Vehicles are complex machines with many moving parts and systems that need to be regularly maintained. Some automotive components are more susceptible to fail more often than others.
In this list you will find the top 5 most common repairs performed by a professional mechanic from personal experience. Regular maintenance work such as oil changes, brake pad replacements etc… are excluded for the purposes of this article.
Timing belt replacement
Belt-driven engines need to have their timing belts replaced every 37,000 to 50,000 miles or five years (whichever comes first). It is one of the jobs which is often required the most by customers. Many customers who ask for this service follow the manufacturers preventive maintenance schedule to keep their engine running as good as new and to avoid spending a lot of money on unnecessary repairs caused by a snapped timing belt.
BG Automotive timing belt kits are a great choice to use for a timing belt job because of their high quality, reliability and all the necessary related components supplied to perform the complete job. It is always better to buy a complete timing belt replacement kit rather than combining separate components from different manufacturers as the parts are often designed to work together to avoid compatibility problems that may arise from combining many different brands.
BG Automotive timing belt replacement kits are as good as or better than original parts and give professional mechanics the peace of mind that the parts used to do the job will work perfectly and last a long time avoiding unnecessary warranty claims which will help to keep customers satisfied long term.
Steering and suspension maintenance & wheel alignment
Steering and suspension systems are closely related and have many moving parts that wear out or get damaged depending on different factors. Steering and suspension jobs are among the most wanted services by customers. It is important to remember that steering and suspension play an important role in the safety of your vehicle; in perfect working conditions they make vehicles steer precisely and handle well on every kind of road ensuring that wheels are kept on the ground at all times.
Steering and suspension jobs includes the replacement of struts / shocks, track control arms, ball joints, stabilizer links, tie rod ends, bushes, strut mounts, and many more.
It is always a good practice to thoroughly inspect the steering and suspension components before doing a wheel alignment job. A worn-out set of bushings or a bent track control arm for example can take the vehicle out of alignment. In such circumstances it would be impossible to do the alignment job up to a satisfactory standard. Attempting to do the alignment will correct the symptoms of the problem without solving the root problem.
Wheel alignment jobs should be done in vehicles without any steering and suspension issues. Another very common job on cars with approx. 62,000 miles is a suspension refreshment job. This type of work consists of replacing all the worn-out steering and suspension parts to make the vehicle as good as new which often makes the vehicle to recover its original ride comfort and safety.
BG Automotive is one of the world’s best steering and suspension parts suppliers. Using their parts for these jobs is a win-win for professional mechanics and their customers as it ensures that the jobs are done using the best parts available in the market.
Head gasket replacement
Head gasket replacements are unfortunately one of the most common jobs performed from experience. The most common reason for head gasket failure is overheating. As the engine overheats, the cylinder head and engine block material expand causing damage to the head gasket. Modern head gaskets may resist one overheating cycle but when subjected to multiple overheating cycles the head gasket will end up failing and will need to be replaced.
Overheating the engine may warp the cylinder head. The cylinder head and engine block will need to be machined and/or resurfaced to make it flat again to be able to accept a new head gasket. The cylinder head bolts usually stretch by the expansion caused when overheating. Most modern cylinder head bolts are made to be used once, so it’s best to replace them to ensure that the new head gasket will be properly tightened.
A head cylinder can be damaged by other causes, but overheating is the most common cause of cylinder head gasket problems.
BG Automotive has a wide variety of cylinder head gaskets and bolt sets that fit perfectly and are made to last. Their head gaskets and bolts are a great choice when it’s time to replace a cylinder head gasket.
Cooling system repairs (usually stuck thermostats)
Customers regularly bring their car to a service station when the weather drastically changes to ensure that their vehicles cooling systems are running properly. Season changes may trigger several cooling system problems if they are not properly cared for. During hot weather a stuck thermostat in the closed position will cause a catastrophic failure; this will prevent the coolant from circulating through the engine’s radiator to cool down which in turn will cause the engine to overheat.
During cold weather a stuck closed thermostat is still a big concern. The engine will run cooler and in conjunction with the outside cool air it will ensure that the engine is not at optimal operating temperature. This condition can often be masked for a very long period of time especially during short trips.
Customers are mainly concerned in winter when they have a thermostat stuck open as this prevents the engine from reaching its normal working temperature. Engines running in such conditions make the vehicle’s heating systems inefficient and can have side effects such as excessive engine wear and increased emissions, but what many people notice is that their heating systems are not working as intended.
Drive belt replacement
All modern vehicles with internal combustion engines have at least one accessory driving belt to operate different accessories, these may include but are not limited to: air conditioner, hydraulic steering, alternator, and, in some cases, water pumps. The accessory driving belt should ideally be replaced between 37,000 and 62,000 miles – it’s recommended to replace alongside with the timing belt.
99% of the driving belts must be removed in order to reach the timing belt, it will most likely be included in the labour cost by mechanics to install a brand-new drive belt which saves money for the customer down the line.
Drive belts are a very important component for a vehicle because it will leave you stranded on the roadside if it fails. From a professional mechanic’s point of view it is important to use a reliable, high-quality part to do any kind of work in a vehicle, and vehicle owners should also try to buy the best components available to them to keep their vehicle according to original manufacturer specifications.
BG Automotive are one of the best choices when it is time to replace an driving belt, idler pulley, tensioner, alternator puller, crankshaft pulley etc… BG Automotive is renowned for making excellent OE quality parts which are as good and often better than OEM parts.
About BGA (BG Automotive):
BGA is an Automotive Aftermarket parts supplier, celebrating over 90 years of OE manufacturing heritage as the aftermarket division of the largest privately owned OE supplier, 4BG Group, established in 1929.
BGA focuses on providing one of the largest ranges of high quality, competitively priced parts in the aftermarket containing Auxiliary Drive, Camtrain, Cooling, Gaskets, Lubrication, Power Steering, Steering & Suspension, Timing Belt Kits, Timing Chain Kits and Transmission.
