The Life of Bolton 264
Subtitle
Blog
Car Maintenance - Do It your Self And Save Money
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Cars coming off the assembly line today have radiators with aluminum fins and composite bodies. With possibly a little drain plug made of this same composite material. The words Be Careful come to mind. Expensive damage will be the result of over enthusiastic force being applied to these materials.
TThe next thing you need is to get the parts to stop the leak. If it is a pinhole leak all you need is a small piece of soft rubber, and a pipe clamp. Try to find a clamp that is close to the size of the pipe. You can usually find these at the local hardware or auto parts near me. Make sure the rubber is soft so it will close the leak when you tighten the clamp.
The web site not only serves the purpose of those who want to buy a spare part, but also of those who want sell some spare parts. This page allows you to submit your advertisement with pictures or video, which will be published on the home page after careful analysis by the admin team.
The old timers used leather chamois. They work great, last a long time, and don't scratch, but they have to be put through a wringer. A more modern solution is the microfiber drying towel, often called a waffle weave towel. Although these towels are synthetic, they are super absorbent and the cloth fibers are so fine and soft they don't scratch. You can buy microfiber drying towels at your local auto store near me.
The jack that came with your car is almost certainly a type of jack called a screw jack. And there you are straining to work the jack under the car and trying to manipulate the long flimsy crank rod that came with it in an effort to raise the car. And what if you happen to have a flat on a steep incline? That jack will let your car fall and maybe it will be when you have your hand or arm in an unfortunate location? Suppose you are in mud or soft soil trying to change a tire? Get this floor jack. It is only about 24 inches long, it is flat, stable and will raise your car in about 15 seconds with a minimum of effort. Well worth the investment.
The next thing to check is smell. A smell that you haven't noticed before might give you a clue as to the problem. A smell from your car can often be a bit deceptive, at least to the untrained nose. If you've found an odd smell that you've not had before and can't figure out what it is, you may want to pull into your local auto parts store near me. Bring a sample of the fluid inside or ask someone to step outside and smell it for you. used car parts dealers near me that someone can tell you exactly what the smell is.
Get out your car manual and learn where your oil, brake fluid, washer fluid, anti-freeze, and power steering fluids go. Practice pulling out the dipsticks and learn the appropriate levels needed in your car. I keep a spare box in the rear of my car with one bottle of each of the fluids needed. I keep it secure and closed so things aren't flying around in case of an accident as well. Get an oil change, whether you do it yourself or have a mechanic do it every 3,000 miles. After each oil change, ask to see your filter or make sure you watch it changed.
The water pump on your car is designed to leak coolant if the internal seals begin to fail. This signals the end of the water pump's life. It also alerts you to the fact that the pump has become inefficient and will no longer circulate your coolant to keep your car's temperature in check. The only solution is to remove everything that is in the way and remove and replace the water pump. On some cars, this is a job that takes about 45 minutes. On others, it can require a few hours. Make sure that you get the gasket for the water pump on correctly to prevent leaks. You will need to work to completely remove all the remnants of the old gasket. Use a scraper to do a good job with this.
Ok, now that I've scared the be-gee-bers out of you, if doing it yourself is still your goal, do your research. Get a Chilton's manual, or a Hayes manual for your specific car. Make sure you have the appropriate tools for the job and understand the proper steps to accomplish the job.
TThe next thing you need is to get the parts to stop the leak. If it is a pinhole leak all you need is a small piece of soft rubber, and a pipe clamp. Try to find a clamp that is close to the size of the pipe. You can usually find these at the local hardware or auto parts near me. Make sure the rubber is soft so it will close the leak when you tighten the clamp.
The web site not only serves the purpose of those who want to buy a spare part, but also of those who want sell some spare parts. This page allows you to submit your advertisement with pictures or video, which will be published on the home page after careful analysis by the admin team.
The old timers used leather chamois. They work great, last a long time, and don't scratch, but they have to be put through a wringer. A more modern solution is the microfiber drying towel, often called a waffle weave towel. Although these towels are synthetic, they are super absorbent and the cloth fibers are so fine and soft they don't scratch. You can buy microfiber drying towels at your local auto store near me.
The jack that came with your car is almost certainly a type of jack called a screw jack. And there you are straining to work the jack under the car and trying to manipulate the long flimsy crank rod that came with it in an effort to raise the car. And what if you happen to have a flat on a steep incline? That jack will let your car fall and maybe it will be when you have your hand or arm in an unfortunate location? Suppose you are in mud or soft soil trying to change a tire? Get this floor jack. It is only about 24 inches long, it is flat, stable and will raise your car in about 15 seconds with a minimum of effort. Well worth the investment.
The next thing to check is smell. A smell that you haven't noticed before might give you a clue as to the problem. A smell from your car can often be a bit deceptive, at least to the untrained nose. If you've found an odd smell that you've not had before and can't figure out what it is, you may want to pull into your local auto parts store near me. Bring a sample of the fluid inside or ask someone to step outside and smell it for you. used car parts dealers near me that someone can tell you exactly what the smell is.
Get out your car manual and learn where your oil, brake fluid, washer fluid, anti-freeze, and power steering fluids go. Practice pulling out the dipsticks and learn the appropriate levels needed in your car. I keep a spare box in the rear of my car with one bottle of each of the fluids needed. I keep it secure and closed so things aren't flying around in case of an accident as well. Get an oil change, whether you do it yourself or have a mechanic do it every 3,000 miles. After each oil change, ask to see your filter or make sure you watch it changed.
The water pump on your car is designed to leak coolant if the internal seals begin to fail. This signals the end of the water pump's life. It also alerts you to the fact that the pump has become inefficient and will no longer circulate your coolant to keep your car's temperature in check. The only solution is to remove everything that is in the way and remove and replace the water pump. On some cars, this is a job that takes about 45 minutes. On others, it can require a few hours. Make sure that you get the gasket for the water pump on correctly to prevent leaks. You will need to work to completely remove all the remnants of the old gasket. Use a scraper to do a good job with this.
Ok, now that I've scared the be-gee-bers out of you, if doing it yourself is still your goal, do your research. Get a Chilton's manual, or a Hayes manual for your specific car. Make sure you have the appropriate tools for the job and understand the proper steps to accomplish the job.
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