Albert Lea Auto Repair

What is a CVT Transmission? CVT is short for Continuously Variable Transmission. They are a different twist on the automatic transmissions most of us are familiar with. Many auto manufacturers are now incorporating CVT transmissions into their smaller cars and light SUVs. The original concept for a CVT transmission was from none other than Leonardo DaVinci back in 1490. It wasn’t officially patented in the US until 1886 by Daimler and Benz. CVT transmissions are used in more than just automobiles. They are very common in snowmobiles, ATVs (Four wheelers), and UTVs (Side by sides). Mainly due to the simplistic design and compact size. What makes a CVT different from a regular automatic transmission? The short answer is gears. A regular automatic transmission starts out in a low gear and gradually shifts to higher gears as the vehicle accelerates. Think of it as an automatic version of a manual transmission. Each gear has a distinct, non-changing, gear ratio associated with it. If ... read more

  VVT (Variable Valve Timing) and VVL (Variable Valve Lift) Systems   Many modern vehicle manufacturers incorporate VVT (Variable Valve Timing) and/or VVL (Variable Valve Lift) systems in their engines to gain maximum fuel efficiency while maintaining power output and smooth engine operation.  To understand how this technology benefits the driver, we need to understand the basics of engine operation.  A vehicle engine is essentially an air pump that controls the explosion from a fuel/air mixture and transfers the explosion energy into rotating movement.  Thus, propelling the vehicle forward.  Nearly all vehicle engines use the four stroke, Otto engine design.  See illustration.  The valves control the flow of air/fuel into the cylinder and the exhaust out of the cylinder once the combustion process takes place.  They must be timed to open and close at precisely the correct points of crankshaft rotation to maintain engine op ... read more

It’s time to climb up here on this soap box and hold up a big red and white target.  Time to dip my toes in the muddy water of LED lights.  Just to clarify, this article is a matter of opinion, with some facts thrown in for good measure.  Let’s get started. Are LED lights legal? Yes, no, and sometimes both.  Usually if there is some doubt, we can refer to federal and/or state laws for clarification.  FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) section 571 explains motor vehicle requirements and is currently about 1200 pages.  SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and DOT (Department of Transportation) all have some input and regulatory oversight to those standards.  What’s clear is that any modification to a vehicle that changes the way it was released from the manufacturer would be considered a violation of federal law.  Unless those modifications meet the safety stan ... read more

All four stroke Otto cycle engines use some kind of timing belt (Black toothed belt in the picture), chain, or gears to keep all of the moving parts inside the engine in alignment and moving in the correct order.  Each cylinder in an engine has four distinct events that complete one power cycle; intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes.  The piston goes up and down two times per one power cycle.  Valve openings and closings must be timed to the piston position and are controlled by camshaft rotation (Large gears on the top are attached to the camshafts).  While the piston osolations are controlled by crankshaft rotation (Small gear on the bottom is on the front of the crankshaft).  The crankshaft makes two complete revolutions for each single revolution of the camshaft.  These components must work in concert with each other for the engine to run smoothly and efficiently.  If this alignment gets out of sync it can cause numerous problems.  ... read more

The four-wheel drives and when to use them.  Maybe you have always owned four-wheel drive trucks?  Maybe this is your first four-wheel drive vehicle?  Four-wheel drive gives the driver options.  Knowing how to best use those options is the key to success. Does four-wheel drive allow you to get through anything?  Not even remotely close!  Sometimes it just allows you to get more stuck and broken.  To understand how to best use your four-wheel drive options we need to go over a few basic principles.   First, the drive axle differential.  All vehicles use a differential on the drive axle to allow for smooth turns.  When a vehicle goes around a corner the outside tire needs to cover more ground than the inside tire.  Power from the engine/transmission comes into the center differential and is distributed to the drive tires via the drive axles. The differential allows for the difference in wheel speeds while provid ... read more

