| Identifying Leaks |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-211 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
No need to panic if you pull out of the garage and see you've left some sort of puddle behind on the garage floor, says Ask DIY Car Care expert Trisha Hessinger. Instead, investigate the source by following her advice as she answers five of the most commonly asked questions about identifying leaks. Q: How do I identify the puddles under my car? A: When brake fluid is brand new, it has that lovely clear, clean look. When it's dirty, it takes on a brownish hue (figure A, top). Steering fluid is also clear to start and has a thin, oily feel, but then becomes brownish or reddish as it gets old and dirty (figure A, bottom). Antifreeze comes in a variety of colors -- yellow, orange, blue -- but it's always fluorescent (figure B, top right). If your antifreeze is leaking, clean it up and identify the source of the problem right away because antifreeze is toxic, yet pets will drink it because it's sweet. Automatic transmission fluid (figure B, bottom left) is often red or rosy and has a thin, oily feel. One of the most important fluids for the vehicle is the engine oil. If you don't know what it looks like new, check out a bit of what's in a new container. Once it's old and dirty, it looks, smells and feels oily and gets darker and darker. Q: What's the best way to get an accurate oil reading? A: Some vehicles may have a different method. But for most ordinary cars and trucks on the road today, you should check the oil once the car's been off for at least 15 minutes, to give the oil a chance to drain down. Find the dipstick, pull it out, and you'll see some hash marks at the bottom indicating "full" and "empty" with a couple of marks in between. The distance between each mark is one quart. You should wipe the end of the dipstick clean and then reinsert it. Pull it back out and see where the oil is along the hash marks. If it comes up to the "full" mark, you're fine. If not, add a quart of oil for each hash mark that's below the full mark. Always check your manual to make sure it doesn't indicate some unusual way of checking your oil. I've got a car, for example, that must have the oil checked while the engine is running. Q: How do I check my coolant level? A: If you have an older model vehicle, go straight to the radiator, but exercise caution. The whole system is under pressure so never, ever check the radiator while the engine is hot! When the engine is cold, open the radiator cap and check the coolant level in the radiator. On late models, it's even easier. You go to the coolant recovery tank (figure C) and check the coolant level against the hash marks on the side. One mark indicates how much coolant should be in there if the engine is hot and another indicates the desired coolant level when the engine is cold. If your coolant level is a little low, add a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. Q: Where can I find the power-steering fluid tank? A: On most modern cars, the power-steering fluid tank will be indicated clearly. It may have a yellow cap or some bright printing. Open the cap and look at its underside closely, and you'll see lines that indicate "full" and "low" (figure D). Of course you'll want to fill it up if you're a little low. If you notice that your steering is binding a little, check the steering-fluid level. Q: Does the engine need to be running for any fluid checks? A: Yes, the engine should be running when you check the transmission fluid. Of course, you want to check your manual for any information specific to your vehicle. But for typical vehicles you should start the engine, run through each gear and then put the car in Park. With the engine still running, open the hood and find the transmission-fluid dipstick (usually at the back of the engine compartment) (figure E). Pull the dipstick and check the transmission fluid level the same way you check the oil. For the transmission fluid, though, the distance between hash marks is one pint , not one quart. Web site resources for Auto: Identifying Leaks: Identifying Automobile Leaks from CTCT Essortment.com Identifying and Stopping Car Leaks from Gold Eagle.com Book: Recipes for Car Care: A Consumers Guide to Car Maintenance
By Kathleen Casagrande
ISBN: 0766828387
Delmar Publishing Inc.
Division of Thomson Learning
P.O. Box 15015
Albany, NY 11212
Phone: 800-998-7498
Web site: www.delmar.com
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
