Getting your transporter ready for the summer season? What do you need to do to limit on the road issues. A quick guide to make sure youve checked everything before travelling in your Transporter!

Ideally the best thing to do would be to book your vehicle in for an inspection. This covers battery health, suspension/brakes/tyres quality and more. Our vehicle inspections start from just £39 and will give you full peace of mind before getting on the road! However there are a few things that you can check yourself if you are short on time to prepare yourself!

Battery

Check the voltage – Carefully remove the covers on the battery terminals and connect the positive side of the voltmeter to the positive (red) terminal first. Then connect the negative side of the voltmeter to the negative (black) terminal. Now, check your reading. A healthy battery should read between 12.4V and 12.7V.

Tyres

The legal limit is 1.6mm but for off-road adventures, you want to have the best grip possible. For all terrain tyres, we recommend changing them at 4mm. Having a lower tread depth can cause stopping distances up to 40 metres shorter than a tyre with efficient grip. if your unsure how to check your tyres yourself, read our previous blog here:

Fluids

Checking your fluids is pretty simple. Engine oil is usually checked with a dipstick after the engine has been off for roughly 10 minutes so the oil can settle down.

First, pull the dipstick out and wipe it clean with a towel or rag. Then, reinsert it and pull it back out. The dipstick is marked with maximum and minimum indicators that show how much oil is in your engine. The oil on the dipstick should be near maximum. If it’s at or below the minimum, add more immediately. Oil level is one thing, but its condition is equally important. To check it, you’re going to have to get your hands dirty. Smear the oil on the dipstick between your fingers. It should feel slick and smooth – if you notice any particles or grittiness, components are likely wearing down, which is a major issue.

Also look at the color of the oil. If it’s a yellow or amber color, you’re good to go. If it’s a darker coffee color or black, it’s time for an oil change. Many modern cars have no dipstick at all. Instead, oil levels are checked using sensors within the engine, and displayed on the dashboard. Depending on the car, the engine may need to be cold and turned off or fully warmed up and running to get an accurate reading.

Coolant is able to be checked via the expansion tank. The max and minimum is easy to be viewed. If you find it is low top up with water and keep checking every 50,000 miles or so to check it isnt going down too quickly. If it is and your having to top up every 50,000miles, there is likely an issue.

And ofcourse top up your washer fluid!

Other things to check

Most newer models of diesel Transporters will have Adblue which should be topped up before any travelling. We would also advise checking your bulbs and windscreen washer quality.

Obviously if your checking the vehicle yourself its not as simple to check your suspension. If your vehicle has any knocking noises or juddering then we would advise getting booked in to have the vehicle properly inspected.

This isnt a comprehensive list and there are things that will be missed when carrying out vehicle check yourself. So if you have any worries book in with a garage!

Extras…

As well as the above each camper will have different mods which should be checked. Heating system, Sterilising water tanks, solar systems, gas bottles and pipe work should all be checked before setting off!

If the vehicle has been sat over the winter months the vehicle will need checking for any condensation build up and cleaning down in preparation.

To book in for a vehicle inspection call us on 01642 613852 or message us on facebook here:

OEM parts vs Aftermarket, which do you opt for on your vehicle?

There is a difference between cheap aftermarket parts and Uprated aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts are made to perform the same function as OEM but they are produced by a third party. OEM parts are as the acronym suggests, original equipment manufacturer. These parts are tested by the auto maker that installed them on your vehicle when it was new. Aka a tier 1 supplier such as Sachs, Mahle and ZF.

Uprated Aftermarket parts are reverse engineered to find the strengths and weaknesses of OEM. The performance specialists can then create parts which perform in some cases better than the original part. This can be done by slightly altering the design or the materials of the product.

Cheap aftermarket parts are created usually using less quality materials and tend to fail much quicker than OEM parts. Yes they are cheaper to purchase initially however if they fail quicker its more economical to fit the correct parts for the job from the start! This is why as a business we only replace faulty parts on a vehicle with OEM parts or if requested Uprated aftermarket parts such as Revo, Racingline and Superpro.

OEM and genuine…

There is a difference and that is that genuine parts are made by the manufacturer and branded and priced as such. OEM parts are as explained above however branded by a third party and priced much cheaper. OEM suppliers are companys such as Lemforder, TRW and Textar. They are usually made in the same factory and go through the same testing as the genuine parts therefore are essentially the same.

