DIY- Maintenance: Getting better mileage for your car

Naturally if you’re keeping a car these days, chances are you’re doing ounce of saving measures so you can save on gas while keeping in touch with your daily activities.

The compromise of savings against that of comfort (like it or not) is certainly a serious factor, with the skyrocketing cost of fuel, maintenance added with the world market slump where just about everything is folding.

Fuel efficiency should be considered in every household so as to help out with the family budget and following the steps below will increase your car’s efficiency ratio by 20 or even up to 40 percent!

1. Regular maintenance counts. Always see to it to gradually change oil and replace your air filter. Clog and strain in your engine will certainly increase your fuel consumption.

2. Constantly check for uneven tire pressure and always inflate your tires to the standard set by the manufacturer. Under- inflated tires can contribute to your fuel consumption as they will resist rolling and therefore strain your car to pump in more gas.

3. Check and make sure you gas cap is locked up tightly after loading. If it’s not closed properly, gas could be evaporating without you knowing it.

4. Do not let your vehicle idle. Supposing you’ll have to make a stop for only a minute or two, do not turn off car’s engine because it will certainly require burning more gas to turn it back on again; more than the gas used up in the idle time.

5. Don’t be an aggressive driver. Always maintain driving in a steady pace and avoid sudden gear and pedal shifts.

6. Minimize the use of your car’s air condition (A/C). Whenever driving conditions permit it, turn off your A/C and open your windows. Your car’s A/C is another guzzler which you need to control to become fuel efficient. If you deem it unavoidable to use the air conditioning, then set it in a “Recycle” setting so as to lock in the cooled air.

Follow these simple tips and get the load off on savings.

Buckle up.

Jovir Amatong

All About the Iron Wagon

DIY- Customize: Painting your car’s brake calipers

Here’s another DIY tip that’s sure to give flare to your car prior to (if you have the budget) maybe having a rim and tire change. Painting your brake calipers will not only add to your car’s overall looks but can also aid in delaying rust and deterioration from seeping in to the brake area.

A nicely painted brake caliper is surprisingly not expensive at all and you can even do it in the comforts of your own garage!

Prepare the following equipment: Car Jack, Wire brush, Cleaning solution, Tire iron, Can(s) of spray paint, Tape and Ratchet.

Follow these and begin your business:

1. Select your preferred spray paint color. Always take into consideration to buy only paints that are suitable for the type of metal used in your calipers. It is best to consult an expert as to the effectiveness of a paint selected and how much of it you will need to use.

2. Undo the lug nuts holding the tire until you can feel a semi-soft turn. You need to remove the tires in order to get access to the brake calipers.

3. Use the jack and slowly raise your car securely off the ground. If you have a jack lift use it to put your vehicle in a much more secure placement. Remember to exercise extreme caution when working under your car.

4. Unscrew the lug nuts all the way, and remove the tire from the axle.

5. Using the wire brush, carefully scour the areas in and around the brake caliper surface. Rub it with a rag and cleaning solution afterwards.

6. Find the bolts holding the caliper to its support. Use the ratchet and remove the bolts.

7. Set the brake caliper on the rotor.

8. Put newspapers and masking tape on the areas around the brake caliper. Make sure that the adhesive on the masking tape will not affect any areas to where it has been put.

9. Start painting the brake caliper. Allow time for the paint to dry (As recommended by the manufacturer) in between coats.

10. Re-attach the brake caliper to the support after the paint has dried, put everything back in place and lower your vehicle to its proper position.

Note: To avoid untoward serious repairs and stress to the brake line, always see to it to be extra careful when removing the brake calipers.

Safe Driving!

Jovir Amatong

All About the Iron Wagon

Improve gas mileage: Clean or replace your car’s air filter!

Do you know that your car's air filter play a vital role in the improvement of gas mileage and road performance? The air filter acts as the catalyst and makes sure that good clean air without impurities flows to and fro your engine.

