It’s pop (or mom, if you like) quiz time!

What does the acronym H-U-B stand for in this Website?

Give up?

Hints: H means under the hood, U designates adjustments done under the car, and B notes adjustments made beside the car.

Did you pass the quiz?

So grab your car care toolbox and let’s get torquing.

Replacing Radiator Coolant, Cap, and Hoses

Your car’s radiator uses more than just water to keep your engine from overheating. It uses a mixture of water and antifreeze fluid, also known as coolant. An antirust ingredient in the antifreeze attempts to minimize the rust that’s a byproduct of contact between water, air, and some metals. It’s not totally successful, however, so every year or two, you should transfuse the rust-laden coolant in your car’s radiator. At the same time, consider replacing the radiator cap and hoses on your car. These components also break down with use and can fail when you most need them-like when you’re crossing Death Valley, or when you’re already late for a job interview.

To replace the radiator coolant, cap, and hoses in your car, follow these steps:

1. Remove the radiator cap and drain coolant from the cooling system. On most cars, this means placing a 2- to 5-gallon open container under the radiator and opening the drain fitting or removing the lower hose on the radiator. Some engines also have one or two coolant drain plugs on the engine block that must be removed to drain coolant from the block. Drain the coolant reservoir if possible. Your car’s heater might also have a drain plug. In each case, make sure you have a container to capture the draining coolant.
2. Flush the radiator system using fresh water and a radiator cleaner. You can purchase a radiator flush system at most auto parts retailers. It includes a cleaner as well as a plastic T-fitting that you install in a system hose. You then attach a garden hose to circulate fresh water through the system under pressure. Follow manufacturer’s instructions rather than mine.
3. Check the condition of the radiator hoses by squeezing them. Replace them if they are soft, have cuts in them, or give you an unexpected shower. In fact, it’s relatively cheap insurance to replace the hoses as you replace the coolant. Hoses usually cost less when replacing them isn’t an emergency. Inspect and, if necessary, replace the hose clamps at the same time.
4. Replace the coolant. Recommended coolant is half water and half antifreeze fluid available from auto parts retailers. Make sure all drain plugs are tightened or replaced. Before adding the coolant to the radiator or reservoir, first open the car’s heater temperature control to the maximum heat position so that the coolant also fills the heater core.
5. When you think the radiator or reservoir is full of coolant, start the car and let it warm up with the radiator cap off. The water pump inside the engine circulates the coolant, forcing air out of the system. When the upper radiator hose is warm to the touch, turn off the engine and let it cool. Then add more coolant as needed to fill the radiator or reservoir.
6. Replace the radiator pressure cap with a new one. Otherwise, it will fail 75 miles from town and you will have to purchase a new one at]oe’s Hi-Way Robbery and Expensive Fuel and Auto Parts Station.
7. Start the engine again and let it warm up. As it does, inspect the radiator, reservoir, hoses, engine block drain plugs, and heater core for leaks.
8. Properly dispose of the old coolant (down a storm drain is a big no-no!). Seal it in a plastic container and take it to your local recycling center for disposal. Coolant is both sweet and poisonous to pets, so clean up any spills thoroughly.

Replacing the Fuel Filter

It’s science lesson time. Gasoline is processed petroleum. During the processing, contaminants are removed. However, gas is then stored in imperfect tanks with rust and bits of metal or plastic. The worst culprit is your own car’s gas tank, where contaminants can build up on the bottom. If the engine is operated when the tank is almost empty, these contaminants can be pumped to your engine along with the gas. They then can enter the carburetor or fuel injectors and block operation. Fortunately, today’s cars have filters in the fuel line to stop the big chunks from entering the carburetor or fuel injectors. Even older cars (like my 40-year-old Lincoln) have been retrofitted with fuel filters to minimize big chunks in the carburetors. Replacing the fuel filter on most cars is a piece of cake. So get out the cake server and…

To replace the fuel filter on your car, follow these steps:

