Summer Car Care: Engine, Transmission and Radiator Maintenance

The blend of summer climate, humidity, and pollen is amongst us for the upcoming 2006 season. As young adults or older adults it is are responsibility to maintain adequate car repair care for the warm season up ahead.

As the 2006 summer season awaits at mid to late June's corner, residents of any district or state line may want to consider doing some extensive car overlooking. We all must get off of our lazy behinds and thoroughly inspect our vehicles (inside and out) so that we are prepared incase of a unfortunate dreadful moment.

There are several very critical components under your hood that are very important to maintain. Without these necessary components operating properly, you face a huge loss of time, energy and thousands of dollars! It would be wise to consider the following car care information below for advice on preparing your vehicle.

Engine:

· Oil - By changing the oil to your engine you give your engine a chance to burn fresh, clean and efficient oil instead of that old gunk that you haven't changed since Grandma's Christmas party 2 years ago! Fresh motor will improve a vehicles overall performance. Old motor oil will turn dark brown to black and can be unhealthy for the life of your engine. Healthy engine oil will resemble a rich light-brownish honey color.

Transmission:

· Trans fluid - Transmission fluid usually shows healthy signs in the shade of a dark raspberry like color. Check the levels and be certain that the Trans fluid is not gritty or low in it's supply. If you experience a rough shifting of gears or a hesitation in gearshift during use, chances are your trans fluid needs to be changed.

Radiator:

· Engine Coolant - With enough unbearable heat as it is (depending upon your area) the last thing you need is hot air and an engine that can't breathe. Imagine running a 12-mile marathon on a day of 90 degrees or above and being denied any nourishing liquid to quench your thirst. Well this is how your car would feel without any antifreeze or a fan to cool its engine after use. Check your radiator fluid levels to be certain that you have an adequate amount. An overheated engine continually used, will soon be a damaged engine, never used.

· Radiator - Another great idea would be to check out your radiator system and check to see if the fan is operating properly. It's unwise to deal with the fan during use but in order to prevent extreme engine over heating make sure the fans movement is proficient. Worse case scenario some fans hesistate during spin cycle or are balanced in a position where it's ineffective at cooling the engine. Double check if you've experienced any front-end accidents.

Windshield washer fluid:

· Keep an eye out for your windshield fluid levels by checking the plastic container. If you're unable to see any fluid, chances are you need to add more washer fluid. A clean window to see out of increases your awareness and visibility levels on
the road.

Emergency Road kit:

Keep a list of items that you feel you'll need to have incase of a disaster or automobile accident. Items should include:

· Spare tire (With wheel lock key)
· Jumper cables
· Extra fluids (oil, antifreeze, washer, trans fluid, etc..)
· Flashlights and road flares
· Road maps,
· First Aid
· Charged cellular phone.

It may also be a good idea to invest in a cell phone and car charger incase if you need to make a phone call or two for help. Just make sure to limit the amount of phone use as you operate your vehicle.