Hi Lenny Very good tips
Regards Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lenny McHugh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 11:49 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Care Car Tips > Ray, > This is all excellent advice. I routinely do two other very important > maintenance changes. Every 3 years I have the anti freeze flushed and > changed. With so many aluminum engine parts molecules picked up and mixed > with other engine parts can cause a corrosive action in your engine. > Likewise every 2 or 3 years I have the break fluid changed. With the > computer replacement cost for abs breaks it is much cheaper to spend $50 > to > have the fluid changed. the fluid, like oil can pick up very small > particles > that can harm the computer. > Both of these tips were featured a few years ago on the TV program > Backyard > Mechanic. > They showed a head gasket eaten away because of not having the anti-freeze > changed and a $3,000 abs repair on the same make vehicle as mine. Both > would > have been prevented with these fluid changes. > Lenny http://www.geocities.com/lenny_mchugh/ > > excellent > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Boyce" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2007 2:53 AM > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Care Car Tips > > > Hi Everyone > Care Car Tips > > Most people take pride in owning a reliable, attractive car or truck. The > key to keeping a vehicle dependable and aesthetically pleasing is a normal > maintenance > regimen. To some, taking their vehicle to the car wash every two weeks and > to the quick-lube joint every 3,000 miles is their idea of routine > maintenance. > But cars and trucks need more than this to maintain their showroom > appearance, to continue to run correctly, and to optimize the factory's > safety features. > > The car wash is a marginal way to keep a vehicle clean when you're in a > hurry, but personal hands-on time is also necessary to protect the paint > and > to > check parts and fluids. Most of the products discussed here are already in > many people's garages. If not, you can obtain everything you need at the > local > auto parts store. > > Belts & Hoses > Before starting any long trip or after every 50,000 miles, check all of > the > engine's accessory belts. Today, many cars are equipped with a serpentine > belt > that runs all of the accessories, so if that belt breaks, you can lose > your > power steering, water pump and charging system immediately. Inspect the > engine > and look at the belt (or belts) to see if there is visible damage, > abnormal > wear or small hairline cracks. Replace any belt that shows signs of wear. > Even > if a belt appears to be in good condition, it should be replaced every > 50,000 miles as preventive maintenance. > > > Like belts, radiator and heater hoses are also made of rubber. Their > condition should be checked periodically. Both the upper and lower > radiator > hoses can > rupture from internal pressure and age without the driver knowing it. When > that happens, the coolant spews out, and the engine can seize from > excessive > heat buildup. > > In general, inspect all hoses for wear, including hairline cracks and > soft, > bulging spots. Hoses that come in contact with brackets or other metal > parts > are prone to wear in these areas. Even if the hoses pass visual > inspection, > we recommend changing all the water hoses every 50,000 miles. > > Brakes > Your vehicle's most critical system is its brakes. Many people never look > at > the master cylinder until they have brake failure. In late-model vehicles, > the master cylinders are often made of semi-opaque plastic that allows > fluid-level inspection without taking off the cover, as is the case with > cast-iron > master cylinders. > > > In addition to checking fluid level, look for leaks where the brake lines > attach to the master cylinder and where the master cylinder bolts to the > power > booster. If you see signs of brake fluid, tighten the fittings using a > line > wrench on brake-line nuts to prevent against rounding off their shoulders. > If the master cylinder is leaking at the rear, replace it. > > In the interest of safety, periodically get under the vehicle and inspect > the rubber hoses that go to the wheels for excessive wear or cracks; > replace > these > hoses as necessary. Finally, check brake shoes and/or caliper pads > regularly. Worn pads can damage the brake rotor or drum, turning a simple > maintenance > job into an expensive replacement procedure. For vehicles with disc > brakes, > replace the pads with whatever style the manufacturer recommends. > > Lubrication > Adequate lubrication is one of the key factors in keeping your engine > running well. The fluid level should be checked weekly, and the oil should > be changed > frequently (every 3,000 miles in older engines) to keep it clean. The most > common effect of neglected oil inspection is an engine seize or some other > type > of catastrophic failure. Checking the oil level is a lot more convenient > than replacing an engine. > > Consult your owner's manual regarding oil-change intervals and lubricant > specifications. We recommend using synthetic oil because it resists > degradation > better than conventional oil and stays cleaner longer. If you choose to > use > standard fossil oil, check your owner's manual for the recommended > viscosity > in various weather conditions. Temperature seriously affects your oil and > its lubricating effectiveness, and using the incorrect weight, such as > straight > 30-weight in winter in cold country, can be harmful to the internal parts > you're trying to protect. > > Degreasers > Your engine compartment can be kept looking as good as the day you > purchased > the car by cleaning it once a Year. Degreasing can be done when you wash > the > car. > > Many engine-cleaning products work extremely well, and some household > degreasers are also effective. Spray the product on and let it soak in, > then > hose > off the chemicals to reveal a sparkling-clean engine compartment. Your > local > auto parts store will have several biodegradable cleaners that are > environmentally > friendly. Read each label for the correct way to use the product prior to > purchasing it. > > As a side benefit, leaks and other problems are easier to spot in clean > engine compartments. > > Wash & Polish > All of the automotive paint manufacturers have to meet current EPA > standards, so automotive paints have been evolving over the past several > years. New vehicles > are painted with urethane products and most factories use two- and > three-stage paints. As a result, it's important to use car-care products > that are designed > for these finishes. Carefully read the label prior to buying the wax or > other surface treatment to ensure paint compatibility. > > Between wax applications, an instant-detailer product will supply a "wet" > look to your finish as well as helping to protect it from the elements. If > your > finish is smooth and clean, use a pure carnuba wax with no cleaners. Read > the label and follow the directions for the best results. > > Glass Care > There's nothing