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The key to a long-lasting catalytic converter is keeping your engine healthy, thereby avoiding most of the problems that deal damage to a cat. If your converter has already become clogged up or somehow harmed, there's a chance you'll be able to clean or repair it. But unfortunately, most faulty cats need to be replaced. If you notice the following eight signs of a faltering converter, ask a technician at your local Dodge RAM dealer to take a look as soon as you can. Your Check Engine Light Comes On Malfunctioning cats often clog the outflow of air and emissions trying to escape your car. All the backed-up fumes eventually prevent fresh air from entering the engine, which causes the cylinders to become fuel-rich: too little oxygen and too much fuel. more In the combustion process, excess fuel leads to all kinds of engine problems. This will quickly be picked up by the computerized sensors, which will alert you by turning on the Check Engine light on your instrument panel. Your Engine Loses Power As the unbalanced fuel-air mixture fails to ignite as efficiently as it should, your engine will rapidly lose power. You might find it hard to gain a burst of speed when overtaking another vehicle. And your fuel economy is going to drop too. You're Idling Roughly An excess of fuel inside combustion chambers creates a sooty carbon residue that coats the chamber walls and spark plugs. This soon leads to misfiring, which is easiest to notice when you slow your car or pause to rest in idle. Your engine will begin juddering and sputtering noisily, and it might also stall altogether. You Feel Extreme Heat From Below All the fumes blocked by a clogged-up cat begin to create an enormous amount of heat. You might even feel this heat from below you. You See Black Smoke in the Mirror Excess fuel tends to travel back into the exhaust pipes and eventually reach the cat. Here, the fuel might ignite in the tremendous heat that a blocked cat creates, destroying the cat and causing black smoke to pour from the tailpipe. A Sulfury Stink Fills Your Car One of the toxic emissions that a healthy cat cleans smells strongly of rotten eggs. If you pick up this sulfury smell, it probably means your cat has stopped doing its job. Open all the windows and pull over, as the gas you're smelling is poisonous. You Hear Rattling From the Cat If the meshwork inside the cat breaks down because of age or deteriorating contamination, the loose parts of the mesh will start to rattle around. You'll hear this rattling when you rev the engine and also sometimes when you corner while driving. Your Dodge RAM Dealer Finds a Flaw During your periodical servicing visits, the technician will check your engine and cat. If they find any developing problems with your cat, it's best to act upon their advice, as you can see how many additional car problems a faulty cat can cause. Have your cat repaired or replaced today at Longley Bros. We offer a fine inventory of Dodge and RAM vehicles and excellent customer service.

Engine problems can rapidly turn from a minor nuisance to a major problem if not repaired ASAP. A car's engine is filled with a multitude of parts, any of which can fail due to age or damage. As your Dodge RAM dealer in Fulton, NY, we have the technicians and parts to repair any problem with your car. We'd like to tell you some signs that your car has a problem with its engine that we need to fix. Worn Alternator A worn alternator can cause serious issues for your automobile. The alternator is responsible for generating electricity for your car's systems and devices. As your alternator ages, it starts to produce less power. This is a gradual process, but it's irreversible. A reduction in the power supply will cause electrical glitches, starting and stalling problems, and can even kill your battery. more Electrical glitches are caused by your car's computer trying to provide as many components as possible with electricity using a reduced power supply. The computer will shift power between components depending on demand. It will also shut down components with a lower priority to supply electricity to higher-priority ones. We'll test your alternator and install a new one if the original has worn out. Oil Leaks Oil is essential for your engine, as it lubricates all the moving parts. As the oil is pumped through the engine, it covers the various components in a protective film that helps to reduce friction damage. The movement of the oil reduces the heat generated by the fast-moving parts, which helps to lower the engine temperature. If you spot a puddle of oil underneath your car, we advise that you call us right away. If you drive with an oil leak, your engine can get damaged. A lack of oil reduces engine lubrication, and individual parts can seize up. Oil can leak from a variety of places, but our expert technicians will find and seal the leak. Once the leak is repaired, we'll refill your car's oil. Damaged Pistons, Rings, and Cylinders The pistons fit inside the cylinders in your engine, and the rings provide an airtight seal to allow for compression. The fuel-air mix in your engine is drawn into the cylinders, and the upward movement of the cylinders compresses the mixture until it's ignited. Your engine depends on these components to produce the combustion that enables your car to move. Rough idling, rattling noises, and blue exhaust smoke are all signs of problems with these components. Most problems with these components can be quickly fixed if they're repaired when they first appear. If you suspect you have a problem with your engine, call our service department right away at Longley Bros Inc.

