Your car engine really needs clean air to operate efficiently: it takes about twelve thousand gallons of air to burn a gallon of gas in your car engine. And clean air is much better than dirty.

When your air filter’s dirty, it simply can’t trap any more dirt, so the dirt just passes through into your air intake system. From there it can get into the car engine combustion chamber. And burning dust and pollen in your engine as you drive around Bellevue does you no good.

The verdict: When your engine air filter needs to be replaced; it needs to be replaced. How often depends entirely on how dirty the air is in Bellevue where you drive. A simple visual inspection by a knowledgeable Yeck’s Auto Repair technician will tell you when you need a new engine air filter in your car.

When you look at the air filter on your furnace in your Bellevue home and see it’s all clogged up with dust and dirt, you don’t hesitate to replace it. But don’t wait until your air filter (furnace or automobile) is totally plugged – by that time you’ve been running inefficiently in Bellevue for a lot of miles.

When your Yeck’s Auto Repair service technician brings out your nasty engine air filter, you now know why you should go ahead and change it out.

Give us a call

Yeck’s Auto Repair
402.293.1200
203 Fort Crook Rd North
Bellevue, Nebraska 68005

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Air quality affects us wherever we are in Bellevue. Many decades ago, Bellevue residents began to become aware of how air pollution negatively affects health. But what about the air inside your vehicle?

Cabin air filters are now coming on most new cars since the 2000 model year. These filters clean the air in the passenger compartment. They can filter particles down to three microns, so that’s good enough to clean out dust, pollen and most pollutants. If you suffer from allergies in Bellevue, this is very good news.

You can look in your car owner’s manual to see if you have a cabin air filter. If you do, there’ll be a recommendation for replacing it when it gets dirty. If you live where there’s a lot of dust, pollen or pollution, you may need to change it more often. You can also ask your knowledgeable service advisor at Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue.

How hard it is to change a cabin air filter depends on your vehicle. Some are quite accessible; others take some doing to get to them. They’re usually in the car engine compartment or under the dashboard.

Because cabin air filters are so new on the scene, some Bellevue motorists haven’t heard of them – even people who have cabin air filters. Yeck’s Auto Repair service advisors report customers complaining of an unpleasant odor in their vehicle and it turned out to be a dirty cabin air filter.

An important note for Bellevue hybrid owners: there is a special air filter that cleans the air that cools the hybrid battery pack. This filter should be inspected every time the cabin air filter is inspected and replaced if it is dirty so that the battery pack doesn’t overheat.

Give us a call

Yeck’s Auto Repair
402.293.1200
203 Fort Crook Rd North
Bellevue, Nebraska 68005

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Most Bellevue area car owners don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your car air conditioning system means that you always have enough refrigerant to properly do the job. Small leaks in the air conditioning system allow the refrigerant to escape and the system can’t cool the air as well.

Along with the refrigerant, a special oil circulates in the system. The oil lubricates air conditioning components, and keeps the seals resilient. Low refrigerant and lubricating oil means that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly in Omaha.

Air conditioning service at Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue starts with a visual inspection of the components for signs of damage or leaks. The compressor is driven by a belt from the engine, most often the serpentine belt, so it’s inspected for cracks or wear.

The air conditioning compressor and other components are checked for proper operation by your Yeck’s Auto Repair service advisor. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it’s repaired and the car system is retested. Your Yeck’s Auto Repair technician will also perform a temperature drop test.

If needed, the old refrigerant is evacuated and the system is recharged with clean, fresh refrigerant. A final test insures that the air conditioner is working, and you’re on your way.

How often this should be done at Yeck’s Auto Repair varies from vehicle to vehicle. Your car owner’s manual will have the manufacturer’s recommendation and, of course, your knowledgeable Yeck’s Auto Repair service advisor can tell you. It’s typically every two years.

Give us a call

Yeck’s Auto Repair
203 Fort Crook Rd North
Bellevue, Nebraska 68005

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Car batteries wear out just like any other battery and need to be replaced. There are a couple of things Bellevue car owners should know when looking for a new car battery: one is cold cranking amps and the other is reserve capacity.

Let’s start with cold cranking amps. This can be thought of as the power output used to start a cold car engine. The number of cold cranking amps you need depends on your vehicle and where you live around Bellevue, specifically how cold it is where you live. The two factors are that the colder an engine is, the more power it takes to turn the car engine over to get it started. It has all that cold, sluggish oil to contend with. The other factor is that the chemical reaction in the battery that creates electrical energy is less efficient in the cold.

So the colder it gets in Bellevue, more power is needed, but the available power drops.

