Engine Repair Portland | Auto Mechanic

Are you having engine trouble? Get a repair in Portland!

Your engine is the heart of your vehicle. It takes exceptional auto repair technicians to correctly diagnose and repair it.

You want a skilled mechanic that focuses on repairs first. An rebuild or replacement should always be a last resort.

That’s why we start every engine repair Portland service with thorough, manufacturer specific diagnostics. Never pay more than you have to.

Affordable engine repair Portland starts with the shop you choose. At Steve’s Imports, our responsibility is always to the customer first.

Get better budget-minded service. Call us today.

Is your auto shop an import specialist?

We specialize in Japanese/Asian and European vehicles. Get a specialist for your car.

What are the most common problems?

Knocks

An engine, or spark knock occurs when there is too much pressure during combustion. Why is this a problem? It can actually punch holes through your pistons, crack or blow the head gasket, and smash rod bearings. These all have the potential to total your engine.

Low Fluid Levels

Critical fluids are all meant to do two primary things: lubricate moving parts and exchange heat.
When your fluid levels are low you stress those parts in multiple ways that can lead to breaking, cracking, or just poor performance.

Oil Pump Failure

A failing oil pump causes 3 main symptoms: A rise in your engine temperature, a knock,
and lowered oil pressure. A failed oil pump won’t pump oil. If you experience this it’s not a matter of if your engine catastrophically fails, but when.

Broken Oxygen Sensor

Your O2 sensor determines how much oxygen is mixing with your fuel by measuring your exhaust.
When it sends incorrect data you’ll see a dip in gas mileage, a check engine light, and possibly a failing of your emissions testing.

Poor Compression

A healthy engine has proper compression. That means the valves, seats, and pistons are working in harmony to deliver and ignite the right amount of fuel. Bad compression lowers the output. That means weaker acceleration. This can be caused by bad valves, holes in the pistons, or a cylinder head leak.

Dirty Fluids

Dirty or contaminated fluids fail at their job. Clean fluids transport debris into your filtration system. They also remove heat and lubricate properly. Dirty fluids damage parts over time, can clog lines and filters, and allow moving parts to overhead and grind against one another.

Old Spark Plugs

Your spark plugs are responsible for igniting the fuel mixture. You may notice when a whole spark plug is out, but fouled or dirty plugs can still ignite. These just won’t ignite as well, harming your MPG and acceleration. They are an easy replacement and not worth putting off longer than you have to.

Loose Gas Cap

This is so easy to miss. Gas caps don’t last forever. If you’re losing MPG or a code indicates a loose gas cap, check this first. A loose cap allows gas to evaporate away. That’s money out of your pocket and into the air.

Clogged Lines/Filters

Lines and filters typically clog when fluid isn’t changed regularly. The first thing to do is have your engine diagnosed. Air in the lines can also mimic the symptoms of a clogged or dirty line, This can cause total part failure.

Mixing Fluids

Is smoke coming out of the back of your car? If it is, you likely have gasoline contamination.
Blue smoke occurs when worn seals allow oil to mix with the fuel. White smoke occurs when worn seals allow water or antifreeze to mix with the fuel.

How do we fix an engine?

Engine repair begins with a complete diagnostic service. We use technology to our advantage.

That means our shop is outfitted with the latest in diagnostic tools, allowing our mechanics to quickly and efficiently narrow-down potential issues based on hard-data, actual symptoms, and a wealth of knowledge and training.

We don’t chase our tails. We make sure we know exactly what’s wrong before we tell you all of your options. Just some of the steps we take include:

Running diagnostics of the vehicle’s ECM (when applicable.)
Scan and analyze parameter ID’s like voltage, duty cycles, temp, etc.
Cross check this information against factory specifications.
Testing engine and hose compression using a vacuum pump/gauge.
Hands-on testing may include spark and ohmmeter tests.
Borescopes, cylinder leakage, and compression tests of engine internals.
Multimeter and oscilloscope testing for wiring issues and shorts.
Dye testing to identify fluid leaks along with pressure testing.

The cost to fix a car engine depends on what’s wrong. Something like fouled spark plugs is a simple fix. They are accessible from the top of the engine and made to be easily replaceable.

This means less time in the shop and less than an hour of labor. The deeper and more complex an issue is, the more expensive it is.

That’s why we perform a cost analysis for you. Depending on the age and condition of the vehicle, issues with the engine and any additional problems, we’ll advise you accordingly.

What are the possible options for service?

Repairing. This is always what we strive for. If its cost-effective, and we can be sure you’ll get many more years out of your vehicle, that will always be our recommendation. Many issues aren’t large ones. Some of the most common issues occur in easy to access areas like the radiator and head.
Rebuilding. This is reserved for cases where the cost of the car is greater than the cost of the engine. A rebuilt one typically runs between 2,500 to 4,000. It’s a great option for newer vehicles that have suffered a catastrophic failure because everything else in the vehicle is still in great shape.
Replacing. New replacement engines are typically much more expensive than refurbished ones. These are almost always an option when a vehicle is still under warranty. We have a great supplier for remanufactured and rebuilt replacements. This can substantially reduce a replacement cost.

Contact us today!

If you are suffering from strange noises, overheating, performance loss, or worse, contact us today.

We’ll schedule your complete diagnostic as soon as possible, present you with our findings, and work from there. You aren’t alone in this. Steve’s Imports is on your side.

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