Chapter 11
Reading the “Tea Leaves” of Fluids
Nothing can tell you more about the health of the human body better than a fluid
analysis. If there is a health problem, blood and urine samples will identify it.
The body’s fluids also indicate if there is an underlying ongoing condition that
will eventually cause poor health. The same is true for vehicles. The analysis of
engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and other fluids reveals the
condition of the various systems. So what should we look for in vehicular fluids
to determine the health of your car?
The most common fluids in a vehicle include the following:
- Engine oil
- Engine coolant
- Automatic transmission fluid
- Power steering fluid
- Brake fluid
- Manual transmission fluid
- Differential lubricant
- Transfer case lubricant
What do these fluids tell us?