by J. B. Griffin III.

October was National Car Care Month and with winter driving weather right around the corner I think this will be a good time to review some

essential elements of maintenance to see you through till spring. 

1) Your tires.  Check the air pressure.  Tires that aren't checked regularly typically are 5-10 psi too low.  This causes a number of problems.  One, it wastes fuel since it takes more power to push a flat tire down the highway than one which is properly inflated.  Two, tires which are either under or over-inflated wear out much more quickly.  Three, under-inflated tires don't handle very well in emergency situations such as a sudden swerve to avoid some jerk like me pulling out in front of you.

2) Your battery.  The things that kill batteries are age and changes in temperature like when it goes from 75 degrees in the afternoon to 35

degrees that night.
NASA should hire battery engineers to do all its critical calculations since they know oh-so-well how to design a battery to konk out exactly five years and one day after it was installed in your car.  Also, it doesn't hurt to keep the terminals clean.

3)  Tune up.  Car salesmen assure you that your car needs no maintenance for the first 100,000 miles.  Then how come you immediately begin receiving coupons from the dealership for discounted service?  Forget the 100,000 mile myth and keep it tuned at least every two years.  This includes not only spark plugs, but filters, the PCV valve, and fuel injection service.

4)  Change your oil.  Clean oil of the right viscosity is critical to engine survival.  Cold cranking causes 90 percent of engine wear.  Oil must be thin enough to quickly reach the piston

rings during cranking but not so thin it won't hold up under a hot engine load.  Follow your owner's guide (it's that book in your glove compartment) and don't let the boneheads at the barbershop talk you into running straight 30 weight in your V-6 Accord.

5) Fix the brakes.  A good brake job is more than your brother-in-law sticking new pads on the front.  The rotors should be checked for scoring and warpage.  The hoses should be inspected along with the calipers.
Drum brakes need to be cleaned and adjusted periodically.  Also the hardware and brake mounting surfaces need to be cleaned, sanded if rusty and lubricated with high-temperature silicone grease.

6)  A few last reminders.  Your wiper blades should be replaced annually and make sure that blue liquid in the washer reservoir really is windshield washer solvent.  Flush the radiator and replace the anti-freeze every third year.  Every four years replace the belts and hoses.  Keep your automatic transmission fluid changed every 25,000 miles and last, but not least, in case I have forgotten anything stick to the recommended service intervals in your owner's manual.

JB Griffin is an ASE Certified Master Technician.  He owns and  operates JB's Japanese and American Auto Repair in Evensville, Tennessee.  You may e-mail your car questions to jeepster1515@yahoo.com
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