• Lubricates and cools engine.
• Oil is in a severe environment inside the engine, and is subject to breakdown of lubricating qualities from various factors.
• Oil can be lost through leaks, and burning.
• As the oil level drops, the rate the oil degrades can increase, and engine wear can increase.
• If oil becomes too low, the engine can over heat or even seize up.

Checking Engine Oil Level:

• A dipstick is used to check engine oil. A couple of styles are on the right.
• Goes into tube on side of engine. (not to be confused with transmission – which also has a dipstick)
• Oil is a brown or dark honey color.

To Check Oil:

• Engine should be off.
• Car on level surface.
• Pull out dipstick, wipe with rag or paper towel.
• Replace dipstick in tube.
• Slowly pull out, look for oil level on stick.
• For most cars, if the oil level is down to the add line, it is one quart low.
• If you have just shut off your car, you may want to allow a few minutes for the oil to drain back into the pan to obtain the most accurate measurement.
• Add oil as specified in your owners manual, or look for a tag under the hood of your car as to type of oil to use.
• Motor oil is rated by a thickness rating (viscosity) over a specified temperature range. Most cars will call out oil with ratings such as 10W-30. There should be an place to add oil on the top of the engine.

When to change oil:

Opinions vary widely, note the manuals in cars often list several sets of conditions.
For example, a manual may say change every 7,500 miles under normal conditions, and every 3,000 miles under any of the following conditions:

• Stop and go driving.
• Frequent short trips.
• Severe weather, or in dusty climates.
• When pulling a trailer.

Many auto technicians suggest a 3,000 mile interval.
Some manufacturers recommend every 3 or 4 months if you haven’t already changed because of mileage.
Changing more often than the minimum required will not hurt, and may extend engine life.
As oil breaks down during normal driving, engine wear increases
Allows for increased rate of oil contamination and consumption.
As wear engine increases, performance and mileage drop.
The oil and oil filter are normally changed at the same time.
Check your oil level after it is changed, even by a shop.
Many auto manufacturers do not recommend the use of oil additives.
Synthetic oils are more expensive, but offer several advantages including easier starting in very cold weather.

Brake repair can cost anywhere between $100 to $1,000. Although some repairs are inevitable, there are a few things the vehicle owner can do to service their brakes and prevent major damage later on. By keeping adequate levels of brake fluid and paying close attention to the brakes, you can help ease the shock of some brake repair bills.

Brake fluid is a hydraulic liquid that transfers power from the pedal to the brakes. If the brake pedal depresses all the way down to the floor, or if it takes longer to bounce back after depressing the pedal, there may be a leak in the master cylinder. The reservoir for the brake fluid is located under the hood of the car. It is translucent with a line to indicate a full level. If the liquid falls below this line, it should be refilled, and the system should be checked for any leaks. If the system is noticeably leaky, it is best to not drive the car until it has been serviced by an auto technician, who handles this type of brake repair.

However, if the problem persists without a noticeable leak, it should be taken to a technician anyway to ensure safe operation of the vehicle. The cap covering the reservoir will indicate which grade of brake fluid the car uses; this is also listed in the owners manual. There should be some precaution with this task because adding too much fluid can force air into the system and cause more damage. A mechanic can bleed the system to add fresh fluids.

Leaks elsewhere in the braking system can cause a hard pedal that does not depress with the normal force. This is usually caused by a leak in the vacuum hose to the brake booster. This can be diagnosed by pumping the brakes with the engine turned off to release any vacuum that is still in the system. With the foot depressed on the brake, start the engine. If the pedal still requires more force, then there is a leak in the hose that should be replaced.

Other problems with the brake pedal include a sticking pedal, which is usually caused by a build up of brake fluid or grease on the brake pads. Sometimes the culprit is a bad drum or rotor that needs to be resurfaced. If this is the case, there may be some chatter along with a sticking pedal when the brakes are applied. Applying a de-greaser to clean the rotors and replacing the pads should fix the problem. However, further investigation is necessary to find the cause of the contamination, such as a a leaky caliper or hose.

