Lake Zurich IL Auto Repair

Everything You Need to Know Sludge buildup in your engine can reduce its efficiency and cause serious repair issues. Avoid emergency repairs with preventative maintenance to reduce the amount of engine sludge. Learn how a quality oil change service in Lake Zurich, Illinois, can restore your engine’s performance and prevent damaging contamination in your vehicle. Common Signs of Sludge A breakdown in your motor oil typically causes gritty, grimy sludge. Over time, oil breaks down and creates lubrication issues. Contaminants in your oil can start to affect the performance and fuel economy of your engine. Without preventative maintenance and cleaning, these issues can cause serious engine damage. Look for a check engine or oil change warning light on your dashboard for early signs of engine buildup. If these aren’t present, you can also check under your hood for sludge. Inspect your engine for signs of oil splatter, small clumps of dark debris or other unusual signs. If y ... read more

It’s Time for Service! If your steering is pulling unusually or your tires are wearing out faster than normal, it may be time for a wheel alignment service. Check out these common misalignment issues and learn why you need to visit a quality shop in Lake Zurich to restore precision alignment of your wheels. Positive or Negative Camber The camber of your wheels describes one angle. Look at your vehicle from the front and see if the wheels are angled slightly to one side or the other. If the top is leaning toward the outside of your vehicle, you have a positive camber. Tops that are leaning in are considered negative camber. These positions are measured in degrees. It’s important to ensure your camber is even between the two front wheels. If you have extreme positive or negative camber, your wheels will experience an uneven wear pattern. Uneven camber will cause your vehicle to pull to one side as you drive. Uneven Caster Similar to camber, caster can cause uneven wear or unusual pulls a ... read more

Follow These Recommendations There are certain responsibilities inherent with car ownership. One of those is to ensure your oil is changed as often as necessary to keep your vehicle in good working condition and keep from voiding your car’s warranty. Here’s what you need to know about when to get an oil change. Various Recommendations You’ve probably heard that you should change your oil every 3,000 miles or every three months (depending on which comes first). However, most experts agree that this is an outdated recommendation that isn’t necessarily applicable to all situations. Now, most are recommending one of the four oil change intervals: Every six months or 1,000 miles Every 3,000 miles Every 5,000 – 7,500 miles Every six months or 10,000 – 7,500 miles There are different circumstances for each recommended interval. Here’s what you should know about each. Every Six Months or 1,000 Miles In rare circumstances, your driving habits might warrant oil changes every ... read more

What You Need to Know Since the implementation of the Federal Clean Air Act in 1990, all US vehicles are required to take the smog & emissions test. This includes vehicles in Illinois, where owners are required to take this test every two years. This time can be extremely stressful and potentially expensive for car owners, as they scramble to have their vehicle’s repaired to ensure they pass the test. During this time, it helps to be prepared so you are spending the least amount of time on services and testing. Not sure how to prepare? Don’t worry, Alpine Automotive has you covered. Here’s what you need to know prior to your next smog & emissions test! What’s Involved During the test, your vehicle will be hooked up to a variety of monitors like the OBD II diagnostic tool to determine the emissions coming from your vehicle. These monitors help determine whether you pass or fail, and the best way to avoid a failing outcome is to have your vehicle serviced prior to the test. Durin ... read more

Keep It Going For The Long Haul An ounce of maintenance goes a long way for many automotive vehicles, and that sentiment rings true for your truck. Designed to take on heavier loads and navigate difficult driving conditions, your truck has probably taken a beating since you first purchased it. It’s because of that usage that you need to properly maintain it, or suffer from symptoms of wear-and-tear or outright failure. Not sure what you need to do? The Alpine Automotive team is here to help. Here are a few truck maintenance tips to ensure your truck is roaring for years to come! Stay On Top of Your Oil Just like any automotive vehicle, it’s important that you always provide your truck with fresh, clean motor oil. Oil lubricates the fast-moving components within the engine and helps keep it clean from any sludge that may build up over time. Make sure you select the right oil for your truck, whether it’s full synthetic, synthetic blend or high mileage. Don’t know what’s best for your tru ... read more