Car Care: Auto Maintenance Services in Goleta CA

A & E Automotive in Goleta, CA 93117 is a full-service preventative maintenance and auto repair center, providing comprehensive car care services for your domestic or import vehicle to keep it running at full power. For questions, contact us at 805-964-8276 or send us an email, and our experts will help determine what needs to be done.

Our basic auto maintenance services include:

    • Ignition
    • Ignition Wires & Cables
    • Oil, Lube, and Filter
    • Spark Plugs

Fuel Injection

The fuel injector, a valve, is an extremely important part of an automobile. The fuel injector increases gas mileage and decreases air pollution by continually changing the amount of gasoline that is mixing with oxygen and being pushed to the engine.

When the fuel injector needs maintenance your car can start having the following symptoms:

    • the power to the engine is inconsistent
    • the gas milage has decreased
    • the automobile is idling unevenly
    • fuel scent
    • the engine misfires

Our automotive service experts can diagnose and fix most problems including these most common issues:

    • Dirty or clogged fuel injector-Fuel additives or microscopic foreign objects that result in an inability to supply gas to the intake manifold or creates a weak spray of gasoline to the engine.
    • The valve fails to open or close-A faulty part such as a wire or spring, rust, or fuel additives create blockages or buildup that prevent the valve from opening or closing.
    • Leaking-When other parts fail the fuel injector can overheat and stop working.

Distributorless Ignition

The distributorless ignition system (DIS) is a reliable ignition system that eliminates many maintenance issues increasing the intervals between maintenance. The DIS design is unique, instead of a main coil within the engine control unit it has a coil directly attached to each spark plug. These small coils create substantial advantages by controlling the precise spark timing needed to power a car efficiently.

To determine if you need a mechanic and understand what we provide for a DIS please read the following:

I have a distributorless ignition. Does that mean I don’t need regular maintenance?

Our goal is to keep your engine running at peak performance by completing preventative maintenance. The DIS needs fewer maintenance check ups because it does not have a distributor cap or rotor that needs maintenance, but spark plugs can deteriorate, coils weaken, and sensor problems can arise. These issues, along with a worn out PCV valve, or a dirty or damaged fuel filter or air filter, can hinder your engine’s peak performance.

My cars engine isn’t running at peak performance. Is it the distributorless ignition?

Though a DIS is reliable, a failure can occur. If the engine cranks but refuses to start or a cylinder is missing or misfiring there could be a problem with the DIS. Checking the coil is essential to the drivability of your vehicle. If a coil is dead or weak only one or two cylinders in the engine can function at peak performance.

A diagnostic of the DIS module and crankshaft sensor circuit is an important part of our services. When the engine is cranked, but there is an indication of low voltage to the coil pack, there is a problem in the crankshaft sensor circuit. The crankshaft position sensors generally have three terminals, the current feed, one for the ground and an output signal. If these three terminals are not working in tandem there will be no signal, letting us know the sensor has failed.

Other performance problems, such as lack of power, elevated emissions, or poor fuel economy may be a maintenance issue outside of the DIS. When these issues present themselves we complete an elimination check that starts with the individual coils to guarantee their resistance is within specifications. If the coils prove to be acceptable we proceed to the electronic spark control circuit, it may be receiving bad information from another sensor within the engine.

Whether it’s preventative maintenance or a performance issue we will complete a thorough diagnostic test of the DIS, the individual parts, or the surrounding area to ensure your car is operating at peak performance.