Why Do I Need My Headlights Restored?

Headlight Restoration

Polycarbonate plastic is found on most headlight assemblies on all major vehicles. This material even though it is generally durable, this porous material makes it open to environmental defect. Instead of replacing your headlight assembly completely headlight restoration services like the one offered at Rick's Complete Automotive may become an alternative to saving you money!

Vision and safety regulations allow for every vehicle to have the most effective light vision available in today's technology but with a headlight surface not allowing your expensive LED headlights to shine through it's lens by design this may leave you prone to an accident. Not being able to see what's in front of you with bad conditions such as rain, snow, or fog can really mean the factor of keeping you on the road or not. This leaves it up to the responsibility of every vehicle owner to schedule regular appointments with a specialist at Rick's Complete Automotive.

Who said to have to do anything or even replace a hazy headlight? Generally as new headlight assembly can run you anywhere from one-hundred and fifty dollars to two-hundred and fifty dollars, but we can restore your original headlights for twenty-five dollars.  As long as your vehicle's headlights can still be restored, a specialist here at Rick's Complete Automotive Services can do the job and save you money at the same time.

NEVER DRIVE BLIND, ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.

PUT YOUR SAFETY FIRST, ALL OF THE TIME

Schedule an appointment today at Rick's Complete Automotive located at 6560 Railroad Ave. Forestville, CA 95436. (707)887-1641.

BAD IGNITION COIL INDICATORS

A bad ignition coil is one of the things outside of the various other engine management items that can cause your vehicle to run poorly. This article will help you know what an ignition coil does, and what signs your should look for before the ignition coil goes bad.

How does an Ignition Coil Function?

Spark plugs within your engine explode the fuel combined with the spark the spark plugs produce in the cylinder area of the engine and propel your car forward. This simple task given by the spark plugs rely on a more complex ignition system to fire them at exactly the right time and with the proper intensity. The ignition coil relays power from the battery and then converts the increased voltage to a high level creating spark in the plugs.

What is an Ignition Coil Design?

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  Ignition coils are made up of components. The first part by design is the primary coil, and the second part is called the secondary coil. Battery current runs into the primary coil creating magnetic field. This magnetic field causes a current to transfer onto the secondary coil. By this design the voltage in the secondary coil is much higher than that of the primary coil.

  

  
  

  Indicators Of a Bad Coil

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    When your ignition coil fails this will prevent the engine from turning over and starting or if your car happens to be running at the time of failure you could be on the side of the road calling a tow truck since this component will stop the engine from running entirely. This is due to the fact that no current will reach the spark plugs enough to deliver combustion moving your vehicle forward. In some cases, an ignition coil that is failing will still provide some current to the plugs, but it might not be enough for a full spark, which is needed by the vehicle. The result will be a poor running motor. The battery voltage current must be accurate and consistent within the coil or the car will run rough. In this case we had a customer come in with a coil that exploded and you could see the voltage inside the coil making spark. This video displays a worst case possible yet still allows the vehicle to function. 

    
    If you think your vehicle is running poorly have us check out the ignition system at Rick's Complete Automotive located at 6560 Railroad Ave. Forestville, CA 95436 or call (707)887-1641.

  
  

Have You Checked Your Air Filter Lately?

       While doing a routine oil change we found that a bird had flew up in a customer's air vent and landed just under the air filter. Our oil changes here at Rick's Auto consists of changing the oil and oil filter and, we lube all fittings on steering linkage, ball joints & drive shaft(s); we check and correct all fluid levels to include brake fluid; power steering fluid, coolant, battery acid (unless a sealed battery, automatic transmission fluid. Check tire pressure an and install "Next Service Due" sticker. This was quite a surprise and a first in 35 years to see an actual bird in the air filter compartment.

Purpose

Air filters allow as much air as possible to enter the engine while collecting anything that will damage the engine.This part is actually quite a bit more complicated than it may sound. The engine produces a vacuum that pulls it's suction through the air filters tiny holes.

