Gig Harbor Auto Repair

Hello Gig Harbor drivers, let's talk about batteries. Car batteries are just like any rechargeable battery. They will eventually wear out and die. If you are shopping for a new battery in Gig Harbor, here's some auto advice to help you. There are two measurements to consider when purchasing a new battery: cold cranking amps and reserve capacity. The power required to start a cold engine is measured in cold cranking amps. The number you need is determined by what kind of vehicle you drive and where you live. In general, higher-cylinder engines require more cold cranking amps than lower-cylinder engines. In other words, an eight-cylinder engine needs more cold cranking amps than a six-cylinder one. Also, diesel engines require more cold cranking amps than gasoline engines. The Gig Harbor weather also determines the number of cold cranking amps you need. The colder the car, truck, SUV en ... read more

Hi Gig Harbor drivers. Let's talk fuel injectors. A fuel injector is a valve that delivers fuel to a vehicle's engine. It has to deliver the precise amount of fuel, to precisely the right place, precisely when the engine needs it. The fuel also has to be mixed with air before it can burn in the engine. Fuel injectors are engineered to spray fuel in a specific pattern into the engine. (The pattern varies by engine type and design.) In order to achieve these spray patterns, the fuel must be pressurized. The pressure in a fuel injection system varies depending on its type. Many gasoline car, truck, SUV engines use port injection systems, which operate with a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. Newer direct injection systems operate at 10 to 30 times that pressure. Some diesel passenger vehicles have fuel injectors that operate at 30,000 pounds or more per square inch. Vehicles have one fuel injector for each cylinder in the engine. Y ... read more

Today Mackert Automotive is talking about the proper fluids for your vehicle. It's become more complicated with changes in automotive design and manufacturing. It's not that people in Washington are confused as much as they don't realize how much things have changed in recent years. Let's take engine oil. Twenty or thirty years ago, there were just a handful of different weights of oil. The weight of an oil is a scientific measure of its properties, particularly its viscosity or thickness. It was common in those days to use a lighter weight oil in the winter when it's cold outside. That way the oil would be able to splash around inside the engine and protect the parts before it was fully warmed up. And a heavier weight oil would be used in the summer. The thicker oil wouldn't thin out too much in the summer heat and vaporize in the engine. Modern valve trains have become very complicated with more moving parts and small passages than ever befo ... read more

Today's tires and wheels offer a lot of options for every Gig Harbor driver's style, habits and driving conditions. Tires are designed for high-performance in winter or summer and even come in a long-wearing variety for all Washington seasons. Gig Harbor off-roaders should be excited about the options available to them as well. The tread on off-road tires is designed to handle the wear from bumps and rocks. The tires' high profile protects rims from damage. But what if you own an SUV but aren't interested in off-roading around Gig Harbor? You can change out those high-profile beasts for a lower, wider look if it suits your style. Mackert Automotive tire professionals can offer great auto advice on how to choose tires that match your needs and style. The same goes for wheels. When Gig Harbor auto owners shop for new wheels, they can be hard-pressed to make a selection from the thousands of styles available at Washington tire stores. If they ... read more

There are a lot of things in life that Gig Harbor residents have to do on a regular basis. We wash dishes every day, do our laundry and mow our lawns every week, and pay the bills every month. We should go to our Gig Harbor dentist twice a year and see our doctor for a check-up once a year. When we don't stay on schedule with these routines, it can lead to embarrassing, painful or expensive consequences. Scheduled maintenance is also part of good car care. Gig Harbor drivers should take their car, truck, SUVs in regularly for a good check-up. But many Gig Harbor folks struggle to remember, or actually even ignore, this auto advice. When it comes to our cars, we're more likely to listen to "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" than "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Yet it is the second adage that is the more applicable one. Regular brushing treatments prevent cavities. Filling a cavity prevents a more painful and more expensive root can ... read more