The brakes are the single most important safety system in a vehicle. To avoid unsafe driving conditions and expensive repairs, it is important to pay close attention to how the brakes behave. The brake pedal is one of the first indicators of an issue, so pay attention to how it behaves to diagnose any potential issues. Hopefully, there will be no surprises when it is taken to a mechanic for brake repair, especially if the owner is aware of the potential issues and the costs involved.

For top quality brake repair in the greater western Washington state area, see Jimmy’s Auto Repair in Lacey, WA.

The regulation that requires a dashboard tire pressure monitor system in passenger cars, light trucks and vans appears to be working. This is one government directive that offers benefits to automotive consumers without significant increases to manufacturing costs. However the same cannot be said for independent tire dealers who will see operational cost increases from obtaining the automotive technology and training their employee’s on it.

Also to be considered is the time involved in accommodating tire replacement on vehicles that have the tire pressure monitor system or tire warning lights installed. Tire dealers will have to make an initial investment of about $1500 per location in equipment such as electronic scanning resetting tools and then another $200-$400 yearly for software upgrades and new equipment. Most importantly tire dealers and technicians will have to spend more shop time on tire replacement and even rotation of tires.

The tire pressure monitor system components are vulnerable to breakage if handled incorrectly or too hastily. For example a particularly breakage prone area is the air pressure sensor mounted on the inside base of the valve stem. The sensor is connected to a tiny radio transmitter powered by a long life lithium ion battery, which transmits information to dashboard readouts that signal tire under inflation. The system is designed to warn the driver, by buzzer or flashing light, when a tire has deflated to 25% less than recommended inflation pressure.

When it comes to handling an assembly with a valve stem mounted sensor, speed is the last thing on the list. The tire pressure sensor is very vulnerable. The process of mounting any tire on a wheel with a valve stem mounted sensor is slow and cautious or breakage of the sensor is a likely scenario. It should be the tire dealers responsibility to repair any damage caused by their technicians.

Tire pressure monitoring systems began appearing on passenger cars and light trucks in the 2005 model year. Following a congressional mandate requiring them on all vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds, by the 2008 model year. Most pickups, light duty vans, and SUVs fit into this weight category. This is why most automobile manufacturers installed tire pressure monitors systems well ahead of the September 7, 2007 deadline for compliance.

Major vehicle manufacturers and tire dealers reported no negative affects to equipping vehicles with tire pressure sensors. The national Highway traffic safety administration proposed the system after a 2001 Hwy study. The study tested 11,000 vehicles and found that 29% of the light trucks and cars had at least one tire under inflated by 25% or more.

Under inflation can cause loss of control, hydro planing on wet pavement, longer stopping distances and outright tire failure. Properly inflated tires produced better fuel economy and longer tire life, all vehicle tire manufacturers agree with this fact.

On the 2009 Silverado and Sierra pickups made by General Motors, the tire pressure warning light is in the driver information Center, located just beneath the speedometer. This system also provides the actual pounds per square inch reading for each tire. If a tire were to go below the safe pressure, a warning message would appear in the driver information center.

The tire pressure monitor system has many benefits identified by the manufacturers of these vehicles. The key benefits include improved handling as well as fuel efficiency and the ability of the vehicle to carry loads up to its recommended limits. Properly inflated tires wear more evenly across the tread contact area. They also provide greater traction and are better able to resist road hazards like nails.

Tire dealers agree that the tire pressure sensing system will help customers enjoy the performance that manufacturers design into their tires, which is severely compromised by under inflation. If tire pressure monitors systems lead to better pressure maintenance, tire performance will benefit.

Need information on how to reset tire warning lights on your car?

What is the drivers responsibility? Skeptics have questioned whether drivers will heed the tire pressure monitors system dashboard warning message. But the national Highway traffic and safety administration predicts 90% will comply with the warning message.

The convenience of being able to instantly read tire pressure on the dashboard instead of individually checking tire pressure with the old-fashioned tire pressure gauge is a huge benefit. By maintaining proper tire pressure, drivers also will enjoy extended tire life. Though the tire pressure monitor system cannot force drivers to comply. The bright tire pressure warning light will push them toward at least checking tire inflation levels.

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The throttle position sensor is another computer sensor that is often misdiagnosed. Popular replacement TPS sensors are available at the bottom of this page but please test your old one before replacing it.

