Spring Maintenance what top things does your car need ?

When it comes to car maintenace thare are many factors to concider. One important aspect is based on season or long term wheather change. If you live in a state where the outside temperature stays closed to the same year round, kudos... let me know where that is, lol. This is more for the rest of us that live in changing climates where it gets both cold and hot at different times of the year. The Most important thing to keep maintained on the car are the Tires. Your cars tires are the only thing between you and the ground so to speak. What does that have yto do with the temperature change? Well, your tires are to be inflated to a certain psi and when the outside temperature changes so does the tires psi. So each season change it is nessesary to reset your tire pressure. This is also why that pesky tire pressure light comes on every spring and every winter. The Tire Pressure Sensors are designed to turn on the indicator light on your cars dash anytime it sees a 3 psi differnce. Yup 3 psi. So to avoid the tire pressure light and the premature wear on the tires and not to mention the safety aspect, make sure you take the time to check your tire pressures often.

What Happens if I don't change my oil?

I read this post on Yahoo.com today and was quite surprised.

Change Your Oil Every 3,000 Miles


The little sticker placed on the car windshield reminds you to change a car's oil every 3,000 miles -- regardless of make, model or scenario.


But many experts now say the 3,000-mile oil change is dead. Why? New car engines and oil quality have advanced to the point where cars can go 5,000 to 10,000 miles without a change.


"Generally speaking, vehicles don't need to be changed every 3,000 miles anymore," says Tara Baukus Mello, author of Bankrate.com's Driving for Dollars column. "It's somewhere between 5,000 to 10,000, unless they have an engine oil sensor, and then it could be anywhere."


However, don't automatically assume you can push oil changes beyond 3,000 miles.


"It's important to consult your owner's manual for the frequency, the number of miles, the length of time between changes and the type of oil -- and to follow whatever those instructions are," Mello says.

Being a Shop Owner, a Shop Technician for over 20 years and previous Street and Track Racer, I have not only pushed engines to there limits but maintained fleets of vehicles for long periods of time including Police Vehicles that rarely get turned off.   Here is the skinny on oil changes.

1. If you are planning on getting rid of the car in under 50,000 miles, you could get away with not ever changing the oil.
2. If you plan on tossing their car at 100,000 miles or less, you can get away with changing your oil every 10,000 miles.
3. If you would like your engine to last up to 500,000 miles change your oil every 3,000 miles.

Here's the thing, there are differences in everyones driving habits. For example, the police vehicles are sold at auction at 120,000 miles or less so The oil only gets changed every 5,000 miles. The average car owner likes to keep there car to close to 200,000 miles these days and changing the oil more frequently helps to ensure the ability to do just that.

The easiest way to be able to tell when your oil should be replaced is when you can visually see the oil changing to a darker color as this is the first signs of the viscosity (thickness)breaking down. This means the oil is no longer doing its job.

So what exactly am I getting at? You may save a few dollars on oil changes but if you are needing your vehicle to last as long as it can you are just short changing yourself in the long run. An engine can cost Thousands. 

What Happens if I don't change my oil?  Nothing at first and then over time, the engine will start to wear prematurely and start burning oil (oil level decreases). You won't notice the vehicle smoking out the exhaust for a while but once you do, its too late. The damage is already done. You will be buying 2 to 3 quarts of oil between oil changes just to keep the engine full of oil. The engine will pass oil through the exhaust causing damage to the O2Sensors and catalytic converter causing the check engine light to come on and the fuel management system to work improperly giving worse fuel miles and Costing you more money. Then over time you notice a slight rattle or knock noise on start up that eventually happens anytime the engine is running and now you are looking at buying a new engine of replacing the vehicle. In the meantime your neighbor who had his oil changed regularly at 3,000 miles is having none of these problems and you are sitting there thinking you bought a lemon and the whole time it was just a lack of maintenance on your part.

........ Change your Oil, it isn't that expensive. $20,000 car vs. $20.00 oil change..... do the math.

Online Car Repair & Maintenance

Just how important is car repair and Maintenance? Do we really need to spend money on our cars? Can't we just put gas in it and drive it forever? The answer to these questions can best be answered with another question. How long do you want to be able to drive your car?

Without proper maintenance your cars life may be short lived. Sure, if you are just going to trade it back in at the end of your 36,000 mile warranty you can just put gas in it and drive it. But with today's economy there isn't to many people buying new cars. So I guess we are going to need to be able to rely on that car for a good while yet and that's where proper car repairs and maintenance can help insure reliability for a long time.

