Recently a commercial light duty vehicle was towed into the shop, the transmission failed while traveling down the freeway. The owner of the vehicle, trying to save money, had been having routine transmission flushes performed by a franchise famous for oil changes, but now branching out into transmission flushes.

Pulling the pan, the oil appeared a little discolored, not bad for a light duty truck that is in constant usage, and there was little sludge in the pan itself, primary evidence that the vehicle had been cared for.

Our procedures call for removing the transmission oil filter and separating it to determine if the filter held a clue to what the failure might be. Although this procedure exists in a failure analysis, it is also part of our routine flush procedure, allowing us the opportunity to alert our clients of potential issues. The filter case was opened, the paper filter unfolded to reveal some serious problems.

You can clearly see that the filter caught the pieces of a washer or other plastic component of the transmission. A simple flush procedure that does not include a procedure to drop the transmission pan , pull and inspect the filter will never provide the client a level of comfort.  Had this vehicle been treated to a complete flush, the client may not have had to rearrange all the deliveries for his clients, may not have suffered the inconvenience to a freeway breakdown and  may have saved many times the planned saving by using a discount flushing service.

The next time you are tempted to get the cheap flush be sure to ask the following:

1. Do you remove the transmission pan?

2. Do you replace the transmission filter?

3. Do you crack open the old filter to determine what debris has been captured?

4. Do your mechanics specialize in transmissions or oil changes?

Be sure to take advantage of our free vehicle wellness check cover 80 points often overlooked or taken for granted. Call today 801-467-4710

Radial tires are a whole lot safer than the bias-ply tires of 25 years ago. They still need attention regularly. Under inflation, the most frequent cause of tire failure is considered the main culprit in the recent Firestone tire-failure fatalities. Uneven or worn-out tires are the next most serious problem and can also lead to tire failure. If you don’t check your own, have your car service where they offer a free vehicle wellness check.

Tire wear on both sides of the tire in excess of middle wear is an indication that the tire is underinflated. Tire wear in the middle in excess of the the sides of the tire is an indication of an over inflated tire.

Tire wear that is excessive on a single side is an indication of an alignment problem.

Tires are legally worn out when they have worn down to 2/32″ of remaining tread depth. To help warn drivers that their tires have reached that point, tires sold in North America are required to have indicators molded into their tread design called “wear bars” which run across their tread pattern from their outside shoulder to inside shoulder. Wear bars are designed to visually connect the elements of the tire’s tread pattern and warn drivers when their tires no longer meet minimum tread depth requirements. If you are not sure what a tread bar looks like there is a very simple way to measure 2/32 of an inch, use a penny. If part of Lincoln’s head is covered when you place the penny in the grove on the tire you have more than 2/32″.

Legally worn out and risking your life are two separate and distinct issues. A tire with close to 2/32″ of tread has a very diminished resistance to hydroplaning. It is advisable to have at least 4/32″ if operating you vehicle on wet roadways. (Place a quarter into several tread grooves across the tire. If part of Washington’s head is always covered by the tread, you have more than 4/32″ of tread depth remaining.)

If you are operating on snow then it is advisable that you have tread of at least 6/32″. (Place a penny into several tread grooves across the tire. If the top of the Lincoln Memorial is always covered by the tread, you have more than 6/32″ of tread depth remaining.) You need more tread depth in snow because your tires need to compress the snow in their grooves and release it as they roll. If there isn’t sufficient tread depth, the “bites” of snow your tires can take on each revolution will be reduced to “nibbles,” and your vehicle’s traction and mobility will be sacrificed. Because tread depth is such an important element for snow traction, winter tires usually start with noticeably deeper tread depths than typical All-Season or summer tires. Some winter tires even have a second series of “wear bars” molded in their tread pattern indicating approximately 6/32″ remaining tread depth to warn you when your tires no longer meet the desired tread depth.

Remember your life and the lives of your loved ones ride on the tires on your vehicle. Keep all your loved ones safe by knowing what tread remains on your tires and by having the proper depth for the conditions you will encounter.

