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Car Fluids (Priority: Medium-High) Rule number one with car maintenance is checking of fluids.
Sure, your Hummer may be invincible, but it can’t run without motor
oil, right? Make sure that all
fluids are within the specified levels. Don’ A particular item to watch out for is the washer fluid. Though most drivers would be content by merely wiping off any grime that would stick to the windshield, this will cause scratches that tend to be permanent, and can’t be removed no matter how many times you use a glass cleaner. Washer fluid will help lubricate the wipers, so to speak and prevent scratches to the front glass. Makes bug scrapping a lot easier. Another thing is the brake fluid. In times of rainy weather, braking is very essential, especially if some road punk swerved in front of you. Sometimes, there’s a general tendency for the fluid to go down, watch out carefully. If the drain is considerably large, bring your car into the shop for appropriate inspection. Tires / Tire Pressure (Priority: Low-Medium) Visual check-up is not enough for tires. A perfect example would concern those using Goodyear NCT3s. Though they look kind of oblong, a quick check of the tire pressure would indicate that everything’s normal. Make sure you use a good quality tire pressure gauge to check your tires. Another thing is to check them only after the tires have cooled down. Since hot air tends to expand the tires, this won’t give
an accurate reading with regards to the psi (Pounds-per-Square Inch) of the tire. It’s better to wait around eight hours or more before
checking the pressure. For those taking in air from gasoline stations, it’s highly recommended that you limit that for emergency situations such as fast deflations or pumping your spare tire. Don’t trust those pumps too much (in fact, some of them have needles that don’t work anymore). The best thing would still be to do it at home with your own equipment, that you are sure is working and that gives out a reliable reading. There are two types of deflation: a fast and a slow one. Fast one typically when your tire goes out with a bang. Another is slow deflation. Usually, this happens an hour or two after a puncture. So, after reaching your destination or upon leaving it (home included), check all four tires visually before entering your car. A slow deflation could occur and would only be evident after the car has taken a break. Inspect tires for wear as well. Severely worn tires like those found in passenger jeepneys (and no, they are NOT racing slicks), have practically no grip. If there is indeed wear on the tires, check them if they are uneven (too much on the outside or on the inside) in anyway. If they are, then this is an indication of having the need for wheel balancing or adjustment or both. Some tires carry wear markers (usually the imported brands like Bridgestone). Check to make sure that your tires still have enough tread depth to last you. If not, it may be a good time to invest on a new set of tires. |
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