At The Neighbor’s Kid Auto Repair (TNKAR), we don’t just change your oil — we proactively maintain your engine from valve cover to timing cover. Our two‐tiered service packages help prevent the costly consequences of sludge, leaks and premature gasket failure:

1. What Is Engine Minor Maintenance?

Scope & Components

A Minor Maintenance service addresses all the wear items and breathers that help your engine breathe and run cleanly:

  • Valve cover gaskets & seals

  • PCV valve(s) & oil traps

  • Intake and crankcase breathers

  • Vacuum and breather hoses

  • Spark plugs, ignition coil‐packs & wire sets

Why It Matters

  • Protects emissions components: Fresh seals and a functioning PCV system keep O₂ sensors and catalytic converters from fouling.

  • Maintains crankcase balance: New breathers and hoses prevent excess pressure, reducing leaks and blow-by.

  • Prevents sludge buildup: Replacing oil traps and PCV parts every 4–5 years (36K–50K miles) stops varnish and carbon deposits before they starve oil galleries.

Recommended Interval

  • Every 36,000–50,000 miles or 4–5 years, whichever comes first.

  • Engines with a history of leaks or high blow-by may need service closer to 30,000 miles.

2. What Is Engine Major Maintenance?

Scope & Components

Major Maintenance goes deeper — stripping the timing cover or oil galley to replace long-life components before they strand you on the side of the road:

  • Timing cover gasket replacement

  • Ford-style internal water pumps behind the timing cover

  • Timing chains, belts (including “wet belts” inside oil passages), tensioners & guides

Why It Matters

  • Silicone gasket failures: Many modern engines (Mazda CX-5, Ford EcoBoost, etc.) use silicone timing-cover gaskets that harden and crack in just 3–7 years. Once they leak, they not only let oil out but air and debris in — accelerating engine wear.

  • Hidden wear items: Water pumps and tensioners behind the cover can seize or fracture, leading to overheating or catastrophic chain failure.

  • Geometric cost increase: A $1,000 Major Maintenance today prevents a $5,000+ rebuild tomorrow once debris and oil starvation team up to destroy bearings, camshafts or turbos.

Recommended Interval

  • 3–7 years or 60,000–80,000 miles, depending on manufacturer guidelines and oil-leak history.

  • Inspect early on high-mileage or early-leaking engines (we’ve seen Mazda CX-5 silicone gaskets fail under 6,000 miles and one year of service).

3. Why You Can’t Skip These Services

  1. Compound problems

    ◦ Minor issues (leaky valve covers, clogged PCV) accelerate sludge in galleries and filters.

    ◦ Major failures (wet-belt breakdown, water-pump leaks) can lock up an engine without warning.

  2. Cross-system impacts

    ◦ A leaking timing cover gasket defeats any oil-flush or viscosity upgrade — the moment you add cleaner or heavier oil, it simply seeps out and draws in grit.

    ◦ Sludge from missed Minors can block the tensioner or oil-passage for your wet belt, turning a routine belt job into a full teardown.

  3. Performance & reliability gains

    ◦ Fresh gaskets, hoses and breathers restore proper vacuum balance for smoother idle, better fuel economy and restored power.

    ◦ New timing-cover components and an internal water pump ensure consistent cooling and prevent chain or belt elongation.

4. How TNKAR Packages Deliver Value

Package - Engine Major Maintenance

Interval - 60K–80K miles / 3–7 yrs

Key Benefits - Replaces hidden wear items, prevents catastrophic failures

Package - Engine Minor Maintenance

Interval - 36K–50K miles / 4–5 yrs

Key Benefits - Stops leaks, protects emissions, prevents sludge buildup

What You Get

  • OEM-quality gaskets, seals and hoses

  • Thorough cleaning of mating surfaces before reassembly

  • Pressure tests on oil and cooling systems to verify leak elimination

  • Test drive and post-service inspection to confirm power, quietness and temperature stability