Memphis Auto Repair

Pop quiz: What is a cabin air filter? A. A filter for your Memphis house?B. A fresh, piney scent?C. A filter for the passenger compartment of your car? Clever you, it's C.A cabin air filter cleans the outside air before it comes into the passenger compartment of your vehicle. It filters out common Tennessee air particles like dust, pollen, spores, bacteria, pollutants, exhaust gas, odors and even sparrows.These high tech filters can block particles larger than 3 microns. By contrast, a grain of sand is about 200 microns.Not all Memphis vehicles have cabin air filters. They are fairly new on the scene in Tennessee. Last check, about 40 percent of new vehicles sold in Memphis come with cabin air filters, but the number is growing every year. Cabin air filters make driving a lot more pleasant for people in Memphis. Your vehicle can be a haven during our Tennessee allergy season with very little dust and pollen getting into the cabin. Of course, like all filters, the cabin air f ... read more

Your car might have an alignment problem if: it drifts or pulls to one side, your steering wheel is off center, you have uneven tire wear or your car doesn't feel like it handles right. When all of a vehicle's wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Running into potholes around Memphis and smacking a curb or other object are great ways to knock your car out of alignment. Then, one or more of your wheels starts pulling in a slightly different direction and the problems begin.There are several things involved in an alignment check at Allen's Automotive Center. First, there's an inspection of the steering and suspension systems - their components should be checked to see if anything's bent or broken. Then the tire condition needs to be inspected. From there, the vehicle is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. If all four wheels are adjustable, they are lined up perfectly parallel with the vehicle's center line. If ... read more

Tennessee service centers have a menu board that lists the services they provide. Some Memphis drivers may not be familiar with all of the items on the board so here is a quick description of some of the typical services that might be listed.Allen's Automotive Center fuel system cleaning: Over time, the vehicle fuel system gets gum and varnish built up. A fuel system cleaning gets rid of that and cleans out the fuel injectors. Saves gas, by the way.Allen's Automotive Center headlamp replacement: Halogen and standard headlamps gradually fade. It's usually good to change them every year or so.Allen's Automotive Center inspections: Memphis drivers get inspections for many reasons. Maybe they're going on a trip or just want to make sure their vehicle's ready for a Tennessee summer or winter. Maybe they just bought a used vehicle and want to give it the once over. An inspection may reveal some things that ar ... read more

Today, we are talking about your PCV valve. Unburnt fuel is forced into the crankcase as your engine runs.  The PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve vents this unburnt fuel and oil vapors from the crankcase and sends it back into the air intake system to be burned in the engine.  A clogged PCV will not allow these vapors to escape. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause vehicle engine corrosion, something we see occasionally at Allen's Automotive Center. At high speeds on Tennessee freeways, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak. Back in the old days, vehicles were simply installed with a hose that vented these gases out into the atmosphere. But starting in the 1964 model year, environmental protection laws required that these gases be recycled back into the air intake system to be mixed with fuel and burned in the vehicle's engine.This is much better ... read more

Many Memphis drivers want to accessorize their vehicle - you know, make it theirs. One of the easiest ways to get a custom look is to get some new wheels. There are thousands of wheel designs at Memphis area tire shops to get you the look you want. And for many Memphis drivers, that look includes bigger wheels. It used to be that cars came from the factory with 15 or 16 inch wheels. Now 16, 17 and even 18 inchers are standard. And the factories are offering optional wheel packages up to 20 inches or more. So let's talk about what to consider when you want to upsize your wheels. It's not exactly a DIY project, so you need to know a thing or two before you get started. The most important term to know is rolling diameter. The rolling diameter is simply the overall height of your tire. Unless you want to modify your vehicle suspension, you'll want to keep your rolling diameter the same when you upsize your wheels.Let's think about those three golden doughnuts in front of you. They're ... read more