Can't find what you want here? Search below.

Do it yourself auto maintainence. It sounds scary to some, and yes, there is alot of room for error and injury. But just like any learned skill, if you are well educated about what you're looking to do to your car, you should be able to perform the task like a professional. I strongly urge you to read up about the particular subject you're looking to perform thoroughly before attempting any maintainence or repair.

Before you start, you should have some basic tools and work clothes that you can get dirty and ripped up. For tools I suggest a basic Craftsman tool kit. This usually covers most of your cars needs except for specialty items like spark plugs and oil filters. You should also invest in a good set of jack stands and a heavy duty 2 ton jack. The jack that comes with your car is good for a quick tire change, but is not recommnded for doing work under your car. NEVER attempt to do any work under your car without jack stands! The correct positioning of your jack stands should either be, both jack stands under read wheel control arms with jack under front differential or vice versa.

You'll also need a pair of gloves. There are special mechanics gloves which protect your hands and allow for complete mobility and dexterity, but a normal pair of gardening gloves will also do if you're on a budget. Be sure to have a good amount of rags on hand also.

So, lets start with some basic auto maintainence.

Checking Tire Air Pressure - You'll need a tire pressure gauge for this. Check your vehicles user manual for the recommended pressure. Check the pressure and fill with air until you reach the recommednded PSI. I recommend you check your tire pressure every three months to ensure proper pressure is maintained due to weather changes. Proper tire pressure is vital for fuel efficiency and safety.

Checking Tire Treads - Making sure your tires have enough tread on them is the easiest maintainence because it's mostly visual. You can use a penny as a reference. Insert the penny into the tread groove with Lincoln's face showing, but with his head upside-down. If you are able to see all of Lincoln's head, then the tire needs replacement. Generally, it's best to replace tires in sets of four. If your car's tires show signs of abnormal or unequal wear, have this looked into by a professional technician. Excessive wear on both outer edges generally indicates under-inflation. Excessive wear in the center of the tread generally indicates over-inflation.

Checking Fluids - This is a very easy task. Look in your auto manual for locations of fluids. Make sure your car i turned off and cooled down for at least 30 minutes. Find an old rag, open your hood and locate your oil cap. Check the level by looking at the level indicator on the dip stick. Take the rag, wipe down the dip stick and dip and check the level again. If it's below the line fill to appropriate level. Make sure you use the same grade oil and use the same type of coolant recommended by your maufacturer. Repeat this for all other fluids.

Checking Windshield Wipers - Turn your wipers up away from your windshield. Wipe them off with a rag. Check visually for cracks or rough rubber. Run your fingers along the rubber and feel for bumps or cuts in the rubber. If there are significant bumps and cuts, they should be replaced.