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Back to Basics Part 1
Classic American Issue 165

It seems that more and more people are getting American vehicles, and for many of these it is their first or only car. So for those of you that are new to the American scene or new to motoring, let’s get right back to basics with general maintenance and servicing. The jobs being covered here can all be carried out with the minimum of tools and should give maximum satisfaction. All this and you’ll get to save a few pounds in garage expenses.

So when we say general maintenance and servicing, what are we talking about exactly? Well it’s the small, simple jobs like changing the filters, spark plugs and oil. Checking the major components of your vehicle for wear or damage. It’s all about trying to prevent a major break down. Remember that old saying “prevention is better than cure”. It is so true when it comes to looking after your vehicle. Obviously changing a well-worn part before it breaks completely is better than spending hours waiting by the roadside for a recovery truck. Of course it goes without saying that accidents can also be avoided this way.

For a lot of people servicing their vehicle stops with a simple oil change, whilst others would dare to change the spark plugs as well. This is all very well, but what about the tyres, engine coolant, suspension, drive belts and the list goes on including numerous other components that make up the various ‘systems’ of your vehicle. It could be said that looking after a vehicle is all about habit, and following a regular routine for your servicing and maintenance will not only extend the life of your vehicle but will also make it safer as well.

Of course the big questions when servicing a vehicle are “What?” and “When?” Well hopefully we can give some insight as to the answers of these questions. A quick answer is to follow the information laid out in your vehicles handbook. This isn’t much help if you have not got a handbook for your vehicle. We can give you a general guide, which should be suitable for most vehicles. Of course whether you choose to follow this or not is entirely up to you, but remember a well-serviced and maintained car is a happy car.

Let’s begin with basic servicing, this usually involves changing the oil and oil filter. If you do a lot of miles, then ideally you should check the oil level at least once a week, and consider changing the oil and filter every 4,000 to 6,000 miles. Unfortunately there is no easy way to check the condition of the oil filter, but most oil filters are relatively cheap so just change it. There are many brands of filter to choose from, see fig 1. As always it is recommended to try and buy the best you can afford, but then this is true of all the parts you will be buying. Fram make some of the best filters available, but there are several other quality brands out there including Purolator and Pro-Gauge. When you come to changing your filter, it is an idea to use an oil filter wrench. The three-legged type which are operated using a 3/8” ratchet are popular and are just a few pounds, see fig 2. These really do save time and aggravation, especially if you have a particularly tight or inaccessible filter.


Fig 1. So many different filter brands!

Fig 2. Make life easy, use a filter wrench.
When putting the new filter on, just run a smear of fresh oil around the filters sealing ring, see fig 3, this will help to seal the filter to its housing. A final word of advice concerning your oil filter is do not over tighten it. Just spin it on to the housing until it will go no further, then hand tighten it a further half to three quarters of a turn. This doesn’t sound enough, but seriously, if you ever want to remove it again that’s all it needs.

One of the most regular questions asked of parts suppliers is “What is the right oil for my vehicle?” Choosing oil can be a nightmare, should you use a mineral oil or should you choose a synthetic, which grade do you require? You may find the grade of oil on the filler cap or in your handbook. As far as synthetic oils go, these are usually used in newer, later date vehicles. However, more and more people are changing over from mineral oils to use synthetics. These synthetics tend to be more costly than mineral oils, but they do have a longer ‘life’ expectancy. Mineral oils are recommended for earlier vehicles, but again the choice is yours. As far as the oils are concerned there are many brands available; Kendall and Pennzoil produce good quality oils at a reasonable price and in a wide range of grades or viscosity’s, see fig 4.


Fig 3. Smear oil on the sealing ring.


Fig 4. Selection of various oils.
Viscosity is basically the thickness of the oil; the thicker it is the higher its viscosity. An oils performance will vary with changes in temperature, hence the reason for having different grades of oil. Multi-grade oils, 10-W30, 20-W50 etc… have various polymers added to them to prevent them thinning too much as they reach their operating temperature. So at low or starting temperature the polymers are coiled allowing the oil to flow at its low grade. As the oil reaches its operating temperature the polymers begin to unwind into long chains. It is these long chain polymers which prevent the oil from thinning any more than its high grade. So, for example, 20-W50 oil is 20-weight oil that will not thin any more than 50-weight oil once it has reached operating temperature. As always if you are unsure as to which oils and grades to use, contact your parts supplier for some advice. When it comes to the actual oil change itself there are just a couple of golden rules to remember. First, always use a funnel or filling spout, see fig 5. This will help make sure the oil goes in the engine and not on the floor, or on the valve covers and manifolds. Secondly, never over fill your engine. As crazy as it sounds, too much oil is almost as bad as to little. We shall leave the subject of oil here; as to get into oil seriously would take either several books or a large bath.


Fig 5. Use a funnel or filler spout.

Spark plugs should be the next thing to look at. These really need changing every 8,000 to 10,000 miles. Unless you have performance or platinum tip plugs, most brands of plug are past their best by 8,000 miles. Close inspection of the plugs, see fig 6, can give you some idea of how the engine is performing. A lot of information can be got from their colour and condition. In an engine that is running at its best, the insulator around the plugs electrode should be a light tan or biscuit colour. However, if your engine is not running at its best, close inspection of the plugs could give you a clue as to the problem.

