Stadium Automotive

       One question always going through my mind is, “What is the right amount of vehicle maintenance:”   Too much, and you’re wasting money; not enough, and the vehicle’s dependable life flies out the window.    The owner’s manual has great information on what to do and when.   But – and this is a big but – are the maintenance recommendations enough to ensure the vehicle last a long time?    On one end of the spectrum is the “up sell” of fluid changes; oil or fluid wiped on a white rag showing how dirty it is; shocks that are seeping slightly; or the air filter that is somewhat dirty.    (Remember, a slightly dirty air filter will NOT affect your fuel mileage.   Advanced electronic engine controls compensate for this on vehicles made since 1995.   A truly plugged air filter should be replaced, however, because it will cut engine power.) ... read more

  We had a 2012 Dodge Ram 2500 come into Stadium Automotive and the customer was complaining that the Dodge Ram had issues with rattling at startup.   After further inspection, we found the Dodge Ram to have codes for what was looking like issues with the fuel pressure sensor.   The Dodge Ram with the Cummins diesel engine is one that the fuel injectors require tremendous amounts of fuel pressure to run, about 25,000 PSI.   If the fuel is not brought to the right pressure it will rattle when cold because the injectors are not getting enough fuel to the cylinders and that can cause the engine to rattle until it warms up.   Once the vehicle is warm it will run fine all day.   We found the fuel pressure sensor to be reading pressure when there was no pressure in the fuel system.   After checking all the electrical connections at the fuel pressure sensor we determined the 2012 Dodge Ram to have a faulty fuel pressure sensor ... read more

     The Internet has made a lot of great information available around the world. All of my businesses use the Internet for their websites, for seeking information, and for accessing paid information websites. We used to buy thousands of dollars of books on automotive repair annually; now we use automotive repair websites such as mitchell1.com or alldata.com. We pay more than $1,000 per month to use these sites and others for our shops.    When repairing or servicing a vehicle, it is important to use high quality, reputable parts. We identify these high quality components thanks to years of installing brand name parts and monitoring their successful results.    All parts, whether rebuilt or new, are not created equal. For example, I formerly used a particular rebuilder of starters and alternators, but the customer comeback rate – this refers to a vehicle not repaired properly the first time – regarding those parts was more than 50 perce ... read more

It is now summer, the time for vacations and lots of car travel. Car travel has been going up in popularity the past few years, with many families choosing to spend their vacations by taking road trips to great spots in the United States. Getting your vehicle ready for a trip during the hot weather can make a vacation much more stress free. The first stop should be your favorite repair shop, like Stadium Automotive, where you can ask for a pre-trip check. This is most important for vehicles with more than 80,000 miles and those that have not had good, consistent preventive maintenance. The most important focus should be the cooling system, one of the largest and most important systems in your vehicle. About 85 percent of all major engine damage happens when an engine overheats. Your repair shop should pay special attention to all the cooling hoses, the water pump, radiator and other parts of the system. Newer vehicles include a lot of plastic in the cooling system that gets brittle w ... read more