Air Conditioning Service at McNeil's AutoCare

May 8, 2019

Air Conditioning Service at McNeil's AutoCare

Most people don’t service their air conditioning until after it fails. Maintaining your 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 mean that the air conditioning parts will wear out prematurely, and we all know that air conditioning repairs can be costly.

Air conditioning service 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. Then comes the leak test. If a leak is detected, often in a hose or connection, it’s repaired, and the system is retested. The 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 ensures that the air conditioner is working, and you’re on your way.

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

Give us a call

McNeil's AutoCare

10665 S 700 E

Sandy, UT 84070

mcneilsutah.com

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Water Pump

August 1, 2026

Water Pump Let's talk water pumps for vehicles in Sandy, UT. The engine is cooled by coolant/antifreeze mixed with water. This mixture circulates around the engine, absorbing some of the heat. The coolant then flows through the radiator where air cools it down for the return trip back through the engine. Your vehicle's water pump is what drives this process. Cooling system problems are the number-one mechanical failure in Sandy. So the water pump plays a pretty important role. You can't get very far in UT without a water pump. After all that distance and years of pumping coolant, water pumps just wear out. You might notice a whining or grinding sound coming from the water pump. Or maybe see coolant leaking from the pump itself. The precise location of the water pump varies depending on the vehicle. Some have the water pump attached to the outside of the engine where you can see it. With these, the water pump is driven by the serpentine belt. Some have the water pump driven by the timing belt. The timing belt cover often hides the water pump with this setup, so you can't see the pump without removing the cover. When you have McNeil's AutoCare replace the water pump on one of these, you really should replace the timing belt at the same time. We've already gotten things taken apart and besides, the belt's likely been contaminated by coolant. And timing belts usually need to be replaced every 60,000 to 90,000 miles, or 100,000 to 150,000 kilometers, anyway, so it just makes sense to do both jobs at once. The opposite is true too; when you change the timing belt on this type of engine, replace the water pump while you're at it. The water pump will eventually fail and getting to it is an expensive project. For not that much more you can take care of both the timing belt and the water pump at the same time.