Fifth oil Change on Us

Every time you have your oil changed a Chick’s we will sign a card, four signature and the fifth oil change is FREE.

Not all oil changes are the same. We perform a FREE 80 point wellness check with each oil change. The wellness check highlights 80 points on your vehicle that are prone to cause safety issues that put you and your loved ones at risk. The checklist is given to you with recommendations, some items are cautionary only, meaning that there is a window of time before action needs to be taken. Others will be recommendations for corrections immediately, items that without correction put you and your loved ones at risk. By separating the recommendations many clients have been able to budget for the cautionary items, correcting them before they become critical.

Gift Card Incentives

When you have work performed at Chick’s we will rebate 1% to you in the form of a gift card. The gift cards can be used wherever VISA cards are accepted. This also applies to the work performed on vehicles that are from people to recommend to Chick’s.

You also have the option to use that rebate at Chick’s in the amount of 3%.

So you receive 1% for use anywhere or 3% for future use at Check’s. Just another way of telling you how much we appreciate your loyalty and referrals.

Where’s the proof?

Gulf Coast Filters tracked a 1990 Peterbilt with a 425 HP Series 60 Detroit for over 1 million miles with only 1 unnecessary oil change and no overhaul.  The first oil change was at 19,000 miles (break-in); the second was at 250,000 when a leaking oil pan gasket was replaced.  One customer, Pepsi Cola of Gulfport, MS has been running Gulf Coast Filters for over 20 years on their fleet while not changing oil and getting longer life from their engines.  Our goal is very simple, save our customers an average of 70% on oil changes and allow them to run their engine many more miles between overhauls.  Gulf Coast Filters offers an oil analysis program to our customers in which we keep a file and monitor your oil samples for you giving you the peace of mind that you know what is going on inside your expensive engine. The Gulf Coast Filter has a lifetime warranty on workmanship and materials for the original owner, and a 100% money back guarantee on up to 6 units if you are not totally satisfied.

*        TRUCKING - The average owner operator spends over $200 to change oil in their truck, the average Gulf Coast Filter user spends about $45 to change the Gulf Coast Filter and add the make up oil.  If the average owner operator were to keep their truck 5 years, they could save over $4200 using the Gulf Coast Filter.

*        MARINE – If you own a diesel powered pleasure boat chances are you spend in excess of $300 to have your oil changed.  A typical Gulf Coast Filter user spends only $45 to service our filter and add the make-up oil.  Not only can we save you a substantial amount of money on oil changes, but we also save you the room of having to carry all of that extra oil when making long voyages.

*        Heavy Equipment Hydraulics

• 70% of hydraulic problems are caused from contamination
• 75% of critical hydraulic clearances are less than 10 microns
• The majority of factory equipped hydraulic filters are rated at a “Nominal” 10 microns
• Gulf Coast Filters  (GCF) removes microscopic contamination down to below 1 micron.  The GCF element offers dense filtration that will absorb the moisture from the hydraulic fluids down to 40 parts per million.

What does the contamination consist of and where does it come from?  The majority of contamination consists of metal particles, dirt, and moisture.

1. Metal- Metal particles are introduced into the system starting at break-in and through the process of manufacturing.  Many times the majority of wear that leads to problems down the road begins the first few hours of operation.

1. Dirt- Dirt can also be introduced beginning with the manufacturing process, but most of the dirt enters the system through vents, filler caps, seals, and cylinder rods.  When hydraulic systems are serviced or inspected they are also susceptible to outside contamination.  It is also important to remember that in many cases new hydraulic oils are contaminated with microscopic particles and moisture.

1. Moisture- Moisture is one of the key Contaminants in any hydraulic system.  Many times moisture enters the system through condensation, seals, and vents.

What can Chick’s Transmissions installation of  Gulf Coast Filters do to help your hydraulic equipment last longer and eliminate the need for fluid changes?

Call today 801-467-4710  to see a Gulf Coast oil Filter in action on one of our larger pickups, talk to us about the potential savings that you and your business can experience.