Note: You can only clean a REUSABLE aftermarket performance filter. If you’re currently using a STOCK air filter, it is advisable for you to replace it with a new one. Cleaning and re-using it could wear it out of use.

To clean your air filter, follow these:

1. Remove the clamps and lift the air sensor from the air intake (on top of the engine.)

2. Remove the air filter.


3. Spray a specialized filter cleaner on both sides of the air filter.

4. Wait a few minutes and let the cleaning fluid saturate into the air filter.

5. Wash the air filter with cool water. If the air filter is dirty, spray and wash it again until the filter is noticeably clean.

6. Leave the filter to dry completely.

7. Spray filter oil on the front side of the air filter and leave it to soak for 20 minutes. Cover the filter with oil completely, so it will form a seal around the filter filaments.

8. Once the oil has seeped into the filter, place the filter back into it’s position in the air intake and reconnect the air sensor.

Cleaning your car’s air filter is a breeze. Do it frequently and you’ll notice the improvement with your ride!

Drive safely.

Jovir Amatong

All About the Iron Wagon

DIY- Auto repair: Jumpstarting your car

Imagine a beautiful day on the road- gliding smoothly down curves and crunching the pedals on the freeway. You thought everything is fine with your car, then suddenly when you least expect it, you get stalled with a dead battery!

As a driver you should always be ready with the right tool (Jumper cables) and the knowledge to fix this very simple problem as this could very well come up when you least expect it.

To jumpstart your car, follow these:

1. Bring a volunteer. You’re going to need a friend or a helpful stranger who would be willing enough bring his car close and lend power.

2. Open both hoods of the cars.

3. Clamp the red end of the Jumper cables to the positive terminal (+) to the dead battery. Clamp the other end of the jumper cables of the red side to the positive terminal with that of the working battery.

4. Put the black end of the jumper cables to the negative terminals (-) of the working battery. Put the other black end of the jumper cables to a metal surface in the engine compartment of the dead battery.

5. Start the car with the dead battery and leave it running for a few minutes to charge the dead battery.

Learning to how to jumpstart your car will help ensure a worry free smooth ride.

Buckle up.

Jovir Amatong

For other DIY car repair tips and more, read:

All About the Iron Wagon

Auto repair: Learn to get car repair quotes, costs, cheap spare parts and accessories

Admit it, like small kids you only love your car when it feels smoothly to your drive but when everything breaks, you feel like you don’t want to see it anymore for fear of repair costs. The best way to solve your problem with minimal costs is to simply just seek out expert help and get quotes and estimates for repair yourself! This way you’ll know what to do and can therefore budget on costs. Follow these:

1. Ask a friend or your neighbors for a referral. Reputation counts much as going to a place that’s popular will save you from overcharging, scams and unnecessary repairs or charges.

2. Visit a repair center (maybe you can get a free estimate) and ask for a summary of what is wrong with your car. This way you’ll know what is wrong with your car and whenever you’re in doubt you can contact other repair centers and compare costs on estimates.

3. Contacting more repair centers in your area will certainly help you see if the quote you got is fair. Here on, you can compare summarized estimates (repair, parts, labor costs, miscellaneous charges etc.) generally, labor cost is the number of hours spent in the repair multiplied by the hourly charge of the car service.

4. Ask for a written estimate. Though this may come as a variable factor for complications might occur, the moment repair for your car is started. If however your charges end up higher than your quote, never hesitate to ask or complain to the shop manager and together sort out a satisfactory solution.

As a last note to save more on your car repair budget, it will greatly help if you also know where to get quality spare parts at a price that’s just right or get discounts when you buy.

Before setting off on a hunt, take note of the following essential information.

Know your car basics (year, make, model, engine etc.) and transmission (manual, automatic) and air conditioning. Always be sure to scour a lot of dealerships you can handle as possible and have web access ready in case you want to conduct price comparisons online.

