Spring cleaning in the Fall

So going in to winter I decided that the shop was not clean or organized enough and did something about it. I made a HUGE mess while painting and cleaning and rearranging the shop equipment. I actually went for a few days with no room to work on anything but getting the shop cleaned up and painted! The ceilings and upper half of the shop we painted white and the lower half we painted grey. Really cleans the place up, makes it a lot brighter in there. At the same time we painted the office area with a new coat of white to clean it up in there as well. While it is not quite done yet, still have to do the floors in the shop, some touch up on the walls, and make all the overhead lights match (we are trying out some different color bulbs to see how they work and really like them, but we only have them in one corner of the shop currently) it looks so much better out there.

Sorry no pictures you are just going to have to come see yourself!

I dont know if you noticed this...

But it is cold out!

Now cold is not really a good thing for your vehicle. Not a bad thing as long as you are prepared for it, but the engine really does not like the cold. When the temp gets as low as it has over the last few days (i.e. -12 in come places) there are a few tings that become really important. Firat and foremost you need to have your car start! The main component of this is the battery. Each car battery comes with a CCA rating, this is Cold Cranking Amps. Or how much electricity it can push at 32 degrees F. If you felt your car struggle to start yesterday or today in the AM it means your battery was not quite holding the charge it needed to start the car easily and you should get a battery. Compared to a tow bill for not starting and the possibility of being stuck in the weather it is an excellent investment. You want your engine to start right up when you turn the key.

The next thing is do NOT just drive off when you turn the engine over! At below freezing temps your engine oil takes a while to get moving through the engine. I went out this morning and started the car, then came back inside and waited about 15 in before driving away. When it is this cold you should really wait till you see some temperature on your vehicles temp gauge before driving the vehicle. This will keep your engine alive much longer, and keep you from getting some bad wear and tear on the internal moving parts. It really isnt a good idea to just start and engine in any weather and drive off, you should actually give it a bit to get settled before driving. In normal weather I usually jump in, turn the key an dthen get settled before I start driving. This includes getting the wallet out of the back pocket, getting my seatbelt on, checking the mirrors and that everyone with me is buckled before moving.

One more thing you may wish to consider in this weather is it is a good idea to have some supplies in the vehicle just in case. A blanket, some food and water (probably frozen by now) and heavy clothes, especially if you are doing any sort of road trip. Personally I carry enough that if I get stranded on the side of the road I can walk comfortably to the nearest help if Ireally need to. Well, last time I went to Cody WY comfort would have a been a relative term. If I had had to walk I would have been a cold, cold man. Alive, but very cold. Thankfully I did not have any issues.

Customer Profile - 2002 Dodge Intrepid

A customer brought in a 2002 Dodge Intrepid. The car was leaking from underneath its hood.

It turned out to be water. The car needed a new water pump. The old pump had a rubber ring inside it that had filled corrosion. Once the O ring had started to leak a little the pump started to corrode around it. It never fails, leaks only do one thing, get worse.

Soon the car was running smoothly, with no leaking problems in sight. After having to burp the cooling system quite a few times to get all the air pockets out of it I was happy to tell the customer that their car was ready and drip-free!

I had another problem with leaks a little while ago with a 1989 Toyota Camry. Except the car was leaking oil instead of water - a much messier situation! The inside of the car was coated in oil. I had to do some serious scrubbing before I could fix the problem, but I'm happy to report that his car wound up drip-free as well.

If you'd like to hear more stories, try reading some of our other customer profiles, or look at our customer testimonials!

Customer Profile - 1990 Chevy Van 30

A customer brought in a Chevy Van "30", an older model. They told me the van wouldn't start. I ran some electrical testing to figure out what the problem was.

A Battery, Starting and Charging test revealed that the van needed a new starter. I ordered in the new part, replaced it, and now the engine would crank over but nothing wouldn't run.

Now that the engine was turning over I could do further diagnostics on the vehicle. I found that the distributor rotor had shorted out. I ordered a new one in, and the Chevy fired right up.

The customer was happy that the problem was solved. Sometimes more then one thing goes wrong with a vehicle at a time, the customer had a starter go out at the same time his vehicle died while going down the road due to his distributor rotor going out.

If you would like to learn more, try reading more about our auto repair services or read some of our customer testimonials.

If you would like to bring your vehicle in for inspection or service, contact Chris Bruun and schedule an appointment.

Customer Testimonial - Troy Dunn

"I first met Chris when I brought my car in to fix a serious oil leak. He quickly diagnosed the problem and gave me a few different options. He was honest with me about the risks of each option, and gave me his opinion on which option I should take and why. In the end, it turned out to be the right decision. A thousand miles later, my car is running smoothly with no oil problems. I look forward to seeing Chris on my next oil change!"

Troy Dunn. Golden, Colorado. 1989 Toyota Camry, 294k miles!

New Management: Lakewood Auto Mechanic, Chris Bruun:

Early in 2009, Chris Bruun purchased Reliable Auto Services. He brings years of experience and education in automotive repair services to our shop, and we are lucky to have him. He will retain the dedication to quality of service that Reliable Auto Services has always been known for, and provides a new burst of enthusiasm for integrity.

Chris learned quite a lot about integrity in his six years of service in the U.S. Marines, where he would still be serving today if he hadn't been disabled in service. After the Marines, he went on to study cars, initially for his own interest in automotive repair. He attended Lincoln Technical Institute (LTI) and, after graduating from LTI with honors, moved on to the BMW STEP program where he recieved specialized education in Bavarian automotives. He is ASE Certified, being one of few to pass all eight ASE Certification exams before graduating from LTI.



As well as a dedicated American and business owner, Chris is also proudly dedicated to his wife and daughter. To learn more about Chris, you can read about him on the Reliable Auto Services website, follow Reliable Auto Services on Facebook, or follow Reliable Auto Services @lakewoodauto on Twitter!