Engineering Magazines

Here are some of the standard foreign and domestic automotive maintenance procedures that you should be sure to have done periodically:

Oil Changes: This is one of the most obvious, yet it is also one of the most frequently overlooked. Changing your oil and oil filter every three thousand miles keeps your engine running smoothly. Not changing your oil and oil filter often enough, on the other hand, can be disastrous: Over time, the additives in your engine oil break down, and the oil becomes thick and sludge-like. When this happens, the oil creates resistance on the engine, causing buildup and premature wear. Old engine oil can also cause the rubber seals in your engine to prematurely dry out and crack, creating leaks that can be quite expensive to fix.

There are a lot of quick-lube places that will change your oil quickly and cheaply, which may make you question the need to take your car to a good foreign or domestic automotive maintenance shop. However, it is definitely worth the extra money to make sure an experienced professional services your car. It is not uncommon for quick-lube shops to employ inexperienced teenagers at minimum wage, and horror stories (driving off without oil in the engine, finding months later that the oil plug won’t come out because it was stripped) abound.

Air Filter Replacement: Replacing the air filter is another important precaution that many people forget about. The silly thing is that this is also the easiest thing you’ll have to do on your car. Just as easy, if not easier, as filling the washer fluid on some cars. In fact, this one is so easy that you may not even have to get a foreign or domestic automotive maintenance shop to do it for you. Just make sure you get a high quality replacement filter. If you are not sure where it goes, ask. There will be a couple of clips you’ll have to undo to open the air filter box, but that’s about it.

Your air filter should be replaced once or twice a year. Every six months, you should at least check it. If it looks dirty, replace it. The better airflow your engine gets, the better it will perform, which to you means higher gas mileage and lower maintenance costs over time.

Basic Tune-Up: A tune-up basically involves replacing a bunch of inexpensive, quick-to-wear-out parts, and checking out a bunch of more expensive, slower-to-wear-out parts. This should be done once a year, but again, many people aren’t very good at making sure it gets done regularly.

A basic tune-up involves replacing (or cleaning and re-gapping) your spark plugs, replacing your distributor cap and rotor, and checking and/or replacing your spark plug wires. Other parts that might need to be replaced during a tune-up are your PCV (positive crankcase ventilation valve) and your oxygen sensor. All of these can affect the way your car runs, causing your gas mileage to go down and the carbon monoxide in your exhaust to go up.

Radiator Flush and Coolant Replacement: Your cooling system is a vital system. It prevents your engine from overheating, which can ruin an entire engine in mere minutes. Your cooling system therefore ought to be treated with respect, which means flushing your radiator and replacing the coolant every year or so, preferably at the end of summer or fall, before the cold weather hits.

The reason for flushing your radiator and replacing the coolant is that the Ph balance in antifreeze breaks down after a while, destroying many of its protective properties. Not only will it not cool to as low a temperature, but it will also begin to allow rust to form in your cooling system, which may lead to premature leaks in your radiator.

Be sure your replacement coolant is half water and half antifreeze. The 50/50 mixture has the lowest possible freezing temperature, the highest possible boiling point (meaning your coolant won’t boil on hot days), and will protect against corrosion inside the system.

Automatic Transmission Fluid and Filter Replacement: Many people don’t realize that their automatic transmission contains fluid and a filter that need to be replaced periodically, just like an engine. Unfortunately, neglecting this maintenance repair can result in parts in the transmission going out more quickly than they should, requiring you to overhaul or replace your transmission, which is a costly venture, to say the least.

The fluid and filter in your automatic transmission should typically be replaced about every 25,000 miles, which is less than a year’s worth of driving for most cars. The oil in a standard transmission doesn’t need to be replaced as frequently. Replacement about once every couple of years, unless you happen to do a lot of hard driving, such as towing.

Keeping up on these five preventative maintenance repairs will ensure that you maximize the life of your car. A good foreign or domestic automotive maintenance shop can help you keep track of the required maintenance, making sure that you don’t miss anything important.

Some owners keep their automobiles running like finely tuned Swiss watches. They carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s recommendations in the owner’s manual. They buy premium grade oil, order regular check-ups and rush to the repair shop when they detect any unusual noise.

