Car Maintenance Tips

[FunInTheSunParticipant 8286]

For those of you who have experience working on cars, would you please share some tips for keeping our cars in good shape?

Personally, I don’t fix cars, but I had a weekly routine for the cars I used to drive:

I’d check the fluids (oil, coolant, transmission, brake) and top them off.

Occasionally, I’d check for cracks on the timing belts, corrosion on the battery cables, and any kind of leaks (oil, coolant, etc.).

"I saw that there comes a point, in the defeat of any man of virtue, when his own consent is needed for evil to win-and that no manner of injury done to him by others can succeed if he chooses to withhold his consent. I saw that I could put an end to your outrages by pronouncing a single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The word was ‘No.’" (Atlas Shrugged)

[PrincekieParticipant 1042]

I regularly service and maintain my car. You’ve pretty much outlined the main stuff you need to check.

There’s also the simple stuff you can do. Change air filter every year, change pollen filter every year. Make sure your spark plugs are nice and tight in your engine block (you don’t need to check it every week, just every so often). There’s a heap of stuff you can do mate. Just look at forums that are about your car and get yourself a decent socket set and maybe a breaker bar.
YouTube also has good vids. Best of luck…if you do it right and get passionate about it, you’ll save s~~~loads of money and you’ll keep your car happy!

[PrincekieParticipant 1042]

I also got some decent, and cheap, heavy duty low rise car ramps off eBay. Easy storage and really good to use.
Another tip…don’t mix the coolant. And if you know it hasn’t been changed in a few years, find the right coolant for your car and change it! Its relatively easy to do, and quite satisfying.
One more tip…don’t get a cheap and nasty socket set.

Just noticed you mentioned about checking for cracks on the belt etc. You need to check ALL your hoses…give each one a littlegentle tug. Have a good look to see that there are no cracks or leaks.

[OldBillParticipant]

Tire pressure. One of the easiest and yet most overlooked maintenance bits. Running low wears your tires out faster and costs you gas mileage among many others things. Running high wears your tires out fast too. Keep your tires at the manufacturer’s suggested pressure is easy and help prevents a lot of problems.

Get a real pressure reader from an autoparts store. Do not rely on the readings displayed by the machine at the filling station.

FunintheSun, I’m confused when you say you check you timing belt regularly? Are you confusing that belt with the easily visible serpentine belt which replaced the multiple fan and pumps belts on most cars years ago?

Do not date. Do not impregnate. Do not co-habitate. Above all, do not marry. Reclaim and never again surrender your personal sovereignty.

[Eric LauderParticipant 12043]

Use special spark plugs and sport air filter: it’ll reduce maintenance and you’ll save money because it slightly enhances both power and fuel economy.
Common replacements for air filters, sporty version, are extremely easy to install: you have to wash them with special soap and then soak in special oil every 20,000-30,000 miles, as opposed to a normal air filter that is changed every 10,000-15,000 miles, but even totally without maintenance they are guaranteed to last for at least 50,000 miles. The improvements are very light, almost unexistant, but still it’s about 2%-3% more power and about 2%-3% better fuel consumption. Usually they claim an improvement of about 5% for both.
However it’s excellent because a normal air filter is going to cost, if original, no less than 50 euro, while the sport air filter will cost just only slightly more, 60-70 euro, so in an year you’re going to get back the difference just only thanks to less fuel consumption, while still enjoying the power and the less maintenance – then after the first year it becomes even better because soap and oil actually cost less than a new normal filter.

On the Mitsubishi GTO I have a full air intake system, mushroom-like, it’s more complicated to install but it claims an improvement of 10% for both fuel consumption and power – it’s not even closer to that but it’s a good 5%-6% if not even 7%. However that costs a lot: more than 300 euro.

SUPREME LEADER KIM JONG-UN'S FASHION STYLIST - if you want a new look or if you're a very beautiful trans you can call me, phone number +85079255312 / mobile 01921421211. The worth of a man isn't the usefulness that women get from him. Avoiding living with a woman, a man isn't rejecting a lot of sex: he's rejecting sexual starvation. MGTOW IS TACKLING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN COMPLIANCE WITH CONVENTION OF ISTANBUL: http://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/rms/090000168008482e --- Article 4, Section 4 "Special measures that are necessary to prevent and protect women from gender-based violence shall not be considered discrimination under the terms of this Convention". WHAT I LEARNT FROM A GENDER STUDIES CLASS IN LUND, SWEDEN: every time feminists accuses men of doing something, odds are likely either them or persons associated with them are doing the exact same thing but a lot worse. WHO I'M RIGHT NOW https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1okpAj7Fhw Basically my former life have been a conflict between this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz_RQVkvke4 and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFIMeyTK-sU That's, more or less, all about me.

