has happened since it typically is caused by a leak in the hydraulic system or a master cylinder going bad. Have the system repaired professionally and they will also remove the air that will drastically decrease the efficiency of your brakes and the speed at which your vehicle stops. As such, bleeding the brake lines is a common part of brake maintenance that is typically done with every complete brake fluid exchange.

Final Thoughts

The issues listed above are some of the most common brake services; several of these issues can necessitate repairs in your vehicle's brake system. The effectiveness of your brakes is influenced by the quality of parts, frequency of maintenance, and your own driving habits. If your vehicle is taking longer to stop or making grinding noises when you apply the brakes, it is definitely time to have your brakes inspected by a certified automotive technician at your local AAMCO.

Why Engine Maintenance Is Important

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:34:15 GMT

While you may not often think about it, your car is made up of a variety of complex systems. Among the most important is undoubtedly the engine, which provides your vehicle with the mechanism needed to power itself down the highway. Modern engines are fairly sturdy and can last a very long time when appropriately cared for. However, many people overlook aspects of engine maintenance. Let’s take a look at what it means to best take care of your engine.

What Are the Benefits of Engine Maintenance?

Save Money

You’ve heard of the saying, “You have to spend money to make money.” In this case, a more appropriate one would be, “You should spend just a little money now to avoid spending a whole lot of money later.”

Taking care of your engine means it will experience fewer problems. While regular engine maintenance does have a cost, it saves you the much higher cost of frequent engine repair.

Increase the Longevity of Your Car

Properly maintained engines can often get 200,000 or more miles on them during their lifetime. This is a lot of value for your car. However, failing to take care of your engine can cause it to fail much earlier in its lifetime.

Higher Resale Value

A better performing engine will give your car a higher resale value than one clearly experiencing problems. Additionally, keeping records of engine maintenance can be used in a private sale to show the car has been well cared for.

Avoid Inconvenience

No one likes the inconvenience of having your vehicle in the shop for major repairs. Avoiding normal engine maintenance can lead to the need for extensive engine repair that may leave your car in the shop for a while.

What Are the Components of Regular Engine Maintenance?

There are various things that you should do regularly to keep your engine in good working order. Here are some of the most important.

Regular Oil Changes

Most people realize the importance of oil regular oil changes. The oil serves the purpose of keeping the parts within your engine lubricated, which prevents wear and tear. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the types and levels of oil in your vehicle and change the oil according to these specifications. AAMCO is always happy to assist you with oil changes.

Pay Attention to Coolant Levels

Coolant is critical for keeping your engine from overheating. Doing a regular visual inspection of your coolant levels can help you identify potential problems such as small leaks. Additionally, if your engine begins to overheat, this is one of the first places you should check after shutting down your engine.

Replace the Air Filter

The air filter is important for keeping dirt and debris out of your engine but is an often overlooked aspect of proper engine maintenance. However, it will become dirty and clogged over time. Be sure to inspect your air filter and change it regularly or have a professional at AAMCO take a look at it during your next service.

Get a Tune-Up

It is important to have your vehicle inspected annually to determine if it would benefit from a tune-up. Tune-ups provide new spark plugs and various adjustments to ensure that your engine runs as efficiently as possible. This means you’ll use less gas and save money. AAMCO is pleased to offer tune-ups for your vehicle.

Don’t Ignore the Check Engine Light

A check engine light is something that many people dread seeing. The solution may be a simple fix or something fairly complex. However, the reality is that you don’t know until you get it checked out. Check engine lights should never be ignored. AAMCO is happy to diagnose the cause of the light and let you know any recommended service or engine repair.

Are There Other Things I Can Do to Protect My Engine?

While engine maintenance is important, there are other things that you can do to improve the longevity of your car’s engine as well. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Pay Attention to Leaks

Keep an eye out for potential signs of fluid leaks on your driveway. This could be a sign of a problem that needs to be diagnosed. Slow leaks are often difficult to notice aside from fluid residue but need to be addressed to prevent major engine repair down the road.

Don’t Run Your Tank on Empty

While it can be tempting when busy, running a tank until it is near empty will allow sediment from the bottom of the fuel tank to enter your fuel pump. This can cause problems with the pump and your fuel filter. In addition to not picking up sediment, the pump typically is submerged in fuel that keeps it running cool.

Operating with very low fuel does not let the pump run as cool as it could otherwise. Filling up your car when it reaches ¼ will help prevent this wear and tear.

Avoid Overly Revving Your Engine

Engines are designed to operate at consistent levels. Overworking your engine and transmission with heavy loads could put additional strain on your engine. Use a slow, steady foot to accelerate, helping prevent your engine from revving too much.

Got a Problem with Your Vehicle?

Come to an AAMCO Sarasota Transmission and Total Car Care . Our Total Car Care services include brake repair, check engine lights, exhaust systems, clutch service, fleet or commercial vehicle repairs, oil changes, engine tuneups, A/C unit cooling or heating repairs, battery checks or replacements, and belt or hose repair. We’ll help get you safely and confidently back on the road in no time. Keeping your car in its best condition is our top priority. Schedule your appointment with us today!