1. Find the fuel filter. First, check your car’s owner’s manual or service manual for the location of the fuel filter. On some cars, it’s under the hood-a small aluminum barrel in the fuel line between the fuel pump and the carburetor. On other cars, it’s a plastic-cased filter installed on the carburetor, near the fuel-injection unit, or on the fuel pump. Some are installed near the fuel tank. A few cars have two fuel filters-one near the tank and one near the carburetor.
2. Remove the fuel filter. In-line fuel filters can be removed by hand by carefully loosening clamps at each end of the filter unit and then pulling the fuel lines off the filter. Fuel filters installed on the carburetor or fuel pump require that you use a wrench to first loosen the fuel line and then remove the filter.
3. Replace the fuel filter. You can find a replacement fuel filter at your favorite auto parts store or many hardware stores. There probably will be a brand name and a parts number on the filter. If not, an auto parts counterperson or a reference book can tell you which filter you need. Also make sure the clamps or fittings on the filter are in good shape, and replace them as needed.

Replacing the Air Filter

Air isn’t what it used to be. A car’s air filter can tell you this. Look at a used air filter and you can see a broad collection of stuff your car otherwise would have breathed. The history of air filters also illustrates the growth of pollution and a car’s need for clean air. Early cars had no air filter. Later cars had an oil-bath filter system that caught bugs and bits before they were sucked up by the carburetor. Today’s cars have large and fairly efficient filters to keep most objects out of the carburetor or fuel-injection system. Wouldn’t it be great if we all had replaceable air filters in us? Fuel-injection systems are especially sensitive to clogged air filters. Although a clogged filter won’t damage your car, it can dramatically reduce power. And a new air filter will probably cost you less than $10. Replacing your car’s air filter is one of the easier tasks you can do for your car’s health.

To replace the air filter in your car, follow these steps:

1. Find the air filter. For carbureted cars, the air filter is usually located above the carburetor in a large round object euphemistically called the air cleaner. For fuelinjected cars, the filter is located somewhere between the car’s front grill and the engine.
2. Remove the air filter. For carbureted cars, remove the wingnut on top of the air cleaner and lift off the top to expose the round air filter. For fuel-injected cars, remove the clips or twistnuts on the filter cover and lift the air filter from the unit, noting which way it came out so that you can put the new one back in the same way. Use an old rag to wipe out the air cleaner, discarding any waylaid bugs or other foreign objects. (I found a live salamander in one of my car’s air cleaners! Honest!)
3. Replace the air filter. Place the new air filter against the old one to make sure it’s the same size. This also tells you something about the amount of contaminants your air filter stopped since it was last replaced. Install the new air filter in the same way the old one was installed. Some paper filters are wrapped with a foam blanket that initially filters bugs that have committed suicide and other large projectiles. Filters for fuel-injection systems usually go in only one way, but those for carbureted systems can go in correctly with either side up. Make sure the filter sits well and isn’t lopsided.
4. Replace other parts you took off to get to the filter.

Many cars have an air cleaner that controls the source of air going through the filter and to the carburetor or injection system. It pulls warmer air from the exhaust manifold when the engine is cold and from the outside air when the engine warms up. As you work around the air cleaner, make sure the air duct from the engine sits securely in place. Visually inspect the air cleaner housing and regulator for disconnections and damage. Some older cars also have a rubber hose that feeds into the side of the air cleaner. This hose starts at a nearby tube where you pour oil for the engine crankcase, called the crankcase inlet. It recirculates fumes from the engine’s oil system through the fuel system. If your car has one of these hoses, make sure it’s snugly in place (between the crankcase inlet and the air cleaner).

Replacing Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are an important part of your car’s engine. They supply the fire that ignites the controlled explosions within each cylinder. Today’s cars are sufficiently efficient that the spark plugs need replacement only every couple of years or about 25,000 miles. Unfortunately, car manufacturers have used this fact to make spark plugs less accessible than they were on earlier engines. In fact, on some engines, it’s a chore just finding all the spark plugs, let alone trying to replace them. After you find them, you might decide to replace them yourself or to hire a dexterous mechanic for the jobTo find the spark plugs, first find the car’s distributor or ignition computer. It will have four to eight wires running from it. Follow each of these wires and you will, hopefully,find the spark plugs. Optionally, check your car’s owner’s manual or service manual for a drawing of the engine that may indicate where the spark plugs are hidden. Don’t bother cleaning and resetting the gap on used spark plugs. They’re sufficiently used up and sufficiently cheap to replace every couple of years.

