Little-Known Way To Save Money On Your Car Oil!

Imagine if you could save anywhere from $10 to $20 dollars on your usually very expensive oil change doing something very simple. Interested? Here’s how: Every 3000 miles completely drain out and replace the oil in your vehicle… by yourself! Just by doing this, you can save anywhere from $10-$20 dollars on your oil change. Below are the steps you can take to drain your car oil: Note that when changing the oil on your car you need to prepare with some supplies. You will need the following: Jack, the correct size wrench or ratchet, oil filter, oil, short bucket, rag, funnel, and a big piece of cardboard. Start by warming up your vehicle. Drive around the block once or twice, which will heat up your engine a little bit. A vital part to changing oil. The oil must first be warmed up otherwise you will have trouble getting it out. Then, jack up your vehicle, being sure to follow all safety precautions. Make sure to find a strong point on the bottom of your vehicle before jacking it up. An axle is the best place. After making sure everything is secure you are ready to get down and start the dirty work. The first thing to do is to drain out all the old oil. Look under your vehicle and locate the oil drain, which is usually one of the only 'plugs' in view. Generally this plug will be located right around the middle of the engine. Then, place your big piece of card board under the vehicle, which will keep you off the ground and also serve to catch any oil that drips. Grab your short bucket or container and place it under the vehicle, just below the oil plug. Once the bucket is in place take your wrench or ratchet and unscrew the oil plug slowly, letting the oil drain. Give the oil time to drain into the bucket, waiting till it comes out in slow drops. Then, carefully unscrew the oil filter. As you remove the filter, a short stream of oil may come out. Be sure to catch this in the bucket while not burning yourself. After you have drained all the oil out of your engine you will need to replace the plug and add the new oil filter. Once you've finished that, be sure to clean up any messes that were made with your cleaning rag. When you’re done cleaning up, you can start putting in new oil! Find out how many liters of oil your vehicle takes and pour it in with the funnel through the spout labeled for oil on top of your engine, beneath the hood of your vehicle. Use the dipstick to check and make sure the oil level is high enough. Once the tank is full put all caps back on and close the hood. Be sure to properly dispose of all the old oil and the oil filter. And guess what? You’ve just saved $10-$20 by changing your car oil yourself… and it doesn’t seem too hard, right?

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How To Diagnose Your Car Like An Expert!

Have you ever wondered how you can instantly know if the car you own is having problems? Well, it is very simple… just take a good look! By asking yourself some basic, common-sense questions you can quickly and easily diagnose your car just like an expert! Below are some sample questions you should ask yourself when diagnosing your car: 1. Are there any stains or drops of fluid under your vehicle? There may be no problem whatsoever, however you do want to check for wet spots, as this could be a symptom of a serious problem. 2. What color is the liquid under the car? Yellowish green, blue or orange colors can show an overheated engine or an antifreeze leak. You could have a leaky radiator or a water pump in need of repair. If this is the problem, you need to get to a repair shop immediately. Some other common symptoms you can look for include: - A dark brown or black oily fluid can show that the engine is leaking oil. A bad seal or gasket could be the cause of the leak. The repair for this problem can be exorbitant, so you will want to seek out a reputable mechanic right away. - A red oily looking spot shows a transmission or power steering fluid leak. Another reason to see your car doctor! Sometimes the liquid is clear, and this is usually normal condensation from your vehicle's air conditioner. There is no need for concern. - If you see light smoke coming from a wheel - it could be a stuck brake. Call a tow truck. - Smoke coming from any part of the vehicle shows a need for repair. Sniff around, and you may detect your vehicles problem. The smell of burned toast can signal an electrical short and burning insulation. Have a mechanic come to look at your car. Do not risk driving it anywhere. - The smell of gas after a failed start may mean the engine is flooded. Just wait a couple of minutes and try again. If you keep noticing the gas odor, this could be a sign of a leak in the fuel system - a potentially dangerous problem that needs immediate attention. - If you see steam emerging from under the hood, stop and pull over. You definitely do not want to keep driving an overheated vehicle. Your engine will most likely be seriously damaged. Call a tow truck. Just by following these simple guidelines and asking yourself some common-sense questions, you can spot problems with your car even before you call the mechanic!

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