The basics are simple: change the oil regularly, rotate your tires, check your fluids and filters. How often should you do this? Mary says her dad told her that he heard from a friend that you only need to change your oil every 7,000 miles. Well, Lets refer to the above question, How long do you want to be able to drive your car? You can change the oil every 7,000 miles but the engine probably won't last much longer than 120,000 miles before the sludge costs you an engine ($5000.00). You should change your oil every 3,000 miles to insure proper engine lubrication and not worry about the engine for up to 500,000 miles. But, Mary said he owners manual said she could wait longer....  That may be true, but lets think for a minute. The owners manual comes from the manufacturer who is only going to warranty the engine for a short period of time. After that your on your own and the manufacturer only makes money if you have to buy another car..... I think you get the idea. When you have your oil change is perfect time to rotate the tires and check your fluids. Car Maintenance can and will save you money in the long run and help your car deliver many years of reliable driving.

how do you replace the cabin airfilter

how do you replace the cabin air filter on an 2006 Mazda tribute v6 4x4? Year: 2006 Make: Mazda Model: tribute Engine: v6 4x4 Answer: The cabin air filter is located under the hood, on the right side. Just remove the access panel to get to the filter.

How much should I expect to pay to replace the fuel pump

Question:

How much should I expect to pay to replace the fuel pump on my 2004 suburban Z71 ?

Answer:

Use $100/hr labor rate which is what most dealerships are getting. If you can find the parts cheaper or you go to an independant, obviously you will save money. I can only go on what I have in front of me. The labor to replace the pump without any diagnostic charge would be: 3.2 hours without the tank shield, 3.3 hours w/ the shield. The part number I show for the pump is 88966963 for the flex fuel version at $402.58. So you're looking at $722 or $733 plus tax. Shop around and I'm sure you can find the pump cheaper.

The dealership accidentally flushed my 2006 Escape Hybrid transmission

Question:

The dealership accidentally flushed my 2006 Escape Hybrid transmission. I''m not sure they used the correct Mercon. What do you suggest I do to determine if they did for sure.

Already Tried: Dealer lied about service at first, don't trust them. I'm concerned the service they performed will cause long term damage to the CVTas it is not supposed to be serviced. Not sure they used right Mercon

Answer:

The correct Mercon, Mercon V is red, so you can check the fluid color. Mercon CVT is blue. Also check the repair order, it should list type of fluid used-Mercon V or Mercon CVT.

Things to do to Keep Your Car in Top Running Condition

Top 10 Most Important Things to do to Keep Your Car in Top Running Condition :

1. Battery - fully charged and no corrosion 2. Fluid Levels - oil, coolant, brake, power steering, washer fluid 3. Tires - Tread depth, wear pattern, inflation 4. Brakes - pad life, rotors, noise 5. Fuel - filters, injectors, proper octane 6. Belts and Hoses - soft, worn, cracked, rotten 7. Spark Plugs - engine tune up, how often 8. Alternator - checking and testing 9. Lubrication - Grease fitting, wheel bearings, ball joints 10. Maintenance - intervals and schedules

Top 5 Automotive Related Myths:

1. Vegetable Oil vs. Diesel Fuel 2. High Octane Fuel Is Better 3. Tire Pressure Affects Your Fuel Mileage 4. Arrow Dynamics 5. Hybrid - Cost Effective

Gas Prices - Should I worry?

Gas prices are moving upward and prices of goods along with it. Should we be worried and panic. No, not really! There are some simple things you can do to help lower your costs for fuel but ultimately the price of just about everything is destine to go up no matter what you do. What one needs to do depends on the ability to pay but this simple tips will help you save money at the pump aside from the obvious.... don't drive as much as you used to.

1. If you drive a 1996 or newer vehicle, use the lowest octane fuel. These vehicles have an on-board computer with sensors that will allow the use of low octane fuel without causing damage to the engine.
2. Make sure to replace the engine air filter and fuel filter to help optimize fuel efficiency.
3. If the "Check Engine Light" is illuminated, Get the repairs done to make it go out. It may seem to run fine, but at a cost of loosing miles per gallon it may be costing you as much as $10.00 a day depending on how far you drive.
4. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated - Underinflated tires require more energy to roll, which translates into more frequent fill-ups. You can improve your fuel economy by about 3.3 percent if you keep your tires inflated properly, according to the DOE.
5. Drive Sensibly - Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.

Where are the spark plugs on a 1998 Kia Sportage?

Question:

I have a 1998 Kia Sportage and would like to change the spark plugs myself. Can you tell me where the spark plugs are?

Answer:

If you open your hood and look at your valve cover you will see your spark plug wires. Remove the spark plug wires and the spark plugs are down in the center of the valve cover, in the head, inside tubes. Use a 5/8" spark plug socket to remove them. Do this with the engine cool to avoid causing damage to the threads.

