Gloucester Mechanic: Car Brake Servicing

Car Master Cylinder & Slave cylinders: Car hydraulic brakes rely on a piston to translate movement on the brake pedal or actuator to transfer stopping power to the disc brakes; the brake fluid needs to be replaced regularly along with the Car brake pads

Need new Car brake pads or discs?
Use our form to get your brakes inspected and fit replacement Car brake parts

Car brake discs convert the kinetic energy of the vehicle into heat as speed is reduced; if the brakes are applied often with aggressive driving or due to the momentum of a long hill descent then it is possible for the disc rotors to glow red hot and an uneven build up of friction material can be deposited on the disc surface from the pad

Car pads are made from a high friction compound that leaves a film of material on the disc rotor surface to effectively increase the stopping force that can be applied to the vehicle

When pads are not used gently at first to bed in, or after aggressive driving where the discs glow hot; the uneven transfer of material from Car brake pad to disc can cause variations in Car disc thickness that can cause vibration during braking that is sometimes mistaken for warped discs

Car brake pads are designed be replaced regularly and wear faster than the disc or rotor

Car Gloucester: Brakes - Pads, Disc and Brake Pipes

Car Brake Parts: Supply & Fit

Car Exhausts
Car Engine manifolds, Front box, Back box, catalytic converter and exhaust pipes for Car Exhausts fitted & welded

Car Electrical Components
Car electrical faults repaired using Car OEM components - Car sensors checked e.g. Lambda sensors, air flow meters etc

Car Gearboxes
Car Manual & Automatic gearbox servicing & repair - Fitting a new or reconditioned Car gearbox

Car Tyres
Steel wheels, alloy wheels and tyres repaired and replaced with cheap tyres, run-flat tyres or low profile & performance tyres depending upon your budget and driving requirements. Part-Worn tyres may be available for your Car model

Car Starter Motors
Replacement Car Starter motors installed

Car Brakes
Routine Car servicing, replacement Car brake pads & discs fitted, Car hydraulic pipework and joints inspected, repaired or replaced for a complete braking system overhaul

Car Suspension System
Car replacement shock absorbers & springs fitted for front or rear suspension problems, broken springs. Custom suspension systems installed, lowering springs fitted

Car Engines
Car Engine repairs, cylinder head skimming, valves & pistons

Car EGR Valves
Replacement Car EGR valves - ensure the exhaust gas recirculation system is functioning correctly on your Car - The EGR valve helps your Car burn fuel more efficiently by recirculating a portion the exhaust gas through combustion chamber and helps reduce Car engine emissions; a broke or sticking EGR valve can be the cause of an MOT failure due to excessive emissions

Car Timing Belt - Car Cambelt
Car Timing Belts replaced as part of a planned Car service or if the Timing Belt on your Car has snapped then a full engine inspection for valve & piston damage

Car Paint Resprays
Paint resprays for minor scratch damage to the Car paint surface or coating; Custom paintwork to make your Car different using metallic paints, pearlescent pigments or company colours.

Car Clutches
Car clutch repairs Gloucester - Checking for leaks and repairing-replacing the clutch master-slave cylinder and fitting a new Car Clutch kit

Car Performance Spares
OEM Car parts fitted or replaced with alternative performance parts

Car Body Panels
Replacement Car panels fitted & sprayed to match - Light Car Panel damage repairs

Car Alternators
Replacement Car alternators fitted

Car Oil Change & Filters Replaced
Car Air filters, pollen filters; oil filter & fuel filter replaced, engine oil changed - Multigrade or Synthetic oils

Car Autoelectrics
Car electrical faults diagnosed - OBD fault finding - Car engine fault codes checked & service lights reset - ECU problems, key coding and CANBUS systems checked

Car Cooling System
Replacement Car radiators fitted, cooling system pipework inspected for leaks and cooling fluid replaced to keep your Car engine at its optimal operating temperature

Car Fuel Pumps
Often replaced at a milestone service if the fuel pump is operated by the Timing belt

Car Service - Car Braking Systems - Hydrauic Brake Maintenance

The brake pedal controls the Master Cylinder (a fluid filled hydraulic piston) that transfers stopping power to the brakes

Car brakes can last for thousand of miles depending on use and regular service

The hydraulic brake fluid is a non-compressible liquid so braking pressure is transferred via the brake pipes to the wheels and operates a slave cylinder piston that forces the brake pads against a brake drum or brake disc

Modern Car braking systems use hydraulic links to transfer stopping power

Braking increases hydraulic brake fluid pressure

The enforced contact between the brake pads and brake drum or brake disc increases friction to slow down or stop the vehicle

Gloucester Car Brake Repairs

In hydraulic braking systems, braking pressure operates a slave cylinder

Drum Brakes, if fitted, are usually found on Car rear wheels

Drum Brakes are an older system than Car disc brakes and use two half moon shaped brake shoes that move outwards during use to apply a frictional stopping force against the inside of a brake drum

Car disc brakes have a pair of high friction brake pads mounted either side of a brake disc

Hydraulic braking pressure forces a brake calliper to press the brake pads against the disc to apply the necessary stopping force

Car Brake Servicing - Car Brake Discs and Pads

If the Car brake discs warp then they should be replaced immediately

if the Car brakes overheat and are allowed to cool with pressure still applied for m the brake pads/shoes then it is possible for the disc to warp.

