Enhance Your Vehicle's Performance with Expert Brake Repair & Suspension Advice

As we move into Autumn, we need to be mindful that roads and general driving conditions will be changing. While we're not in the snow and ice season yet, rain and fallen leaves can create equally slick road conditions that can test your tires and brakes. Even worse, fallen leaves can cover potholes that would be otherwise visible to you and lead to "THUMP moments" that could compromise your wheel alignment. With these things in mind, here are a few tips we want to put forward to make sure you’re driving safe: MECHANICAL CONSIDERATIONS 1. Make sure your brakes are in good shape, as you may need to use them. We're not only potentially dealing with slick roads, but we're well into back-to-school season, where we're potentially driving more. If you're hearing any grinding or squealing noises or if your braking isn't as solid as it used to be, get them checked. Getting this done NOW will also mean that you won't need to worry about it once Winter is upon us. 2. Make sure your tires are in good condition and fully inflated. Check your tire tread to make sure it's sufficient to gripping the road, but also look for uneven wearing patterns that might be present. -Edge wear where wearing is occurring on the inner and outer surfaces of tires may indicate underinflation. Side wear on only one side or the other may indicate underinflation or that your tires are out-of-balance. -Center wear indicates overinflation. -Cupping (irregular patches of wear staggered along the tire circumference) may point to your tires being out-of-balance or problems with your wheel bearings. Getting these problems dealt with BEFORE Mother Nature throws snow and ice into the mix is a good idea! 3. Make sure your wheel alignment is spot-on. How your car handles is intimately related to perfectly aligned wheels and precisely-calibrated sensors, and, going into Winter, you want to be sure that these are good-to-go! 4. Leaf debris can make a mess on your windshield: check/replace your wiper blades and make sure your washer fluid is topped off so that you can keep your windshield debris-free. 5. It’s getting darker earlier, and morning fogs may also be a problem as it gets cooler: make sure your headlights and tail lights are working properly. It's great if YOU can see other cars, but make sure they can see you, too! DRIVING CONSIDERATIONS: 1. Slow down and drive more carefully, especially on side streets where there may be leaves and leaf debris. Also, be aware of pottholes or bumps in the road that might be hidden my leaf debris. 2. Increase your following distance behind the cars in front of you, particularly if roads might be slick or are covered with leaf litter. 3. Watch for wildlife, especially deer that might dart out onto roads unexpectedly. A lot of animals are foraging to prepare for Winter, and they may dart out unexpectedly. 4. Never drive through leaf piles or areas of leaf accumulation If we can help you to stay safe this Autumn, give us a call at (609) 641-3392 or stop by our shop at 425 White Horse Pike in Absecon, NJ, and we'll take great care of you AND your car or truck!

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Almost all of the popular makes and models of European cars such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Audi, Volvo, Volkswagen, and the Stellantis and Renault groups use what are called direct injection (DI) engines. These engines use highly-pressurized fuel injectors to spray air-fuel mixtures directly in the combustion chambers, where they are ignited directly by the spark plugs. This design allows for higher compression ratios and, when paired with turbochargers, offer better overall performance as well as fuel economy. The tighter regulation of the combustion process supports the stricter environmental standards associated with European vehicles, making them able to run cleaner. However, other engine designs exist, too, such as port fuel injection (PFI), throttle body injection (TBI), and, in older models, carburetors. In general, these mix fuel and air outside of the combustion chambers before distributing the mixtures to the cylinders. With almost all modern European makes using DI systems with precise fuel deliveries, higher compression ratios, and lower emissions, they seem like they are a clearly improved evolutionary step in the internal combustion engine. HOWEVER, there are downsides, too! Injectors can clog, fuel pumps can wear out from the high pressures required to drive this design, and heavy carbon buildups created by soot and oil vapors combining can form on your intake valves as fuel is no longer washing over them on its way to the combustion chambers. When we say high pressures, we're talking about 1,500-3,000 PSI generated by the specialized fuel pumps to ensure proper fuel atomization and experienced by the injectors during the combustion process under heavy loads. These can be expensive to replace. At Ditmire Motorworks, we see the gamut of engine types, and our crew has thoroughly mastered them all. Being in operation for nearly 43 years does that: the institutional knowledge and experience here is profound and deep. If you’re looking for EXPERTS, look no further….give us a call at (609) 641-3392 or stop by our shop on the White Horse Pike in Absecon, NJ, and we’ll show you our stuff!

