Car & Van Water Pump Replacement St Albans

Car & Van Water Pumps

All water cooled vehicles will need a water pump to aid in cooling of the vehicles engine this is an essential part of any car or vans engine to run at the right temperature set by the vehicle manufacturer.

On transverse engines (Front wheel drive vehicles) the car water pump is located on driver side of the engine close to auxiliary drive belts these belts are attached to the engines crankshaft pulley the other end of one of these belts will turn the water pump power by the engine crankshaft as the vehicle is running.

Not all pumps are driven this way a good 60% of vehicles car water pumps are driven by the timing belt (Cam belt) if this is the case then your car water pump will not be visible as it will be located behind the timing belt cover.

Car water pump symptoms

Car water pump symptoms can vary from rumbling sound coming from under the bonnet or just from water loss you may even see fast tripping water from under your car or van another symptom can be the loss of your vehicles heater this is typical of low water level in vehicles cooling system which may indicate a water leak.

You may find that you have none of the symptoms above and your vehicle is just getting very hot very quickly your engines electric cooling fan is running and temperature gauge indicating over heating problem but you cannot see or hear any signs it might be your car water pump this symptom could indicate a head gasket problem.

But it also could indicate a problem with your water pump too within the internals of a water pump you have four or six paddles similar to a water mill these paddles are what circulates the water throughout your cooling system in the past we have seen this paddles break away from the pump drive when this happens the water pump will show no signs of wear the outcome of this will be the water will just boil within the engine and not be able flow through to the rest of the cooling system hence overheating.

Symptoms like rumbling noise is very serious especially if your car water pump type is driven by the timing belt if water pump bearing fails the water pump will collapse and the timing belt will break causing major engine damage it's imperative to have your vehicle checked if the diagnoses is indeed the water pump then a new timing belt should also be replaced along with the timing belt, tensioner and guides and new water pump.

Car water pump replacement Cost

The cost of replacing a car or van water pump can vary depending on make and model of your vehicle also diesel engine vehicles can be more time intensive to replace most garages work according to manufacturer work times this will give a guide on how long the job will take.

Need your vehicle back on the road as soon as possible Motor Vehicle Repairs can help you with all your car & van water pump replacement St Albans please call us today on 0800 999 4118 or 0330 999 4118 for complete car or van water pump repair service at your home or work place or we can pick up deliver your vehicle after repair from our fully equipped workshop based in Wheathampstead St Albans.

Timing Belt Replacement St Albans

Car & Van Timing Belts

Timing belts (cam belt) are found on most car engines now days even though it seems that vehicle manufacturers are returning to the timing chain which does not have to be changed at regular intervals compared to its counterpart the timing belt which is essential that it is checked for wear and tear a faulty timing belt can break if your engine has been identified as ' INTERFERENCE' type of engine this will lead to internal engine damage such as cylinder head, inlet and exhaust valve damage.

This repair of the damage can cost up to £1000 or more, even cost you a new engine; The cost of replacing a timing belt as part of a routine service could be as little as 5 to 10% of the repair cost following a belt failure. If you do not know your vehicles service history and have no history when your vehicles cam belt was last replaced then you should renew it!

Where possible the recommended intervals have been compiled from vehicle manufacturers' information. In a few instances no recommendation has been made by the manufacturer and the decision to replace the belt must be made from the evidence of a thorough examination of the condition of the existing belt.

Apart from the visible condition of the belt, there are several other factors which must be considered when checking a timing belt: Is the belt an original or a replacement... When was the belt last replaced and was it at the correct mileage... Is the service history of the vehicle known... Has the vehicle been operated under arduous conditions which might warrant a shorter replacement interval... Is the general condition of other components in the camshaft drive, such as the tensioners, pulleys, cam belt guides and other ancillary components driven by the timing belt, typically the water pump, sound enough to ensure that the life of the replacement belt will not be affected.

If the condition of the existing belt appears good, can you be satisfied that the belt will not fail before the next check or service is due. If the belt does fail, have you considered the consequences. If the engine is an INTERFERENCE type then considerable expensive damage may well be the result.

How often timing belts need to be replaced will depend on the type of engine. Most vehicle manufacturers release timing belt replacement schedules this can be set by mileage or time whatever comes first typical mileage can be belt between 34,000 miles and 100,000 or five to ten years this is just a guide.

Vehicle Manufacturers will cover themselves my stating within their guide "inspect and replace if necessary" this puts the decision in the mechanics hands his or hers experience will count making the right choice. The mechanic will inspect the belt for oil contamination , wear and tear he or she will also inspect guides, pulleys right down to the timing belt cover it all counts to keep your timing belt safe and in turn this will keep your vehicles belt from failing.