Why Your Vehicle’s Coolant is Important

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 16:13:49 GMT

Florida’s warm summers can be extremely tough on your car, with an average of 8 hours of sunshine per day, and summer months hitting upwards of 100°F, the hot climate makes your cooling system work extra hard, and with the added air conditioning that you may switch on, it is more important than ever to check and replace your coolant to prevent overheating.

How Coolant Works

Coolant is a liquid that runs through your engine and radiator system. It aids with keeping a car’s engine and oil at optimum temperature and flows through the engine bay in the form of pipes connected to a pump attached by pulleys and belts to the engine. It has useful properties including a very high boiling temperature and low freezing point, making it useful all year round.

How an Overheating Engine Can Damage Your Vehicle

The main problems that occur when an engine overheats (i.e., when the coolant is not replaced) is that the metal components within an engine heat up, which causes them to expand. This expansion can result in the internals of an engine (usually pistons) seizing, leaving you stuck at the side of the road. But it also can cause cracks in the cylinder block and leaks all over the vehicle.

One of the main problems when a car overheats is a blown head gasket. This is a seal between the engine block and the cylinder head, which can be made from several materials including steel, rubber, and cork. If it heats up and is damaged, the result can be coolant leaks and eventually a broken-down car, resulting in an engine repair — or worse, an entire engine replacement. Engine repair is expensive mainly due to the amount of labor it takes a mechanic to remove the existing engine and the precision that is needed to replace components.

Take Care of Your Car and It Will Take Care of You

Checking and replacing fluids in your car is essential to its health and functionality. One of the best ways to check if your coolant (or other fluid) needs to be topped off or replaced is by having your car regularly serviced to ensure maximum performance and safety. Schedule an appointment with is us today for all your car care needs.

AAMCO of Sarasota Transmission Service

AAMCO Sarasota is a leading auto care center that specializes in transmission service and repair. Our expert mechanics have the resources, equipment, and skill to work on any problem your car might have.

Apart from transmission repair services, we also offer other auto repair services such as regular car maintenance, engine tune-up service, brakes, and suspension system maintenance and service, total car care service, routine car maintenance, and many more.

Six Reasons to Keep Up with Car Maintenance

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:59:04 GMT

Cars are integral for most of our lives and require periodic maintenance including oil changes, replacing your air filter, checking fluids, belts, and hoses and a number of other things. However, research shows that 68% of people do not maintain their car on the schedule recommended by the manufacturer. Keeping up with routine maintenance on your vehicle is important. At AAMCO we take a look at why.

1) You’ll Save Money

Yes, routine maintenance does have a cost to it; however, that pales in comparison to the costs you’ll incur if you fail to do it. Waiting too long once to change your oil won’t necessarily have devastating effects but failing to consistently maintain your car will cause minor issues to turn into major ones, causing the need for major auto repair.

2) You’ll Get Better Mileage

As the price of gas continues to cause conversation, an important benefit to regular maintenance is getting more miles per gallon . Keeping your engine running efficiently and routinely replacing or cleaning necessary parts will ensure that you are optimally using gasoline. Even a slight drop in fuel efficiency will add up over the course of a year.

3) It Saves You Time

We all know that it is often inconvenient to try to fit car maintenance into our busy schedule. However, you will ultimately save time by doing this. No one wants to have a car in the shop for major auto repairs for a few days, but that will be a more common circumstance if you don’t maintain your vehicle. It is also a much greater waste of your time than the time it takes for regular checkups and services.

4) Keep Your Warranty in Place

Factory warranties are very valuable in case your car encounters a problem; however, failing to maintain regularly schedule maintenance often voids many warranties. Be sure to read the recommended maintenance schedule and follow it to ensure that you don’t end up paying for an auto repair that would have otherwise been covered.

5) It Promotes Safety

While no one wants to end up in a car accident, the reality is that it is a common occurrence. Maintaining your car increases safety. For example, having your brake pads checked and replaced when needed can ensure that your car stops effectively when necessary. Ensuring that your blinkers are operational can prevent accidents as well. Maintenance simply helps you be safer when driving.

6) Improve Your Resale Value

We all want to get a good value for our vehicle when we ultimately trade it in or sell it. Keeping up with a maintenance schedule and saving records of the maintenance will improve the value of your car due to having better performance as well as being able to prove the car has been taken care of.

Final Thoughts

While we all have busy lives and things like routine maintenance can often slip our minds, it is very important to engage in routine car maintenance to ensure that our cars are safe, operate efficiently, and hold their value. Schedule an appointment at AAMCO of Sarasota today, so that we can help you prevent major repairs in the future.

AAMCO of Sarasota Transmission Service

AAMCO Sarasota is a leading Auto care center that specializes in transmission service and repair. Our expert mechanics have the resources, equipment, and skill to work on any problem your car might have.