To replace the spark plugs in your car, follow these steps:

1. Purchase your spark plugs. Auto parts retailers can supply replacement spark plugs. However, a previous owner or mechanic might have installed spark plugs that operate at hotter or colder temperatures, so you might want to remove and check the brand and number on the plug before buying a set. Be careful of what you install because a spark plug that is too long can damage the engine’s internal parts. Your best bet is to use the spark plug recommended by the manufacturer. How many? One for each cylinder: four for a four-cylinder engine, six for a sixcylinder engine, and eight spark plugs for an eight-cylinder engine. Enough math.
2. Set the gap for all the spark plugs. Spark plugs supply electrical spark to the cylinder by making it jump a small gap at the end of the plug. The gap between the center electrode and ground electrode must be exactly as recommended by the manufacturer. Use a gap gauge (a couple of dollars at the auto parts store) to set the gap between the electrodes. If the gap needs adjustment, you can carefully bend the ground or wire electrode until it is.
3. Remove the old plug. First, make sure your engine hasn’t been run within an hour or more so that you don’t bum yourself on hot engine parts. After you find the spark plug, grasp the spark plug wire where it attaches to the spark plug end or terminal and carefully pull it off. Depending on how easy the spark plugs are to reach, you may need to use a spark plug wire puller (less than $10 at youknow-where). Then use an old paint brush to sweep away any dirt and debris from around the spark plugs. You don’t want that stuff falling into the cylinder hole when the spark plug is removed. Use a spark plug wrench to grasp and tum the spark plug counterclockwise to remove it. This may require some force.
4. Install the new (gapped) plug. Apply some anti-seize lubricant to the threads of the plug to make removal easier the next time. If you can easily reach it by hand, place the end of the spark plug in the cylinder hole and screw it in. If you can’t quite reach it, push a 6- to 12-inch length of 3/s-inch hose on the terminal to extend your reach. Don’t force the spark plug into the hole or you will ruin the threads on the side of the plug. Tighten the spark plug into the hole using a torque wrench or a standard spark plug wrench. Overtightening can break the plug and add time and frustration to the job.
5. Reinstall the spark plug wire.
6. Repeat the process for the other spark plugs.

Your spark plugs may be trying to tell you something. You can learn much about the operation of your car’s engine by inspecting the old spark plugs. A service manual or an auto parts store has a chart showing what spark plugs might look like and what caused the problem: overheating, carbon, oil, poor fuel, preignition, and so on. If you don’t speak spark plug, don’t be afraid to ask a knowledgeable clerk to help you interpret what the plugs are telling you.

Replacing Spark Plug Wires

Spark plug wires used to be copper wires wrapped with a rubber insulator. Today’s wires use a carbon or silicon conductor that is more efficient, but also more sensitive to mishandling and to age. 1 know that feeling! Many car manufacturers now recommend that the spark plug wires be replaced when the spark plugs are replaced.

To replace the spark plug wires in your car, follow these steps:

1. Purchase a replacement set of spark plug wires for your car as recommended by the manufacturer. A replacement set has wires cut to the correct lengths and includes contacts and boots (cowboy or hiking?) for each end. Some sets also have numbers on the wires to help you identify which cylinder they go to.
2. Find the spark plug wires on your car. To do so, find the car’s distributor or ignition computer. Wires lead from it to the spark plugs. The wires may feed through one or more brackets, called looms, that isolate the wires from the maze of other wires and hoses under the hood. You might need to replace the looms, too, depending on how easy the wires are to remove from the looms. Some spark plug wire sets come with new looms or replacement bridges.
3. Replace the wires, one at a time. Select one spark plug wire and trace it from the computer or distributor to the spark plug. Then select the replacement spark plug wire of the same length. Follow the instructions that came with the wire set on how to install it on your car. Some spark plug wire conductors are more sensitive to handling than others. If it feeds through a hole in a loom, you may need to remove a boot from one end to do so.
4. Repeat the process for each spark plug wire until all are installed. Recheck both ends of each wire to ensure that they fit snugly.

