Job Vacancy

A Vehicle Technician/mot tester job vacancy has become available to work in our busy successful garage based in the centre of Chatham, Kent. You will be required to work an average 42.5 hours per week offering a salary of between £24,000 and £30,000 per annum depending on your individual skills set and experience. Possibility of working overtime on occasions - Immediate start available – contact Ray Tyler on 01634 405757

Skoda Fabia 2007 1.2 cuts out on idle

The Importance of Basic Checks!

I had a customer whose Skoda Fabia 2007 1.2 cuts out on idle for no reason. Basic checks were carried out which means checking oil levels, coolant levels and electrical component connections as well as visually looking for any obvious signs of split breather hoses.

There appeared to be nothing obviously wrong and without an Engine Management Light on I felt that this might be a hard fault to find and cure.

I decided to plug in with our diagnostic equipment to firstly see if there was any fault codes but also to view the live data that could be read.

There was two fault codes present which were:-

17549 load calculation cross check implausible value P1141 short with ground - intermittent.

16825 EVAP emission control sys incorrect flow P0441 not a plausible signal - intermittent.

I erased the fault codes and waited for the fault to materialize and within half an hour it stalled. 

Because it was idle related it was decided that it would be a good bet to clean out the idle control valve/throttle body.

The engine cover was removed and the throttle body was found to be black and was duly cleaned out, in doing so it was noticed that the vacuum hose from the brake servo was badly split.

A replacement hose was ordered and fitted and now the Skoda is back to idling perfectly.

This only goes to prove the importance of conducting these basic checks thoroughly.

Car Repair Savings Plan

Have you ever felt that it would be a good idea to save up for your car repairs?

A savings plan for your vehicle repairs is now available - 'Car Repair Plan' in association with 'Trust My Garage' is a way of spreading the cost of your vehicle repairs.

We conducted a survey last year and one request from our customers was to have a regular savings plan in place so that those annual bills could be spread.

Follow this link to find out more and sign up......http://www.carrepairplan.co.uk/index.html

Or call in and pick up a leaflet and get your temporary membership card immediately.

You will find us through the archway opposite the exit from Wickes DIY Chatham. ME4 6AD

Turbo Failure

TURBO FAILURE

Turbo failure is quite often due to four main reasons:

1)     Not allowing an engine to warm up fully

2)     Switching off before a turbo has begun to slow down in speed

3)     Lack of oil changes or incorrect oil used.

4)     Low oil level

The most overlooked factor with a Turbo is that when the engine has stopped, so has the oil pressure.

A Turbo spins at around 40,000 Revolutions Per Minute and when the engine has stopped the Turbo continues spinning for a few minutes afterwards. This means that the Turbo is spinning with no oil pressure and is only lubricated by the oil within the housing and inlet hose for this period of time. When the engine is restarted it takes a few seconds for the oil pressure to build up and reach the bearings, this means that a turbo is quite often running with very little lubrication.

Dirty oil can also speed up bearing wear due to contaminates within the oil. These same contaminates can also make the oil run hotter making the lubricants less efficient.

FORTE who are a company who produce treatments and additives of all sorts for the motor industry, have analysed the reasons why a turbo has failed. They found that 20% is due to a lack of lubricant, 30% is due to there being a delay of lubrication to the turbo bearings, 13% through lubricant contamination and a further 12% is from the fact that the lubricant is overheating.

A lack of oil in the engine is also a very common reason and can be a contributing factor towards the lack or delay of lubricant to the bearings and the contaminated or overheating of lubricants being used.

This means that a massive 75% of Turbo failures will be down to driver error in some way.

Why Check Your Oil Level?

How important is it to check your vehicles oil level regularly?

It has always amazed me when a customer rings up to book their car in because the engine management light has come on and when quizzed their cars oil level has not been checked.

The realities of the situation are, when the oil light illuminates, it is too late and you would have certainly caused some damage to your engine.

Even if you car is relatively new it could still use oil, an engine will eventually begin to wear out and use a little oil and if it is never checked when would you ever find out?

