Paul Huffman
Owner

Tire Tips

Tires are one of the most important maintenance items under your car. The best way to get the most out of your tires is by having them rotated and balanced on a regular basis, about every 7,500 miles. This will ensure that they wear evenly and last as long possible. Balancing is important to eliminate vibration at road speeds and because properly balanced tire reduces the stress and strain on shocks, struts, and steering parts. Keeping the tire pressures set to specification will also go a long way in extending tire life and fuel economy.

Belt Basics

Perhaps the most critical engine component these days is the timing belt. Not all engines use a timing belt, but on those that do, it's critical that it be replaced before it breaks. At some point the belt breaks and, if your car has an interference engine where the valves and pistons occupy the same place in the combustion chamber at different times, serious engine damage can occur. If your car has a non-interference engine, the worst that will

Get Out The Grit

Filters are an important part of regular maintenance. Air and fuel filters keep dirt and abrasive grit out of the engine. Problems arise when these filters get dirty and start to clog up. Many driveability problems, such as hesitation and rough idle, can stem from dirty air and fuel filters. For maximum effectiveness, they should be replaced about every 15,000 miles, but driving in dusty conditions can require more frequent air filter changes. A filter that is very rarely replaced, but should be, is the carbon canister filter. It is an important part of the emission control system and filters the incoming air that this system uses. The canister is such an integral part of today's engine management system that a clogged canister filter can also result in driveability or emissions problems.

Some cars still have a positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) filter, also called a breather element. This filters the air for the PCV system to ensure clean air enters the engine crankcase. Most cars today draw air for the PCV system from the air cleaner housing so this filter is not needed, but if your engine has one, replace it at 15,000 mile intervals as well.