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Well Oiled<br />
Three-quarters of UK drivers don’t know<br />
how to check the oil in their engine,<br />
according to Mobil, which also found<br />
94% of motorists are unaware that using<br />
the correct oil can prolong engine life and<br />
improve fuel economy. Let your engine<br />
run out of oil and it’ll soon destroy itself.<br />
Here’s how to keep properly lubricated.<br />
>>> Park your car on level ground and<br />
switch off the engine.<br />
>>> Open the bonnet and leave the car<br />
for five minutes, for the oil to settle.<br />
The Basics<br />
Park your car on level ground,<br />
let it cool down, then dig out the<br />
handbook and check out what<br />
sits where under the bonnet. Then<br />
launch into these basic checks:<br />
you could shave 90% off<br />
the cost of maintenance by doing<br />
some of the work yourself<br />
Brake Fluid<br />
Your car’s brakes work hydraulically; a fluid in the<br />
system activates them. Brake fluid absorbs water over<br />
time, diluting it, so it must be replaced every two years.<br />
It needs checking regularly, to ensure the level isn’t<br />
dropping, pointing to leaks. The fluid reservoir is under<br />
the bonnet, below the windscreen on the driver’s side.<br />
Don’t remove the cap as the fluid absorbs water from<br />
the atmosphere - just rock the reservoir gently so you<br />
can see the fluid move. It shouldn’t be below the<br />
minimum mark.<br />
>>> Pull on the loop of the dipstick and<br />
take it all the way out.<br />
>>> With a clean paper towel or rag, wipe<br />
the oil off the dipstick.<br />
>>> Put the clean dipstick back in the<br />
engine, pushing it all the way in.<br />
>>> Remove the dipstick; at the bottom<br />
are two markings. The level should be<br />
somewhere between these; if nothing<br />
shows at all, the engine is dry and will<br />
soon be wrecked.<br />
>>> If the level is below the line marked<br />
ADD, put in a small amount of oil by<br />
unscrewing the oil filler cap, on top of<br />
the engine.<br />
>>> Using the correct oil (check the<br />
handbook), top up the level.<br />
>>> Check the level again and add more<br />
if necessary; don’t add too much as<br />
removing oil is much harder than<br />
adding it.<br />
>>> Replace the oil filler cap and make<br />
sure it’s tight, then make sure the<br />
dipstick is back in place as well.<br />
UK SURVEY:<br />
10% of drivers aged 18-24 claim<br />
they never ever service their car!<br />
page # 35
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