Automotive News & Information - CP Diesel & Auto

Your vehicle's belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning and charging systems, and the engine. Don’t take these routine replacement intervals for granted because they can break down and leave you stranded.

What is the purpose and importance of your belts and hoses? The timing belt keeps the crankshaft and camshaft mechanically synchronized to maintain engine timing. Whether serpentine, V-belt, or fan belt (the belts on the outside of the engine), they all transmit power from the front of the engine to accessories that need to be driven, such as the air conditioning, the charging system, and fans. Radiator and heater hoses carry coolant to and from the engine, radiator, and heater core.

If you're prepping to go on a road trip, you need to be sure that your vehicle is ready for the journey. An unmaintained vehicle could be the difference between a good trip and a trip that goes south really quickly. Here at CP Diesel & Auto, we want to remind you of some things to do so you and your vehicle are ready for the road.

Obviously, your fuel delivery system is an extremely important aspect of the running condition of your truck. At CP Diesel & Auto in St Cloud, our expert team of mechanics can treat and clean your fuel delivery system, ensuring you get the most out of your fleet. Keeping the fuel system clean is essential, particularly with high mileage diesel engines. Sediments and carbon buildup can dramatically affect pumps, filters, lines, and injectors. There are many important reasons to have your fuel system regularly checked and cleaned.

Fleet operators know that a day’s work can burn through a lot of fuel. When it comes to multiple vehicles, even a slight change in the way vehicles are used can make a huge difference towards saving fuel, and money as a result. Whether you manage diesel trucks, fleet cars, or both, a little bit of effort can sometimes go a long way.CP Diesel & Auto in St Cloud, FL has a few tips you can use to keep fuel consumption low, that you may be interested in implementing throughout your fleet.

If you operate a fleet of vehicles, you’ve probably listened to a vehicle and thought “that doesn’t sound right” at least once or twice. Strange noises are an indicator that something isn’t working right, and typically means something is wearing out a lot faster than it should, or is about to fail. At CP Diesel & Auto in St Cloud, FL, we can tell a lot about the condition of a vehicle just by listening to it. Specific noises and where they come from are often all you need to diagnose an issue and the severity of the problem. Here are some signs to listen out for.

Sometimes a tire goes flat over the course of days, weeks, or even months. A leak like this never has an obvious cause - so why is your tire losing air? From CP Diesel & Auto in St Cloud, FL, here’s some info on leaky tires.

Your car’s belts and hoses are essential to the cooling, air conditioning, and charging systems, and the engine. Here at CP Diesel & Auto in St Cloud, our team takes them seriously as we understand that ignoring the routine replacement intervals will result in a costly breakdown that could leave you stranded. There are so many components tied together with your belts & hoses that it isn't just a simple belt or hose requiring repairs when you allow things to progress to the stage where your car or truck has a breakdown due to a faulty belt or hose.

Cars driving on road with wipers and headlights on

True safety starts with being able to see where you are driving. Your lights and wipers play a major role in safe driving and the chance of an accident increases if you can't see or be seen. No matter what time of year, it's important to make sure your vehicle's lights and wipers are working properly so your visibility is not compromised and you can be seen by others. From the driver's seat, you may not notice a light that isn't working, but when a big rain comes it becomes easier to see what you are missing! When wet weather hits your roads is not the time for you to discover limited visibility problems. Here at CP Diesel & Auto we take our St Cloud drivers' safety seriously and inspect their vehicles when they come in for service.