Ten Important Tips You Need to Know when Preparing Your Car for Winter

There are a great many things which can go wrong on our cars, and the extreme temperature changes between sitting overnight to driving to work in the morning can wreak havoc on mechanical systems that are critical to the proper operation of your car. If you are handy you can do many of the following things yourself.

1) First you have to have an engine that starts reliably, so to that end you need a good working battery. You can purchase an inexpensive tester which can tell you if the battery in your car is going to work for you this winter or not. First using the tester you can see if the battery is holding a full charge, and while the caps are off you can add some distilled or R.O. water if the cells are low.

2) Next you can use a volt meter to see that the charging system is sending the required voltage into the battery. Most cars charge their 12 volt battery at some value that is typically between 13.5 and 14.5 volts. Finally you should remove and clean the battery cables and mating battery terminal surfaces.

3) You also need to check the belt which drives your alternator, and other engines accessories. On many newer cars there is a single serpentine belt that drives everything except the radiator cooling fans which are most often electric. Replace the belt if it is more than 3 or 4 years old or if it shows any signs of wear.

4) So now your battery systems all check out, the next thing to check is your starter. If starting has been getting slower and you can hear a reduction in the speed at which the starter turns the engine over, then it may be time to have your starter replaced. This typically takes me about an hour to do, and it really is simple if you have the tools and skills. Some cars have the starter located in such a way that it is very easy to get at, and others have the starter buried under a myriad of other components. Check the location before you even think about doing this yourself. Also make sure you see the new part before taking it home as there are often more than one starter that will fit your car.

5) We now know the car will turn over reliably, but we need to ensure that there is good spark at each plug. Depending on the age of your car, it is relatively inexpensive to replace the distributor cap, the rotor, wires and spark plugs. This one repair can save you enough fuel to pay for the parts in about a month. If you have the type engine where there is no cap and rotor, then you will have coils either right on the plugs or nearby, and in this case you would typically only have to change the spark plugs. This will still yield some fuel savings.

6) Next we need to make sure the fuel system is up to par. You can purchase fuel system cleaning additives which can help flush out deposits and will get your fuel system ready for those cold mornings where neither you or your car want to get moving. If your car is more than about five years old, chances are there has been some reduction of the efficiency in your fuel system components and the fuel pump or the fuel injectors could be clogging up. The additives on the market today will remove the deposits which are reducing your engines power and fuel efficiency. There are many tests that can be done which can give you diagnostic data on your fuel delivery system and this can tell you if a new fuel pump or injectors will help your car run more efficiently.

7) Now that the engine is fully capable of starting reliably each time you turn the key it is time to look at all of the critical fluids. Starting with the oil you should go into cold weather driving season with fresh oil and a new filter. This is the one time that you may choose to run a slightly different viscosity oil since the cold starts are harder on the internal parts of your engine than any other event. It is critical to have good oil in the crank case so that all of the metal surfaces stay coated with a smooth flowing clean lubricant. In my older jeep I run 10w 40 oil in the summer but I change to 5w 30 in winter. The lower number means the oil will flow easier when the oil is cold. The higher number is essentially a rating of the oil viscosity at 210 degrees, or engine operating temperature. Even if you use the same exact viscosity rated oil that you have always used going into cold weather with a fresh crank case of oil will definitely help your car run better in cold weather.

8) Next we need to make sure the cooling system is ready for the freezing temperatures. First you need to check your radiator levels and if the fluid is more than a few winters old flush it out and put in new coolant that is rated for your vehicle. This is a good time to inspect all of your hoses and replace them if you suspect they are drying out or if you see or smell evidence of minor leaks. It is wise to check and replace your thermostat and radiator cap when you replace your fluid as these items actually have moving parts which wear out over time.

9) Now we need to look at the transmission fluid and any other cases and axles. These are typically overlooked until there is an issue with them. It is wise to change the transmission fluid and filter every couple of years and it is better to go into winter with a fresh transmission full of new fluid. This job is not that simple to do, and for many it is easier to just take it to a professional who has all the right tools to do the job correctly. Be sure and demand they get all the old fluid out of the system not just what drains out of the pan when they remove the bolts. This is important as there is always some fluid left in the torque converter that cannot drain out by gravity alone. This extra fluid needs to be pumped out by removing the return line at the transmission, and with a clear tube attached route it into a large pan or bucket. Starting the engine and putting the car into drive forces the old fluid out of the torque converter. Make sure you have the parking brake on and put chocks under the tires so the car cannot accidentally roll on you. Refill before starting this procedure to the specified level and check it as you are draining out the old. You can stop flushing out when the fluid changes back to clean fresh fluid.

10) Next you need to look at your drive train looking for wear and tear on critical items like the shocks, tie rod ends, ball joints, universal joints, and axle fluids. Repair or replace any of these if they seem loose or have run dry of grease or oils. The axles take special care and if you are not experienced with these you should have a reliable mechanic do this job for you. I have replaced many gear sets and have installed locking differentials so I know what to look for, and using the right amount of the correct lubricant is critical.

So with a little bit of time and a little money you can prepare your car for winter as a "DIY" project and feel confident knowing that your car is ready for what mother nature has in store!

This article is based on my many years of automotive experience, and having performed many of these automotive tasks annually.

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