Four Inexpensive Items For Your Vehicle

Battery Charger

You can purchase a battery charger for around $20 at any general retail store. This can be a real life saver. A battery charger connects to your battery posts and plugs into a wall outlet. If you leave your lights on overnight (it happens to the best of us) having a battery charger in your garage will feel like the best $20 you ever spent.

Breaker Bar

is a long metal tool that is similar to a socket wrench, in that it uses bits. It is great to have on hand if you get a flat tire, because it is a long bar that can give you additional leverage when trying to get your lug nuts loose. Lug nuts are usually over tightened by mechanics and difficult to get off without the proper tools, such as a breaker bar. You can pick up this great item for around $20 at any tool or hardware store.

Tire Pressure Gage

One of the best ways to save money is to keep up on your regular maintenance. Regularly checking you tire pressure can prolong the life of your tires and possibly prevent a potentially dangerous flat or blown tire. There are several versions of tire pressure gauges. The purpose of this instrument ($5-$20) is to test the pressure in your tires and ensure that you are driving with the optimal pounds per square inch!

Pump Compressor with Pressure Gauge 

The pump compressor with a pressure gauge ($20-$50) is like a tire pressure gauge on steroids. There is no need to stop at the gas station to add air to your tire with this item. The compressor plugs into the car’s power outlet to add air to your tire while checking the tire’s PSI. This is not just a product for your car; it is also great for pumping up bike tires, sports gear and inflatable toys.

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How To Check Your Oil

The best time to check your oil is before the automobile has been started or when the engine is cold. The oil is settled which allows for a more accurate reading. If you check the oil after the car has been running, you will encounter a hot engine, so please use caution. Make sure that you do not have anything, such as your hair or a scarf, hanging into the engine. If the engine is hot, turn your vehicle off and let it cool for a few minutes.

As always keep safety in mind make sure the automobile is on a level surface and the parking brake is engaged.

• Pop the hood and locate the dipstick. Here are two of examples of different dipsticks (circled in blue) and where they are located in the engine.
  
• Pull the dipstick out.
  
• Use a clean paper towel or rag to wipe it clean.
  
• Reinsert the dipstick making sure to push it all the way in. Pull the dipstick out again and check the level by looking at the end of the dipstick. The oil level should be between high and low or full and low. Some dipsticks like the one pictured are not labeled. Low is the dot closest to the end.

CAUTION: Do not over fill! If you fill your car with too much oil, you could destroy your engine. If you are uncertain about how much to add, add a little and then recheck. Continue this process until you have reached the full level. Be sure to allow enough time (30 seconds) to let the oil settle before re-checking.

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Tips On How To Distinguish a Sick Cooling System

With the hot summer temperatures on the rise, knowing the symptoms of a sick cooling system are critical to your summer driving plans, since cooling system failure is a leading cause of vehicle breakdowns. 

The most noticeable symptoms are:  

• Overheating
• Leaks
• A sweet smell of antifreeze
• Repeatedly needing to add coolant

The primary job of the engine’s cooling system is to remove the heat that is generated during the combustion process. The coolant temperature can be well over 200 degrees and that heat has to go somewhere, otherwise engine components are going to start failing. The key parts of the cooling system remove the heat from the engine and automatic transmission and dispel it to the air outside. The water pump circulates coolant through the engine. The coolant absorbs heat and returns it to the radiator where heat is dissipated. The thermostat regulates the coolant temperature to keep it consistent for efficient engine operation. 

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How To Prevent Car Sickness

Blame your eyes and inner ear for sending conflicting messages to your brain. If you get car sick, you most likely dread every single extended road trip. Dizziness, fatigue and nausea might make the trip miserable. So how do you go about preventing car sickness in the first place? Here are some ways to enjoy the ride, sickness-free.

Look out the front window.  

Watching the scenery can confirm your balance system's detection of motion and help resolve the mismatch that causes car sickness. Focus on a non-moving object in the distance, such as the horizon. Don't do anything that involves focusing on a fixed spot, such as reading or playing a card game. Don't turn around or look from side to side much

Close your eyes.  

Sleep if you can. If your eyes are closed, you don't see anything, and that removes the cause of motion sickness. In addition, sleeping will do wonders for taking your mind off of the motion sickness.

 
Take breaks.

Go outside to stretch your legs. Sit on a bench or under a tree and take some deep breaths in through your mouth, breathing deeply from your stomach to help relax. This is especially important during journeys that involve a long distance of curvy roads. Not only does stopping frequently help alleviate car sickness, but it is also good for the driver to take a break.

 
Take steps to prevent nausea.  

Since nausea is the most debilitating symptom of car sickness, it's always good to take precautionary measures. Ginger root is a classic remedy because of its widely recognized anti emetic (nausea-preventing) effects. Keep in mind, however, that many medications which are normally effective against nausea might not work against nausea caused by motion sickness.

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