Category: Automobile

Every car engine needs to be fully maintained in order to last long and achieve its optimum performance. An engine is an indispensable part of a car and if anything happens to it, this can lead to some serious issues with your car. So if you are a car owner, here the top 3 engine maintenance tips you must follow.

Monitor Your Coolant

The coolant of your engine is an essential part and needs to be always maintained.  An engine coolant is a water-based part of your car that absorbs the heat from the engine so it doesn’t overheat. Can you imagine your car suddenly coming to a stop and see its engine smoking? Well, that is probably because the coolant is broken or not maintained well. Overtime the coolant can also get acidic and can rot out other parts. Make sure to keep it in check from time to time. Test the acidity levels so you will know where you stand.

Keep your engine clean

Keep your engine clean to keep it going. Dirt can grime easily on your engine which is the number one reason for rust to accumulate. Just because your engine is barely seen outside doesn’t mean that there is no need to keep it clean. Focus on the three most important areas such as the fuel, oil and air. Change oil when necessary and make sure you check with your manufacturer for its proper maintenance.

Change fuel filters

Change the fuel filters on a routine maintenance schedule. Normally, you need to replace it everytime you hit 10 to 15 thousand miles. Some new diesel engines have two fuel filters – primary and secondary. Make sure you check with it so you know how to change fuel filters. Always inspect the air filter and replace them when necessary. Also change oil when necessary. You can change oil every time you hit 5 thousand miles or so. Some engines need to be checked on a shorter interval depending on how their engines are used.

…

Chances are we’ll find ourselves in this intense situation at one point or another – being stuck on the roadside with a flat or punctured tire. Well, there is no need to panic for so long; just follow these steps and be ready to get your hands dirty:

Step 1

Remove the hubcap, although most will pop off if given a good heave and some might be stuck because of all the road grime and dust.

Step 2

Loosen the lug nuts with a wrench, by turning it anti-clockwise.

Step 3

Carefully position the jack under the side of the vehicle and close to the tire you want to change. Ensure the jack isn’t under the side skirts; the top of the jack should be placed under the car’s rail so it can bear the weight.

Step 4

Wind up the jack, until you notice the weight of the car is off the tire, and the rubber is off the ground.  Though this requires patience as it can take some time

Step 5

Completely remove the nuts and take the wheel off. This is easier to do when standing instead of kneeling or squatting by the side of the tire. Put the tire directly beneath the side of the car as a contingency safety measure if the jack fails.

Step 6

Put the spare tire in its position. It’s technically advisable to change two tires. Ideally, space savers should be fixed to the rear of front-wheel-drive cars and to the front of rear wheel-drives. If the front tire of a front-wheel drive car blows, it’s advisable to remove the rear tire, fit it to the front, and then fit the space-saver to the rear.

Step 7

Put the lug nuts back on and tighten with a wrench until they are just tight.

Step 8

Wind down the jack and remove it from under the car; then fully tighten the lug nuts with the wrench by applying more pressure in a clockwise direction.

Now that you are done, pack the tools and put the damaged tire in your car and take to a repair shop.

…

You should know that faults with engines are one of the most common and costly problems a vehicle can have. For most people, discovering that their car’s engine has been damaged or broken is a lot to handle especially if it could have been prevented by regular maintenance.

1. Understand that Regular Oil Changes Can Make All the Difference

Changing your oil regularly is an important routine when it comes to keeping the car up and running properly. The engine oil helps keep the parts of the engine well lubricated so they can work properly and to avoid overheating.

Over a period of time, engine oil can carbonize and form black sludge or carbon deposits inside the engine. The black sludge can continue to build up, on metal particles and valves, other types of contaminants can also lead to wear and tear. Low oil levels may permanently damage the engine if not checked.

2. Check the Cooling System

As the name implies-“cooling system”, its function is to prevent the engine from overheating. It’s not impossible for the coolant level to drop drastically or for leaks to occur, when this happens, you’ll notice the car engine heats up above normal, and this could permanently damage the engine and the car in general.

Hence, there is a need to check your engine cooling system regularly. In addition, make sure you don’t check the coolant levels while the engine is hot. Otherwise, you may get splashed by hot coolant or even damage the engine block by adding cold coolant.

3. Change Air Filters when Necessary

For an engine to function properly, it needs clean air. What the filters do is to make sure the air that gets into the engine is clean and debris-free. Now, imagine when the air filter gets very dirty or clogged, it won’t give enough air access into the engine, and impure air will even enter the engine. You should change the air filter after every 4,828km.

With the help of these regular maintenance tips, we are sure you’ll be able to maintain your engine running smoothly properly.

…

You are probably having issues with your car battery, and you think you need to get a new one. These are the things to keep in mind before buying a new one:

1.    If properly taken care of, your car battery is supposed to last for a minimum of five years. If you live in an area with hot climatic condition, you may encounter a battery fault in about three years.

2.    Some of the major causes of a car battery developing faults prematurely include prolonged overcharging/undercharging, abuse as well as excessive vibration.

