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Howdy Automotive

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Hinckley, OH
Howdy Automotive

High-end import car maintenance & performance. Fix it right the first time. Hinckley, OH

04/26/2026

2017 BMW 328 GT with a coolant leak that had been chased for months. Two big repairs. An oil filter housing replaced. A water pump replaced. And still — coolant was disappearing.

When it landed in our bay at Howdy Automotive, we did what we always do: slow down and actually diagnose the problem.

We pressure tested the cooling system, traced every drop, and followed the evidence — not assumptions. What we found was something most shops overlook entirely.

The water pump sits on an accessories bracket that bolts directly to the engine block. Between that bracket and the block lives a small seal. A seal that ages, hardens, and fails quietly — mimicking a water pump leak so convincingly that even a brand new pump won’t fix it.
That was the culprit.

We replaced the seal, and even found an oil leak starting, reassembled everything properly, and sent this BMW down the road coolant-tight for the first time in months. One happy customer. One solved mystery. 🙌

If your BMW has a coolant leak that keeps coming back no matter what’s been replaced — don’t throw more parts at it. Get it properly diagnosed.

📍 Howdy Automotive | Hinckley
📞 330-661-9231
🔗 Link in bio to book your appointment

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02/17/2026

Audi 3.0t engine 146k miles. Came in for a PCV replacement and piston soak to reduce oil consumption and leaks. Upon removing the timing cover, we found the upper tensioner missing the plastic timing chain guide shoe, causing the chain to rub.

So we removed the engine, replaced all timing guides & chains with OEM parts, resealed every leak-prone gasket or RTV seal, did a piston soak and new PCV to reduce oil consumption, and cleaned the Secondsry air injection ports.

So give your Audi engine a listen when starting first thing in the morning. If you hear a metal rattling noise, it may be time to have it inspected properly.

Do you think it was worth giving this Audi 3.0T a new lease on life?

02/10/2026

2013 Mercedes Benz GL450 - M278 V8 engine. Did you know that these also can have cam locator movement?

Mercedes - like other auto manufacturers, thought it would be a good idea to press on the camshaft locator wheel. What is a camshaft locator wheel? It is what the cam position sensor reads to know where the cam is. If the locator wheel on the camshaft shifts, you get a sensor with the wrong info.

That’s exactly what happened with this vehicle. Long crank to start, and a check engine light, but ran fine.

So instead of buying a new camshaft for $1,300 + actuator + labor, we opted to rotate the camshaft locator ring back into position, and weld the locator ring to prevent a future occurrence.

The main cause is known to be a failing camshaft adjuster causing the locator wheel to rotate, so that was replaced at the same time once we verified it had failed.

So if you or someone you know has this issue, and swapping sensors didn’t fix it, this may be the cause.

01/25/2026

Audi + Winter Tires ❄️ IYKYK ☃️ Stay safe everyone!

01/09/2026

Ever wonder what a 148k mile 2014 Audi Q7 looks like?
This vehicle came in for a PCV and carbon cleaning with some other preventative maintenance and to fix a few oil leaks.

Despite little start-up noise, we found this vehicle to be missing the plastic timing chain guide, and most of the upper guide material wedged into the lower chain guide. !! This means metal on metal contact of the timing chain!! Not good.

So this customer decided they’d rather play it safe and go the extra mile, have the engine removed, replace the timing, clean the sump, and do a full reseal of the motor to give it a new lease on life.

If you have chain rattle in a 3.0t, it’s best to get it looked at! At Howdy Automotive we can replace the upper chain tensioner in the vehicle, saving a ton of labor cost!

Once the guide breaks off and falls in, there’s no telling what can happen, and a full engine or transmission removal is required!

01/07/2026

We stock ROWE oil for German cars 🇩🇪
Built in Germany, engineered for Audi, BMW, VW, Porsche, and Mercedes engines.
Higher-quality base oils, stricter specs, better protection than generic “Euro” oils.
If your car matters to you, your oil should too.

Most people don’t realize this, but not all “Euro” oils are actually built the same. German engines are designed with tighter tolerances, higher operating temperatures, and turbochargers that see extreme heat every time you drive. That’s where ROWE is different. This oil is engineered in Germany, for the same type of engines it goes into—using higher-quality base oils that don’t thin out, burn off, or break down under stress.

What that means in real life is less oil consumption, better protection on cold starts, and oil that can handle long highway pulls, boost, and heat without turning into sludge. ROWE doesn’t just say it’s compatible—it’s formulated to meet exact factory approvals, so timing components, turbo bearings, piston rings, and valvetrain parts stay cleaner and protected over time.

We stock it because we’ve seen what happens inside engines that run the right oil… and what happens when they don’t. This is one of those small choices that makes a big difference long term.

12/24/2025

🎄 Merry Christmas from Howdy Automotive 🤠 👋

10/29/2025

Got an Audi? 🤫 prolly needs a carbon cleaning

🤔 How would you know?

Shaky idle on cold start or misfires
Less power
Low fuel economy
Check engine light

Audi 3.0t carbon cleaning near Hinckley

Address

1545 W130th Street Unit B
Hinckley, OH
44233

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 1pm

Website

http://howdyautomotive.com/

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