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Quick Answer: Most serpentine belt noise—whether a squeal on cold start or a chirp at idle—is caused by belt slip, improper tension, or a misaligned or failing pulley. The belt itself is often the messenger, not the culprit. Fixing the noise means identifying why the belt is slipping, not just replacing it. That Morning Squeal … Read more
Quick Answer: A “hard starting engine” typically means the engine cranks but takes longer than usual to fire up. This is usually caused by a loss of fuel pressure overnight, failing ignition components, or sensor data errors (like a bad Coolant Temperature Sensor). The Tuesday Morning Troublemaker It was 7:15 AM on a biting cold Tuesday … Read more
By a Master Tech with 15+ Years Under the Hood Quick Answer: A failing ignition coil causes rough idle, misfires, poor fuel economy, and a flashing check-engine light. Swap the suspect coil to a different cylinder—if the misfire follows the coil, you’ve found the culprit. Expect $80-$180 for a single OEM coil versus $400-$700 at … Read more
If you’ve ever felt your car shudder, lose power unexpectedly, or idle like it’s about to stall, you may be dealing with a classic—and potentially serious—automotive issue: an engine misfire. As an ASE-certified master technician with over 15 years of hands-on experience diagnosing everything from weekend project cars to daily commuters, I’ve seen misfires cause … Read more
How to Read and Clear Check Engine Light Codes: A Master Technician’s Complete Guide Last Updated: December 2025 | Written by ASE-Certified Master Technician It was a Tuesday morning in late October, the kind where the first frost coats the windshields and customers flood the shop with cold-weather complaints. A woman pulled up in a … Read more