It’s no secret that a car needs regular maintenance to run smoothly. But many drivers don’t know the best ways to maintain their vehicle, leading to problems down the road. This article will discuss four ways to get your car running smoothly. We’ll start with the most basic maintenance tips and work our way to more advanced techniques. By following these tips, you’ll help keep your car running like new for years to come!
Contents
Change The Oil And Filter
The first thing you should do to get your car running smoothly changes the oil and filter. Over time, motor oil becomes dirty, which can cause problems for your engines such as reduced fuel efficiency, premature wear and tear, and in extreme cases, engine failure.
Different types of motor oil are designed for other machines, so make sure to get the right type depending on what kind of car you have. Changing the oil and filter every three months or 3,000 miles is a good idea for keeping your vehicle running smoothly. If you drive in an area with heavy traffic or lots of stop-and-go driving, you may need to change the oil more often.
Check Your Tire Tread And Pressure
Another way to get your car running smoother is checking the tire tread and pressure. The type of driving you do determines what kind of pressure would be most ideal for your tires, but generally speaking, a higher psi will result in less traction while a lower psi will provide more traction. This can depend on how much tread is left on the tire too. It’s essential to make sure the tire tread is even around your tire and also necessary to check the pressure in all four tires. This will help keep your car running smoothly and can help prevent getting stuck somewhere with a flat tire.
Change The Air Filter
A clogged air filter can reduce fuel efficiency, low power, and engine failure. A dirty air filter will also affect how much air enters the engine, which will affect how your car performs. An air filter should be changed every 12,000 miles or once a year. However, air filters should be checked monthly, as they can get dirty much faster if you drive in an area with a lot of dust and pollution. To tell if your air filter needs to be replaced, you can pull it out and look through it; if you don’t see any light coming through, there is a good chance you need a new one.
Keep Your Battery Terminals Clean
Over time, corrosion and dirt can build up on the battery terminals. If this happens, you’ll see trouble starting your car as well as power issues. You should clean the terminals every few months to keep your car running smoothly. Battery terminal cleaner can be purchased at any auto store and is easy to use. All you need to do is spray the cleaner on both terminals, let it soak in for a minute or two, then rinse it off with water.
Check And Fill Power Steering Fluid
Power steering fluid helps reduce the effort required to turn your car’s wheels. Over time, the power steering fluid becomes dirty and needs to be changed. A low amount of power steering fluid can also lead to low power steering fluid pressure, resulting in you not being able to turn your wheels. You should check your power steering fluid every month or two and fill it up if it’s low. You can tell when your power steering fluid needs to be changed by looking at the color. If it looks dirty or dark, then it needs to be changed.
Test Your Spark Plugs
Having dirty spark plugs can affect how well your car starts, drives, and performs in general. An engine that’s not firing on all cylinders will result in a loss of power for your vehicle and make it harder to get going. Spark plugs should be changed every 100,000 miles, but they can fail before then. To check your spark plugs, you need to take them out and clean them with a wire brush if they are covered in oil or dirt. The pins should then be tested with a tester to see if they are working correctly. If the test shows that one of your spark plugs isn’t working, you’ll need to replace it.
Replace Your Timing Belt
A timing belt is a drive belt that keeps your engine’s valves and pistons in sync. If your timing belt fails, you will have to replace the whole machine. Unfortunately, this can be a very costly mistake. You should have your timing belt replaced every 40,000 to 100,000 miles or so.
To check if you need a timing belt replacement, you can take it to a mechanic and have them do a test. This will help keep your car running smoothly and prevent future engine failure. You should check with a professional before attempting to change it on your own though. If the belt is broken, then they will need to replace it immediately so that serious damage does not occur to your car.
Conclusion
By checking your car for any underlying problems and fixing them, you can help keep your engine running smoothly. Doing so will help improve your gas mileage and overall performance. You should check on these things monthly or every other month in order to make sure they stay up to date and working properly. For any specific questions about each of these ways of keeping your car running smoothly, be sure to speak with a mechanic they should have any information you are looking for!
