October 26th, 2011 -
The Superior Automotive Group want’s you to know that changing your new car’s oil is one of those things that you need to be sure to get done regularly to help maintain the operations of your car’s engine. The motor oil keeps your engine lubricated, and all the major components working smoothly. Over time, constant heat and pressure in your engine will start to turn your motor oil into a dirty sludge, which is why you need to change your oil every 3,000 miles or three months. Of course, a lot of drivers will go past this mark, or simply forget about changing their oil, and the next thing you know you are stuck with an engine that won’t crank.
If you have bought a new car then you should get in the habit of getting regular and on time oil changes. Oil technology has changed a lot over the last few decades and there are more choices than ever to choose what goes into your car. From synthetic to conventional, high mileage to high performance, you can now choose a motor oil that will keep your car running longer and smoother. So what oil should you choose to put in your car? Your owner’s manual will have the listing for the correct viscosity for your car, so this is the place to start. A lot of people don’t know what the numbers mean for their oil. It has to do with the viscosity at certain temperatures. For instance, 5W-20 means that the thickness rating is 5 in cold weather, 20 in warm weather, and the “W” means it is specified to work in wintry conditions.
Now that you know what rating of oil to use, it is up to you to decide what to put in your engine. If you are a high volume driver, then you should probably look into oils that are made to go longer between oil changes. If your car has over 75,000 miles, then you should look at high mileage oils that help keep your engine clean. When it comes to synthetic versus conventional, it is entirely up to you. Synthetic oil will not damage your car, even if you are replacing conventional oil.
Remember to take your car in to get an oil change regularly, and don’t be afraid to talk to whoever is performing the change about the best oil for you.
October 17th, 2011 -
We have all hopped in our car at one point or another, put in the key in the ignition, gave the old girl a crank and been met with an engine that won’t turn. Instead you get that the most terrifying sound in the world…”CLICK”. Dead battery…bummer. Car batteries, like tires and oil, need to be changed more often than any other part of your car, but you usually won’t know when to change it until it’s too late and you are stuck in a near deserted parking lot 40 miles from home. You have three options, getting a jump from someone, call a tow truck too take your car to the shop or walk.
Before you have to make any of these decisions, a little battery maintenance will go a long way in getting the most amps out of it.
This is a handy trick. If you have poor pole contact, you are going to have a temperamental battery. Keep your battery terminals clean. No doubt you’ve popped your hood before and have seen the blue/white battery acid buildup on your pole and connectors. You can fix that! The most common way of doing this is with a wire brush and a solution of baking soda and water. This will help you get rid of all the corrosive build up which may be hurting the connection of your battery. If you don’t have baking soda, then you can use regular soda like Coke. Yup, is there anything that stuff can’t do? All soda’s have carbonic acid which will help get rid of any corrosion. Just pour it on the battery terminals, but be sure to wipe off the sticky residue with a damp cloth or sponge after it has dried.
What if your battery is dead but you are in an area where you can’t get it charged? There are a few things you can put inside your battery to help get you one last burst of energy to get you to a place with where you can get a new battery. One way is to put two aspirin into the battery. The aspirin reacts with the acid and will give you one last big boost to get your car turned on. You can also do the same thing with Epsom salt. Dissolve an ounce of Epsom salt in warm water, and then add the mixture to your battery to extend it’s life for a little bit.
With the cold weather coming, you may experience battery problems, so be sure to change your battery now if you haven’t done so in the last 6 months or year. If you are having serious battery issues, then it might not be your battery at all, but your alternator…but that’s another post. If you need ANY come into any Superior Automotive Center location.
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The Superior Automotive Group and Mike Albert Direct have been serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky since 1928. We care about you, your cars, your safety, and our community.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask and any suggestions are always welcome at [email protected]
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