Driving a car can be fun, but its maintenance can be a pain. No one really enjoys the task of auto maintenance. As long as the auto works fine, we are happy and don't always remember to get the maintenance of our motor done. Even if your vehicle works fine, getting the servicing and maintenance of your auto done regularly is necessary. General vehicle maintenance helps to keep your automobile in good condition and can save your trouble of repairing or changing major parts of your auto in the long run. Also remember, the lesser you claim on your insurance the lesser will be the premium you pay later on your motor.
Regular oil check and change is required and can be considered as one of the most important steps to maintain your car. Every auto owner never keeps track of when his or her engine needs an oil change. Old oil or insufficient oil in your engine will heat up the engine quickly and might lead to damage and other problems in your vehicle. To fix these problems you will have to pay quite a lot. To keep your automobile running efficiently and engine well maintained regular oil change is essential.
Good Tyres
Just changing your oil regularly is not sufficient. Along with the oil you should ensure that you rotate your car tyres regularly. Tyre rotation helps to balance your tyres and reduces the possibility of uneven wearing of the treads. Normally, when you have uneven treads your car might get pulled or leaned on one side and this can be dangerous. Your car runs on the road with the help of tyres and worn out tyres or tyres which are not well maintained can be a serious threat to the driver and passengers in the car.
Checking air regularly and filling air in your tyre is another important task, which is often neglected by car owners. The pressure in the tyre goes down over a period of time, but due to some leak it might go down even sooner. Air in your tyre should be filled in correct proportion. If your tyre has insufficient air, the tyre will wear out faster. In the case of less air, the tyre touches the road and the rim of your car, which will spoil the treads of your tyre. Over filling your tyre without using a gauge might cause your tyre to burst and this can be very dangerous.
Tuning up your motor
Tuning your auto on a regular basis will save you from a sudden shock and expense if costly parts in your car fail. Regular check-up of your car will keep you updated on the performance of your car and car parts.
One more important aspect which you should never avoid is your car insurance. Adequate insurance for your car is essential as you never know when your car is damaged due to an accident. Protecting your-self, others and your car is important and thus, insurance of life and your car is necessary.
Maintenance tips to remember:
1. Periodic oil changes
2. Care for your tyres
3. Car tune-ups and check-ups
4. Adequate insurance for your car.
Chris has been writing articles for nearly four years now. Come and visit his latest website at http://www.carbatteriesprices.net/Cheap-Car-Batteries.html where you can find out all about Cheap Car Batteries or find out more with Car Battery Reviews A great topical resource.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christopher_John_Bennett
Monday 9 August 2010
Thursday 5 August 2010
How To Look After Your Car
There are many things that may go wrong with your car.
But your main priority should be checking and Topping Up Your Engine Oil on a regular basis.
Running low on moro engine oil can cause a lot more damage to your car than you might think. Having a low level of engine oil in your car will mean that the engine is being worn far quicker by friction in the engine than it should be and can lead to you having to fork out on expensive repairs. In extreme cases it can ruin your engine completely!
As car owners it's one of the most important things we're supposed to do - look after the engine and top up the engines oil regularly - but it's also one of the most neglected aspects of car ownership.
Research shows that one in three cars has too little engine oil to run effectively, and many people wait until they see that little red light blinking at them on the dashboard, warning them that it's been too long since they paid their engine oil levels attention. In many cases, if you see the warning light come on then the damage has already been done and rather than preventative action, it becomes a case of damage limitation.
How Often Should I Check the Oil?
You should perform several checks as part of your weekly routine. Checking your cars enginge oil levels and topping up when necessary should be near the top of that list. If you notice any oil on the floor when you’ve been parked up, or any other problems that you think might be related to engine oil levels, check it then too.
How Long Does it Take?
It shouldn't take you any more than 10 minutes. It really is one simple process that can save you a fortune.
What Kind of Oil Should I be Using?
There are lots of different types of engine oil and they are used for different purposes. Before you go out to buy it, refer to your owner's manual or car manufacturer manual and make sure that you know what you should be looking for. The thickness of motor oil is referred to as the viscosity and is shown on the container as an SAE rating. The quality is shown with an ACEA or API classification.
Under the API system - the top grade for petrol engines is labelled 'SJ'. 'CH' is the equal standard for engines that run on diesel but 'CF' is the most common.
Under the ACEA system - 'A' is for petrol engines, 'B' is for diesel engines and a roman numeral tells you the grade - 3 being the highest and 1 the lowest. Following the code you will see a 2-digit reference to the year it was issued.
If you're still not sure ask a professional for advice before purchasing as using the wrong engine oil type can significantly damage your cars performance and can lead to more severe problems. How do check the engine oil levels and top it up if needed?
