Engineering Magazines

If automobile battery is something that troubles you often, you need to keep a check on this auto part. It’s easy and simple. Car Battery maintenance is essential as this automotive part plays a major role in the smooth functioning of any vehicle. As I always say, a little care and basic knowledge is what is required. Just have a fair idea of the automobile electrical system to keep the car’s battery in the best shape without any hassles. Follow the following car maintenance tips to keep you car’s battery running smoothly.

Tips No. 1 – Battery Needs Change - This is common and known to almost all the car owners. Your car’s battery needs to be changed after a duration of four years. Don’t forget to do that.

Tips No. 2 – Monthly check of the battery’s load test helps you avoid any hassle. Take your car’s battery to your auto mechanic and can load test it. Make sure your car’s battery is able to pass the test. Make sure that it is capable of sufficient charge even at below freezing temperatures.

Tips No. 3 – Just wipe off the battery terminals of any crust. An easy way to do so is to use some baking soda and water. Use a wire brush to clean the crust using this solution.

Tips No. 4 – Always keep the battery cables tightly tied. Make sure the cables are so tight that they do not move.

Tips No. 5 – Keep the battery safe in a tray. Also ensure that battery remains properly in the battery tray so that no damage is caused to the hood.

Tips No. 6 – Excess of cold is not a good condition for the car batteries. Therefore, look for a solution to it. The best way is to opt for an engine or battery heater. This keeps the car’s battery function smoothly. The heater will help in easily starting the battery and would also minimize the power consumed.

Tips No. 7 – Keep a check on when Service is needed – Different cars come with maintenance free battery. Regular check is needed for such automobile batteries. There is a light in maintenance free batteries that goes black when service is required.

Tip No. 8 – For Conventional Car Battery - These batteries come with a plastic cover that can be easily removed to check the water inside. It is important that the water inside the battery reaches the filler necks.

Tip No. 9 – Be Careful While Adding Water – Incase there is less water inside the battery, you may also add distilled water. I guess I should warn you at this moment. You might just harm yourself if you don’t be careful. The battery acid that is highly corrosive might harm your clothes.

Tip No. 10 – During Battery Check – It is important to make sure that you do not keep any kind of open flames near the car battery. Automobile battery contains chemicals that are combustible and hence can be dangerous.

Tip No. 11 – Over Charging Should Be Avoided – This is common and known to everybody that a dead battery can be charged using a battery charger. Improper charging of a battery is something that should be avoided. It might also lead to damage of battery’s as well as car’s parts & components.

These were some of the battery’s maintenance tips that are to be followed in order to keep your car’s battery and electrical system in best condition. The smooth functioning of automobile battery helps you have a tension free long drive. You can try these car parts maintenance (D-I-Y) tips yourself. Have a Happy & Safe Driving!!

Check out the amazing New MUV from Mahindra – The Mahindra Xylo

Did you know that just cleaning your car can drastically improve fuel economy? Or that traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day? Browse through these car care or auto repair tips and find out how to get the best out of your Mahindra Xylo, keep your vehicle in good shape for years to come and discover ways to make your journey safer and more enjoyable.

Car Care and Auto Repair

Car Engine Oil

It is normal for engines to consume some car engine oil during operation. If the Oil Pressure warning light glows continuously, check the car engine oil level and add the recommended grade of oil if necessary. Use Mahindra Maximile Premium Engine Oil only. It is ideal for your Mahindra Xylo.

Note:

Car Engine oil consumption depends upon the viscosity and quality of the oil, and upon the conditions in which the vehicle is driven. Oil consumption will be more during high speed driving and frequent acceleration and deceleration. A new engine will consume more car engine oil since its pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls are not conditioned.

Battery

If the battery terminal is corroded, wash it with a solution of warm water and baking soda.

Check the battery exterior for corroded and loose terminal connections.

Be sure the engine and all accessories are turned ‘OFF’ before performing maintenance.

Always disconnect the negative terminal cable first from the battery.

Check the electrolyte level at intervals of 3 months. If the level is below the lower marker, add distilled water until the level reaches the upper marker.

Tires

Inspect your vehicle’s tires by performing the following checks.

Measure the air pressure with a tire gauge. Adjust, if necessary.

Check for abnormal wear, cracks and any damage. If a tire shows abnormal wear, have it inspected by your Mahindra Dealer. Replace, if needed.

Increasing Fuel Efficiency

Get up to 25% more fuel efficiency from your Mahindra Xylo by following these tips.

Sudden bursts of speed can prove costly. Accelerate steadily, brake gradually. Plan your trip and pace your speed. And avoid high traffic density roads. Rolling in neutral saves 15-20 cc of fuel. Ensure perfect wheel balance and you can cover up to 20% of your distance in neutral. Wrong tyre pressure is a drain on fuel. Check the owner’s manual for the correct tyre pressure for your Mahindra Xylo. Better still invest in a tyre pressure gauge. Use oils & fluids recommended by the manufacturer.