Fig 6. Check your plugs on a regular basis.

Look for the following:

1. Carbon Deposits: If the plugs have a black fluffy carbon deposit on them this could be a sign that either the fuel mixture is too rich or you are running plugs of too cold a heat range. Reasons for this could be a clogged air filter; a faulty fuel pump or the idle speed of the engine is too high. So check these out as well as the fuel mixture.

2. Oily Plugs: The plugs may have oil deposits on them, this can be a sign of worn piston rings, worn valve guides, or damaged valve stem seals.

3. Overheating: This is diagnosed by the colour of the insulator, which will be either white or a light grey with black or brown spots. There will also be a bluish burnt look to the electrode. This can be caused by plugs of too hot a heat range, low fuel pressure or incorrect ignition timing. There could also be a problem with the cooling system, either a blocked radiator or stuck thermostat. Poor circulation will cause ‘hot spots’ within the block, which can intern make the spark plugs appear different colours.

4. Pre-Ignition: Plugs will probably have melted electrodes and blistered insulator. If there are small metallic deposits on the plugs this could be a sign of internal engine damage. Possible causes include incorrect ignition timing, too hot a plug, burnt exhaust valves or engine overheating.

5. The final common problem with plugs is a bridged gap between the electrodes. This is often caused by carbon or oil fouled plugs. The build up from these deposits gets so bad the gap between the electrodes is closed. Obviously this will prevent the plug from firing.

This may sound obvious, but always use a good quality spark plug wrench or socket, see fig 7, to change the plugs. This will make the job a lot easier than trying to fiddle about with loose fitting spanners and will also help to prevent plug breakage during the change.


Fig 7. Always use a good plug wrench or socket.

At least once a year or about every 12,000 miles the air filter should be inspected. Remove it from its housing and hold it up to the light. If you can’t see light through the filter then change it. Obviously, if you do a lot of driving in an extremely dusty environment you may find you need to change the air filter more frequently. You would be surprised at how much difference a new and clean air filter makes to the overall running of your vehicle. A poorly maintained filter, see fig 8, can affect both fuel economy and performance. There is usually a number printed somewhere on the filter, it can be useful to make a note of this when you call your supplier to buy a new filter, especially if you are concerned about getting the correct replacement. Any of the filter brands already mentioned should produce a satisfactory replacement. However, if you want to get into performance filters, companies such as K&N make some excellent filters, see fig 9, which they say even give an increase in horsepower. These filters are washable using K&N’s special cleaning fluid; they then have to be re-oiled using their air filter oil. This sounds like a lot of hard work, but K&N claim their filters are good for up to 1,000,000 miles if properly cared for. There are various types of aftermarket filter systems, ranging from simple 14-inch chrome ‘pancake’ filters to complex high performance cold air induction systems. Unfortunately not all systems are suitable for all vehicles. So if you want to change from your stock set-up and are unsure which way to go, you’ve guessed it, give your supplier a call for some advice.


Fig 8. Throw this away.

Fig 9. Try a performance air filter.
Like air filters, fuel filters come in a variety of shapes and sizes, see fig 10. However, unlike air filters, the fuel filter is one of the most often over-looked service items. Fuel filters should be checked at least every 12,000 miles. If you are able to see the filter element clearly, check it for any debris if it appears to be clean then fine check it again in another 12,000 miles. If it is dirty, simply replace it. Some filter elements are enclosed in a metal canister and cannot be inspected, for peace of mind these should just be replaced. Poor fuel filtration can cause all manner of problems, from poor performance right through to the engine cutting out completely. Now that can be jolly annoying when you’re a hundred miles from home on a dark country road and you don’t have a phone. Changing the filter is the easiest option. When changing the fuel filter, remember that you are working with a highly flammable liquid, so take some precautions. You may also want to use a small bowl or container to place under hoses or pipes to catch any fuel that may leak out during the change.

Throughout this article calling your parts supplier has been mentioned a lot. Now when you are starting out with American vehicles, parts suppliers are a great source of information. Most are only too happy to offer advice, especially if you go back to them and buy parts. Useful information to have to hand when calling to order parts is the chassis or VIN code also any part number and manufacturer name you may be able to find on the old item. It is always a good idea to make a note of the VIN from the vehicle itself rather than the V5 or MOT certificate. Unfortunately the two do not always match and it can be confusing if you give a VIN incorrectly. You may also want to make a note of any modifications that have been made to the vehicle. For example, if your vehicle has a 14-inch edelbrock air cleaner fitted to it, do not just order an air filter without telling the supplier this. A lot of trouble with incorrectly supplied parts can be avoided if you just take a minute to talk to your supplier.

In the next article we shall be looking at other areas of vehicle servicing and maintenance that are often over looked. Hopefully we shall be able to clear up some issues concerning tyres, oxygen sensors and brakes. In the mean time, instead of just thinking about taking more care of your car, actually go and do it, you know it makes sense.


Fig 10. Selction of fuel filters