Bake Auto Care

Why Preventive Maintenance

Manufacturers know that a properly maintained car will be more dependable, safer, last longer, and increase your satisfaction with their product. Car makers and owners also have a responsibility to make sure emission controls receive regular service and are functioning properly. Regular maintenance helps accomplish these goals by keeping your engine running efficiently and eliminating potential problems that may leave you stranded.

What's in it for you?

• More Dependable Car
• A car that retains the "new car feel"
• Less chance of a costly breakdown
• A safer car for you and your family
• Doing your part for cleaner air
• A car worth more at trade in or sale
• An intact warranty

Manufacturer Maintenance Schedules

The manufacturer creates detailed maintenance schedules outlining specific operations to be performed on various components and systems. This is done at different mileage intervals to ensure proper operation and prevent premature wear. The manufacturer also indicates what services must be done to maintain the factory warranty and extended warranty.

When the ignition switch is initially turned on and the engine is not running, the malfunction indicator lamp lights for a bulb check. While the engine is running, the MIL will light only if there is an emissions-related concern.

The on board diagnostic (OBD) generation two (II) system continuously monitors all engine and transmission sensors and actuators looking for electrical faults, as well as values that do not logically (rationally) fit with other powertrain data. When certain operating conditions are met and a comprehensive monitor detects a failure that will result in emissions exceeding a predetermined level, the computer stores a diagnostic trouble code, and illuminates the MIL.

The OBD II system also actively tests some systems for proper operation while the vehicle is being driven. Fuel control and engine misfire are checked continuously, catalyst efficiency, exhaust gas recirculation operation, evaporative system integrity, oxygen sensor response, and the oxygen sensor heaters are tested once per trip when prerequisite operating conditions are met. The computer will illuminate the MIL if during these prerequisite operating conditions the system detects a failure that will result in emissions exceeding a predetermined level.

Whenever an engine misfire severe enough to damage the catalytic converter is detected, the MIL will blink on and off.

Once lit, the MIL will remain on until the vehicle has completed three consecutive good trips (three trips in which the fault is not detected). The MIL is also turned OFF when stored diagnostic trouble codes are cleared. However, the MIL will only remain OFF if the fault is successfully repaired.

Change oil and filter often enough to protect the engine from premature wear and viscosity breakdown. For most cars and light trucks, the standard recommendation is to change oil and filter every six months or 3,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Most late model owner's manuals say that except for "Severe Service" applications, oil change interval can be safely stretched to once a year or every 7,500 miles, with filter changes at every other oil change.

When auto makers make such recommendations, one assumes they are based on extensive durability testing. After all, auto makers themselves would have to bear the warranty costs should their maintenance recommendations prove inadequate.

Except for Chrysler's 7/70 powertrain warranty, and a few others that go up to 5/50 or 6/60, most new car powertrain warranties don't go beyond 3/36. So where's the risk? There isn't any.

With proper maintenance, there is no reason an engine shouldn't go 100,000 miles or more without developing a thirst for oil. That is why most oil companies, as well as aftermarket service professionals, recommend changing oil and filter every six months or 3,000 miles.

They also make such recommendations because many motorists are not aware that they should follow the "Severe Service" maintenance schedule in their owner's manual, calling for oil and filter change intervals of three to six months or 3,000 miles. Severe service (as defined by auto makers themselves) includes:

• Making frequent short trips (less than five miles)
• Making frequent short trips (less than 10 miles) when temperatures are below freezing
• Driving in hot weather stop-and-go traffic
• Driving at sustained high speeds during hot weather
• Towing a trailer
• Driving in areas with heavy dust (gravel roads, construction zones, etc.)

• Extensive idling and/or low speed driving for long periods of time (taxi, police, door-to-door delivery, etc.)

Protective additives in a motor oil do not hold up as well under such driving conditions for several reasons. If the engine is not running long enough to get the oil hot, condensation and fuel vapors will not boil off. Contaminants will accumulate in the crankcase, leading to formation of corrosive acids and sludge.

Excessive idling and high operating temperatures from towing and high speed driving during hot weather accelerate viscosity breakdown. Exposure to dust can put dirt particles in the crankcase.

The filter also needs to be changed every time for two reasons. Today's pint-sized filters do not contain as much filter material as their quart-sized counterparts. The filter contains dirty oil that can contaminate fresh oil added during an oil change.

Considering what four quarts of oil and a filter cost, versus the cost of replacing an engine, it is better to change oil and filter a little more often than might be absolutely necessary rather than risk not changing it often enough.

Use the type of motor oil specified in your customer's owners manual. Most manuals say it's okay to use a variety of viscosity grades depending on temperature conditions. Generally speaking, the following holds true:

• 10W-30 is best for all engines for year-round driving. 10W-40 is more popular in the aftermarket, but 10W-30 is actually a better oil because the additive package in it holds up better over the long haul. This is why General Motors does not recommend 10W-40 motor oils for any of its cars. 