What should you do if you find a TPS sensor code set in the computer’s memory. Both professional and DIY auto mechanics will often replace the component just because the code has set.

As I have learned in the school of hard knocks, just because a sensor has set a code does not mean that the part has failed. The sensor may be trying to tell you the truth and other related wiring problems could actually be causing the malfunction.

The TPS sensor is a potentiometer type of electrical component. Rather than just being opened or closed like a switch, the TPS controls the circuit by varying its resistance in response to throttle position.

In most cases, this sensor will send a very low voltage back to the vehicle’s main computer when the throttle plates are fully closed. This reference voltage increases as the throttle plates are opened. Some manufacturers use inverse voltage readings for feedback.

A bad part can cause many problems in the vehicle’s overall performance. Inaccurate data can cause transmission problems as well. Some of the conditions related to TPS sensor problems can be no up shifting, fast up shifts, late or delayed shifts, and line pressure problems that control internal solenoids and torque converter clutch engagement.

You can test a throttle position sensor with an automotive scan tool. This is probably the easiest and most cost-effective way to diagnose a TPS problem. Although the scan tool will have to be capable of displaying the data stream. Some of the cheaper scan tools only read and erase check engine light codes. The TPS value can be analyzed on the scan tool and the throttle slowly depressed looking for either increase or decrease in voltage. Any dead spots or opens in the potentiometers will show up as a momentary flash of 0 V on the scanners data stream.

You can also test this computer sensor with an automotive meter.

You’ll most likely need a wiring diagram to identify the output voltage wire that goes to the vehicle’s main computer. Back probing the lead will provide a voltage value, as you to press on the throttle Slowly. Again a dead spot in the throttle position sensor will show up as zero voltage as the dead spot is engaged.

Professional mechanics prefer testing this component with a Lab scope. The waveform can be displayed on the scope display in real time and the DC signal monitored as the throttle is opened and closed. The voltage output of a Tps sensor will typically range from .5 V to 4.5 V at wide-open throttle.

Change in voltage should be smooth with no dead spots or spikes. Looking for a glitch in the signal is easiest with a Lab scope. But can be performed with both the scan tool and a voltmeter as described above. In most cases, a replacement TPS sensors is considered an electrical component and is not returnable. If your vehicle has set a code for a throttle position sensor takes the time to perform some tests before replacing the nonrefundable electrical car part. When it comes to the fastest way to a repaired vehicle, following a diagnostic chart for the specific code set for your vehicle is highly recommended.

Factory service manuals provide the highest quality diagnostic repair diagrams. For more information about online repair diagrams see my video of inexpensive, downloadable factory auto repair manuals.

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A: You mentioned the brand of grease in your letter, which I removed, because it’s a perfectly good product, and the correct one for your application. Specifically, i t ‘ s an aluminum-complex grease, and this type of grease has excellent performance when there’s a chance of water contamination, like on your trailer.

A primer about grease: It’s basically nothing more than a heavy oil mixed with enough soap to make it stringy and clingy enough to remain in place as the bearing spins. This will ensure the bearing’s rollers or balls are constantly covered in the oil. The soap is based on a variety of compounds, notably lithium or aluminum complexes for most of the greases used in cars, trucks and boats.

Problem: Not all the soaps are compatible with each other. This causes the soap and the oil to separate, letting the latter settle to the bottom of the cavity the bearing is in. No surprise—a lot of grease caps have a poor metal-to-metal seal and will let the oil leak out after some weeks. Like yours did.

Your wheel bearings were probably originally lubed with a lithium-12-complex grease, a perfectly good grease for wheel-bearing use, even on a boat trailer if it’s maintained. Shooting some more grease into the bearing cap with a grease gun isn’t a bad idea. Shooting an incompatible grease in is.

This counterpoints the need to completely remove the last vestiges of old grease from a bearing whenever it’s repacked. Yes, you want to remove the dirt and wear particles, but odds are you won’t know what kind of grease the last mechanic used.

I’m not going to print a huge grease compatibility chart here, although that kind of information is available on the Internet. If you always clean the bearings properly before repacking, it will never be a problem.

