How to Keep Your Vehicle in Good Condition During Summer

It's the summer season here in the Philippines and the temperature is starting to rise. Usually, it can reach up to 43 to 45 degrees centigrade during the day. It wouldn't hurt to take extra care of your car under severe conditions such as extreme heat. Let me share some that I actually do during the summer season.

The most important thing is to try and keep your engine as cool as it can be. There are a lot of engine coolants out there that you can buy so keep your engine cool while running. Most of them are additives to the engine oil. I don't have a particular brand to recommend but if you trust a mechanic or a car shop, then you can ask what they actually use.

Aside from that, water is essential to cool your engines. Before you leave your garage, just make sure your radiator and its reserve is full of water. You wouldn't want to overheat in the middle of nowhere. Always bring water with you whenever you drive. And of course, always be aware of your engine temperature.

Another main concern while driving during hot summer days is you and your passengers' comfort. Always make sure your air-conditioning is in tiptop shape. Check the belt, the Freon level, the hoses, the vents, the fan and the dashboard. This will make sure that the system is functioning well and the inside of the car is still cool amidst the searing heat outside.

You should always check the tread of your tires especially if you're going on a long drive during summer. Due to the heat of the road from the sun, it could wear out your tires. It's good for traction though since you have more friction with heated roads.

Engine performance is also affected by the air intake. The more air the engine gets, the better the combustion will be. This results in more power for your engine. However, hot air expands so there's less air coming in during hot days. Cold air is more compressed thus; more will come into your engine. You can actually install aftermarket parts to get more air and keep it cool. If you have a turbo engine, intercoolers will do the trick. You can just modify your intake by installing free-flow filters. High performance air filters can suck more air into the intake while protecting it from foreign objects.

These are just some of the things that you could do to enhance your driving experience during hot weather. This should result in better gas mileage and most importantly, spare you from the searing temperatures and keep your travel as comfortable as possible.

Sources:
Traction (engineering) - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traction_%28engineering%29

Cold Air Intake - Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_air_intake