Basic Automotive Care Oil, Transmission Fluid, Brake Fluid, Power Steering Fluid, Radiator Coolant, Tires

Oil Used to cool metal parts that rub against one another, which protects those parts from expanding Should have a routine oil change ever 3000 miles or ever 6 months Higher number oils are more resistant to flow, low numbers flow more freely

Oil Directions 1.Locate Oil Dipstick 2.Remove Oil Dipstick and wipe clean with a paper towel 3.Reinsert Dipstick, pushing it down as far as possible

Oil 4. Pull out dipstick to get proper oil reading 5. Add oil if need, if not reinsert dipstick A few things to look for in your oil -oil should have a golden color, dark or black color not good -milky oil means it has coolant in it -if burning a lot of oil, usually a sign of a leaky gasket

Oil Change Tools you will need –Oil filter wrench, 13/16 or 9/16 wrench, oil pan, rags Materials you will need –Oil (how many quarts) –Oil Filter

Oil Change 1.Locate the oil pan and oil pan nut 2.Make sure oil pan is located underneath oil pan 3.Loosen oil nut and loosen 4.Make sure all oil is out of the oil pan 5.Put nut back on and tighten 6.Locate oil filter and loosen

Oil Change 7. Put oil on new filter with fingers and replace old filter 8. Add the right amount of oil back into engine (5-7 quarts) 9. Check oil for right amount

Transmission Fluid Transmission is the automotive assembly of gears that power is transmitted from the engine to the drive shaft Transmission is usually redish in color, maybe green as well Changed a lot fewer time than oil, consult your drivers manuel

Check Transmission fluid 1. Leave engine running 2.Locate transmission dipstick 3.Pull out dipstick and clean with cloth 4.Reinsert dipstick all the way in 5.Pull out dipstick, examine for the following: -Fluid Level -Particles in the fluid -Reddish Color -Smell (does it smell burnt)

Brake Fluid Brake fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid used to transfer force into pressure Can be checked on the outside of the container Low brake fluid usual means a leak in the brake line or worn brake surfaces If low, have your car check to figure out why

Power Steering Fluid Also a hydraulic fluid, allows for smooth and easy steering Can be read through the side walls of the reservoir May have a hot fill line and a cold fill line

Radiator Coolant/Antifreeze Antifreeze is a mixture that has a lower freezing point and higher boiling point than water Most of the time it is a 50/50 antifreeze to water ratio Can be check looking at the markings on the side of the reservoir found beside the radiator If low, (make sure radiator is cool) remove radiator cap and fill antifreeze

Checking Tire Pressure Check tires PSI with the air pressure gage, tires should have the correct PSI on the side of the tire or in car’s owners manual for proper pressure Inaccurate pressure can cause –Poor mileage –Uneven tire wear –Tire blow out

Tire Treads Thread holds your vehicle on the road and allows for mud, water, snow to go some place To check for tire wear and uneven wear, use a penny or quarter -Penny-Lincoln head showing indicates 2/32 of tire thread left -Quarter-Washington head showing indicates 4/32 of tire thread left

ClueCulpritRemedy Both edges wornUnderinflationAdd more air; check for leaks Center treads wornOverinflationLet air out to manufacturer's specifications One-sided wearPoor alignmentHave wheels aligned Treads worn unevenly, with bald spots, cups, or scallops Wheel imbalance and/or poor alignment Have wheels balanced and aligned Erratically spaced bald spotsWheel imbalance or worn shocks Have wheels balanced or replace shocks Edges of front tires only wornTaking curves too fast Slow down! Saw-toothed wear patternPoor alignmentHave wheels aligned Whining, thumping, and other weird noises Poor alignment, worn tires or shocks Have wheels aligned or buy new tires or shocks Squealing on curvesPoor alignment or underinflation Check wear on treads and act accordingly The Clues to the problem of Tire Thread Wear

Tire Tightening and Torque 1.Jack up vehicle on a flat surface and remove tire 2.Place new tire on studs, hand tighten nuts 3.Lower jack to create with ground, tighten to ½ desired torque 4.Lower completely and tighten desire torque (Over tightening cause tire warp)

Tire Tightening Pattern

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