A dynamometer, dyno for short, is a piece of equipment used to measure force, torque, or power.  As a tuner we use the dyno to help diagnose automotive problems that our clients are having while driving.  The dyno allows us to "drive" the vehicle in a controlled environment, off the road ;) so that we can focus our attention on the laptop that is connected to the vehicles PCM.  Along with being able to identify drive-ability issues that one might be experiencing, the dyno also allows us to performs an unparalleled tune-up on a carbureted vehicle.  When you modify a vehicle, you change the dynamics of the internal components and how they work together.  The dyno allows for the tuner to make sure there is the correct air to fuel ratio to support the rpm and load on the engine with any upgrades or modifications.  
These large drums allow the tuner to simulate different driving conditions, ranging in speed, load, miles driven, or getting the engine to a certain temperature.  And we do all this without touching any asphalt!  
If you have installed any upgrades or modifications to your vehicle, a dyno tune is gonna be the best money you could spend.  This ensures that your vehicle is operating with safe air to fuel ratio to prevent any hiccups down the road that could lead to internal engine damage.  The dyno tune should be performed at the end of all the upgrades for the most bang for the buck.
Give us a call if you would like to schedule your appointment on our dynamometer.

Ever walked out to your vehicle and noticed a puddle on the driveway underneath it?  Was it reddish, brown, green, clear? After having a great morning getting ready for work, finding something like this could really put a kink in your day.  Knowing what you are looking at could put your mind at ease in regards to whether it is an emergency or something that can wait until you make it to our auto repair shop.
Today I want to share with you how you can try to determine what is leaking based on the color and possibly the location. 

If the fluid is reddish in color and towards the front of the car, this is most likely power steering fluid.  It will be thin in texture.  

Motor oil will appear as a thin light brown liquid to a thick dark black one depending on its age.  You will find the leak in various locations of the automobile.  

Anything ranging from light yellow to a dark brown could be your brake fluid.  Brake fluid starts off clear to a light yellow and darkens as it ages.  To be able to tell the difference between motor oil that is brown and brake fluid that is brown is in the texture.  Brake fluid will be very slick.

If you find the liquid around the center of your car and it is orange in color it is most likely transmission fluid. 

Bright yellow, green, or purple indicates a coolant leak.  With coolant leaks, the vehicles age usually plays a big part.  Older vehicles sometimes blow off a little bit of coolant when the engine gets hot.  But newer vehicles recycle this blow off, so there shouldn't be any coolant externally.  

Lastly, if you see clear fluid dripping it is most likely just water.  You will see this most often after you have been running the air conditioner because of excess condensation that builds up.

If you happen to spy a leak coming from your vehicle, please do not hesitate to bring your vehicle in to the shop.  In most cases your vehicle will still be able to operate enough to get you down the road and to the shop, but we do not recommend sitting on it.  Leaks are a warning your vehicle is giving you that something is going wrong.  If you catch a small leak early then most often than not the fix is simple and less expensive then if you were to wait it out as the leak gets worse.  We are always here for you, give us a call anytime for further questions or concerns 619-562-3933