What about my warranty?

Always refer to the manufacturers guidelines when looking to use aftermarket parts and consider whether you vehicle is still under warranty. If its still under warranty fitting aftermarket parts may invalidate it if anything were to go wrong.

Obviously we also have to square up our priorities with our budget, vehicle maintenance can be expensive. However this is why we recommend using OEM parts. We carry out extensive vehicle checks before just stating ABC and parts need replacing.

If your looking at upgrading parts to uprated contact us here: We can give you advice for what you are aiming for and send you an estimate!

OEM parts vs Aftermarket

Diesel particulate filters known as DPF are prone to issues if your diesel vehicle is not looked after as it should be, learn their problems and how to prevent them! Diesel vehicles made after 2000 were fitted with a DPF to limit the emissive power of particulate matter into the atmosphere. These filters lower emissions of harmful gases and the impact of diesel on the environment. However as an owner of a vehicle with DPF you need to make sure you are running the vehicle as you should to prevent the DPF clogging up.

Why does the DPF clog?

The DPF filters the emissions from the fuel, soot sits in the filter and limits the amount entering the atmosphere. Driving with additional engine faults causes excessive soot to clog up the DPF. The failure/clogging of the DPF is only a secondary result of poor engine running. This soot unfortunately tends to sit in the filter and clog causing your vehicle to usually throw up the engine management light. The vehicle may have a decrease in fuel efficiency and loss of power.

Diesels with a DPF filter need to carry out a regeneration. This is the process of burning off accumulated soot from the DPF. This prevents it from clogging and reducing the engine’s performance. For the vehicle to carry out an automatic regeneration there are a few stipulations. It requires roughly over a ¼ of a tank of fuel and be driven at a high speed for roughly 15-30 minutes. If your vehicle is used for town driving and short journeys, it will never have the chance to automatically carry out a regen which is when we see problems. This is where you need a mechanic to carry out a forced regen.

Forced regeneration.

Forcing a DPF regeneration can be done using a diagnostics tool. The vehicle needs to be driven for a certain amount of time, at a specific RPM and usually takes around 45 minutes. This can only be carried out if the DPF is no more than 60% clogged up. If its any more than that the DPF may need replacing. This wants to be avoided however as it is a pricey replacement.

Cleaners

We would recommend using the Liqui Moly Pro-Line Diesel System Cleaner ’ Reduces pollutant emissions, thus optimizing smoke opacity prior to emissions test. Successfully tested in international test bench analyses. Cleans injection nozzles, the entire fuel system and combustion chambers of any troublesome deposits. Prevents any seizing up and gumming up of nozzle needles. Optimizes the combustion process and restores the engine’s original performance.

Suitable for all diesel and turbocharged diesel engines with and without diesel particulate filter (DPF). Contents are sufficient for max. 70 l of fuel.

Application

To be added directly into the fuel tank. For preventive use during every inspection, after repairs to the fuel system, for treating problems’

This is not going to stop your DPF clogging however it will help to generally clean out the system when a vehicle is being driven correctly. You can find out more here!

If you’re having DPF problems give us a call on 01642 613825 or use our contact form ‘here’.

DPF problems and how to prevent them

Diagnostic testing; Why we do need to carry them out? A question we get asked often! A large amount of customers book their vehicle into the garage having already carried out their own ‘Diagnostics test’. They then request repairs based upon their findings. For example, their code reader has shown up a glow plug fault, therefore they book in for a replacement glow plug! However assuming the fault code is accurately pointing out the exact issue in some cases is wrong! In some cases yes it will be but in others it could be wiring or another fault bringing up that code!

A cheap code reader from the internet can be a little as £20. But what your paying for when you pay for a diagnostics with us is years worth of knowledge. Our Head tech has been a specialist in the industry for over 25 years! Having an accurate diagnostics test can save you money in the long run. We don’t work based on a process of elimination, changing numerous parts guessing which is at fault!

So. Diagnostic testing; Why we do need to carry them out? The diagnostics test will take into consideration how the vehicle is driving, any fault codes, and associated common issues. Things only an experienced technician will know and be able to piece together to find the cause of the problems. This is why we are always fully booked for diagnostic slots, usually 3 weeks ahead for a diagnosis.