First of all you need to get some newspaper, paper towels, some engine oil to top-up the engine with and if needed, a funnel. It’s not the cleanest of jobs and oil can permanently stain clothing and fabric, so don’t wear anything nice if you can help it.
You should follow these steps when the car has been running for a while but leave it to cool down first for 5-10 minutes to be on the safe side.
Park on a flat surface. Parking on a hill or an incline can affect the reading.
When the engine is stopped, open up your bonnet and secure.
Find the dipstick. It's usually red or yellow or another bright colour so that you can find it easily next to or near the engine.
Pull the dipstick slowly and completely out of its tube.
Wipe it on the paper towel and find the min/max marks
Push it into the tube and pull it back out again. You should be able to see where the oil comes on the markers.
If it is below or near to the minimum marker you need to top-up your oil.
Find the engine filler cap. It may be marked - if not and you're not sure, check your manual. There are usually several different caps for different systems and it's imperative that you don't choose the wrong one.
Take off the cap - unscrew it or pull it off
Add some oil (just a little for now) and wait a minute. Then repeat step 6 with the dipstick, checking where the engine oil comes to now. If it isn't near the maximum mark, add more oil. You should have a better idea of how much to add this time.
Repeat until the oil level is near the maximum mark. Put the dipstick back securely.
Put the cap back on, wipe up any spillage and close the bonnet.
Doing this on a weekly basis will save you money and save you from your car getting damaged.
But your main priority should be checking and Topping Up Your Engine Oil on a regular basis.
Running low on moro engine oil can cause a lot more damage to your car than you might think. Having a low level of engine oil in your car will mean that the engine is being worn far quicker by friction in the engine than it should be and can lead to you having to fork out on expensive repairs. In extreme cases it can ruin your engine completely!
As car owners it's one of the most important things we're supposed to do - look after the engine and top up the engines oil regularly - but it's also one of the most neglected aspects of car ownership.
Research shows that one in three cars has too little engine oil to run effectively, and many people wait until they see that little red light blinking at them on the dashboard, warning them that it's been too long since they paid their engine oil levels attention. In many cases, if you see the warning light come on then the damage has already been done and rather than preventative action, it becomes a case of damage limitation.
How Often Should I Check the Oil?
You should perform several checks as part of your weekly routine. Checking your cars enginge oil levels and topping up when necessary should be near the top of that list. If you notice any oil on the floor when you’ve been parked up, or any other problems that you think might be related to engine oil levels, check it then too.
How Long Does it Take?
It shouldn't take you any more than 10 minutes. It really is one simple process that can save you a fortune.
What Kind of Oil Should I be Using?
There are lots of different types of engine oil and they are used for different purposes. Before you go out to buy it, refer to your owner's manual or car manufacturer manual and make sure that you know what you should be looking for. The thickness of motor oil is referred to as the viscosity and is shown on the container as an SAE rating. The quality is shown with an ACEA or API classification.
Under the API system - the top grade for petrol engines is labelled 'SJ'. 'CH' is the equal standard for engines that run on diesel but 'CF' is the most common.
Under the ACEA system - 'A' is for petrol engines, 'B' is for diesel engines and a roman numeral tells you the grade - 3 being the highest and 1 the lowest. Following the code you will see a 2-digit reference to the year it was issued.
If you're still not sure ask a professional for advice before purchasing as using the wrong engine oil type can significantly damage your cars performance and can lead to more severe problems. How do check the engine oil levels and top it up if needed?
First of all you need to get some newspaper, paper towels, some engine oil to top-up the engine with and if needed, a funnel. It’s not the cleanest of jobs and oil can permanently stain clothing and fabric, so don’t wear anything nice if you can help it.
You should follow these steps when the car has been running for a while but leave it to cool down first for 5-10 minutes to be on the safe side.
Park on a flat surface. Parking on a hill or an incline can affect the reading.
When the engine is stopped, open up your bonnet and secure.
Find the dipstick. It's usually red or yellow or another bright colour so that you can find it easily next to or near the engine.
Pull the dipstick slowly and completely out of its tube.
Wipe it on the paper towel and find the min/max marks
Push it into the tube and pull it back out again. You should be able to see where the oil comes on the markers.
If it is below or near to the minimum marker you need to top-up your oil.
Find the engine filler cap. It may be marked - if not and you're not sure, check your manual. There are usually several different caps for different systems and it's imperative that you don't choose the wrong one.
Take off the cap - unscrew it or pull it off
Add some oil (just a little for now) and wait a minute. Then repeat step 6 with the dipstick, checking where the engine oil comes to now. If it isn't near the maximum mark, add more oil. You should have a better idea of how much to add this time.
Repeat until the oil level is near the maximum mark. Put the dipstick back securely.
Put the cap back on, wipe up any spillage and close the bonnet.
Doing this on a weekly basis will save you money and save you from your car getting damaged.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)