Testimonial from a motor coach owner:

Since we have just returned from a nine thousand mile trip in our American Eagle Motor Home, it seems a good time to report some of my findings about using Gulf Coast Bypass Oil Filters.

I have been using and testing Gulf Coast Bypass Oil Filters since 1998 in five different diesel engines.  I have conducted tests using both petroleum based and synthetic oil.  All of the tests have been verified by laboratory analysis.

In every case, the use of Gulf Coast Bypass Oil Filters has eliminated the need to drain the motor oil and refill with new oil.  This has resulted in substantial savings, but of greater importance, laboratory analysis has shown that engine wear has been reduced to almost nothing.  The savings in oil cost is just an added bonus, extending the engine life is of greatest importance.

I would encourage installing a Gulf Coast Bypass Oil Filter on any Motor Home, no matter how long the owner expects to keep it.  The filter can easily be moved to the next Motor Home when a new one is purchased.  A Gulf Coast Bypass Oil Filter was installed on my 1996 American Eagle when I bought it in 2000.  It had 44,000 miles on the engine.  Since then, the Eagle has run another 47,000 miles.  A resent laboratory analysis reported almost no wear elements, indicating almost no wear in those 47,000 miles.

Thanks for providing a superior product.

Wilbur C. Andrews
(CaptnWil)

Brought Her Vehicle To Its Knees.

The Last Photo Is By Far The Best.

“Sort Of A Shimmy” — I’ll Bet It Did!

Abused Brake Rotor

We are currently seeing increased instances where, due to lack of money, vehicle owners are delaying maintenance for as long as they possibly can. What many fail to realize is that the delay actually ends up costing them more in the long run. The the brake rotor shown her is way beyond correcting by turning, it has been destroyed by the brake pads being applied to it when the brake pads were worn out, consequently it was the metal that holds the brake pad rubbing on the rotor (metal on metal).

Abused Brake Rotor-View 2

A side view of the same rotor shows that the metal is so thin that it is flaking away. The cost of delayed maintenance in this case means that instead if new brake pads the vehicle needs a new rotor. The brake pads would have cost between $30 – $70, depending on the type, plus labor (total cost $149 – $200). The rotor adds another $100 – $200, plus the additional labor. What did the owner of the vehicle save by delaying the brake job? NOTHING! Besides the out of pocket additional expense the vehicle owner also put their safety, the safety of those riding in the vehicle and the other vehicles they drove around, at risk.

Caliper Piston Damage

The next case is again on brakes. A vehicle was brought into the shop this week where the brake pad had worn out and fallen out. Since the brake pad was not in place the caliper piston pressed directly against the rotor when he brakes were applied. The end result of the delayed maintenance added $470 to repair bill that would have cost less than $200 if brought in upon the first signs of brake issues.

We offer a free 80 point inspection of vehicle that come into our shop. The inspection would have identified fact that the brake pads were depleted and in need of replacement.

In summary, delayed maintenance is costly, with not only the original issues having to be repaired, but associated parts that fail or are destroyed.  What have you delayed, what costs are you going to have to pay for that delay. Stop the raising costs by coming in TODAY for an assessment of your vehicles health.

There is a lot of controversy regarding what fluids need to be change in a car, how often they need to be changed and how they need to be changed. This month we are going to look at your power steering fluid.

Power steering is one of those luxuries that we enjoy without understanding or acknowledging how it aids in our ability to comfortable drive. Generally those items that we take for granted (hot water, electricity, brakes, refrigeration, lights, etc.) do not get the regular maintenance they require to stay in top working condition.

Look at your odometer if it reads above 45,000 miles or if you have owned the car more than 3 years it is time to take it to your local mechaic to have the power steering fluid changes. Per AOL Autos dot com:

“Power steering fluid in general is not listed in most maintenance schedules as needing periodic replacement, although there are some exceptions. But we have a machine for that now too, so expect to be told you need your power steering fluid flushed. Look, if every three to five years (45,000 to 60,000 miles) you change your power steering fluid, that’s not a bad idea. And replacing it with synthetic fluid, if allowable, is even better. But you certainly don’t need to do it yearly or even every two years.  http://bit.ly/9gwqEf

Why a schedule change ? What happens if you ignore it?