Contact us here to book in and get the earliest slot available; https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/

We’ve decided to periodically carry out a Vehicle spotlight! This one is based on a Golf R we have in the workshop.

We had this customers vehicle in a few weeks ago for a number of different things. An Interim service, Haldex service and fit the customer supplied Res-delete. We don’t usually allow customers to supply their own parts for warranty reasons. However, with performance parts and upgrades we do as long as they are from a reputable supplier.

What work was carried out?

We started with the Interim service. This allows us to give the vehicle its 26 point health check prior to any work carried out. This is for a number of reasons, the main one being to make sure the vehicle is in a good condition (especially in this vehicles instance) before upgrading parts. It also gives us time to relay the information to the customer if anything needs replacing. This means we can price up any parts required and potentially get them fixed on the same day. This stops the customer having to come back in again unnecessarily. Once the vehicle health check is carried out and completed for the customers record we went ahead and completed the Oil and filter change. We then top up all of the under bonnet fluids.

We then moved onto the Haldex service, as you can see from the pictures. The build up of metal filings on this vehicle in 79,898 miles was massive! We advised an upgraded Racingline magnetic Haldex plug to minimise the amount of metal filings getting caught in the gauze filter. Instead the metal filings are pulled towards the plug. The Racingline upgraded plugs also come with extra washers so your next 5 Haldex services can use the magnetic plug again and only the washer is replaced!

Once the Haldex service was complete we moved onto fitting the Res-delete. We have a Before and After video of the res-delete here! The result was much deeper and throatier, in our opinion much nicer than stock!

How to get in touch?

To get a quote for any service/maintenance work or for pricing on fitting upgrades give us a call or email!

01642 613852 or northeastautotech@gmail.com.

Vehicle spotlight

How to prevent Ad blue system issues with crystallization? Ad blue crystal build up can cause various problems within in vehicle. Including more than just the Ad blue system. It can create engine damage, decreased fuel efficiency, and even complete system failure. So how can we prevent issues from arising?

Firstly its important when topping up your Ad blue to make sure you don’t spill the liquid. The entry point can vary between cars. Sometimes its above the fuel cap which is relatively accessible other times in can be in the boot which is much more difficult. If you spill the Ad blue it can crystalize around the area and ruin paintwork.

So why does Ad blue crystalize in the tank?

Usually Ad blue crystalizes due to temperature changes and poor storage conditions. Therefore it is imperative to source your Ad blue from a reputable supplier. It also helps to keep your Ad blue tank fully topped up. This helps to keep the solution insulated. It also helps stop crystallization from occurring on the walls of the half empty tank. There are people who want to advise taking apart the system and tank. However, this is a very labour intensive job as well as potentially affecting the many sensors in the area. We would advise using an Ad blue additive, we use Tunap 988. This product reactions with the urea to reduce the amount of crystals forming in the system.

There are people that get around Ad blue issues by having the feature mapped out of the vehicle. This is strongly advised against as it can cause further issues within the vehicle. AdBlue is an aqueous urea solution used in diesel vehicles to reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx). The urea in AdBlue reacts with the NOx in the exhaust gases to form harmless water and nitrogen. AdBlue is much friendlier to our planet and helps minimise the number of harmful solutions released into our environment.

Its also essential to keep up with general maintenance and service requirements. By following these steps and practicing regular maintenance, you can keep your vehicle running smoothly and reduce emissions, all while ensuring a longer lifespan for your diesel vehicle.

Ad blue system issues with crystallization

What  do we need to know about Gen 5 Haldex servicing? It is slightly different to the Gen 1-4 servicing! The Gen 5 Haldex systems do not have a filter which needs to be replaced. Instead they have a gauze filter within the pump which filters out the debris. This debris is created via the mechanics of the Haldex and all wheel drive system.

Issues arrive when a Haldex service is carried out and the gauze filter is not cleaned as well as the pump! The pump needs to be removed and both parts cleaned to get rid of the grit and debris before filling with the clean Haldex oil!

We recommend every 20,000 miles for Gen 5 Haldex servicing. This vehicle on the images had its service carried out at 32,000 miles and the oil was full of metal fillings and the gauze filter was completely full, practically impossible for the Haldex oil to get through to the pump. As a result of the service being carried out 12,000 miles after it should have, the Haldex coupling has deteriorated in its abilty to work as it should. If the Haldex unit fails the vehicle will only work as a 2-wheel drive vehicle. This is a pricey repair and can be avoided if only sticking to regular servicing intervals!