Once you’ve had these things considered, then you can follow these:


1. Learn to look the other way. Though it might seem convenient that your car dealer is the source for quality auto parts, be open that you’ll save like say a dollar at a parts department dealership and even if it is true that dealers are the only place around where you can get hard to find spare parts and accessories, you will certainly chance upon a good supply for less at a small auto parts store.

2. Browse and order online! The internet is a very good source of top quality spare parts and accessories and with the fierce competition among dealerships, means greater value for money. All you need to do by the way is to browse and compare prices as to which suits you best.

3. Take a look at Specialty web sites. Specialty websites are another option in your search as they provide fresh- from- factory prices, a large inventory of parts and accessories and they also offer shipping and handling. Most often, specialty sites offer big discounts and promos.

4. There are still usable parts in the junk! Junkyards and recycling facilities can save you hundreds of dollars on some parts where getting a brand new one at a dealer ship would have cost you higher.

5. Ask among friends or other drivers. Remember that nothing beats word of mouth, so it is also good to ask around people for the best place to go to or who among them might have an extra part or accessory that’s ready to sell.

Follow these tips and you’ll be heaving a sigh of relief over normally costly car repairs.

Drive safely.

Jovir Amatong
jamatong@ibcjapan.co.jp

All About the Iron Wagon

Green friendly motoring: Gas up your car with Bio-fuels

The alarming effects of pollution in the environment added with the fast depletion and rising costs of fossil fuels, has prompted scientific communities and governments to create measures to alleviate these problems the world over.

One of the solutions that sprang up from laboratories are bio- fuels- plant extracts and compounds which when added to gasoline and petrol will substitute fuel characteristics.

Bio- fuels certainly aids the environment as they are biological in nature and therefore do not add carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Coming from carbon dioxide digesters in nature, they typically remove carbon dioxide and in turn give off the same amount when burnt.

Though still in the introduction stage in the market, bio- fuels has proven to be promising with surprising results- they do not only cost much less to make than gasoline or petrol additives, but elaborate tests has proven that they can also improve vehicle performance and clean emissions! Further tests conducted have also proven that bio-fuels eliminate smog and engine build-up.

A lot of oil companies are slowly picking up the pace in marketing these types of fuel and a lot are reporting sales steadily on the rise due to the affordability and added benefits. There are also new oil market players that cater exclusively to the production and distributing bio-fuels and by-products, now gaining influence off the growing demand for cheaper and cleaner fuel alternatives.




Bio-fuel variants largely used in vehicles today include:

1. Bio- Diesel

For diesel engines. This type of fuel can be used with existing cars with little or no adaptation needed and scores well on the energy ratings. Cars on Bio- Ethanol basically land the same rankings as those running on gasoline. The difference however shows up on the combustion process as Bio-Ethanol only emits the carbon dioxide it has used up in the growth process of its plant source, while burning gasoline or diesel adds more CO2 into the atmosphere due to their underground containment in oil deposits for eons of years.

Large sources of plant extracts usually come from the following:

* Ethanol alcohol from Sugarcane
* Oil extracts from mature Jathropa seeds
* Coconut oil

2. Biogas

Another interesting alternative to fossil fuels, Biogas is the type of gas from animal or plant wastes or a combination of both. A mixture of both has been proven to yield the best results. The animal wastes produce the nitrogen for bacterial growth and vegetable matter supplies the needed carbon.

With the positive market feedback, researchers are still looking and testing other viable plant sources for an even improved fuel additive which will eventually (should the need arise) power vehicles in the future.

As a motorist this is truly a great news- now you’ll get relief over fuel costs and maintenance bills but the most rewarding above all is that in using bio-fuels, you’re contributing to the welfare of your environment.

Drive safely.

Jovir Amatong

jamatong@ibcjapan.co.jp

All About the Iron Wagon

Defensive and efficient driving: A roadtripper’s key to road Zen

Defensive and fuel efficient driving are the ultimate keys to road safety and the optimum operation of your car’s system for a long time. By being a defensive and fuel efficient driver, you’ll also add up more on savings from frequent gas ups. Follow these simple and easy steps to become a defensive and fuel efficient driver.