The brake pads on your Car should wear first

Car brake discs will wear and need replacing eventually and should be inspected for pitting

Car Brakes will safely function correctly without the need for replacement for many thousands of miles

Car Brake Inspection Elements

Replace Brake Fluid if necessary

Brake drum condition

ABS warning light operation

Handbrake function and travel

And carry out the following maintenance of your Car braking system:-

Adjust handbrake

Correct brake pad movement and level of wear

Auxiliary handbrake shoes where appropriate

Clean and remove brake dust and loose corrosion and dirt from drums

Hand brake linkage condition

Lubricate Hand Brake Linkages

Brake pipe Condition

Brake calliper operation

Wheel cylinder condition

Top Up Brake and Clutch Fluid Levels or

General brake disc condition

Hydraulic brake pipe fittings and joints for corrosion and leaking

Car Steering - Steering System Inspection

One of the first signs of a potential problem with your Car steering system is uneven tyre wear

The tyres will need to be replaced much sooner than necessary until the steering rack is adjusted to bring your wheels into correct alignment

Common symptoms of Car steering alignment problems include:-
Vehicle Drift - Your Car tends to pull left or right when travelling in a straight line
Modern Power steering and Drive by Wire Systems do not have the same mechanical linkages between the steering column and drive wheels making it difficult to 'feel' how the steering is performing.

The tyre tread is rapidly removed from the inner or outer tyre edge of your front tyres

Your Car steering inspection can include:-

Tyre Condition - inc Spare

Car Tyre wear and wheel alignment

Steering Linkages for wear and corrosion

Correct wheel balance, including spare

Power Steering Reservoir Levels and Top Up

Correct wheel nut torque to manufacturer's recommendations

Wheel Bearings for wear - play or noise

Steering Condition

Steering Rack Gaiter condition

Correct Tyre Pressure - inc Spare

Car Services: Brakes Servicing and Repair

Brakes can last for thousand of miles depending on use and regular service.

Modern braking systems use hydraulic links to transfer stopping power.

The enforced contact between the brake pads and brake drum or brake disc increases friction to slow down or stop the vehicle.

The brake pedal is attached the Master Cylinder; a fluid filled hydraulic piston.

The hydraulic brake fluid is a non-compressible liquid so braking pressure is transferred via the brake pipes to the wheels and operates a slave cylinder piston that forces the brake pads against a brake drum or brake disc.

Braking increases hydraulic brake fluid pressure.

Car Timing Belt or Cambelt

Timing belts must be replaced at a specified manufacturer's interval. The timing belt should also be inspected regularly and replaced immediately if there is any evidence of cracking or fraying cuts or excessive wear

If the timing belt snaps it will most probably cause serious engine damage. The camshaft stops turning with some of the valves left in the open position. In a Free Running Engine there is enough clearance between a fully open valve and the piston head to avoid serious damage. In an Interference Engine there is no clearance and the engine relies upon accurate timing to keep the valves and piston head separated. With a broken timing belt; the inertia helps the crankshaft to rotate freely forcing the pistons to strike the open valves resulting in damaged valves, pistons, and possibly even damage to the cylinder head

Often it is prudent to replace a combination of items associated with the timing system. Most of the needed Car parts can be obtained as timing kits containing the appropriate timing components; such as: Car timing belt
timing belt tensioners
timing belt tensioner idler roller
front lower crank shaft seal
water pump gasket

Since Car Timing Belts are hidden inside the engine they tend to be forgotten when purchasing a used Car

The toothed belt connecting the engine crankshaft to the camshaft is known as the Cambelt or Timing belt

The Timing Belt synchronizes the camshaft to the crankshaft position ensuring the valves open and close at the correct time in relation to the piston. Some vehicles use a cam chain in place of the belt or a timing gear system instead

High compression diesel engines are normally interference engines

Generally Car belts should be replaced every 60,000 miles or less. So, if you have just bought a secondhand Car that has 40,000 to 80,000 miles then it is important to know if the timing belt has been replaced or needs replacing. Check the Car Owner's manual for your model for the recommended changing frequency

