Volkswagen Evap and secondary air system introduction Firstly, what is an Air leak and why does it matter? When your VW has an air leak, you may have a check engine light on and as a result trouble passing NY state inspection. Basically your engine is a sealed system.  A VW engine is comprised of several compartments; Crank Case, Engine Block, Cylinder head & the Secondary air system to name a few. These compartments operate in different atmospheres, some have a vacuum, whilst others have slight positive pressure but all have valves and pumps that are constantly working. The most common cause of air leaks on VW’s are cracked hose, failed valves and solenoids in the evaporative fuel system or secondary air system. What does the secondary air system do on my Volkswagen? The Secondary air system is an environmental component of your Volkswagen, It allows your catalytic converter to function more effeciently which will reduce the concent ... read more

How is Your Timing Chain Performing? It’s old news already that many Volkswagen models have gone away from the traditional rubber timing belt design. You know the timing belt, right? It’s the one that has to be replaced every 70,000 or 80,000 miles to prevent breakage from wear and deterioration. If it wasn’t changed when it should be, it could snap and cause catastrophic damage inside your engine. Well, it seems that the alternative is no better. Volkswagen timing belts were replaced by timing chains and advertised as a non-serviceable part that should last the lifetime of your vehicle. The problem is that the tensioner simply won’t last. Here’s what happens: You’ll drive normally for about 60,000 miles or so. You’ll have regular oil changes performed and everything will seem perfect and efficient. You’ll begin to hear a slight rattle from the engine bay. It starts out as a clacking noise on initial startup that mostly goes away afte ... read more

VEHICLE  IDENTIFICATION  NUMBER Your VIN code is an easy way to identify the precise VW you have, how old it is and what type of engine is in it.  It’s also a great way to confirm your ordering the right parts.  You can think of it as a birth certificate for your Volkswagen. Where can I find the VIN code on my Volkswagen? Your VIN code can be found in several place on your VW.  Easiest places to find your vin are Drivers side bottom corner of the windshield Drivers side doorwell sticker or drivers side door Etched glass on windows A VIN code is 17 characters long.  It is an alphanumerical code (a mix of letters and numbers). Each number or letter communicates important information about different aspects of your car i.e. what type of engine it has, where it was made, which series or model it is. 1st character:  Country it was manufactured: 1= USA  3= Mexico&nbs ... read more

So you’ve gotten the news. Your BMW is leaking from the oil filter housing gasket.   O MAN!!!!! Your first thoughts. What is an oil filter housing gasket? What will this repair cost? Is this part of normal maintenance? Can I do anything to keep this from happening again? The oil filter housing is simply the part that the oil filter sits in within your engine compartment.  The housing allows oil to flow through and around the oil filter. On BMW’s the oil filter housing is mounted to the engine.  A gasket is required where these parts interface.  The gasket becomes brittle and cracks over time allowing oil to leak or seep out. There are actually two gaskets that start leaking over time on your BMW.  One is the oil filter cap gasket (which is changed alongside the filter when you do an oil change).  It’s the gasket that mates the oil filter housing with the engine block which is the more costly oil leak. The cost of this re ... read more