ASE-certified and AAA approved auto repair mechanics can be found at 12th Street Auto Care Center. That means you can trust us to fix your vehicle’s engine quickly and correctly. Our services are guaranteed to satisfy your needs and exceed expectations. We’re able to handle any car, truck, van or SUV’s engine. We’ll run a full maintenance check, rebuild or overhaul, depending on your needs.

There are numerous parts that make up your engine. Each of these pieces work together to create your car, truck, van or SUV’s motor. When things go wrong with your engine, it can be difficult to tell which part of your engine needs work. Do you need a simple engine repair or a full engine overhaul? When you bring your car to 12th Street Auto Care Center, our ASE-certified mechanics can take a look.

We’ll tell you what’s going on with your vehicle and how we can fix the engine problem. But first, here’s some information regarding your engine’s many components.

The body of the engine is also known as the engine block. It is capable of handling internal combustion (IC) in cylinder walls, propelling the driver forward at high speeds, or carrying a huge amount of weight. As impressive as the engine block is, all it takes is a single crack to throw everything off the rails.

When cracked, the engine block can’t contain the pressure produced when a spark plug fires, nor the pistons pushing up and down to pressurize and depressurize the contents.

Signs of a cracked engine block include: overheating, white exhaust and coolant leaking from the engine’s side.

Spark plugs ignite the compressed fuel deposited into the car engine cylinders, which pushes the piston down. If a spark plug is worn, aged or misfires, the engine will not work as efficiently and can cause your engine to violently vibrate o rock side to side.

Signs of failing spark plugs include: hard starting conditions, rough idles, misfires, rough acceleration, poor fuel economy and a Check Engine warning light on your dashboard.

When a spark plug fires, the explosion of the fuel pushes the piston in the cylinder and gives your vehicle the power to move. Should a piston in your engine break, it could cause serious problems to your vehicle, even permanent damage.

Signs of a broken piston include: loud rattling, loss of power, burning oil or misfire.

Cylinders hold the un-ignited fuel, the spark that lights it, the piston and the fumes that are left after the gasoline burns. Should a cylinder become cracked, your vehicle could suffer damages or inefficiencies.

Signs of a cracked cylinder include: leaking oil, leaking coolant, poor performance, engine misfiring and smoke issuing from your engine.

There are many other parts that make up the whole of an engine. That’s why it’s so important to know whether your vehicle needs an engine overhaul or simpler engine repair. Below, you will find a list of the smaller pieces that hold all the bigger pieces together and need to be maintained just as much as they do.

• Gaskets: Mechanical seals fitted between two or more adjoining surfaces to prevent leakage while under compression.
• Piston Rings: Controls oil pressure, regulate the consumption of engine oil and secures a tight seal between the cylinder’s walls and the piston.
• Connecting Rods: Together with the crank, converts the motion of the pistons, which helps to provide the vehicle with power and balance the vibrations of the engine.
• Bearings: Aids in the reduction of friction caused by the rotating and stationary parts of the engine, as well as providing support to the crank.
• Wrist Pins: These latch the pistons to the connecting rod and act as bearings on which the connecting rod pivots as the pistons move up and down.