A car's battery has a limited lifespan. It will gradually become weaker as it ages, and you'll need to fit a replacement at your friendly Chrysler Dealer. We want to give you a heads-up on some signs you need a new car battery. Rotten Egg Smell Hydrogen sulfide has a characteristic rotten egg smell. If this smell comes from your engine, your battery is very likely wearing out. The sulfur smell is a byproduct of the chemical breakdown in your battery. A car battery contains several chemicals, the most important of which is sulfuric acid. These chemicals enable the battery to store electricity as chemical energy. more As sulfuric acid breaks down, it releases hydrogen gas. Hydrogen molecules are small enough to escape the confines of the battery casing and enter your engine. In the engine compartment, the hydrogen molecules combine with sulfur molecules produced by the fuel. This combination creates hydrogen sulfide. In time, this new gas will start to corrode your battery. Our technicians will examine your battery and replace it if it's damaged. Distorted Battery Case The chemicals and other components in a battery must be protected from external damage and contamination. The strong plastic casing around your battery components also prevents battery chemicals from leaking into your engine. A car battery is usually rectangular, but you can also get square ones. One of the signs of a failing battery is the distortion of the battery casing. You can check the condition of your battery by popping the hood. If you notice any protrusions or other distortion in the flat sides of the battery case, your battery is failing. These distortions are caused by changes in the chemical composition of the battery. Extreme heat or cold alters the chemical balance in an older battery and builds up its internal pressure. The pressure can't escape, so it damages the battery's casing. If this happens, we can quickly replace the battery for you. Your Battery Is Old Age isn't kind to a battery. As your battery gets older, the chemicals inside the battery slowly decay. These chemicals break down and recombine into other chemicals. As we've seen, sulfuric acid breaks down and emits hydrogen gas. The average life of a battery is three to five years before it starts to weaken. We always advise a battery test when your battery is three years old and then annual inspections after that. This will ensure that your battery is in good health, and we can monitor it for any decline. If the test shows your battery is failing, we can swiftly replace it for you. If your battery displays any of these signs, call us right away at Longley Bros Inc.

Driving without air conditioning on a hot day is never much fun. If you find your car AC not working one morning, it might be due to one of the following six reasons. Get your AC fixed at your nearest Chrysler dealer to enjoy a cool and pleasant ride once more. Clogged Cooling Fan The fans of your AC draw in air from outside the car. But sometimes they draw in more than just air. A build-up of dirt and debris can begin to clog your fans and eventually stop them from working altogether. To solve the problem, all you need to do is access the fans and clean them. more On occasion, a stone will fly in and crack a fan. In this case, you'll usually need to have it replaced. Clogged Condenser As an AC's refrigerant flows around the system, it transforms continually from a gaseous state into liquid and then back again into gas. As the name suggests, the condenser condenses the gaseous form into liquid form. The condenser is situated near the front of your car behind the grill where things can sometimes come in from the road. Over time, dirt, insects, algae, and even congealed refrigerant can start to clog a condenser up. If your condenser becomes clogged, you'll need to remove the entire part and clean it, just like the cooling fans. But if it's cracked or seriously corroded, you'll need to buy a new one. Refrigerant Leak Sometimes an air conditioner's refrigerant can leak at the connections of its hoses. If your AC system has a leak, you might notice a clear, glossy liquid coating a hose. If you can't refasten the loose connection yourself, have a technician do it for you. Snapped Drive Belt The drive belt converts power from your engine to the AC compressor. If the drive belt comes loose or snaps, your entire AC will stop working. A new drive belt is relatively inexpensive, so this is an easy problem to fix. Faulty Alternator The alternator provides electrical power to your AC and also to all the other electrical components of your vehicle. If you notice that multiple accessories stopped working at the same time as your AC, you can safely assume that the alternator is to blame. You'll need to have it repaired or replaced. Fuse or Wiring Issues On the other hand, if only your AC alone stops working because of an electrical problem, then your fuse might have blown or the wiring for your AC might have come loose somehow. You'll probably need a technician to diagnose the problem. Have your AC repaired today at Longley Bros Inc. We're a one-stop-shop for all Chrysler purchasing or servicing needs.

No driver wants to face an overheating engine. Excessive heat can warp the cylinder heads, blow the head gasket, and cause a variety of damage. Fortunately, there are always warning signs that your engine is getting too hot too quickly. Your friendly Chrysler dealer in Fulton, NY, is here to help you with a radiator repair. These are a few warning signs that your radiator may have a problem. Loose Hose Clamps Your radiator is connected to the cooling system by two thick rubber hoses. These hoses fit securely onto the radiator casing, and strong metal clamps ensure the hoses are sealed against leaks. These measures are vital, as the cooling system operates at high speed and under great pressure. The hoses are flexible, as they must accommodate the movement of hot coolant. more Over time, the hose clamps can loosen. Loose clamps can be caused by wear and the constant movement of the hoses as they flex when coolant passes through them. The rubber hoses can also slightly shrink as they age, which loosens the clamps. Loose clamps can allow the high-pressure coolant to escape the system and cause a leak. Our technicians can tighten the clamps or replace them if they're damaged. Worn Thermal Switch The heat produced by your engine is removed by airflow over the radiator tubes. The hot coolant is pumped into these tubes, and the airflow through the radiator grille blows across them to cool the liquid. As your car moves faster airflow increases, and the coolant cools faster. If your engine is idling, however, airflow through the grille is greatly reduced. When your engine is on and your car isn't moving, the radiator fan at the rear of your radiator switches on. The fan blows air across the tubes and forces the heat out of the grille. The fan is controlled by the thermal switch, which recognizes the increased temperature and turns the fan on. If the thermal switch fails, the fan won't switch on, and your engine will start overheating. We'll replace the worn switch to fix this problem. Jammed Thermostat Coolant is released into your engine in response to the increasing temperature caused by combustion. When the engine temperature reaches a preset level, usually around 185F, the thermostat will note the increased temperature and open to release coolant. This small valve can jam, and if this happens, your engine can overheat. A thermostat that jams closed won't release any coolant, regardless of the engine temperature. Our technicians can replace a worn thermostat, and your cooling system will work effectively again. If your engine is getting hot, call us at Longley Bros. Our Chrysler experts will fix the problem.