Don’t have a nice parts-washing sink with recirculating solvent handy to your driveway? It’s still easy to clean the bearings properly. Remove the bearings, inner and outer, and any shims, lockwashers and clamp nuts. The bearing inner or outer races can stay pressed in place, however. Scrub the inside of the bearing cavity with paper towels until you’ve got as much grease out as possible, and wipe as much off the bearing itself. Dump the used paper towels. My favorite bearing cleaner for the field is a disposable aluminum pie tin, but any suitable vessel will do. One at a time, clean the parts in solvent, whether it’s turpentine, paint thinner, kerosene or even hot, soapy water in a pinch. Keep the bearings separate so they go back into the same wheel-don’t mix and match. Use a cheap disposable paintbrush to scrub all the old grease out. Let dry, then finish with a quick blast of carb or brake cleaner to get the last dust off. If you have compressed air, you can use it to dry the bearings as long as you don’t spin them into destruction. Pack the bearings by hand, and fill the cavity approximately halfway with grease.

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My expert opinion on auto service manuals and online auto repair help. As an ASE Certified Master Technician I can tell you that the most important tools I own is my Knowledge, experience and my old snap on box full of goodies.

But even though I have been turning wrenches for more then 26 years I cant possibly remember everything related to the fast efficient repair of every car on the planet.

I find myself reaching for the auto service manuals help on many occasions. Since I?m not a walking computer I find it necessary to consult the service manual for many things. For example torque specs and tightening patterns. Who could possibly remember the hundreds of different specs for thousands of different automobiles.
Sometimes I look at a job I have never done before, lets say Replacing the by pass hose on a jaguar. I start looking at the hose and I can?t get a clear shot at the spring clamps or even see the whole hose.

Okay, now stuff is going to have to come off. But what stuff, the alternator, maybe the power steering pump or maybe even the a/c compressor is the best route.

By doing this I am saving time but am also avoiding breaking things that do not have to be removed. We are all familiar with the scenario of sometimes the bolt comes loose and sometimes the head just snaps off.

Now we are spending hours removing the piece of the bolt, drilling and tapping the hole and maybe even a heala coil. But what if we never needed to remove that bolt in the first place.

I think you understand what I?m getting at. Knowing the proper procedure and specifications not only saves time but also saves money and prevents auto repair disasters.

I have been providing online auto repair help by fielding many car questions on this web site. And it can be frustrating that people would rather pay for hundreds of dollars in un-needed parts and waste weeks or months on guessing what is wrong.

Why not get the proper manual for $30 and be able to pinpoint the problem in a few hours or less and replace only the part that was needed. Let me give you an example. I had a younger guy e-mail me with a no start condition. My first advice to him was to get some online auto repair help from All-data, to properly diagnose the problem.

All-Data online auto service manuals has the best no start diagnostic charts in the business because they come straight from the factory auto service manuals.

These are for the most part easy to follow tree charts with pictures and included tech tips. He told me he could not afford it ($29.95) and he thought replacing the distributor would fix the problem. A new distributor was $600.00.

He bought it and this did not fix the problem. This expensive ignition part was also not returnable like most automotive electrical parts. Again I said cut your loses and get any kind of auto service manuals and diagnose the problem, don?t through parts at it.

Well He replaced the coil, cap, rotor, and wires. Still no start. Now he is a thousand dollars deep in un-needed parts. The guy who could not afford $29.95.

Finally he towed the car to the dealer and they fixed it for about $600.00 by replacing the fuel pump. By the way I did try to help him. I explained to him in a no start condition its either no fuel or no spark (or rarely no air) the young man stated he was getting plenty of fuel. But he was not.

So $1,800 later he was driving again. And to let you know step 1 on the All-Data diagnostic chart was an in-depth procedure with pictures and specifications for checking the fuel delivery side of the car.

Also All-data had a technical service bulletin on the fuel pump for this vehicle. The online auto repair help that is now available can save you time and money on every maintenance service and repair.

Plus auto repairs you thought you could never do yourself, can be fun to perform with the step-by-step instructions, clear pictures and tech tips sections available in the online manuals. All-data is not the only online auto repair program available but it is the easiest to use in my opinion and has the coverage is impressive (most makes and models from 1984-2009).
I use it almost every day at work and now its available to the general public for just $29.95 a year. The agency I work for pays thousands for the commercial use of the online auto service manuals.

