Have you been B Squared lately?

Are you burning up? Are you freezing cold?

Cooling system failure is the #1 cause of engine breakdowns on the highway and interstate. Just a little maintenance will prevent this from happening to you. Maintenance will potentially prevent your from a lot of inconvenience and a lot of money for yourself.

If your dashboard temperature gauge shows that the car is in the read or running hot, colored fluid is leaking from the engine, steam is coming from the vehicle's engine, your vehicle smells "hot", your engines belts and hoses are more than 5 years old or showing sign of old age than you might want to stop on by to B Squared Automotive in Seminole, Florida. Have us check your vehicle out. 

You might be wondering what could cause your vehicle to overheat. Well, it could be a number of things from your cooling systems components. We will check the radiator, radiator cap, radiator hoses, Radiator fan clutch, Anti-freeze and coolant, Water pump, thermostat, fan belts, serpentine belt, cooling sensor, heater core and the heater hoses. 

Gas Saving Tips For Your Vehicle

1. Watch your tires. Your car waste fuel when your tires aren't inflated or you have a bad alignment this forces your engine to work tons harder. Wheels that are out of lined, you might have have uneven tread wear. 
2. 1.  _{When checking your tires let your tires cool down before you check the air pressure.}  
3. Remove Excess Weight Remove all the unnecessary things from your vehicle. This will help with better gas mileage.  
4. Avoid Excessive Idling When you are not in your car turn off the engine, simple as that. While waiting for friends or family members to join you on your car adventure. 
5. Think before going out Consolidate your errands and trips. If you can do this you will help yourself in the long run. The continuous stop and go waste fuel.
6. Drive the Speed Limit Listen to your mother and go the speed limit. Basically, when you speed you waste your fuel. 
7. Drive Nicer That sudden acceleration or that sudden stop has you wasting fuel. Adjust your speed gradually. You don't want to have your gas guzzled up. Do you?
8. Use windows and your air conditioning smarter If you are on the highway keep your windows closed; those highway speeds make your car work harder if your window is open. Use your air conditioner. Now in stop and go traffic put those windows down.
9. Keep your engine up to date Take care of your engine. Always get an oil change ( this is basically the heart of your car) Following the service schedules listed in your owners manual. Replace the oil filters, air filters, all of your fluids, and of course make sure you have those tires at the right pressure. 

Air Conditioning Service

Do you hear loud noises under the hood when you turn on your air conditioner? Do you only get cool air sporadically? If so, it is time to get your air conditioner checked. It's real easy to take your car's air conditioner for granted. Just push the right buttons and out comes cool, dry, clean air. But your air conditioning system needs attention from time to time to help it keep its cool.

When most people hear the words "air conditioning problems", it sends a shiver up their spine. That is because the air conditioning system is fairly complex. It has a lot of parts and when it's broken, it's expensive to repair.

What things can we do to prevent air conditioning breakdowns?

A common cause of air conditioning failure is leaks. Water and air can leak into the system. The system doesn't work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also, refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to cool the air. Periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.

You should also run the air conditioner regularly, even during Florida winters, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out, which leads to leaks. Your owner's manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner. Of course, if it's not working right, now is the time to get it checked. Many Clearwater and St. Petersburg service centers can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services. We recommend B Squared Automotive, LLC in Seminole. See http://bsquaredautomotive.typepad.com for address and phone number. A quick inspection can help you avoid having to bring your air conditioner in for major repairs.

New environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993. There is a very limited supply of Freon so the price is very steep. It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older vehicle that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new R134-A refrigerant. It will pay for itself in the long run. So, if your AC is just a lot of hot air, take it to a Clearwater automotive service center for an inspection.

Air Conditioning Service

Working up a sweat is a great thing to do in a gym, but not in your car. When your car's AC System has a problem, you'll often feel it right away. The question is, how long do you put up with it? You know, the old comfort versus cost dilemma. But a more comfortable drive has a lot of benefits, and keeping the AC System well maintained can help prevent expensive repairs.

A common cause for AC failure is water and air in the system. The system does not work as well with air in it. And water can cause rust that leads to damage of the A/C components. Also refrigerant, the stuff that makes the air cold, can leak out, reducing the efficiency of the system, making it work harder to try to cool the air. That is why periodically evacuating the air conditioning system and recharging it keeps the proper amount of clean refrigerant in the system so it cools better and lasts longer.

You should also run the air conditioner regularly, even in the winter, so that it lubricates itself and keeps the seals from drying out. The seals can crack and that leads to leaks. Your owner's manual will have recommendations for how often to service your air conditioner. Some Seminole automotive service centers also have this information as part of their computer databases. A service advisor at B Squared Automotive, LLC can give you more information. Call (727) 209-3500 to schedule an AC check.

Of course, if your AC currently isn't working right, then now is the time to get it checked. Many service centers can inspect and test your air conditioning and offer evacuation and recharge services. This goes a long way to avoiding having to bring your air conditioner in for major repairs.

Recent environmental laws have stopped the manufacture of Freon, a refrigerant that was common in cars made before 1993. There is a very limited supply of Freon so the price is very steep. It may not be worth its weight in gold, but it probably is worth its weight in silver. If you have an older Florida vehicle that uses Freon, you may want to consider having it retrofitted to use the new EPA-approved R134a refrigerant. It will pay for itself in the long run.