When your drive, it's important to have the security of knowing that your brakes will work when you need them to. To keep your braking system in great shape, regular services and maintenance are needed. Parts can wear out, and you'll need a brake repair. As your Chrysler dealer, we want to tell you about some of the signs your brakes need to be checked. Hard Brake Pedal You expect some resistance when you step on the brake pedal. The resistance is generated by the pressurized brake fluid. If, however, you have so much resistance that the pedal almost won't move, there's a problem with your brakes. When you press the brake pedal, the pressurized brake fluid is forced into the brake hoses. Overcoming the pressure of the brake fluid requires extra assistance. more The brake booster provides this assistance, as it generates 10x normal pressure. The booster uses a vacuum to generate this pressure, but this also means if the vacuum is comprised the booster won't work. Any damage to the booster will prevent the vacuum from working, and this means your brake pedal will become very difficult to move. Soft Brake Pedal This is the opposite of the pedal problem above. In this case, stepping on the pedal provides almost no resistance. The lack of resistance means there's a lack of pressure in your braking system. Two reasons for a lack of pressure are an air bubble in the braking system or a lack of brake fluid. Either of these situations will reduce the pressure in the system, and this is dangerous. Air should never get into your braking system, as it can form an air bubble that will block the brake fluid. A brake fluid leak will reduce pressure in the system as fluid is lost. A lack of pressure in the braking system is dangerous as it means you can't rely on your brakes stopping just when you need to. Our technicians can find and fix the problem. Brake Warning Light If your brake warning light comes on, this means that you have a problem with the braking system. Sensors are attached to the calipers, hoses, and other sections of the system to monitor it for signs of trouble. If a problem is detected, the relevant sensor will signal your car's computer, and the warning light will go on. The brake warning light is different from your ABS light. If either the brake or the ABS light lights up, it's important to come and see us ASAP so we can find the problem. If you experience any problems with your braking system, call us right away at Longley Bros Inc.

Brakes are one of the most important components in your car. If your brakes are in good condition, you're taking a risk each time you get behind the wheel. As your auto dealer, we'd like you to know some of the signs that you may need a brake repair soon. more Screeching Brakes Any unusual noises from your car are worrying, and an awful screeching noise when you mash the brakes is the worst. When you apply the brakes, brake fluid is forced into the brake hoses. This fluid is under pressure, and it exerts a hydraulic force on the brake calipers. These calipers are attached above your wheel rotors. The force from the fluid squeezes the calipers against the rotors and stops your wheels. The calipers have brake pads with a friction material covering attached to them. This material wears down a little each time you use your brakes. As a warning that your pads need to be changed, the manufacturers insert a metal shim into each pad. When the pad has reached the level that it needs to be changed, this metal shim will scrape against the rotor. This terrible screeching means it's time to change those pads. Brake Fluid Leak Brake fluid, as we've seen, is essential for your braking system to operate effectively. Without it, there would be no hydraulic pressure to close the calipers, and your brakes wouldn't engage. Brake fluid is kept in the brake fluid reservoir near the master brake cylinder. If this fluid starts leaking out, your brakes will be in serious trouble. Fluid can leak from the metal brake lines, the rubber brake hoses, and the reservoir itself. The rubber hoses will become less flexible with age, and they can start to crack. The brake lines are exposed to water splashing up from the ground, and this can cause rust. Finally, the reservoir can leak fluid from a damaged seal or worn connection. A puddle of slightly yellow cooking oil-like liquid on the ground means there's a fluid leak. Clunking Sounds Another disturbing sound that can signal a brake problem is a clunking noise from underneath your car. While several different parts of your car can go clunk when they have problems, two possibilities are a loosening in part of your brake system or damaged parts of your suspension. Your braking system is held together by nuts and bolts. If one or more of the bolts have sheared off or loosened, they make a noise as you drive. Damaged suspension components can also make a noise. A broken tie rod, a worn ball joint, or even a damaged wheel bearing will all make worrying sounds. Not attending to these sounds will cause more damage. Our technicians will investigate and fix the cause of the problem. If you're having a brake problem, call us right away at Longley Bros. Our highly-trained technicians can fix any brake problem quickly and efficiently. Image via Pixabay.com