So make a point of checking your oil regularly. If your car is new to you, check firstly on a daily basis and after a few days you can then spread these checks out to weekly and if the levels still appear to be always correct you can then spread your checks to monthly.

It is so important to have the correct amount and grade of oil lubricating your engine. The oil in your engine does many things. It not only acts as a lubricant and helps to reduce friction and wear but it also can reduce noise, it helps keep the engine cool, can help to produce more power and clean combustion deposits. All this helps maintain the efficient running of the vehicle.

If the engine management light comes on, this could be due to the lack of oil circulating the engine. The engine could be on the verge of seizing up and will undoubtedly be running hotter. If the engine is running hotter than it could lead to a sensor failure. Many sensors have internal soldered joints that can become weak when exposed to hotter than normal temperatures. Weak joints are in danger of braking which could lead onto other running faults.

In summary check your vehicle’s engine oil regularly.

Tips for you

Diesel Particulate Filter

What you should be aware of....

Some Diesel engines today have been designed to run so efficiently that during an MOT emissions smoke test, the emissions are so low that the smoke tester is unable to give a reading. This is due to the Catalyst and DPF both doing their jobs efficiently.

This is surely a good thing? But what some drivers are finding is that due to some peoples driving habits, there can be a clogging problem with some diesel engines that use a DPF.

To help keep your vehicle's DPF clean, your vehicle should regularly be driven at high revs, (This does not necessarily mean high speed). what this does, is help regenerate your diesel vehicle's DPF and burns off any soot build up within the filter itself.

If your diesel vehicle regularly only does around town driving then before you carry out this regeneration process it would help if you added DPF cleaner to your fuel to help this cleaning process take place.

Watch this Aftermarket News Bulletin that explains all about Diesel Particulate Filters... highlight the link and go to...https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=py1nkHKoXa4

If your driving habits do not include the occasional motorway trip then you need to consider some cleaner and a regeneration.

Call Pentagon Motorist Centre on 01634 405757

Pre-winter Checks

Pre-winter vehicle checks

Matters of Testing, 21 November 2014 — Hot tips

Once the clocks go back, the weather turns colder and there is more and more Christmas items in the shops, thoughts turn increasingly towards the winter ahead.Last winter may have been relatively mild in terms of snow and ice for most areas, but there was still plenty of severe weather to trouble motorists. Whatever the weather you need a well-maintained vehicle, as well as an appropriate driving style, to stay safe on the roads.

Now is the time to give your vehicle a pre-winter check.

£30 fee for a Pre-winter check will be waived if any extra work has to be undertaken.

So don't delay book today on 01634 405757

Latest News from the Garage

Hi Everyone, congratulations to Steven Hall who won the inaugural monthly draw for November. I thank all who entered and remind you that everyone will get something from this. Your Free MOT reminder will come out to you a couple of weeks before it is due.

The prize Draw for December is now open.

To win £200 towards a Full Service and MOT print and email me the completed form that you will see in a previous blog.

Entry into the December draw ends at midnight on the 31st December 2014.

Those who entered last month can enter again, refer someone new and you will also be entered into this months draw. 

CAR REPAIR COSTS SET TO INCREASE

CAR REPAIR COSTS SET TO INCREASE if car manufacturers get their way…

Latest proposal of Telematic Systems will make repairing vehicles an unfair playing field and will restrict consumer choice. This will undoubtedly lead to an increase in repair costs should the manufacturers get their way.

This video explains how this would affect motorists, and the small local independent businesses they have come to rely on to fix their cars…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BSaPgKlkZ4

Car manufacturers are determined to stop companies supplying diagnostic equipment to independent repairers. They have asked the EU to allow them to only allow a remote ‘telematic’ radio link from their vehicles’ computers to the diagnostic system. This means that there will be no socket into which independent businesses can connect their equipment. If that is allowed, then smaller independent businesses will not be able to access the computer to fix any fault. Follow this link for the full story…

http://www.motester.co.uk/mot-news/mot-news/motorists-may-pay-dearly-for-telematic-systems

Tests on Non Original Equipment components at MOT thwarted

EU wanted 'safety' tests on parts

An attempt to include checks specifically on non-OE components fitted to vehicles as part of the MOT has been blocked by aftermarket industry bodies and lobbying groups.