Become a Defensive driver

1. Before starting your car, be sure that you have buckled up everyone, including children and pets (if any)

2. Stay in the speed limit. In some areas, (especially highly urbanized zones) driving too fast or too slow will increase your chance of a collision.

3. Be cautious of changing situations on the road and be prepared to respond quickly. If you notice a car that’s straddling, weaving, making wide turns, stopping suddenly or not responding to traffic signals, then know that the driver may be impaired or distracted. Probable causes could be alcohol, distraction or on the phone.

4. Stay away from impaired drivers. Slow down a bit to increase following distance. If the driver is behind you, turn at the nearest corner. Always remember to never let or encourage an impaired driver pass you. If a vehicle crosses over into your lane, pull over the roadside. Sound your horn or flash lights to attract attention.

5. Maintain presence of mind to quickly respond to any situation. Never drink and drive. Never use your mobile phone while on the road.

5. Always follow traffic rules and regulations. Never contest right of way or engage racing on busy roads.

6. Always observe courtesy and respect for other drivers.

Drive Efficiently

1. Regularly tune-up your gasoline / diesel engine to keep it in top fuel efficiency condition.

2. Start and keep your engine running at the normal idling speed. Running more than the recommended “warm up” will affect your fuel burn.

3. When driving, always keep within the speed of 70 to 90 kph. Driving below or higher than this bracket will result in less kph traveled for the same amount of fuel.

4. Plan your trips ahead in order to maximize the load factor of your car.

5. Always be aware of alternate routes in your trip to avoid traffic hassles.

6. Always keep in mind when to shift to a higher gear. This will avoid stress on your engine.

7. Fill your tank early in the morning will result in your being able to load 3-6% more fuel than filling it at noon when the temperature is much higher.

8. Never overfill your tank. Always see to it to keep your fuel cap tight to prevent spillage or evaporation.

9. If you tune up the operation of your car at close to sea level, it will be less fuel efficient when you’ll get to a higher elevation and vice versa due to the difference in density altitude.

10. Always maintain gradual acceleration. This will save you as much as 1 kilometer to the liter compared with rapid acceleration.

11. Minimize your load. Unnecessary weight in your car will add up to as much as 10% in your car’s fuel consumption.

Practice these basics and you’re off to a safe and smooth ride.

Buckle up.

Jovir Amatong
jamatong@ibcjapan.co.jp

All About the Iron Wagon

Knowing the Blood and Lifeline of your Car’s System - Brake, Power Steering, Battery and Radiator Coolant Fluids

Now that you’ve known the other car care basics, perhaps it’s time we take a look at the fluid essentials that are literally the life giving blood of your car.

1. Brake Fluid- Is a type of hydraulic fluid that is used in hydraulic brake applications of your car, motorcycles and trucks. This type of fluid is used to transfer force under pressure from its point of origin among hydraulic lines to the braking mechanism close to the wheels.

Most brake fluids today are composed of glycol-ether but several types with mineral oil and silicone composites are also out in the market. This type of fluid should meet stringent requirements set by organizations such as SAE and the US Department of Transportation (DOT) - hence you get ratings on labels such as SAE or DOT 3 and 4 compliance.

As a rule of thumb, brake fluid should always be replenished if the levels in its container decrease with every drive. Fluid level in the master cyclinder will drop as the linings, brake pads and shoes wear and the calipers extend further to compensate. Brake fluid level may also be low because of leaking, which can lead to loss of hydraulic pressure and the most dangerous- brake loss.

It is very important to constantly monitor your brake fluid levels to ensure safe driving and fill according to the set level. Flush and change your brake fluid every 1-2 years to further ensure reliability and take note to never mix brake fluids with different DOT ratings as this can result to poor fluid performance.

2. Power Steering – Is another type of hydraulic fluid that transmits the power steering system of cars, trucks and other modes of transportation.
This is the fluid that guards your power-steering pump and rack from wear and tear. It requires constant monitoring and refilling from time to time according to the required level in its cylinder.

