Having high performance all season tires on your car makes you feel proud of you car but they can also save your life. Having good all performance tires is a must on any motorist car there very durable and they’re nice looking if you keep them well maintained up to service. You should really think about it. The whole point is that your life depends on your car; your car depends on your tires, that’s why you should keep your tires in good repair and service.

If you live in an area where the seasons change quite a bit and where you have a lot of rain as well as snow and ice in the winter then you need a good quality all season tire even more. If you own a sporty car or SUV then you will undoubtedly want to go with a high performance all season tire. Tire choices have really expanded over the years to include a diverse variety of sizes and styles so you need to educate yourself.

When you have all season performance tires there is to more in repairing them and servicing them than just changing the tire when the treads are warn out. It also means that you should rotate all four tires so that they are worn evenly. You also need to avoid the kind of driving that can really damage your tires. These activities can be hitting curbs or peeling out those are just some of the activities that can damage your tires. Taking a turn at a high rate of speed can really wear out your tires.

You will eventually have to change your all season performance tires, that kind of auto maintenance you will need the help of the professionals to do. I know that if you are a car nut, you probably just want to be able to handle everything yourself. Believe me, I have been there. Before I was a mechanic, I loved to work on my car by myself, and I would never take it in to a shop unless it was absolutely necessary. But if you’re going to change your all season performance tires you will need to take it to an auto care shop so it can be done by the professionals. You have to do this so that your tires are well balance and your car isn’t unsafe to drive. Unbalanced tires mean an unsafe car to drive. Nobody wants that, that’s why it is so important to get your tires changed by a professional.

Author: Sam Postema

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Article Link: http://www.mineeds.com/Lansing/Professional-Fleet-Services-Auto-Repair/Articles/Engine-fluids-and-vehicle-maintenace-What-you-need-to-know-809

Tags: Auto Brake Repair , Auto Engine Repair , Auto Muffler & Exhaust Repair , Auto Radiator Repair , Auto Repair Mechanics , Auto Transmission Repair , Car Oil Change / Auto Service

Engine Fluids and General Maintenance

What You Need to Know

How often should you change your oil?

How often should I change my transmission fluid?

How often should I change drive train fluids for rear wheel drive and 4 wheel drive vehicles?

At what mileage should I start performing maintenance on my vehicle?

Is it expensive? ? Why should I do it?

These are all great questions!

Unfortunately there are as many answers as there are brands of oils on the market today.

Vehicles today are capable of driving 200,000 ? 500,000 miles on the original drive train parts. Most fluid changes cost between $19 ? 100. The part the fluid protects costs between $1,500 ? 10,000 and more!

Once a vehicle arrives at the 80,000 ? 100,000 mile mark, the fluids have outlived their useful life span. They are no longer able to fully protect your vehicle.

All vehicles have a manufacturer recommended service schedule. What most people do not know is there is up to three different maintenance schedules per vehicle. They are based on the kind of driver you are, the climate you live in and what the vehicle is being used for.

The oil life indicator on most vehicles today does not take these situations into consideration. They use a generic interpretation from above or only one of the above methods. They also do not take into consideration what brand or type of fluid is being used.

Most vehicles today that use the extended drain interval either recommend the use of synthetic oils or require them. The reason for this is the engines, transmissions and drive train components operate at a higher temperature and performance level than they did 10-15-20 years ago. Synthetic oils can last longer under extreme conditions without failing to protect the part they are lubricating. They also are much less likely to cause build up and leave behind sludge.

As of 1998 and newer, ALL vehicles either recommended or required the use of synthetics. Not all synthetics are created equal. Many of the name brands on the shelf are not true synthetic. They are derived from conventional oil ? (oil from the ground) and have been purified and have had additives added back into them so they can legally be called synthetic. These additives do not protect the vehicle once they are used up. A true synthetic is man made and uses almost no convention oil in it whatsoever.

Synthetic oil as a whole will not break down and leave your vehicle unprotected. Synthetics also improve fuel economy and eliminate costly part failures. They reduce our dependency on foreign oil and result in less byproduct being put in landfills.

Most conventional oils for engines will not last beyond 3,000 miles. Most synthetic oils on the market do not protect the engine beyond 5,000 miles.

You should also take into consideration how good is the oil filter being used, can it continue filtering? How good is the air filter that keeps dirt out of the engine and how well is the rest of the vehicle maintained?

There are oil changes using specific synthetic oils that will allow you to go 25,000 miles at a cost that is less expensive than most people spend on oil changes combined in one year using conventional oils. You can also find drive train fluids that are approved for 250,000 miles, which exceeds the manufacturer recommendations and can actually save you money in the long run.