However, most of us are inclined to skimp a little on maintenance and some of us never see the repair shop until the car quits. Sometimes this is due to finances but most of the time it is a matter of convenience. We need our cars to take us where we have to go and we’re reluctant to give them up even for a short period of time.

But, now that gasoline is still at astronomical prices, we need to re-think our maintenance practices. Letting some things go can cost us money in extra fuel consumption. For instance, repairing a faulty oxygen sensor can result in a 40% improvement in gas mileage. Tuning an engine can increase mileage by 4%.

You should be sure that your air filter is always clean. If your engine is fuel injected, airflow regulates the quantity of fuel that is burned. The process of mixing air and fuel is quite precise so the filter needs to be clean to ensure an efficient mixture. The air filter also protects your engine from impurities, extending the life of the engine as well as saving on gas.

It is also important to check oil regularly and change dirty oil. An engine with clean oil operates at maximum efficiency, which translates into gas savings. You should definitely use the grade of motor oil recommended by the manufacturer. Using one weight oil in an engine designed for a different weight can lower gas mileage up to 2%.

You can also realize greater efficiency from using a high-quality multi-grade oil but if there is a price difference you need to compare the costs involved.

And when your tires are not properly inflated, your gas mileage decreases by 5%. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that millions of American cars run on tires that are not correctly inflated. Correctly inflated tires will also last longer and are safer.

The owner’s manual always states the correct pressure for the tires. If you are driving a pre-owned car with no owner’s manual, you can call a local dealer or research the information on the net.

Radial tires are supposed to improve gas mileage by 5% when driving in the city and by 7% when driving on a highway. So if you don’t already use radials, you might consider switching.

Another benefit of radial tires is that they last longer. However, you should be careful not to mix radials with conventional tires unless the owner’s manual clearly states that this procedure is acceptable for that model car.

In addition, tires need to be properly balanced. Properly balanced tires reduce road friction thereby increasing fuel efficiency.

You also need to check wheel alignment to ensure that wheels are properly aligned. Wheels that are out of alignment also cause your car to burn extra fuel.

Although the savings from each practice might be small, the overall savings is worth the extra effort.

Nowadays you will find a variety of good motorcycle accessories. You can purchase most of these items over the Internet. While motorcycle dealers will offer you high-priced accessories, you can buy most of the accessories from online auction shop.

Some motorcycle accessories, which are important for your motorcycle, are windshield, engine guards, sissy bar, luggage rack, and saddlebags. You may have come across the problem of wind and draft from the large vehicles during your ride. A good windshield will deflect the airflow from the large vehicles around the sides of your bike. While making a pick for motorcycle windshield you should have the proper knowledge and know, which one will best suit you. It is recommended that the windshield height should not be more than your eye’s level. Some windshields also allow you to hold a cup of coffee between sidebars and a windshield-but do not let the coffee spill over!

A set of engine guards is also a useful motorcycle accessory. Not only does it add an extra safety feature to your bike but also gives extra chrome to your bike. In case of any accident that might occur and cause your bike to fall, engine guards will protect your legs from getting broken as well as protect your bike from getting damaged.

Another good accessory is sissy bar. It not only gives an improved look to your bike but also, like engine guards, adds additional safety feature to your bike. Sissy bars provide a support from the backside to the passengers sitting behind you. If you are not carrying passengers, a sissy bar will provide support to carry cargo. All you need to do is to place your cargo inside cargo net and strap it firmly to sissy bar. Sissy bar is especially helpful in carrying cargo if you do not have saddlebags.

Along with sissy bars, you should also consider adding luggage rack to your motorcycle. This is a recommended motorcycle accessory especially if you go on longer trips. You can place your bag in the luggage rack whenever going to work. All that is required from you is to place your items in bungee cords or cargo net and strap it to the luggage rack.

Other motorcycle accessories that you should consider buying are saddlebags and cargo storage systems. There are many items in accessories that will come handy during a ride. In addition, you can get different kinds of leather bags for your motorcycle from online websites. You should also check for new exhaust system for your bike.

As you see there are a number of different accessories that you can buy for your motorcycle. Before spending any money, you should make sure to search Internet for all available options. You should primarily opt for those motorcycle accessories that are best for your motorcycle in terms of safety and necessity. After that, you should move towards buying those items that are more of a fashion statement. Always remember that from wherever you buy make sure that it is a reputable dealer in motorcycle accessories.