Archive for February, 2012

Check Your Shocks and Struts at Gesell’s Automotive Service

Tuesday, February 28th, 2012

Today we’re talking about shocks and struts. They’re so easy to forget about because they last so long and wear out so slowly. But your shocks are really responsible for keeping your tires on the road – so they’re very important.

Without shocks, your wheels would be bouncing over bumps and lifting in corners. The shocks push the tire down to the road to maximize traction. Good shocks equal good ride quality and safe handling.

Visit Gesell’s Automotive Service to have your shocks and struts inspected by a professional. You can find us at N6335 Hwy F, Oconomowoc, WI 53066
Or give us a call at 262-593-2715 to make an appointment.

There’s a difference between shocks and springs. Springs support the weight of the vehicle, keeping it suspended up off the axles. The shocks moderate the rebound motion as wheels hit bumps. Now a strut combines a shock and a coil spring in one compact unit.

When your shocks are worn out you may notice degraded handling as you drive around our Oconomowoc streets. Your vehicle feels squirmy around corners and floaty over bumps.

You may notice the rear end squatting when you accelerate or the front end diving when you brake. Your car might even be sagging at one corner.

Uneven tire wear can also be a sign of worn shocks. Of course, if your shocks are leaking or have a big dent, they need to be replaced.

Your owner’s manual will have a recommendation for when to replace the shocks and struts on your vehicle. It’s usually between thirty and fifty thousand miles. Of course, if you tow a lot, regularly carry heavy loads or do a lot of driving on poor roads, your shocks might wear out faster.

If those driving conditions apply to you, you can get special shocks that are better suited to your driving.

The shocks that come from the factory are designed for the way most consumers are expected to drive that particular vehicle. If you have different needs for your driving around Oconomowoc WI, you can get premium shocks that improve performance handling, off-road abilities or towing comfort. Your Oconomowoc WI service consultant at Gesell’s Automotive Service can help you determine your needs and then give you some options.

It’s best to replace all four shocks at the same time. That way you’ll have even, predictable handling at all four corners. Anything less could be dangerous.

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Keep it Flowing With A Fuel Filter Replacement At Gesell’s Automotive Service

Thursday, February 23rd, 2012

The function of the fuel filter is pretty self-explanatory. It filters your fuel. The fuel filter is in the fuel line somewhere in between the fuel tank and the engine. Both gas and diesel vehicles around Oconomowoc WI use fuel filters.

For more information about your fuel filter, visit Gesell’s Automotive Service or come by our shop located at N6335 Hwy F in Oconomowoc, WI 53066.
Please call 262-593-2715 to make an appointment.

Generally speaking there’s not a lot of dirt in our Oconomowoc WI auto fuel supply, but there is enough that you want to screen it out. The problem actually gets worse the older your vehicle becomes. That’s because dirt, rust and other contaminants will settle out of the fuel and onto the bottom of the fuel tank. After your minivan, suv is five years or older, it can actually have a fair amount of sediment built up.

That just means that the fuel filter has to work harder as your minivan, suv ages. It’ll get clogged sooner and need to be replaced more often.

A symptom of a clogged fuel filter is that the engine sputters at highway speeds or under hard acceleration. That’s because enough fuel is getting through around town, but when you need more fuel for speed, enough just can’t get through the filter. Obviously, that could be dangerous if your car or truck can’t get enough power to get you out of harm’s way.

For just that reason, fuel filters have a bypass valve. When the filter is severely clogged, some fuel can bypass the filter all together. Of course that means that dirty, unfiltered fuel is getting through to be burned in the engine.

This dirt can then clog and damage your fuel injectors. Now injectors are not cheap to replace, so you don’t want to cause them damage just because you didn’t spend a few bucks to replace a fuel filter.

You know, in a way, the fuel filter can be the poster child for preventive maintenance. It’s a little part, it’s simple and it’s cheap to take care of. But if it’s neglected, it could lead to thousands of dollars of repair bills.

Those auto service schedules in your owner’s manual are there for a reason. If ever you don’t understand a recommended service, just ask your Oconomowoc service advisor at Gesell’s Automotive Service. We’ll be happy to explain.

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Fuel Saving Tip: Fuel System Cleaning Near Dousman WI

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012


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A lot of gas is wasted in the Dousman area by dirty fuel delivery systems.

Let’s start at the tank. The gas tank gathers dirt, rust and sediment over the years. That’s why there’s a fuel filter to clean the fuel after it leaves the tank. A dirty filter will rob the engine of the clean gas it needs to run efficiently.

Gesell's Automotive Service Fuel System Cleaning The fuel intake components get coated with gum and varnish over time. This results in fuel being delivered inefficiently and some of that gunk getting into the engine. A fuel system service at Gesell’s Automotive Service will leave your intake as clean as a whistle.

The big fuel thief is dirty fuel injectors. They deliver fuel to the engine at a specified pressure and in a particular spray pattern. When they’re clogged, the fuel doesn’t get atomized the way it’s supposed to and doesn’t get burned as efficiently.

See your owner’s manual or ask your Dousman service advisor at Gesell’s Automotive Service when a fuel system cleaning is recommended.

