If you're experiencing issues shifting gears, or if your clutch feels like it is dragging these are signs that your clutch may need to be replaced. At Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center we know clutches, so no matter if the vehicle you drive is automatic or manual, bring your car, truck, SUV, or fleet vehicle to Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center in Washington Court House, OH today. Let our team of highly trained technicians examine your vehicle and let us resolve what is causing the issue. If you keep ignoring the signals your clutch is trying to tell you, your issue can turn into a larger problem.

Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center offers a top-notch clutch and transmission repair in Washington Court House, OH, at a fair and reasonable price. Please call us today at (740) 335-2000 for a quote or schedule an appointment on our website!

Clutch Services 

• Inspections
• Maintenance
• Repairs
• Clutch Exchanges
• Clutch Kit
• Slave Cylinders
• Hydraulic Units
• Cable replacements
• Tighten mounts

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Here at Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center, we like to keep our Washington Court House drivers on the road and a radiator issue will put your vehicle in Park faster than most issues! Every liquid-cooled engine on the road has a radiator; without it, the engine would overheat in no time, causing catastrophic engine failure. What you don't want to see is steam coming out from under your hood so proper maintenance is key. While the efficiency of radiators, the materials they’re made out of, and the shape and size of them have changed over time, radiators haven’t actually changed much over the last century or so.

How your radiator works. In concept, a radiator is pretty simple. Coolant circulates throughout the engine, heating up as it makes its way through the system. It moves from the engine into the top of the radiator, which consists of passageways to lengthen the amount of time the coolant is in the radiator and to dissipate heat. Thin metal fins further facilitate the dissipation of heat. Air moving through the radiator, either by the motion of the vehicle or the cooling fan, rapidly drops the temperature of the coolant before it enters the engine again. As a result, the engine stays cool and running smooth.

What goes wrong? Radiators are pretty durable components - they generally last a long time. However, they do occasionally fail and when they do the first call is here to our shop, Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center. There are multiple reasons why you might suffer a failure and many can be avoided with standard maintenance. Here are some common issues your radiator might have:

Debris in the system. If rust, sludge, or other contaminants make their way into the coolant system, the radiator is likely to get clogged. Those small passageways are great for cooling liquid but almost act as a collection place for dirt and debris. Sometimes it can be flushed out, sometimes not and that results in a need for a new radiator.

Damage. Radiators are sensitive to any kind of damage - it isn’t hard to put a hole in one or collapse the cooling passages inside the radiator. Damage can occur during other engine work, front end damage, an object contacting the radiator, or even just from age. They’re always under pressure, so there’s a tendency for radiators to come apart at the seams after many years of use.

Overheating. Sometimes a bad radiator causes overheating, sometimes overheating causes a bad radiator. Either way, overheated coolant can put too much pressure on the radiator, causing it to balloon or develop leaks. Fortunately, one of our professional technicians at Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center can diagnose, repair, or replace a radiator, and have you back on the road in no time.

Radiator Maintenance

At Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center we will help you prevent the need for any future radiator repairs by providing maintenance. By far, the most important aspect of radiator maintenance is coolant servicing. By having the coolant flushed as recommended by our technicians, you prevent debris from clogging or damaging passageways in the radiator, and ensure the cooling system is up to the task of keeping your engine cool. Since overheating and debris are two of the main causes of radiator failure, a coolant flush goes a long way.

Keeping your thermostat, hoses, and other cooling system components are also crucial. If your engine runs hot, the radiator will fail faster. Watch for leaks and overheating issues, and let one of our technicians at Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center know if there is a problem. When you see fluid under your vehicle and it is not simply water from running the air conditioning then we need to know about it quickly as it is typically a radiator issue.

No matter your repair or maintenance needs, we’ve got you covered! For the best service by highly trained technicians, trust Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center in Washington Court House. Stop in or call us today for exceptional service by a team that cares about your needs.

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During your Car Emissions Test, did you fail? Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center is your best choice for Emissions Test Repairs. If you don’t want to wait in line at the state Car Emissions Test facility, let us do it for you! If your registration and test are due, bring your car in for any service and while it’s here we will run it through for you at no charge. We are very close to the facility so we can get it done quickly and all you have to pay is the state fee. It’s just one more way for us to say thanks for trusting us as your personal Mechanic.

Although the I/M requirement comes from the federal government, states and their associated agencies have some flexibility in the type of test used, vehicle populations to be tested, and other program-specific details. Some states run centralized programs that have state-contracted test stations exclusively dedicated to testing. Other states run decentralized programs, where emissions can be tested at local repair facilities. In a few cases, states may run "hybrid" programs using both centralized and decentralized test stations. The latest trend is to incorporate the use of second-generation onboard diagnostics (OBDII) into these programs, in many cases altogether eliminating the need for tailpipe emissions tests.