Asbestos Brake Pads

In years past automotive brake pads were made with Asbestos. This material, Asbestos, worked very well. The Asbestos material made little no no noise at all and had no wear affect on the brake rotors. Brake pads made today are not made with Asbestos. The EPA or Governmental regulations no longer allow it. "Asbestos is made up of microscopic bundles of fibers that may become airborne when asbestos- containing materials are damaged or disturbed." ( source: http://www.epa.gov/asbestos/ ) EPA maintains a listing of the laws and regulations applicable to asbestos. There are still some brake pads out there that contain Asbestos but it is a smaller amount as compared to the pads of the past.

Brake pads made today are not as giving as the Asbestos brake pads were. The pads of today cause noise when used on old style rotors and so the rotor manufacturers make the rotors out of a different material. This reduces noise, but at a cost. The rotors also wear along with the pads. This means you are looking at replacing the rotors virtually every time you do a brake job as the rotors generally are worn past safety specifications provided by the manufacturer.

For the latest OSHA rules on asbestos dust Click Here. For EPA guidelines on how to minimize your exposure to brake dust, Click Here.

I have a street rod and now it won't idle

Question: I have a street rod with a General Motors 350 engine, just replaced the (Accel) coil, coil cap, mag pick-up and control module. I have reset the air spacing. and now it won't idle. I think I should now recheck the timing but don't no what that would be. The engine is stock except for the cam and i have no idea what the duration etc. would be. where do I start. Answer: Start at 4 degrees BTDC. this is stock, then add 2 degrees(advanced) and test drive, keep adding 2 degrees until you hear it ping and back it off 2 degrees. this is the optimal timing for performance. back it off 4 to 6 degrees from engine ping for more drivable/easy to start conditions. If you have Nitrous Oxide, then remove 2 degrees for every 50 hp of Nitrous.

Where are the dash lights in my 1992 GMC truck

Question: Where are the dash lights in my 1992 GMC 1500 Sierra 350 so i can fix them they went out ? Answer: Make sure your gauges fuse is good.(fuse # 4, 10 amp). The bulbs are located behind/inside the dash cluster and require removal to replace them. I have added the procedure below for reference. 1992-94 C/K Models Disconnect the negative battery cable. Remove the instrument panel cluster bezel. Unplug the electrical connections for the headlamp switch and the dimmer control. Remove the radio control head. Remove the heater control panel. On air conditioned vehicles, disengage the A/C harness. Remove the cluster retaining screws. Disconnect the gear shift indicator cable from the steering column shift bowl. Carefully pull the cluster towards you until you can reach the electrical connector. Unplug the connector. Avoid touching the connector pins. If replacing the bulbs, turn the bulb assembly 1⁄2 turn to the left to remove. To install: Install the bulb assembly. Carefully position the cluster until you can reach the electrical connector. Plug in the connector. Avoid touching the connector pins. Install the cluster retaining screws. Connect the gear shift indicator cable. Install the heater control panel and A/C harness (if removed). Install the radio control head and any attach any electrical connections that were removed. Install the bezel. Connect the negative battery cable.

Where can I find a complete wiring diagram ?

Question: Where can I find a complete wiring diagram on the starting system of a 2001 Ford Focus LX? I just replaced the battery cable harness and now the car will not turn over or crank. I have power to lights, radio etc, But my brake lights do not work. I have no power to fuse 54. that''s as far as I can get will the Haynes manual. I've used the Haynes manual to troubleshoot but I have limited wiring diagrams in the manual. Please help! Answer: You can purchase a complete wiring diagram that comes with all the information you could ever want , same as the professionals and dealers use and it can be accessed online right now for just $9.99 http://tinyurl.com/2lg87f

How do you replace the heater core in a 2001 S-10

Question: How do you replace the heater core in a 2001 S-10 (with A/C, if that makes a difference) ? Answer:

Drain Coolant, Remove kick panel and center lower trim plate by pulling outward. Remove outer floor air duct. Remove the heater/vent module. Remove the heater core access cover screws. Remove the heater core access cover. Remove the heater core from the heater/vent module

To Install: Install the heater core to the heater/vent module. Install the heater core access cover and screws to the heater/vent module. Install the heater/vent module assembly to the vehicle.

Induction Service

In just the past few months I have been presented with a number of estimates given to my customers from dealerships that have performed warranty or recall work. On each estimate the dealer claims that the vehicle is in need of "Induction System Service". I have been asked by several people what this service is and if they really need to have it done. INDUCTION SYSTEM SERVICE: The Induction Service consists of removing the throttle body and cleaning the inside or throat of the throttle body. This allows a smoother flow of the required amount of air. DO I NEED IT: The Service can help aid in the correct idle if you are having this issue or looking to prevent it. In most cases if your car is running fine, you are not required to have this service done. It is however, a good preventative measure.