Only Mahindra knows what oils & fluids your Mahindra Xylo needs. Buy only what is recommended in the manual.

Excessive cooling increases fuel consumption. Switch off the AC when it’s not needed. Keep the refrigerant topped up. Get the AC checked regularly. Use the tachometer to save fuel. Your owner’s manual will tell you how to shift gears according to the Tachometer and thus save fuel. Going easy on the clutch saves fuel. Take your foot off the clutch pedal if you’re not shifting gears. And when you do use it, remember to depress it completely. Remove the 3rd row to reduce fuel usage. Fill only as much fuel as needed. It reduces extra weight, unwanted spillage and evaporation losses. Dirt soaks up fuel. Remove dirt from wheel arches, drip rails and other such places. It could reduce weight by almost 15 kg. Go easy on accessories.

Accessories such as roof carriers and bumper extensions drag down fuel efficiency. Listen to music and save fuel – When stuck in traffic, turn off the engine and switch on the car deck.

Check out the amazing New MUV from Mahindra – The Mahindra Xylo

 

 

To keep your car looking good and performing well, OzFreeOnline offers some simple guidelines that will give you all the information you need to know. Each week we will offer you some excellent suggestions in taking optimum care of your car.

 

UNDER THE BONNET

 

Do you know your way around under the hood of your car? While not as critical as it used to be, periodically checking under the hood can head off problems before they become costly. Today, with self-service gas stations everywhere, often the only way you will get it done is for you to do it yourself.

 

Start by reading your car owner’s manual or search for your car models manual on line if you bought a used automobile which most of the times doesn’t have manuals for the drivers for them. There will always be a section on under bonnet checks. A word about safety though: read the safety warnings in your owner’s manual and any safety warning stickers under the hood. Also, it’s advisable that you keep a pair of old gloves and a roll of paper towels in the boot.

 

If the engine has been running for any length of time, there are areas under the hood that can be very hot. Except for checking transmission fluid level, all checks should be done while the engine is turned off. If the engine is running, do not put your hands near any belts or fans.

 

BATTERY

 

Most batteries today are “maintenance free”, which simply means that you can’t check the water level. This doesn’t mean however, that there is nothing to check. The main things to check are the top of the battery, which should be clean and dry, and the terminal connections, which should be clean and tight. If the top of the battery continuously becomes damp or corroded soon after cleaning, then have the charging system and battery checked by your mechanic. If by chance you are considering to buy used cars from dealers, and know nothing about batteries, you might wanna check it by looking and inspecting the connection wires. If it is corroded (it is rusty or white chemicals are forming), you can ask the used car dealer to clean it or change the battery to save you more money.

 

Happy motoring – and remember the best source to buy a used car today is OzFreeOnline.com – Cars Section. To sell your car, you can use our free car listings – We promise, it’ll cost you nothing.

 

To keep your car looking good and performing well, OzFreeOnline offers you suggestions on checking the Coolant (Antifreeze) level as well as the engine oil level.

 

COOLANT (ANTIFREEZE) LEVEL

 

Never open the radiator of a car that has just been running. The cooling system of a car is under high pressure with fluid that is usually hotter than boiling water. Look for the cooling system reserve tank, somewhere near the radiator. It is usually translucent white so you can see the fluid level without opening it. (Do not confuse it with the windshield washer tank). The reserve tank will have two marks on the side of it. ‘FULL HOT’ and ‘FULL COLD.’ If the level frequently goes below ‘full cold’ after adding fluid, you probably have a leak, which should be checked as soon as possible. Today’s engines are much more susceptible to damage from overheating, so do not neglect this important system. If your car is prone to overheating, you might wanna change your engine coolant or have your radiator checked up. Cars bought from car auctions usually have this problem so you might wanna research the used car value and asking for the cars service and damage/accident history to be aware of this kind of problems. Having an overheating engine on the road could be a very difficult thing to deal with.

 

ENGINE OIL LEVEL

 

An engine cannot run without oil; oil is what prevents serious engine damage or total destruction! To check the oil level, make sure that the engine is turned off, then find the engine oil dipstick and remove it. With a paper towel or rag, wipe off the end of the stick and notice the markings on it. You will usually see a mark for ‘Full’ and another mark for ‘Add’. If you have just acquired a used automobile, it is wise to check the oil immediately to determine if it is required to refill or do an oil change. Clean oil also is best for car engines.