What happens is that over a period of time, the various internal power-steering components as well as the seals, O-rings having been subjected to wear and tear tend to wear out. When this happens the power steering fluid gets contaminated with broken down debris forcing the power-steering pump to work harder. The power steering pump now has to pump the debris instead of fluid and no doubt it eventually breaks down.You are left poorer by several hundreds of dollars.

Worse still you may have to spend a fortune if you lose your power steering system.

All you got to do to be out of these hassles is to simply replace the spent out fluid by a fresh one.

Preventive maintenance holds the key

You may not become richer but definitely you will become poorer if you ignore the schedule printed on your owner’s manual for changing power steering fluid. When it comes into preventive maintenance there are other issues too other than just following the schedule. You could be faced with other distress situations too some of which we list here:

• In case while driving you hear an abnormal whining noise (happens quicker with some makes (FORD)) whenever you turn the steering wheel, get your power-steering system thoroughly checked. This could be the alarm bell sounding before the power-steering pump failure.

• Do not take casually any leak.Immediately check your power-steering fluid level.Top it up if the level has fell. Don’t end up ignoring this, otherwise your power steering fluid pump will be wrecked just because you made it run without fluid.

• Change it as often as you would change your engine coolant. If your car requires “long-life” variety Power steering fluid then you have to change it every five years or 100,000 miles. For others, the change interval is every three years or 45,000 miles

• You have to see the deterioration that has occurred to your power steering fluid and change that much fluid as has deteriorated. It’s not necessary to change all of the power steering system’s fluid to keep it in good condition.

• Most likely, the power steering fluid will appear either amber (on most vehicles) or pink/red in color. Till it is retaining this color it is good. Any serious problem is indicated only when it appears significantly darker than new power steering fluid. When you see that the fluid is significantly darker than its color when it was fresh, it calls for a change of the power steering fluid.

• If the fluid is only somewhat darker than new you can perform this procedure on consecutive weekends. Proceed till you get the desired “good as new” fluid appearance.

• If the fluid is dark brown or black that indicates a serious system contamination (likely due to breakdown of internal rubber parts or hoses) and more extensive repairs are called for. When this happens do not proceed with solvent flushing. If you carry on it will only make matters worse.

So your action item today should be to check the odometer an see where your vehicle’s power steering to determine how much life remains or acknowledge that you are driving on borrowed time and start saving for the pump replacement.

If you are a Utah customer and mention this article when you make your appointment for a power steering fluid change you will receive a FREE set of Bosch Evolution All Season Wiper Blades at the time of the fluid change.

Good driving! visit our web site at:http://bit.ly/4hbhJs

In talking with Bill, a manger at the local wholesale auto parts distributor, he reminded me that the dirty in your engine has only two ways to get into your engine, through the fuel or through the air. Bill said that it is unlikely that most cars have dirt introduced through the fuel system, most dirt is introduced through the air system, passing through the air filter. The primary defense in keeping dirt out of your engine is a good air filter.

What the Air Filter Does

Air filters can be easily overlooked. They often don’t get replaced until they are absolutely clogged with dirt and soot. To help keep a vehicle running well, and to protect the intake system from premature wear, it’s important to change the air filter in your vehicle at the proper intervals. The air filter removes soot, carbon, abrasives and other contaminants from the air before the air mixes with fuel in the engine induction system. If allowed to get inside the engine, even microscopic dust particles can damage cylinder walls, pistons and piston rings. Since as much as 10,000 gallons of air must pass through the air filter for every gallon of fuel the engine burns, Quality air filters lengthen engine life by preventing the introduction of damaging foreign particles to the fuel mix.