3.    Even when a vehicle is parked, its systems are creating a tiny but constant drain on the car battery.

4.    Before you make an attempt to replace your car battery yourself, you should ensure the owner’s manual is properly consulted. You should set aside at least 30 minutes to finish the job.

5.    It is very important you purchase the right battery replacement. So as to avoid guesswork, take the old battery with you to the battery purchase store.

6.    When you purchase a new car battery, make sure it is fully charged before it is installed, otherwise, you risk overloading and damaging the battery’s charging system; which is not designed to recharge a dead battery.

7.    It is important to follow the right order of disabling the cables of the dead car battery; the negative cable should always be disabled first.

8.    If you are trying to remove the dead car battery, carefully remove the clamping device or the battery hold-down.

9.    There is an electrolyte solution in car batteries, and this is an extremely corrosive and strong acid. So, you should prevent the solution from leaking by keeping the battery in an upright position.10. After the new battery has been placed in the battery tray, you want to make secure it is secured with the clamping device. This helps to minimize the vibration- a major factor that contributes to premature battery fault. You should also check the battery cables for corrosion, and, if possible, clean the cables. Prevent further corrosion by applying petroleum jelly or grease.

Don’t forget, if your battery dies and leaves you stranded on the side fo the road, you can always call us at Chandler Towing and Recovery (or contact us at ChandlerTowingServices.com) and we’ll get you off the road as quickly as possible. …

Your vehicle’s brake system is way more than just the pedal. You should know other various connected pieces work together in the brake system. Depending on the type of vehicle, if one of the small pieces develop a fault, this could stop your brake from working properly, or not even work at all.

Here are some of the major brake repairs to give your vehicle:

1. Shoe Replacement

This is one of the most basic brake repairs done on vehicles. Usually, it is recommended to have a brake pad replacement after every 20,000 miles. Although, some pads can still work properly for up to 50,000 miles while some pads wear out around 10,000 miles. If your brakes are screeching or sticking, that means it’s due for a checkup, and you need to go to a brake repair shop.

2. Replacing the Brake Lines

This is more of an emergency-style situation when it comes to car brake repairs. These lines usually convey the fluid from your master cylinder throughout the entire brake system. The fluid keeps everything well lubricated and in good working condition. So, it is important to keep it clean. Dirt in the brake lines can lead to problems for other parts of the brake system, and this must be avoided. It is sometimes possible to patch a line instead of replacing it. If there are bigger holes, then you may need to get new lines. One of the signs of a faulted line is when it becomes difficult to stop the car.

3. Master Cylinders

Master cylinders hardly ever need to be replaced. What this component does is to regulate the pressure of the fluid conveyed by the brake lines. It is comprised of many pistons and valves as well as a reservoir for brake fluid. Cars are usually built with a caster cylinder that would last throughout the lifetime of that car. Nevertheless, there is a tendency that things may go wrong at any time. Dirt can get into the clean system and wreak havoc on every single piston and valve. If this happens, it is advisable you replace the whole thing instead of trying to find out the specific part that has a fault.
…

There are some important things that you should know about auto repair, before you can consider hiring an auto repair company for repairing your vehicle. Or, before you start doing the repairs yourself. The more information you are going to get, the more you will know about repairs. These are the top essential things that you should know about auto repair:

The importance of doing regular auto maintenance

Not many people know the importance of doing regular auto maintenance on their vehicles. They are only considering doing repairs when the car breaks down. And not ever consider auto repair if there isn’t a serious problem.

The one thing that you need to know is that you should make sure that you are doing regular maintenance and that you know when you should consider a repair. The more maintenance you are going to do, the cheaper repairs are going to be, when the vehicle breaks down.

Knowing how to do the minor repairs yourself

There are a couple of auto repair courses that you can consider, to make sure that you are able to repair all the minor repairs on your vehicle. There are people that don’t even know how to change a flat tire or how to replace the plugs on the vehicle. They need to pay someone every time they need to have some minor repair done.

There are some minor repairs that you can do yourself, if you have the knowledge to do it correctly. If not familiar with the repair, you should consider going to a professional.

Learning about the basics of car maintenance so that you can spot a large repair needed

If you are going to learn about the basics of car maintenance, you will be able to see early on if there is a part on the vehicle that might be breaking down. And, this will ensure that you are getting it repaired in time, without causing more damage to the car.

If you don’t have any maintenance experience, you will not have the knowledge to see when something is breaking in your vehicle that needs immediate repairs.

The importance of making use of high quality parts

The one essential thing that you need to know is that it doesn’t matter if you or a professional are going to do the auto repair, the parts should be a high quality part. This is so that you can make sure that your vehicle is going to be repaired for a long time, and that you don’t need to worry about the part breaking again.

There is so much information that you need to know, when it comes to doing auto repairs to your vehicle. It is always the best to let a professional work on your vehicle and that you are only using genuine and high quality parts in your vehicle. You should also have the right knowledge so that you can see when a part is starting to wear off and when repairing is essential to get done. Then, you will always have a vehicle that is going to last you a long time.

…