Let me explain why All-data is different. The huge amount of information contained in these online auto repair help programs can make it very hard to find the information you?re looking for.

All-data is laid out very sensibly as like most auto service manuals. But they have put a search box at the bottom of every page. This makes finding what your looking for as easy as searching on the Internet.
An example: maybe your looking to replace your fuel filter. You type in fuel filter and click search, the online auto service manual responds with a list of possibilities.

Such as fuel filter prices, fuel filter labor time, fuel filter component location, fuel filter service procedure and so on.

Then you just click on the link you want and you are at the auto service manual section you where looking for. Now you can print it out and start the job.

This online repair manual can make working on your car fun again. The All-Data auto service manual program is like having the guy who built your car and knows every possible answer about it sitting on your desktop.

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It’s a thing of beauty: A brand-new car, shiny and crisp. It makes you want to spend the whole evening walking around it. Pretty soon, the neighbors wander over to congratulate you—and to render advice.

Break it in carefully, one says: “No more than 30 miles per hour until it has 1000 miles on the odo.”

“No,” another says. “Drive it like you stole it, if you want it to be fast.”

Others recommend synthetic oil, or nitrogen in the tires, or a mouse-milk oil additive, guaranteed to double fuel economy.

The ritual of breaking in a new car is part of the body of knowledge we refer to as conventional wisdom. It’s not necessarily wise, and the technology of building a modern automobile has evolved to the point where a lot of “wisdom” is obsolete. Few cars specify a break-in procedure anymore, simply cautioning you to avoid extreme acceleration or extended idling for the first thousand miles or so, and there’s little in the way of extra service up front. Some don’t even mandate an oil change until 6000 miles. We think your new ride deserves better. Here are a few tips.

Piston rings don’t rely on their spring tension to seal against the cylinder bores. Instead, combustion gases work their way between the rings and the piston and force the rings outward. During the first few minutes of engine operation, it’s important that the throttle be opened pretty far at lower rpms to provide this high pressure. Otherwise, the rings won’t burnish the cylinder walls properly, and the engine will have high volumes of blow-by—which means excessive oil consumption and shortened engine life. If you’ve ever seen the car jockeys who drive new cars off the end of the production line into the storage lot, or the transporter drivers zipping up and down the car-hauler ramps, you’ll realize that this all-important step has been performed for you many times.

If you’re installing a new engine, simply give it a few seconds of wide-open throttle in a high gear. For the first thousand miles, avoid constant speeds and throttle settings. If you commute in normal stop-and-go traffic, you’ll be fine. I advise against cruise-controlled sojourns across Nebraska. The admonition to keep engine revs low for an extended break-in period stems from the days when bearing and crankshaft manufacturing tolerances were far less rigorous and lubricating oil wasn’t nearly as good. While modern engines are assembled to much the same design clearances, the tolerances are much tighter, meaning the variability is smaller, greatly reducing the possibility of a tight spot. Redlining a fresh motor is generally a bad idea, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t drive normally. I would, however, avoid top-speed testing, drag racing or towing heavy trailers for the first 1000 miles. I customarily change the oil in a new engine after about 20 miles, and again at 1000 or so. That 20-mile oil, you would think, would look pretty much like fresh oil right out of the bottle. Wrong. It usually looks more like metal-flake paint, iridescent with tiny particles of metal worn off rubbing surfaces inside the new engines. After a few hours of operation, this completely normal phenomenon slows down as the rings, camshaft, lifters and bearings burnish their respective mating surfaces.

The engine break-in procedure also covers the gearbox and the clutch on manual-transmission cars. Most cars with automatic transmissions today are factory-filled with ATF and, supposedly, will never need changing. Some manufacturers are so confident of this that they don’t even have a dipstick or a fill hole. If the specified fluid is a more ­normal mineral oil, I’d change it and clean the pan after a thousand miles or so. The organic linings on the clutch packs shed a lot of debris, and it generally just turns into sludge that lies in the pan. You don’t want wear metals and sludge to get picked up by the pump and start circulating in the expensive bits.