A way to notice that your steering system is about to have a problem or that your power steering fluid is running low is when you turn the steering wheel and you hear whining noises. Have your car checked when this occurs to prevent serious damages to your power- steering system.

Note: There are products out in the market today that contain the combined properties of Power Steering and Automatic Transmission Fluids (ATF). Use any of these products to save and be protected more.

3. Battery Fluid- Is the electrolyte fluid found inside the cells of your battery. If you are using the regular type of battery and not the maintenance free one, then you are required to refill your battery cells from time to time with electrolyte fluid.

Standard battery for cars is 12V and usually has 6 individual cells inside it. To refill, simply remove the vent caps that can either be found on top or on the sides of the battery. Check and fill the electrolyte fluid inside.

Note: There are some brands of maintenance free batteries out in the market today that can run on dual power- meaning they also have vent caps for electrolyte fluids in case their power supply run out. Although this type of battery may not come cheap, it would be best for you to use it.

4. Radiator Coolant- Is a mixture of anti-freeze fluid and water designed to protect the radiator and cooling system all year round. Using one will protect your engine from overheating. Most coolant products out in the market today come with various additives that can further help you against rust and other forms of corrosion, lubricate or increase the cooling efficiency of your cooling system.

Simply pour out the contents of your coolant to the radiator reservoir. Add water to the set level and you’re done.

For maintenance, it is very important for you to drain and flush your coolant once a year (or depending on the product recommendations) and replace it with a new one.

Note: Never mix different types of coolant together as this can lead to damage or a reduction of your car’s cooling system. Before changing to another brand, be sure to drain and flush your cooling system of the old one.
See to it that the reservoirs of these fluids are in constant levels and refill when they’re not enough. Properly maintaining them will help ensure your safety and prolong the life of your car.

Buckle up and drive safely.

Jovir Amatong
jamatong@autoterminal.com

Read more money saving car care and maintenance tips @:

All About the Iron Wagon

The truth about Lemon cars and how to avoid buying one

No, were not talking about the green, refreshing fruit we’ve all come to love- but of a defective car. The term “Lemon” has been coined for new or used cars which after purchase, has been found by the buyer to have defects not readily apparent before it was bought. Defects could range from simple design flaws to life threatening flaws due to parts installed incorrectly during manufacture.

The term nowadays, is also associated with any product which has major defects that make it useless for its purpose.

New and used lemons

In perception, brand new cars may contain technical defects or workmanship errors. This could be due to incorrect design or errors during the assembly process at the factories. Parts and wiring may have been installed incorrectly or cars may have hidden defects under the hood.

Used cars on the other hand, become lemons once they are not used according to the set standards, abused or poorly maintained, repaired or worse, has been unprofessionally rebuilt after meeting an accident. A common practice of fraudulent dealerships is the tampering of lemon vehicles to manipulate high mileage, technical and mechanical defects, corrosion and more.

The used line up may also encounter the same problems as that of their brand new counter parts, but the problems are way much worse.

A form of lemon known as “Cut and shut” a type of car body collision repair where a wrecked portion of a car is sawed off and is replaced with a section from a matching car. A car that is cut and shut is very dangerous as it will surely come apart under strenuous conditions, high speeds and road mishaps. Usually, cars that have been cut and shut are the ones that were salvaged after a serious collision.

Poorly repaired collision-damaged vehicles are also bound to be a risk with Unibody problems. A Unibody by the way, is the type of construction used in motor vehicles where parts such as the floor, roof, and panels are wielded together to produce a unit. This process has been employed in the manufacture of vehicles since 1987. It eliminates the need to construct a separate frame for every vehicle produced.

Car weight may be reduced, but its unibody parts are prone to bending as they were designed to absorb the impact of g-forces or damage in severe accidents which may cause the car not to work properly when it is still driven (even with stringent repairs) after a grave blow.