For full report click this link.

http://www.aftermarketonline.net/News/Industry-News/2014/30246-/Tests-on-non-OE-components-at-MOT-thwarted?utm_source=NewZapp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nic

The explanation given was: “In case of non-OEM replacement parts or after-sales parts, that largely deviate from the original parts, their impact on the safe use of the vehicle has to be carefully assessed by the inspector. A downgrading of the level of safety of the vehicle shall not be acceptable.”

Who are these unelected people making decisions that can affect so many livelihoods.

I think that this is a typical case of desk based personnel who has never carried out an MOT in their life putting forward rulings without actually thinking them through. For example you can buy a suspension lowering kit from a main dealer and you can also purchase an equivalent kit from an aftermarket source. They both ‘largely deviate from the original parts’ but is it the quality of part that is in question or the fact that the vehicle has been modified? With some vehicles you can purchase the same vehicle with lowered sports suspension from new. How is an MOT tester going to know if a vehicle was lowered from new or afterwards? Unless every part that is replaced has a genuine stamp or reference somewhere visible on it you could never tell. An MOT tester will have to constantly be covering their backside and passing and advising on everything that looks like it has been replaced on a vehicle.

Very few motor manufacturers make all their own parts they rely on outside companies to produce parts for them. On many occasions these are the same companies that produce an equivalent part for the aftermarket.

What these unelected people do not realize is that an MOT test is no more than a basic safety check. MOT testing in our country is robust enough to highlight any safety issues a car may have at the time of test without adding to it. The longer the MOT test takes to conduct the more it will cost. Who will pay for this extra time required? You guessed it, the motorist.

This is a ridiculous ruling rightly thrown out, albeit the lobbyers used the ‘discriminatory’ card. Do these unelected people have links with the main dealerships by any chance or am I being paranoid and think that they are just out to get me?

New EU MOT rules starting from 2017

New EU MOT rules starting from 2017

Despite sweeping changes to the MOT Test demanded by the EU which took effect at the beginning of 2012, even more far reaching changes will take affect after 2017.

For the motorist the biggest change will be that cars with defects which render them ‘dangerous to drive’ could be banned from the road.
In Britain it is undecided whether or not that this ruling will be used because the new EU rules are in the form of a Directive, so exactly how they will appear in the MOT Test can be decided by the British Government.
There will also be changes around how vehicles’ emissions are checked and regarding electronic components which have a safety related function, such as adaptive braking, cruise control and traction control.

The Department for Transport, working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency will in due course be working out the details. Until that task is completed it won’t be possible to say exactly how motorists will be affected.

http://www.motester.co.uk/mot-news/mot-news/new-eu-mot-rules-starting-from-2017

MOT Fee frozen until 2015

MOT Fee frozen until 2015

The new Roads Minister Robert Goodwill announced, "...we are freezing the price for an MOT Test..." Good news for our customers because this means that we are able to freeze our MOT price for a further year.

Jim Punter, editor of MOT Testing Magazine and Chairman of the MOT Trade Forum said, "I am very disappointed at hearing that the MOT fee is to be frozen yet again for another year – that's a five year freeze altogether.

http://www.motester.co.uk/mot-news/mot-fee-frozen-until-2015

Jim went on to say ‘If they want to freeze the MOT fee, that's fine – just stop adding more and more inspections of different components, which require additional equipment which needs to be purchased by hard-pressed Vehicle Testing Stations, also increasing the time it takes to Test every vehicle.’


As Jim explains some of these extra checks have very little to do with road safety. For example, ensuring that number plates are visible is purely so that enforcement cameras are able to read the registration so that the revenue from motoring fines can be collected from the motorist.

Diesel Particulate Filters Removal Info

On the 16^th February 2014 MOT testing stations began testing Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF)

The DPF plays an essential environmental role in enabling reductions in emissions which help meet strict European emission standards, reducing air pollution and thereby improving health quality.