worse or more dangerous, than looking out of a dirty > windshield. Dirty glass deflects the light and can make visibility > dangerous > at best, > impossible at worst. > > Many products do an excellent job of washing your windshield, and it's > always advisable to wipe the product off with a paper towel that doesn't > leave lint > or streaks. Consider cleaning your windshield every morning, or at least > use > your automatic windshield washers before departing. > > For surface scratches, glass-polishing products can usually make the > windshield appear as good as new. Also, small rock chips and cracks can be > sometimes > successfully filled with resin repair kits from the auto parts store. > Alternately, automotive glass shops and mobile-repair services can fill > small chips > and cracks so that they virtually disappear. > > Wipers & Washers > The windshield wipers and washers are obviously very important parts of > your > car, and they need periodic maintenance. Windshield wiper blades should be > replaced once a year to maintain a perfect seal against the glass. > (Hardened > rubber can scratch the glass surface and will not remove water > effectively.) > When replacing wiper blades, make sure that the refills are the exact same > length as the original blades. This will prevent metal-to-glass contact > and > the serious scratching that usually results. > > > The windshield washer reservoir should also be checked and filled with a > cleaning product, not just water. Periodically use the washers to make > sure > they're > functioning properly. Clogged squirt-nozzles can be cleaned > by clearing them with a small-gauge wire. If the problem is the electric > pump on the washer-fluid reservoir, replace the pump. Driving in slushy > snow > or > muddy rain can impair vision and require frequent use of the washers. > Don't > neglect this safety item. > > Lights > Another safety-related aspect that should be checked periodically is the > light system. With the exception of the bright-white halide-gas headlights > on expensive > new sports cars, many automotive lights are just bulbs, downsized versions > of the ones in your house. As such, they do eventually burn out. > Periodically check the lights to make sure they're all working. Turn on > your > emergency flasher and see if all four lights flash. Then individually try > the > right and left turn signal to make sure they are working front and rear. > Ask > a friend to apply the brakes to see if the brake lights are functioning. > Obviously, > it's extremely dangerous to drive a car with faulty brake lights. > > If any of the lights aren't working, replace that bulb. If the brake > lights > aren't working, first check the bulbs, then the brake switch. If your dash > lights > are not functioning, check for burned-out fuses, or for defective bulbs in > older vehicles. > For passenger safety, make sure that the courtesy lamps illuminate. Don't > forget any underhood bulbs as well as the > trunk lamp. > > Interior > The interior of your car is not a storage area for empty cans and old > french > fries. It should be clean and well maintained. The carpets should be > vacuumed, > and the vinyl should be coated with a protectant periodically. For cloth > interiors, many products are available at your auto parts store for > shampooing > and stain removal. Leather interiors require special conditioners to keep > the skins soft and pliable. > > Always read the application directions on the container. With today's > technology, almost any type of interior problem can be solved with a > specific cleaner. > Always read the label and follow the directions exactly for optimum > results. > Sometimes surface preparation is required prior to applying stain remover > or using other interior chemicals properly. > > Joints > Although the undercarriage isn't as easy to inspect as the rest of the > vehicle, it's just as vital. Underneath, all moving parts should be > inspected and > lubricated every few months. Areas to be particularly concerned with are > driveshaft U-joints and, in front-wheel-drive cars, halfshafts and > CV-joints. > If you use a quick-lube place for oil changes, ask to have these joints > inspected and lubed in conjunction with the oil change. > > Fluid leaks are not only messy, they can be the warning of a larger > problem > to come. Have your wheel bearings inspected and repacked every 20,000 > miles > and all under-car fuel lines and brake lines looked at as well. It1s easy > to > forget > what you can1t see, but some of the most critical items are underneath > your > car. > > Tire Care > Many companies now offer spray-on tire-care products. Some people prefer > the > glossy-black look while others like a more natural semi-gloss black. > Common > soap pads can be used to clean white letters and to remove the brown brake > dust from the sidewalls. > > Most people are well aware that tire failures can be fatal. With this in > mind, get in the habit of visually inspecting daily for sidewall bulges > and > checking > air pressure at every gas stop. After all, a tire-pressure gauge is a lot > cheaper than a new set of tires. > > Proper inflation pressure makes tires last longer, and it also improves > the > vehicle's fuel economy. Assuming that the wheels are properly aligned, > underinflation > causes the tires' shoulders to wear faster than the centers, and > overinflation makes the center strips go bald earlier than the shoulders. > Your owner's > manual will recommend the correct pressure for your vehicle. > > Assuming that the vehicle is aligned properly, inexpensive tires should > last > in excess of 30,000 miles; expensive brands often go more than 50,000. > Conversely, > worn tires may work okay in dry weather, but they can become downright > dangerous in the rain. Periodically inspect the sidewalls for cracking or > splitting. > Old tires, even with low mileage, can be dangerous because the rubber > cracks > and hardens over time. Any tire more than five years old should be > changed. > Bottom line: Blowouts can be fatal. > > Wheels > These days, almost all new vehicles (with the possible exceptions of > econo-boxes and heavier-duty trucks) are factory-equipped with alloy > wheels. > Some of > these wheels have a natural finish, some have a natural finish with a > clear > coating and some are powder-coated. Regardless, all eventually get caked > with > disc-brake dust and road grime. > > At the parts store, it's important to select a cleaner that's designed for > your wheel type. For example, clear-coated wheels should be cleaned with a > different > cleaner than natural-finish alloys or steel wheels. Check with your > manufacturer for your specific wheel type and select the appropriate > product. > Happy Motoring > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html > or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various > List Members At The Following address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list > just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.39/687 - Release Date: 2/14/2007 4:17 PM To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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