New brake pads on new brake rotors don’t really require a break-in procedure. The texture deliberately left on the surface of the iron discs will grind down the fresh surface of the pad material within a few miles. Even so, refrain from high-speed stops or dragging the brakes for a few hundred miles. Racing pads, however, need to be heated up enough to fade and then carefully cooled off, which removes the top layer and provides better fade resistance. Avoid the impulse to slather the interior trim with shiny protectants, which can leach the plasticizers out of new vinyl and increase the likelihood of age-related cracks. On the other hand, a generous dousing of Scotchgard on the cloth upholstery and carpets will keep dirt, pollen and mildew from clinging. In years past, it was considered a good idea to not wax a fresh paint job for 90 days, to allow the paint to fully cure and any solvents to escape without being trapped under the wax.

Modern catalyzed clear-coat paint is as hard as it will ever be as soon as it cures, before the car ever leaves the plant. Applying 3M Paint Protection Film to the leading edge of the painted bodywork will go a long way toward minimizing stone-chip damage. Otherwise, a good coat of wax will repel water, atmospheric pollutants and dead bugs. Conventional wisdom says that a new engine should be broken in on conventional mineral oil, regardless of your intentions to use a synthetic for the long haul. The conventionally wise say that synthetic oil is too slippery and won’t let the microscopic high points properly lap themselves in, delaying the break-in process. I say rubbish. Many modern cars, notably such high-performance marques as Porsche, Ferrari and Corvette, are factory-filled with synthetics. You can bet that somebody has determined that the break-in process will proceed normally with synthetic in the sump of these ultra-high-performance engines. And that goes for your Toyota or Jeep as well.

Nonetheless, I do prefer to use a mineral oil for break-in. It’s $3 a quart versus $7, so I don’t mind changing it after 20 miles and again at 1000.

I would not, however, change the factory-fill synthetic back to mineral for break-in. Those vehicles typically have carefully assembled engines with instructions to do the first oil change at the regular interval, which could be up to 10,000 miles. In those cases, I simply change the oil early, before 1000 miles, just to be safe.

Synthetic oil is a superior product, particularly if your engine operates at the extreme ends of the temperature scale: high-temperature climates, towing or racing. But like any oil, synthetic will become contaminated with atmospheric dirt, wear particles, carbon, partially burned fuel, water and acid. Eventually, even if the oil itself is performing properly, all this extra junk will manifest itself as engine wear.

Also, the first oil change invariably reveals small particles of gasket sealer, chunks of unidentified plastic, the occasional metal flakes that weren’t cleaned off before assembly and even the odd washer or nut. It’s pretty scary. Better this junk come out sooner rather than later.

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Car trouble? Are you sick and tired of the overheating and the non-stop oil leaks? Sometimes there are things that we can’t troubleshoot, and well, what mechanics can do – only they can do. You can’t always figure out the cause of an oil leak just by your own diagnosis. You would definitely need to see a mechanic in an auto repair shop. But, looking for a good auto repair shop can be a difficult and challenging process. How do you know you’re picking the right shop? What are the factors you should consider?

The first thing you should do is that you should drop by the shop to check if they have trained, hardworking mechanics and high end equipment. Of course, there are also other things you need to check out. There is always more than meets the eye. An auto repair shop that looks classy and well maintained doesn’t necessarily mean it can provide you with good customer care, honest work and reasonable prices.

It is best to know something about vehicle repairs so that you are not caught off guard when conversing about the repair. You should also be cautious of the shops that take advantage of an unknowledgeable client. When people sense that you don’t know much about something, they may grab the opportunity to rip you off, or worse, tell you to have something repaired that isn’t really broken.

You should also consider feedback about the shop. Ask around. If you know someone who has any experience with that shop, listen to his or her comments. It always pays to be inquisitive. Do a background check on the auto repair shop. You need to know if the shop’s mechanics are highly trained and competent.

Ask for a written estimate for major repairs. You can compare prices with other auto repair shops by checking them out yourself. You can give other shops a phone call or visit their websites to do the research to save time. You would also want to check into the quality of materials the shop uses for their clients, and the brands of their parts as well.

You would also want to ask for ongoing promotions and offers to save you money. Make sure you find out about their service warranty. Aside from the rates, you also deserve good customer care. Make sure they entertain all your questions and answer you thoroughly.

