Best Steering and Suspension Repair and Replacement in Loveland, CO

When purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, it is extremely important to know exactly what you are getting yourself into. You don't want to end up with a lemon and get more than you bargained for. Scott's Automotive can provide you with a thorough pre-buy inspection: We check for body damage which may invisible to the untrained eye, covered by bondo and paint. We inspect the vehicle's mechanical soundness by checking the engine, drivetrain, belts, hoses, and search for oil leakes. Additionally, we do a comprehensive safety check including brake and lights testing, suspension examination, as well as frame examination for damage and wear. No one wants surprises after the purchase of a new used vehicle!

If the smoke is gray or black in color, it typically means the vehicle is running rich (too much gasoline and not enough air). If you only experience this when the car is started, it is typically an issue with the settings of the fuel injection system. If you get black smoke all the time, there are additional problems with the fuel injection system that needs to be checked (oxygen sensors, map sensors, fuel injectors, fuel pressure regulators, air filter, etc). If this is allowed to continue, it could cause damage to the catalytic converter as well. If the smoke is blue, it means the vehicle is burning oil. This can be caused by bad pistons and rings, damaged cylinder walls, or other internal engine damage. If the smoke is white, it is a sign of a coolant leak or coolant is being forced into the cylinders and burned. Typical causes of white smoke are faulty head gaskets, a cracked head, or a broken cylinder wall.

Always follow your manufacturer's recommendations as outlined in the owner's manual. Typically, the cooling system should be flushed out at least once every two years or 30,000 miles. The best time is to have this service performed is in the spring or fall. A flush should never be done as a repair for an overheating problem. A coolant flush after the repair is recommended to clean the entire system and replace it with the proper anti-foaming agents, rust inhibitors, and water pump lubricants.

Spark plugs, wires, distributor caps and rotors break down and fail over time due to exposure to moisture, oil, grease and under hood temperatures that can reach as much as 550 to 700 degrees. Worn spark plugs require higher voltage, forcing the ignition module and coil to produce increasingly higher and higher voltages to overcome the resistance. This breaks down the spark plug wire's insulation, creating an easier path to ground. This causes the ignition module and coil to produce even more voltage, creating even higher temperatures within them. The increased resistance weakens transistors and electrical insulation within modules, coils and computers, resulting in intermittent and premature failure. If your vehicle has over 60,000 miles and you haven't replaced your spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, you may experience a variety of drivability problems that are often difficult and very costly to diagnose and repair.