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Archive by category: Auto Repair 101Return
22

Spark Plugs – How Often Should They Be Replaced?

posted on 5/22/2020 2:13:00 AM
In the old days, a tune-up was necessary about every 35,000 miles. It would usually consist of setting the ignition timing, replacing the mechanical breaker points in the ignition, cleaning and adjusting the carburetor and replacing the plug wires and spark plugs. Today, of course, the carburetor’s job is done by fuel injection and the ignition timing and spark are controlled by the engine computer. Few vehicles still have plug wires anymore either, as the distributor was replaced by the compu...
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22

How To Maintain A New Car

posted on 5/22/2020 2:08:24 AM
So you got a new set of wheels – congratulations! You’re going to want to hang onto it as long as possible, so you’ll want to keep it maintained as well as you can. Here are some suggestions: First, read the owner’s manual carefully and stick to manufacturer’s recommendations for service intervals. There are certain things that are critical enough that failure to adhere to recommendations can void a new car warranty. Don’t let that happen! For instance, just about every manufacturer reco...
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21

Things To Look For When Buying a Used Car

posted on 5/21/2020 12:57:41 PM
Buying a used car is somewhat less of a crapshoot than it was at one time. You can get detailed information on a vehicle's history via the CARFAX report, and a technician can use onboard diagnostics to get a good picture of what's going on under the hood and what problems might be coming up. It's always a good idea to get a mechanic to look over any prospective purchase, but there are things you can get a look at yourself before you spend the money for a professional inspection. These are thin...
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21

Make Sure Your Car's Ready For Winter!

posted on 5/21/2020 12:18:49 PM
You know that winter and bad weather are coming. Is your car ready? Here’s a quick checklist of things to get up to speed on: Motor oil: Motor oil has a tendency to thicken in cold weather, making it harder to circulate to upper engine parts at startup. If you haven’t ever used synthetic oil before, this might be a good time to start. The flow properties of synthetic oil are a lot more consistent, meaning it doesn’t thicken in sub-freezing temperatures or thin out when it’s hot outside. Wi...
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21

Your Car’s an Investment – Protect It

posted on 5/21/2020 10:28:45 AM
You rely on your car every day, and you have a lot of money tied up in it. It’s probably one of the more valuable things you own…so make sure you get the most out of that investment: Oil changes: Changing your motor oil at regular intervals will ensure long engine life by cutting wear and friction and helping to prevent the buildup of sludge and carbon on internal engine assemblies. Cooling system: Older cast-iron engines could overheat with no serious consequences, but not so with today’s ...
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21

So You Think Some Traffic Laws Are Nuts?

posted on 5/21/2020 10:22:30 AM
Yes, there are plenty of traffic laws in certain areas that don’t make much sense. Here, though, we present a collection of traffic laws from other parts of the world that are just bizarre: In Thailand, the law states that no driver, male or female, shall ever drive without a shirt. In South Africa, “the driver of a vehicle on a public road shall stop such vehicle at the request or on the signal of a person leading or driving any bovine animal, horse, ass, mule, sheep, goat, pig, or ostr...
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21

Cars That Last 250,000 Miles or More

posted on 5/21/2020 9:53:37 AM
If you’re old enough, you probably remember the cars from the late 70s and early 80s that weren’t good for much more than 120,000 miles before they started to develop real problems and were junkyard bound. Today, thanks to improvements in design, metallurgy, manufacturing techniques and machining, those days are over and it’s not at all unusual to see vehicles with well over 200,000 miles on the odometer and still running strong. Here’s a quick rundown of some vehicles to consider which hav...
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21

Regular, Synthetic or Blend...What Kind of Oil Do I Need?

posted on 5/21/2020 9:45:20 AM
At one time, there were only a couple of choices for motor oil. Today, that is no longer the case, and hasn't been for quite some time. Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to consider when it's time for an oil change: Viscosity: Viscosity is how thick your oil is, and how it retains its pour properties at various temperatures. In this respect, synthetic oil is far superior. Conventional oils will thicken in cold weather and thin out when very hot, while the viscosity of synthetic is muc...
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21

A/C Problems Demystified

posted on 5/21/2020 9:30:55 AM
Believe it or not, the A/C system in your vehicle is fairly simple in principle and design. Like your refrigerator, it operates on a cycle of compression and expansion of a gas, known as refrigerant. The compressor turns the gas into a liquid, and as the gas evaporates it provides cooling. Like your refrigerator, its main components are: Compressor Condenser Receiver/dryer Thermostatic expansion valve Evaporator Refrigerant Blower The good news is most automotive A/C systems have...
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21

What's Leaking From My Car?

posted on 5/21/2020 9:23:35 AM
You go out to your car, start it up, pull out of your parking space and see a puddle of...something...where you were parked a moment ago. This is never a good feeling. What could it be? Fortunately, some automotive fluids are dyed different colors to make this a little easier to narrow down. Does it appear to be water? Were you recently running your A/C? Chances are that's just condensation from the A/C system, which drips out through a rubber tube and is perfectly normal. No worries there. Fo...
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