Knowing all these factors, you can carefully decide which shop to choose. Don’t be in a rush though, and don’t be impulsive. Doing so can save you hundreds of dollars, or cost you a lot. If you live in Washington, check out a very competent Washington auto repair shop. So choose wisely before making that big move. When you finally decide and if you are fully satisfied with the auto shops service, you’re lucky to have found an auto repair shop for keeps!

The Consequences Of Neglect

Failing to address the problems in your car early on can result in a lot more of troubles, such as the following:

• More serious damage. Been ignoring the puddle of fluid that you often see under your car recently? That could be oil starting to leak, and ignoring it can lead to total oil loss among the various engine parts. And if you’re unfortunate, that can damage many of the various engine components and you may face a whole lot more of inconvenience. Car problems often start small. When neglected, they grow bigger until they overwhelm you.

• Accidents. If you’ve been hearing your brakes squeal each time you step on the pedal to stop, that’s one sign that the brake pads are already worn-out. If you don’t take action and don’t replace the pads, you may experience a sudden brake failure that may lead to serious road accidents or even death.

• More expenses. Of course, smaller inconveniences turned bigger problems are always proportional to simple expenses turned bigger expenditures. Your car is one thing you shouldn’t skimp on, or you may one day find yourself facing a bigger expense due to neglect.

All these are serious issues you wouldn’t want to deal with throughout your vehicle ownership. Therefore, it’s important that you pay attention to your car and address problems whenever you encounter them.

How To Save On Car Repair and Maintenance

And while you may think that you’re stuck with huge expenses on your car, you’ll be glad to know that this isn’t so. There are a lot of ways by which you can save on your vehicle. Here are three:

1.) Perform Routine Maintenance and Inspection. Always, always follow the routine maintenance schedule of your car, no matter how busy you are. Check the level of your car fluids regularly, always inspect the wear components of your vehicle, and keep your auto clean at all times. Doing these will prevent the onset of damage and this will also help you diagnose problems while they are still at an early stage and not yet so serious.

2.) DIY. Learn the basics of your car so that you can do some of the tasks that you used to leave to your mechanic. You can learn simple car washing, fluid refilling, or even the installation of simpler components.

3.) Shop Around. That is, for aftermarket auto parts and for a mechanic. Don’t go for the first part or the first shop professional that you find in case you need replacements or a skilled auto technician. Shop for the best value in price and benefits.

With all these pointers, there are no more reasons for car maintenance and car repairs negligence anymore.

Replacing the fuel filter is as easy as making yourself a tuna sandwich before leaving for work. It would only take you less than 30 minutes to do the whole drill. And would cost you as much as $20 for the whole components.

Before starting, be sure that you have all the equipments so that the work will turn out smoothly and you won’t be wasting any time. Your tools would have to have the new fuel filter and fuel line washers, wrenches, rags, and eye protection is optional but extremely important for your safety.

Start by relieving the pressure inside your fuel system. You can do this by allowing your engine to rest and cool off. When it’s cool enough to work on it, you could start relieving the pressure and don’t forget to put on your eye glasses or protector. How do you release the pressure? Easy. First locate the pump fuse. Next start your engine. Then pull the relay or the fuel pump fuse and wait till the engine dies. Then you can now start on changing your fuel filter.

Always remember to disconnect any attachments to avoid further damage. Use the open end wrenches to disconnect your cars fuel injection. Before opening her up, put a rag on top of the fitting to protect your eyes if there are still some pressure on the line. Now turn the wrench counterclockwise until the bolt breaks loose. Do the same with the other end. Slide the line out of the socket. You can now remove your filter but do it with extreme caution. Slowly but surely.

If you notice that there would be the pressure washer sitting on the side of your line bolts. Change it with your new fuel line washers. Do this before putting back the fuel line on. Don’t fret if you see that your washers are different from the other. They are designed to be like that.

You can now install your new fuel filter by doing the exact opposite of the removal procedure. Screw the bolts back in, make sure the line is on. And don’t forget to put the fuel pump fuse back in its place lastly. You can now start your engine and feel the new filter work efficiently.

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