When Metal Meets Metal (Wheel Bearings)
February 11, 2024
What part of your vehicle has little metal balls inside that are lubricated and allow you to cruise on down the road? They are wheel bearings, and automotive designers might argue they are human beings' second greatest invention of all time (the first is, of course, the wheel!). You have a wheel... More
The Right Fluids for Your Vehicle
February 4, 2024
The current vehicles in the market have over a century of engineering behind them. They have evolved into complex and powerful machines. Developments in their engines, however, have coincided with advances in many other vehicle components, including the fluids.It's up to people in Sparta to alwa... More
Your Biggest Fan (Radiator Fan Problems)
January 28, 2024
Your vehicle's engine makes a lot of heat when it's powering you down the road, so it needs a way to get rid of that energy. That's why your vehicle has a cooling system, complete with a radiator and one or two radiator fans, also called cooling fans. Those fans make sure air keeps moving acros... More
Put on the Brakes: Brake Service at Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta
January 21, 2024
When it comes to preventive maintenance and vehicle care, most Sparta drivers know how important it is to check their brakes. But brakes are more than just brake pads and shoes. There are a lot of components in the brake system, and they all need to be in good working order.The pads and shoes ar... More
PCV Valve Service at Charlie's Fast Lube Sparta in Sparta
January 14, 2024
Today, we are talking about your PCV valve. Unburnt fuel is forced into the crankcase as your engine runs. The PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve vents this unburnt fuel and oil vapors from the crankcase and sends it back into the air intake system to be burned in the engine. A clogged... More
How Tired Are Your Tires? (Tire replacement)
January 7, 2024
Of the things you think about most, your tires are probably pretty far down the list. Thats understandable because todays tires are engineered to do their job without needing you to pay too much attention to them. But they DO wear out, and worn tires can contribute to skidding in bad weather, not... More
Training Received by Technicians in Sparta, Illinois
January 1, 2024
When your vehicle breaks down in the Sparta, Illinois, area, or just needs some routine service, it can make you a little nervous. Because your vehicle's so important to your life, you need to be back on the road as soon as possible with the problem fixed right the first time.We've been checkin... More
Sniffing Out a Problem
December 31, 2023
Your parents probably taught you to have common sense. When it comes to your vehicle, common scents can also come in handy. Different smells may tell you about some conditions in your vehicle that need attention. For example, you know what rotten eggs smell like. If you smell them around your ve... More
DOG FOOD IN YOUR ENGINE (Keeping Rodents out of your Engine)
December 24, 2023
A technician was telling us the other day that he was servicing an engine and spotted something he'd never seen before: A collection of dry dog food siting on a horizontal metal ledge near the base of the engine. It was neatly stashed and was in a spot where the food pellets couldn't have simply... More
A Non-Starter (Alternator Problems in Cold Weather)
December 17, 2023
As the temperatures dip, we all know there could be problems starting our vehicles. After all, batteries can grow old and not hold a charge as well as when they were newer. Or starters can go bad. But there's one more component to keep an especially sharp eye on during winter: your alternator. T... More