Replacing Other Ignition Parts

Depending on what type of ignition system your car uses, other parts can need replacement. Older cars have breaker-point ignitions. Newer ones have breakerless ignitions. The newest cars have computerized ignitions. You can replace some of these parts, but you may not want to, or be able to, replace ignition parts on newer cars.

To replace other ignition parts in your car, follow these steps:

1. Identify what type of ignition system your car has and what it needs. The car’s service manual tells you and also identifies the parts to be replaced. Breaker-point distributors need new contact points, a condenser, a rotor, and a cap. Breakerless ignition systems need a new rotor and cap, and sometimes one or two other components. A computerized ignition might not need anything. To find out what your car needs, identify your car to an auto parts counterperson.
2. Disassemble the ignition and replace parts as described in the car’s service manual. For many cars, this means first removing the distributor cap. The distributor cap is the round plastic part that gathers the ends of all the spark plug wires. To replace the cap, first align the old and new caps side-by-side with the notch underneath both caps at the same relative position. Then remove one spark plug wire from the old cap and place it at the same position on the new cap. One-by-one, repeat this process for all spark plug wires as well as the coil wire that fits in the center of the cap.
3. To replace the distributor rotor, first remove the distributor cap. Then lift the old rotor from the center of the distributor. Visually check to make sure the new rotor is the same size and shape as the old one. The hole on the underside of the new rotor has a notch that shows how it fits on the distributor shaft key. Install it by matching the notch and the key.
4. To replace contact points and the condenser on a breaker-point distributor, follow the car manufacturer’s recommendations in the service manual. In most cases, the engine is rotated until the corners of the distributor shaft push the contact points open to a specific gap. Replace the old contact points with a new set and adjust the gap. Replace the condenser (this stores electricity between sparks).
5. To replace parts in a breakerless distributor or a computerized ignition, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. There are just too many variations to cover in this website.

A Quarter’s Worth of Maintenance

Modern cars have a million-well, at least thousands of parts. Some of these parts can wear out or at least need periodic adjustments. You can minimize wear and cost by checking these components and replacing them on a regular basis. The CAR Maintenance System presented in this website suggests that you check eight different components about every three months or 3,000 miles. (That’s 4,800 km for you metric fans.) This article describes how to make those eight checks. Of course, the frequency with which you make these checks depends on the age of the car and how much you drive it. Older cars need more frequent checks, even once a month. For newer cars that aren’t driven as much, you can get away with checking these components about every six months. However, running down the list takes less than an hour on most cars, so you might want to do it more often. Better safe than sorry, right?

All Charged Up

Batteries store electrical power for starting the car, running the radio, and other necessities. Modem cars use 12-volt batteries; your house uses about 120 volts. Even so, there’s still enough power in a car battery to get your attention in a decidedly unpleasant way. The charging system (the alternator and voltage regulator) replaces the usedup electricity. If it doesn’t get replaced, your car won’t start.

It’s very important to work safely around your car’s battery. First, the battery uses acid and lead to store electricity. Second, electric current from a battery (at SO or more amps) can quickly destroy a car’s computer system or smaller wires and components. Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when working around the battery, and make sure you don’t touch metal objects between the battery terminals and other metal. The only tools you’ll probably need are a battery terminal cleaner (a couple of bucks at any auto parts store) and a wrench for loosening bolts. You could use a standard wire brush, but, if you do, don’t use it for other cleaning purposes because the battery acid can be transferred to other surfaces and cause damage. Also, put out that cigarette first! A flame or spark near a battery-even a “sealed” battery-can cause an explosion.

