Coweta Car Care

Coweta Car Care Tim & Linda Ridley have been in business since 1993. Family owned garage with high standards. General automotive repair, emission testing and repairs.

ASE certified Technicians ready to take care of all of your automotive needs!

09/20/2017

Tim's Tech Tips

Alternators

Everybody has heard of the alternator. Technically, the alternator is a mechanically operated unit that produces alternating current when rotated. Alternating current is AC electricity. This is the same type of stuff your house uses. The car can’t use AC, it must have DC or Direct Current. Therefore, the alternator output must be rectified into DC electricity. Then the voltage output must be controlled as well. This is performed by a unit called a voltage regulator.

Wow! That is a lot to try and understand. It was easier when the cars had a generator on them. The generator would produce the DC that the car needed. The problem with the generator is that they were very big and very heavy. Also, when the engine was at idle they would not produce enough voltage to run the electrical systems on the car. So the voltage output was very hard to control at varying engine speeds. Thus, the alternator was born due to its smaller and lighter size. The alternator output can also be made to produce more consistent voltages and amperages at the various engine speeds.

With all of the electrical loads being used in today’s vehicles (radio, GPS, lights, cameras, computers, anything plugged into a power port, keeping the battery fully charged to name a few), the alternator has become an extremely high tech unit. And the smaller they get, the more money they cost. So now we have alternators that weigh only a few pounds that are capable of producing in excess of 150 AMPs. This was accomplished previously with the generator that weighed around 50 pounds. So it has become normal nowadays to replace the alternator at a cost of over $700 (parts and labor).

Charging and starting system maintenance is becoming more and more important and your repair facility should be looking at your systems often. They should check your alternator output and ensure that your battery terminals are tight and corrosion free.

Tim Ridley
Coweta Car Care
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07/10/2017

Coweta Car Care is looking for an Automotive Technician. Shop hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Paid holidays and lunch provided. Pay is based on experience and attitude. If interested, come by the shop and talk to Tim Ridley (71 McIntosh Trail, Sharpsburg, GA 30277).
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Thanks!

06/14/2017

Tim’s Tech Tips

Rodent Damage

We had a 2007 Chevrolet Impala brought in by wrecker in a no start condition. Troubleshooting and inspection revealed major rodent damage. Something, a mouse, chipmunk, squirrel, or whatever, had chewed into the main wiring harness. Nuts and shells everywhere. Droppings everywhere. To make matters worse, this harness is no longer available from either Chevrolet or after-market. So that means in order to fix the car, the wiring harness is going to have to be repaired. Each and every wire will have to be inspected for damage and/or repair. Several, several hundred dollars.
We have seen this many times over the years. When you park your car in the same spot every day, or leave your car parked for a long period of time, it becomes a mobile hotel for the critters. How do you prevent this? Try to park in different spots if you can, put moth balls under the car (they really don’t like those), or open the hood frequently and make sure nothing has moved into the engine compartment (you can do this while at the gas station filling up with fuel). They will eat the insulation, wiring, air filter or anything else that catches their fancy. Sometimes it’s an easy fix, and sometimes it’s a very expensive fix. Make sure when you get your oil change done, have the technician look for any rodent activity. It can save you in the long run.

Tim Ridley
Coweta Car Care

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05/05/2017

Tim's Tech Tips
Windows
Most vehicles nowadays have power windows. This means that they are actually electric windows. The original "power" windows were used back in the 1930s and 1940s. And mostly by high end manufacturers, like Cadillac. These windows were hydraulically operated. These hydraulic actuators could damage human limbs or fingers and could cause the glass to break or shatter. These windows were powered unlike the "manually operated" windows of the 1950s and since.
Electric windows have evolved into where they are today. These units are becoming more complicated and more difficult to work on. The trend in manufacturing is to make units into more modules. These days we see more window modules being replaced. This means that the window motor and regulator are serviced as one unit (module).
To help you understand, there are several components in the basic window system. The fuse, switch, relay and motor, and of course, the wires that connect all of these together. A fault in any one of these components makes your window stop working. All you know is that the switch is pressed and the window doesn't move. Now is when you need someone to find out which of these components is causing the problem. This will require troubleshooting and is part of the repair. If you choose not to repair the window, expect to pay for the troubleshooting time.
Inside of the door is an electric motor and some type of mechanical apparatus (regulator) to move the window. The motor moves the regulator which is attached to the glass. The glass slides up and down in a front and rear guide. These guides are typically called "tracks". Contrary to popular belief, it is very rare for a window to come out of the "track". Most of the time if the glass "tilts" when lowered or raised, this means that it is no longer attached to the regulator or the regulator is severely broken. Sometimes there is a "crunching or grinding" sound heard. This is typically due to cable driven regulators having the cable binding on the drive wheel. Most of these components are plastic and can't be repaired, only replaced.
If you are having a "power window" problem, the best thing to do is try and get the window in the up position. Then take the vehicle to someone who can accurately diagnose the problem and fix the window!
Tim Ridley
Coweta Car Care
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04/25/2017

Tim's Tech Tips
Pre-Buy Inspections
When you are in the market for a used car, take it to your automotive technician and have it checked out BEFORE you buy the vehicle. It will be money well spent.
When our shop does a pre-buy inspection, we can tell if the vehicle has ever been wrecked, is it the original engine and/or transmission, check the fluids, hoses and belts. Does the heat and air conditioning work? Do the seat belts work? How do the tires look? Do all the lights work (interior and exterior)? Is the Check Engine light on? Any other lights on?
Have your technician write down any and all discrepancies they find. If you really like the car, then use that list when talking price for the car.
Tim Ridley
Coweta Car Care
P.S. Feel free to share.