• 5W-30 is approved for most late-model four-cylinder, V-6 and V-8 engines on a year-round basis. It is not approved for many turbocharged or diesel applications, some high output V-8s, or applications involving driving at sustained highway speeds or towing in hot weather. It may not be the best choice for older, high mileage engines.

• 5W-30 is used as the factory fill oil on most new cars because it pumps through the engine more quickly after start-up (important for keeping overhead cams properly lubed). It also makes cold weather starting easier and reduces fuel consumption.

• Straight viscosity oils have limited temperature ranges and lack the versatility of multiviscosity oils. They can be safely used as long as their temperature limits are observed.
  
  
• Straight 10W is okay for cold weather starting and driving, but too thin for warm weather driving.
  
  
• Straight 20W is okay for all around driving, but doesn't provide the temperature protection of straight 30W (which gets too thick at low temperatures for easy cold starting).
  
  
• Straight 40W and 50W oils are primarily for heavy-duty applications.
  
  
• Special multiviscosity oils such as 2OW-50 are typically formulated for racing or severe duty applications such as towing.
  
  
• Synthetics are a good alternative for any of the above because most provide extended temperature protection and service life.

Fixing Your Present Vehicle Saves Money

Most of us want to get the most for our motoring dollar. One of the best ways to do this is extending the life of your current vehicle. With new car prices in the United States averaging well over $10,000, money invested in keeping your existing vehicle in good shape could save you hundreds--even thousands--of dollars a year. When you consider the true cost of buying a new car (price of the car, sales tax, license and registration fees, insurance), it is not difficult to justify investing a few hundred dollars to repair your present vehicle.

Safety and Scheduled Maintenance

The safety aspect of properly maintaining your vehicle, especially when it has high mileage, should not be overlooked. Failing brakes, exhaust leaks and other problems can be prevented by following sound car care practices.

Unfortunately, most manufacturers only provide maintenance guidelines for the first 100,000 miles or so. Clear procedures for maintenance beyond this mileage do not exist. At best, manufacturers provide interval service schedules, such as every 15,000 miles. These schedules should be followed whenever possible. By doing so, you can reasonably expect thousands more satisfactory miles from your vehicle.

High Mileage Inspection and Evaluation

If your vehicle has passed the 100,000 mile mark and you want to significantly prolong its useful life, it is time to have it thoroughly evaluated by a professional automotive technician who can recommend needed repairs or service. This facility is equipped to perform this service. We employ technicians who use factory-level information detailing your vehicle's service requirements.

Our high mileage inspection and evaluation goes beyond cursory "once-overs" and is designed to get to the root of potential problems. Ask your service advisor or technician to show you exactly what is involved in this service. He or she will be happy to go over the evaluation form with you before you okay the inspection and provide you with a comprehensive estimate for any work recommended as a result of your vehicle's checkup. They will tell you about repairs that are necessary today, and also alert you to items that are potential problem areas you may want to address today for more trouble-free miles tomorrow. Naturally, you make the decision as to what work is actually performed.

Working together, we can add years to the life of your car or truck.

It is best to follow the Severe Service maintenance schedules found in most new car owner's manuals, with a few exceptions:

• Air filters need to be inspected regularly and replaced as often as needed, regardless of mileage or time. Dirty air filters can increase fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

• Fuel filters should be replaced yearly and/or at every tune-up, especially on fuel injected cars. The fuel filter in a vehicle with electronic fuel injection passes a much larger volume of fuel than its counterpart in a carbureted application. If the tank is dirty or rusty, constant fuel recirculation can pick up a lot of debris that ends up in the filter. If the filter plugs, the engine is starved for fuel or unfiltered fuel is allowed to bypass the filter. The latter can damage injectors.

• Oil filters need to be replaced at every oil change (every six months or 3,000 miles in most cases) despite the advice in many owner's manuals to only change the filter at every other oil change. A new filter is cheap insurance against major engine damage, so why take unnecessary risks?

• Few owner's manuals have a suggested change interval for the automatic transmission fluid (ATF) or fluid filter unless the vehicle is used for towing. Most transmission specialists say the best preventative maintenance for prolonging automatic transmission life is to change fluid and filter every two years or 30,000 miles.

• Follow the manufacturer's recommendations on the specific type of ATF to use. The type of ATF should match the specs required for the application.

• All GMs, most late model Chryslers and many imports use Dexron II. All 1988 and later Fords require Mercon ATF. Most universal ATF fluids are acceptable for either of these. Older Fords or imports require Type F fluid.

Replacing coolant on a regular basis will prolong the life of the radiator and other cooling system components. Most new car maintenance schedules call for coolant changes every three years or 50,000 miles. Many professional mechanics consider that too long and recommend every two years or 24,000 miles.

There are some who argue that annual coolant changes on late model vehicles with bimetal engines (aluminum heads/iron blocks) and/or aluminum radiators is a good idea.

It does not really make much difference how often the coolant is changed as long as it is changed before losing its corrosion resistance. Antifreeze is made of ethylene glycol (which never wears out) and various additives (which do wear out).

