Maintenance and Repairs, Part I
By Jimmy Sisk

Above: Some of the parts you will need to stock.

Let me first set the scene: It is the first nice Saturday in a month. Cars are lined up at your wash, and you just then notice a problem with your automatic. You try to troubleshoot and make repairs yourself but can’t seem to figure out the problem. Alternatively, you manage to identify the problem, but you realize that you don’t have the part in stock that you need to make the repair. Now the wash is down. You call your distributor and you find out it’s uncertain whether a service tech can get to your site today — it might be tomorrow.

If only you had looked over the equipment last week when it was raining, or maybe kept more repair parts in stock, or went to the training session offered for your equipment.

Maintenance Schedule
Most often, creating a maintenance schedule for you or your staff to follow can prevent the downtime. In addition, becoming more familiar with your equipment and understanding how to make repairs yourself will save you money and keep downtime to a minimum. The first step is to read the equipment manual that came with your automatic. Make a list of any questions you may have and get answers to them. Some manufacturers and distributors provide in the manual a “maintenance checklist” that you can use to start creating a maintenance program. If such a checklist is not provided, you can contact your distributor or the manufacturer. They should be able to provide you with information that will help you develop one.

Training
Some manufacturers also provide training on their equipment to customers either at “live” training sessions or on software discs for your computer. If not, ask your distributor to visit to your site and help you locate and identify any items on the checklist you are not familiar with and explain their operation, as well as how to repair and/or replace them. Next, ask your distributor to explain the operation of the machine to you. If you understand the sequence of events that take place from the time a customer chooses a wash until the exit light comes on, you will be well on your way to troubleshooting many of the problems that can occur.

Parts & Tools
Make sure you stock the parts to repair most items on the checklist. These might include nozzles, swivels, hoses, filters, proximity sensors, photo eyes, hose couplers, and miscellaneous hardware. Make a list of these items and create an inventory for fast reordering. Common maintenance items that need attention are nozzles, swivels, hoses, couplers and filters. Make sure that you keep enough of these in your parts inventory to make a few repairs. Make certain to include part numbers and indicate where they can be purchased.

After you have stocked your parts inventory, make sure you have all the tools necessary. These would include hand tools such screwdrivers, pliers, vice grips, hose cutters, a hammer, and a full socket set (1/4” and 3/8”). You should also have a power drill with drill bits and a multi-meter that has an ammeter clamp to take amp draw readings. Some other important “tools” are the manuals for all of your equipment. Organize and keep them in a designated place at the wash so they are available to whoever is servicing the equipment. Ask your distributor or the manufacturer about any special tools that might be necessary.

Use it Yourself
Part of your maintenance check should be using the wash just as a customer would. Check and clean the auto-cashier. Make sure that all functions work. It should have its own manual and use the same procedure previously discussed to determine the items to add to your maintenance checklist. If it has a printer, see if you can print a report detailing the configuration of the unit and put it in a safe place. This will help you should you or your distributor need to reprogram your unit in the event programming information is lost. Use cash or a credit card and purchase a wash. Use the wash, and look at the machine as it is operating. You’ll be watching the wash operate from inside your vehicle. Some problems may be hard to see looking from outside the bay, but from inside your vehicle, you get a different view of the equipment in action. Look at the application of the chemicals. Do you feel like the coverage is correct? Can you see the wax as it is applied?

If you have a touch-free unit, did you feel like the pressure was adequate? Even if the gauge reads 900 pounds of pressure, if the bay is very far from the pumping system, pressure loss can occur and maybe you are only getting 700 pounds in the bay. If you have a friction machine, make sure the material used to wash the vehicle is in good condition and replace any that is missing. Make certain that the pressure of the friction material on the car is right to avoid damage. After you wash your vehicle, watch someone else wash. Listen to the machine. Many mechanical problems that occur will be heard long before they result in failure. Also, notice the speed of the machine. Slower than normal or recommended speeds probably will not create a problem but could increase your chemical or water usage. Faster than normal speeds could result in poor cleaning or damage to equipment or a customer’s vehicle. If your wash is equipped with bay doors, make them operate. It is important to do this even in warm weather to prevent problems when you need them. Also, make sure that all parts are lubricated frequently.

Cleanliness
Where should I start? Cleaning the bay and the equipment is a very important part of your routine maintenance. Not only will it help protect your equipment and building investment, but will also keep it appealing to your customers. I see many washes that look great until you walk in the automatic bay. Who wants to wash their car with equipment that is dirty and stained from lack of cleaning, or see a bay floor that is green with weeds growing from the cracks and walls that look similarly off-color? Why would customers pay for that? Cleanliness benefits the operator as well — with a clean machine, it is much easier to spot a hydraulic or chemical leak. It is also much easier to make repairs and adjustments to a machine that is clean.

Contacts
Another good idea would be to make a contact list with all pertinent phone numbers for your distributor, suppliers, and employees. Post a copy at the wash and give one to your employees. This will save time when ordering parts and supplies, or when you need troubleshooting assistance. Make sure you also put your contact information on the list.

When we return with Part II of this article, we will step outside the wash bay and into the equipment room. Your in-bay automatic probably has ancillary equipment that also needs to be checked. We will look at water softeners, air compressors, reclaim systems, and more.

Jimmy Sisk is vice president of Car Wash Concepts, Inc. in Thomasville, NC, a manufacturer and distributor of car wash equipment specializing in turnkey projects in the Southeastern US. To contact him, e-mail jimmysisk@carwashconcepts.com or call (800) 733-9760.