July 21, 2005 -- All your bags are packed. You’re ready to go. Now before you break out singing the John Denver classic, a safe traveler always ensures that he or she really is ready to go before hitting the road.
In other terms, is your vehicle, be it anywhere from an old Mustang to a family-oriented Ford minivan, prepared for a long haul? No matter your vehicles’ make or model, every car or truck should go through a universal safety checklist. Your friends at http://www.radiator.com want to keep you safe, happy and on time this season, so please consider these tips for successful car care.
To make things easy, start from the inside out – meaning you’ll begin with the inner-workings of your vehicle. Are all of your auto parts running correctly? Check the radiator. Your car’s radiator regulates the temperature of your vehicle’s engine, ensuring that it is operating within a safe temperature range.
An easy way to tell if your radiator is not working correctly is by keeping an eye on the temperature gauge on your dashboard. If the arrow is in the red zone, your radiator is not doing its job and your engine is overheating. This usually means that your radiator is clogged, a problem that might be solved by what is called flushing. In a worse case scenario, your radiator may be broken beyond repair and will need to be replaced. If you don’t know enough about your vehicle’s cooling system to diagnose the problem, it is best to take your car or truck into a dealership or auto repair shop to have the radiator examined by a professional. Once they have determined it is the radiator, ask them how much the part and labor would cost. Then contact us at http://www.radiator.com for an unbelievably better price on both parts and labor.
Now let's move on to fluids. The fluids of your car – oil, gasoline, coolant, etc. – are what the engine operates off of. Typically, you should change your vehicle’s oil every 3,000 miles. Older, more frail cars may call for a change every 1500 miles or so. In between oil changes, it is important to still keep a close eye on your engine’s oil level.
This can be done by simply checking the dipstick located under the hood of your car. Be sure your engine has not been running for at least 30 minutes so that the oil has time to settle. Pull the dipstick out and wipe it clean with a paper towel. Reinsert it and pull it out again. The oil line should be level with the marked notch of your dipstick.
The coolant should also be checked when the car’s engine has settled for at least 30 minutes. The coolant reservoir is located under the hood as well and the level of the water/antifreeze mixture should be at the line marked. If either the oil or the coolant appears low and it is between times for a complete oil or coolant change, you can simply top off your engine’s oil or coolant on your own. Both can be easily accessed for a refill right under the hood. Be sure your engine is cool before opening either the coolant tank or the oil reservoir; heat and pressure could cause severe burns.
Last of all, you want to check your tire pressure. You can find the correct pressure your specific tires should be at in your car or truck’s manual. Most manuals will even specify at what gauge the tires should be at for a full load and a not full load. (Usually, for a road trip, your vehicles tires will need to hold a full load.)
So, back to the song…Your bags are packed. You (really are) ready to go. Fill up that tank with gas – it’s just a good idea to get it over with. And you are on your way. Happy travels from http://www.radiator.com!