What the Oil Filter Does

You may take your oil filter for granted, but this small, inexpensive part of your vehicle’s lubrication system plays a vital role in protecting the engine from premature wear. Each moving part in the engine and the cylinder walls requires clean oil for proper lubrication and lasting life. The oil filter cleans the oil as it passes through the filter element or filtering media. This prevents abrasive contaminants in the engine lubrication system from damaging engine parts.

The better you understand your engine’s lubrication system, the more you’ll appreciate the vital role your oil filter plays. When the engine is running, oil enters the oil pump through a screened intake. The screened intake — or oil pick-up — is located in the crankcase near the bottom surface of the oil pan. The oil is drawn through the screen intake and forced by the oil pump through the oil filter.

Oil from the main gallery is also fed through vertical passages to the crankshaft main bearings and through the crankshaft to the rod bearings. Oil thrown from the crankshaft, or sprayed from the connecting rods, lubricates the pistons and cylinder walls.

In a typical full-flow type oil filter, the oil flows into an inlet passage and then through the filtering element. After flowing through the filter element, the filtered or “clean” oil passes directly to the main oil gallery. In a partial-flow type filter, the oil returns directly to the oil pan.

Oil from the main gallery lubricates the camshaft and the camshaft bearings (and feeds hydraulic valve lifters if used in the engine). On non-overhead cam engines, oil is metered through the valve lifter to a hollow push rod that carries oil for the lubrication of the push rod pivot point, rocker arm pivots and valve guide. Oil Filter Media The media is the filtering material in the oil filter element. It essentially determines the efficiency, performance and useful life of the oil filter.

There are two basic types of filter media: the “paper” media and the “depth” type media. The primary features of the filter elements are:

Particle size retention (filtration efficiency)

Particle size retention is the measure of the degree to which the filter can retain particles of various sizes. Our supplier has developed optimum particle size retention quality in filter media by extensive engine wear tests including exhaustive testing of filters used in racing, and sophisticated laboratory tests. The media in the automotive full-flow oil filter is able to trap and hold essentially all the contaminant particles larger than 25 microns. (A human hair measures approximately 70 microns in diameter. An object that is 1 micron in size is .000039 inches in diameter.) Our filters also capture a high percentage of even smaller particles.

Dirt-holding capacity

Dirt-holding capacity is the amount of contaminant that can be removed and held by the filter until the filter ceases to function. The capacity of the filters we use are significantly larger than the minimum requirements to efficiently filter all the oil during the oil and filter change periods as specified by vehicle manufacturers.

Resistance to oil flow

Our full-flow oil filters for automotive applications use arch-pleated, prescription-blended media. When new, the media with a maximized number of pleats has less than 2 psi pressure drop when filtering oil at a rate of 4 g.p.m. at normal operating temperature. This low initial restriction to oil flow protects the vital engine parts more effectively.

Parts of an Oil Filter

• Gasket – provides exterior seal between the filter and engine at the engine mounting surface.
• Mounting Plate – prevents deflection (movement) at the gasket sealing surface. Heavy gage steel plate provides for threaded attachment to the engine.
• Inner Element Support – provides inner element stabilization and a positive seal between the inner element and the mounting plate to prevent the bypass of unfiltered oil.
• Upper End Cap – retains element end sealant and filter media, provides an outlet for clean oil, and provides structural rigidity to the pleated media.
• Lower End Cap – retains element end sealant and filter media.
• Arch-pleated, Prescription-blended Filter Media – provides a more than adequate filter area. The element has a controlled porosity blended media to assure complete filtration of the oil.
• Spiral-wound Center Tube – provides internal element support. The spiral design greatly reduces initial flow restriction when compared to other designs.
• Coiled Spring – ensures a constant load on the inner element to maintain the seal between the upper element end cap, the inner element support, and the mounting plate even during pressure surge situations.
• Filter Canister – encloses the assembly with a mechanically-locked double seam. The canister provides “flutes” at the closed end for ease of removal with an oil filter wrench.
• Silicone Anti-Drainback Valve – Stays flexible in extreme temperatures, improves oil flow and keeps oil in filter to prevent engine destroying dry starts. Also provides lasting protection to meet new vehicle manufacturers longer recommended oil change schedules. Nitrile valves can harden and become ineffective over time.