Know How to Read Your Tires

When shopping for tires, it's important to know the meaning of all those mysterious embossed letters on the sidewall of the tires. It's not as complicated as you may think. Here's how to decipher them. 1) The first letter in the series is the tire's class designation -- for example, "P" for passenger, "LT" for light truck or "T" for temporary. 2) That letter is followed by the tread width. In this case, "235" means this tire's tread is 235 millimeters in width. So larger tread-width numbers mean wider tires (figure A). Read the rest of this article.

Automotive Repair Maintenance - Important ?

When a car problem occurs, the first step is to trouble shoot the related system. Then, perform simple tests that can lead you to the cause of the malfunction and the repairs needed to correct the problem. This is all well and good, but what about some Maintenance ahead of time to keep this form happening in the first place. Unfortunately for the consumer the manufacturers try to mislead you into thinking all you need is a simple oil change every now and again and it will run like new for 100,000 miles. That is just not true. If you read the fine print on the warranty you will see that bumper to bumper is just a phrase. It does not cover any wearable parts such as brake pads, light bulbs, air filters, fuel filters, tires, etc. You know the maintenance items that should be taken care of. Here is a list of the Top Ten most important maintenance items not including oil changes:

1. Battery - number one cause of a "no start" situation
2. Light Bulbs - Safety; it is important for others to see you
3. Air Filter - Allows the engine to breath and has a direct affect on fuel mileage*
4. Fuel Filter - Removes impurities from the fuel to keep injectors from clogging up
5. Transmission Filter - Should be replaced every 30,000 miles
6. Brakes - Safety; nice to be able to stop when you need to
7. Tires - Direct affect on stopping, steering and fuel mileage*
8. Timing Belt - If it breaks, you might be looking a buying a new engine
9. Coolant - Make sure it is full at every service and changed every two years
10. Wiper Blades - Usually over looked until it is raining

Rear Brakes - Ford Tarus

Question:

I have a Ford Taurs 1993 3.0 v6, How do I replace the rear brake pads?? The center piston will not press in.

Answer:

You need a special tool to turn the pistons inward .

REMOVAL & INSTALLATION 1) Remove the master cylinder cap and check the fluid level in the reservoir. Remove brake fluid as necessary until the reservoir is half full. Discard the removed fluid.

2) Raise and safely support the vehicle. 3) Remove the wheel and tire assembly. 4) Remove the screw retaining the brake hose bracket to the shock absorber bracket. Remove the retaining clip from the parking brake cable at the caliper. Remove the cable end from the parking brake lever. 5) Hold the slider pin hex-head with an open-end wrench. Remove the upper rear brake pin retainer/pinch bolt. Rotate the caliper away from the rotor.

6) Remove the inner and outer brake pads from the rear disc support bracket/anchor plate.

To install: 1)Using Rear Caliper Piston Adjuster T87P-2588-A or equivalent, rotate the piston and adjuster clockwise until it is fully seated. Make sure one of the two slots in the piston face is positioned so it will engage the nib on the brake pad.

2) Install the inner and outer brake pads in the anchor plate/support bracket. Rotate the caliper assembly over the rotor into position on the anchor plate/support bracket. Make sure the brake pads are installed correctly. 3) Remove the residue from the rear brake pin retainers/pinch bolt threads, then apply one drop of Threadlock and Sealer E0AZ-19554-AA or equivalent to the threads. Install and tighten the retainers to 23-26 ft. lbs. (31-35 Nm) while holding the slider pins with an open-end wrench. 4) Attach the cable end to the parking brake lever. Install the cable retaining clip on the caliper assembly. Position the flexible brake hose and bracket assembly to the shock absorber bracket, then install the retaining screw. Tighten the screw to 8-11 ft. lbs. (11-16 Nm). 5) Install the wheel and tire assembly, then carefully lower the vehicle. Pump the brake pedal prior to moving the vehicle to position the brake linings. Refill the master cylinder.

Repair Manuals

We have found that book manuals are a thing of the past, the best way to obtain current repair information is to get your manual online. Online manuals are updated regularly. Online Auto Repair Manuals On Sale for $16.99 . Get the same information the dealers use that include TSB's, Belt routing, repair procedures, color wiring diagrams and more. These online manuals have component locations and step by step diagnostic charts and the information provided to you is the same as what the dealerships use !!!

Changing Spark Plugs in a Ford F-150

Question : Whats the easiest way to change the plugs on a 2003 lightning? Optional Information: 2003 Ford lightning 5.4 SC Answer: Remove or disconnect the following: The Coil On Plug (COP) electrical connectors The eight fuel injector electrical connectors The bolts (7mm) The ignition coils Use a 5/8 spark plug socket and remove spark plugs

To Install: Install or connect the following: The ignition coils The bolts Torque to: 62 inch-lbs (7 Nm) The eight fuel injector electrical connectors The Coil On Plug (COP) electrical connectors NOTE: Apply brake caliper grease to the inside of the coil boots.