Automotive Tips from Charlie's Fast Lube Perryville: Knowing When Your Timing Belt Should Be Replaced
August 18, 2025
The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Perryville drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure.Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more ex... More
Lubricate Driveshaft
August 11, 2025
See if any of these are happening to your vehicle. You feel it vibrating excessively underneath when its running, or you hear strange clunking, grating, or grinding sounds coming from beneath. Maybe its hard to turn your vehicle, or you can hear squeaking when youre going slow. Perhaps you fee... More
Cold Weather Vehicle No-Nos (Items to Avoid Storing in a Freezing Vehicle)
August 4, 2025
It's always easier to leave a few things in your vehicle so you'll have them on hand. But in cold weather, while it's a good idea to carry items such as a phone charger, blanket and shovel, there are some things you shouldn't store in your vehicle. Medicines and drugs. Cold temperatures can af... More
Motor Oil?The Synthetic Advantage (Synthetic oil vs Conventional)
July 28, 2025
Youve probably already heard that regular oil changes are extremely important for the health of your vehicles engine. Thats sound advice. But what you might not know is when it comes to motor oil, the real thing may not be the best thing for your engine. There are different types of motor oil: ... More
Beware of Potholes! (Avoiding Pothole Damage)
July 21, 2025
You may live in a region where roads become pockmarked with craters known better as potholes. They're caused by moisture seeping through a compromised road surface that can freeze, expand and literally punch holes in the road. And when your vehicle hits one of those holes that's big enough, the... More
The ?Man-Made? Engine Oil (Synthetic Oil Change)
July 14, 2025
If you own a newer vehicle, your vehicles manufacturer may require that it use synthetic oil instead of conventional oil. Synthetic oils are more stable, dont break down as easily, and provide better engine protection than conventional oil. All those things can prolong the life of your engine an... More
The Economy of Maintenance for Perryville Drivers
July 7, 2025
Do I keep my old vehicle or buy a new one? It's a question most Perryville drivers ask themselves at some time or another.Generally, what it comes down to is the choice between a car payment and the possibility of repair bills. Most of the time, we want to choose the car payment because we don't ... More
Muffler: Victim of Winter (Muffler Repair)
June 29, 2025
So you almost got through the winter until, one day, your muffler started sounding like a dragster, loud and obnoxious. It's not surprising. All that road salt and brine can cause rust to punch holes in a muffler, and that should raise a big, red warning flag about the safety of your vehicle. O... More
More than Pads and Rotors (Brake Caliper Replacement)
June 23, 2025
You might be familiar with brake pads and rotors, two components of your vehicle's brakes that have to be regularly serviced. Here's another important component of your brakes: the calipers. Calipers are used in disc brakes, the type of brakes now found in most recently manufactured vehicles. A... More
Alleviate the Creaks and Squeaks (Chassis Lubrication)
June 16, 2025
If your vehicle creaks and squeaks when you drive down the road, it may mean that some of the metal parts are rubbing against each other and need to be lubricated. Those could be parts of the suspension, steering system and the drivetrain. Years ago, most vehicles had to have their chassis (wha... More