Normally, your exhaust isn’t infused with smoke, but, when it IS, some basic observations can help you figure out what's wrong. Here's a quick guide to what different colors of smoke in your exhaust mean and what you should do when you encounter them: THIN, WHITE SMOKE: Particularly if this is observed on a cold morning, thin, white smoke is caused by condensed water vapor. Usually, this will disappear once everything’s warmed up. NOT DANGEROUS! THICK, WHITE SMOKE: Particularly if it has a sweet smell to it, this often indicates an engine coolant leak….and that requires immediate attention as it could indicate a blown head gasket or cracked engine block allowing coolant to leak into the combustion chambers. VERY DANGEROUS….and we recommend getting a tow! BLUE OR BLUE-GRAY SMOKE: This may indicate oil leaking from worn seals or piston rings into your combustion chamber, particularly if it has a burned oil smell to it. The first thing to do is to check your oil level. Depending on severity, you should either take your vehicle to the shop or get a tow, particularly if you see that your oil level is dangerously low. POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS….and you might require a tow! BLACK SMOKE: Your engine is “running rich” as a result of proportionately more fuel being present in the air:fuel mixtures that are ignited to provide the force to drive your pistons. This may be because of a lack of air getting to the engine or an over abundance of fuel. The former is more common than the latter, and replacement of the engine air filter or the Mass Airflow (MAF) sensor will fix it, but, either way, it can cause permanent damage to your catalytic converter that will eventually require replacement. CAN BE DANGEROUS IF NOT ADDRESSED. At DITMIRE MOTORWORKS, we’ve dealt with all of these situations, and, if you’re suddenly faced with any of them, give us a call at  (609) 641-3392  , and get your vehicle in to our shop on the White Horse Pike in Absecon, NJ. Let our team of ASE-certified technicians get you fixed up!

Enhance your vehicle’s performance with transmission and clutch services at Ditmire Motorworks in Absecon, NJ. Visit us today for expert care!

Have YOU ever gone out to your car and been greeted by a puddle of fluid under it? If that happens to you, DON’T IGNORE IT! A lot of major problems that end up as costly repair bills begin as symptoms that, for whatever reasons, drivers ignore. Being able to identify, even tentatively, what fluid is leaking can provide some critical information that you can convey to a technician when you visit the shop. That makes it easier for us to know what to focus on. · CLEAR FLUID: This could be either gasoline or water. You should be able to tell the difference by smell. If you don’t smell gasoline, you’re likely seeing condensation that has simply dripped down from your A/C. That’s nothing to worry about. But if you DO smell gas, you’re likely seeing symptoms of rusted or cracked fuel lines, a cracked fuel tank, a faulty fuel pump seal, or a broken filler neck. Don’t mess around if this happens! GET A TOW! Gasoline is highly flammable, and you don't want to start a fire! So, pull over, shut the car down, and move a safe distance away....keep all keys away from the ignition, and no open flames! · BLACK OR BROWN: This is likely oil....and you'll need to get the leak located and repaired as maintaining your lubrication minimizes wear and tear to critical engine parts. Particularly in Summer months, rubber gaskets or plastic seals can become problems as heat can make them brittle and susceptible to cracking or breaking. Alternately, you may be dealing with a loose drain plug (an easy fix), a damaged oil filter, or a leaky oil pan. If it's a smaller leak, you can probably drive safely, but check your oil level first, and watch for low oil warning lights while driving. If it's a bigger leak, you might consider a tow just to be safe. · BLUE: This is likely windshield washer fluid, and it may be the case that your reservoir is leaking and needs to be replaced. Particularly in Summer, the plastic reservoir can become brittle and crack. This isn't a major safety issue, but should still prompt a trip to the service/repair shop to get a replacement reservoir as you never know when you may need to clear your windshield. · PALE YELLOW: This is brake fluid, and its presence indicates a leak in your hydraulic system. If the puddle is near a wheel, the problem could be with the brake hose, the bleeder valve, or the wheel cylinder. If the puddle is along the undercarriage, the problem likely lies with the brake line. If it’s under the engine bay, the problem is like with the master cylinder. DO NOT DRIVE! Pressing down on your brake pedal in this state can empty the remaining fluid and lead to brake failure. GET A TOW! · RED: This could be either transmission fluid or power steering fluid. In either case, get the systems inspected as soon as possible....especially if it's a large puddle, in which case you'd be safer to get a tow. In either case, you might want to check the levels before attempting any driving. Older model Euros may have a dipstick to check transmission fluid, but, if not, don’t attempt assessment. Driving with too little transmission fluid can leak to catastrophic damage to your transmission. If you hear a moaning noise when you try to steer or steering is difficult, you’ve got enough information to conclude it’s a problem with the power steering. · ORANGE: This could be either engine coolant or transmission fluid. We’ve already discussed the problems associated with transmission leaks, and we will discuss the problems associated with coolant leaks below. Exercise caution in driving and keep eyes on the temperature gauge as you drive to the shop. Leaking engine coolant can be a serious harbinger of future overheating issues. · PINK/YELLOW/GREEN: This is likely engine coolant, especially if it has a sweet smell to it….and this could indicate the beginning of some big problems with your coolant system. This can quickly become VERY dangerous as, left unchecked, you can end up experiencing overheating issues that can destroy your aluminum engine block, total your car or truck, and, worst case scenario, lead to a vehicle fire. We would advise checking the reservoir to see how much coolant is still present and getting your vehicle into the shop quickly to get the problem reconciled. If the puddle is small and you’re not seeing high engine or coolant temperatures, you can likely make it to the shop without incident….but if you DO see the engine or coolant reaching high temperatures, shut your vehicle down, and get a tow. Whatever fluid is leaking from YOUR ride, give us a call at  (609) 641-3392  , and get your vehicle into the shop. We're located on the White Horse Pike in Absecon, NJ, and our mission in life is to keep you SAFE!!! Let our "A-Team" of ASE-certified expert technicians get the problem fixed and get you back on the road safely! You've got FRIENDS at Ditmire Motorworks!