Function

A air filter is like a net (in the picture above we caught a bird). In reality, the air filter's holes would only be big enough to pass the individual oxygen particles through, holding back anything not required for combustion. Oxygen atoms are physically smaller then the nitrogen atoms (which amount to seventy-eight percent of our planet's atosphere by volume). Both are far smaller than any dust particulate which is the main area of concern regarding the safety of your motor.

Materials

Filters are manufactured using several different materials. The most common is dry paper or cotton gauze, but other well-known options include foam and oil-impregnated cotton. Foam filters typically flow very well, but aren't very durable. The oil-impregnated cotton filters helps dust particles to stick to the fibers, meaning that the holes can be larger to flow for better increased air flow. Most aftermarket performance filters are of this type.

Overall

Get your air filter checked at Rick's Auto in Forestville and we will evaluate your intake and air flow to see how your exact vehicle's engine is operating at it's max performance. Furthermore, if somehow we can recommend a better air filter for your engine to maximize fuel efficiency and gas mileage we can do so at this time.

Rick's Complete Automotive Repair: 6560 Railroad Ave. Forestville, C.A. 95436 (707-887-1641) www.ricksauto.blogspot.com

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How Timing Belt Replacement Works

Have you ever heard a band where the trumpets play off-beat, the cymbals slam into each other and the saxophone player simply drops the ball on his job. This is what could happen if the drummer of a band, the keeper of tempo, went missing. In the world of automotive maintenance, visualizing this scenario can help illustrate the timing belt's role and what can go wrong without routine replacement around the 60K-100K mile zone.

The timing belt is a synthetic rubber compound, which is reinforced with fiber cords, and in the car maintenance world much like a drummer of a band -- the timing belt keeps everything in the engine in sync. When the engine is on, it's in constant, timed motion, thanks to the belt, the connection between the crankshaft and camshaft allows the engine to run at it's best.

So is this important to replace? Well, the crankshaft converts linear energy from the pistons, which move up and down, into rotational energy that eventually turns the wheels. The camshaft opens and closes the engine's valves to allow air and gas in and out of the engine. The timing belt links the two in harmony. Without it, the pistons and valves would collide and your engine would stop running leaving you on the side of the road.

Obviously, this is bad news for vehicle maintenance as this internal collision can cause destruction fair amount of engine damage. Therefore, it's important to stay ahead of your belt's lifespan -- traditionally replacing it every four years or 60,000 miles (96,561 kilometers) or, in newer vehicles, every 100,000 miles (160,934 kilometers). Be sure to check your vehicle's maintenance manual to see what your car or truck's manufacturer suggests.

So we've all accepted the timing belt's importance, but that doesn't mean you have to spend your days worrying that your belt will force you to pay a large maintenance bill. Instead, you can act as the band director and keep that timing belt in check by watching its wear and arming yourself with the knowledge to replace it.

A typical timing belt job can eat your pocket book between $400-$800 depending on the vehicle but having maintenance done on your vehicle can extend it's life being reasonably cheaper then a new car.

Contact us here at Rick's Complete Automotive 707-887-1641 or stop by the shop located at 6560 Railroad Ave. Forestville, CA 95436 and we'll take a look at your belt to see how worn it is.

www.ricksauto.blogspot.com

The History of Rick's Auto Race Team

 During the many year Rick's Auto has been in business Rick Tacla used to Race at Petaluma Speedway with his own race car and team for recreational activity. Here are some of the pics from the race team and car that represented Rick's Auto in Forestville, California. Thanks everyone for the memories and hard work!!

These pictures were taken as part of Rick's Auto Race Team in the early 80's. The race car was built at the shop and maintained throughout his race career with various team members. Thanks again to all the sponsors! 

Rick's Complete Automotive

6560 Railroad Ave. 

Forestville, CA 95436

(707)887-1641