Our full-flow filters include anti-drainback and/or filter by-pass valves. These types of filters are identical to full-flow filters, except that a by-pass valve replaces the inner element support and an anti-drainback valve has been added. The Anti-Drainback Valve prevents oil from draining out of the filter inlet holes when the engine is shut off. It also provides seal between clean and dirty oil at the upper end cap. This is necessary in applications where the oil filter is mounted in a horizontal or inverted position.

The Filter By-Pass Valve If one of our full-flow filter becomes “clogged”, or excessively restrictive to oil flow, the filter by-pass valve ensures continued engine lubrication by allowing the oil to by-pass the filter. Some vehicle manufacturers have the by-pass valve built into the oil filter mounting unit (located on the engine).

Other vehicle manufacturers require full-flow filters have the by-pass valve built into the filter itself. All of our oil filter types recommended for these particular applications include the by-pass valve assembly in the filter.

• By-pass Valve Assembly — spring loaded valve assembly that allows oil to by-pass the element under high-differential pressure conditions such as cold oil and/or excessively contaminated media. This allows lubrication of the engine, but without full-flow filtration.

The Oil

The oil we use is formulated from a combination of synthetic and conventional quality base stocks combined with modern performance additives, including an advanced cleaning additive system to provide excellent engine cleanliness, protection and longer oil life at oil drain intervals up to 7,500 miles or 6 months, whichever comes first. These oils help protect against sludge, piston deposits, engine rust and corrosion under severe and low-temperature operating conditions. Pour depressants and a viscosity index (VI) improver are included, where required, to provide the optimum viscosity and fluidity over a wide range of temperatures.

The Economics

Did you catch that the life is up to two and half times what is recommend by the franchise oil changers. Having you pay a little less on each oil change but making you return two and a half times more often makes good economic sense for them, especially when inferior filters and fluid are used. They fail to recognize, as well, your cost (down time) and the hassles of getting your car to them every 90 days.

Conclusion

The next time your car is due for an oil change, ask questions:

• What kind of filter is being used? What kind of oil is being used?
• What is the interval between changes?
• Will you do a “no pressure” free auto wellness check to insure that the vehicle is free from impending repairs?

If you don’t like the answers come see us.

A vehicle that is out of tune or fails an emissions test can use considerably more fuel and emits more harmful emissions. Performing a TERRACLEAN™ treatment will help significantly reduce the volume of dangerous gases released by your vehicle.

Unlike competitive products that can take several weeks for results to be realized, TERRACLEAN™ is proven to help you pass your test immediately after. Vehicles that fail an emissions test can receive a TERRACLEAN™ treatment and pass the same test only minutes later.

See an example : http://www.terraclean.net/testresults2.htm

Call today for your appointment – 801 467-4710

Benefits of TerraClean….
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

As carbon builds up within a vehicle’s engine due to incomplete combustion, drivers often experience a gradual decrease in the car’s overall performance. By burning off the carbon on the injector heads, within the combustion chamber and on the oxygen sensor, a TERRACLEAN™ treatment restores the engine’s responsiveness and peak performance which provides a drive-away difference.

INCREASED FUEL EFFICIENCY

As the cost of crude oil continues to escalate and gasoline prices reach record levels at the pumps, consumers need to find ways of lowering the cost of operating their vehicles. A TERRACLEAN™ engine decarbonizing treatment can significantly improve fuel efficiency by restoring optimal combustion conditions within the engine. The treatment pays for itself through fuel savings within a short period of time.

EMISSIONS REDUCTION

TERRACLEAN™ reduces the volume of harmful emissions that are released into the environment by your vehicle engine. As governments worldwide step up efforts to enforce emissions standards and reduce air pollution, TERRACLEAN™ is establishing itself as an industry leader in the automotive emissions reduction market.