Purpose: I/M programs evaluate the emissions from vehicles and single out those that are polluting beyond the limits established for certain model years of vehicles. Aside from identifying vehicles with high emissions, such programs advocate proper maintenance to prevent high emissions due to maintenance neglect.

Maintenance Tips/Suggestions: The best way to keep your vehicle environmentally friendly is by performing regularly scheduled maintenance, rather than waiting to correct a problem after your car fails an emissions test. If the SERVICE ENGINE SOON or CHECK ENGINE light appears, have it checked out immediately by a professional technician. Neglecting these warning signs can lead to more extensive and expensive repairs.

Typical wear and tear symptoms and factors affecting the emission system include:

• Driving and atmospheric conditions
• Mileage
• Vehicle age
• Type of spark plug electrode material
• Poor vehicle maintenance
• Poor quality fuel
• Damaged or worn sensors
• Dry-rotted or cracked vacuum hoses

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HYBRID SERVICE & MAINTENANCE

If you own a hybrid car, truck, or SUV, it's important to know the differences between the service your hybrid vehicle requires and that required of conventional vehicles on the road. At Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center in Washington Court House, OH our technicians are well trained and have the experience and equipment needed to service your hybrid. Technically your Hybrid requires nearly the same maintenance as fuel-powered vehicles in spite of their many differences, surprising isn't it? The main service and maintenance you have had done over the years for brakes, oil changes, HVAC, and more you will still need to keep your vehicle running in top shape. You now need the added value of a team that has training in working with a Hybrid vehicle and technicians who you can trust, like our mechanics here at Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center. Our technicians are trained in every aspect of your specific vehicle's maintenance & repairs as well as having the right diagnostic tools for the job is when you have a serious issue. 

If you have a maintenance issue that corresponds with your Hybrid system or is unique to your specific vehicle, you are then needing a specific mechanic as well and we have trained our team to take care of those needs for you! 

What makes a vehicle a hybrid?   Hybrid vehicles typically have two modes of power production; conventional combustion engines and electric motors powered by batteries. In addition to all the systems of a regular combustion vehicle, hybrids have a sophisticated electronics system to ensure efficient operation of charging and battery power displacement, including separate batteries, electric motors, and monitoring systems. The main difference is the battery system and servicing that the system takes special training and diagnostic equipment like our technicians have here at Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center.

Models  The first car that pops into your head when you hear the word “hybrid” is probably the Toyota Prius. While in many ways the Prius paved the way for hybrid vehicles, these days hybrid technology has been adopted by nearly every automaker, for all styles of vehicles. Full-sized SUVs like the GM Yukon, mid-size SUVs like the Toyota Highlander, Sedans like the Ford Fusion or Honda Accord, and even many full-size pickups are now being offered with hybrid systems and technology.

Issues with Hybrids  Overall, hybrid vehicles have proven to be very reliable; the systems are complex but based on technology that is straightforward and has been understood for a long time. When the electric motors are in use, they supplement the work that would normally be provided by the combustion engine. However, hybrid vehicles have more parts, meaning there are also more parts to replace eventually. The most common issues are battery problems or features built-in which disable the system if something goes wrong.

Hybrid Tests Done at Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center Include:

• Hybrid Battery Testing. Testing your hybrid battery is much the same as it is for a regular battery but involves multiple battery areas and a NiMH core
• HEV Battery Repair. Hybrid battery repair and reconditioning include removing the battery pack and NiMH (nickel-metal hydride) cores from the automobile to run a power and energy test to determine your battery’s state-of-health (SOH). The battery is then put through an exclusive discharge and recharge process to increase the overall energy output and cell capacity. Any failing component or cells will be identified during this process and can be replaced as needed. Other components of the battery that support the system are also checked for proper operation. Once that process is complete, the battery is placed back in the vehicle.
• HEV Diagnostics & Service. Our team will test your battery system as a whole to ensure we know if your hybrid battery system is okay or needs service. 
• HEV Battery Replacement. If your battery is beyond repair or reconditioning, our hybrid mechanics can replace it with a replacement battery. During the replacement process, the battery is removed then replaced with a new battery carrier mounting system, new air temperature sensors, bus bars, battery controller, pre-charge system, current sensor, contactors/relays, and new battery modules.

Hybrid Specialists  Having your Hybrid serviced by technicians trained in the field is extremely important. A typical mechanic isn't likely to have the experience and equipment needed to properly care for and diagnose issues with a hybrid vehicle, or maintain it in such a way that prevents problems from arising. Our technicians have the knowledge, ability, and equipment necessary to maintain and repair any make and model of hybrid vehicles.

If you drive a Hybrid and want to make sure you're receiving quality service at a great price, we've got you covered. Call or stop by Jim Van Dyke's Automotive Center in Washington Court House, OH today where we have the right technician to take care of your Hybrid vehicle! You are going to want to cover many-many miles and we want to be sure you can do that by getting the most miles per gallon possible with the least amount of issues! 

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