Automotive Industry News & Information - Shawn Walter Automotive

How often should you get your transmission fluid changed? The transmission industry's standard is 25,000 to 30,000 miles or every two years. If you tow a trailer, 15,000 to 20,000 miles is recommended depending on the amount of towing. Motorhomes can vary with the amount that they are driven. The best thing that you can do is check the fluid regularly; notice the color, odor and level of the fluid. If you notice a change in the color, odor or level, have it checked by one of our trained technicians.

What type of fluid should you use? The suggested fluids differ from one manufacturer to another and you can check the owner's manual to ensure the correct transmission fluid is utilized per your specific auto or truck make and model. However, here our technicians have a computer program that will insure the right fluid goes into your transmission. We offer a full line of transmission fluids to cover all the various demands of any car or truck.

Shawn Walter Automotive in Muenster now provides the GM 6T40 and 45E FWD and AWD Transmission Replacement Options from JASPER Engines & Transmissions. These transmissions are available for the following 2008-2011 applications: Chevrolet Equinox and Malibu | GMC Terrain | Pontiac G6 | Saturn Aura | Buick Regal and LaCrosse

Motor oil can be a confusing beast that results in a number of questions. Do I really need synthetic? Does my new car take conventional? Understanding the basics of the different types of oil will help you answer these questions.

Synthetic motor oils are designed to excel at extreme temperatures. Regular motor oils are mineral-based: they come from crude oil that is taken out of the ground and run through a refinery. Synthetics, on the other hand, are man-made in a chemical plant. They tend to be more consistent in viscosity over various temperatures.

While synthetics can improve your engine performance, they don't eliminate the need for regular oil changes. Synthetics can handle heat better than regular motor oil, but additives can only work for so long and the engine will still contaminate the oil.

You see those cryptic combinations of letters and numbers on motor oil bottles everywhere. What do they mean? To decipher them, you have to understand viscosity. Viscosity measures how much the motor oil can resist flow. In other words, if you tip a motor oil bottle over, how fast it spills out indicates its viscosity. The more viscous, the slower it moves.

Octane. You see the word every time you visit the gas station but what does it mean? Octane ratings measure fuel's ability to resist engine knock. Engine knock is caused by fuel being ignited by something other than the spark plug.

Before you buy your next light bulb you should know the ins and outs of halogen bulbs! Most new-model vehicles have halogen headlights because they produce more light than a regular bulb. Be careful: like all halogen lights, touching the glass bulb means that bulb is contaminated with oil that can heat up and cause burnouts more quickly.

This simple barrier of accordion-folded paper may look insignificant but it's responsible for providing clean air to your vehicle's cylinders. This is important because air is just as crucial as fuel in the combustion process that powers the engine. Air is drawn through the engine air filter, then the air intake manifold and into the cylinders. There, it mixes with fuel to create the small explosions that power your vehicle.

A dirty engine air filter can prevent the cylinders from drawing in enough air, which throws off the fuel/air mix. This can result in poor fuel economy.

Every so often you notice it: The transmission shifts a little late, or maybe it seems to miss a gear entirely. Then it’s okay again… for a little while. Worst of all, there’s no rhyme or reason behind the condition. One minute it’s fine, the next it’s not. So you pop the hood to check the transmission fluid level. Then you notice it: A big mountain of corrosion on the battery terminals. You’ll have to take care of that, but it can’t have anything to do with the transmission, right?