Mobile mechanic for Shawnee, Kansas, from across the Kaw

Shawnee is in the northern part of Johnson County, on the south bank of the Kansas River. Kansas City, Kansas is on the other side. I-435 crosses the river between the two, and out west K-7 crosses from Bonner Springs into Johnson County.

That river is the main thing between Shawnee and Engine Doctor. Josh is based on the west side of Kansas City, Kansas, in Wyandotte County, and Shawnee is on the list of towns he comes out to. It is another county and across a bridge, but it isn't far. Call or text (913) 256-5056 with your part of town.

The east side of Shawnee is the older part of town. Johnson Drive runs through it past Herman Laird Park, and Shawnee Mission Parkway carries steady traffic past Pioneer Crossing Park, with plenty of stoplights along the way. Many of the houses there are older.

The west side stretches a long way, with newer subdivisions, cul-de-sacs and parks like Wilder Bluff Park on West 55th Street and Erfurt Park on West 71st Street. The ground rolls out there, and some driveways slope.

A slope makes a driveway repair harder, because the car has to sit safely on jack stands. If yours slopes, say so when you text, and Josh will tell you if the spot works.

A steady check engine light means the car's computer saw something out of range and saved a code. It can be as small as a gas cap that wasn't tightened. It can also be a sensor, a misfire or a leak somewhere in the system. The code points to where to look. It isn't the answer by itself.

A flashing light is more serious. It usually means a misfire bad enough to damage the catalytic converter. Ease off, skip hard acceleration and get it looked at soon.

Josh reads the codes and then checks what they point to, so you know what is wrong and what the fix costs before you decide anything. Some codes lead back to jobs that are on his list too, like a leaking gasket or a timing chain that has stretched.

A lot of Shawnee driving is short hops on busy roads: Shawnee Mission Parkway, Johnson Drive, the run to the store and back. Then there is I-435 at rush hour, which can go from highway speed to a crawl in a hurry.

Stop and go wears brake pads faster than highway miles, since every stop turns speed into heat. Short trips are hard on oil too. The engine never runs long enough to warm all the way up and drive off the moisture that collects inside it. If most of your miles are errands around town, your owner's manual may call that severe service, and that page is worth reading.

The work happens in your driveway. That covers brakes, oil changes and engine air filters, alternators and starters, and serpentine belts with the pulleys and tensioner. It also covers gaskets, radiators and radiator hoses, coolant flushes, and transmission and power steering fluid. On the engine side he does timing belts, timing chains, camshafts, engine replacement and check engine light diagnosis.

But a few big engine jobs need a shop and a lift. If yours is headed that way, Josh will tell you before anything comes apart.