To check the battery and charging system on your car, follow these steps:

1. Identify the terminals. One has a + (positive) symbol on or near it and one has a – (negative) symbol. The cable on one of these two terminals is attached to the engine block and the other goes to the starter. The one that goes to the engine is called the ground terminal; this is usually (but not always) the negative terminal.
2. Remove the plastic terminal caps, if there are any, from the terminals and carefully brush away any white powder (corrosion). If the battery cables attach to the battery with a nut, remove the nut and clean the terminal and cable end with a wire brush, and then skip to step 6. If the battery uses terminal posts, follow steps 3 through S.
3. Use a wrench to loosen the bolts at the end of the battery cable where it wraps around the ground terminal. Carefully Wiggle the cable end up and down until it comes off the terminal. (If the end doesn’t come off the terminal easily, buy and use a battery terminal puller from the parts store.) Then loosen and remove the cable on the other terminal. Warning: Striking a terminal or cable end with a hammer to loosen it can loosen the terminal inside, ruining the battery (I know from experience).
4. Place the end of the terminal-cleaning tool over each terminal and rotate it a few times. The wire brush inside the tool will clean the terminal post.
5. Twist and open the terminal-cleaning tool to expose the round wire brush inside. Insert this brush into the cable ends and rotate the tool to clean the inside of the ends. If the cable ends are broken or the wire is frayed, replace the cable with one of the same length.
6. Use an old paint brush or a Christmas tie to dust away dirt on the top and sides of the battery. Make sure the debris doesn’t fall on other components or on the car’s paint. If the battery is very dirty, remove it from the car and carefully clean it with a solution of a pint of water and a teaspoon of baking soda (season to taste). Make sure the solution doesn’t get inside the battery.
7. If you have one, use a voltmeter ($10 at Radio Shack) to check the battery’s voltage. A fully charged battery should read 12.5 to 13.5 volts of power. If it is less, take the battery to a gas station for charging or do it yourself with a battery charger (about $25 to $50). A mechanic’s battery charger (a few hundred dollars) also can tell you the condition of the battery and whether it will hold a charge. If it won’t, replace it now before you get stranded in a land where batteries cost twice as much.
8. When reinstalling your car’s battery, attach the grounded terminal last. Install treated felt washers (from your parts store) under the cable ends to reduce corrosion. Place the cable end over the terminal and then tighten the bolt until the end fits snugly. Don’t overtighten the bolt because cable ends are made of soft metal that can break easily.

Hosing Around

The most intimidating components on your car are also pretty easy to check and maintain: hoses. Open the hood of your car and you’ll see all shapes and sizes of hoses from l/Z inch to 4 inches in diameter. These hoses deliver fuel, circulate engine coolant, move refrigerant, and much more. Check them once every three months and replace them if they seem soft or have cuts in the surface. If you wait until they actually break, you may have to call for an expensive tow truck to get you off the highway and then a taxi to get you to Aunt Minnie’s wedding on time. Here’s how to inspect and, if necessary, replace worn hoses.

To check hoses on your car, follow these steps:

• With the engine running, open the hood and begin looking for patterns to your car’s hoses. To help define the maze, check the underside of the hood for stickers that serve as a map. You may see stickers labeled Vacuum House Routing, Emission Hose Routing, or For Pizza Delivery, call 1-800555-1234. Other hose systems are self-explanatory, going to and from the radiator (cooling system), to the carburetor (fuel system), or to the car’s heater (heating system). If hoses are not colorcoded, you can often identify families of hoses by their relative size. Vacuum lines, for example, are all about the same diameter. You can often identify hoses by the end connection as well (see step 3).
• Inspect each hose, squeezing it to see whether there are any cuts, leaks, or wear. Listen for soft hissing that identifies a loose vacuum line. Look for liquids that identify a leaking hose or fitting. A shower when you squeeze means a definite problem.

• Check the ends of each hose to make sure they are securely attached. If they are not secure, tighten them. Vacuum lines usually slip on. Cooling system hoses use screw clamps on the ends that you can tighten with a screwdriver. Fuel lines often use spring clamps with tips you squeeze to loosen pressure on the hose.
• Turn off the engine before replacing any hoses, or you will have fluid everywhere. If you cannot easily remove a hose from the car to find a replacement part, take measurements. Remove one end of the hose, if you can, and measure the inside and outside diameters. Then measure the length. Write down any identifying numbers, such as TAl-OS, that appear on the hose. If you have a service manual for your car, look up the part to determine what it’s called.

Cool It

The cooling system is a critical part of your car. If your engine gets too hot, it can quickly damage itself, so checking your car’s cooling system is an important step in keeping it trouble-free.

