Performance Unlimited Blog

“Serpentine! Serpentine!” That’s the line in the original 1979 movie ‘The In-Laws’ with Peter Falk and Alan Arkin. In the movie, Arkin’s character, a New York dentist, is caught up in a crazy plot fabricated by Peter Falk’s character, an eccentric and wacky CIA agent. When Arkin runs out from behind a car and into the line of fire to get the keys to the car, Falk tells him to “Serpentine!” When Arkin runs back with the keys but forgets to “Serpentine!” Falk sends him back in the line of fire so he can do it right. Fortunately for your car, truck or SUV, they don’t have to think about it. The serpentine belt, by its very nature, serpentines. According to Meriam-Webster’s dictionary, the word is based on visual representation of a serpent moving through the grass. It weaves back and forth making a squiggly trail. That’s what the serpentine belt does – it runs a weaving pattern between the pullies at the front of the engine. If a serpentine belt fails to serpentine, you’ve got trouble. Th...

Have you had your car’s tires rotated lately? A lot of people here in Johnsburg fail to keep up on having the tires rotated on their vehicles with appropriate frequency. It’s just not something that’s high on their list of priorities.  That’s understandable. Life is busy and, now that summer has arrived here in Johnsburg, life is busier for most of us than usual, all those trips and outdoor activities that make the summer so enjoyable. But rotating your vehicle’s tires really doesn’t have to interfere with all your summertime fun. According to Bridgestone, the tire manufacturer, every 5,000 miles is the standard rule for having the tires rotated on your car, truck or SUV. For many of our vehicles, that fits in nicely with the frequency called for when it comes to changing the oil. In other words, you don’t have to make a special trip to your trusted auto repair shop to have the tires rotated; simply ask them to rotate the tires while the vehicle is in the shop for an oil change. Wh...

And make sure your vehicle is ready, too! Is it just me or do you see more kids out and about in Wonder Lake these days? It’s not a coincidence. It’s the result of an annual migration. About this time each year, children migrate from the classroom to the playground, and they don’t go back to school until about mid-August. What does this mean for those of us who drive the streets of Wonder Lake? It means we need to add a level of caution to our driving, particularly in neighborhoods where little ones are more apt to play near the roads. Of course, you want to watch out for children in the roads all year round. When school is in session, you have to watch for them coming and going between the bus and their homes. Additional caution starts with awareness. Anticipate potential problems. For instance, if you see some kids playing ball in a yard near the road, consider what might happen if one of the kids misses a throw and the ball bounces into the street. Children often fail to fully under...

Last week, this blog focused on keeping your vehicle’s engine running cool this coming McHenry summer. That’s important. Ensuring that your vehicle’s cooling system is up to snuff, and the coolant will do its job, are essential to protecting your vehicle from the effects of summer heat. It will also help you avoid the expense and inconvenience that comes with getting stuck on the side of the road. But what about keeping you cool? Keeping yourself cool as you drive about McHenry, or from McHenry to other destinations, is a matter of comfort. But it’s also a matter of safety for those who are elderly or otherwise infirm. Your vehicle’s air conditioning takes a hot box interior and creates in its place an environment that puts the passengers at ease regardless of the temperature outside. Whether your vehicle’s AC will actually do the job, regardless of the temperature outside, depends on the condition of that air conditioning system in the vehicle. Are all the parts in good working order?...