Here are some basic rules on average for changing your engine oil:

? Change every 3,000 miles when using a good conventional oil

? Change every 5,000 miles when using most synthetic oils

? Change every 25,000 miles when using an Amsoil synthetic (www.amsoil.com)

Engine coolant should be flushed every 3 to 5 years to eliminate major part and gasket failures. Small particles will break off into the cooling system thus turning the coolant into very fine sandpaper, tearing away at the metal and gaskets within the engine.

Transmission fluid should be flushed every 30,000 ? 60,000 miles to eliminate transmission fluid related failures and extend the life of the transmission. Most transmissions fail due to some sort of fluid failure.

Differential fluids should be changed every 60,000 ? 100,000 miles to reduce and eliminate bearing failure

Fuel injection services should be performed annually to eliminate carbon build-up of the inside of the engine. This build-up lowers fuel economy and engine performance and causes other hard part failures.

Timing belts are the most common cause of engine failure today. Timing belts should be changed every 60,000 ? 100,000 miles. There are more cars seen in service at the 80,000 ? 125,000 mile mark that have not had the timing belt replaced. The broken belts result in major engine damage thus ending the life of the vehicle due to expenses involved in repairing or replacing the engine. Check your owner manual, local dealer or trustworthy repair shot to see if your vehicle has a timing belt and when it should be changed.

When it comes to your vehicle maintenance, it is always best to error on the safe side ? your vehicle is usually the second most expensive item you own.

People who regularly maintain their vehicle never have major breakdowns or costly repairs and their vehicle will last 200,000 ? 500,000 miles! Approximately $500 per year spent on maintaining your vehicle for five years is $2,500 ? a new engine or transmission can cost up to three times that amount!

Article submitted by Sam Postema of Professional Fleet Services, Lansing, Mich.

www.professionalfleet.com

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Engine Fluids And Vehicle Maintenance. What You Need To Know

One of the most prominent automobile manufacturers of the West is Chrysler. This American automaker, which was established in 1925, has been continuously developing and innovating products and services not only for the North American market but also for overseas customers as well. The engineering prowess of this automobile company truly shines through its cars that boast of exceptionally performing and stylish Chrysler parts. Before buying a Chrysler vehicle, whether it is a car or a sports utility vehicle, it is only important to know what parts make it worthy of all the money being cashed out. This consideration will also provide the prospective owner with proper knowledge of the vehicle’s capabilities. Every Chrysler vehicle takes pride in its automotive parts–from the exterior components and into the most intricate interior Chrysler parts.

Given the thousands of deaths caused by road accidents every year, it is only a must that the safety features of the vehicles are all tight and secured. Chrysler owners and future users are lucky that the brand?s vehicles are equipped with top of the line safety features from the basic seatbelts to the complex airbags and braking system. Every Chrysler has a three-point center seat belt at the rear area. These trusty belts are tasked to hold occupants securely in place whenever collisions happen. These Chrysler parts have the constant force retraction feature which reduces the collision impact in a controlled manner. This way, passengers are held in place without the pain of strangling. The Chrysler also has the advanced multi-sage air bags at the front and the supplemental side-curtain air bags both at the front and rear are for extra protection. As road visibility can also define life and death for passengers, this vehicle is geared with rain sensing wipers and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights.

Taking a look into the interior Chrysler parts, one will see that this vehicle is fully equipped with the finest components starting from its engine. This wonder automobile can be geared with either a mighty 2.6-liter V6 engine that is capable of producing 190-horsepower or a 6.1-liter engine that guarantees 425-horsepower. Carrying the vehicle’s powerful internal combustion engine, the Chrysler?s advanced suspension system dramatically reduces road noise and provides a smoother ride. This five-speed automatic vehicle has the all-wheel-drive (AWD) system which offers maximum ride control and guarantees better accelerating power. With these parts carefully considered, one can surely imagine himself boasting these Chrysler parts, probably not knowing how these components will exceed his expectations.

Your car’s exhaust is vital to its health, yours and your passenger’s. An exhaust not working properly is disaster waiting to happen. Not only will your car and travel be noisy, you and your passengers may end up sick, too. Here are some information on exhausts.

What is an Exhaust?

An exhaust is the system comprising of engine parts through which steam or burned gases are discharged. It is a group of pipes that connects a catalytic converter and a silencer to the engine. The tailpipe of the exhaust is that part you can see that stretches from the car’s back part. Joining it is the silencer that consists of metal tubes or plates with holes in them. The holes help reduce the pressure produced by the exhaust gases. With several pipes, the silencer is then connected to a catalytic converter then to the engine.

