We love our engines
It was a Tuesday morning, about 20 degrees outside, when Sarah rolled her 2016 Honda Civic into my bay with that unmistakable stumbling idle. She’d been dealing with it for three weeks, and now the check engine light had finally joined the party. “It feels like the car’s about to stall every time I stop … Read more
Quick Answer: Fuel injector cleaning restores engine performance by removing carbon deposits from the pintle and nozzle. For minor maintenance, Polyetheramine (PEA) additives work well. for moderate clogging, a pressurized rail injector cleaning kit is the industry standard. However, for severely dirty fuel injectors causing misfires, off-car ultrasonic cleaning or replacement is the only guaranteed … Read more
Quick Answer: The fastest way to test a fuel pump without tools is the “Listen Test.” Turn your key to the “On” position (without cranking the engine) and listen near the fuel filler cap or under the rear seat for a faint electronic whirring/humming for 2-3 seconds. No sound? Your pump isn’t priming. For a definitive … Read more
It was 7:30 AM on a frigid Tuesday in February when Mrs. Henderson’s 2012 Honda Civic rolled into my bay on the back of a flatbed. The temperature had barely cracked 15°F, and she was in tears—her daughter needed the car for college finals that afternoon. “It just died on the highway,” she sobbed. “No … Read more
It was a sweltering July afternoon in the shop, the kind of heat that makes the concrete floor radiate up through your boots. A 2014 Honda Accord rolled in, the owner—let’s call him Carlos—frustrated after three different shops couldn’t figure out why his car bucked like a bronco every time he hit the gas. “It’s … Read more