The Tuffy Rockford Guide to Caring for Your Transmission
August 1, 2020
Most vehicles have automatic transmissions, yet a lot of Loves Park drivers only have a fuzzy understanding about what a transmission does. Think back to the last time you rode a bike in Loves Park. You started out in a lower gear and shifted to higher gears as you went faster. Down shift for hi... More
Automotive Tips from Tuffy Rockford: A Broken or Damaged Timing Belt
June 18, 2020
The timing belt rotates the cam shafts which open and close the valves that allow air, fuel, and exhaust to flow through the engine as it powers your car when you drive around Loves Park.An old timing belt can lose a tooth in the belt allowing it to slip. The engine could stop or misfire. Timing ... More
Ask Tuffy Rockford: What Happens When a Serpentine Belt Breaks?
September 8, 2019
The serpentine belt is aptly named since it snakes around under your hood. It may lack its namesake's fangs, but it sure packs a wallop when it breaks.The serpentine belt powers a lot of engine systems. It runs the alternator, which charges the battery; the water pump (on some vehicles), which co... More
Automotive Tips from Tuffy Rockford: Knowing When Your Timing Belt Should Be Replaced
July 21, 2019
The timing belt in your engine controls the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves. Loves Park drivers need to replace it on a schedule to avoid failure.Timing belts are very difficult to get to, requiring quite a bit of labor to access. Timing belt replacement is one of the more ex... More
Loves Park Car Owners Ask: Why Do I Need to Change My Serpentine Belt?
November 18, 2018
Any Loves Park driver who understands preventive maintenance knows that if it ain't broke, don't fix it is bad auto advice. Replacing a part before it breaks is much less costly for Loves Park residents than repairing the engine damage that comes after a part breaks or fails. A good example of th... More
Automotive Tips from Tuffy Rockford: Timing Belt Overview
October 29, 2018
In your engine, valves over each combustion chamber open to allow fresh air in, close during the combustion event, and then other valves open to let out the exhaust. All of this happens over and over thousands of times a minute when you are driving around Loves Park. The timing belts important jo... More
It Pays to Take Care of Your Transmission at Tuffy Rockford
May 2, 2018
If you've been paying attention, you've noticed that vehicle engines are getting more and more powerful in Loves Park. At the same time, they are getting better and better fuel economy. I've gotta tell 'ya, most of that's because of technological advances in transmissions. To get a better unders... More
Smooth Shifting in Loves Park, Illinois: Transmission Service
July 11, 2017
So you have some exciting plans for the weekend. You're going to take some of your friends out on the boat for some water skiing. Of course, you've gotten the boat all ready. And you haven't forgotten about your tow vehicle. You've gassed it up and even vacuumed it out. However, there is somethi... More
Timing Belt Service to Save Big Bucks in Loves Park
May 2, 2017
Your engine is like a finely choreographed dance. All the parts have to work together. If the timing is off at the ballet, dancers crash into each other and fall down. It the timing is off in your engine, it may not run at all. One of the most intricate dances in your engine has to do with the c... More
A Cool and Smooth Transmission in Loves Park
January 16, 2017
When it comes to preventive maintenance on our vehicles, most of us Loves Park drivers remember to get our oil changed. But services that occur at longer intervals like transmission service sometimes get overlooked. Yet transmission service is part of car care. A poorly maintained transmission... More