How does the exhaust system work?

As mentioned earlier, the exhaust’s silencer works to reduce noise levels. Containing a tube set made to reflect sound waves made by the engine, sound waves are canceled out. Meanwhile, the exhaust pipes are intended to guide exhaust fumes directly behind the car than anywhere else. Then acting as a funnel is the exhaust manifold. It gathers exhaust gases from the engine cylinders, freeing them at a single opening known as the front pipe.

What are the functions of an exhaust?

The exhaust has four main uses. One, it improves the consumption of fuel. Second, it enhances the engine’s performance. Third, it leads exhaust fumes off from the passengers inside the vehicle. And lastly, it helps control the noise of the engine.

How long does an exhaust last?

An exhaust will last depending on how far you travel or how often you use your car. Cars that are driven for short trips are more inclined to corrode its exhaust than those cars used for long trips. Therefore, the extent of time you use your car won’t matter in the exhaust’s duration.

What happens if the exhaust fails?

A failing exhaust will let your car fail in the required MOT test. If your exhaust system has holes, your car would be emitting toxic fumes. Remember, exhaust emissions consists of pollutants including carbon monoxide. Carbon Monoxide can suppress the blood’s capability in absorbing oxygen thus causing minor or major health setbacks such as headaches and chest pains. In other words, if you have a faulty exhaust, you, your passenger’s and your car’s health is in danger.

Sunstroke is a very dangerous condition which can be fatal or, at best, can cause permanent damage. This happens when the body’s thermostat fails to work because of overheating. This condition is not just one that occurs from exposure to too much sun but can be caused by extreme heat in any environment, including workplace environments such as steelworks. Although this condition is called sunstroke, it is more apt to call it heatstroke as the real cause is not the sun’s rays but the intense heat produced by the sun.

Dehydration and salt deficiency can cause heat exhaustion. Take time to acclimatise to high temperatures and make sure you get sufficient liquids. Wear loose clothing and a broad-brimmed hat. Do not do anything too physically demanding.

Getting too much sun or being careless around an outside grill can result in summer burns. For minor first degree burns caused by brief contact with a hot object, water or steam, and sunburn, cool the skin by first holding it under running water, then apply a cold pack to numb the pain. If blistering occurs (second or third degree burns) seek medical help.

Drink plenty of cool water to keep yourself hydrated and reduce your body?s core temperature. (Warm water won?t do this, and cold water might be a shock to sensitive systems.) Drink regularly, every hour, even if you don?t feel thirsty. Avoid soft drinks and alcoholic drinks that are actually diuretic and rob your body of the water it desperately needs.

Heat stroke is generally considered when the body core temperature exceeds 40 deg C, and represents a failure of the body?s temperature regulation mechanisms. The person will have experienced the signs of heat exhaustion and may then show signs of decreased sweating, feeling faint or dizzy, mental irritation (confusion, altered consciousness, irrational behavior), and finally collapse.

For every person that has migraines, the results of one person’s symptoms may vary from the next person’s symptoms. Therefore not everyone is doing the same thing in the prevention of migraines. And in some cases as in the topic sunglasses and migraines, some people may have less sensitivity to light as may the next person have more of a sensitivity to noise or with the next person sound.

Heat Rash also can appear as large, reddened areas of skin. Babies and children are also more likely to be affected than adults because of their underdeveloped sweat glands, in which case the rash is commonly found in the nappy area and in the skin folds or on the neck. Heat Rash can also occur in cooler climates when sweating is a problem.

The most important step in preventing heat illness is to hydrate before, during, and after physical activity. Dehydration is common in all heat illnesses. Mild dehydration (2%) can decrease athletic performance as well as decrease the body’s ability to regulate temperature. Thirst in not a good indicator of dehydration, because it is activated when the body is already 2-3% dehydrated. You should drink 8-12 ounces of fluid before exercise, and every 20 minutes during exercise.

Taking care of a new baby on your own can take a toll on your emotional and physical health.

I am looking to get a flowmaster preformance muffler for my 2004 ford mustang v6 3.8l and i am not sure of the size. Is there i way i can look it up?

If you’re a car lover, most articles that you find about car exhausts deals with upgrading your car exhaust systems and finding the most durable and effective materials that make up these systems. The truth of the matter is that while vehicles may be useful and attractive, they are also destructive and potentially lethal. The fumes that are produced by vehicles, as you may know (from the all the recent “Green” talk) can be devastating to the environment.

