Cheaper, Better, Faster Mary Hunt - Baker Publishing Group

Cheaper, Better, Fasterthat will fit under the hood. Besure to change the oil and filteroften.Oil—poor qualityBe very cautious if you aretempted to buy oil at a quickservicemart or food store.Many of these outlets sell onlycheap brands of oil. If onlySA- or SB-rated oil is available,know that it is practicallyworthless if you are planningto put it into a 1968 or newercar. Unless you have an oilburner, stay away from theselight-service oils. Look for anoil that carries the designationAPI Service SG.Oil—slipperyConsider using an additivethat increases the slipperinessof the engine oil in your car.Workers at your local autoparts store will gladly makea recommendation. If youinfrequently take long freewaytrips, inquire about fueladditives that reduce carbonbuildup as well.Oil—top it offDon’t wait until your car’s oilis a quart low before addingmore. There is no law sayingyou can’t add half a quartand put the other half awayfor later use. A full crankcaseguarantees the engine willhave the maximum amountof oil available to it at alltimes. Each time you add evena small amount of fresh oil,you are recharging the entirelubricating system with freshadditives. Forty percent of theengine is directly dependentupon the oil to cool it.OverheatingAt the first sign of your caroverheating, shut off the airconditioner and open thewindows to decrease the loadon the engine and help it cooldown. If the car is still overheated,turn on the heater andblower to transfer heat fromthe engine to the interior. Ifyou are stopped in traffic, shiftinto neutral and rev the enginea little to speed the waterpump and fan. The increased24Mary Hunt, Cheaper, Better, FasterRevell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, © 2013. Used by permission.