Gloucester:- Car Replacement Clutch

Disengaging the clutch acts on heavy-duty release springs to isolate the pressure plate so that the disc is no longer pressed against the flywheel

When the clutch is dis-engaged the clamping force is removed so the clutch disc spins with the flywheel and no power is transmitted

Engaging the clutch forces the clutch against the flywheel transmitting power from the crankshaft to the transmission shaft

Car Clutch failure often occurs when one or more of the high friction surface materials wears out on the disc. Even when the pressure plate is engaged and a clamping force is applied, there is no longer sufficient friction to transmit power without the clutch slipping. Normally the Car clutch disc and pressure plate are replaced. Replacing the Car Clutch is a major operation and it is sometimes advisable to replace a number of items, often supplied as a Car Clutch kit:-
Car clutch disc
pressure plate
release bearing
pilot bearing - bushing (when required)
internal Car clutch slave cylinder

The Car clutch disc is, not surprisingly, a disc with each side covered in a high friction material. It is designed to engage with the high-friction surfaces of the pressure plate and flywheel. It is also designed to transmit power to theCar transmission system

The centre of the clutch disc has a spline pattern that matches splines on the power input shaft of the transmission system

The pressure plate comprises heavy-duty release springs, a metal pressure ring acting as a high friction surface to interact with the clutch disc, a thrust ring (or thrust fingers) for the release bearing, and release levers

Car Engine Efficiency - Fuel Injection

Car Fuel Injection
Fuel injection systems mix fuel with just the right amount of air for optimal combustion & energy release in an internal combustion engine

Car Engine Mapping
The Car ECU controlling engine performance is pre-programmed with software containing embedded data on engine performance for different combinations of engine speed and acceleration

Car Re-Mapping Gloucester
The Car ECU can be replaced with a programmable ECU or re-mapped to electronically alter the engine performance characteristics

LPG Petrol or Diesel Metering
Fuel Injection systems have replaced carburetors for the accurate mixing and delivering of petrol, lpg or diesel fuel in modern Car vehicles

EFI - Electronic Fuel Injection
The Car fuel injection system is controlled by a mini-computer or Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that assimilates data from a series of temperature sensors and oxygen or lambda sensors providing feedback to help optimise fuel efficiency and power under a variety of conditions

Car Oil Change Frequency

Oil Change Masterclass
Keep a small amount of the engine oil used in your next oil change in a sealed container; then when you check your oil level with the dipstick you can compare the lubricity or lubricating properties of the oil against your fresh oil:- If the oil on the dipstick seems thin compared to your reference oil sample; it may be time to get an oil change to keep your Car running smoothly

Moisture Scavengers - Detergents - Acidity Regulators
Moisture scavengers, detergents and acidity regulators prevent all kinds of contaminants degrading and abrading the internal moving surfaces of your Car engine minimising the effects that water, particles, and fuel combustion residus can have on Car performance
Once they have absorbed the maximum amount of water and other contaminants; the risk of corrosion and failure in your in your Car engine increases

Oil Change Frequency
The mechanics rule of thumb with traditional multigrade engine oils used to be "change the oil every 3000 miles" but many vehicle manufacturers indicate 5000 to 7000 miles. Initially, follow the Car recommended oil change guidelines to ensure you validate your warranty.

Synthetic Oil Change - Gloucester
Modern synthetic oils can last longer than old petroleum based multigrades because they are more inert with a laboratory designed molecular structure and fewer natural catalytic impurities that increase oil breakdown compared to the cheaper engine oils

Anti Oxidants
Preventing internal engine oxidation in your Car motor is the job of sacrificial anti-oxidants present in the lubricating oil; Anti oxidants are sacrificed to protect your engine and will eventually be depleted making it necessary to change your oil regularly

Oil & Filter Change
A new Car oil filter and oil change shouldn't need a specialist Car engineer and is minimal compared to the cost of an Engine Rebuild; with regular maintenance and routine servicing working out cheaper than disaster recover when your Car engine fails

Oil Composition
Engine Lubricating Oil is composed of hundreds of chemicals; some can interact chemically, polymerise, oxidise and break down with the extreme conditions of temperature & shear forces pulling the oil molecules apart in your Car engine thus, changing the lubrication properties.

Gloucester Exhaust Fitting Car

The Car exhaust system allows poisonous gases from the fuel combustionto vent into the atmoshpere away from the driver and cabin

The exhaust pipework helps muffle and deaden the noise from the fuel combustion process

Corroded exhaust pipes allow fumes and noise to escape; increasing the risk of poisonous carbon monoxide entering the cabin and significantly increasing noise making detection an easy task

Explosions from the instantaneous ignition of the compressed fuel and air igniting in the combustion chamber creat a lot of noise that needs to be silenced in the urban environment