If you live where it’s cold, you need a battery with more cold cranking amps than you do where it’s moderate or hot. You should always get at least as many cold cranking amps as the manufacturer recommends, but may want to upgrade at Yeck’s Auto Repair if you live where it gets real cold.

An important note: Batteries may also list the Cranking Amps – CA – number. It is the Cold Cranking Amps – or CCA – that is the important number here. CCA is the number to use in your comparisons.

Now with all this talk of cold temperatures in Bellevue, it’s important to note that heat is the real enemy of long battery life. In other words, the damage that’s done over the hot summer months in Bellevue shows up with the increased demands on the car battery when the weather turns cold.

Now on to reserve capacity: It’s a measurement of the number of minutes of reserve power the battery has at a given load. The number is more important these days because of parasitic drain. Parasitic drain is the battery energy that’s used when the key is off. So the power drawn by the car security system, the remote start system, even the power the car computers require to maintain their memory.

Reserves are also needed when you make very short trips around Bellevue. You’re not driving long enough for the battery to recover the energy it used to start the car engine.

So go with the minimum recommended by your manufacturer and upgrade if you need more. Talk with your knowledgeable Yeck’s Auto Repair service advisor about options. If you need more from your battery, a larger capacity battery may be called for.

Batteries are a big ticket item for most Bellevue motorists, so the warranty gives peace of mind. Be sure to ask about the car battery warranty at Yeck’s Auto Repair so you know what you’re getting. At Yeck’s Auto Repair, we have been providing quality auto service in Bellevue for 36 years.

Give us a call

Yeck’s Auto Repair
203 Fort Crook Rd North
Bellevue, Nebraska 68005

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

When all of a vehicle’s wheels are lined up exactly with each other, your wheels are in alignment. Hitting a road hazard in Bellevue or even just the normal bumps and bounces of everyday Nebraska driving can cause your car wheels to be out of alignment. This can lead to expensive premature tire and suspension wear.

Here are some alignment basics from Yeck’s Auto Repair:
The first angle is called toe: do the wheels point in towards each other or away from each other at the front of the tire.
The next angle is called camber: do the wheels tip in or out at the top.
And finally, there is castor. Castor measures the angle where the front axles attach to the vehicle.

The ideal alignment for your car was designed by its engineers. Yeck’s Auto Repair alignment service starts with an inspection of the steering and suspension – so see if anything’s bent, broken or worn out. Then the Yeck’s Auto Repair technician will look at tire condition. From there, the car is put on an alignment rack and an initial alignment reading is taken. The wheels are then aligned to manufacturer’s specifications.

Your owner’s manual probably has a recommendation for how often your car alignment should be checked – usually every couple of years. If you suspect an alignment problem with your car, get it checked at Yeck’s Auto Repair before you suffer expensive tire or suspension damage.

Give us a call

Yeck’s Auto Repair
402.293.1200
203 Fort Crook Rd North
Bellevue, Nebraska 68005

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

First, the serpentine belt drives your air conditioning system. Next, the belt powers the alternator.

The serpentine belt may also run the pumps for both the power steering and power brakes. In some cars, power steering may have an electric drive and power brakes can be vacuum driven.

And, on many vehicles, the serpentine belt powers the water pump (on some cars, the water pump is powered by the timing belt).

Your Yeck’s Auto Repair service technician can perform a visual inspection of the belt to see if it has any cracks that signal the belt could fail soon and will measure the amount of belt material to make sure there is enough.

Bellevue drivers should be aware that there’s a special, spring loaded pulley attached to the engine called the tensioner pulley and sometimes an extra pulley call the idler pulley. Their job is to make sure there’s a constant tension on the serpentine belt so that it doesn’t slip. The spring can become worn and no longer provide the necessary pressure to keep the belt tight. That’s why it’s often recommended that the tensioner, and the idler pulley if so equipped, be replaced at the same time as the serpentine belt.

All in all, the serpentine belt’s an important part for the function of your car. And it’s not that expensive to replace at Yeck’s Auto Repair – so it’s good to do so before it fails.

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Let’s focus on stopping in wet Bellevue conditions. In order for a tire to have good contact with the road, it has to move the water out of the way. If it can’t move the water, the tire will actually ride on top of a thin film of water.

That’s called hydroplaning. At Yeck’s Auto Repair we want our customers to know that if it’s really bad, you can actually spin out of control. At best, you won’t stop as fast.

So how does a tire move water? It has channels for water to flow through. Look at a tire and you’ll see channels: channels that run around the tire and channels that flow across the tire. They’re designed to direct water away from the tire so it can contact the road better.

And the deeper the channel, the more water it can move. A brand new tire has very deep channels and can easily move a lot of water. As the tire wears down, the channels become shallower and can move less water. When it wears down enough, it can seriously affect your ability to stop on wet Bellevue roads.