04/17/2017

Tim's Tech Tips
Check Engine Light
Just wanted to make sure that each of you get a good grasp on the "Check Engine" light. All vehicles 1996 and newer have this light. It is there to alert the driver that the on board computer system has detected a problem within its circuits. Since 1996, the EPA has mandated that all vehicles sold in the US must constantly monitor the emissions output of the vehicle. This effectively means that the vehicle is constantly performing its own emission test. The light is designed to come on when a problem occurs that adversely effects the emission output greater than one and one-half times its rated output. Simply put, the computer turns the light on each time a problem causes more emission output from the engine. Today's automotive technicians must use specialized equipment in order to determine which of these circuits the computer is not happy about. Then he must break down that circuit and determine what is wrong within that circuit.
Many people have heard this and have fallen to the marketing of the big box parts store. I hear all the time that "I had it diagnosed at ______. The machine said it needed an EGR valve. Put the valve on and it did not fix it. Replaced the valve a second time and still it is not fixed." This is a free service from these stores designed to increase parts sales. And it works! However, very rarely does it actually fix the problem.
Let me make sure that you understand. There is NO piece of equipment out there that you can hook up to the vehicle and it tells you what part to replace. The machine only tells you what circuit is effected. It's the technician's job to figure out what is wrong by troubleshooting the problem. This way the correct part can be replaced and the problem solved.
Tim Ridley
Coweta Car Care
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04/11/2017

Tim's Tech Tips
CHANGE THE OIL!!!!
I can't say enough about today's vehicles. The most important thing you can do for your 2000 model or newer vehicle is to change the oil. Yes, that's right! Change the engine oil. These newer vehicles are extremely oil sensitive. I do not care what the advertisement and marketing tell you about how long you can go. We see engine oil related problems every day.
Think about it...most of us say we get the oil changed every 3,000 miles. But reality is we get the oil changed only when we think about it or remember it. We see this all the time here at Coweta Car Care. Our customers get a reminder post card three months after their oil change. Still we see customers with 10,000 or more miles since the last oil change. They say well it was just changed a couple of months ago, when in reality it was six months ago or longer.
So far this year alone we have had five different vehicles 2003 and newer which have had irreparable engine damage due to lack of oil changes. The dip stick shows oil, but it is so black and thick that it will barely drip off the stick. We have had vehicles come into the shop running bad and making noise. Checked the oil level and there was none on the stick! We add three quarts of oil and the engine gets quiet and starts running properly.
We've had numerous Check Engine lights and emission failures due to lack of maintenance. Most of these problems were due to lack of oil changes and most of the repairs were $350 and up.
These vehicles with the newer, smaller engines are getting better and better fuel mileage. They are driving further and faster than before. In order to make this happen, the automotive engineers are creating engines that use engine oil pressure for controlling valve timing and other functions. Oil pressure is not just for lubrication any longer!
So the bottom line is CHANGE THE OIL. You can't change it too often. But if you don't do it often enough, it will cost you big time. Eventually.
Tim Ridley, Coweta Car Care
We're here when you need us!
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08/03/2016

Check Engine Light - This light is confusing to a lot of people. Your vehicle has several computer systems. Each of these systems come from the factory with pre-set parameters. Every time you start your car, the computers go into self-test mode. If any of these computer’s tests result in a reading outside of the pre-set parameters, the Check Engine light will come on. This is just telling you the computer is not happy about something. You should know there is no piece of equipment in the world that will tell you exactly what to replace and/or repair when this light comes on. It will tell you by the computer code what system is involved, and that’s when you have troubleshooting done. For example, if your light comes on and it has a code P0303 (Cylinder 3 Misfire) that could be for spark plug, spark plug wire or boot, ignition coil, fuel injector, compression, or maybe even something else. This is where the troubleshooting comes into play. Don’t wait too long to have this checked out because whatever is wrong could affect other parts and computers on the vehicle.
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08/01/2016

Tim's Tips:
Cabin Air Filter - This filter helps trap pollen, bacteria, dust and exhaust gases that may find their way into a vehicle's air conditioning and heating and ventilation (HVAC) systems. The filter also prevents leaves, bugs and other debris from entering the HVAC system. Not all cars have these filters...sometimes they are behind the glove box, sometimes they are in different positions in the engine compartment...it all depends on your vehicle. Next time you have your oil changed, ask the Technician if your vehicle has one of these, and if so, have them check it. If they change it, tell them you want to see the old one. We recommend to our customers to change it every 20,000 miles. If yours is really clogged (like a clogged furnace filter when it's changed), you may even notice an increase in the air flow from your interior vents (and possibly a different smell)!

06/30/2016

Tim's Tips:
Your car is a machine and machines require maintenance to keep running smoothly. Regular oil changes and tire rotations are a good place to start! Your car may not be your most expensive asset, but it's the most valuable (everybody depends on their car every day). Take care of it and it will keep you going!

Address

71 McIntosh Trl
Sharpsburg, GA
30277

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 6pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday 8am - 6pm

Telephone

+17702541618

Website

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