Why Charlotte Driver's Should Change Their Transmission Fluid

It’s easy for Charlotte car owners to forget about servicing their transmission because it doesn’t need it very often, but proper transmission service keeps your sedan running smoothly and helps you avoid costly repairs down the road.

The transmission undergoes a lot of stress. The grit you see in used fluid is actually bits of clutch material. This grit flowing through your transmission under pressure eats away at seals and gaskets which can lead to leaks.

The transmission operates at very high temperatures – about a hundred degrees higher than engine temperatures. Those high temperatures eventually cause the transmission fluid to start to break down and lose efficiency. At best, your sedan transmission won’t operate smoothly. At worse, it could lead to costly damage.

When your transmission’s running properly, it transfers more power from your sedan engine to the drive wheels, and improves fuel economy. That’s why vehicle manufacturers recommend you change transmission fluid at regular intervals. Your sedan owner’s manual has a schedule for transmission service and, of course, your Super Service Agents Carolina Tire & Auto service advisor can tell you what the manufacturer recommends.

Your Charlotte service center may be able to perform a transmission service while you wait and the cost is quite reasonable. Actually, it’s downright cheap when you think about how much a major transmission repair can cost!

Give us a call

Carolina Tire & Auto
980-219-8500
3325 Monroe Rd
Charlotte, NC 28205

At Carolina Tire & Auto in Charlotte NC (28205) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 980-219-8500. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.carolina-tire.com.

Your Water Pump - What is it?

Let’s talk water pumps for autos in Pineville NC. The engine is cooled by coolant/antifreeze mixed with water. This mixture circulates around the engine, absorbing some of the heat. The coolant then flows through the radiator where air cools it down for the return trip back through the engine. Your pickup’s water pump is what drives this process.

Cooling system problems are the number-one mechanical failure in Pineville. So the water pump plays a pretty important role. You can’t get very far in NC without a water pump.

After all those miles and years of pumping coolant, water pumps just wear out. You might notice a whining or grinding sound coming from the water pump. Or maybe see coolant leaking from the pump itself.

The precise location of the water pump varies depending on the vehicle. Some have the water pump attached to the outside of the engine where you can see it. With these, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt.

Some have the water pump driven by the timing belt. The timing belt cover often hides the water pump with this setup, so you can’t see the pump without removing the cover.

When you have Carolina Tire & Auto replace the water pump on one of these, you really should replace the timing belt at the same time. We’ve already gotten things taken apart and besides, the belt’s likely been contaminated by coolant. And timing belts usually need to be replaced every 60 to 90,000 miles anyway so it just makes sense to do both jobs at once.

The opposite is true too; when you change the timing belt on this type of engine, replace the water pump while you’re at it. The water pump will eventually fail and getting to it is an expensive project. For not that much more you can take care of both the timing belt and the water pump at the same time.

At Carolina Tire & Auto in Pineville NC we install quality NAPA replacement parts. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.