Vehicle maintenance is much easier than most people think. Auto shops charge “big bucks” to perform these simple tasks that can easily be performed at home. Maintenance on vehicles is normally (but not always) a job that nearly anyone can do.
While some dealerships require a professional to perform tune-ups for warranty purposes, most vehicle warranties do not require this. It does take a little work, but if vehicle maintenance is performed at home it will save a lot of money!
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Engine oil breaks down. When this happens, the lubricating ability of oil is slowly lost and the engine components begin to wear and the engine will begin to heat – due to friction.
While there are a variety of oils on the market, each vehicle is designed to operate with a specific type of oil. Check with the manufacturer’s specifications on which type of oil to use in your vehicle.
As a common rule of thumb, the oil should be changed every 3000 miles. This is not true in some circumstances. Oil changes are determined by the types of oils used as well as by the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Most commonly, manufacturers recommend changing oil every 5000 to 7500 miles and most brands of oil are not “breaking down” at this point. Some oils such as synthetic oils do not begin to break down until 9000 miles or more but this mileage will vary according to the brands and quality of the oil used.
When changing engine oil, it is also recommended to change the oil filter. These are very inexpensive and can be purchased along with the oil at any auto store. While it may not be needed to change the oil filter every time the oil is changed, it only costs a few more dollars to change the filter – providing more safety to the engine.
Changing engine oil is very simple. The oil pan is located on the very bottom of the engine. There is a plug on the bottom of the oil pan that looks similar to a regular bolt. Once a container is in place to catch the spent oil, simply remove the plug and the oil will drain from the engine. While the oil is draining, go ahead and change the oil filter.
According to the make and model of the vehicle, the oil filter can be located in various locations of the engine. An oil filter wrench is used to remove the oil filter. These only cost a few dollars and can be reused many times. Simply snug the oil filter – do not over tighten. Perform this while the engine is cool to prevent burns!
While this can be performed at home for usually less than twenty-dollars, oil change shops will charge up to fifty-dollars or more to do this. If it takes an hour for someone to do this in their back yard, it can easily save thirty dollars or more and the life of the engine!
The engine air filter is probably the easiest component of the vehicle tune-up to replace. It’s a good idea to change the engine air filter at ten-thousand miles or so. Air filters are reasonably cheap and these must be replaced to maintain proper gas mileage. If the engine can not supply itself with the proper amount of air, it will use more fuel.
The air filter is normally located somewhere on the top or side of the engine. If the engine is fuel injected (which most newer vehicles are), the air filter is often located inside a “box” on the left or right side of the engine.
If the engine is equipped with a carburetor, most likely the air filter will be located on the top of the engine. No matter where it is located, simply open the air filter container, remove the old air filter, replace with a new air filter, and secure the container back in place.
According to the vehicle, spark plugs may or may not be easy to change. In most of the older vehicles, the spark plugs can be changed in just a few minutes. Spark plugs are fairly simple to change in most newer vehicles, but some do require a professional to change.
When changing spark plugs, be sure to use the proper wrench to remove and replace them! If a spark plug is broken off inside the engine, a professional will be required to remove the broken plug. If this happens, it will likely be an expensive repair.
Some of today’s spark plugs are guaranteed to last one-hundred thousand miles. Most “standard” plugs should be changed every thirty-thousand miles. If spark plugs wear and are not performing as intended, fuel mileage will suffer.
It’s also a good idea to replace the spark plug wires every other time the spark plugs are changed. Normally these too are inexpensive and by changing them it will allow the vehicle to operate as intended.
It is normally required to change the fuel filter every forty to sixty-thousand miles. The purpose of the fuel filter is to catch any impurities or “trash” that may be in the fuel. By catching these impurities, it prevents any debris from entering the fuel system – stopping up fine components in the carburetor or fuel injection system.
The reason for changing the fuel filter is because it catches debris that is in the fuel. After some time, the filter becomes clogged and prevents fuel from entering the fuel system as needed. Engine power loss and other problems will arise if the filter becomes clogged.
The engine fuel filter may or may not be easy to change – especially if it is located within the fuel tank. Again, it’s according to the make and model of the vehicle that determines where the fuel filter is located. Most commonly, the fuel filter is located just underneath the vehicle – normally within reaching distance. If this can be changed without the assistance of a professional, a lot of money can be saved!
There are a number of other simple fixes that can be done without the use of a professional that will add to the life of the vehicle and other components.
A vehicle’s life is determined accordingly to how well it is taken care of. Proper maintenance is the key to a vehicle’s life. Most people can perform at least some of the above vehicle maintenances and a lot of money will be saved by doing this. Also, children enjoy working on vehicles and a vehicle tune-up day is a great idea to allow the kids an opportunity to “get their hands greasy”.
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