Monthly Archives: October 2016

Automotive Tips from Twin City Auto: Knowing When Your Timing Belt Should Be Replaced

The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Scottsbluff 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 expensive maintenance services, but the cost at Twin City Auto to correct an engine damaged by a broken timing belt is much, much more.The timing belt has a tensioner to help maintain proper belt tension. The tensioner should be replaced along with the timing belt and any idler pulleys at the vehicle manufacturer’s specified service interval. Your Twin City Auto service advisor can help you with the timing belt.Give us a call.Twin City Auto1802 E Overland Suite #4Scottsbluff, NE 6936130

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Timing Belt

Maintaining Your Older Car in Scottsbluff, NE

The government mandates a lot of equipment on cars in Scottsbluff, NE: emission devices and control computers, safety equipment like airbags and crash worthiness requirements. All of this is great for the Scottsbluff motoring public, but it does add quite a bit to the price of a new vehicle.Because new vehicles are more expensive, people in the Scottsbluff area are driving their old vehicles longer. The average vehicle is now over nine years old. Two thirds of vehicles on the road in NE have more than 75,000 miles (120,000 km) on them. As cars age, their performance drops, they have difficulty idling for long periods and are more sensitive to weather extremes. Fortunately today's cars are up to the challenge – but they need a little help to keep on goin'.Give Twin City Auto a call at 308.635.7404 to schedule your next maintenance.Some owner's manuals don't specify service requirements at higher mileage. That doesn't mean it doesn't have to be done ... read more

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Maintenance

Fuel Saving Tip: Auto Myths Around Scottsbluff

Fuel Saving Tip: Auto Myths Around Scottsbluff

With high fuel prices in Scottsbluff, NE, comes lots of gas saving advice. Some of it, like what you hear on   is great.  When you get one of those e-mails that's going around telling you how to save gas, try to think it through.Does it really make sense? Does it defy the laws of physics?Do some research on the internet or ask your Scottsbluff, NE, service advisor at Twin City Auto.There aren't any magic pills you can drop in your gas tank, and the government hasn't suppressed a device you can clamp on your fuel line to make your vehicle run on air. Not even in Scottsbluff!So next time you get one of those e-mails, check it out with an automotive professional. You'll get more bang for your buck with an oil change or an engine air filter replacement.We're here for you at Twin City Auto, so give us a call at 308.635.7404 for good honest advice about your vehicle. Twin City Auto 1802 E Overland Suite #4 Scottsbluff, NE ... read more

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Fuel System

Ask Twin City Auto: What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?

The serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which cools the engine; the air conditioning, which cools the driver and passengers; and the power steering pump, which allows for easier steering. When the belt breaks, all of these systems shut down.Okay, so maybe you can live without air conditioning and power steering for a while, but your battery can't live very long without an alternator, and when the cooling system goes down, your vehicle engine will overheat. That's why Scottsbluff drivers should never wait to get a serpentine belt replaced.Serpentine belts are fairly inexpensive at Twin City Auto in Scottsbluff. And they look downright cheap when you compare them to the cost of an overheated vehicle engine, a tow truck, time lost on the road ... read more

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Serpentine Belt

Engine Hydration for Scottsbluff Drivers: Role of Your Water Pump

The cooling system in an engine has five components: the radiator, the radiator cap, the hoses, the thermostat and the water pump. The water is literally the heart of the system. Just as your own heart keeps your blood circulating through your body, the water pump keeps coolant circulating through your engine.The water pump is driven by a belt, chain or gear and only operates while the engine is running. It has a limited life span and sooner or later will have to be replaced. You can check your owner's manual to find out how long your water pump should last. Some can fail at only 40,000 miles (64,000 kilometers), but almost all of them fail by 100,000 miles (160,000 kilometers).Water pumps don't gradually wear out; they fail. In other words, they're either working or they're not. A failed water pump has to be replaced.Water pumps can fail in two ways: they can spring a leak or their bearings fail. Leaks can come from a cracked pump but usually develop at the gasket whe ... read more

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Cooling System