It has come to light that some businesses are offering a service to remove or bypass the DPF. This practice compromises the MOT testing standards and therefore undermines the principle of inspecting their presence.

The problem testing stations are facing is how would a VTS know if a DPF has been removed or tampered with?

Authorised Examiners are responsible to ensure that MOT testing is carried out to the required standards. If Vehicle Testing Stations (VTS) are found to be offering this service, the DVSA may consider taking action to remove the VTS’s authorisaton to test.

Click the link for further news about DPF and a recent BBC ‘sting’ operation into diesel particulate filter (DPF)….

http://www.aftermarketonline.net/News/Industry-News/2014/30242-/BBC-investigates-DPF-removal?utm_source=NewZapp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nic

MOT REMINDERS CLUB

THE MOT REMINDERS CLUB

Would you like to get a FREE MOT & SERVICE?

Then read on……

Please enter a friend or colleague’s personal and vehicle details and you and your friend or colleague will be entered into our FREE Monthly prize draw to win a ‘FREE MOT & FULL SERVICE ’ (worth approx £200)’ There is no restriction on how many times you enter. The only stipulation is that your friend or colleague is not already a customer of ours.

Your Name:______________________________________

Your  Address:____________________________________

_____________________________ Postcode:__________

Mobile Number: (For Prize Draw and MOT Reminder Notification)______________

Vehicle Registration Number:_________________________

Vehicle Make:_____________________________________

Please enter the details of the person who you wish to refer to us.

Their Name:_______________________________________

Their  Address:_____________________________________

_______________________________Postcode:__________

Their Mobile Number: (For Prize Draw and MOT Reminder Notification)___________

Their Vehicle Registration Number:______________________

Their Vehicle Make:__________________________________

Return this completed form to pen.motcentre@btconnect.com

Seat Leon 1.6 Diesel knocking noise from engine

A customer recently booked their 04 plate Seat Leon in because it had a severe knocking noise from the engine. The Seat was a 1.6 diesel PD (Pumpe Duse) type engine.

The knocking noise sounded like diesel knock just as if the pump timing was out. This engine is a common rail engine so fuel pump timing was not a factor in this instance. Having now completed all the basic checks a compression test of individual cylinders was carried out.

The decision was made to remove the cam cover and closely inspect the camshaft and followers. With cam cover removed and with the camshaft rotated in a certain position a small black circle could be seen beneath the cam lobe in the centre of one of the followers.

It was decided that we should remove the camshaft completely to confirm that this was indeed the fault. In doing so the problem was clear to see, one of the follows had completely worn away.

When speaking to the customer it was established that they had not been using the correct PD oil. This only goes to prove the importance of carrying out the recommended oil change when due with the correct oil type and grade.

Contact Pentagon Motorist Centre when you vehicles next service is due on 01634 405757

Driver Habits Revealed! - 6th September 2014

A survey has revealed that a shocking 41% of us believe that an annual MOT means our cars will be roadworthy for the next 12 months with no need for us to check them. Phil Seymour, approved garages network manager, said: "This figure is really shocking and very worrying. Car owners need to be educated on the difference between MOTs and and car servicing. It is so important that a car is serviced regularly and most cars need a service once a year. Not only does this keep the car roadworthy, but a car is less likely to develop a big expensive fault with regular maintenance." In addition to this, the survey revealed that almost 66.6% of people asked thought that if a car is under warranty, it had to be serviced at a main dealership. This is simply not true - see earlier blog posts on this point.

Simple checks regularly throughout the year and a car service once a year will keep your car in good condition and working at its best! Also you won't have to pay anything out for it to pass its MOT each year - all good points, so you guys have no excuses...

New MOT Rule - 6th September 2014

There has been a rule change concerning diesel cars. What used to happen was we would test the cars on the percentage of emissions coming from them and pass or fail them on that. However, we must now check if there is a diesel particulate filter installed and working. The reason for this change is because it has been proved that these filters can reduce emissions by about 80% and all new diesel cars have been fitted with them as standard for the past 5 years.