Some additives provide "reserve alkalinity" to neutralize internal corrosion before it can start. As long as the coolant is changed before its reserve alkalinity is depleted, the cooling system should be no worse for the wear. If you wait too long, the result can be expensive internal corrosion in the radiator, heater core and engine.

How can you tell when it is time to change the coolant? The only way to know if the coolant still has adequate corrosion protection is to test it. By dipping a test strip in the coolant and noting its color change, you can determine coolant condition and whether or not it is time to replace it.

When coolant is changed, the system should be reverse flushed rather than simply drained. This helps dislodge and remove accumulated debris and debris in the system. It also removes old coolant that would otherwise remain in the engine block.

Use of a cooling system cleaner is not necessary unless the system has been badly neglected and is full of lime deposits.

The cooling system should be refilled with a 50/50 mixture of ethylene glycol antifreeze and clean water. This provides freezing protection down to -34 degrees F and boil-over protection to 265 degrees F.

When coolant is changed, inspect belts and hoses. Make a visual inspection for leaks. Pressure test radiator and cap. Check operation of heater and defroster.

The thermostat does not need changing unless it has been causing trouble or the engine has severely overheated. If a thermostat is replaced, it should have the same temperature rating as the original. This is extremely important on late model vehicles with computerized engine controls. Fuel, ignition and emission functions are all affected by coolant temperature.

A complete brake job should restore the vehicle's brake system and braking performance to good-as-new condition. Anything less would be an incomplete brake job.

Brake components that should be replaced will obviously depend upon the age, mileage and wear. There is no pat answer as to which items need replacing and which ones don't. It's a judgment call.

A complete brake job should begin with a thorough inspection of the entire brake system; lining condition, rotors and drums, calipers and wheel cylinders, brake hardware, hoses, lines, and master cylinder.

Any hoses that are found to be age cracked, chaffed, swollen, or leaking must be replaced. Make sure the replacement hose has the same type of end fittings (double-flared or ISO) as the original. Don't intermix fitting types.

Steel lines that are leaking, kinked, badly corroded, or damaged must also be replaced. For steel brake lines, use only approved steel tubing with double-flared or ISO flare ends.

A leaking caliper or wheel cylinder needs to be rebuilt or replaced. The same applies to a caliper that is frozen (look for uneven pad wear), damaged or badly corroded.

Leaks at the master cylinder or a brake pedal that gradually sinks to the floor tells you that the master cylinder needs replacing.

The rotors and drums need to be inspected for wear, heat cracks, warpage, or other damage. Unless they are in perfect condition, they should always be resurfaced before new linings are installed. If worn too thin, replace them.

Rust, heat, and age have a detrimental effect on many hardware components. It's a good idea to replace some of these parts when the brakes are relined. On disc brakes, new mounting pins and bushings are recommended for floating-style calipers. High temperature synthetic or silicone brake grease (never ordinary chassis grease) should be used to lubricate caliper pins and caliper contact points.

On drum brakes. shoe retaining clips and return springs should be replaced. Self-adjusters should be replaced if they are corroded or frozen. Use brake grease to lubricate self-adjusters and raised points on brake backing plates where shoes make contact.

Wheel bearings should be part of a complete brake job on most rear-wheel drive vehicles and some front-wheel drive cars. Unless bearings are sealed, they need to be cleaned, inspected, repacked with wheel bearing grease (new grease seals are a must), and properly adjusted.

As a rule, tapered roller bearings are not preloaded. Finger tight is usually recommended. Ball wheel bearings usually require pre-loading.

As a final step, old brake fluid should always be replaced with fresh fluid.

The longevity of muffler and pipes depends on what kind of steel the components are made of, how pipes are routed under the car, where the muffler is located, and whether or not the vehicle has a catalytic converter.

Original equipment pipes made of aluminumized steel generally last five to seven years, except in areas with a lot of road salt and moisture. In these areas, pipes may need replacing after three to five years.

Original equipment pipes made of stainless steel (which are used from the converter forward on most cars and for the entire exhaust system on some) can last up to 10 years or more.

Most aftermarket pipes, by comparison, are made of ordinary steel which is good for about three to five years of service. Aluminumized and stainless pipes are better, but cost more.

With mufflers, stainless holds up the best, followed by doublesided galvanized steel. Single-sided galvanized and aluminumized hold up fairly well, while plain steel offers little or no corrosion resistance.

As a rule, the hotter a muffler runs the longer it lasts. Mufflers on vehicles with catalytic converters run hotter and last longer than those on older vehicles without converters. Mufflers located ahead of the rear axle last longer than those located aft of the rear axle.

Mufflers rust from the inside out. Rust is caused by moisture in the exhaust. Moisture condenses in the muffler when the engine is shut off and the muffler starts to cool. Some mufflers have a small pin hole that allows condensation to seep out.

One aftermarket muffler manufacturer puts a small packet of a special moisture absorbing chemical inside some of their mufflers to fight internal corrosion.

A muffler that needs replacing is an opportunity to sell clamps, pipes, hangers and any special tools that might be needed to complete the job.