I learned from my dad that changing the fluids in your vehicle was vital to the life of one’s vehicle. He rarely took his cars into the garage. He changed all the fluids himself, and taught me a thing or two about it too. Gone are the days of buying new cars every year or two. Due to the struggling economy more and more people are keeping their cars way longer than the time it takes to pay them off. How does one take care of an old car so that it runs like a new one? For a vehicle to run properly the owner needs to keep check on all the fluids; this means the oil, power steering fluid, radiator coolant, transmission fluid, and much more. You will also need to keep check of the hoses, and belts, but that will be in another article.
Tip number 1 on how to make your vehicle last longer
Oil change: One of the best ways to keep an old car running like a top is to keep the engine clean and running well with regular oil and oil filter changes. How often should you change the oil in your car? You would go by the information given in your auto’s manual. Most cars require an oil change every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. When you go to a shop to get the oil changed in your car, the mechanic will put a sticker on the inside of your door near. If you do your own oil changes you will need to keep a log of the dates when you change it.
Tip number 2 on how to make your vehicle last longer
Power steering fluid: Follow whatever instructions given in your owner’s manual. There is no set time for every vehicle to change the power steering fluid. Just like you have blood in your body that keeps you alive, so does your vehicle. The power steering fluid is just as important as the oil. Without power steering fluid you would not be able to steer your car, SUV, or truck. Some people change out their power steering fluids at the same time they change their coolants.
Tip number 3 on how to make your vehicle last longer
Radiator coolant: Radiator coolant, or antifreeze as it is sometimes called, keeps your engine cool enough so that it does not overheat and shut down. As with other fluids you should check with your owner’s manual before changing the coolant. The frequency for changing radiator coolant is at least once every year before the winter months in colder states of the US. It is important to use the right kind of radiator coolant.
Be sure you are using the right kind of coolant for your car. Coolants are colored green and red. Prestone manufactures a neon green colored antifreeze. The red colored Dextron could be mistaken for transmission fluid, so if you do use a red colored coolant, be sure it is coolant and not transmission fluid. Green coolant is easier to recognize in case there is a leak in the radiator.
Tip number 4 on how to make your vehicle last longer
Transmission fluid: Unfortunately, many people never think to check their vehicle’s transmission fluids. By the time many drivers think about checking their transmission fluids, the fluid may have metal filings in it from wear on the gears in the transmission. The owner would need to consult the owner’s manual for guidance on the type of transmission fluid to use. Automatic transmissions use automatic transmission fluid, while manual transmissions may use regular motor oil, manual transmission oil, or gear oil.
Normally, transmission fluids are changed about every 30,000 miles. It makes much more sense to take a little time and money to flush and change the transmission fluid in your vehicle than to be forced to spend $2500 to $3000 for a new transmission.
If you know how to change your vehicle’s fluids, you may do it yourself. If you don’t know how to do it, you can take your car, SUV, or truck to a garage and have the fluids changed. The important thing is to know when these fluids need to be changed. By paying attention to, and changing the fluids as needed your vehicle will serve you for a good long time.
Tip number 5 on how to make your vehicle last longer
Brake fluid: Brake fluid should be flushed approximately every 30,000 miles. Flushing is done on newer cars, rather than bleeding. Flushing the break fluid out of the system gets rid of dirty fluid, and trapped air that has accumulated in the lines. If you are flushing the brake lines yourself, it is important that you follow the directions in your vehicle’s repair manual. You can mess up the master cylinder by the old method of bleeding the break lines, because pumping the brakes can introduce dirt into the lines where it can get trapped inside the parts of the master cylinder. If you don’t know what you are doing it is best to take your vehicle to a garage and have the brakes flushed, and have a brake job done at the same time.
