Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Basic Car Maintenance

As I took long journeys with my own roadster and crossover, I have experienced lots of trouble with some auto systems and believe it or not, I have learned how to deal with them. Among the most important things that I have learned is keeping all auto systems well maintained- after all, prevention is better than cure. Now, I want to share to you some of the helpful measures regarding automotive maintenance.

As much as I want to count them all in the most organized way, allow my fingers to enumerate them randomly. Perhaps, we will understand each other as we are of the same language – vehicles.

I know you know this one, but let me put it on the top of the list. One of the most important procedures is checking the levels of power steering fluid, transmission/transaxle fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer solvent and antifreeze. These are like the blood of the different auto systems so better keep them flowing.

Getting far away from these fluids, let us now consider the windshield wiper blades. Nonetheless, the windshield is another important auto part, which you should first check out for cracking, tears and contacts. The blades should be replaced at least once a year, remember that!
With the tires, make sure that tire inflation is evaluated monthly. Underinflated tires can always waste fuel. Aside form this, you should also inspect the engine belts regularly and try to look for cracks or missing sections or segments. Worn out belts will affect the engine performance; and thus, reducing fuel mileage. The engine oil and filter should be changed every 3,000 to 4,000 miles.

Have your engine tuned-up regularly since a fouled spark plug or plugged/restricted fuel injector can reduce fuel efficiency as much as 30%. Also have the fuel filter changed every 10,000 miles to prevent rust, dirt, and other impurities from entering the fuel system. You also have to change the crankcase vent filter every 24,000 miles. This filter needs to clean the air exposed to the crankcase and the working components of the engine.

Inspect the battery cables and posts for corrosion then clean whenever necessary. Remember that battery fluid should also be checked and filled if it is already low. Nonetheless, this is not applicable in the case of maintenance-free batteries. Oh gosh the auto lights! Be sure to inspect them once in a while especially the headlights, turn signals, brake lights and emergency flashers. You already know why. How will I forget the air filter. This should be checked approximately every other oil change along with the other filters. This will help you attain the perfect performance that you always want.

The transmission fluid and filter should be changed every 15,000 to 18,000 miles. This will help you protect the precision-crafted components of the transmission/transaxle from detrimental elements since such filter effectively removes dirt and other foreign material from the transmission/transaxle fluid.Additionally, keep the manual transmission fluid level measures along with the differential (rear-end) fluid level. Don’t forget to lubricate the chassis frequently to extend the life of the suspension parts. And even further, inspect the condition of all suspension regularly to extend the life of your tires.Change the vapor canister every 24,000 miles to keep the gas fumes from escaping into the atmosphere.

In case you don’t want to do the maintenance yourself, make sure that you will look for technicians who are ASE-certified. This means that they must have passed a voluntary competency test offered by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). Ask about facility's industry and consumer affiliations of these experts. These may include the business' affiliation. Always expect for the automotive facility to be neat, clean, and well-organized. The employees should be helpful and courteous. Lastly, a good service facility is often found by asking friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers’ recommendations.

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