Have you always wondered what a spark plug does? Our team here at CME Smog & Auto Repair is here to help you out. It's simple in theory but does quite a lot of work for such a small piece of equipment. Your spark plug forces electricity to arc across a gap like a bolt of lightning at high voltage and fits into your engine's cylinder head, where it “sparks” to ignite the fuel and creates combustion within your engine. Without it, you wouldn't be able to drive your car or truck. 

On modern vehicles, the PCV system (Positive Crankcase Ventilation System) is essential to ensuring your car or truck is ready to go when you are and remains a long-lasting, reliable vehicle. It’s much more than just emissions control - your PCV system serves multiple purposes and is quite interesting! How does it work, and what are those purposes?  Here at CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA, we have those answers for you!

On modern vehicles, the PCV system (Positive Crankcase Ventilation System) is essential to ensuring your car or truck is ready to go when you are and remains a long-lasting, reliable vehicle. It’s much more than just emissions control - your PCV system serves multiple purposes and is quite interesting! How does it work, and what are those purposes?  Here at CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA, we have those answers for you!

Routine services are routine for a good reason. Schedule them with us here so we can be sure that your vehicle stays in the best shape. Here’s a look into what happens when routine services aren’t performed, from CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA.

Many cars, particularly models produced between the 1970s and the 1990s, utilize cable clutch designs instead of hydraulics to operate the clutch. Here’s a brief explanation of clutch cable systems, from CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville.

At CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, routine maintenance and repair isn’t the only thing we do. For custom parts installation, you can also count on us. Common modification enthusiasts do is swapping to a short-throw shifter; but what actually is a short-throw shifter, and what does it do?

If you own or maintain a fleet or commercial truck, you are likely already familiar with the term ASE certified technician. But what does ASE mean, and why is it important? CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA has the answer.

If you own or maintain a fleet or commercial truck, you are likely already familiar with the term ASE certified technician. But what does ASE mean, and why is it important? CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA has the answer.

At CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA, we believe it’s important for you to know how different systems in your car, truck, or SUV operate. Whether you want to know what to watch out for, or you’re just curious about how things work, we’re here to supply the answers.

Your pickup truck is heavy and hard working, whether it’s a Chevy, Ford, or Dodge. If you add towing to the mix, it’s even heavier and has to work harder. Your brakes are one of the most wear and tear prone systems on your diesel pickup, but at CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA, we can help you keep yours in good shape.

Unless you use your vehicle to tow every day for work, odds are you haven’t paid much attention to your truck, SUV, or crossover’s towing capacity. Maybe you’re looking to buy a boat for some summer fun or just need to rent a trailer to get your belongings from one dwelling to the next. Whatever the reason for pulling something behind your vehicle, it’s important to get a firm grasp on what exactly your towing capacity means. Understanding how each of the components in your vehicle contributes to your overall tow rating can keep you from putting undue stress on your rig and keep you and your family safe.

Automatic transmissions aren’t well understood outside of specialists like our technicians here at CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA. While it would be impossible to teach you enough to make you a transmission expert in a quick article, what we can do is give you the fundamental knowledge you need to have a good idea of what your transmission is doing and how it works. Being able to understand how your transmission works will help you identify any problems that may arise to prevent further wear and tear on your vehicle. 

Automatic transmissions aren’t well understood outside of specialists like our technicians here at CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA. While it would be impossible to teach you enough to make you a transmission expert in a quick article, what we can do is give you the fundamental knowledge you need to have a good idea of what your transmission is doing and how it works. Being able to understand how your transmission works will help you identify any problems that may arise to prevent further wear and tear on your vehicle. 

Every year, more and more trucks come equipped with turbochargers. What was once a novelty or a performance option has become increasingly common as stock equipment. What are they for, and how do they work? CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA is here to help.

Transmission malfunctions are sometimes hard to pin down and might even go unnoticed. A transmission slip can manifest itself in a lot of different ways because there’s not a universal or consistent way to describe it. The trained technicians at CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA can help diagnose your problem. The more details you can provide, the quicker we can help. Since it will vary based on the vehicle, how bad the issue is, and what components are at fault, here are some symptoms to look for in your SUV.

Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a transmission is working the way it should or not. Is it supposed to make that noise? Is that problem a symptom of the transmission or something else? Fortunately, CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA has the answers.

If you drive a lightweight car, truck, or SUV, the torque converter you have installed is probably just fine. For those of you with more heavy-duty applications, like high horsepower setups or towing rigs, the stock converter may not be enough. At CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA, we can help you determine if your torque converter is right for the job you need to be done. 

It’s likely you’ve been exposed to conflicting opinions about having your transmission fluid replaced. You may have heard that cars over a certain mileage should not have the transmission fluid flushed and replaced, because it could damage the transmission, or you may have had someone tell you the first thing you should do at any sign of trouble is have your transmission flushed. At CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, our expert mechanics have the answers you’re looking for.

There comes a time in the life of every fleet vehicle or commercial truck when you have to decide - is it time to retire that truck or van, or should you put the money into fixing it? At CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA, we’re here to help.

An engine overheating can cause irreparable damage - preventing that from happening is crucial to keeping your car, truck, or SUV on the road. Here’s a rundown on the causes of engine overheating, from CME Smog & Auto Repair in Vacaville, CA.