So that’s why it’s so important for Bellevue drivers to replace the tires on their cars when they get worn. Consumer Reports and other advocate groups call for a standard of 3/32 of an inch and they have the studies to prove it.

By comparison, you’ve probably seen the wear indicator that’s molded into tires. When tires are worn 3/32 of an inch, the tread wear bar is visible. So the recommended standard has twice the tread depth as a completely worn out tire.

And that little bit of additional tread makes a big difference. Stopping distances are cut dramatically on wet roads. A safe stop from Nebraska freeway speeds with 4/32 of an inch of tread would result in a crash with worn out tires.

There’s an easy way to tell when a tire’s worn to 4/32 of an inch. Just insert a quarter into the tread. Put it in upside down. If the tread doesn’t cover George Washington’s hairline, it’s time to replace your tires. With a Canadian quarter, the tread should cover the numbers in the year stamp.

You’ve probably heard of this technique using a penny and Abe Lincoln’s head. That measure gives you 2/32 of an inch – half the suggested amount.

Of course, tires are a big ticket item for Bellevue car owners. Most of us want to get as many miles out of them as we can. But there’s a real safety trade-off. It’s your choice.

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

Now when you hear “severe service”, you may think it doesn’t apply to you because you don’t feel your driving conditions are severe or extreme – it’s just normal everyday driving around Omaha. At Yeck’s Auto Repair, we discuss the conditions that manufacturers classify as severe so that you can make the judgment on your own driving.

• Most trips are less than four miles
• Most trips are less than ten miles and outside temperatures are below freezing in Omaha
• You drive in very hot Nebraska weather
• Driving at low speed most of the time (under 55 mph)
• Stop and go driving
• Operating your vehicle in dusty, polluted or muddy conditions
• You tow a trailer, regularly carry heavy loads or carry a car-top carrier on your car

Most Omaha drivers operate under severe driving conditions at least some of the time. How do you know which schedule to follow for your car?

Carefully think about your driving conditions and decide if you should do your preventive maintenance closer to the severe service recommendation or the regular recommendation. Of course, your Yeck’s Auto Repair advisor can help you with your decision.

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

The crankcase is the bottom area of the engine that holds the oil. When the car engine’s running, fuel is burned to generate power. Most of the exhaust from combustion goes out through the exhaust system. But some exhaust blows by the pistons and goes into the lower engine, or crankcase.

These hot gases are about seventy percent unburned fuel. This can dilute and contaminate the oil, leading to damaging engine oil sludge. It can also cause engine corrosion in your car. At high speeds, the pressure can build up to the point that gaskets and seals start to leak.

Bellevue car owners need to know that over time, the vented gases will gum up the PCV valve and it won’t work well. That can lead to all of the problems I’ve already described, oil leaks, excessive oil consumption and wasted gas.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to test the PCV valve and quick and inexpensive to replace it at Yeck’s Auto Repair. Even so, it’s often overlooked because many Bellevue drivers don’t know about it.

Check your car owner’s manual or ask your Yeck’s Auto Repair advisor. If this is the first time you’ve heard of a PCV valve, you might be in line for a PCV valve replacement.

Please ask us about your PCV valve. For the price of a couple of burger combo meals, you can avoid some very expensive deep engine repairs.

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

In addition to just wearing out, Yeck’s Auto Repair customers need to know that suspension components can be damaged in an accident or by a hard impact – like a pothole, hitting a curb or a rock in the road.

Because the life span of shocks can vary so widely, your car manufacturer and Yeck’s Auto Repair recommend periodic inspections. During an inspection, your Papillion service technician will check for worn, broken or missing parts.

Signs that shocks or struts are wearing out: The tires may have a cupped wear pattern. This is from the shocks bouncing unevenly as you drive around Papillion. You may notice a floaty or drifting sensation when cornering. If the front of your car dives excessively when stopping, or rocks back and forth after you stopped, your shocks may be worn out. And if they are leaking fluid, it’s definitely time to replace them.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, come into Yeck’s Auto Repair for a suspension inspection. Same if you’ve been in an accident that involved one of your wheels. Worn or broken shocks can cause premature wear or failure on other car suspension parts such as ball joints and other steering components as well. If your suspension actually fails, it could lead to a serious accident, so let us take care of your suspension components at Yeck’s Auto Repair.

When you replace your shocks, it’s usually a good idea to replace all four at the same time. That’ll give you more even handling. Talk with your service advisor at Yeck’s Auto Repair because you don’t want a big difference between the performance of your shocks from wheel to wheel, and replacing all may be the safest bet.

At Yeck’s Auto Repair in Bellevue Nebraska (68005) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 402.293.1200. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.