[AutoliteParticipant]

I don’t worry so much about vehicle maintenance. My car has a ‘heads up’ display that lets me know when something is wrong. When there’s engine oil spewing all over the windshield, that’s when something needs fixing…

[AutoliteParticipant]

FunInTheSun wrote:

Occasionally, I’d check for cracks on the timing belts,

OldBill wrote:

I’m confused when you say you check you timing belt regularly?

You can check the timing belts for cracks using those special ‘X-Ray glasses’…

[OldBillParticipant]

Autolite wrote:

You can check the timing belts for cracks using those special ‘X-Ray glasses’…

That’s why I asked. An acquaintance of mine thought their serpentine belt was their timing belt and came very close to needing a new engine.

Do not date. Do not impregnate. Do not co-habitate. Above all, do not marry. Reclaim and never again surrender your personal sovereignty.

[Anonymous 54]

When the smoke gets out, see a machanic.

Theyll put some more smoke in for you.

Check your oil.
Get a mechanic you trust, let him(sexist!!) take care of it.

[AutoliteParticipant]

OldBill wrote:

Autolite wrote:

You can check the timing belts for cracks using those special ‘X-Ray glasses’…

That’s why I asked. An acquaintance of mine thought their serpentine belt was their timing belt and came very close to needing a new engine.

If I can be serious for a moment, vehicle maintenance in general is too large a topic for a single thread here. My tip would be to go online and find a website that deals with your own particular vehicle. There are dedicated sites and ‘clubs’ for almost all types of vehicles where owners can share maintenance advice and tips that are specific to what you own and drive. You can bet that whatever maintenance or serviceability issue that you might have, someone else has had it as well and knows the fix.

As an example, there’s https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/index.php

Here’s a site for Ford truck owners that covers anything that you might need to know about maintaining any particular model of Ford truck built since 1947 (and earlier)…

[Anonymous 54]

Old Bill is right.

The timing belt is internal, and is very important.

If they say change it every 60,000 ( or what the manufacturer recomends) do it!!!!

If it brakes, the vavles smash the tops of the pistons, resulting in a ruined motor.

[AutoliteParticipant]

Anonymous wrote:

The timing belt is internal, and is very important.

If they say change it every 60,000 ( or what the manufacturer recomends) do it!!!!

If it brakes, the vavles smash the tops of the pistons, resulting in a ruined motor.

I can’t comment on the newer vehicles but I’ve changed several failed timing belts on the old Ford Pintos with the 2.3 litre 4 cylinder engine. A broken timing belt was survivable on those cars back in the day…

[OgreParticipant 5863]

The Pinto was a noninterference engine. The valves never occupied the same space as the piston. Any recent DOHC engine will kill something if the belt goes.

Any person who puts a solid effort into learning some mechanical skills can do a timing belt, but it takes some time on YouTube watching model/engine specific videos and then more time on your back under the car to do the work.

Belt 23 bucks, pay someone 600. Time well spent.

Manufacturers have been switching back to timing chains the past 5 to 6 years, it might be enough to sway my next purchase decision, but I’d rather just ride bikes.

I failed to realize in my youth that I was the prize. I was going to work. I was going to earn. Little did I realize that due to feminism, that no longer meant I had to share. Road soon, Desert after.

[OldBillParticipant]

Autolite wrote:

A broken timing belt was survivable on those cars back in the day…

There are still a few like that. As you know, it all depends on whether the valves are closed or at least out of the way when the piston makes it’s upstroke.

The need to cram more engine in smaller spaces means nearly all engine are “interference” types now; The valves and pistons take turns “inhabiting” the same space and, if that timing is every thrown off, as Old Sage reminds us the engine is toast.

I’m not quite sure on this, but I’ve read or heard that most of the remaining non-interefence engines are also hemis.

Do not date. Do not impregnate. Do not co-habitate. Above all, do not marry. Reclaim and never again surrender your personal sovereignty.