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Your Well Trained Technician At Gesell’s Automotive Service

Thursday, February 9th, 2012


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When your minivan, suv breaks down, or just needs some routine service, you might get a little nervous. Your car’s so important to your life in Dousman, you need to back on the road as soon as possible – with the problem fixed right the first time.

If you’ve ever checked into some of the technician training Gesell’s Automotive Service professionals receive, you may be surprised at how much knowledge and skill goes into diagnosing and repairing a modern car. Let me give you some perspective. Today there are four cylinder engines that make more power than the V-8’s in luxury cars twenty years ago. I mean a new V-6 Toyota Camry could beat Sonny Crocket’s Ferrari in a race to sixty.

Your Well Trained Technician At Gesell's Automotive Service

Our engines are more and more powerful and at the same time their fuel economy keeps inching up – even with steep Dousman gas prices. And they’re so reliable. This is all due to engineering. But the advances come at the price of simplicity. The modern cars driving around Dousman roads are so much more complex from a mechanical standpoint that it makes your head spin – not to mention the electronics.

Some cars have several networked computers controlling most of the engine functions and many other vehicle functions as well. Dousman motorists take all of this sophistication for granted – but somebody has to fix it when it breaks. It’s a real challenge for Gesell’s Automotive Service technicians to keep up, but we work hard to stay ahead of the technology. It requires a high level of commitment on the part of the technician and the Dousman service center as well.

In addition to the training, there’s the financial commitment to purchase the diagnostic and repair tools. Gesell’s Automotive Service technicians receive training through a combination of formal classroom training, training provided at Gesell’s Automotive Service by parts and equipment manufacturers, on-line courses and home study courses.

There are many independent certifications available at Gesell’s Automotive Service all the way up to Master Technician. The ability to repair your minivan, suv requires a strong combination of training and resources. No one can know everything, so Dousman auto service centers subscribe to data services, technical libraries and even on-line communities that can help them when they run into a difficult problem.

It’s like those medical diagnosis shows on TV. Here are the symptoms – what’s the diagnosis and treatment? Diagnosis is every bit as much an art as a science. At Gesell’s Automotive Service, we want everything to be simple, straightforward and cheap – but sometimes it just isn’t.

So try to be more relaxed next time you bring us your minivan, suv. You’re in good hands.

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Coolant Service at Gesell’s Automotive Service

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Our cars have to operate in a wide range of Oconomowoc, WI temperatures and our engine coolant must be able to perform ‘no matter what’. Think for a moment about the environment where the coolant works. Very hot, high pressure, corrosive…

And all the while, it has to protect the components of the cooling system from corrosion. These components are made from steel and aluminum, plastics and rubber. The coolant has to be formulated to protect against corrosion for all of these different materials. That’s why different manufacturers recommend different types of anti-freeze for our Oconomowoc, WI vehicles.

There are several different ‘families’ of anti-freeze available to us here in Oconomowoc, WI. Your owners’ manual will tell you what kind you should use. Of course, Gesell’s Automotive Service will know what to put in your car.

It’s important to stay on top of this because coolant system failure is the most common mechanical problem people have here in Oconomowoc, WI. Regular service at Gesell’s Automotive Service needs to be done to avoid failures and also to keep your warranty in place.

While the specifics of the service required may vary from vehicle to vehicle, your service consultant at Gesell’s Automotive Service will know what to do. You’ll be advised to replace the coolant at specified intervals.

Some manufacturers may recommend periodic coolant system flushes. A flush adds a cleaning step to the fluid replacement process. Again, check to see what your service consultant recommends.

Someday, you may have to deal with an overheating problem, so you need to know what to do if your coolant temperature warning light comes on or your temperature gauge is in the hot zone.

Now, overheating can be very expensive. You can literally melt down your engine and have to replace the whole thing. So take the warning signs seriously and take immediate steps.

First turn off the air conditioner. This will lower engine temperature right away. Next turn your heater to maximum heat and run the fan at high speed. You might need to roll down the windows, but this will take a lot of heat off the engine.

Pull over as soon as you can safely do so, especially if you are stuck in slow-moving traffic, and shut the car off. It may take as much as 45 minutes for the engine to cool to the point that it’s safe to operate the car again.

If you need to add water or antifreeze, be sure to wait until the car cools down. Opening the radiator cap or even the overflow bottle when the coolant is hot and under pressure may result in serious burns.

So after the engine has cooled for 45 minutes or so, look to see if the coolant is low in the overflow tank. If so, you can cover the overflow tank cap with a large cloth and open the lid. Then start the engine and pour in some water or antifreeze. Pouring it in when the car is running will circulate the new, cool fluid with the warmer fluid in the engine and avoid engine damage.

Of course, overheating is a serious problem and you need to get it fixed right away. Gesell’s Automotive Service can make sure the coolant is right before you drive home.

Those spring and winter inspections really come in handy when they head off a cooling system problem. And don’t forget that severe service driving conditions, like towing or hot, dusty driving around Oconomowoc, WI, mean that you’ll need to service your coolant more frequently.

At AutoNetTV, we suggest that you have Gesell’s Automotive Service inspect your coolant system to find small problems before they become big, and to change belts and hoses before they fail. After all, we don’t want you to lose your cool out there in Oconomowoc, WI.

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