To check the cooling system on your car, follow these steps:

1. With the engine cold, open the radiator cap. Some caps require you to lift a lever on the cap that releases pressure. Others are twisted one-quarter turn to relieve pressure. Newer systems might have a cap on a separate coolant reservoir near the radiator instead of on the radiator itself.
2. Visually inspect the cap and clean off any rust deposits. If the cap leaks or is more than a couple of years old, replace it. The cost of a new cap is typically less than $ IO-a fraction of the cost of a new engine damaged by overheating.
3. Visually inspect the coolant in the system. The top of the coolant should be near the top of the radiator or near the FULL mark on the coolant reservoir. Fill asneeded with a mixture of half coolant and half water.
4. Inspect the cooling system hoses if you haven’t already done so. There are usually two: one between the top and one between the bottom of the radiator and the engine. Radiator hoses should feel firm, not mushy. Check and tighten the screw clamps on the end of the hoses.
5. Inspect the front and back side of the radiator for debris and damage. Bugs, leaves, papers, and other debris can block the airflow and reduce the radiator’s efficiency. Use a soft brush or compressed air to remove debris. Make sure you don’t bend any of the honeycomb fins on the radiator. They allow the passing air into the radiator to keep your engine cool.
6. Inspect the top and bottom of the radiator for small leaks or rusty spots that may soon become leaks. If you find any, take your car to a radiator shop where it can be repaired before the problem becomes big enough to mean replacing the radiator rather than repairing it. More important, preventive maintenance can mean getting to the big game on time and avoiding a costly towing bill.

Shifting Fluidly

Your car has either an automatic (shifts automatically) or manual (you shift gears) transmission. Each uses a fluid or lubricant to keep it healthy. At least four times a year, you should check the fluid level in your transmission to make sure it is full. You’ll need a clean rag to check the automatic transmission fluid from under the hood. You’ll need to get under most cars to check the lubricant level in a manual transmission.

To check the automatic transmission fluid level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the car is level. Set the car’s parking brake and start the engine. When the engine is warm and at idle speed, move the transmission selector through each gear range a couple of times, ending at neutral.
2. With the engine still running, lift the car’s hood and look for the automatic transmission dipstick. It looks like the engine oil dipstick but is located behind a rear-wheel-drive engine or above the transmission on a front-wheel-drive car. The dipstick often is painted a different color to distinguish it from the engine’s oil dipstick.
3. Got it? Pull the transmission dipstick out from the tube and visually check that the fluid appears reddish-brown, identifying it as automatic transmission fluid. Carefully touch the liquid on the end of the dipstick to make sure it is warm. It should not be hot. Then, using a clean rag, wipe the dipstick clean and replace it in the tube until the dipstick cap seats.
4. Pull out the transmission dipstick again and read the level. Some automatic transmission dipsticks are stamped with words like MAX. LEVEL HOT IDLING IN NEUTRAL-or not. The safe operating range is marked.
5. If the automatic transmission fluid is low, add fluid through the dipstick tube. You’ll need a special funnel (from your handy-dandy auto parts supplier) to get the fluid into the small tube, but it can be done. Use the type of automatic transmission fluid recommended by the manufacturer. It’s probably identified in the owner’s manual. If not, ask the auto parts clerk what type is recommended for your car. Add just a little at a time until it is near the top of the operating range shown on the dipstick.

To check the manual transmission lubricant level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Look under your car to find the transmission.On a rear-wheel-drive car, the manual transmission is below the floor-mounted gear shifter. On a front-wheel-drive car, the transmission or transaxle unit is under the hood and beside the engine (usually on the passenger side of the car). You might need to safely jack up the car and place stands underneath it to find room to work. Because the transmission fluid must be as level as possible when checked, don’t raise the car any more than necessary to get to it.
2. To check the level of fluid in the transmission or transaxle, first find the level plug. It’s typically a bolthead on the side of the transmission casing. Use a wrench to turn it counterclockwise and remove it.
3. It’s pinky-finger time. The transmission lubricant should be filled up to the bottom of the level plug hole. Insert your smallest finger inside the level plug hole to see if it is. If not, add the manufacturer’s recommended lubricant through the level plug hole until the top of the liquid is at the bottom of the hole.