Are there products to help limit the amount of swarf in the Haldex?

There are performance parts you can use to help limit the amount of metal fillings being pulled towards the pump. One of which is a Racingline magnetic Haldex sump plug! This Haldex plug will attract the fillings towards the plug as apposed to the pump filter. You can find out more information on the plug here. We carry these in stock, just ask to upgrade on your next Haldex service!

Gen 5 Haldex servicing starts at £130 inc VAT. To book in you can call us on 01642 613852. Email us at Northeastauttech@gmail.com or send us a message on our contact page ‘here‘.

The benefits of performance upgrades

Car customisation is undoubtedly a booming business. It might not be for everyone but there is a mass of car enthusiasts wanting to put their own stamp on their vehicle. But how many modifications improve the vehicle performance, are purely aesthetic or adversely affecting the vehicle? Whilst most people know certain car mods are illegal, how far is too far?

Are modifications safe?

Primarily the question we should all be asking is are modifications safe. Carefully chosen aftermarket parts from trusted suppliers should not be an issue, provided they are fitted to the manufacturer’s instructions and a fitted by a qualified mechanic. As long as the correct parts are chosen for your vehicle, aftermarket upgrades should not need to be altered to fit your vehicle.

Modifications which aren’t safe can actually be deemed illegal. Theses include LED neon lights and tinted windows. There are limits to how bright your lights are allowed to be and how dark you can tint your windows. It is a grey area really as there are no exact specifications to be found, if in doubt ask your mechanic!

If you’re choosing aftermarket parts to enhance the safety of your vehicle these could include brake pads and discs and bushes/arms. We’ve previously written a blog on the benefits of RTS upgraded brake pads (you can read that ‘here’). We are a Superpro dealer and hold much of their stock for VAG vehicles in reception. Upgraded bushes have benefits such as maintained steering geometry. Enhanced handling & ride characteristics. Essentially a safer vehicle with more grip!

Will the warranty be void?

One of the most important factors to deciding whether to modify your car is whether your warranty will still be valid. This is obviously more prevalent in cars under 3 years old. Warranty may not be covered with certain modifications. Wheels, Tyres and Suspension are the safest options to start with as these parts wont add stress to anything. In fact, in most cases, you’ll be lowering that stress with a lighter wheel and tire package. As a basic rule check your owner’s manual, however modifications such as large bore and sports exhaust systems can fall foul of both fuel emission rules and laws limiting noise pollution. Check with your warranty provider and make sure whoever is fitting the parts is an approved engineer! Insurance companies also need to be informed of any modifications or your insurance could be voided!

We stock a range of vehicle upgrades in our reception and are authorised dealers for several companies. Including Revo, Racingline, Superpro, RTS performance and many more! Get in touch if you’re looking for a quote on 01642 613852.

The benefits of performance upgrades

Are your tyres safe?

A question many of probably don’t know the answer too, are your tyres safe? Many of us overlook our tyres, forgetting they are the only point of contact to the road! Safety in acceleration, braking, steering and cornering all depend on a relatively small area of road contact. But how can the quality of your tyres keep you safer, be more efficient and stop other issues from occurring within the vehicle?

The safety of the tyres are the most important aspect, so what makes tyres safe? Tyres have ratings, brought in from the EU to give consumers more information on tyre safety. These rating include; wet grip, fuel efficiency and external noise. By comparing the rating you can see which tyres are more suited to your needs. You should also make sure you always get the correct size and speed rating for your car as it could be very dangerous if you choose the wrong ones. Ask for recommendations when needing to change your tyre, the experts will be able to give you the best advise.

Checking your tyres

If you find any cuts, lumps or bulges, get a professional to check your tyres immediately. The wear pattern on the tread should also be examined as irregular wear can be a sign of other vehicle issues such as misalignment. We created a post on Facebook ‘here’ about how to check your tyres properly!

