How to Make Your Car Last Forever: Avoid Expensive Repairs, Improve Fuel Economy, Understand Your Warranty, Save Money

DRIVERS ASK, TOM ANSWERS: COOLING PROBLEMS SOLVED Tom, Q I own a 1995 Pontiac Grand Prix. It has no water ...

Tom Tom, Q I have a 1988 Chevy C/K1500 pickup, 5.7-liter automatic. Recently the truck has been overheati ...

Tom Tom, Q I have a 1990 Ford Ranger with a 2.3 engine. My heater blows lukewarm air. I installed ...

Tom Tom, Q I am changing the water pump on my ‘99 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup (odometer: 95,000 miles). The hoses ...

Tom Tom, Q It is my understanding that coolant (antifreeze) will corrode an aluminum block engine by an acid ...

Tom Dear Tom, Q I have a problem of my own making. I was trying to change the thermostat on my ‘97 Dodge C ...

Tom ...

SECTION 2 RULES TO FOLLOW TO MAKE THAT CAR LAST FOREVER INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTERS 10–14 Chapters 10– 14 ...

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Chapter 10 Lubrication and Filtration—Another Key to Longevity Lubrication is a major key to extending the life ...

SERVICE SCHEDULES Manufacturers offer three service schedules for engine oil and filter changes, as well as for ...

OIL LIFE MONITOR OLM systems monitor crankcase temperature, combustion chamber events (the work the engine does), ...

GM’s Oil Life Monitor (OLM) is a very accurate system. The caveat is to make sure every time you ...

OIL VISCOSITY Viscosity is defined as the rate of flow of the oil or lubricant. Most carmakers use multi-viscos ...

TIP When you buy oil (or have it changed), make sure you pick the right API rating for your engine. Also ...

ENGINE OIL FILTRATION Don’t be skimpy when it comes to buying an oil filter. Always use a high-quality oil filt ...

A cheap oil filter on an engine can result in engine damage. Today, carmakers build into their oil filters ...

COMPARISON OF SYNTHETIC OILS AND CONVENTIONAL PETROLEUM OILS Many people want to know what type of ...

Reading the encryption on an oil can can be like deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs if you don’t know what you’re ...

UNDERSTANDING THE DESCRIPTION ON AN OIL CAN Q What do the letters and symbols mean on the bottle, such as API, ...