For manual transmission fluid, some car manufacturers recommend a heavy lubricant such as SAE 80-90 weight, and others use the same oil as in the engine. Check your car’s owner’s manual or service manual for recommendations.

Check the Differential Lubricant Level

A car’s differential includes the gears that distribute the single drive shaft’s rotation to two or four wheels. Rear-wheel-drive cars have a differential on the rear axle. Frontwheel-drive cars include the differential in the transmission, so there isn’t a separate differential unit. Four-wheel drive cars use a transfer case to distribute power to all four wheels. Most car manufacturers recommend that the differential be filled with an SAE 80-90 weight lubricant. Transfer cases for four-wheel drive vehicles typically use a lubricant similar to (but not the same as) automatic transmission fluid. You might need to order this special concoction from the car’s authorized dealer. It’s refined from pure gold found only in the Andes. Check your car’s owner’s manual or service manual for requirements.

To check the differential lubricant level in your car, follow these steps:

1. Look under your car to find the differential. On a rear-wheel-drive car, the differential is a round metal case between the two rear wheels. The transfer case for a four-wheel drive car is on either the front or rear axle. If necessary, safely jack the car up and place stands underneath it.
2. To check the level of fluid in the differential or transfer case, first find the level plug. On many cars, it’s a bolthead on the side of the casing; use a wrench to tum it counterclockwise and remove it. On some cars, it’s a rubber plug on the side of the casing; pry it off with a small screwdriver.
3. Use your finger to check the lubricant level. It should be filled up to the bottom of the level plug hole. If it isn’t, add the manufacturer’s recommended lubricant until the top of the liquid is at the bottom of the level plug hole.

When Your Car Is Exhausted

Send your car on a vacation after it has been overworked. Not unless you get to go along, you say? You might think your car’s exhaust system always tells you when it’s not working well by making noise. That’s not completely true. A leaking exhaust can also quietly send dangerous fumes into the passenger compartment, making folks sick or worse. Instead of waiting for problems to happen, make sure to check your car’s exhaust system quarterly. It’s actually quite easy.

To check the exhaust system on your car, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the engine of your car has been off for at least a couple of hours to allow the exhaust pipes and parts to cool down. The catalytic converter can hold heat for many hours.
2. If necessary, raise and safely block both ends of your car to gain access to its belly.
3. Visually trace and inspect the exhaust pipes from where they exit the engine (called the exhaust manifold) to the rear of the car. If you have one, use a rubber mallet to softly strike the exhaust pipe, catalytic converter, resonator, and muffler. A small piece of wood can be used instead. You’re checking for holes caused by rust.
4. Inspect the exhaust system hangers. They consists of strips of metal and strapping that hang the exhaust system from the bottom of the car. Make sure they are doing their job.
5. Inspect the underside of the car for holes that can allow noxious exhaust fumes to enter the passenger compartment. They must be sealed for your passengers’ safety. Depending on the size and type of holes, they can be sealed as you would repair body damage.

Wiping Away the Raindrops

Unless you live on Mt. Waialeale on the Hawaiian island of Kauai (where 480 inches of rain fall a year!), your windshield wiper blades probably won’t wear out very often. Instead, they will deteriorate from sun exposure, or they will build up with automotive lubricants thrown up by cars passing in the rain. Don’t wait until a rainy day to check and service your car’s windshield wiper blades. You don’t want to stand outside in a downpour in your shirtsleeves trying to make your wipers do their job. Check them as you make your other quarterly checks. Then, when you need them, your windshield wipers will be ready to serve you. “Would you like catsup with your fries?”

To check the windshield wiper blades on your car, follow these steps:

1. Visually inspect the windshield wiper mechanism for damage or loose parts. Also clear the area around the wiper arms of debris that can slow down their movement.
2. Inspect the windshield wiper blades for tears and other damage. Replace damaged or deteriorated blades with identical blades. Remove them in the auto parts store’s parking lot and take them in for a match. Blades and their frame are removed by lifting the arm and unhooking the end of the arm from the center of the blade’s frame. Some blades require you to push a button in the center of the frame release the blade. Helpful auto parts clerks can find the exact replacement for you.