People purchase cars for a variety of reasons. It may be a necessity for those who have to travel to work and don’t have the luxury of living in a city with an intricate network of trains and buses, or it could simply be a status symbol. Whatever the reason, all buyers are interested in the engine. Modern day engines are complex systems that involve emission control systems that require electronic monitoring to determine emissions during varying operating conditions. They are complex, but understanding the basic function is easy.

Everybody has heard about air pollution and the dire consequences it may bring. It’s obvious that more cars and its exhausts on the road mean more pollution. Pollution due to gas emissions hurts not only those causing the pollution but those who have to inhale these gases. Despite antipollution measures, the number of cars on the road continues to rise, and cars are getting bigger and more fuel-consuming with each new model made.

The exhausts produced by all vehicles that utilize combustion engines produce adverse health effects on drivers and bystanders alike. Toxic chemicals are released daily by the streams of vehicles lining highways and streets. The adverse health effects are also often noticed too late because the symptoms don’t appear until mature stages of the ailment.

There is some good news, however. Some model cars utilize great exhausts that have tubing and other components that turn the engine’s waste products into useful ones instead of hazardous ones. Most exhausts nowadays have one or two exhaust manifolds, mufflers, and a catalytic converter. These components lessen the risk of operating the engine and leads less polluting gas output.

Even with the new green craze, the number of cars on the road rises as the population rises. There has been a dip in the use of cars because of the high price of oil, but pollution does not seem to be lessening. If purchasing a car is a necessity, be sure to get exhausts that lessen waste products and maximizes efficiency to lower burning of fossil fuels. Having the best performance exhaust for your car is what you should be shooting for.

NASCAR is one of the most well enjoyed of the American pastimes, and for good reason. While many people have heard of the NASCAR Daytona 500 race, there are other races to attend as wellmany of them just as popular as the Daytona 500 itself. One of these races is the Coca Cola 600, a 600 mile race held at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, NC the weekend of Memorial Day. This is a stock car race, one of the things that attracts die hard fans of NASCAR stock car racing from all around the world. As a matter of fact, this race falls into the top five of all of the NASCAR races put together, something that is rather high honors in the racing world. The hotels in the area fill up in one to two nights; the camp grounds are reserved well in advance and packed to the brim with enthusiastic campers and racing fans.

A Bit of History on the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 Race

Like every other true NASCAR race, the Coca Cola 600 does have some history behind it. It has gone through several name changes, from the World 600 to the Coca Cola or Coke 600. From there it was changed to the Coca Cola Racing Family 600, and then was put back to the near original Coca Cola 600.

This race was designed to offset some of the popularity that the Indian 500 race was experiencing, and it succeeded in doing so. To date, the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 race has better television ratings and a higher viewership on television than the Indianapolis 500. These races occur on the same weekend of Memorial Day, making it prime time for true racing fans across the world. The races have even been scheduled in a way that allows fans to make it from the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 to the Indianapolis 500 and be able to participate in both races, something that wasn’t made clear if it would be possible in the beginning. Nowadays, the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca Cola 600 are held on the same day. Of course, this makes a problem for some drivers who are not able to do over 1000 miles in one day, but those who have the grit and are determined to be successful have been known to do both races with ease, leaving the first race to make it to the second just in time.

Camping at the NASCAR Coca Cola 600

One of the best things about the time when the Coca Cola 600 rolls around is that it gives die hard NASCAR fans a chance to get in one place together and cut up. This can include anything, from drinking to games and other activities. Music, friends, funthis is the type of thing that a successful NASCAR campout consists of. If you have never partaken in NASCAR camping before, the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 is a great place to start. Although the weather tends to be a little warm and sticky, those who have RVs should not have much of a problem dealing with the heat.

There are many different ways to camp out at this race. RVs with a hookup is obviously the most effective and pleasurable way to go about camping at a race like that. There are other ways to go about it as well, like RV camping without the hook up and even tent camping. Depending on what your camping style is there are many ways to enjoy the race, some of them even from the infield.

Of course, the NASCAR Coca Cola 600 is one of the most popular races on the NASCAR schedule, so reservations for camping spots anywhere even close to the infield are going to be in high demand. Make your reservations as early as possible to avoid disappointment as these things tend to fill up very fast. If you are excited about the event, think about the thousands and thousands of others who are excited about it as well.

The Coca Cola 600 is a huge event for racing fans all over. It is one of the hottest commodities on the NASCAR 600 schedule. It draws fans from all over the globe to the hot Carolinas and even more to their television sets, glued to the screen for lap after lap of NASCAR fun.

Join the Roadwarriors to view the trip right from your computer. http://www.Roadwarriorslive.com