Protect yourself from lemons

As a consumer, there are legislative measures that protect you against lemons and manufacturers nowadays are very vigilant about their products that they would be willing to give you back your money, buy back the defective vehicle or exchange it for a new one right away once it has undergone multiple repair attempts yet the problems still persist or when defects caused your new vehicle to be out of service over a long period of time because of repairs.

In buying new or used cars, please take note of the following:

1. Do a research on the manufacturer or find out from the authorities if there has been a recall on your model.

2. Be in the know of your model’s safety recall and maintenance history through consumer safety groups, auto magazines, newspaper articles and website reviews.

3. Ask car shops and mechanics how often your model shows up in their shops for repairs.

4. Do a survey among other owners of your model if they are satisfied with their cars.

5. For used vehicles, always get a vehicle history report to make sure that the car you’re buying is clean with no major wrecks or any illegal activity in history.

6. Be suspicious of a model that’s being sold at a very cheap price. Ask around why the price is so. Be warned of dealers / sellers who try to close a deal too quickly.

7. Buying from an owner? Always see to it to have a trusted mechanic inspect the car. Avoid cars that have been in an accident or have frame damage.

Drive safely.

Jovir Amatong
jamatong@autoterminal.com

All about the Iron Wagon

How to choose the right kind of battery for your car

A battery may count as a bit small, but in reality, it is one of the most crucial components of your car as it is the one that gives power to all electronic gadgets, components and the startup of your engine.

No matter how well maintained your car is, once you power it up with a low performance battery, it will eventually be left lifeless on the road. It is therefore important to outfit your car with the best battery around.

Recent developments of the vehicle industry has produced upgrades or modifications allowing batteries to keep up with the advanced features of models from various makers. Competition among the battery manufacturers also provides consumers with lower prices, improved battery life and more advanced features. All batteries now can be installed DIY!

Below are the simple how to’s to help you select the right battery for your car.

Finding a new battery

When looking for a new battery, always take note that prices may vary because of brand, features, quality and capacity.

If you’re looking for a brand that’s reliable, simply do a research online for the most popular or ask other car owners for the brands that they’re using.

The availability of new batteries is not a question nowadays; you can get hold of them at most car shops, service centers and auto supplies from urban areas up to the farthest countryside. Prices may vary but most shops provide discounts for customers who turn in their old batteries.

Provided you have the budget, see to it not to buy cheap batteries! You might think that you’re getting a bargain now but sooner or later, you will suffer as cheap batteries are poor in quality and will surely never last long.

Check your car manual or battery referral guides in automotive shops for factors such as group size, cold-cranking amps and cranking amps to properly guide you in your selection.

Group size- Refers to battery volume with the location of terminals (positive + and negative -) your manual indicates the group size required by your car’s model.

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) - Refers to a battery’s ability in cold weather conditions. It is in situations such as these that the engine oil becomes thicker thereby making ignition difficult. You can tell how much electrical power your battery can provide to your car at zero degrees (F) by looking at its CCA rating.

Cranking Amps (CA) – Is the indicator of a battery’s power-capability.

Now that you know what to look for, it is then time for you to consider buying a battery based on preference leads such as:

Maintenance

You can select from maintenance free or a regular battery. I’d say go for the maintenance free type as you will not go through the hassles of constantly checking and refilling the battery electrolyte fluids.

Country climate and driving conditions

Select the battery that fits your country climate and driving condition. If you are living in a country with high temperatures, it is appropriate for you to select the battery type for a long life. Look for a tough housing that will protect the plates from easily corroding and provides protection against fluid evaporation.

Display date

Select the ones that are displayed fresh on the counter with no more than 6 months from their manufacture date.

Battery handles

For easy installation and pullout, select a battery that has a handle on it. You wouldn’t want to carry a 4-5 kilo box just by holding on to its sides now would you?

Follow these tips to land the perfect power for your ride. Drive safely.

For proper battery care and maintenance,
Read: Maintaining the peak performance of your car's battery

Jovir Amatong
jamatong@autoterminal.com

All About the Iron Wagon