About Me

Angela's Articulate Collection of Car Service Secrets, Tips and Tricks

Hi, my name is Angela, and as the wife of a mechanic, I was constantly tripping over car parts and complaining about the rows of project cars lining our garden. However, after a few years, I quit complaining and actually found joy in the art of auto repair. Inspired by that classic book, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", I decided to start working on cars with my husband. This blog is the culmination of everything I have learned and more. I hope you enjoy reading it and that my tips and ideas guide you toward a healthier car and a happier, safer driving experience.

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Angela's Articulate Collection of Car Service Secrets, Tips and Tricks

2016

Tips to Reducing Your Visits to the Radiator Shop

You vehicle is not simply a means of getting from one location to another. It is also a significant investment that requires care and maintenance to stay running in optimal condition. One of the more sensitive systems in your vehicle is its cooling system. If this system is compromised, your vehicle is out at risk of overheating, and this could result in either expensive replacement of vehicle parts or a complete breakdown.

Four Must-Know Reasons to Service Your Vehicle Regularly

A vehicle is a good luxury that everyone enjoys to have. Most people spend a fortune to purchase a car that suits their everyday needs. Therefore, it is important to know how to maintain these expensive commodities. As much as car servicing has become a familiar term for most motorists, some deliberately evade it. Some of those drivers who service their vehicles do not understand the benefits behind this important cause.

Three Tips to Help First-Time Movers Choose the Right Truck Rental Company

There is a great deal of stress associated with moving out for the first time. However, with proper planning and adequate information, moving out can be a stress-free experience. If you decide to rent a moving truck to carry your belongings to a new location, you should consider all the risks involved. Sadly, some truck rental companies may deliberately and conveniently hide valuable information from you. This article gives a few tips to guide first-time movers in choosing the right truck rental company.

What You Might Easily Overlook About a Vehicle Safety Certificate in Queensland

A vehicle roadworthy certificate is called a safety certificate in Queensland, and is needed for when you're selling a vehicle or renewing its registration. Getting the certificate is not necessarily difficult, but as a buyer or seller, or as the owner of a car whose paperwork you're looking to renew, you might overlook some factors about this certificate. Note a few of those here so you know your paperwork is in order no matter your reasons for needing this safety certificate.

Car Owners' Guide to Troubleshooting Manual Transmission Problems

Your car's transmission system is a crucial part of the vehicle's performance, safety and service life. Therefore, it is only right to ensure that the system stays running properly for as long as possible. To achieve that, you will need to make sure you can troubleshoot for transmission issues before they can exacerbate and result in bigger, costlier problems. Read on to know how you can tell when your manual car is experiencing transmission problems.

A Bit Rusty: How to Clean Rust From Your Exhaust

While exhaust pipes on most modern cars have been designed to be rust resistant, this tends to only slow down the inevitable. If rust is allowed to develop on your exhaust pipe it can lead to much more serious and costly problems and repairs. Below are a few tips to help you keep your exhaust pipe clean. Brillo Pads If the amount of rust is relatively small, you should be able to remove it using a Brillo pad which has been dipped in warm soapy water.

2 Ways To Care For Diesel Particulate Filters In Truck Engines

The incomplete combustion of fuel in diesel truck engines is responsible for the production of soot as a waste product. Because soot is an air pollutant, diesel trucks are fitted with particulate filters whose main function is to trap soot from the engine, thereby preventing its absorption into the atmosphere.  In order for diesel particulate filters to perform the said function effectively, truck owners/operators need to understand what it takes to care for diesel particulate filters, thereby prolonging their lifespan.

Manual Transmission Repairs: 2 Common Questions

The transmission system has a great role to play in the proper functioning of any automobile. It is important for a vehicle owner to ensure that the transmission system in their automobile is in good working condition at all times. With this in mind, vehicle owners need to be in a position to identify common causes of transmission system failure in a manual automobile and the possible remedies to these problems.

Intermittent Car AC Failure: Helpful Information You Need to Record

One of the most challenging auto AC problems to fix is the intermittent functioning of the system when you are driving. However, there is some information that you can give the AC repair technician when you take your car for AC repair that can help with the repairs. This article discusses some of that important information. Duration Of Your Trip Note down the time that you spend driving before the intermittent AC failures begin.

Car Alignment Problems: Red Flags to Watch Out For

Vehicle maintenance is very important, and you need to be keen to spot any problems early enough before they get serious. One of the easily forgettable car problems is alignment. Car alignment is about the adjustment of the angles of your wheels. You may not know exactly when you should take your vehicle to your mechanic for an alignment, but it's an essential component of vehicle maintenance. Issues with bad alignment can lead to steering problems and premature tyre wear.

How to Prevent Freezing of Your Car Battery

When the winter starts to approach, you may need to do some winterizing of your vehicle. An important area of the vehicle to get prepared for the cold temperatures is the battery. Your battery is at risk of freezing if the car sits for too long without being used and the battery doesn't get charged. Here are some tips for preventing freezing of the car battery. Use a Battery Blanket

Keeping Your Cool(ant): 5 Signs You Have a Leaky Radiator

Your car engine gets extremely hot. To prevent it from overheating, the radiator on your car pumps coolant around the engine. If your radiator begins to leak coolant, it can cause catastrophic and costly damage to your engine. Below are 5 signs that your radiator is leaking. Coolant Level Drops As you use your vehicle, it is normal for the coolant level to slowly drop. This is why you should check the coolant level at least once a month, topping it up as needed.

Warning Signs That Your Vehicle's Radiator Is Leaking

The radiator is an integral component of your vehicle's engine because it works to reduce or eliminate high levels of heat and cool the whole engine system. This allows your car to operate or function at the perfect temperatures, providing you with a very smooth ride. Therefore, if your car's radiator develops an issue, it could leave you stranded in case your car overheats. For this reason, it's important to have a basic knowledge on radiator troubleshooting because this can help you save on some money that you'd have otherwise spent on various diagnostics at the auto shop when your radiator seems to have a problem.

Why Fuel Data Should Be Integrated With Your Fleet Management System

As you add more trucks to your fleet, it is important to start integrating the data gathered from fuel cards into your fleet management system. This article discusses how that integration would be beneficial to you. Improved Preventive Maintenance Timely data collected from fuel card usage helps to ease the work of preventive maintenance teams. This is because the data forwarded to the fleet management system updates the data on all truck components or consumables, such as engine oil, that need to be overhauled or changed after the truck has covered a certain number of miles.

Tips When Diagnosing Common Power Steering Problems

As a car owner, you know that it is only a matter of time before parts begin to wear and fail. The power steering system within your vehicle allows your car to steer easily, but there are many components within your vehicle that make up the power steering system and some of them can wear and fail over time. If you are looking to avoid major repairs and want to correct any power steering issues right away, it is important for you to be aware of tips that will enable you to diagnose power steering problems more easily.

Some Commonly Asked Questions about a Car's Cylinder Heads and Their Repair

A car's cylinder heads are very important; these are the openings of the engine block that allow in air so that the engine can create combustion for energy. When cylinder heads get cracked or otherwise damaged, this can be very dangerous for a car's engine as they can continue to crack and may, in turn, shut down your engine completely. Cracks or other damage can also mean your engine is not regulating the air intake and other processes needed to keep your engine running as it should.