We get this question a lot here at Sanderson Auto Repair.  It is commonly thought that a good “all season” tire is all that is needed in most passenger vehicle applications all the time.  That is not quite the case.  Tire manufacturers design tires for specific vehicle platforms along with weather conditions.  “All season” tires are primarily designed for mostly dry weather.  With some minor exposure to changing weather conditions.  “ All season” tires are best swapped out for “winter tires” when the weather gets cold and the snow comes in. For example, the Firestone WinterForce, is a great “winter tire”.  They are specifically designed for extreme cold and winter conditions.  They improve vehicle stability, control, and braking in adverse, winter conditions.  They are designed with a very soft tread compound and are limited to use at temperatures below 60°.    A ... read more

Let's debunk some of the myths about diesel powered vehicles. 1. Diesel Burns Dirty This was true years ago. Since 2006, however, U.S. diesel vehicles have been required by law to use ultra-low-sulfur diesel or USLD. Modern diesels are soot-free and have a smaller carbon footprint. 2. Diesels Are Sluggish Not any more. They are as fast off the line as similar gasoline-powered cars. If your idea of fun is to spend an afternoon test-driving new cars, go take a spin in a diesel BMW or Porsche. 3. Diesels Are Loud Back in the day, you could hear a diesel motor from a mile away. Today's diesels run quiet. 4. Diesels Have a Bad Resale Value Actually, diesel vehicles have a lower depreciation rate. Another often-overlooked benefit is lower risk of fire. Diesel fuel is less flammable and won't explode like gasoline. Diesel engines require parts that are heavier and stronger. At Sanderson Auto, we occasionally service diesel cars and trucks with over 300,000 miles/500,000 kilo ... read more

Imagine you're up in the arctic on a dog sled. Your dog team is pulling straight and true. You can cover a lot of ground fast. Now imagine what would happen if one or two of the dogs wanted to go their own way and were pulling off to the side. That would slow you down. You would have to work harder to keep the sled going where you want it. The dogs are all working as hard as before, but you're covering less ground for the same effort. You're wasting kibble. The same is true of your vehicle when the wheels are out of alignment. That wheel that's pulling to the side is dragging down the rest of the car; so you push a little harder on the gas pedal to keep up your speed on ALBERT LEA roads. You're wasting gas. Have your wheel alignment checked at least once a year. We can help you with that at Sanderson Auto in ALBERT LEA. Get it checked right away if you feel the car pulling to one side. Sometimes we bump a curb or hit a pothole and knock our wh ... read more

The interval for tire rotation could depend on a recommendation from either the tire manufacturer or the vehicle manufacturer. The background question for ALBERT LEA drivers is why do tires need to be rotated? Front tires wear differently than the rear tires because steering wears the shoulders faster up front. Rotating the position of the tires allows for more even wear among all the tires. Now the suspension set-up on certain vehicles may also affect the relative wear between the front and rear. There are several rotation patterns – your friendly and knowledgeable Sanderson Auto tire professional will see that you get the correct pattern for your particular vehicle. Wheels and tires are not perfectly balanced due to slight variations in the manufacturing process and the placement of tire pressure monitoring sensors. So weights are strategically placed on the wheel to ensure that the tire spins true. When a wheel is out of balance it is essentially bouncing thousands of extra times ... read more

Car care is an important part of auto safety in Albert Lea. But the most important thing we can do to improve safety on Minnesota roads is to drive safely. Defensive driving is safe driving. And defensive driving is all about attitude. You have to decide that you will be a safe driver in Minnesota, no matter what anyone else is doing. Albert Lea drivers can start with awareness. Always maintain awareness of your surroundings, the road conditions, other vehicles on the Albert Lea road or interstate and road hazards. Have you ever suddenly realized that you have arrived somewhere, but you don’t really remember driving there? That is unsafe driving. Never assume that other Albert Lea auto owners are paying attention. You be the one on alert. You be the one to take initiative to stay out of the way of other Minnesota drivers. And don’t let familiarity dull your alertness. Remind yourself to pay as close attention while driving on the roads near your Albert Lea home as you wo ... read more