[AutoliteParticipant]

Ogre wrote:

Manufacturers have been switching back to timing chains the past 5 to 6 years, it might be enough to sway my next purchase decision, but I’d rather just ride bikes.

The old Ford Flat-Head (L-head) engines had timing gears. OHV engines are just too ‘fancy-pants’ for me…

[Anonymous 11]

Always use a torque wrench to manufacturer’s specs especially with aluminum.

I lost my beloved Miata due to a prior owner having some hack not torque the cranknose bolt to spec after a timing belt change. According to a Mazda service bulletin that was the only possible way that failure is possible.

[743 roadmasterParticipant]

As a car guy, I really do not check all the levels and stuff all the time. But the other side of the coin is, I know the cars I have better then most. If the stance is off I know which tire is low. I hear something not correct my mind goes into fix it mode. For the list you have if you did it once a month that would be more then adequate.

IF you want to be more into it in a car guy kind of way, buy an older Honda. NOT one that has been used by a racing guy. Which can sometimes be hard to pick out for a novice. Basic tips to avoid this kind of car. 1. New looking factory wheels and tires. 2. Motor bay is really darn clean. 3. factory looking front seats. 4. sales person tells you the p/o upgraded to urethane bushings.

What makes the Honda an ideal car is the motor is easy to work on, lots of parts, massive community if you need to ask questions, and really not many people have problems, you can put all kinds of miles on these motors. Honda being common for the most part do not cost a lot.

Scotty Kilmer on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuxpxCCevIlF-k-K5YU8XPA

I would be happy to go into more depth if you are interested.

mgtow is its own worst enemy- https://www.campusreform.org/

[Anonymous 54]

Ok. It may not ruin the engine.
Or it might.

F~~~ rubber timeing belts.

My 360 has a metal chain. The way God intended it.

[PrincekieParticipant 1042]

743 roadmaster wrote:

As a car guy, I really do not check all the levels and stuff all the time. But the other side of the coin is, I know the cars I have better then most. If the stance is off I know which tire is low. I hear something not correct my mind goes into fix it mode. For the list you have if you did it once a month that would be more then adequate.

IF you want to be more into it in a car guy kind of way, buy an older Honda. NOT one that has been used by a racing guy. Which can sometimes be hard to pick out for a novice. Basic tips to avoid this kind of car. 1. New looking factory wheels and tires. 2. Motor bay is really darn clean. 3. factory looking front seats. 4. sales person tells you the p/o upgraded to urethane bushings.

What makes the Honda an ideal car is the motor is easy to work on, lots of parts, massive community if you need to ask questions, and really not many people have problems, you can put all kinds of miles on these motors. Honda being common for the most part do not cost a lot.

Scotty Kilmer on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuxpxCCevIlF-k-K5YU8XPA

I would be happy to go into more depth if you are interested.

Oi dude…don’t forget Toyota. F~~~ing brilliant motors, easy to work with and fairly bulletproof!

And Scotty Kilmer, the Toyota king himself. Absolutely love his YouTube channel, I’ve picked up some good tips on there. Good shout out there..

[PrincekieParticipant 1042]

Eric Lauder wrote:

…
Common replacements for air filters, sporty version, are extremely easy to install: you have to wash them with special soap and then soak in special oil every 20,000-30,000 miles, as opposed to a normal air filter that is changed every 10,000-15,000 miles, but even totally without maintenance they are guaranteed to last for at least 50,000 miles. The improvements are very light, almost unexistant, but still it’s about 2%-3% more power and about 2%-3% better fuel consumption. Usually they claim an improvement of about 5% for both.
However it’s excellent because a normal air filter is going to cost, if original, no less than 50 euro, while the sport air filter will cost just only slightly more, 60-70 euro, so in an year you’re going to get back the difference just only thanks to less fuel consumption…

I don’t know where you’re shopping (or where you’re at) but 50 EUR seems a bit steep for an air filter. My Comline one for my Toyota set me back £5 (roughly 6 EUR). I don’t think an original Toyota one would cost me over £15.
The sport/lifetime filter is good if you want one that’s going to last and you have a fairly decent car. I think K & N filters are the most widely known and used ones.

The belt that you’re checking is, I’m guessing, the one that tends to be on the left hand side of your engine block. As Old Bill said, that’ll be the serpentine belt (also known as the auxiliary belt, fan belt, rib belt). It tends to charge up the alternator and drives the water pump, aircon etc.

[Author]

Posts