Sometimes these filters are missing from new cars, this is due to them getting clogged up and instead of cleaning them, some garages have simply removed them (even though it is illegal to do so). They get clogged up eventually - especially if many short journeys are undertaken, due to the filter not getting hot enough to burn off the particulates that build up over time.

You can clean the filters with products that cost around £30, and you can also have your car fitted with a particulate exhaust system cleaner for as little as £20. Unfortunately, if your car has already had the filter removed there is nothing you can do: you'll need to pay for it to be refitted. Sorry.

Halfords Relauch Car Parts Business Venture - 6th September 2014

The automotive retailer, Halfords, have relaunched it's car parts business with over 130,000 different products. The new venture has been branded as Car Parts Direct, this will allow customers to order any product online or in store and they aim to have parts delivered by next day or better - 66% of cases are hoped to be delivered within 90 minutes. The breadth and dept of parts available in the business venture means that Car Parts Direct can be used by garage trade customers, as well as capable DIY repairers, hobby mechanics and fans of specific vehicle marques.

Car Parts Direct manager Paul Tomlinson explained their reasons for the business venture - "The average age of cars on UK roads is at a thirty year high - which we anticipate will drive demand from owners of older vehicles for major replacement parts such as steering, suspension and clutch components - whilst cars around 3 years old sustain demand for consumable items like filters, spark plugs, brake pads and discs and alike."

This seems like a great service that's available to everyone!

Using the Correct Coolant! - 6th September 2014

A study conducted by the lubricants manufacturer, Comma, has revealed that 83% of us are unaware of the use of coolant in our engines, with a further 65% of us admitting that we wouldn't know which product to choose. This came about due to the fact that engine technologies nowadays require more and more from our coolant products, and with all of the different coolants on the market due to all of the different engine types. One size does not fit all with our new engines!

Coolant is needed in our engines due to the heat that the internal combustion engine throws out. A third of the power from the engine goes into making your car go, another third is transferred into heat and CO2, which goes out the exhaust... However the last third is transferred into heat only, and remains in the engine. Coolant is then used by the engine to absorb as much of the heat as possible, so it doesn't overheat. The wrong type of coolant might not be effective enough and so make your car overheat and drastically reduce it's service life.

Make sure you research which coolant is best for your vehicle before buying any, or even just ask your local dealer to point you in the right direction.

Top 3 MOT Test Fail Items - Tips for You

Year after year, so many people come in and fail their MOT on something very silly that can be easily avoided by following a few simple steps. Here are the top 3!

1. Headlamp Aim

The top fail item is simply 'Headlight aim incorrectly set'. If a headlight bulb has been replaced since your last MOT, there is a possibility that they have been put back in slightly the wrong place - too high or low. This means that when your headlights shine, they shine at odd angles and do not give out the full effect, meaning that you can't see effectively in the dark/fog.

You can avoid this by simply getting somebody else to sit in the car and operate the lamps, while you walk around the car, checking each lamp individually. It may help to do it in a garage.

2. Tyre Tread Depth

Another common failure is the tyre tread depth. Tyre tread helps the tyres grip the road effectively, if the tread depth isn't to the correct standard, it becomes easier for the tyres to skid on the surface. There is a very simple test to see if your tyre tread is up to scratch. Just get a 20p coin and place it in the grooves in the tyre, if the outer rim of the coin isn't visible, your tyre tread should be fine. However, if you are still unsure, most tyre outlets are happy to do a free check for you.

3. Windscreen Wipers

Windscreen wipers not clearing the windscreen effectively is another common failure, the easiest way to check this is to operate the wipers and washers. If the blades don't clear all of the water effectively, and possibly even leave smears over the the driver's side, this will result in a fail. Wiper blades do wear out over time and need replacing - they get damaged by grit and dirt, so they need replacing at regular intervals. Another issue is if there is no fluid in the washers, then this will also result in a fail.


As you can see, most failures are caused by silly little mistakes that can easily be avoided. So follow the directions above and you will save yourself a little bit of cash!