Secondary problems

When we replace your tyres, we road test the vehicle and check for things like pulling to the left/right. This is usually a tell-tale sign you need your vehicle aligning. We carry out 4-wheel alignment when we also replace things such as arms, bushes and springs. You can also tell if you have alignment issues by the wear on your tyre. They should wear evenly, all tread on the tyre reduces at the same level. If you have alignment issues, you could have new tyres on and 6months later the inner edge is wearing too quick, and the cords are showing. Therefore, requiring new tyres again and costing money sooner than they should!

Another problem from misalignment would be more pressure on the other parts. Bushes and arms will have more strain and must overcompensate. Causing them to perish much sooner than they should.

We also carry our wheel-balancing when a tyre is replaced. The wheel is placed onto the machine and tiny weights are added to the inside of the wheel in specific places. This ensures the best performance from the tyre and longevity from uneven wear!

Tips:

We also advise having equal tyres on the front and back ie; if your replacing two tyres for bulges one front one back. Swap the two old tyres to both the front/back depending on your wheel drive and have the new on the opposite side. This is to minimise uneven wear and alignment issues occurring.

If you have already changed a tyre, you’ll need to update its opposite, too. Changing tyres in pairs saves several headaches, including uneven rolling resistance and grip caused by different treads on the same axle.

Tread patterns

If your drive a performance car you may be conscious of tread patterns. They aren’t just random patterns within the tyre, there is a lot of science that goes into creating the tyre pattern and they all have different benefits.

• Symmetrical tire tread patterns deliver smooth driving, high directional stability, and low rolling resistance.
• Directional tire tread patterns provide high protection against aquaplaning, excellent handling on snow and mud, and very good road-holding at high speeds.
• Asymmetric tire tread patterns offer excellent handling, high curve stability, and good grip in wet conditions.
• To maintain optimal safety and performance, avoid mixing tire tread patterns where possible.

We all have different requirements when choosing what tyres are going to be best for us. Whether its where you live and weather conditions or fuel economy. Ask when replacing your tyres which is the best fit. You can contact us ‘here‘.

Intake valve carbon clean

We carry out Intake valve carbon cleans on TFSI & TSI engines frequently due to build up within the valves. 90% of EU cars being manufactured now use Direct Injection to power the engine. There are so many benefits to manufacturers using Direct Injection, mainly fuel efficiency and power! The EU have more stringent emissions laws than the rest of the world, therefore manufacturers are using this method to push the limits of emission friendly cars to their max potential.

What is Direct Injection?

Most of us get into our cars and it gets us from A-B, and when something goes wrong, we take our car to the garage and trust our mechanic to fix the problem! However, in most cases its beneficial to learn why problems occur and how to stop more problems developing. Direct injection is where the fuel is injected from the HPFP to the injectors and into the combustion chamber. The ECU tells the injectors what intervals to spray the fuel in, at a precise time and position to atomise with the compressed air. This mixture then ignites and turns chemical energy into mechanical energy. At the end of the cycle, the exhaust valves open and release the excess gasses.

So, what are the draw backs?

Unfortunately, Direct injection vehicles are prone to carbon build up, HPFP failure and PCV failure. The PCV valve takes the oil vapours and recycles it into the air intake to give a more environmental burn. However, this is where the mixture can partially end up back into the intake valves resulting in the carbon built up. Sadly, it’s not a 5 minute job to check how built up the valves are with carbon. Therefore, we need to know the warning signs! The build-up of carbon essentially restricts the air flow and stops the vehicle being able to breathe. Signs you need an intake carbon clean include; Noticeable loss in performance, Check engine light on/won’t pass emissions, Poor fuel economy and Rough running. If you’re experiencing these problem and the vehicle has hit the 30,000 miles mark we would advise an intake valve clean. After that first clean, it shouldn’t need carrying out again until 40-50,000 mile intervals.

What method do we choose to clean?

There are a number of ways to clean your intake valves however we prefer methods that don’t damage the valves. If you choosing to manually scrape off the carbon built up your going to scratch the metal which could cause more problems. We choose to use walnut shell. It is soft enough to do no damage, but blasted into the valves at high pressure it removes the carbon built up safely. After your intake valve clean you should immediately see the benefits. These should include, smoother idle, lower fuel consumption and smoother throttle response.

We also advise having your injectors tested and cleaned at the same time as your intake valve clean. You can read our blog outlining the benefits of this ‘here’.

To book in or get a quote call us on 01642 613852. Use our contact form ‘here’ on contact us on Facebook.