In the internal combustion engine application, the timing belt connects the crankshaft to the camshaft(s), which in turn controls the opening and closing of the engine's valves. A four-stroke engine requires that the valves open and close once every other revolution of the crankshaft. The timing belt does this. It has teeth to turn the camshaft(s) synchronised with the crankshaft, and is specifically designed for a particular engine. In some engine designs, the timing belt may also be used to drive other engine components such as the water pump and oil pump.

Gear or chain systems can also be used to connect the crankshaft to the camshaft at the correct timing. However gears and shafts constrain the relative location of the crankshaft and camshafts. Even where the crankshaft and camshaft(s) are very close together, as in push rod engines, most engine designers use a short chain drive rather than a direct gear drive. This is because gear drives suffer from frequent torque reversal as the cam profiles "kick back" against the drive from the crank, leading to excessive noise and wear.

Fibre gears, with more resilience, are preferred to steel gears where direct drive has to be used. A belt or chain allows much more flexibility in the relative locations of the crankshaft and camshafts. Camshaft drives, whether gears, belts or chains are also able to even out wear, since the chain or belt can be made such that the number of teeth on the belt is co prime to the number of teeth on the crankshaft and camshaft sprockets, thus ensuring that each tooth on sprocket does not end up on the same tooth on the belt repeatedly.

While chains and gears may be more durable, rubber belts are quieter in their operation (in most modern engines the noise difference is negligible), are less expensive and are mechanically more efficient, by dint of being considerably lighter, when compared with a gear or chain system. Also, timing belts do not require lubrication, which is essential with a timing chain or gears. A timing belt is a specific application of a synchronous belt used to transmit rotational power synchronously.

Timing belts are typically covered by plastic timing belt covers which require removal to carry out visual inspection. Engine manufacturers recommend replacement at specific intervals. The manufacturer may also recommend the replacement of other parts, such as the water pump, when the timing belt is replaced because the additional cost to replace the water pump is negligible compared to the cost of accessing the timing belt.

In an interference engine, or one whose valves extend into the path of the piston, failure of the timing belt (or timing chain) invariably results in costly and, in some cases, irreparable engine damage, as some valves will be held open when they should not be and thus will be struck by the pistons Indicators that the timing chain may need to be replaced include a rattling noise from the front of the engine.

When an automotive timing belt is replaced, care must be taken to ensure that the valve and piston movements are correctly synchronized. Failure to synchronize correctly in an can lead to problems with valve timing, and this in turn, in extremis, can cause collision between valves and pistons in Interference Engines. This is not a problem unique to timing belts since the same issue exists with all other cam/crank timing methods such as gears or chains.

The usual failure modes of timing belts are either stripped teeth (which leaves a smooth section of belt where the drive cog will slip) or de laminating and unravelling of the fibre cores. Outright snapping of the belt, because of the nature of the high tensile fibbers, is very uncommon.

Correct belt tension is critical a loose timing belt will whip, too tight and it will whine and put excess strain on the timing belt guide and tensioner which may cause the this parts to break under this excess load which will cause the timing belt to snap In either case belt life will be drastically shortened.

A timing belt is typically rubber with high-tensile fibres (e.g. fibreglass or Twaron / Kevlar) running the length of the belt.

Rubber degrades with higher temperatures, and with contact with motor oil. Thus the life expectancy of a timing belt is lowered in hot or leaky engines. Newer or more expensive belts are made of temperature resistant materials such as "highly-saturated nitrile" (HSN).

The life of the reinforcing cords is also greatly affected by water and antifreeze. This means that special precautions must be taken for off road applications to allow water to drain away or be sealed from contact with the belt.

Need your vehicle back on the road as soon as possible Motor Vehicle Repairs can help you with all your car servicing please call us today on 0800 999 4118 or 0330 999 4118 for complete car or van timing belt replacement St Albans at your home or work place or we can pick up deliver your vehicle after repair from our fully equipped workshop based in Wheathampstead St Albans.

Performance Remapping

Fuel Economy Remapping

Petrol Diesel ECU Performance Tuning - Car & Van Fuel Economy ECU Remaps

Motor Vehicle Repairs have extended their service to include mobile performance tuning also known as ECU remapping (chip Tuning) we decided to invest in the most advanced mobile Remapping Equipment after many customers asked if we could offer this service we pleased to announce we now can offer custom remap for petrol and diesel vehicles (Cars/Vans), We have created a relationship with best remapping writer in the UK with over 30 years experience in high end performance tuning on and off the race track, John brings track performance to your road vehicles in a very safe manner he treats every remap like it's his own vehicle in other words we will never ever map a vehicle were the map will cause any damage to your vehicles ECU or any other electronic components.