 

Check your owner’s manual to be sure. Push the stick back into the tube until it sets, then immediately pull it out to see the oil level. You should not add oil unless the level is below the ‘Add’ mark and NEVER add oil to bring the level above the ‘Full’ mark. Your main concern with this check is that oil consumption is not rapidly increasing. If it is, take your car to a repair shop as soon as possible and have it checked out. It is acceptable for the oil to be dark as long as you change it at the recommended intervals. However, it should never be foamy and should never have a strong petrol smell. If either of these conditions exists, have it checked out soon. Remember, you can browse sites like OzFreeOnline to give you some tips and advices in properly maintaining your car but it is also advisable to pay a few dollars for an expert periodically to check your car to get it to its best condition.

 

 

The summer is typically the roughest season on your car. The added heat and strain of the air conditioning system can result in breakdowns and being stranded. Here are some tips for your car this summer that will keep you going, keep you cool and minimize repairs. Basically these tips can keep you out of the breakdown lane.

1) Cooling system flush and fill. This costs around $60-$80 and is important as residue, rust, metal particles, etc… will clog up your system and reduce its effectiveness. If your cooling system is compromised it can lead to engine overheating and very expensive repairs or total engine failure. Sometimes just a top off of the antifreeze or coolant is all that is warranted.

2) Battery test. Take your car to a auto parts store and have the battery checked. Most will do this for free. They will also clean your battery cables and terminals. Sulfuric acid build up will corrode and worsen the connections which can lead to a dead battery or other electrical problem. A bad battery will not hold the proper charge and, especially in traffic on a hot day can leave you stranded. Believe in Murphy’s law and be prepared for it. If something can or will fail it will probably do it when you least expect it and when it will effect you the most. Be prepared by testing your battery and replacing if necessary.

3) Change the oil and transmission fluid and replace the filters. Have this professionally done as a mechanic can tell you of warning signs these fluids can indicate with a change in oil color, smell, etc… that can warn of impending or future issues. They will top off and check all necessary fluids for your car. They will also check the belts, hoses, tires and more if you ask. Choose a place that is well recommended as there are less than honest mechanics out there. Any AAA repair shop is a good bet as they subscribe to the highest code of ethics in the business. And as a good general rule, have this done every 4,500 – 5,000 miles.

4) Remember to take care of your car’s finish. You want the paint to remain in good condition for as long as possible. Wash the car regularly as bird dropping, acid rain, dirt, etc… can ruin the finish. Apply wax and sealant to protect the paint from the sun, salt and weather conditions. Polymer sealants with PTFE and PTCFE work best as they will bond the slipperiest substances known to man to your paint and this will even keep dust and dirt off your car or truck. Also don’t neglect your headlights, which can become cloudy and won’t operate as well. Cloudy headlights make for extremely unsafe night time driving and will greatly detract from your cars appearance. A headlight repair, cleaner and restoration kit will return cloudy headlights to like new condition and is now readily available. Learn more about this headlight repair and similar cleaning products by visiting the below link.

5) AC system check. According to mechanics the average car is a little low on refrigerant (R-134a for most cars). You can do a recharge yourself as kits can be bought for under $30 at your local auto parts store. I advise against this as it is too easy to blow a hose or not seal it correctly. Get it professionaly done. It won’t cost much more and they can do a check to see if it is leaking and fix it the same day. What good would filling it do if it all leaked back out?

These tips will keep your car running cool all summer long, make it safer, and make it look great. And best of all, it will keep you out of the dreaded break down lane.

We all know that car is one of the things we always need in our daily life. It always helps us in everything we do.  Car helps us from business to our personal uses.  So we should always take good care of it. So that It won’t give any problems in the future.  Here are some of the tips that all of us must do to take good care of our cars.