Keeping an eye on your engine and coolant temperatures is important as coolant system failures can easily become catastrophic events that can destroy your car or truck. Many European vehicle manufacturers rely on aluminum engine blocks because the lighter weight of aluminum improves fuel economy, and aluminum is easily and irreparably damaged when temperatures get too high. This becomes more of an issue during the Summer months as higher ambient temperatures combine with the higher temperatures of typical Euro engines and the relatively smaller engine bays to create an environment that has to be carefully managed. As with all problem areas, it’s always better to catch things early before they become critical, so we’d like to give you a few things to watch for: · Always watch your temperature gauge: it should not be fluctuating significantly, and it shouldn’t be spiking into the red zone. If it IS, you could have a problem with your thermostat, which serves as the gatekeeper for coolant flow. If it’s stuck in the open position, it will be more difficult for your engine to reach critical operating temperature (“overcooling”) as there is too much coolant in the engine, but if it’s stuck in the closed position, coolant flow will be restricted, and the temperature gauge will top out more quickly. Alternately, a malfunctioning radiator fan can lead to a fluctuating temperature gauge as it cuts in and out. · It seems like common sense, but always watch for steam or smoke coming from your engine bay, but also be mindful of sweet or burnt odors as these may indicate coolant leaks. · Always be mindful of coolant leaks manifesting as puddles under your car or truck, but the sweet smell just mentioned can be useful when leaks are more subtle. Remember: those leaks can come from multiple places such as the plastic expansion tanks, thermostat housing, or radiator seams, hoses, or connectors, so they may or may not be readily apparent, and this is where checking your coolant levels from time to time becomes useful. A lot of the components of your cooling system are either plastic (expansion tanks) or rubber, and these parts may degrade more quickly in Summer heat. · If you’re regularly getting warning lights for low coolant levels or high coolant temperatures, get your vehicle into the shop! You should never drive your vehicle is it's running dangerously hot. This can lead to fires and potential fatalities that could have been prevented. · Listening for unusual engine sounds can also provide valuable information regarding your cooling system, too. Gurgling or bubbling sounds may let you know that air has gotten into your cooling system. Squealing or grinding noises may indicate a failing water pump, so be sure to listen, particularly if you’re seeing some of the other warning signs, too. We hope these pointers are helpful for you, and can help you be more aware when your cooling system is in danger of breaking down. As said previously, catching things early is always preferable to having to clean up AFTER major breakdown events.

If you’re a European import car or truck owner, you’re no doubt aware that oil changes are more expensive for Euros than for domestic vehicles. Ever wondered why? Well, European cars and trucks require specialized, high-grade fully-synthetic motor oils that meet very stringent standards and are capable of resisting thermal breakdowns under the higher temperatures typically encountered in Euro engines. As we have discussed before, Euros run hotter, and the common motor oils used in domestic makes would break down quickly, leading to sludge accumulation in your engine. These specialized oils are also engineered to be more homogeneous in molecular compositions, meaning that all the oil molecules are approximately the same size and shape. This minimizes frictional drag during flow meaning that they have lower viscosities to provide better lubrication for critical engine parts. In addition, many Euros hold more oil, 7-9 quarts or more, which is about twice what smaller domestic or Asian makes hold. Euros also typically specific, premium oil filters that can cost a little more. If you also consider that Euros also have underbody panels (in some cases multiple panels) that have to be removed to access the drain plug, some additional labor is required. Thus, all these factors combine together to make for higher bills when getting your oil changed, but the upside is that Euros typically have longer service intervals (10,000-15,000 miles) than their domestic or Asian counterparts (5,000-7,500 miles), meaning your service trips won't be as frequent.

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