Regular Brake Inspections: Keeping Your Chevy Safe

Your Chevy engine is highly efficient, and its various components work on split-second timing to achieve this performance. The timing belt synchronizes your engine's operation. As your Chevy dealer, we want to tell you more about the importance of this belt and some signs you need a timing belt replacement. more From Your Chevy Dealer: When Do You Need a Timing Belt Replacement? Why the Belt Is Important The timing belt is made from tough, reinforced rubber and connects the camshaft at the top of your engine to the crankshaft at the bottom of your engine. It moves through the grooves between the sections, ensuring that the engine intake and exhaust valves open and close at precise intervals. The engine intake valves allow the fuel-air mixture into the cylinders and the exhaust valves allow the gases and residue from combustion to enter the exhaust system. Even slight timing delays can cause engine problems. Intake valves that open too early can draw in a fuel-air mixture that hasn't been mixed precisely, and your engine will use too much fuel. In contrast, if the exhaust valves open too early, the fuel-air mixture in the cylinders won't be sufficiently compressed, and your engine will lose power. When Do You Replace the Belt? On average, a timing belt needs replacement every 60,000 to 100,000 miles. The correct replacement time for your Chevy's timing belt is listed in your car handbook. The belt needs replacement as even reinforced rubber becomes less flexible and can crack. The heat inside the engine will cause any crack to widen and deepen, and the belt could break. Signs You Need a New Belt Misfiring Misfiring is caused by the fuel-air mixture in a cylinder igniting incorrectly. The mixture must be fully compressed before it's ignited to enable it to burn in a carefully controlled series of explosions. Efficient compression can only occur in an airtight engine cylinder. As we saw above, if your engine timing is out of sync, a cylinder may open too early. Increased airflow into the cylinder will cause the cylinder to misfire. Ticking Noises If you hear an odd ticking sound from the engine, it's a sign your belt needs replacement. The timing belt turns the crankshaft pulleys as it moves, but a worn belt won't move them fast enough, resulting in the ticking sound. Check Engine Light Sensors are connected to every important component to ensure they're working correctly. An older, worn timing belt can overheat, and if it gets hot enough it can snap. This immediately causes your engine to stop and sustain damage in the process. The sensors will identify the damaged belt and inform your computer, and the engine light will illuminate. Visit our service department today at Ted Britt Chevrolet in Sterling, VA, and our technicians will check your timing belt and replace it if necessary.

Get an oil change at Ted Britt Chevrolet with our certified service department and technicians. Your car needs regular maintenance, and that includes oil changes. Understanding when to change the oil at your Chevy dealer can prevent expensive repairs and keep your vehicle running smoothly. When to Change Your Oil Most modern Chevrolet vehicles require fresh oil every 5,000 to 7,500 miles under normal driving conditions. However, this depends on your specific model, year, and the type of oil in your car. If your Chevy is driven in severe conditions, such as frequent towing, carrying heavy loads, or stop-and-go traffic, you should change your oil more frequently. Always refer to the owner's manual for the most accurate recommendations. more Why Oil is Important Oil lubricates the moving parts of your engine, reducing friction and preventing premature wear. Keeping the oil fresh can extend the life of your engine. Oil also helps carry away heat as it circulates through your engine. Over time, old oil becomes less effective at cooling, potentially leading to overheating. You've Passed the Mileage Limit If you've driven more than 7,500 miles since the last time you changed your oil, it's time to schedule that appointment. Even if you haven't driven very much, but your last change was more than six months ago, take some time to evaluate the condition of your oil. Dark and Dirty Oil New oil is amber and transparent enough to let light through. As it gets older, it collects particles from the engine, turning dark, dirty, and thick. Check your oil color and consistency with your dipstick at least once a month to tell if you need a change. Your Engine Is Running Louder Clean oil cushions the parts of your engine so they don't grind together. If you start to hear more noise than usual from your engine, or worse, a knocking sound, the oil isn't doing its job anymore. That sound you hear is damage happening under the hood. Oil Light or Check Engine Light Modern vehicles have sensors and computer systems that monitor oil quality and levels. If the oil light or check engine light comes on, it's time to take a look at your oil, and probably schedule a service appointment. Smoke From the Exhaust Vapor coming from your tailpipe is normal. Smoke is not. Smoke coming from your exhaust means something is burning in your engine, and that something might be oil from a leak. Decreased Fuel Efficiency If you are making more frequent trips to the gas station, your car's oil might be to blame. A well-lubricated engine runs more efficiently, but one with old oil has to work harder, consuming more fuel. Regular maintenance, including changing your oil, is far less expensive than repairing your engine because you neglected it. Call Ted Britt Chevrolet and schedule your next service appointment today.

The combustion engine in your car depends on the ignition coils, without which no fuel can be combusted. When working well, ignition coils generate enormous surges of up to 60,000 volts of electricity, which the spark plugs use to ignite the engine's fuel. If your car has a faulty ignition coil, you'll experience a variety of resulting car problems. It's best to have a technician at your local Chevy dealer clean or replace the bad coil right away. Trouble Starting the Engine Without all cylinders ready to fire with healthy ignition coils, a car's engine can struggle to start in the morning. And if more than one of your coils is bad, your car may fail to start at all. Sputtering, Shaking Engine The spark plug that depends on a bad ignition coil will misfire, meaning that particular cylinder won't work when it's supposed to. As the driver, you'll feel your car sputter and shake strangely. Without immediate attention, this misfiring is likely to worsen as time goes on. Plummeting Engine Power When all cylinders are no longer firing properly, an engine can't generate full power. You're most likely to notice this diminished power while attempting to climb a steep hill or gain a burst of speed to overtake another car. Falling Fuel Economy When an ignition coil malfunctions, fuel is still being injected into the combustion chamber at the same rate, and sometimes at an increased rate as the engine tries to compensate. This results in more fuel being guzzled while power output is falling; you'll be stopping for gas far more frequently. Loud Popping Sounds When a bad ignition coil prevents the spark plug from sparking, an excess of unburned fuel can build up inside the cylinder. This unburned fuel may eventually leak back into the exhaust system and suddenly ignite, creating loud popping sounds. Such backfiring often indicates some kind of trouble with the spark plugs or ignition coils. Black Exhaust Smoke When unburned fuel reaches the intense heat of the exhaust system, it may ignite with a bang or burn away more slowly. Either way, you're likely to see black smoke seeping or pouring from your tailpipe. How Often To Have Coils Replaced at Your Chevy Dealer Ignition coils typically last from 80,000 to 100,000 miles. However, this lifespan can sometimes be shortened by other problems in the engine, such as an unbalanced fuel-air mixture resulting from a clogged air filter, a bad catalytic converter, or faulty spark plugs. Carbon deposits, moisture, and excessive vibrations can also damage ignition coils, as can an incorrect gap between a spark plug and its partnered ignition coil. Visit Ted Britt Chevrolet today to have your engine's ignition coils checked in Sterling and cleaned or replaced. We have an extensive and varied inventory of over 500 new and used cars, and courteous, experienced technicians to provide prompt, professional repair and maintenance.