1. First of all we should always have to remember to always check our engine, break, fluids, battery, before using our car. We usually ignore these things because of our busy life. And always forget to check out our cars before we leave. I always remember what my father always told me when it comes to car. He said that the engine is one of the important parts of the car. Checking the engine periodically help us see what’s going to be a problem and will cost us much in the future. Have a full car engine check up. If you do know something about car engine then you can do it yourself. If you don’t. You can hire a auto mechanic. If ever try to hire someone who you do trust or someone who have a good reputation when it comes to car engine. Or you can check the car manual for some help. But be careful if you just used the car there are some part of the engine that are still hot so be cautious in checking your car engine. Check the engine oil level you got to see if the oil consumption is rapidly increasing. If so you got to go to a repair shop and have them check it out. Make sure the engine is off when checking the oil level. Then check the Transmission fluid read your manual about how to do this or have someone who is expect do this. Make sure you use the correct transmission fluid for your car. Next is the brake fluid this one is very important cause brake is really needed when driving a car. When the brake pads wear out the brake fluid level will drop slightly. But don’t worry this things are normal. If your brake fluid level drops in a short period of time that’s the time you got to have your brake check. Always put brake fluid that are approved in your brakes. And always keep it covered when you don’t have to fill it. And always make sure that you maintain a very high boiling point on your brake fluid. So don’t expose it to air cause this fluid will absorb moisture and that will lower the boiling point. Another thing is the Power Steering fluid. Check the fluid level and it should not change more than the normal range. You have to check it for leaks too. Then check the coolant. This one is very important because this one will really affect the condition of your car. Coolant is the one who help you when your car is overheating. So you got to check it if there’s any leak .Then the battery. Most battery today now offers a maintenance free meaning you can’t check the water level. But this doesn’t mean that we won’t check it out anymore.  We got to clean and dry the top of the battery and also check the terminal connection if it’s clean and tight. Then next is the windshield washer solvent. These solvents are available in any auto supply store and supermarket. So you won’t have any problem. Then we got to check the belts and hoses too. These things are usually done by your mechanic but just in case you have to do it on your own always remember to check it when the car is cold. Check the belt for any sign of crack and tightness. 2. The second important parts of the car are the wheel and the tires. Check the tires pressure. Tire pressures tend to rise as you drive due to heat build-up. So you should check it when they are cold.  Use the manufacturers recommended tire pressures for your tires. It is advisable to rotate your tires periodically. The front tire always wear faster that the rear tires. Having an uneven tire thickness will give you uneven braking specially during rainy days. By not doing this you will end up placing two new tires at front and will still find it uneven to the tires on the rear part. Then you got to place the other two rear tires to make it all even and balance. This will cost you a lot. Don’t forget to have a wheel aligning and wheel balancing check. Having a wheel that’s not aligned will wear your tire easily. If your want to know if your tires are not align.  First is to check each tires and look for uneven patterns. Or get a coin and put it in between each tire tread and see if there at the same length .If the tread is deeper on one side than the other that’s mean you need to have a wheel alignment. Having a wheel that’s not balance will give you hard time in driving with all of the vibration in the seat, steering wheel and floorboard. To know if your wheels are not balance is when one section of the tire is heavier that the other or the car vibrates at a certain speed. You got to call an auto mechanic to do a wheel balancing for your car. Don’t forget to check the wheel lugs too. Check the lock lugs if all are tight and are not heavier than the other. 3. Check all the light of your car from the inside light, headlights to the turn signal lights and brake lights. Don’t forget to check the electric wires of your car. Check if the wires are in good condition and have no crack or tear. There is one time I heard on the news about a taxi that just got on fire on the street and it’s all because of the faulty electrical wiring. We don’t want this to happen to us or to our car. Then check the windshield wiper. See if the blades have cracks or need to replace a new one. And then check if you need to replace the car filters. There are so many car filters that are replaceable. You can check them in your car manual. If you live in a dusty area then you should replace them frequently. Here are some of the filter u needs to check. First is the air filter this filter are use to filter the air going into an engine. You can replace this filter by yourself. Next is the fuel filter this one is found either in the engine compartment or near the gas tank. You got to let an auto mechanic to do this. Then cabin filter this filter are somewhere located under your dash they are the filter that filter the air conditioning system  that clean the air before going into the passenger compartment. 4. Schedule a day of car washing.  I know for some of us especially to busy people going to the car wash station are a big yes. And I know car wash provide good grooming tools for your car and will really give good clean. They have equipment and tools that will give your car a very nice and shiny clean finish. But it will be better and much cheaper to do it by yourself. Plus you will be sure that you can have the finish you will like because you do it yourself. And it’s one of the fun ways to spend a day with your family and love ones. Use cleaning products that are safe for your car. Wash and clean the outer part of your car depending on how frequent you use your car. If you use it every day and always driving in a muddy and dusty road I guess you got to wash it more often. Remove the dry mud and dirt under your car and around your tires. Because they do get dusty too. A good grooming car always gives a good appearance to anyone who sees it. Then after washing don’t forget to wipe it dry and check if there are any dirt that are still there. Vacuum the car seat and carpet of the car as often as you use it. Wipe the dashboard of your car because they do get dusty too. 5. Car wax is good to maintain its car paint color and shine. It always makes the car look new and it also protect the car paint from the ultra violet rays of the sun. And it didn’t get wet much when it rain. How frequent you car wax your car is depend on the type of wax you use. Some waxes do last longer than the others. When waxing always makes sure the car is totally clean and feels smooth to touch. And be sure to check the entire surface for any waxy residue, check the plates, emblems, around the tire trim and body seems.

Taking good care of your car will give you good advantage. If you have a good maintenance with your car it will perform well and will use less gas. Plus it won’t cost you more in a long run. Don’t forget to drive safely and responsibly. Remember we are not the only one who will get hurt if we have an accident while driving. The people who is driving with us and the people who is on the street are all in our hands and our responsibility. So always be responsible and be careful and alert whenever we start our engine and start driving.  Always remember that the car is just a machine it is our responsibility to take good care of it. I hope this few tips will help you and will be a reminder for you in maintaining your cars.