We have sourced the very best tools and code writers in the business to make sure we can offer the very best service around we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction this why we are the best choice for your car or van custom remap. We don't aim to be the cheapest for remapping we aim on quality and doing it right there are some very cheap maps out there and if they are not done correctly that will leave your vehicle unusable, note we also keep original and modified copies of your ECU's map file which we store so if you plan to sell your vehicle or your vehicle is under manufacturer's warranty we can write the file back to the vehicles ECU if needed you do not need to pay again for full remap just a standard call out charge will be applied for this service.

Remap my car or van for Performance
There are many reason for remapping your vehicles and that is to unleash the power that as be restricted by vehicle manufacturer by changing and analyzing ECU's EPROM chip and safely modifying values stored on this chip to get maximum performance. We will ask you some questions on how you would like your car or van remapped you might want to get maximum power (Torque) that the engine can safely be mapped too this option does not take into consideration of fuel economy in other words be prepared to use more fuel to gain maximum power. Option two we can balance the remap so your vehicle gains power (Torque) and still get good fuel economy both options you will still get better MPG but for top performance you will reduce MPG.

Guide Lines average power Gains for petrol and diesel Car and vans It depends on the vehicle EG: VW Golf GTI 1.8 Turbo: standard BHP: 150 -- After remap: 185 BHP (Petrol) 25% to 30% BHP & 5% to 20% MPG VW Golf TDI 130... Before 130 BHP -- After remap: 170 BHP -- (Diesel) 25% to 30% BHP & 5% to 20% MPG.

Please note you must take in consideration road type including road surface, vehicle weight-load, and type of driver

Remap my car or van for economy Best outcome in most cases for fuel economy are diesel remaps gains can be as much as 30% MPG were petrol gains can average 10% MPG fuel economy remap is suited for all but company vehicles and fleet vehicles is where this would be noticeable reducing overall cost on running your fleet vehicles we seen some great results on commercial diesel vans(LCV) mapping will also increase power (BHP) as the ECU is mapped for overall balance on vehicles driveability lot smoother through gear changes and better performance carrying heavier loads. Remap my van for fuel economy is a must with greater fuel costs business and van owners there is now a solution to reduce cost of running your vehicles.

Remapping (Chip tuning) describes the way of altering or updating chip (EPROM ) within a car's or any others vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) to accomplish better performance, whether it is more power, or cleaner emission control for greener vehicle, or better fuel burn MPG.(Mile per gallon)

Earlier vehicles pre ECUs around the 80s and 90s were chip tuning where the ECUs chip had to be swapped to the another to achieve performance results, now days this has be replaced with a flash able chip on vehicles electronic control unit which is accessible through the vehicles ODBll socket this method is known as ECU tuning (ECU Remapping).

EPROM Chip contains cars software on it similar to how your home computer works the ECU is the computer and the EPROM is the software which monitors and records controls all aspects of the vehicles engine this includes engine temperature, air flow, engine rotation position, Spark Ignition, fuel injection timing accelerator pedal, even monitors brake pedal and clutch pedal (Manual Vehicles) this also includes steering wheel angle (Rotation). ECU gets this information from various engine sensors in and around the engine.

The ECU cannot function without these sensors sending information to the ECU brief example we have sensor which monitors engine temperature this is referred to has a coolant temperature sensor this sends signals to the ECU on how hot the vehicle engine is getting, The ECU would then respond say hey the engine is getting to hot I think I need to cool it down the ECU then responds and sends a signal to switch on engine electric cooling fan which in turn starts fan to cool the engine this prevents the engine getting to hot. Once the coolant temperature sensor records normal engine temperature it sends the information back to the ECU hey I am normal now ECU responds OK lets switch off the cooling fan.

Ok now let"s get back to remapping by remapping (Adjusting EPROM chip software) we can increase and decrease certain values to control how the engine sensors responded adjusting fuel timing, ignition timing, boost pressure and other values allow us to map the vehicle to gain better performance and economy a better tuned ECU allows an increase in performance and better driveability.

Need your car or van ECU remapping for performance tuning or fuel economy no need to worry Motor Vehicle Repairs have you covered with fully equipped mobile workshop we can quickly and professionally remap your diesel or petrol vehicle for best performance and fuel economy at your home or work place give us a call free on 0800 999 4118.